A Steverino first: I get fucked, and don't like it.

It went about as well as I could have expected with Lee. I know he is basically on non-speaking terms with Barbara, and I swore him to secrecy, but it's scary what could happen if he slips just a little. But we got busted, and there's not a lot we can do about that now.

Lila and I get into the car, and as soon as the door closes, she is in tears.

"Steve, I SWEAR I didn't know he was coming back!"

"I know."

"I mean, I watched him drive away! I WATCHED him!"

"Baby, I know."

"And I only called you after he was gone!"

"I KNOW, Lila. I mean, LEE!"

"Do NOT call me that!" she says.

**********

Dan Johnson's assistant, Claire, has been calling me once a week or so to check on the status of our acquisitions. Dan is way too busy making up bad golf jokes to speak to me, I guess, but Claire always assures me that "Mr. Johnson hopes you have a very good week!"

If "Mr. Johnson" keeps liking me this much, pretty soon he'll be able to remember my name without the carboard tag!

The acquisition I've been working on looks like it's going to get approved soon. It's even bigger than the last one, and there should be a little less work involved. We already have the number one division in the country, and this would make it a blowout.

It's Tuesday, August 3. Claire calls me, and we discuss the status of my projects.

"Did Mr. Johnson say anything more about possibly hiring me," I ask. I probably shouldn't be asking, but Claire and I are really cool.

"You didn't hear this from me," she says, her voice sinking to a hush. "But I think Ross is trying to put the kibosh on that..."

"What did he say?" I demand.

"I don't know exactly. But I think he's speaking to the board of directors, saying that you're not ready to work at corporate."

MOTHERFUCKER.

This makes perfect sense. Ross is very close friends with two or three members of the board, and he knows that Dan seems to like me, and he also knows that if the board disagrees with Dan on an executive hire, Dan probably won't buck them.

Like I said. Motherfucker.

"Dan's not gonna listen to that, right? That's RIDICULOUS, Claire!"

"I know that, Steve. YOU know that, Dan knows, Ross knows, everyone knows. You are very talented. But Dan's not going to fight the board of directors."

"So we're giving up?"

"No, not yet. Dan is going to work on it. Just don't get your hopes up."

I'm not dying for this promotion. Two months ago, as far as I knew, there WAS no promotion. I'm not agonizing over the possible missed opportunity. I'm agonizing because someone who is supposed to help and guide me is trying very hard to fuck me.

"OK," I manage.

"Steve," Claire says, "something will come along for you. Maybe not this, but, Mr. Johnson likes you. Keep your chin up, ok?"

"I'll do that."

I never thought getting fucked could be so unpleasant.

I'm not going to try to get even with Ross. Living well, as they say, is the best revenge. I am going to get this promotion, or another one, or a better job somewhere else. Now that I know he is trying to hold me down, I am going to focus even more on making something happen. Sooner or later, I will win, because the more I think about it, the more I believe Ross is a loser.

**********

Around 3:00, Kelly calls.

"Hey babe!"

"Hey Kel." We haven't talked since Friday night with her and Taylor.

"I'm leaving for that conference tomorrow," she says. She's supposed to receive some award.

"Yeah, that's right. Are you looking forward to it?"

"Not really. I'm really busy and I can't afford the time."

"I hear that," I say.

"So, I was wondering if you wanted to grab a drink tonight."

"With you and Taylor?"

"NO! Rob is back. It would be me and you. I hope you don't expect that every time, Steve!"

"No, I don't. I'm not even sure I liked that whole deal anyway," I say.

"Don't tell me Steve is getting a conscience!"

"Bite your tongue, honey!"

"HONEY?! THAT'S new!" she says.

"Whatever, BITCH."

"Much better," she says.

"And I'm not getting a conscience. I just don't like fucking girls with built-in chastity belts."

"She was in AGONY the next day, you know."

"Yeah. Figured. What's her deal? Is Rob boning her or not?"

"Sort of. He does it for a while and then she blows him. She's just really tight."

"He's too impatient," I say.

"EXACTLY. That's what I told her. I knew you'd do it right."

"Is that right," I say.

"mm-hmmm..." she sounds like she is getting turned on.

"Did you like watching that," I say.

"Watching WHAT? The room was pitch black!"

"Did you like the idea of what I was doing?"

"Did YOU?"

"I'd like it better if I could fuck both of you at the same time."

"Next time," she says.

It occurs to me that my friendship with Rob hasn't come up at all. Not even a mention. It's barely crossed my mind, and neither Taylor nor Kelly seems the least bit bothered by it, either. This is turning into a regular Melrose Place, isn't it?

I pull up to the bar 15 minutes late. I order a drink, and it's almost empty by the time Kelly gets there. She's wearing jeans and a black top with a light jacket to match.

"Hi hon!" she chirps. "Do you wanna get a table and eat something? I am starving!"

So we sit down and share potato skins and hot wings. I was hungrier than I thought. It feels good to eat and relax.

"You look happy," she says.

"I am happy."

"Do I make you happy?"

"Of course you do!"

"I mean it!"

"Me too. I have a great time with you."

"You gonna miss me when I go to my conference?"

"Mmmmm, you don't make me THAT happy!"

She scoffs. "That's you, Steve. As soon as you're about to share some personal feelings, you just make a joke."

"You got it," I say. "So what's this award you're winning?"

"Top salesperson in the district," she says dismissively. "I had a big jump in revenue the last year."

Kelly really is ambitious. And she is good at what she does. I would be willing to bet that there were people up for that award who have been in the business for 20 years.

"I'm proud of you," I say.

"What?"

"I'm PROUD of you!"

"I am speechless," she says.

"Shit. Am I that bad, Kel?"

"No, but you don't compliment someone unless you mean it. Thank you, Steve!" She is getting a little teary-eyed.

"Come on, Kel!"

"You are such a sweetheart," she says, smiling.

I follow Kelly back to her house. We are watching TV on the couch. She cuddles up to me and kisses my neck. "So do I get a going-away present," she says.

She puts her feet in my lap. Her toes are perfectly proportioned, each one smaller than the one next to it. And the nails are painted pink, of course.

I look at her. Her blue eyes are fixed on me, seductively. She gets up, unbuttons and unzips her jeans and slides them down. No underwear.

She plops back down on the couch, looking down at her crotch and back up at me, smiling. "I shaved for you and everything," she says.

I bend over and lick her. She is warm to the touch. Her fingertips dance nimbly through my hair. "Unnnhhhhhh," she moans. I am slowly pulling my pants off. Something tells me I am going to need to.

I put her clit in my mouth, then let it slither out. She is writhing, squirming, her eyes closed. Her fingers are in my hair again, rubbing, pulling. "Ohhhh, shit," she says. "Oh FUCK, Steve, fucking EAT me!"

I lick her more urgently. She is completely wet; her juices are all over my face, all over her.

"Steve, I want you to fuck me," she moans.

I am on top of her. I guide my shaft into her. Now I am pumping her, hard. "Mmmmmm, yeah. Fuck me. FUCK me!" she says. She is looking at me like she wants to beat me up.

"Did you LIKE it when I fucked her in front of you?" I say. "Did you fucking LIKE it?"

"I could hear you fucking her," she said. "I could hear your cock going in and out of her pussy."

"And you were touching yourself?" I say.

"Mm-hmm," she says. She puts her finger in my mouth. I cover it with a blob of spit.

She starts to rub herself, staring at me. "Do you wanna leave the lights on next time," she says. "You want me to see you fucking her tight pussy?"

"Yeah," I say. I am so turned on it's insane.

She is rubbing herself faster now, turning circles over her clit with her wet finger. "AAaaaaaah...." she says. She grabs my arm and squeezes.

I bend over and lick her nipple, then put it between my teeth and rub it, just a little. I look down and watch myself penetrate her.

"Are you gonna come? Are you gonna blow a nice big load on me?" she says.

"uh-huh."

"DO it. Fucking DO it!" she says.

I pull out of her and yank my condom off. She is rubbing me furiously. The first shot misses her and hits the back of the couch (OxyClean takes care of that, no problem, guys), and then I am blasting her firm stomach, her big, round tits.

She hugs me. "Mmmmmmm...." she says, kissing my neck.

"I hope that holds you over for a few days," she laughs.