Chapter 2
Jackson closed the door and took a moment to rest his back against it, gathering his thoughts about what had just happened. He sighed deeply, with his free hand, his fingers massaged his temples.
So Harper got herself a new girlfriend. This wasn't the first time. He knew about the other flings as he'd seen the messages and overheard her talking on the phone. Her tone of voice was always softer and warmer when she spoke to her "lady friends". But this was the first one that had threatened his marriage and the perfect world that he had built for himself. He could tell as much from the kind of messages that were being sent between the two of them.
Somehow the other women that she'd been involved with in the past were never really a threat, just a small distraction for Harper. He had always suspected that she may have been bisexual, needing both male and female companionship, and he had always allowed her to think that she had her little secrets. Whenever she had a lady friend to entertain her on the side, Harper was easier to be around and more relaxed. When she was happier, he was content, which made his life easier.
Jackson breathed deeply and walked down the front steps, following the path to the garage under the house. He unlocked his quantum silver Aston Martin Vantage Roadster and revelled in the smell of the beautifully crafted leather interior. The dark grey finish gleamed in the morning light. This car was his baby and he loved getting in every morning to go to work. The V12 engine rumbled to life and Jackson sat in the sports styled seat for a couple of minutes letting the engine warm up, allowing the extravagant luxury of the fine machine to grant him a small measure of comfort.
His mind continued to tick over the events of last night and this morning. Yes, he may have gotten a little rough with Harper last night, an action that he truly regretted. But his intense fury had clouded over his rational mind. It was a momentary lapse in his normally controlled demeanour. The realisation that the world that he had carefully crafted was perhaps in serious jeopardy because of one little bitch who didn't know where her place was, filled him with anger.
When he'd read the intimate messages between them, how they couldn't wait to see each other, how amazing the sex was, how Harper had never been so deeply understood by anyone, ever... made Jackson's blood boil. And her voice repeated mockingly over in his mind, I'm attracted to her in a way that I've never been with you..." How could she do this? He could feel his face getting redder as he thought of it, his eyes narrowing to thin irate slits, while his knuckles became white as they gripped the leather steering wheel tighter.
No, he told himself. I need to calm down. I need to go to work and deal with what's happening there.
Jackson ran his hand over the leather dashboard and the steering wheel, feeling a calm wash over him as he did it. He touched the remote to open the gate and shifted the car into gear and slowly made his way up the sloped driveway and on to the street. The gate closed gently behind him.
The drive to work was uneventful, with minimal traffic, so his situation with Harper didn't get a chance to enter his thoughts, finally allowing his mind to finally shift into work mode.
Jackson strode into the office, flashing his charming smile at his employees, pushing his blond hair out of his eyes as he made his way across the floor. His secretary, Isabella, smiled and handed him his messages. Their eyes met for a moment.
"Thank you Isabella," he said, his voice softening almost imperceptibly, as he took the messages from her outstretched hand. Their fingers touched briefly and Jackson felt an electric spark shoot up his arm.
"You're welcome, Mr Thomas." She replied softly with her slightly French accented voice. The throaty timbre of her voice still sent shivers down his spine and reminded him of their steamy after hours romp some months ago when they had both worked back late one night.
A lull in the business talk let them lock eyes over a stack of papers. This led to a gentle kiss between them, where Jackson felt her full lips blossom beneath his. That first kiss was ardently steamy that he was blissfully reminded of what it was like to be with a woman that truly wanted him. Not like Harper who simply went through the motions to make him happy, but never quite felt like she was truly craved the intimacy with him, it was as if she were merely ticking a chore off the list.
This bloomed into a lustful bout of kissing, hands fervently caressing each other's bodies, desperate to feel each other's skin. Their hands pulled each other closer, almost merging their bodies into one. Jackson lifted Isabella up against the wall of his office, with her legs wrapped tight around his waist, her short skirt pulled up around her hips, her legs clad in classy silky stockings with elegant garters attached. Isabella's french nature really showed in her beautifully crafted delicate white lingerie. Her blouse was open, with her thin lacy bra pushed down so her bare full breasts were exposed as he kissed her neck and down her chest to taste the sweetness of her rapidly hardening nipples.
Her primal throaty moans still echoed in his ears from that night. The way her hands deftly undid the buttons on his shirt, like a pickpocket, he didn't even feel her touch until she tugged the shirt open to reveal his muscular chest. Her fingertips trailed across his skin, setting his senses on fire. They ended up having sex in so many places around the office that night. Up against the wall, bent over his desk, straddling him in his desk chair and finally ending up on the floor. Jackson felt and heard Isabella moan as she climaxed again and again. Her long nails scratched his back as her legs squeezed his waist pulling him in deeper inside her. Jackson shuddered to an earth shattering climax as Isabella had peaked several times.
There was no cuddling afterwards. Isabella had gotten up, straightened her clothes and returned to her place in front of his desk. Jackson had taken his cue from her and straightened his own clothes and sat down opposite her. His tie still loosened and his blond hair flopped over his forehead.
"Isabella." He said to her, his tone serious and authoritative. Her blue eyes looked at him, still dark with desire. "This was a one time occurrence."
"Of course Mr Thomas." She replied, her voice still husky. Her cheeks were still flushed from her multiple orgasms. Isabella had left her long dark curls loose to cascade around her shoulders. It brought back the memory of him pulling it loose during their torrid sex session. Jackson's fingers itched to bury his hands in those curls and use them to bring her full lips back to his. To kiss her again, feeling her lips blossom beneath his again. To feel that sweet passion again, that reckless abandonment, to just be in the moment where life just melted away around them.
"This means no intimate text messages or phone calls during or outside of work hours or any more of these liaisons. The only time I want to hear from you is in regards to work matters. I'm a married man." He said sternly. "Do you understand?"
"Yes, I understand, Mr Thomas." Isabella nodded agreeably. "This was a one time thing."
Jackson sighed a breath of relief. A part of him knew deep inside that it wouldn't be a one off thing, but thought best to set some kind of ground rules for their potential illicit tryst.
Jackson blinked, returning to reality. Isabella smiled at him, her blue eyes sparkling as she gazed at him. She broke eye contact by returning to her desk. Jackson turned and walked into his office. He rifled through the phone messages that Isabella had handed him.
A knock at the door slightly startled him. He looked up and saw one of his friends and business partners, Ethan, at the door.
"How's it goin' mate?" Ethan asked. "You got a minute?"
"Hey Ethan. Sure, come in." Jackson replied, gesturing to a chair in front of his desk.
Ethan dropped into a chair at the desk with a sigh and unbuttoned his Peter Jackson shark skin suit jacket. His brown puppy dog eyes took in everything. Jackson's eyes looked tired and his typically well groomed hair was loose without any product in it. His usually immaculate Armani suit was slightly askew as was his windsor knot. They were small details that seemed insignificant but for a man like Jackson who is usually put together perfectly, they screamed a thousand words. Clearly, all was not right in the Thomas house. Ethan pushed his dirty blond floppy surfer hair out of his eyes.
"Are you alright mate?" He asked seriously. "Because you seem off your game these last few days."
Jackson was taken aback slightly, although his demeanour didn't betray it. "Yes, of course. Why do you ask?"
Ethan ran his hands through his hair again. "I don't know mate, I guess you seem sort of distant lately. Is everything ok with you and Harper?"
Jackson looked at Ethan taking in his mid range suit and cheap shirt. He'd always wondered why Ethan didn't spend more money on his suits. After all, it is the suit that makes the man. He thought as he adjusted his expensively cut suit carefully.
Jackson considered his response carefully. Should he tell him what's going on? Or does he brush it off? A million thoughts ran through his head. Jackson didn't feel like revealing intimate details about his life. Even if it's with his long time friend Ethan. Firstly, because he still hadn't worked out the best plan for how he was going to handle the situation and secondly in the high pressure, fast tracked world of power brokering, showing signs of weakness, even to a friend, could be the death sentence to one's career. They used to joke around the office - Never let the sharks smell the blood in the water.
"Everything is fine." Jackson replied flatly.
"Yeh?" Ethan queried.
"Yes, it's all good." Jackson replied with a forced smile.
"Alrighty mate, if you say so." Ethan replied with a smile. " Are you and Harper still coming tonight? I sent you a text last night and you still haven't answered me."
"Oh right." Jackson blinked. "Yes, of course, we're coming tonight. I'll call Harper and tell her to get ready."
"Alright mate." Ethan nodded and smiled. "Sweet. I'll let Emma know that you two are on board for dinner tonight."
Jackson nodded and smiled. "We'll be there."
Ethan grinned and stood up buttoning his suit jacket. "Awesome Jacky-boy! We'll see you two tonight." He rapped Jackson's desk with his knuckles before sweeping out of the office.
Jackson breathed deeply and dialled Harper's number. The phone rang a couple of times and then she answered sounding a little out of breath like she'd run to answer it.
"Harper, I forgot to tell you that we have a dinner at Ethan's tonight."
He heard her swallow before she answered. "Tonight? Ok, uh, we can do that. What time?"
"At 7:30. Make sure that you're ready when I get home from work."
"Ok. I'll see you then." Harper replied. Then the dial tone sounded in his ear. Jackson slammed down the phone in the agitation. The outrage of last night and this morning swirling back into his mind.
"Bitch!" He muttered under his breath. He started shuffling papers on his desk, struggling to get back into work mode, trying to get the thoughts of what had happened last night and this morning out of his mind. Jackson sighed deeply and looked at the papers on his desk.
A knock at his door snapped him out of his reverie. Jackson looked up. Isabella stood at the door. Her long dark curls were up in an elegant french roll and her dark Oxford suit was exquisitely tailored, skimming her curves without being obviously salacious. The vision of her was a welcome distraction, like water being poured over the red hot glowing coals of his anger and hurt. Jackson felt like he was seeing her for the first time.
"Mr Thomas? I've come to remind you that you have a meeting in ten minutes." Isabella spoke softly from the doorway. Her softly accented voice soothed his strung out nerves.
"Thank you Isabella." Jackson shuffled the papers on his desk into a pile, stood up and reached for his jacket. "Let them know I'll be there shortly."
"Yes sir." Isabella nodded and left as soundlessly as she'd arrived.
Jackson checked his appearance in the mirror on his wall. He straightened his pure silk jacquard tie, adjusting the expertly tied windsor knot and made sure that his expensively tailored Armani suit lay perfectly. As he combed his blond locks back into place, he gave himself the same mental pep talk before every meeting, motivating himself to be the best no matter what was going on in his life.
With his public facade locked securely into place, Jackson strode with confidence to his meeting.
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