The main office of the Dispatch was silent at first, save for the clicking of Marlene's heels echoing off the teak floors as she strode to the end of the hallway, but the sound was soon drowned out by the commotion she always found herself surrounded by - the rustle of paper, the hum of chatter that reverberated through the corridors as the members bustled about, clutching clipboards or stacks of paperwork, immersed in heated exchanges and seemingly never-ending colloquies. Whilst she usually couldn't help but roll her eyes at their antics, she certainly found comfort in the chaos.
The German Dispatch's headquarters certainly made the English branch look dreadfully banal in comparison, with mahogany furniture, leather upholstery and brass fastenings, and impeccably polished surfaces that gleamed in the sunlight streaming through the windows. Ludger's office was right at the end of this floor, far from the din of the workplace. Oh, how she envied him! The cacophony of the main office was all the more audible near the entrance, where hers was located - whilst it had incensed her at first, she had soon grown accustomed to the lack of quiet. Sometimes, when it was all too much to bear, she had found herself at her desk with her head down on her forearm, wishing that she were back home on the couch in her lounge.
She glanced down, checking the folder of documents for those at the English branch - whilst she wrapped up her duties in Ebersteinburg, Ludger would be taking care of those. As the entrance to his office loomed closer, she fought back her growing apprehension. All she had to do was hand them over and then cut to the chase - after all, she wasn't going to know where he wanted to take this unless she asked. Ludger was a good man: honest, dependable, and - despite his behaviour of late - more considerate than he let on. She trusted him with her life, trusted him to answer her questions with the utmost candour.
Taking a deep breath, she lifted a hand and rapped on the door.
Ludger answered it promptly, eyebrows raised slightly as he stood before her. 'Marlene. You're early.' Although it was only noon, he looked all the more wan and bleary-eyed today, mouth set in a grim line and unruly dark hair in dire need of a combing. His posture was rigid, body taut as a bowstring - she could feel the tension radiating off him. 'Do come in.' She nodded, stepping inside as she shut the door behind her. His office was the same as she remembered: modestly yet tastefully furnished, with a large mahogany desk at the centre, a shelf lining the wall on the left with books bound in leather and velvet; and a quaint fireplace with a carved mantel, its opulence at odds with the room's elegant simplicity.
'Just wanted to drop these off.' She handed him the folder after she had entered. 'You're welcome,' she said drily, tossing her gloves onto the marble-topped table in the corner. 'You reckon Spears will have these by today?'
'Most probably.' Ludger closed the distance between them as he moved forward. It was only then that she could truly see the worry in his eyes, the lines that creased his otherwise smooth brow more often than not nowadays. Despite her indignation, she felt an uncharacteristic tenderness towards the man - she felt the urge to place her hand on his arm, to assure him that he would finally have some respite, to run her fingers through his hair as she held him, watching his worry melt away.
Stop it, Marlene.
However, she only nodded in acknowledgment. 'I guess I'll take your leave, then.'
'Before you do...' He trailed off as her eyes met his. 'I've been meaning to discuss something with you. And, if I do say so myself, this conversation is one that is long overdue.'
'Oh, you have?' While she kept her expression neutral, she made sure the note of derision in her tone lingered. The man had his priories straight, didn't he? But it had taken him far longer than she would have liked to broach the subject. 'Took you just enough time to realise,' she said sarcastically as she threw him a pointed glance, the guilt that flickered briefly in his eyes giving her a sort of twisted satisfaction. Good.
'So, what is it that you make of… well, what happened last week? Where do you see this going?' Never had her heart raced at such a speed as it did now.
'Honestly, Marlene.' Ludger raked a hand through his hair, sighing as he did so. 'Since that evening, I haven't the faintest idea what to think.' He started to pace back and forth, fumbling in his pocket for a lighter, only to give up seconds later. 'I need time. I…' He heaved another sigh, stopping in front of her. They now stood face-to-face, chest to chest. 'I think you already know what I have to say about this.'
'If I did, why would I be asking?' What did he even assume?
Men!
Ludger opened his mouth to respond, but paused as his eyes widened in realisation - he quickly glanced at his watch, sighing in exasperation. 'Less than fifteen minutes left till I have to arrive in Bavaria. Impeccable timing.'
Although she knew they still had tomorrow, she didn't think she could take this anymore. 'Let's use that remaining quarter of an hour well, shall we?'
Before she knew what was happening, she was kissing him fiercely, greedily, with a fervour she never knew she possessed, almost knocking him over. He started as he stumbled backwards, eyes widening briefly in surprise.
No. Marlene was usually not an impulsive woman, but she had found herself cursing her sudden rashness more often than she ever imagined herself doing of late. What the hell was she doing?
However, his shock swiftly dissipated and he opened his mouth to hers, putting both arms around her as he lifted her off her feet. Right now, all that was around her was eclipsed by the pressure of his lips against hers, the strength of his arms, the way her ears rang and her head swam - eclipsed by his very presence. She urged him on with the mute appeal of her lips and tongue as he stumbled towards his desk, setting her onto the surface as they remained locked in their embrace, with pens, binders, and stacks of paperwork falling to the floor. They broke apart, his breath ragged in her ear.
'Shit.' He steadied himself, his hands on either side of the wooden surface. 'What have we gotten ourselves into, Marlene?'
'I could ask you the same,' she replied breathlessly, pressing her lips to his.
He leaned into the kiss hungrily, a man starved of the touch he found himself deprived of during those never-ending workdays and the sleepless nights that came with them.
He was certainly close, but not close enough - during this very moment, all she wanted was to feel him against her, to commit every jut and dip of his body to memory. He could not seem to stop running his hands over her, either - they slid up her thighs, traced their way up to her waist, finally cupping her breasts. They then slid around her as he gathered her against him, as she murmured against his parted lips to carry on, leaning back in.
That short moment without his mouth, soft and firm, on hers had been - for lack of a better word - agonising.
She fisted her hands in his shirt, only drawing him nearer, catching his lower lip between her teeth. She gave it a playful tug before she released her hold on him, with them separating. His face was flushed, an almost frenzied look in his eyes as he still held onto her.
'You,' he said, 'are going to be the death of me, woman.' With a jolt, she realised that his hands were now sliding beneath her skirt, caressing their way up her thighs. There was a surprising urgency to his touch, a testament to the mix of hunger, confusion, and what seemed to be shame in his eyes. He was already hard beneath his trousers.
'I know.' Yet, despite her feigned nonchalance, she could not ignore the heat now starting to pool between her legs; the way they, as if on their own, parted slightly as his eyes drifted to them.
And she hated herself for it.
'But the last thing I'm going to let you do is make me run late. After all, it's not the time we have that counts,' Ludger said wryly as he slid the hem of her skirt up, 'but how we're going to use it.'
As much as she wanted to know where this was going, she had no qualms about their conversation having to wait right now. All that mattered was him upon his knees before her as she spread her legs, all desire to please.
•
Marlene could only thank her stars that they had the good sense to lock the door, undoubtedly sparing some poor soul the misfortune of bursting in and catching her atop Ludger's desk with his head between her thighs. Despite this turn of events, she couldn't say she had any regrets - the man certainly knew how to use that tongue of his well.
However, she wasn't the only one to have enjoyed an impromptu office romp at the Dispatch. Just last week, she had stumbled upon Becker and Hoffman engaging in, as humans in England would say, amorous congress in the broom closet. Whilst the Germans were definitely not as prudish as the English, that was indeed something she had never wanted to chance upon. There were, after all, plenty of more discreet locations they could have chosen to avoid burning unwelcome images of themselves writhing against each other in her mind.
Although she had seen a great deal against her own will, why one lost all clarity of thought when aroused was something that still eluded her. The broom closet, of all places!
Like I'm one to talk, she thought as she smoothed her hair back, still seated atop his desk.
Whilst their encounter may have been rushed, he compensated for its brevity with an intensity she did not expect from him. She had been left gripping the sides of his desk with whitened fists, grinding her teeth to powder as she attempted to stifle the moans threatening to escape her. She found her toes curling as she gasped, her head tipping back as a guttural cry finally tore itself from her throat and sparks danced in her vision.
Marlene was certainly not an easy woman to please in either sense, but Ludger did not disappoint.
'Marlene.' She inched closer, finding herself pinned into place by his gaze like a moth to paper. She turned herself towards him completely, silently lifting her head to look him in the eye. She could feel his breath fanning her face, that telltale wrinkle appearing upon his brow yet again. 'This is exhausting. And ridiculous.' He leaned forward, his forehead now touching hers. She threw her arms around his neck, melting into him. He smelled of cigarettes, of coffee, of egregiously expensive aftershave - overwhelming, yet familiar. 'Everything.'
'Well, this must've certainly helped, then,' Marlene couldn't help but smile. He only huffed a quiet laugh, his arms tightening around her. In that fleeting moment, any acrimony between them ebbing momentarily like a tide retreating from the shore.
She felt him shift - a melting of muscles - as he relaxed briefly, as though he had found the solace he was looking for in her arms.
She envisioned waking up curled against him the very same way; his sturdiness and warmth; his hands moving to the small of her back, pressing her against him. He was steady and reliable as a heartbeat, his touch giving her the same sense of security his presence did.
He then withdrew abruptly, almost shoving her off him in his haste. He straightened and cleared his throat, his eyes now upon the clock above the mantel. Just as she had expected. Then why did she feel what seemed to be a twinge of hurt right now? Or was it disappointment at the realisation that she had to let go eventually? 'How much longer will you stay for? We really should get going.'
It was only now that she realised how ridiculous she was being. For goodness' sake, he was but a friend she happened to spend the night with - one who probably didn't want to make anything more of this!
She glanced at her watch - less than five minutes. Their discussion would have to wait another time. 'I'm afraid I'll have to leave now - there's some unfinished business I have to wrap up.'
'Don't tell me you still have paperwork due, woman.'
She snorted. 'If I did, do you think you would have had me on your desk with your tongue on my -'
'Enough is enough, Hollweg!'
