Part Fourteen
At around four AM on Sunday morning, Victoria woke. She didn't know what had disturbed her sleep. A
car outside, a drunken shout, she wasn't sure. Then she sniffed, the tantalizing aroma of cigarette smoke
reached her nostrils. Then Victoria remembered that her bedroom window was on the same side as the
balcony of her lounge. Nikki must be out there.
She got up and slipped on a dressing-gown. Nikki was clearly miles away, probably with thoughts of Tash,
because she didn't hear Victoria approach. At the slight touch on her arm, Nikki whirled round, startled.
"Jesus!" Exclaimed Nikki.
"Weren't thinking of jumping, were you?" Victoria wasn't really serious but there was something in Nikki's
face that told her she wasn't far wrong.
"No, not seriously anyway. Sorry, did I wake you?"
"I think it was your cigarette smoke that did, but don't worry. Do you want a coffee, it's freezing out here."
As they went inside, Nikki reflected that Victoria must have a lot more about her than she'd first thought.
As Victoria stood by the kettle waiting for it to boil, Nikki sat at the table and put her head in her hands.
Nikki was crying silently but her shaking shoulders betrayed her. Victoria went over and started gently
rubbing Nikki's back. Nikki turned and clung to Victoria. Nothing needed to be said. After a while, Nikki
mumbled,
"I'm sorry."
"You've got nothing to be sorry for," Said Victoria gently.
"I just wish I knew why she had to do it," Said Nikki in despair. "I mean why? Why now? Why Kirstie?
Why, when everything seemed to be going brilliantly did Kirstie have to step in and arse it up. If she hadn't
come here, Tash would never have done that to me."
"You don't know that," Said Victoria.
"Well, she sure as hell wouldn't have done it right under my bloody nose. Tash isn't like that. Well, she
wasn't before that little tart came on the scene."
"I don't really know what I can say," Said Victoria feeling utterly useless. Nikki gave her a quick squeeze
and moved away.
"It's okay. There's nothing anyone can say. I just wish I didn't have to walk in to work on Monday and
have to see the two of them together."
"If it'll help, we can swap for a little while, meaning you could follow up all the stories that involve being out
of the office."
"Thanks, I think that'd be a good idea because right now I don't think I could trust myself to be around
Kirstie Collins and not rip her bloody head off."
Around six hours later, Karen drifted slowly back in to consciousness. She didn't know what time it was,
but she knew she hadn't slept this long in ages. She stretched luxuriously and realised that she'd been
lying with her head on Mike's chest. She looked in to his face. He was smiling at her.
"I was watching you sleep," He said softly.
"I haven't slept this late in a long time," Said Karen, still drugged by sleep.
"Ah," Said Mike in utter satisfaction. "so I must have done something right, then."
"Absolutely," Said Karen, casually running a hand along his torso. The touch of her hand running along
his skin was almost too much for Mike.
"Anyone would think you're trying to lead me astray," He said to cover up the effect Karen's wandering
hands were having on him.
"Judging by how wonderful you were last night," Said Karen, "I think you were led astray years ago." Mike
chuckled as Karen stretched up to kiss him. Neither of them could believe how turned on they were by the
slightest touch, the slightest caress.
"Jesus!" Said Karen after a while. "You're too bloody good for me, you are."
"I'd say the feeling's fairly mutual," responded Mike. The explosive feelings they created in each other
were enough to make both of them wonder where they'd been before this. Karen knew that never in a
million years could Jim have made her feel so erotically beautiful as she did with Mike. Later, after Mike had
left (saying he'd promised to visit his daughter), and Karen had showered, she stood in front of the full
length mirror and looked at her body. Was she really that sexually attractive? She ran her hands over her
breasts and down to her waist. What was it about her body that made men want to give her so much
pleasure. She just didn't know. She knew she was good-looking for a woman in her mid-thirties. She went
to the gym once a week and could never have been said to be out of shape, but what was it that seemed to
give her that extra special magnetism. Jim had lusted after her because he wanted anything in a skirt and
she'd certainly caught Nick Jordan and definitely Alex Adams looking at her as if they'd like very much to
see what was underneath the professional suits she always wore. Even Cassie and Nikki, when she'd first
met them, had both looked her up and down with open interest. But why Mike? She'd always looked at him
with interest. Even when she'd been completely blinded by Jim's charms she had observed Mike's good
points. But why, in an office full of single, attractive women, had he only ever looked at her. Her musing
was disturbed by the phone ringing.
"Hello," Karen realised she sounded husky from too much sex and more than her usual sleep.
"Did I wake you up?" Asked Yvonne in surprise. Karen yawned and Yvonne could clearly hear the grin in
her voice.
"No, not at all. I've been awake for hours."
"Go on," Said Yvonne. Karen couldn't resist telling her.
"Mike took me out for dinner last night."
"Oh, really!" Came Yvonne's all knowing drawl. And?"
"And, I haven't had such a good night in ages," Said Karen smugly.
"that good, was it?" Asked Yvonne, smiling.
"Bloody marvelous," Said Karen completely truthfully.
"Good. It's about time you rubbed Fenner's nose in it."
"Yeah, well, this should. Do you know something," Said Karen, wondering quite why she was telling
Yvonne all this. "I don't think I've ever had a man like him." Yvonne laughed. It was wonderful to hear
Karen so happy again. Her complete humiliation about the Fenner incident, had taken away too much of
Karen's sparkle, because even though Karen had been the one to finally finish it, everyone else in the office
had known exactly what or more appropriately who Fenner had been up too.
"Well, you certainly sound happier for it," Said Yvonne. "If you ever kick him out of bed, point him in my
direction."
"No chance," replied Karen good naturedly. Though Karen did wonder just how Jim and the others were
going to take this new slice of gossip.
"You're not the only ones creating scandal," Said Yvonne turning serious. "Nikki caught Tash in bed with
Kirstie on Friday night."
"Oh, no!" Said Karen, genuinely saddened for Nikki. "How's she doing?"
"She's staying with Victoria," Said Yvonne, who'd had a call from Nikki on Saturday.
"That has to be the one reason why relationships at work aren't a good idea," Said Karen, clearly aware of
her own situation.
"I know," Said Yvonne. "I just hope Tash and Kirstie have the sense to keep out of the way for a while."
All in all, Karen reflected later, the week or probably the weeks ahead weren't going to be starved of topics
of lunchtime conversation.
At around four AM on Sunday morning, Victoria woke. She didn't know what had disturbed her sleep. A
car outside, a drunken shout, she wasn't sure. Then she sniffed, the tantalizing aroma of cigarette smoke
reached her nostrils. Then Victoria remembered that her bedroom window was on the same side as the
balcony of her lounge. Nikki must be out there.
She got up and slipped on a dressing-gown. Nikki was clearly miles away, probably with thoughts of Tash,
because she didn't hear Victoria approach. At the slight touch on her arm, Nikki whirled round, startled.
"Jesus!" Exclaimed Nikki.
"Weren't thinking of jumping, were you?" Victoria wasn't really serious but there was something in Nikki's
face that told her she wasn't far wrong.
"No, not seriously anyway. Sorry, did I wake you?"
"I think it was your cigarette smoke that did, but don't worry. Do you want a coffee, it's freezing out here."
As they went inside, Nikki reflected that Victoria must have a lot more about her than she'd first thought.
As Victoria stood by the kettle waiting for it to boil, Nikki sat at the table and put her head in her hands.
Nikki was crying silently but her shaking shoulders betrayed her. Victoria went over and started gently
rubbing Nikki's back. Nikki turned and clung to Victoria. Nothing needed to be said. After a while, Nikki
mumbled,
"I'm sorry."
"You've got nothing to be sorry for," Said Victoria gently.
"I just wish I knew why she had to do it," Said Nikki in despair. "I mean why? Why now? Why Kirstie?
Why, when everything seemed to be going brilliantly did Kirstie have to step in and arse it up. If she hadn't
come here, Tash would never have done that to me."
"You don't know that," Said Victoria.
"Well, she sure as hell wouldn't have done it right under my bloody nose. Tash isn't like that. Well, she
wasn't before that little tart came on the scene."
"I don't really know what I can say," Said Victoria feeling utterly useless. Nikki gave her a quick squeeze
and moved away.
"It's okay. There's nothing anyone can say. I just wish I didn't have to walk in to work on Monday and
have to see the two of them together."
"If it'll help, we can swap for a little while, meaning you could follow up all the stories that involve being out
of the office."
"Thanks, I think that'd be a good idea because right now I don't think I could trust myself to be around
Kirstie Collins and not rip her bloody head off."
Around six hours later, Karen drifted slowly back in to consciousness. She didn't know what time it was,
but she knew she hadn't slept this long in ages. She stretched luxuriously and realised that she'd been
lying with her head on Mike's chest. She looked in to his face. He was smiling at her.
"I was watching you sleep," He said softly.
"I haven't slept this late in a long time," Said Karen, still drugged by sleep.
"Ah," Said Mike in utter satisfaction. "so I must have done something right, then."
"Absolutely," Said Karen, casually running a hand along his torso. The touch of her hand running along
his skin was almost too much for Mike.
"Anyone would think you're trying to lead me astray," He said to cover up the effect Karen's wandering
hands were having on him.
"Judging by how wonderful you were last night," Said Karen, "I think you were led astray years ago." Mike
chuckled as Karen stretched up to kiss him. Neither of them could believe how turned on they were by the
slightest touch, the slightest caress.
"Jesus!" Said Karen after a while. "You're too bloody good for me, you are."
"I'd say the feeling's fairly mutual," responded Mike. The explosive feelings they created in each other
were enough to make both of them wonder where they'd been before this. Karen knew that never in a
million years could Jim have made her feel so erotically beautiful as she did with Mike. Later, after Mike had
left (saying he'd promised to visit his daughter), and Karen had showered, she stood in front of the full
length mirror and looked at her body. Was she really that sexually attractive? She ran her hands over her
breasts and down to her waist. What was it about her body that made men want to give her so much
pleasure. She just didn't know. She knew she was good-looking for a woman in her mid-thirties. She went
to the gym once a week and could never have been said to be out of shape, but what was it that seemed to
give her that extra special magnetism. Jim had lusted after her because he wanted anything in a skirt and
she'd certainly caught Nick Jordan and definitely Alex Adams looking at her as if they'd like very much to
see what was underneath the professional suits she always wore. Even Cassie and Nikki, when she'd first
met them, had both looked her up and down with open interest. But why Mike? She'd always looked at him
with interest. Even when she'd been completely blinded by Jim's charms she had observed Mike's good
points. But why, in an office full of single, attractive women, had he only ever looked at her. Her musing
was disturbed by the phone ringing.
"Hello," Karen realised she sounded husky from too much sex and more than her usual sleep.
"Did I wake you up?" Asked Yvonne in surprise. Karen yawned and Yvonne could clearly hear the grin in
her voice.
"No, not at all. I've been awake for hours."
"Go on," Said Yvonne. Karen couldn't resist telling her.
"Mike took me out for dinner last night."
"Oh, really!" Came Yvonne's all knowing drawl. And?"
"And, I haven't had such a good night in ages," Said Karen smugly.
"that good, was it?" Asked Yvonne, smiling.
"Bloody marvelous," Said Karen completely truthfully.
"Good. It's about time you rubbed Fenner's nose in it."
"Yeah, well, this should. Do you know something," Said Karen, wondering quite why she was telling
Yvonne all this. "I don't think I've ever had a man like him." Yvonne laughed. It was wonderful to hear
Karen so happy again. Her complete humiliation about the Fenner incident, had taken away too much of
Karen's sparkle, because even though Karen had been the one to finally finish it, everyone else in the office
had known exactly what or more appropriately who Fenner had been up too.
"Well, you certainly sound happier for it," Said Yvonne. "If you ever kick him out of bed, point him in my
direction."
"No chance," replied Karen good naturedly. Though Karen did wonder just how Jim and the others were
going to take this new slice of gossip.
"You're not the only ones creating scandal," Said Yvonne turning serious. "Nikki caught Tash in bed with
Kirstie on Friday night."
"Oh, no!" Said Karen, genuinely saddened for Nikki. "How's she doing?"
"She's staying with Victoria," Said Yvonne, who'd had a call from Nikki on Saturday.
"That has to be the one reason why relationships at work aren't a good idea," Said Karen, clearly aware of
her own situation.
"I know," Said Yvonne. "I just hope Tash and Kirstie have the sense to keep out of the way for a while."
All in all, Karen reflected later, the week or probably the weeks ahead weren't going to be starved of topics
of lunchtime conversation.