Passionate Surrender (Pauline Hamblin)
Nothing made Helena enjoy her day more than having a little fun with Myka. She welcomed any opportunity to have a private bantering out in the open. Helena knew she had the advantage in this game because nothing really embarrassed her. Myka, on the other hand, had very distinct boundaries and her blushing was only the first sign of her defeat in such competitions. It was often followed by stammering, then total loss of speaking and ended with clumsiness as she lost total focus. Helena enjoyed Myka trying, though, and was careful never to let it go too far.
Helena was, after all, far more experienced in this sort of thing.
Myka knew that the only thing she had going for her was the element of surprise. She enjoyed the joking as much as Helena, but was always cautious about it being in front of anyone. She liked to keep things like this close to the vest. She had grown up on a daily spoonful of caution fed to her by her mother - never to let people know what was going on in your personal life. Helena would never suspect that Myka would make good on her teasing threat and do it with flair.
Indeed, Helena was in for a shock.
Irene was in her office going over her list of things. Helena was being so cooperative that the woman smiled to think how many things were falling nicely into place. "So this is what it must be like," she said out loud referring to Helena's compliance. Then she looked at her other list. She had matters to discuss with both Myka and Helena – and not together. She would address these issues later that day.
The directors sat at the large rectangle table that had been relieved of the gifts which were en route to the townhouse. Helena was at her desk, waiting for Myka to join them. Myka was busy setting things in place. She knew if she hesitated, Helena would gleefully claim victory. And she had no doubt; she would be haughty about it. Everything had to go like clockwork. This is why Myka asked Eileen to place her things at the opposite end of the table from Helena. Myka wanted Helena in direct view.
There was the usual chit chat going on among the staff members as they indulged in the bagels and cream cheese, croissants and donuts that someone had ordered. Helena usually went through people's updates faster than anyone would have time to finish a snack. For the most part, Helena thought meetings were a waste of time. They only started getting longer when Myka joined them.
Myka walked in, greeted her fellow staff members, and went right over to Helena's desk. She sat on the end of the desk and leaned over to talk directly to Helena.
"You know that little bet you and I have going?" Myka asked, not getting too close because inhaling Helena's perfume distracted her.
"What bet?" Helena asked, smiling.
"The one where you don't think I can distract you?" Myka said, playing with the buttons on her blouse.
"Ah yes, the one I will win easily?" Helena said, smiling smugly.
"Eyes up here, Wells," Myka whispered when she caught Helena's gaze fixed on her fingers as they lingered at her top button. Bering - 01.
"You seem to be having trouble with your clothes," Helena tried. 'A' for effort, but no points.
"You didn't seem to think that last night when not only did I get you out of yours, but I was out of mine rather quickly, too," Myka said, pretending to look at a pad on Helena's desk. Bering - 02
"You might be good now…," Helena said, pushing back in her chair and grinning up at Myka. "…but you're about to be in a crowd."
"I was a Girl Scout, Helena, we never give up," Myka responded, flipping her hair back.
"I was a trained agent, Myka. We never go down," Helena said, pursing her lips, thinking she was going to get the last word, but Myka was ready.
"Oh Helena, we both know that isn't true," Myka said, clicking her tongue and leaving Helena at her desk. Bering 03 Wells 00
Helena smiled as Myka walked to the conference table. What an excellent show, Helena thought, thinking she had seen the best of it. Perhaps she would feign distraction, just so Myka didn't feel discouraged. Or maybe she would keep it going. The struggle for Helena was that this was in her office – her domain – where she ruled, for all intents and purposes, and where she didn't ever lose, let alone give in. Certainly not at staff meetings.
Helena was about to be surprised.
To test the waters, Myka simply uplifted her hair and let it fall, at the very same time Helena sat down. There was no wincing and so Myka took it as a good sign that she had Helena's attention.
Helena thanked everyone for coming and opened by apprising everyone about the upcoming wedding and honeymoon time frames. People applauded and looked at both Helena and Myka. Myka thanked them as she reached for a bagel that was slathered in cream cheese in the middle. As Helena began her talk on what would be needed in her absence, Myka turned sideways in her chair, and slowly ran the tip of her tongue in the crevice of the halved top and bottom bagel. With all eyes on Helena, it was easy for Myka to do this undetected and then turn to look at Helena and mouth the word – 'Yum" silently. Helena was impressed –yes, very impressed with Myka's out-of- the gate audacious attempt. Helena simply doubted she could go the distance, in spite of Myka's 4 to 0 lead.
"So …as I was saying….," Helena restarted her speech and Myka smiled. "…there are several projects that will hit critical …critical…dates while I am away. That does not mean… anything stops," Helena said and watched at her Chief Counsel put the bagel down in front of her and then looked at the tray of breakfast snacks. Typically, Myka would only eat the fruit selections, but today she seemed to gravitate toward the custard filled pastry.
"…..I would like updates on these….," Helena was saying when several people protested that they wouldn't think up disturbing her on her honeymoon. Helena watched as Myka inserted her finger in the custard filled cannoli and pulled it out, covered. Helena's eyes widened as Myka raised the decorated digit to her mouth. "No…no…it….is …(cough) critical that… these ….," Helena started, but could feel herself faltering. She knew the destination of that finger and tried to avert her eyes. Every muscle in her body fought her and her gaze remained fixed. Myka's eyes met Helena's and the Cheshire-like grin crept over Myka's face.
"…updates…will… be sent regardless of where I am," Helena fought to get out.
"What does your fiancée have to say about this?" Artie asked because he really didn't want to have to send updates. Helena felt relief as all eyes turned to look down the table at Myka. She was quick and had already put her hand in her lap.
"Oh well, you all know Helena," Myka said, her tone sugary, but people figured it was because of the wedding. Only one person at that table knew she was playing them as part of a bigger scheme. "…..Once she makes her mind up, she can't be deterred. Isn't that right?" Myka smiled a little too broadly for Helena's taste. There was no way in hell they were taking updates on their honeymoon, but now wasn't the time to take that bait.
The focus was now back on Helena, who used those few seconds to regain her composure. "Things will not …..," Helena hesitated as Myka raised her decorated finger up slowly, placed it in her mouth and wrapped her lips around it, pulling it out slowly. "…..stop!" Helena said, with a little more gusto than she intended, her elbow missing the table as she went to place it down.
People looked at Helena and then at Myka, whose hands were now in front of her, neatly folded.
"We'll figure something out," Myka said, smiling at the group. Bering 05 and climbing. Wells – still has yet to score.
Helena was pleasantly surprised at Myka's efforts so far. She realized she might have underestimated her fiancée's boldness and was going to test it.
"Perhaps Legal would like to update us on any new developments?" Helena suggested, making sure now that all eyes were on Myka. That would slow her down. Helena grinned and shrugged one shoulder as if to say – 'Now let's see what you do, Bering.' Bering 05 Wells 01
"We have several contracts ready to deliver based on the completion of the Donovan Biofeedback Scion," Myka said of the project Claudia and Helena worked on.
"Good, we need the money," Artie said, taking another cruller, hoping no one would tell Vanessa.
"Do we, Mr. Nielsen?" Helena asked, her attention drawn to the statement. "You make it sound as if the coffers are bare."
"Well no, of course not….," Artie said, wiping the granulated sugar off his mouth.
Helena stared at her Chief Financial Officer because she didn't care for that statement. Then she felt the vibration of her phone and glanced at it. The text read:
'Speaking of bare, I'm actually imagining you that way right now.'
Helena's eyes shot up and traveled the length of the table to Myka who nodded her head ever so slightly. She watched as Myka's eyes navigated her torso.
"…I just meant, we have a lot of pending offers that I am waiting for the companies to make good on ….," Artie explained further.
"Yes," Helena said, trying to will her brain to form words with great difficulty. "It's awful when someone does not make good on their promises." She tried to send a 'so there' look at Myka, but it wasn't coming across like that. Wells effort – B.
"Are you okay?" Irene asked, touching Helena's elbow and getting her attention. Myka actually coughed her laughter into a napkin, loud enough for Helena …and the attendees …. to hear. Bering 06 Frederic gets the assist.
Helena assured her HR Director she was fine and tried to glare down at her Chief Counsel, but was met with Bering haughtiness, this time as Myka sat there with her elbows on the table, her chin on her folded hands.
"Where were we?" Helena actually let out and then could have kicked herself for the admission.
"Are you okay, Boss?" Pete asked and it had to be bad for him to notice anything other than how many donuts were left.
"Why is everyone asking me that?" Helena protested and people sat back in their seats. Irene looked at Helena now and then down at Myka, who shrugged her shoulders as if to say – 'don't look at me'. Bering deflects.
"Does Human Resources possibly have any updates?" Helena said, trying to get someone else to talk. Her throat was feeling dry and she reached for a glass of water.
"We do. The new employee manuals go online today. Please have your managers pay special attention to the Sexual Harassment section as it now includes an explanation under unwanted advances to include electronic communications," Irene explained, and told the staff members exactly where the new updates were.
Helena's phone chimed with a message Myka had prewritten, knowing the topic was going to be discussed. 'Is fantasizing about drizzling…warm… syrupy….. chocolate…all over your boss…..,' the text read and the phone shot out of Helena's hand and onto the floor.
Bering 07 - plus bonus points for making Helena's phone become a projectile, leaving her score at a solid 10.
The fumbling did not go unnoticed and everyone stared at their boss as she teetered on the edge of disarray. Helena bent down to get her phone at the same time as Irene did. Surprisingly, the HR Director was faster and put her hand on the phone first. "Do you want me to hold this for you? You seem quite distracted by it," Irene pointed out.
Remaining in the bent position, Helena contemplated the question. If Myka couldn't get to her, she would be limited. "Yes!" Helena said so enthusiastically that Irene didn't move for a minute. Helena was giving up her phone?
The two women sat back up, Helena slowly relinquishing the hold on her phone. "Yes, please get that fixed," she said, trying to cover. She tried not to look at Myka, but the lawyer's stare drew her right back. Myka smiled a calm, knowing look and raised an eyebrow as her eyes darted from Helena to the phone, which now sat in front of Irene, and then back to Helena.
Myka wanted her to take back the phone, but Helena refused. Wells 02
Pete decided he'd say something. "We're…uhm…all set for Saturday and our latest reports indicate that the NYPD will be on hand to …help us with crowds," he said, noticing that something was going on, but unsure of what.
The rattling of cellophane being ripped caught everyone's attention as Myka opened a small bag of Twizzlers and took one out. She let it dangle between her fingers as she played with it, making sure Helena saw it.
"The structure is up and functional and the interior construction will be done Thursday morning," Steve said, noticing that Helena took Eileen's notepad and started to fan herself. Helena felt the room suddenly get very warm.
Irene looked at the woman - certain something was up now. Only one thing affected Helena like this. She glanced down the table at Myka who quickly appeared to be absorbed in the discussion about answering the calls from the press that every single one of them was getting.
"We have a prepared statement that we would like you to use," Irene said, passing out the hard copy to everyone.
"Oh this is good," Myka said enthusiastically looking down at what was on the paper. She waited for Helena's eyes to look at her, and then bit down on the candy.
"Yes, well we appreciate that, Ms. Bering," Irene said and then gave out the second sheet that included what to do if they were approached by the press in person. Everyone at Wells Corp was fair game as far as the press was concerned.
As the staff members looked down at the paper, Myka purposely put her phone to her chest and waited for Helena to watch her press the 'Send' button. She gave Helena a warning look as she glanced at Helena's phone that chimed loudly.
"I'll get that!" Helena practically yelled as she grabbed her phone.
"Must be pre-wedding jitters," Claudia whispered to Eileen.
"OK, so as I was saying….," Irene continued, certain of two things – one – that something was definitely going on and two – she didn't want to know what it was.
Helena was caught, and worse, Myka knew it. Myka's entire body language told her that she knew Helena wanted to see what was on her phone, but didn't want to admit defeat. Myka played her hand well – acting as if she didn't really care.
Helena caved to the temptation and slid her finger over the phone to the video notification. She stared at Myka whose green eyes seemed to smolder at the other end of the table. Helena pressed the screen and the video of Myka displayed her tongue protruding out over her upper lip and retracting it….in slow motion. Helena's eyes remained fixed on the image as her body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate all sang high notes in unison.
'YES!' her body yelled as she watched the seductive invitation on the privacy of her phone.
Unfortunately for Helena, her fall over the edge from control to frenzy was anything but graceful, and the word escaped her mouth.
"So you agree?" Irene asked, surprised at Helena's remark.
"Yes!" Helena answered from inside her own little world.
"You want to do the interview?" Irene asked again, to be clear. She looked down the table at Myka who seemed to be completely tuned into whatever was going on with Helena.
"Oh God, yes!" Helena answered. Bering – 25. Wells – melting.
"I'll take that as a yes, then," Irene said, certain giving an interview was the last thing Helena wanted to do. Irene stood up which was everyone's cue that the meeting was over. "You need to speak to Mr. Lattimer," Irene whispered in Helena's ear. The CEO hadn't moved from her seat. She just kept staring at her phone.
"Yes," Helena said, her brain fighting to get back online, but her body in sheer heavenly overload.
"Myka, did you do this?" Irene asked as the crowd cleared out and Myka walked up to the other end of the table.
"This?" Myka smiled devilishly at her adorably unhinged fiancée.
"Yes," Irene confirmed. Getting Helena to move quickly was difficult enough when she was firing on all four cylinders.
Helena was too busy staring at the video and grinning.
"I don't know, am I responsible for this, Helena?" Myka asked, wanting a witness to Helena's confessions that she was beaten.
Helena's brain sputtered until she heard the overconfidence in Myka's voice. Her ego reached back….as far as it could …to grasp onto something…..anything. 'Are you giving in so easily?' Helena's brain questioned. 'But…,' Helena's body replied as her thumb ran over the screen that contained that image. 'You're being challenged,' her brain tried. 'We want this. We really want this,' her body answered. 'The game will end,' her logical brain deduced.
And that caught Helena's whole attention.
"Don't be ridiculous," Helena smiled, and her brain rejoiced. "I was …slightly distracted."
"Uh huh," both Irene and Myka replied.
"You know better than anyone that I have many things going on," Helena said to Irene for Myka's benefit. "I may look like I'm not paying attention, but I promise you I am alert, on my game, never better."
"Sure you are," Irene said, because nowhere in her agenda was there time for games. "I'll leave you two alone to figure out the logistics of the interview your collective penetrating concentration just agreed to. Then in five minutes, I will send Mr. Lattimer in because you both have not yet asked him about the wedding." Then Irene smiled at them both because there wasn't a time she didn't come out the victor in these situations.
"Interview?" Helena said to Myka.
"I think she slipped that in when we were …. ," Myka said, trying to recall.
"Sneaky woman," Helena said.
"Admit it, Wells, I won," Myka said, getting cocky. Her mistake was thinking this was a short term assignment.
"Ha! That? I didn't want you to embarrass yourself, so I played along," Helena completely lied.
Myka was too smart to let Helena try to turn this around. "Oh really," she said, coming in closer to Helena because that made it harder for the Brit. "The throwing of the phone up in the air? Playing along?"
"I…yes," Helena said, hoping that made sense and trying to back up just a little to because the smell of Myka's lipstick was making it hard. So was staring at her lips.
"By all accounts, Ms. Wells, you lost. I think you should be gracious and concede," Myka teased Helena.
"Never," Helena said, almost sounding like she meant it.
"So you want more?" Myka asked, regaining her confidence.
"Yes…please," Helena's body answered and her brain did the proverbial face-palm. 'Focus, people, we're losing it here and it's ugly,' her cortex tried. "I mean… you can try."
"You mean….. you can take more?" Myka asked incredulously.
"As much…as you can give," Helena said, swallowing hard. 'God, Myka's eyes were so seductive when she was this confident,' Helena thought, as she slowly sat down in her chair without any discomfort.
"That's the second time they knocked," Myka said getting Helena's attention to the noise at the door. "Do you want me to answer it?"
Now that she was a little bit farther away, Helena attempted to regain composure. "I'll answer it," she said. "I am, after all, in charge."
"Oh Helena," Myka said, running her finger up the length of Helena's arm. "You stopped being in charge the minute I walked through that door."
Helena's eyes grew wide with excitement, her mouth opened, but nothing came out. Myka reached over and ran her finger along the length of Helena's bottom lip. Myka was refuting every claim Helena attempted to make. Helena loved the back and forth, especially when Myka truly was winning. The businesswoman - whose very livelihood was based on crossing boundaries, found it electrifying when Myka set a limit and didn't let Helena cross it.
"Boss, you wanted to see me?" Pete said, poking his head in. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said, but Myka called him back in.
"No Pete, please come in," Myka said and got up from the desk. "Helena and I wanted to talk to you."
"Is she….okay?" he whispered out of the side of his mouth when he got closer.
"Oh yes, she's fine. Aren't you, Helena?" Myka asked, smiling directly at her.
Helena struggled to regain her senses, long enough to ask Pete at least. "Mr. Lattimer, would you do us the honor of being in our bridal party?" Helena asked.
The only sound they heard was the audible gasp of Pete as he sucked in his breath and bit down hard on his knuckle. He was so taken by the request that he couldn't speak. "I…would be….of course…honored," he said and the emotions started to rise to his eyes. He coughed and looked away. "That would be great," he said, praying his voice wouldn't crack. "Thanks," he said, walking away and then turned on his heels. He rushed at Helena behind her desk and hugged her and then turned to Myka and bear hugged her. "I'm just so happy for you both," he said, releasing Myka.
He was out the door before they could say anything.
"Ms. Wells, Ms. Cummings is here to see you," Sui announced on the intercom.
"Ready to say 'uncle' yet, Helena?" Myka said sweetly, not letting up.
"I …no…I have business to conduct because that's what I do. I conduct business," Helena replied back, but sounded more like she was reminding herself.
Myka smiled knowingly, walked to the door, and stopped. "Oh, I can wait. You know why, Helena?" Myka asked deliberately, waiting for Helena to shake her head before uttering her coup de grace.
"Because we're going to have spaghetti for dinner tonight."
Myka – 50. Wells - so far behind.
Helena never knew defeat could be so rewarding.
Next up - Irene's talk with Helena and Myka will leave them both unsettled.