Bound Together Read online

  “Well, what?” Taylor asked playing dumb.

  “Did you have a good time?”

  All kinds of answers were going through Taylor’s head, but none of them could she voice to her friend. “I guess,” she finally answered.

  “You guess?” Kay burst out laughing. “I saw you go into the back room with that blond. “Also, you smell like sex,” she said wrinkling her nose. “I would have to say you had a fabulous time.”

  Taylor groaned and covered her face in shame. “I can’t believe I let a stranger do those things to me. I don’t even know her name.”

  Kay began to laugh. “It was an experience, Taylor. Maybe it’s something you won’t do again, but you will always have that memory.”

  “Yeah,” she said softly. Kay thought it was something she wouldn’t want to do again, but that’s where she was wrong. Taylor wanted to do it again and again and hopefully with J.

  Kay pulled up to Taylor’s home. “I’m glad you had a good birthday. The girls were worried that you’d want to leave after ten minutes.”

  “Who would have thought I would have fun tonight?” she asked with a wide smile.

  “Go get some rest because we still have a lot of work to do before that software is ready for the market.”

  “I know,” she said with a sigh. “I’m going on vacation after that thing is launched.”

  “I’ll believe that when I see it,” she said as Taylor opened the car door.

  “Go home and get some rest yourself.” Taylor kissed Kay’s cheek and stepped out of the car. Walking into the house, she headed straight to her bedroom. Stripping off her clothes she walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. While she waited for the water to heat, her eyes caught her reflection. Her finger came up and touched her swollen lips. A laugh escaped as she stared at the smile on her face. Untying the leather mask and dropping it onto the countertop, she stepped into the hot water. As the water traveled over her skin she imagined it was J caressing her skin. She smiled and laughed all the way through her shower. Wrapping herself in a soft towel, her thoughts went back to J. Why didn’t she get her phone number? Why didn’t she get her name? Then doubt filled her thinking. If J had been interested in seeing her again, she would have said so. Taylor didn’t even bother to dress and climbed under the covers. She pretended that the covers were J holding her close as she slept.

  CHAPTER 3

  “Good morning, Taylor,” Kay said walking into Taylor’s office Monday morning.

  “Morning. You sound very chipper today.” Taylor rolled her eyes over her reading glasses.

  “I am. I rested yesterday unlike you and Monica. I understand you two spent most of your day here,” she said tutting.

  “Ted was playing golf and I already had decided to get some work done yesterday.” Taylor was beginning to lose her patience with Kay.

  “If you had gotten that woman’s number, you would have been having fun instead.”

  “That was a mistake,” Taylor insisted. “You all dragged me to that club and then paid for a private room.” Her head shook in disgust, but that wasn’t what she was really thinking. If Julia hadn’t gotten sick, she would have asked J what her real name was and asked for her phone number. No one had ever taken her to the places that J had and she would have looked forward to doing it again.

  “Mistake? You enjoyed yourself.” Kay leaned over Taylor’s desk. “Admit it.”

  Taylor could feel her face flush. “I won’t admit it,” she said with a nervous chuckle.

  Kay laughed at Taylor’s red face. “You don’t have to admit it because your face just did.” Kay stood up to leave. “Don’t forget you have an appointment with Levi & Jensen on the advertising.”

  “I know I do, Kay.”

  “Do you think they will have some good plans for advertising the software?”

  “They came highly recommended and I’m keeping my fingers crossed.” She waved her hand at Kay. “Get back to work. We’ve got a lot to do before we get this to market.”

  “I’m going. Don’t get your panties in a wad.”

  *

  “How was your weekend?” Terry asked Jessica as she dropped her things in her cubicle.

  “Great. You?” Jessica asked staring at her computer screen.

  “Great? What the hell did you do?” Terry asked sitting on the edge of Jessica’s desktop.

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?” Jessica spun her chair around until she faced Terry wearing a wide grin.

  “Yeah, I would.” Terry moved closer.

  “I’ll tell you at lunch.” Jessica lowered her voice. “Too many ears here.”

  “Okay, tell me,” Terry demanded when Jessica sat down at the table for lunch.

  “Wow. When did you get so impatient?” Jessica asked chuckling. She pushed her blond hair off her shoulder and leaned over the table. “I went back to that club,” she said almost in a whisper.

  “The bondage club?” Terry asked wide-eyed.

  “It’s not a bondage club.” Her eyes rolled. “It is for people who want to have fun.”

  “Yeah, with whips and chains.”

  Jessica rolled her eyes again and shook her head. “Well, I can assure you I did not use any whips and chains.”

  “So, tell me what happened.” Terry was practically laying on the table as she waited for Jessica to give her all the juicy details.

  “I met this woman who was dragged to the club for her birthday by some friends. We talked for a while and then she told me her friends had arranged for her to have one of those private rooms for the evening.” Jessica looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was within listening distance. “I wanted to see what those rooms were all about. I convinced her that we should take a look.”

  “Was it everything you imagined?” Terry asked.

  “And more. Her friends must have a lot of disposable cash to afford those rooms.” Jessica smiled as she remembered. “At first it was just innocent, us just looking at the things on the wall, but...” Jessica paused and took a drink of her water, “it turned heated.”

  “Did you tie her up?” Terry wanted to hear everything.

  “I may have used some soft restraints, but it was nothing that she couldn’t get out of if she wanted to.” Jessica wasn’t going to divulge everything she and T had done, but gave Terry just enough information that she was practically drooling on the table.

  “You are so lucky. Why can’t things like that happen to me?” Terry sat up straight in her seat. “Did you get her number?” Jessica shook her head. “Why?”

  “Because she had to leave and tore out of the room before I could.”

  “Are you going to go back to the club to look for her?”

  “No. I don’t think she’ll be back anytime soon.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “I told you she was dragged there by her friends. I can’t see her going back there alone.”

  “Are you disappointed?”

  “Yeah. She was amazing and not just the sex.”

  CHAPTER 4

  Taylor Jamison walked into the offices of Levi & Jensen the following morning. Before she could tell the receptionist who she was, Brooke Levi was there to greet her.

  “Taylor,” the woman said already with her hand out. “I’m Brooke Levi. It is good to meet you.”

  “You too, Brooke.”

  “Come on back to my office and I will fill you in on what we are working on before you meet the staff.” Brooke walked briskly to her office.

  Taylor in three-inch heels followed behind. Noticing the number of staff working in the office, she asked, “How many people do you have on staff?”

  “We have twenty-five plus the support staff,” Brooke answered and motioned Taylor into her office. “There are divisions for media, print and internet. Everyone is well-versed in their fields. There is a leader of each department who makes the final decisions on the group’s ideas.” Brooke smiled. “Of course, Art and I have the final say.” Tayl
or nodded in all the right places as Brooke explained her advertising firm. “You and I have discussed what you were looking for in regards to your software and I believe each department has come up with some good ideas.”

  “I hope so because we need our software to come out of the gate strong.”

  Brooke stood up. “Can I get you something to drink before we move to the conference room?”

  “No thank you. I’m anxious to see what your staff has come up with.”

  Brooke led them to the glass room where a large group of people were standing around a table. Three people were sitting as Brooke and Taylor walked into the room. “These are the people who have been working on your software project, Taylor.”

  “Hello,” Taylor said with a smile. Her eyes scanned the room before she took her seat.

  Brooke introduced the team leaders who sat at the table and then went through the people standing. As she made the introductions, one of the people standing was staring at her. Brooke now excused the group and let the team leaders explain their plan.

  “That’s her,” Jessica said as she stepped out of the conference room.

  “Who?” Terry asked looking at her friend.

  “Come with me,” she said taking Terry’s arm and led her to the ladies’ room.

  “What’s going on, Jess?”

  “Taylor Jamison is the woman I was with at the club.”

  “Are you sure? You said she had a mask on.”

  “She did, but I could see her eyes and those eyes are something I will never forget.”

  “Yeah, her eyes were kind of creepy.”

  Jessica rolled her eyes. “They aren’t creepy. They are beautiful.”

  “Oh boy,” Terry said walking over to the sink to wash her hands. “Are you going to say anything to her?”

  “Are you kidding? Brooke would kill me if I blow this account for the firm.”

  “Suppose she recognizes you?” Terry asked grasping Jessica’s arm.

  “Never going to happen. I have boring brown eyes that millions of people have.” She shook her head. “We didn’t use names. Only our initials.”

  The two women walked back to their cubicles. Jessica glanced at the conference room and saw Ann up at the board explaining their plan for the TV ads.

  At lunchtime, Terry and Jessica stood by the elevator. Before they stepped inside they were joined by another person behind them. It was only when they stepped into the elevator, that Jessica saw who it was. Terry was now elbowing Jessica in the stomach. She turned to look at her friend with an evil glare to shut up. Taylor moved to the side of the elevator door when they descended and other people got in at another floor. Jessica tried to keep her eyes on the floor, but she couldn’t resist sneaking a glance. Unable to control her eyes, they both looked at each other and Taylor smiled at her. Jessica was too scared to return the smile and her eyes returned to the floor until the elevator stopped on the ground level. She watched as Taylor left the building.

  “I can’t believe she was in the elevator with us,” Terry said breathing hard. “I thought I was going to have a heart attack.”

  “You? I thought I was going to pass out. Come on,” she said grabbing Terry’s arm. “I wish I could drink my lunch today.”

  “You and me both. You know she’s kind of scary.” Jessica laughed at Terry’s statement. “She is, Jessica. Those eyes are freaky and she looks as though she can knock you over with just a glance.”

  “She’s very sweet, Terry, and I love her eyes.” Jessica remembered how they were together. How Taylor had brought her to places she had never been with anyone else. How her skin smelled. How her skin had tasted. Forcing those thoughts from her mind when Terry spoke again.

  Terry shrugged. “To each his own, but you are right that Brooke would kill you if she knew you were sleeping with a client.”

  “Slept, Terry. Not sleeping,” Jessica insisted.

  When Terry and Jessica came back to the office, they were told Ann wanted to have a meeting at two o’clock. “That doesn’t sound good,” Terry said. “I guess Ms. Jamison didn’t like our commercial.”

  “I didn’t think she would,” Jessica added firmly so only Terry could hear her comment.

  In the conference room, Ann began, “Ms. Jamison did not like our idea,” she said looking over at Michael who had come up with the idea. “She will be back next week and I want to show her three different ideas,” Ann huffed, “then let her decide.” She glanced at Jessica. “Jess, get your commercial together with Terry.”

  “Sure,” she said with a smile and Terry nodded her head and also grinned.

  Ann continued, “The three ideas will be presented to the client by each associate.”

  “You want us to present to the client?” Rachel asked her boss.

  “Yes.” She looked around the room. “Any problems with that?” No one raised their hand.

  *

  Kay rushed into Taylor’s office upon her return from the advertising agency. “How did it go?”

  Taylor sighed as she took her seat. “Print and internet were good, but I didn’t like media. I have to go back next week and see what they’ve come up with.” Taylor put on her reading glasses. “I just hope they can do it. I would hate to have to find someone else at this stage of the game.”

  “I’m sure they will, Taylor.”

  “I just hope you’re right.”

  CHAPTER 5

  As Taylor sat having dinner with Kay, Julia and Monica one evening, the women began to talk about the club. “So, do you want to go back this weekend, Taylor?” Monica asked.

  “Hell no. Once was enough for me.” She now looked at Julia. “I would think after your night there, you wouldn’t want to go within ten feet of that place.”

  Julia shrugged. “So, I had too much to drink. Everyone does that a few times in their lives.”

  “You three go without me if you want,” Taylor insisted, not meeting Kay’s gaze.

  “She’s afraid that woman will be there,” Kay offered to the group.

  “What woman?” Monica asked.

  Taylor shot Kay a dirty look, but she ignored the glare. “Taylor met some woman and used the room we bought her,” she said ignoring Taylor’s warning to keep quiet.

  “You’re kidding?” Monica asked. “And why is it that we are only hearing about this now?”

  “Because it was a mistake that I don’t want to repeat,” Taylor said keeping her voice low.

  “Your face isn’t saying it was a mistake,” Julia said laughing. “It’s telling me you had a fantastic time.”

  “That doesn’t mean it wasn’t a mistake,” Taylor said a little louder than she intended.

  “The woman doth protest too much. Doesn’t she?” Kay asked looking at the other women.

  They all nodded their heads before Julia spoke up. “Well, I want to go back for sure and maybe I’ll meet a woman myself.”

  The women laughed at Julia’s comment and changed the subject.

  *

  Taylor was riding the elevator up to the tenth floor of Levi and Jensen the following week. She hoped today there would be a winner from the media team or she was going to have to rethink her plan.

  “Taylor, I’m glad to see you,” Brooke Levi said as she walked into their offices. “We are all set up for you.” They walked toward the conference room.

  “I hope your team has come up with a great commercial.”

  “We have three to show you and I believe you will be thrilled with the results.”

  Let’s hope so. Taylor took her seat at the table and watched as a group of employees were arranging things in the front of the room. One of the women turned around and looked at her. It’s the woman from the elevator. Taylor watched as the woman flicked her blond hair over her shoulder and picked up some papers. She’s nervous.

  “Okay, everyone. Let’s begin. Rachel, would you go first, please?”

  Rachel nodded and explained what the client was about to see. Taylor turned towar
d the screen and watched the two-minute commercial. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t what she was looking for. Brooke spoke to Michael and his commercial began. Again, Taylor wasn’t impressed. Now the woman from the elevator nervously began telling Taylor about her and Terry’s concept. Everyone turned toward the screen. Taylor was mesmerized by the images on the screen. This commercial was exactly what she had thought about, but couldn’t conceptualize on her own. When the commercial ended, Ann excused her team so she and Brooke could speak with her. As the group picked up their things, Taylor caught the eye of the woman she learned was Jessica. They both smiled at each other before the group left the room.

  “What do you think?” Brooke asked.

  “I loved the last commercial. I think we have a winner.”

  Both Ann and Brooke let out the breath they were holding. “Wonderful,” she said coming over to shake Taylor’s hand. Ann left the room so Brooke and Taylor could discuss the details.

  Taylor was now ready to leave Levi and Jensen when she heard a woman yelling, “Holy fucking almighty, Terry. Get off me.”

  “Aren’t you happy, Jessica? Come on, tell me you’re happy.” Terry was still holding onto her.

  “I am very happy, but get off me.” Jessica was pushing her friend out of her personal space.

  Hearing what the woman had said almost caused Taylor to lose her footing. Before they got to the door, she turned to Brooke. “May I stop in and tell the group what a good job they did?”

  “Of course,” Brooke motioned to the doorway.

  Taylor stepped into the office and the group immediately stopped talking. Her eyes went to the blond. “I just wanted to tell everyone what a good job they did and I’m sure your ideas are going to make my software a great success.” Taylor’s eyes scanned the room, but returned to Jessica’s before she finished. “I don’t want to hold you up from your work. I just wanted to say thank you.” She left the room with Brooke following her to the elevator.

  “See, she loved it,” Terry said again flailing about. The rest of the group just grumbled because they were not chosen.