Upside Down Read Free

conversation.
    Mark was smart enough to know his time with his mentor was up. He stood and left the room but I quit pretending to work as soon as he closed the door without a sound behind him. I stared at it for a long time wondering how much truth there could be in his words. I was going to turn thirty soon and that got me thinking.
    “ Maybe this is supposed to be a kind of milestone in a person’s life. Who knows? It might be a good time to rethink my choices. There would still be time to make up for possible mistakes and wasted time, right?”
    For some reason, his words stuck with me so that I had trouble concentrating again and needed to make an effort to forget them in order to work. Many people depended on me – employees and clients alike. I had a huge responsibility I couldn’t neglect because I was going through an early midlife crisis. So, I took a series of deep breaths, stretched my arms over my head, then, went to the in-suite bathroom to wash and shake off the last distracting feelings. When I sat back behind my desk there wasn’t a shred of insecurity or self-doubt in my mind. I was back on bitchy Wall Street-broker mode again. Life was good!
    * * * *
     
    Later, around lunchtime, I was at my desk lost to the world around me when I heard the door open and close. I looked up to find Mark entering the room. He was carrying some deli paper bags. He laughed at my bewildered expression.
    “I bet you haven’t order ed anything to eat, have you?”
    “Of course I haven’t. I forgot all about lunch,” I winked at him. “Besides, you’re the one who’s supposed to take care of these little details for me.”
    “So eating is a little detail now, is it? I’ll be sure to text that to your doctor next time I set an appointment for you,” he laughed but looked more worried than he should be.
    “Oh, Mark come on, I have an excellent health. When was the last time I got sick?”
    “That’s true. I’ve never seen you sick. But, you need to eat something. It’s almost one o’clock. That’s why I’ve ordered your favorite from Earl of Sandwich – Caprese,” his smile was breathtaking, as he handed me two bags.
    “ Thank you. You are a life saver. I wanted to finish some stuff before that interview. That’s why I didn’t order anything,” I took the two bags and he kept the other two. “I see you ordered something for yourself, too. Great. Grab a sit and let’s eat, then.”
    He clean ed a spot on my desk, beside my left arm, and sat down. He was still wearing that absolutely irresistible smile. His dark green eyes sparkled with mischief.
    “Who’s a naughty boy, today? What if somebody comes in?”
    “Not to worry. I locked the door when I came in,” he answered between bites.
    I r an a hand up his thigh.
    “That was very thoughtful of you,” I whispered as my hand stopped a few inches shy of this bulged zipper and I lifted my eyes to him, smiling the fakest innocent grin I could manage and we both laughed. “Now, be a good boy and behave. We’ll have plenty of time for this later.”
    I squeeze d him lightly over his pants, licking my lips, eyes locked to his green gaze. Mark sighed and squirmed on the table, as his eyes got darker than a lush rainforest. I knew that look very well. He wanted me almost as badly as I wanted him. He leaned towards me until our noses were inches apart.
    “You’d better be prepared, then, Carol. I had a very hot dream last night involving you, some handcuffs and a whip ,” he whispered back.
    “H mm, sounds perfect. My pair is in my bag. You know my motto: never leave home without it.”
    We laughed and Mark sat back straight in order to eat his sandwich. We bantered like that a little more as we finished our lunch. I liked to keep those encounters as friendly and free from work as possible. They were our bonding time and I treasured them more than I would ever have confessed to Mark. He was one of the brightest people I knew and that was saying a lot