After The Wife Walks In

The next week she did the hardest thing she could think of. Kyle set an invitation on her desk as he turned in his test. She handed it back to him. "I'm sorry Mr. Miller, but not until after grades are posted."

She felt the parchment slip through her fingers and sighed as he nodded and walked away. Walking to her car, she felt his eyes on her as she got in. He might not have walked her, like they both wanted, but she knew he was there looking out for her. She didn't know how to feel about that.

After he posted her grade sheet, With Kyle's A- at the top of the list, she stopped cold at her office door. In the center of her desk was the envelope. She slowly ran her fingers over it and bit her lip. She must have turned it over in her hands five times before Joyce's voice broke her concentration.

"So are you going to open it or sit there and admire it forever?" She was leaning against the door. "I was going to see if you wanted to go out for an end of the semester drink, but I think your mind is elsewhere." She smiled. "From Mr. Miller I take it?" She stepped in.

"I, I'm not sure." She sighed "And to be honest I'm afraid to look. What if it's an invitation to a wedding or a funeral or something mundane like that? What if I pushed him away with how I treated him in class?" She was nervous and didn't know why.

"What if you open the thing and quit being a coward." Joyce laughed. "Here, I'll do it!" She grabbed it from Marcella's hand and flipped it open. "Ms. M. Estrada, you are cordially invited to an intimate dinner at Pascally's. Please RSVP. I hope to see you next Wednesday night at seven. K. Miller." She handed Marcy the invitation. "He has class that's for sure."

"Pascally's is nice. Not too expensive, but not a burger shack either." Marcella was stunned.

"I'd be willing to bet, if your father was still alive, he'd asked him first. Talk about old time romance. He knows exactly what buttons to push." Joyce sat down. "So, are you going?" She put her hand on Marcy's arm.

"I shouldn't, but I think I am." Marcella smiled. "I have to know what this is all about." She looked at her friend. "I might even get a good dinner out of the deal." Her stomach dropped and her pulse raced.

"Good girl. I'll be close by in case he turns out to be a nutter. I doubt it, but you can't be too careful these days. It's about time Ross took me out for dinner again anyway."

By Wednesday night, Marcella was ready to break apart. "Where are you going mom?" Carrie asked as Marcella smoothed down her pleated skirt.

"I have a dinner date." Marcella sighed. "It's been so long I don't know what to do." She smiled at Carrie.

"Just be yourself. If he's any type of man, you'll knock him dead." She hugged her mother-in-law. "I'll keep a light on for you. Just go out and have fun. You've earned it." Carrie said all the things that she could remember needed to be said when she started dating her husband and was just as nervous.

Kyle on the other hand, was facing down his board again. "Bill, I don't pull a salary from the business. Since the business is profiting from my education, it can pay for my tuition. Does anyone really have a problem with this?" He was leaning on his fists so he wouldn't use them.

"I still don't see the need for you to have the main office. That space could be better used." Bill knew he couldn't back down. He earned that office and this up-start wasn't going to fuck him out of it.

"It was my father's, now it is my office. I'm not playing three card Monty with office space just to stroke your ego. Don't fuck with me on this Bill. I have your replacement already picked out. Just like Clancy's replacement is already being trained for his impending retirement. I might not have it all figured out, but trust. I know who owns this fucking business. So, if you want to keep your seat, sit the fuck down so I can get to my dinner date." Kyle refused to sit until after Bill was in his chair for over a minute.

"Gotcha..." Gary smiled. He now knew who Kyle was going to see and how to go about seeing if this women was worthy of his attention. He had a promise to keep from a very old friend.

"Gentlemen, Mr. Miller is correct in his assessment. He is doing the work of an executive and holds the majority share. He has opened up enough shares for the necessary changes in management, but his shares will not dip under fifty five percent. He is Miller and Mott, and let us not forget it." Gary stood up. "He has refused to pull a salary until he finishes his education and takes over complete control of the company. In his words he has to earn it! In my opinion, he has gone a long way in doing just that. Our stock is up and we have three great projects in the works. We are growing when other companies are shrinking. Our profit margin is solid and we hold no bad debt. And that... is what a senior executive should do for this company."

"But still..." Bill tried again.

"Bill, you're beating a dead horse and Kyle wasn't joking. He has a list of replacements sitting on my desk. I'm vetting them now. He'd rather things stay stable until he knows everything he needs. But, he is prepared to do what is in the best interest of the company." He gave the infuriated man his best lawyer smile. "Now, like Mr. Miller said. He has a previous engagement to attend to. I think we can close on that until next month." He needed Bill to stay until he could move some things around so it didn't hurt the business when Kyle booted his ass out the door. If he was lucky he might have two months.

"That is all." Kyle officially ended the meeting. He sighed and went back into his office. He looked at his watch and knew he needed to hurry.

"Let me show you why Bill wants this office so bad." Gary came in and pushed a button on the desk. A large section of the wall moved. Inside was a full bathroom with a shower and a closet.

"What the hell...?" Kyle muttered as Gary walked past.

"Lucky for you, you're about the same size as your father. I'd have Becky send some of these out to have them altered to fit you. Save you a bundle from buying new." He pulled out a casual tan herringbone. "This should do for tonight. It was a bit tight on William, so it should fit you fine. The ties are in the rack and cufflinks are in the second drawer. Have a good night." Before Kyle could say a word, Gary was out of the office as silently as he came in.

Kyle took a fast shower and found his father's bottles of Geoffrey Beene. It took a deep breath and breathed in the scent that was his father's. Splashing some on, he found a pair of tan slacks that fit. He looked in the drawer and found the set of links he had sent his dad from his first duty station. Of the thousands of dollars of sets there, they were displayed prominently. He put them on and found a solid green tie. Sighing, he looked in the mirror and checked himself.

He got there with three minutes to spare. He used the valet service and looked for his date. He stopped and took in her beauty. He had never seen her dress so well before. Everything she had on was sexy, demure and perfect.

"Ms. Estrada, I'm pleased you could make it." He spoke from behind her.

"Mr. Miller, you clean up nicely." She smiled at him. She sized up his attire and it fit with what she knew about him. It was nice, but not overly expensive. It looked custom fit, but with his build, he could make a bean bag look custom fit. She was glad she kept it subtle. She didn't want to overwhelm him with the trappings of a lifestyle she no longer lived.

They were ushered to their seats and the menus were placed. Kyle let the tension from the meeting flow out of him as he looked at her captivating eyes. She had long lashes that would sweep down and make him wonder what she looked like sleeping.

"Hello, I'm Carlos, your waiter. Would you like to look at the wine list? We have a vino-grappa, and a vino-blanka house wine, depending on the entree." He went through his spiel as they listened to him.

"A glass of Blush Zinfandel please." Marcella said and looked at her dinner companion.

"A Corona and lime please." Kyle said, not trusting his very limited knowledge of wine.

They chatted as they decided what to eat. Kyle kept having to adjust himself as Marcella would smile, feeling terrific that she could still do that to a man. Dinner was placed in front of them when Kyle finally started the information portion of the evening.

"My full name is Kyle Douglas Miller. My mother passed from cancer when I was in high school, and my father passed away last year from heart failure. I usually say he had a broken heart without my mom. I'm desperately trying to figure out his business before I drive in into the ground. I have a sister, but I haven't heard from her since the wake. She got what she wanted and bolted." He laughed. "Sorry if that sounds like a mission brief, but that is what I'm used to."

"Well Kyle, I guess it could have been done another way, but it was effective." She smiled at him. "Marcella Estrada... I might tell you my full name but not yet." She chuckled, hoping to take any sting out of her comment. "I have three children. All grown... and one granddaughter with another grandchild on the way." She sighed. "I was married for longtime until I caught him cheating on me. We divorced and I took back my maiden name." She put her napkin down. "I'm sitting here wondering why someone like you would ever want to get to know someone like me." There, she said it.

"Why not... I'm thirty. Old enough to know what I like and I like what is sitting in front of me blushing." He chuckled as she blushed. "I might have a kid from an ex-girlfriend, but I don't know for sure. She listed me with about ten other guys as the possible father. They haven't come after me for support, so I'm thinking not. If I do have a child, I'd like to raise them, but I'd never stay with a woman that needed more than me." He figured he might as well get that right out in the open.

"What type of business did your father leave you?" She asked hoping to put the conversation onto a safer topic. She was shocked by the twelve year difference in their ages, well twelve and some months, since she was now forty three.

"A small aggregate business. I'm not sure of everything involved yet, but I'm getting closer. I work there until I can get my degree and fully take it over. My overhead isn't that bad so I can do both for now." He shrugged. From that point on the conversation floated from topic to topic. The conversation was intelligent and the company nice in a warm fuzzy way. Marcella had to keep pinching her leg to reassure herself this was real.

When Kyle walked Marcella to the door of the restaurant, He leaned down and softly kissed her. "I had a great time. I'd like to do it again sometime this weekend." He held her arms loosely.

"That would meet with my approval." She smiled and her face lit up. "Dinner and Dancing Saturday evening?" She wanted him to kiss her again.

"We can meet on campus at six." Kyle's pulse was throbbing. "You make the arraignments and I'll be there." He kissed her again before handing his valet slip to one of the runners. She was still standing there as he pulled away. Her fingers touched her lips where he had kissed her.

"That was the most potent G rated kiss I've ever seen Marcy." Joyce walked up and hugged her friend. "Ross and I are off; would you like to join us for drinks?"

"What...? Oh, no... I think I'll just go home and...." She bit her lip.

"You were taking notes I hope Ross." Joyce kissed her husband.

Little did any of them know just how many people were interested in their date? The management was pleased with the extra bump for their business on what was usually a slow night. They sat around and wondered who this couple was who garnered such attention.

Kyle got home and looked around his man pad and wondered if his might want to clean it up before Saturday... just in case. Marcella got home and floated in her bath tub reliving those two kisses over and over again. She couldn't wait for their next date. She just hoped that she could keep her hormones in check so she didn't come off looking like a slut.

Kyle spent the better part of a day cleaning the condo. He went from room to room making sure it would pass inspection. Every dish was in its place and every glass was dress right dress in the cupboard. He had all his laundry done and took his two suits out to the cleaners. He didn't worry about work. He knew Becky would call if there was a problem.

Marcella changed her clothes ten times as Carrie and Bonny looked on and giggled. "Do you mind if I bake some bread? I just love your convection oven." Carrie asked as she tried to keep up with Marcella's pacing.

"Do whatever you like dear. Think of it as your kitchen. I don't ever use it anymore." She primped in her mirror. "How do I look? Not to slutty?' She spun around once.

"You look fantastic... So, I take it there is a chance of getting lucky tonight?" Carrie laughed as Marcella blushed.

"Yes... no... I don't know. I might be late, and I might be early." She checked her lipstick one last time.

"Woo-hoo, don't forget the big stick...!" Elias teased from the door. "You better get going or you'll be late... when do I get to met him, being the resident male member of the family and all."

"This is only our second date. Besides, Kyle, well Kyle is a lot more man than you are right now dear. No offence intended, but still." She kissed her son and granddaughter before scurrying to her car.

She parked in her regular spot and looked around. She had never seen the campus on the weekend unless it was for an event. She smiled when she saw his car pull up. She opened her door.

"We can take mine or yours. Ladies choice..." Kyle smiled. He was wearing a charcoal grey suit this time. Still in the moderately expensive category.

"How good are you at following directions?" She asked him as she grabbed her clutch and got out of her car.

"I've never gotten lost... no matter how many times I've had to turn around." He got out and held her door open. "I shall follow your directions even if they lead to the ends of the earth my Lady." He closed the door as she folded herself into his car.

"How well do you dance?" She lifted an eyebrow as he got in.

"Well that would have to depend on what you call dancing. I can waltz without stepping on toes. I can do a mean box step. I might even do a decent boot scoot. But the gyrations they call dancing now... I'm a lost cause." He smiled. "I can tiptoe through a pretty mean minefield too."

"A man of hidden talents." She looked at him, not knowing the tease from the truth. "Just some old fogey dancing for me. I like my hearing too much to go to what the younger set call a club. Dinner is at Sparks at seven." She looked at him.

"On our way.' He pulled out and headed in the correct direction. "My mom liked Sparks. Good food and the wait staff aren't snooty." He smiled.

"Yes, we must not have a snooty wait staff." Marcella smiled as her insides twisted into small knots.

Hours later, her feet were tired. Her belly was full of some great food and way too much wine. She didn't want the night to end. Marcella had forgotten how nice it was to go out and have fun for the sake of having fun. Kyle was the perfect Gentleman even though she could feel his reaction to her proximity. She remembered her daughter's poster that hung in her bedroom before she went to college.

It said, 'a good man is hard to find and a hard man is good to find'. It had some near naked body builder on it. Marcella thought she might have just found both.

"So my lovely, we have three choices." Kyle said as they stepped outside and tried to cool off.

"And what are those?" She smiled at him and snuggled into his embrace.

"Your place, my place, or another place." He tucked her head under his chin.

"Why not back to my car?" She asked wondering what he had on his mind.

"Because, you've had a bit too much fun to allow me to let you get behind the wheel of your car." He kissed the bridge of her nose. "We can go to my place, but I have to warn you it is a man cave. We can go to your place and I could see where and how you live. Or, we can find a nice quiet place and talk until the sun comes up." She listened to his words and his heart beat in her ear.

"Well, then let's look at our options Mr. Miller." She slipped into her teacher mode. She had to or she was going to jump him right there. "My place has my son, his wife and a three year old sitting vigil until I get home. Although I'd love to sit somewhere and watch the sunrise, I'm not really dressed for that activity." She pulled his face to her and kissed him like she had been dreaming of.

"So, um yeah... My place it is." He adjusted himself or he knew he wouldn't be able to drive. Kyle thought he must've broken all land speed records to the condo. He parked his car in the private parking lot and opened her door.

"This way and don't say I didn't warn you." He put his arm around her and walked her up to his unit. Marcella saw a midline condo unit. Look like one of those places that were investment properties that had a rotating door of students every semester. He opened the door and the smell of Pinesol and male wafted out at her.

"At least it is a clean man cave." She looked around and didn't think she'd find a speck of dust. "You mother would be proud." She smiled at him.

"My mother would be appalled. She liked the lived in look. My drill instructor might be proud unless he found some dust on the light bulbs." The closed the door and gave her the grand tour. "Most of this place is self explanatory, but it is enough for me right now, so this is home. Please, make yourself comfortable."

Something inside her snapped. "You don't know what you are asking." She breathed and put a finger on his lips. "It has been a long time since I've done this. Let me know if I make a mistake." She kissed him, but refused to let him pull her in. She wanted to be in control before all control left her.

To try and say Kyle hadn't hoped for this would be ridiculous. He prayed for this. He kept still as Marcella took off his jacket and placed it on the chair by the door. She took his cufflinks and put them in the breast pocket. She held his hands to stop them from reaching for his tie. Her slim fingers worked the knot and slipped it from his neck. She folded it and set it on the jacket. She loosened his belt and pulled out his shirt. She made it to the bottom button before her passion took over.

Kyle couldn't take any more. He scooped her up and kissed her like in his dreams. He carried her to his bed and thanked god he remembered to clean the sheets. His pulse was beating with a primal need of making this woman his and only his. He tried not to damage her clothes.

Hands, lips, fingers, and bodies meshed as they struggled together. Heat pounded and tension built. Marcella gasped out when he thrust into her. Her head swam with sensations as she willingly let him ravish her body. She knew she marked him as her center exploded outward. Her teeth found his hard neck as she nipped him to stop the scream from tearing out her throat.

There was no tenderness. There was only passion and long denied carnal need. He took, she took; they took. She gave, he gave; they gave. Her body responded to his every thrust. Her nipples craved his lips. Her hips relished each impact as they strained together. Friction built, eased by warm lubrication.

"OH MY GOD...!" She screamed as they crested together. He pulled her and she pulled him. He couldn't hold back as her body demanded his seed. He tried, but the claws in his back refused to let him free of her body. He pumped and she clutched in a ritual as old as mankind.

"If that was out of practice, I'd relish the thought of when we find our rhythm." Kyle gasped for air as their bodies stayed tangled together on the torn sheets.