Lots of Cream, No Sugar

The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. Whoever had first said that probably hadn’t had Donna Granger’s life in mind. Still, the adage was proving itself true in her life.

Despite the excitement of the night before, she found herself sitting at her glass-topped desk, still working on case files for her clients. The day-to-day of regular life didn’t slow down, no matter what. Donna's life was certainly different than it had been earlier that week, but some things still felt familiar, comfortable. Showing up at work, helping her clients with their real estate acquisitions, all of it would remain the same no matter what changes her personal life went through. She didn't have the luxury of abandoning her responsibilities just because she had discovered something new about herself, about her desires, about her relationships. It was all part of being an adult.

And yet, as she typed up a final review of a property contract, she found herself smiling; a small, knowing smile, one that had nothing to do with square footage or zoning laws. Her coworkers wouldn’t see it, but Donna was different. Her whole outlook on life, her priorities, the way she saw herself, all of it had experienced a tectonic shift. It was like she had opened her eyes and discovered that she could see a new colour, something only she could see, something she knew she'd never be able to explain to anyone else. There was a hint of isolation in the thought, but there was also excitement. A secret, a special treasure, all her own.

Her gaze flickered to the slim, gold-trimmed clock on her desk. Almost lunchtime. The morning had flown by, an easy rhythm of legal work, coffee refills, and the occasional email exchange with her assistant. Donna should have felt tired. Her late night encounter with Joey, discovering him in bed, his body ready for her to perform her duty, had taken her away from sleep she normally took for granted. She could feel the effects, a hint of drowsiness, but she also felt exhilarated. It had been the first time, but not the last time, that Donna had been able to use her body for its real purpose, for Joey's sexual gratification. The memory of the taste of his member, the sound of his moaning, the eruption of pleasure she'd given him, was invigorating.

And as she sat in her office, the sounds of the photocopier down the hall, the din of her coworkers chatting, Donna was confronted with how normal it all felt, both being at work and being with Joey. Yes, Joey was far more exciting than her job, but being with him didn't feel in any way out of the ordinary. She didn't really know why she had expected it to. He had, after all, explained it all to her in a way that made her understand what their relationship really was.

Her computer chimed, breaking her thoughts. A calendar reminder. New client meeting in half an hour.

She reached for her coffee cup, only to find it empty.

A knock sounded at her office door.

"Come in," she called, setting the mug down.

The door cracked open, and in shuffled Kyle the intern.

In every way she could assess, Kyle was not a commanding presence. He was scrawny, awkward, the type of young man who slouched as if he was afraid of taking up too much space. Timid. He had the look of someone still figuring himself out, still unsure of where he fit in the world.

He was great.

As he stepped hesitantly inside, Donna felt something unexpected bloom in her chest—amusement, warmth, something playful and light.

He reminded her so much of her Joey.

Not exactly, of course. Joey had an aura that Kyle didn't have. If Kyle were to try to touch her, to make a move, Donna would be wildly offended, while Joey, her Joey, it would be a pleasure. Joey carried an assuredness Donna trusted—something that came from being the embodiment of her perfect man. It was why obeying him felt so easy. She had never been the type of woman to be obedient and meek, but with Joey she felt safe enough to allow him to take the lead. Kyle would never have that.

But still, Kyle was cute. If Donna lived in a world without Joey, a thought that made her shudder, a man like Kyle would be right up her alley. The resemblance, however faint, was enough to make her want to flirt.

She leaned back in her chair, smiling warmly at the young man, idly toying with the top button of her blouse.

"Ms. Granger," Kyle started, holding up a notepad, "I was just wondering if you needed anything? Coffee, maybe?"

She tilted her head and raised her eyebrows playfully.

"Anything?" she asked, her tone implying much more than the word said, "My goodness, Kyle, you're quite up front today!"

"I, er, I mean..."

"It's okay, sweetie," she said, enjoying the fluster Kyle was displaying, "I'm just teasing. I was just thinking about how I needed a cup of coffee. Are you sure you're not an angel?" she mused, letting just a hint of playfulness seep into her voice.

Kyle blinked, "Uh, no? I mean, yes? I mean..."

"Well you certainly are a Godsend," She took her finger from her blouse and placed it on the rim of her empty mug. She pushed it gently, watching it slide over the glass desktop, "Do you know how I like it?"

His mouth opened, then shut, "I… um… black?"

Donna leaned forward, knowing full well that his eyes would be drawn to her cleavage, "Cream. Lots of cream. And no sugar. I'm already sweet enough."

Kyle's eyes went wide. He stepped forward and took the mug from the desk, then started to back out of the office, eyes locked on Donna's chest.

He turned to leave, but before he could step out, she added, "And Kyle?"

He hesitated, glancing back.

"Make it extra hot," She let her gaze linger on him for just a moment longer than necessary, letting the weight of her attention settle.

The tips of his ears turned red. "Yes, ma’am."

And then he was gone, off to fetch her coffee like a dutiful little intern.

Donna chuckled to herself, shaking her head. It was too easy.

It had been a long time since Donna could have been accused of being a flirt. When she was young, before the kids, before Hank, she had loved to tease the boys, never meaning to close the deal, just playing with them. But once she and Hank had settled down, she had put that all away. She had her man, she was happy, satisfied. Flirting seemed silly, a waste of energy. Yes, she'd bring it out every once and a while when Hank would take her out, maybe a little dirty talk in the bedroom, but that was it.

But now everything had changed. Hank was so old fashioned, so passe. The idea of flirting with him seemed perverse. He might get the wrong idea, make a move, put his hands on her. But Kyle was harmless. A sexy young man, something to practice on, preparing her for the real show. Joey.

The kind of man a woman like her should be interested in.

The phone on her desk rang.

Donna answered. The receptionist, a young lady named Alice, a niece of one of the partners, informed her that a woman was there to see her. Perhaps her new client was early. She stood, smoothed her skirt, and left her office, a bit sad that she wouldn't be able to toy with Kyle again when he delivered her coffee.

The reception area was a brightly lit open area, floor to ceiling windows off to the side that gave a bird's eyes view of the city's downtown from the eighteenth floor where their office was located. Alice pointed toward those windows with the pencil she was holding, and Donna's eyes saw, gazing down at the traffic on the street below, a woman who looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place.

She approached.

"Hello," Donna said, "I'm Donna Granger. And you are?"

The woman turned, giving Donna a full view of her face. She was beautiful. Dressed in a skirt and blouse, not too dissimilar to her own, with the exception to the cavernous cleavage the woman seemed comfortable with. Her hair was dark, up in a loose bun, her skin the colour of cinnamon, her eyes brown. Donna was sure that they had met before.

"Bianca Batista," the woman said with a smile, "I was your waitress the other night. At Sage & Cedar."

The memory flooded back to Donna. Of course she remembered her. This lovely young lady had served them so well. And, if her memory served her right, Joey had been so kind as to explain some things to the waitress as well.

"It’s about Joey," Bianca continued, "I was hoping that you and I could have a chat about him."

And just like that, all the light playfulness in Donna’s mind sharpened into something else. She remembered what Joey had explained. It had been the same thing that he'd explained to Donna. Her secret. Her special treasure.

Maybe it wasn't just for her. Maybe she wasn't alone in it.