julia

determination 1/13/07 16:53 Bonney Barley adjusted the seams of her stockings, checking their line in the mirror. Her hair was artfully crafted into a cascade of curls, her bountiful bosom barely contained in what was almost a silk dress. Those beautiful but deadly shoes, one size too large for her, were on, but for how long was anyone’s' guess. Given the constraints of her attire, it was quite an accomplishment lugging everything on spiked heels across the slippery marble floors to the lifts whilst keeping her nipples from escaping over the top of her dress. The security guard was most accommodating in assisting her, once the pain in his shin from being struck with a folding chair receded. "Put some ice on that!" Bonney offered helpfully. She tried not to look at her cleavage reflecting on the steel trim and smiled at her companion as the lift rose slowly up the levels in the high-rise and concentrated on remaining upright. 'Yiikkkess' she felt her left foot slip ominously beneath her, releasing her burdens instinctively she grabbed for the nearest object. "Oh!" the distinguished grey-haired gentleman clutched at his tummy before slumping down. "Oh Sir, are you ill?" "Please..." his voice was hoarse as he struggled for breath. Bonne concerned bent and spoke calmly,” What’s the matter, Sir? Can I help?" "Release my testicles" "OHHHHHHHHHH, I am so sorry!!!!" Bonney's face burned with embarrassment as she realised what she was clutching as her lifeline. She knew this would be a disaster. Yesterday had been horrible; her feet still had blisters on them, today only promised to be worse but at least she could sit. "P-p-p-p-perfectly alright, Miss" he squeaked, discretely adjusting his trousers and gradually standing upright again. As the doors opened on the fourteenth floor, and her companion realising that this was her stop too, offered her some assistance by taking the chair. "Thank you so much", she smiled, admiring his gallantry. She loved old-fashioned men! His smile said all was forgiven; Bonney smiled in reply. Bonney Barley had the most beautiful smile. She stopped outside a large, very posh looking office, 'Matthews Portman’s & Associates, Chartered Accountants & Financial Advisors.' "You are going in her here, my dear?" She nodded and tottered in unison, as her newly found assistant turned discretely away to protect his wedding tackle from her hand reaching for the doors. "I'm on a mission." The tall-distinguished gentleman look a little doubtful but he smiled and opened the door for her. Odette, the office dragon manager, was just delighted to see Bonney again. "You, again?" Benita started off by being polite, "Yes, as I explained to you yesterday, I have a letter for Mr. Matthews that must be hand delivered. It is the final request of the late Mathilda Ernestina Matthews-Holdwood; I gave her my word I would deliver it. I intend to keep it." Odette's sneer was well practiced; she rolled her eyes as she regarded Bonney, "You don't have any other dress? These offices have important clientele. Could possibly find something in your wardrobe that does not make you look like a..." “Ah hem”, the tall distinguished gentleman cleared his throat and beamed at Bonney, "My dear, I knew Mathilda. She was a wonderful woman and I was sorry when I learned of her passing." He then turned a glacial glare onto the uptight office manager, "Odette, this young woman’s here on a matter of business. I suggest you allow her to deliver her letter." Odette dropped her eyes, her cheeks flushing little, "Of course, Mr. Davies." Mr. Davies smiled, "Odette will take care of you until Mr. Matthews arrives", though spoken to Bonney, the message to Odette was clear. Arthur Davies was an important client of the firm. She would not wish to make an enemy out of him. With that Arthur left, making a mental note to catch up with young Matthews later in the week to find out what he thought about his dishy visitor. Odette, not bothering to hide her disdain, merely held open the door to the inner offices. "Wait where you did yesterday so you don’t frighten our important visitors, although, as I told you yesterday, he's in court on behalf of a client and then out making business calls so he may not be in today at all!" "Then I'll just have to come back tomorrow." “Oh, joy!” ‘Yeah, I’m thrilled to see you too, you hard-faced cow!’ Bonney hoisted the chair and bag over her arm, the shift in weight causing her to wobble precariously, swinging her arm, she accidentally sent the vase of freshly purchased perfumed flowers crashing to the floor. Red-faced she stammered an apology, “Oh, I’m terribly…” Odette closed her eyes and commanded for her poor assistant, "Call the cleaner and the florist to fix this mess! Why did you bring that chair, we have chairs here…" Bonney had not meant to break the vase, but she was not going to tell Odette the reason for the chair. Yesterday the men working in the general office had told her that there were no spare chairs in that area, so she'd have to take turns sitting on their laps or corners of their desks. She knew of course that this was rubbish but she did not want to cause a fuss. "I'm sorry about that!" "I'm tired of holding this door open" Odette was not one of life's forgivers. Bonney made her way to the general office area. She ignored the admiring, sometimes longing, glances that came her way and set up the same position she'd held yesterday. Opening her bag she took out the novel, 'War and Peace', she'd brought with her and settled back to wait, glad she'd remember to bring something to keep her entertained. < The day wore on much like the previous day, people came and went, but not Mr Matthews. A nice man got her a sandwich and a coffee from the deli below. Odette appeared at half past five, "You may as well go. I told you, he'd not be in. He won't be coming now." With a triumphantly sneering, “I told you so” smile she left. Bonney looked around forlornly. Everyone was going, another wasted day. Soon, save for the noise of the vacuum cleaners the offices were silent. The arrival of the cleaners made the decision for her, she’d have to go. She sighed, ‘and I thought you liked me Mathilda!’ She was thirsty, apart from lunch she'd not accepted offers of drinks from the gentlemen in the office. The coffee and sandwich had resulted in Dick and Myron almost coming to blows as to who got the privilege of ordering and delivering her ham on rye! Bonney tottered to the small kitchenette to get a drink of water. As she returned one of the cleaners arrived from direction of the private offices, down the opposite hallway. He was carrying a cardboard box of recycled papers; he looked at little startled when he saw Bonney. "Can I help you?" his eyes took in her whole desirable package. "Oh, no thank you." "What are you doing here, these offices are closed?" "I am waiting. I have to see someone." He smiled and glanced around the room, "There's no one here now." Bonney smiled sadly, "So it seems. Oh well," she sighed, "it just means I'll have to come back yet again!" With that she started to gather her things. The cleaner hadn’t moved he was standing there in his sweats, damp t shirt, and trainers that had clearly seen a better day, looking at her like she was a dessert and he was a starving man. "You've been here all day?" Bonney nodded but was unimpressed ‘First Odette, now the bloody cleaners are going to interrogate me’, "Not that it's any business of yours, but yes. I am trying to see a ‘very busy’ man who has so far proven to be bloody impossible to find." The cleaner had a cheeky smile as he moved directly in front of her, "I can't imagine you have trouble finding any man." Bonney rolled her eyes and bristled, "Oh gee, I’ve never heard a line like that before! I don’t know why I am explaining myself to you. Regardless of my appearance, I am NOT that sort of girl. There’s a reason for my dress, as well as a reason for me being here, and I’m getting sick and tired of putting up with all this…….CRAP! Now why don’t you finish emptying bins, polishing the door knobs and clear off!" The cleaner frowned, “I’ve finished emptying the bins.” His gaze was uncomfortably cold, “Prickly little thing aren't you? I suggest you put a lid on the attitude, young lady." He glanced in he direction from where he came. Bonney wondered if he’d forgotten something. He lowered the large cardboard box to the floor. Bonney was not usually rude but she was fed up and this attitude had her bristling like a badger, "I don't recall inviting you to comment on my character, Mr..." "Zach, and you didn't. Someone needs to though; someone needs to be keeping an eye on you." Bonney glared at him, she didn't like pushy types of men, even if committed-recyclers, but she couldn’t deny he was attractive, cute and interested in cleaning, that was a real bonus in a bloke! Zach, pulled a mobile out of his pocket, looked at the stunning blonde firing daggers at him. She was delicious! Zach still frowning looked her straight in the eyes, "How about we go get something to eat?" Bonney looked at him startled; she’d been expecting more irritating insults rather than invitations to dine. He was nice though. Rather nice, tall, dark brown hair and eyes, not handsome but, well, interesting face, and manner. She was attracted to him. Why not? "Well...I" her tummy was growling it's acceptance for her. Zach smiled at her tummy’s growls but understood her hesitation, "I'm not a serial killer, you can ask Mrs. Thomas, she's out there vacuuming, she’s known me for several years." His voice was low and deep as he whispered seductively, “I know a place that makes the best hamburgers.” Bonney almost drooled, it’d been hours since she’d eaten, “Oh yeah! I mean, thank you, Zach I accept!” He smiled; in front of him was the most interesting woman he’d met in some time. He put her chair safely in the corner near some filing cabinets, already for tomorrow, assuring her it'd be fine there. Then he collected his box of rubbish and walked her to the lifts. As they entered the main foyer he indicated the cardboard box he was carrying. "Let me be rid of this. Wait here near the security guards and I'll be back in a few minutes" Bonney watched him hoist the box onto his shoulders and walk away. “Nice bum!” Zach chose that moment to glance around and smile at her. Bonney’s face went as red as a beetroot. “Good grief! He couldn’t have... Nah!” Zach proved to be a man of his word; the dinner was scrumptious. Over burgers, chips, and soft drinks, she watched him and he watched her. She gave him sweet but tentative smiles, blushing at the warmth and obvious interest in his. He had quite the knack of getting her to talk. He learned of her job as an assistant nurse, that she’d cared for Mathilda Matthews for the last few months of her life, a lady Bonney had obviously come to love. "I usually work in a hospital but decided for a change to try personal nursing." Bonney shrugged , "I expect I’ll go back to work there, once I’ve delivered this letter.” “Do you know what’s in the letter?” “No. All I know it’s a personal letter, and I’m happy to deliver it, but I’m a little concerned about the other part of it.” “Other part?” Bonney wanted to trust him, and she also wanted to talk about it, “This dress, this outfit was Mathilda’s that she wore years ago. For some reason she wanted me to be wearing this when the letter was delivered.” Zach’s eyes roamed over the dress that certainly highlighted Bonney’ bouncing breasts and gloriously bodacious bottom. "She must have liked you." "I think she did, she wanted to leave me something in her will and I hurt her feelings a little when I refused, but it wouldn’t be ethical to accept. A few days before she died she offered me this dress, all she asked was that I wear it to deliver the letter. I thought it would be alright to accept, so I did. It was a pleasure to care for her, I’ll miss her." Bonney’s eyes were sad. Zach was a great listener, Bonney loved to chat, “She’d not seen her family in some time, some dispute, so she decided not to tell them when she knew she was dying, but she'd never forgot her nephew. He was dear to her she said, and she used to worry about him. Once this letter is delivered to him then” ...Bonney sighed, “it's time to find another job.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him studying her. She licked her lips, lowered her lashes, then caught him with a stare that relayed a message as old as time. She blushed and tried to turn away... but she couldn’t, which made him smile. His kiss goodnight was wonderful, he held he like she was precious and gently coaxed her lips apart, teasing her tongue with his own. He rested his head down on hers. She could feel his desire for her but realised he was not going to rush her. "Dinner tomorrow?" Bonney smiled; she liked him, very much. “Yes, please" "Pick you up at eight."