These Four Words

I was nervously tapping my brand new pumps before the meeting of a lifetime. It was superstitious for me to always have on a new pair of shoes before I went into a bored meeting. This meeting would determine my fate in this company, if I would move onto Senior Vice President or if I would stay as the director of the columnist. I took another deep breath to calm me down.

“You got this,” I tried to reassure myself. “You’ve worked your ass off for three years for this moment. You gave up everything for this moment, this is your moment.”

“They are ready for you.” The office assistant opened the conference room door for me. I thanked her and smoothed out my suit once more. I walked confidently into the room as if nothing could stop me.

“Please sit Erin,” Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue, gestured towards the only empty seat in the entire room. I smiled and made my way over to that part of the table and took my seat. “I am very please with your work the past few years you have been with us. Almost inspired by your work and dedication to this company.”

“It has been a dream to work for you and this company,” I sat up straighter waiting for the good news.

“As you know you and Catherine are both inline for the Senior Vice President position, “ I smiled at Wintour nodding my head in agreement. “However the decision is split right down the middle.” My eyes shot up in amazement. They didn’t already have a decision?

“I’m not quite sure I understand,” I smoothed back my hair, a nervous habit.

Anna Wintour smiled, “What I am trying to get at is that we have one last assignment for both you and Catherine, whoever impresses us the most has the job.”

“Okay,” I smiled. I typically was stronger at writing assignments that Catherine was but Catherine had an eye for future trends that was unprecedented to none. “What is our assignment?”

“It is completely up to you, but it will be in our March issue.” I nodded my head.

“Complete freedom?”

“Yes we the board want to see what type of skills you both have with unrestricted boundaries. Please don’t disappoint.” Wintour stood and the rest of the board followed, “You have January 23rd to have your assignment on my desk.” They exited the room leaving me to my thoughts and ideas. I had a little over a month to pull of the move of the century. I was totally screwed. I scurried out of the conference room and ran right into Alexis.

“Ah bitch! How did your meeting go? Did you get the job?” She excitingly dragged me into her office.

“No, it was a tie.” I rolled my eyes stealing an m&m off her desk. “I don’t understand. I mean yes she has been at this company longer but the stories I write and the insides I get are of way higher quality than anything she could get.”

Alexis nodded her head sympathetically. “So what are they going to do?”

“We have one last assignment that determines who gets the job.” I plopped down on her couch covering my eyes with my hands.

“Guess you will just have to kick her ass and show the board members that you produce better work.”

“It is complete freedom. I don’t know how I am going to pull this off.”

“You are Ophelia Taylor, you can do anything you put your mind to.”

“You are damn right, and I am going to get this job.” I sat up.

“So what did you think about Christopher?” Alexis smiled big and looked at me with expecting eyes.

“He seemed like a tool,” I admitted honestly.

“He is but he is a very rich an very powerful tool.”

I rolled my eyes, “I don’t need a man to take care of me.”

Alexis huffed, “He is hot and word on the street says he has a big cock.”

“Alexis!” I hissed.

“Just because you are a prude doesn’t mean I am.” My face burned with embarrassment.

“I need to get going,” I laughed walking out of Alexis’ office.

“You need to dust off those cob webs!” I rolled my eyes again walking back into my office. I took a seat at my desk to begin this brainstorming but I only had one thing on my mind. I picked up my phone and dialed John’s number.

“Did you miss me that much?”

“Ha-ha I’m actually just really bored at work.” I played with the cord on my phone. “What are you up to?”

“I’m actually out promoting our new album.”

“How is that going?”

“Really well actually.”

I smiled, “Would you like to come over and have drinks with me tonight?”

“Are you trying to get me drunk and take advantage of me?”

I laughed loudly, “Damn you ruined my master plan. No but honestly I could use you to help me find inspiration on my newest article piece.”

“What are you doing it on? Rock star fashion?”

“I’m not sure yet but I feel like using your style and art could help me.”

“Well I am not the kind of guy to turn down a lady in need.”

“So I will see you around 7pm?”

“I will see you then Ms. Taylor.”

I smiled, “See you then Mr. O’Callaghan.”



The buzzer went off to my apartment and I checked the clock growling at the fact that he was ten minutes early. I buzzed him in and went into my wine fridge, pulling out a bottle of Merlot. I got two glasses out from the cabinet and quickly filled them both up with the chilled wine. I heard a knock and I ran to the door to let John in. “Why are you early?”

“By like seven minutes.” He laughed and I shut the door behind him.

“You really don’t get New York time do you?” I led him into the kitchen were I had the pizza and the wine waiting.

“Would you care to explain it for me?”

“You need to be at least ten minutes late to everything but meetings and in your case press conferences.”

“Understood.” He smiled and took a sip of the wine.

“And nobody does anything on the weekend before noon unless its brunch or fashion week.”

“Noted, anything else?”

“Hmm no that is all you get for now.” I took a large bite out of my pizza. “So I brought you here because I’m curious how you developed your style.”

John laughed, “My style is simplistic.”

“I see that,” I laughed along. “But you have such a chic and simple style that I am almost envious.”

“Envious of little ole me?” John looked taken aback.

“In the since that you seem so put together in the easiest form.”

He nodded his head, “My style represents me. Laidback, causal, simple yet classic.”

“Very classic,” I agreed taking a sip of wine. “So can I ask you a question off topic?”

“Fire away.”

“How close are you actually to Alex?”

John laughed, “Every time we hang out it is all about Alex, how come?”

“I asked you first.”

“We are close enough for him to invite me to his wedding and us share a few beers but not close enough for me to be involved in said wedding. Your turn.”

“This is supposed to be my year to forget him, I guess since you are actively in my life right now apart of Alex is to.”

“Do you want me to not be apart of your life?”

“No, I like you in it as of right now.” I answered truthfully. Conversations with John were never awkward or forced. I could tell him exactly what was on my mind without feeling judged or pitied. He knew what to say and how to say it.

“Good,” He smiled. “I like you in my life to. I do have to confess something though.”

“Which is?”

“When I first met you at my house everything around me stop moving. It is as if time stood still because the sight of you was so breath taking and then I realized you were with Alex. However, that didn’t stop me from hitting on you.”

I blushed bright red, “The clothes you lent me.”

“Was a not so subtle hint to Alex that I wanted you.”

“You can get yourself into a lot of trouble by falling for a girl like me.”

John took a step closer, “I enjoy getting myself into trouble.”

I looked up to take in his closeness. “John this wouldn’t be a good idea.”

He took another step closer so that our chests were together. “Give me one good reason why it would be a bad idea. I am attracted to you and you are attracted to me.”

“If Alex found out—“

John used his finger to tilt my head up and look him dead in the eyes. His normal electric green was a deep emerald that was filled with lust. “I thought you were trying to forget about Alex?”

“I am,” I inched my body closer to his. John made me feel safe and wanted, everything that I had been craving the past three years.

“Then let me help you forget.” I couldn’t take the teasing anymore. I latched on to him and began making out furiously. I knew this was a bad idea. I knew that someone would find out because John’s life was so public. I knew the moment his hands found the waistline of my sweatpants that I was a goner. I yanked off my own top and John busied himself with my neck. Leaving me in nothing but my bra, which was discarded seconds after my shirt. John studied my naked body and that would normally make me very subconscious but with him it felt almost natural, like John is the only guy who should ever see me naked. I smirked and pushed John away from me.

“Wha—“ I sauntered my naked body towards my bedroom.

“Aren’t you coming?” John nodded his head and hurriedly kicked off his shoes and shirt. He quickly discarded his remaining clothing in the kitchen before following me into the bedroom. He reattached his lips to mine while is hands continued to explore and grope my body. I couldn’t take it anymore, “John please.”

He must have understood what I meant because seconds later he hand entered me. I squealed partly because I wasn’t ready and partly because I hadn’t had sex in a very long time. John was not rough with me though, he took his time leaving a trail of kisses all over my body as he slowly worked in and out of me.

“Fuck Erin you are so damn tight.”

I groaned and my hips buckled needing for friction between us. One of John’s hands slipped down and started to rub slow circles on me. I could feel my orgasm growing fast and knew I wouldn’t last much longer. “I’m gonna cum.”

“Scream my name,” John demanded latching on to my earlobe making me lose control.

“Fuck John!” I came so hard that I could have sworn I saw stars. John wasn’t too far behind but he had pulled out just in time to release himself on my stomach. We both laid back on my bed trying to catch our breaths and figure out what had just happed. I stood up to go to the bathroom and clean myself off when John pulled me back down.

“Not so fast,” He captured my lips into a passionate kiss. “Ready for round two?” I saw the mischief in his eyes and knew I wouldn’t be getting much of any sleep tonight.