Bending the Rules: Breaking the Rules #2 (4 page)

Morgan

“Oh, Morgan, I’m so glad you’ve made it home in one piece.
Your father and I have been so worried about you,” My mother says as she greets
me, hands outstretched for a hug. She doesn’t even bother to hide the fact that
she’s looking me up and down, assessing my appearance and noting the fact that
I haven’t had my hair colored in far too long and my acrylics have not been
maintained. As I sit I take a look at my nails as well and decide to hide my
hands in my lap for the remainder of the meal. She seems excited to see me,
which is a nice break from her lack of support and constant disapproval over
the last month or so.

We are already two Bloody Marys into brunch when my mom
finally speaks up. I thought she’d dive in right away and was shocked when she
didn’t.

“Well, Morgan, I’m sorry you didn’t find what you wanted on
that little holiday of yours, but I’m assuming now that you have returned,
you’ll be moving on and finding a new career?” She didn’t even bother
withholding the stank from her tone. I guess she was just waiting for the moment
to seethe her disapproval of my recent life choices.

“Yes, Mother. I’ll take the rest of today to formulate a
solid plan for my future and hit the ground running tomorrow. I was thinking of
calling Adrian to see if he needed any help at Thompson. We worked really well
together while I handled his account at Baylor and I think I have a pretty good
grasp of where he wants to lead his father’s company in the near future,” I say
with confidence as if I’d given that a lot of thought, but really, I just pulled
that out of my ass. Pretty good thinking… maybe instead of spending the rest of
the day pondering my life’s next move, I can now go and get my nails fixed!

“I’m glad you said that Morgan, I was actually going to
suggest you look into working at Thompson Manufacturing. You know I’ve always
liked Adrian. He suits you. He comes from great stock, and has a very
prosperous future ahead of him. I think it would be great for you to start
spending time with him again. It’s a shame you’ve lost these last few years,
but I’m sure you can make up for that lost time and get back on track.”

“I said I’d like to work with him, Mother, not marry him.
Adrian and I as a couple are a thing of the past. I may not have been able to
find Drake, but I still love him. Drake is my future. I’m not done fighting for
him. Adrian is a great guy and I’ll always love our friendship, but that’s
where our relationship ends, Mother, as friends. Please stop meddling,” I say
as I thank her for brunch and get up to leave. As usual, my mother is only
interested in how I affect her socially. Right now I’m just her daughter with
overgrown roots, bad nails, and no husband. All I have to do is mention Adrian
Thompson, and she peaks up and practically has our marriage planned, just as
she did a few years ago.

I’m fuming as I leave the club, not paying attention at all
to my surroundings and I run into a brick wall. Well, maybe not an actual brick
wall per se, but a tall, lean wall of hard muscle.

“Whoa there, gorgeous! What has your head spinning?” Adrian
asks as he grips my shoulders, preventing me from falling back onto my ass.

“Jesus, where did you come from? I didn’t see you, sorry,” I
say.

“I came from my car, actually,” he laughs. “I think it was
you who ran into me. Let me guess, you’ve just had brunch with your mother? No
one else seems to throw you into a fit like that woman does.”

“Unfortunately, you’re right,” I start. “Are your ears
burning, by the way? We were actually just talking about you.”

“You were...” Adrian says with a confident smile, “I hope
all good things.”

“Both, actually.”

“Both?”

“Good, and bad I guess…” I look up at Adrian, finally having
the courage to look him in his eyes. I think I must be a little embarrassed
about how things went down in Vegas, and how my life has sort of spiraled out
of control the last month. I’m sure he’s caught wind of at least a little bit
of what happened.

 “Okay, so let’s hear it.”

“You want to know what my mother and I were saying about
you.”

“Well, you said it was both good and bad. The good I’m sure
I’ll agree with, but I think I should at least have the chance to defend the
bad, don’t you agree?” Adrian says in a teasing way. He’s enjoying this.

“Well, what I’m hoping you agree with as a good thing is…I
was going to call you this week to discuss whether or not you may have room for
me at your company? I’m sure you know I’m no longer with Baylor, and I enjoy
working with you and love the direction you are taking Thompson Manufacturing.
I think I could offer you a lot of insight, and help you to achieve your
vision. I know you are just getting the company back on its feet, and might not
have room to add another salary onto your payroll, but perhaps we can negotiate
some sort of commission or profit sharing deal?”

“It’s so funny that you say that, Morgan, because I was just
talking to my father the other day and he mentioned you were no longer at
Baylor. I was going to talk to accounting and figure out what kind of package I
could offer you.”

“Wow. That’s crazy…wait, how does your dad know I’m no longer
at Baylor?”

“Drake Sr. called him a few weeks ago to say that there had
been some changes in personnel and you and Drake Jr. would no longer be
handling our account.”

“Huh, he didn’t happen to mention where Drake Jr. is now,
did he?” I ask, trying not to be too obvious but Adrian already knows about us
so I guess the cards are already on the table.

“No, my father never said anything about it. Is everything
okay, Morgan?”

“Ugh, no not really. But it’s a long story for another time,”
I sigh.

“Well, I was going invite you to dinner to discuss you
working with Thompson, maybe we can have dinner this Thursday and you can tell
me then,” Adrian says.

“That sounds good, Adrian. You’re a life saver, thanks. That
was a lot easier than I thought it would be, actually.”

“Morgan, I’d be an idiot to let your talent slip through my
fingers, why did you think asking me for a job would be difficult?”

“I don’t know, maybe because of our history. That’s the
other thing I was talking to my mother about, the bad thing I guess. I
mentioned working for you, and she got excited and started to plan our wedding
all over again. She said working together will help us move past our time apart
and get our relationship back on track.”

Adrian takes a step toward me, brushing a lock of hair
behind my ear and says, “And that would be a bad thing, why?”

“Adrian, I’m in love with Drake. I’m not quite sure what
your dad told you, but Drake is no longer with Baylor Industries, his position
was dissolved, and I left quite shortly thereafter. That is why we are no
longer on your account. He’s off somewhere finding himself again, so I guess we
aren’t quite together right now, not like we really were before, but anyway, he
has my heart. I want to work for you, Adrian, but you need to know a future
together in any romantic way isn’t a possibility.” I say, taking a step back to
create some space between us.

“I know, Morgan,” Adrian says with an exasperated sigh. “I’m
not quite sure what happened after we got back from Vegas, but I want you to
know I got your voicemail, and had nothing to do with Drake’s departure. I
couldn’t do anything to hurt you, ever. I’m going to be honest with you though,
my feelings for you haven’t changed. I’d love to make up for lost time and get
us back on track but I know that’s not what you want. I respect you, Morgan,
and I’ll honor your wishes to move forward in a friendly yet professional
manner. We can still discuss your future with Thompson Manufacturing over
dinner later this week, but please just think of it as a business meeting and
nothing more, okay?”

“Okay, thank you. I appreciate you being so understanding.
I’ll be honest with you too, Adrian…I’m so sorry I ever hurt you. That was
never my intention. I just knew that you wanted more than I was able to give
you when you asked me to move in with you. We never really talked about
marriage when we were dating, but I figured we would be heading down that path
eventually if we stayed together, and I really needed these past few years to
make something of myself. To live a life on my own before settling down. It had
nothing to do with you, I really just needed time for me.

“It warms my heart in a way to know that you still care for
me, but I would never want to lead you on. I hope us working together won’t
create a false hope for you. I hope you will feel free to move on and find your
own happiness with someone who deserves a man as wonderful as you,” I say as I
reach up and squeeze his upper arm.

“Thanks, Morgan. We’ll be fine working together, I promise.
Enjoy the rest of this beautiful day. I’ll have my secretary call you to
arrange the dinner plans for Thursday,” Adrian says. He then plants a small
kiss on my cheek, and walks past me and into the clubhouse.

Now that I have a job again, my future is suddenly feeling a
little bit brighter. My heart is still heavy not knowing where Drake is, but
I’m just going to have to get used to the fact that he may not come back to me.
My head keeps telling me to be realistic, but my heart says not to lose hope. I’ll
just have to use this time apart from Drake productively until he finds his way
back to me.

Adrian

“How did it go? Did you run into her on your way in?”
Morgan’s mother asks me as I greet her with a kiss on the cheek before joining
her at her table. The dishes from the brunch she just shared with Morgan have
been removed, but her cocktail has recently been refreshed.

“It’s all going according to plan, Lana. You might want to
ease up on the suggestion of marriage, though. Morgan was pretty freaked when I
ran into her fleeing the club.”

“I was merely planting a seed, young man. Don’t forget that
I am her mother. I’ve molded her into perfection from the day she was born.
These last few months spent with Drake Baylor Jr. were only a slight detour.
Things between them have now gone south, and she went running back to you to
save her. I didn’t even have to suggest her working for you, she came up with
that idea all on her own.

“Morgan might think that her heart is still with Drake, but
what she’ll find out soon enough is that you are the perfect man to share the
rest of her life with. You’re able to provide her with everything she’ll ever
need, and if I may point out the obvious…you’re actually here. You can take her
to fine dinners and charity galas, spend time with her on the golf course, and
lavish her with gifts and affection. I have raised my daughter the same way my
mother raised me. To be the perfect woman on her husband’s arm, garnering envy
of him from all other men. A beautiful woman gives a man power. Knowing he is
able to land perfection in his personal life...especially his bed…shows those
he does business with that he expects perfection in the corporate world as
well, and will accept only that. This is how you get people to invest in your
company’s projects, making you more successful than your wildest dreams.

“Morgan is the key to turning Thompson Manufacturing around,
Adrian, which is something that both you and my husband need. Don’t make me
remind you about the money Jim lent you to keep Thompson afloat after your
dad’s heart attack. Not only does Morgan have a brilliant mind for business,
but she is a beautiful young woman who will look good on your arm, while
conducting herself accordingly in the presence of your colleagues.” Lana pauses
for a moment while I take in everything she has just said.

“Morgan made it perfectly clear today that her heart is
still with Drake. She wanted my assurance that all aspects of our relationship
moving forward would be strictly platonic, and professional,” I say.

“Adrian, my dear… Don’t forget who holds the power in your
relationship now. You may want Morgan back and are willing to do just about
anything to make that happen, but she needs you. Her career means everything to
her, though I’m not sure why, and right now that girl is out of a job. She
needs you to be the strong, handsome knight that comes in to save the
day…giving her the career she needs, while healing her broken heart. Be there
for her. Nurture her confidence in the work place. Console her while she cries.
Show her how much fun life can be – out in the open, not hiding – and show her
she can trust you to not leave her. Once enough time has passed without Drake’s
return, she’ll open herself to you again. That’s when you declare your
intentions, put a ring on her finger, and seal the deal.”

I knew Lana would give me the direction and guidance I need
to get Morgan back in my life, but I never knew she could be so ruthless. I
must make a mental note to stay on her good side. She clearly felt burned when
Morgan decided to go her own way in life, as if the last twenty-two years of
hard work Lana had put into Morgan were for nothing.

Lana’s plan makes perfect sense. Morgan wants friendship
right now. She needs time to realize that Drake is not coming back for her.
When that realization finally comes, I’ll be there to console her, and make her
believe my feelings for her are real, and she can trust that I’m not a fuck-up
who will leave her.

Chapter 5

Drake

The more I learn about the way my father has run all aspects
of Baylor Industries, the more I realize how differently I would do things. I
asked my father for a second chance close to a year ago now. I wanted to work
for him because I had run out of options. I can’t believe I find myself in that
exact same spot so many months later after I’ve made such drastic changes in my
life. I would never take back the decisions Morgan and I made in efforts to be
together. We didn’t have a choice but to be together really, our hearts
belonged to each other from the minute our eyes first met.

What’s interesting now is, as I’ve grown and found my way in
this company, I know my place is at its helm. As I sit in my new office,
looking over the past few months’ financials, it’s no wonder why the European
division has been hemorrhaging money these past few quarters. I’m sure my
father knows I’m the perfect person to turn this part of the company around. He
would have just thrown me out on my ass otherwise. Knowing what changes have to
be made gives me the confidence I need to move forward and prove my worth to my
father once again. Like I told Morgan, I quickly learn from my mistakes, and am
the best version of myself to date. It’s now time to buckle down, and get shit
done so I can come back home to Morgan. For the remainder of these nine months
I’ll just have to remind myself that everything I do is for Morgan, she is my
every breath.

Taking in my new surroundings, I laugh to myself that the
same garish American décor my father has in his office back in the States has
been used in his office here. Masculine dark woods and green tones are carried
throughout the large expanse of the room. The sparse furnishings and seating
arrangements are dwarfed by the oversized dark walnut desk and hunter green
leather wing-backed chair that is so wrong for this space. It’s obvious that my
step mother Gloria had her hand in decorating this room too. This office would
make anyone sitting on the other side of the desk completely uncomfortable and
overpowered by my father, which I’m sure was his goal. My father is a smart,
shrewd businessman and although he’s good at what he does, he knows there are
others out there that could do it better. He uses threats, powerful business
ties, and other forceful measures to get the job done when needed; I got to
witness it first-hand.

Drawing my focus back to my work, my gaze stops at the
framed picture of Morgan I have placed front and center on my desk. It’s one of
very few photos I have of her here, the one I gave to Morgan in the file folder
when I desperately needed a reason to see her. I had a bunch of meetings and
things to attend to, but I really missed Morgan, and figured nobody would be
the wiser if I called her to review a file. I wrote the words “I love you” on
the back, and slid it into the folder before meeting her in the elevator.

Looking at that picture reminds me of the night I took it…
we hadn’t been together long, but were having fun exploring the “getting to
know you period” as we like to call it. It was a simple Thursday night and we
hadn’t done anything special in particular. We both did our evening workouts
before I met Morgan at her place. It was a beautiful late summer evening and
although it was still warm out in the evening, the humidity was no longer
unbearable. After dinner, we grabbed our bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and relaxed
on the little terrace located just off her living room. We sipped the perfectly
chilled white wine, held hands, and gazed into each other’s eyes, smiling
brightly as we discussed some of the crazy antics I had gotten myself into
during my youth and laughing at how different our upbringings had been.

When the bottle was empty, and the summer sun had finally
set, I noticed Morgan’s perfect nipples harden under her nearly transparent
tank top and lace bra as a chill crept over her body. I helped her rise to her
feet and led the way inside then swooped my arms behind her legs and in one
fluid motion had her in my arms as I carried her to her bedroom.

Making love to Morgan is so much different than filling the
void I once felt in my soul, or acting on a carnal need I have as a man to
spread my seed. The feeling of peace and love that is shared between us when
I’m inside her is different than any other I’ve ever experienced. Our bodies
fit together.

That night, after I placed Morgan back on her feet at the
foot of her bed, I slowly undressed her, taking in the glorious sight of her
naked body; her perfectly plump breasts, flat belly and round ass sitting atop
her long runner’s legs. I drop to my knees before her, taking the time to truly
worship her as I slid one of her legs over my shoulder, parting her glistening
lips as I moved my tongue between her folds to suck on her now throbbing clit.
Using my other hand to steady her, I listened to Morgan pant and whisper
encouraging words as I lapped at her pussy, bringing her to her first climax of
the evening. After coming down from her first release, I took my time,
massaging, and gently nibbling her breasts as I made my way up her body. Morgan
frantically removed my clothes, paying no mind to the slow pace I had set.
Releasing me from my boxers, Morgan grabbed the base of my cock, and pumped my
erection a few times before massaging her entrance with my tip. We let out a
loud sigh in unison as I entered her, filling her with my girth. Our eyes met
as I held myself above Morgan, finding a sweet rhythm. A smile crossed her face
as she wrapped her hands around my arms and in that moment, she had never
looked so beautiful.

“I love you, Morgan Lane, more than I could ever love anyone
else,” I whispered, mentally capturing this time with her, vowing never to
forget the way I feel.

“I love you too, Drake…you are my heart, my home. Let me be
your home,” she whispered back.

“You are my home, my future, my everything,” I replied as I
slowly covered her beautiful face with feather light kisses.

After a while in our slow, gentle rhythm, I felt Morgan’s
walls tightening around me as her breathing picked up. Her hips sped up as she
milked my cock and she screamed my name as I felt her orgasm tear through her
body. I lowered my mouth to one of her tits, rolling her sweet nipple around my
tongue while I continued to pump harder and faster into her before I found my
own release.

Lightly panting, I rolled onto my back and wrapped my arms
around her, as Morgan found her comfy place, resting her head on my chest,
laying her arm across my waist. When her breathing slowed, and I was sure she
was asleep, I gently kissed the top of her head as I reached for my phone on
the bedside table. Morgan stirred slightly, but quickly settled again and I
extended my hand outward, phone in hand, camera on. I took a deep breath, then
smiled my most content happy smile, as I captured the moment. When I checked my
phone to make sure I hadn’t accidentally cut one of our heads off, I noticed
that in her sleep Morgan had the most beautifully peaceful smile on her face as
well. I make her just as happy as she makes me. I vowed in that moment to
always put Morgan first, no matter what. There is no way I’ll ever let that
peace and happiness leave her face. I’m sure that right now it has, but I’m
keeping my vow to put her first. Someday soon hopefully, I can be the person to
return the smile to her face.