Silicon Valley Sweetheart (7 page)

I
was sitting
at my desk studying when the phone rang. I picked up it up to see it was Mark calling.

“My father wants to talk to you about an internship,” he said with excitement in his voice.

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” I still hadn’t found a job, and I could definitely use some of my own money. Mark had been paying my way since I got here. But, I still didn’t think it would be very smart to start working at Woodham Industries. It’s one thing to pull off this charade at social occasions. It’s something completely different to do on a more frequent basis in a work environment.

Mark was insistent that I think about the job. “Do you understand how this position will help your career? Why do you think Fred Woodham is so well-known in Silicon Valley? It’s because he can spot people with talent. It’s a gift. He can see things in people they cannot even see themselves. You would be amazed by the number of highly successful, influential people who got their start interning with Fred Woodham.”

It did sound like an attractive offer. But, I still didn’t think it was a very good idea.

“Mark, what are you going to do if your dad finds out we’re trying to deceive him? Don’t you think it’s too risky for me to be around him too much?” I asked, nervously tapping my foot.

“Shirin, I know you can do this. Trust me, this will be good for your career. Even if we didn’t have an arrangement, you would be crazy to turn down this internship opportunity. Take my word for it.”

He may have had a point. It’s true, I was creating good relationships at Stanford, but I would need to have even better connections when I graduated to get a good job. Suddenly, I felt a knot in my stomach. I knew the internship made sense, but I was afraid I might do something that would let the cat out of the bag.

“I have another problem. Even if I agreed to the internship, I have no way of getting there. Public transportation isn’t nearly as good here as it is in New York.”

“My father already thought about that. Sometimes, we bring in engineers from other locations for several weeks. The company has a few cars for people who are visiting. My father wants you to take the company’s Camry. That’s how you can get to work. You do have a driver’s license, right?”

I did get licensed in New York. I hadn’t driven very much, because traffic was so heavy in New York, and it was nearly impossible to find a parking space. More often than not, it was easier just to take public transportation or a cab.

“Yes, I have a driver’s license. Do I have to interview or something for the internship?”

“Nope, my father has already made the decision to hire you. He’s seen what you’re capable of. He’d like you to start Monday.”

“I have class until 2:00 Mondays and Wednesdays.”

“Then, when you’re finished, you’ll go to Woodham Industries. My father will help work out the scheduling details.”

“But, I won’t get there until 2:30 or 3:00. That isn’t a lot of time.”

“You know what they say... be careful about companies offering free breakfast and dinner... there’s usually a reason. Don’t worry, there will be plenty of time. Most people work late, anyway. I’ll pick you up tomorrow after class to take you to get the car.”

“Ok. Gotta go, have studying to do.”

Under any other circumstance, I would have been ecstatic about the prospect of an internship with Woodham Industries. But, I was feeling more and more guilty about the spider web of lies we were creating.

A
bbey
, Kyle, and I went to get coffee after our English class. We’d gotten our term paper back. Almost everyone in the class seemed disappointed with their results.

“What did you get on your paper?” Abbey asked.

“I got a C+,” lamented Kyle. “I thought I did better than that. This professor is a hard-ass.”

“I got a C+, too. What did you get Shirin?”

“I got a C. Not good…” I had no idea why my grade hadn’t been better. I’d worked really hard on that paper, too.

“Urghhh!” Abbey said. “We should go out for a little retail therapy! My father just sent me some extra money. Want to go with me to Stanford Shopping Center after class Monday?”

“Oh, Abbey, I would love to. I’m starting an internship at Woodham Industries Monday, so I won’t be able to. Maybe Kyle can go with you,” I said, looking at Kyle.

“Sorry, I’m not really much of a shopper,” said Kyle. “How did you get that internship? I’ve heard that it’s extraordinarily hard to get into their program. They say Fred Woodham is a bear to interview with.”

Abbey nodded in agreement. “I’ve had a lot of friends try to get a position there, too, and none of them did. As I understand it, they are very selective.”

I wasn’t completely sure what to say. Did I want to tell them about my arrangement with Mark? I wasn’t sure how they would take it, so I decided it would be best not share that with them.

“I’m friends with Mark Woodham. He introduced me to his father. They approached me about the internship.”

“You’re so lucky!” exclaimed Abbey.

Was it luck? I don’t know. Nobody but me and Mark knew everything in our life was so precarious. One false step, and everything could come crashing down.

A
fter our chemistry midterm
, Kyle, Abbey and some of the other students from our school went to Club X, a new stylish nightclub that had just opened in downtown Palo Alto.

Abbey and I were out on the dance floor when she turned to me and asked, “Isn’t that Mark from the company where you’re interning?”

I looked over to see Mark walking in with a beautiful, slender brunette. I didn’t want to think about what he was doing there with her. I just focused on the beat and dancing. Two guys came over and joined us on the dance floor. The tall, better-looking one made his way towards me. I started shaking my hips, moving in time with the music. When I raised my arms up, he placed his hands around my waist.

Before I knew what was happening, I felt a hand grab my shoulder. I turned around to see Mark. He grabbed my hand and pulled me with him as he stormed out of the club.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he demanded.

“What do you mean ‘what the fuck are you doing?’ I’m here dancing with my friends. What are you doing?”

“We’re supposed to be engaged. How could you embarrass me like this?”

“I came here with Kyle and Amanda. It seems to me that you’re the one who came here with another woman. I’m not the one who is embarrassing anyone. Instead of looking at me, maybe you should look in the mirror!” I huffed.

I was shocked at his behavior. Who did he think he was dragging me out of the club like a little child, thinking he could tell me what to do? Especially when he’s the one who brought another woman with him. All I did was dance with a guy who joined us on the dance floor. He hadn’t even bought me a drink, or anything.

“I did come here with Mia. But, that doesn’t mean you can be out fucking whomever you choose.”

“We weren’t fucking… We were dancing, Mark. I’m not going to have this conversation with you. I’m going home.”

All I wanted to do at that point was get away from Mark. As I walked away, I sent Abbey a text that said I was not feeling well and was leaving the club. I could feel the pain welling up inside my stomach.

As I hurried away, I could hear footsteps following me. I turned my head to see if it was Mark. Just then, my toe caught on a raise in the sidewalk. My right ankle twisted and I fell. The pain caused me to yell out. Even though my ankle hurt like hell, it was my pride that hurt most of all.

Mark ran up to me.

“Are you okay? Is it broken?” Mark said, with concern in his voice. He reached down to check my ankle.

“What do you care? Just leave me alone!” Without warning, the tears began to flow. It seemed like all of my emotions suddenly came pouring out of me. I started to sob.

Mark knelt down and put his arms around me. “It’s okay. You’re going to be fine. I’m here with you.”

I tried to stand up. My ankle couldn’t bear any weight.

“Let me carry you to my car. I’ll take you home,” he said, grabbing me in his arms.

When we got to the car, I looked down at my ankle. It didn’t appear to be broken. I thought it must have been a really bad sprain.

We didn’t talk in the car on the way to my apartment. I was so mad at him that there was nothing I wanted to say to him right now.

He carried me through the front door and set me down gently on my bed. His smell was captivating. He went to the closet and got two extra pillows and placed them under my ankle.

“Do you have any ice?” he asked.

“There’s a package of frozen vegetables in the freezer. Can you also get me some aspirin?”

“One healing cold pack and pain reliever coming right up!” Mark declared.

Mark sat down on the bed next to me. He gently placed the bag on my ankle and handed me a glass of water with three aspirins.

He leaned closer to me. If he only knew how much passion there was brewing inside of me. Even though I was in tremendous pain, I wanted him badly.

He gently stroked my hair. When he leaned closer to me, I lifted up to kiss him. He began softly kissing my lips. My hand ran down his chest. The softness of his skin compared to the hardness of his muscular chest was breathtaking. I could feel my desire for him rising. He made me feel sexy. Beautiful.

I reached up to kiss him. He brought his lips near mine. Slowly, his tongue began to explore my lips. He was so hot.

“Are you sure you feel up to this? We don’t have to do this if your ankle hurts too much,” he said with genuine concern.

I grabbed hold of him tighter. “Yes, I want you. All of you.”

He began kissing my neck as his hands slowly made their way down to my breasts. My breathing became slower and deeper. He gently rubbed my breasts. I lifted up so that he could take my shirt off. Smiling at me, he sat up to take off his shirt, too.

I reached out to grab his cock. I slowly rubbed it. It was hard. I could feel him pulsating in my hand. Gently, he pulled my hand away. “Wait, I don’t want to come just yet.”

His hands slowly made their way to my clit. He began stroking it. I was wet already.

“Mmm.... I love how wet I make you,” he said, kissing me on my neck.

His hands went back down to exploring me. I began to moan when he put his fingers in me. He gently rubbed his finger inside me, slowly increasing the pace. My hips began to writhe uncontrollably. I knew I was about to come.

“Let it go, Shirin. Let me see you come,” he whispered.

As he continued to rub, the sensations kept building in intensity. I yelled out his name as my sex exploded causing strong waves of vibrations.

“I want you inside me, Mark.”

He pulled out a condom and put it on. Slowly his hard cock entered me. I love the feel of his cock. He began thrusting in and out. Our hips moved in sync.

“Oh, you’re so tight, Shirin. You drive me wild.” We both began breathing heavily. I could feel another orgasm building. He grabbed my hips and began thrusting fast and furiously.

“How do I make you feel, Shirin?”

“Mmm.... amazing.” I bit down on my bottom lip as another orgasm filled my body with waves of pleasure. Mark moaned louder as he came at the same time I did. We lay there holding each other tight. I’d never felt so happy in my life.

He got up to remove the condom. He came back to bed and wrapped me in his strong arms around me. Within minutes, I was asleep in his warm embrace.

I
woke
up to the smell of French toast and bacon. I sat up on the side of the bed and gently set my foot down to see how much weight I could put on my sprained ankle. I was happy that wasn’t broken, but I knew it was going to take a while for it to heal.

I limped out into the dining room, trying not to put too much pressure on my ankle.

“Good morning,” Mark said. “Coffee?”

“Thank you. That smells really good.” I was still half asleep.

“Breakfast is almost ready.”

I knew I was going to have to say something about last night. Mark had no right to act the way he had.

“How’s your ankle?”

“It’s sore, but it’s going to be okay.” I took a deep breath. “Mark, we need to talk about last night. You had no right to pull me off the dance floor like that.”

“I’m sorry, but that’s just how I am sometimes.”

“What exactly is that supposed to mean?”

He busied himself checking the French toast. I could see this conversation was making him uncomfortable.

“Do you have any idea how jealous it made me when I saw you with that other man?”

“It’s not like we’re seeing each other exclusively or anything. And besides, you brought another woman with you to the club. Sounds like the pot calling the kettle black to me. What happened to her, anyway?”

“I told her I needed to take you home. She’s pissed. I don’t think she’ll see me again.”

“How can it be fair that you got mad that I was dancing with someone I met at the club when you brought somebody with you? If you want to tell me that I can’t see anyone else, then the same rule needs to apply to you, too.”

“Why would I do that? It’s not like our engagement is real.”

Those words hurt me more than he would ever know. “Why would you, indeed? I want you to leave my apartment right now.” I turned away so that he could not see the tears building in my eyes.

“Let’s just have our breakfast. We can talk about this later.” He put the French toast and bacon on two plates. He placed one of them in front of me.

“Syrup?” he asked.

No, I didn’t want syrup. I wanted to have a serious conversation with him, but I still responded to his question, “No thank you.”

We both sat in silence eating our breakfast. It was clear to me that I was falling in love with him. I didn’t know how I could continue our arrangement knowing that he didn’t have the same feelings for me.

He set his fork down on his plate and looked over at me. “Fine. I won’t see anyone else if you won’t, either. Do we have a deal?”

I couldn’t believe he just said that. I couldn’t respond, mostly because I didn’t know what to say. It bothered me that he felt it was his right to pull me off of the dance floor like that, but I’m more turned on by him than any other man I’ve ever dated. Was he honestly willing to forgo seeing other women for the duration of our arrangement?

After a long silence, looking into his eyes, I asked, “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

He stood up and wrapped his arms around me. It felt so good being close to him. Looking deeply into my eyes, he said, “It is.”

“Then that’s how it shall be for the rest of our arrangement.” I secretly smiled inside I was so happy.

We finished eating our breakfast. How I wanted him again. And I could tell that he wanted me as much as I wanted him.

“I need to get going. I have to prepare for a meeting tomorrow. Don’t forget we’re having dinner with Fred and Brenda next week.” He kissed me on the cheek and walked out the door.