Unsanctioned Networking

The sun shone in from all angles into the hall. Pouring in from bay windows and skylights, light spilled off white clothed tables and onto light wooden flooring. It was early, but the room was already warm and abuzz with the chatter of many teams spread across the circular tables. Eric was no exception to this, nestled between shoulders of two colleagues he didn't know, the company deciding to interlace team members to promote networking. 'Cross pollination' they called it. Eric was sat with HR. All women, and natural predators for the likes of him from the IT department.

"Must be a change for you, leaving the computer cave to join us on the outside." Said one of the women sat directly opposite, Leena, apparent top dog in this pack of wolves. "That light up there, we call that 'the sun'. It's good for you."

"Fascinating. I assume it needs daily human sacrifice to ensure it rises again?"

"Not just anyone. Virgin sacrifice." She replied.

"Is that why I'm here then?"

She laughed, more than the others on the table. There was a reason Eric was picked for cross pollination. He was more a social butterfly than the grubs in his team, who were already making a poor marketing girl visibly uneasy three tables over. Eric saw she made frequent trips to the coffee stand at the back of the hall, reminding him to get a refreshment himself before the conference got into full swing. Before long it was all in motion, and the department heads were up on stage, including Leena, now absent from her seat as Eric came back to the table.

"So she's that Leena." Eric said quietly to the woman sat next to him.

"There's only one Leena." The woman replied.

"My boss talks a lot about her. Gets a lot of emails."

"Of course he does." She replied snidely.

Eric turned back to the stage. The IT head was standing next to Leena, paying forward the discomfort from the marketing girl. She on the other her hand presented herself well, decked out in a stylish cream headscarf and wearing a flowing button-down dress that while intending to hide her figure, nonetheless didn't, owing to the application of a waist hugging belt. Mark, from IT, looked to be sweating in his jeans and hoodie. Eric continued to watch her as she spoke on stage, paying attention to how her delicate manicured fingers grasped the microphone, how the corner of her mouth curled upwards as she spoke, a mix of nerves and anticipation to speak. Despite being at other ends of the hall, she caught him a few times, their eyes meeting from across the room. She would stumble on her words slightly then, as she inspected his figure from afar. Their introductions and orientations over, the leads departed the stage back to their seats for a short break.

"Nice speech." Eric said, lying.

Leena smiled, knowing full well that if he had been paying attention, it wasn't to what she was saying.

"Oh really? You don't strike me as someone that enjoys quarterly strategy planning and increased interdepartmental alignment."

"Love it, can't get enough. That's why I'm in IT."

"A famously integrated department. Your office doesn't even have windows."

"You use a computer? That's IT. I'm right on your desk. Integrated, see."

She inspected the man again, close up this time. He put himself together well. Snugly fitted shirt that accentuated an inconspicuous athletic frame. Nice shoes. A watch without a calculator on it.

"So why, Eric, did you not volunteer on behalf of your team? You seem more than happy to be centre of attention."

"I'd be doing the team a disservice."

"What, by looking good and speaking well?"

"You're saying I look good?"

Leena blushed, on top of what was already applied as makeup. Eric smiled, his face taking on a disarming look.

"Relax, I just mean I might give the wrong impression is all. Could lead to mismanaged expectations."

"Expectations like eye contact?"

Eric laughed, though knew he shouldn't. No one else was, and the table had seemed to close off from them, content to chitchat amongst themselves than try and accommodate the two egos sizing each other up. They kept at each other all morning, finding quick jabs at the stereotypes their positions held. Eric found it surprisingly easy to get under Leena's skin, though quickly cottoned on that she enjoyed the tease. The conference meandered through the day, a malaise of boredom, accentuated by the restlessness of excessive caffeine consumption. The organisers, of which Leena was one, had got the attendees to engage in a selection of awful team building games within and without their tables. One particular standout to Eric was where each table raced against one another to be the first to untangle themselves from their own human Gordian knot. Naturally, Eric found himself entangled with Leena. Their arms interlaced, desperately trying to keep himself professional in a decidedly unprofessional game. Despite his efforts, he nonetheless found his arms crisscrossing her midline, warm body pressed up against him.

"I thought you'd be good at spatial reasoning tasks." She said, head turning to face him, close enough to his face that the combined fragrances of perfume and coffee were acutely perceived.

"Just full of surprises aren't I? I'm wasted in my department, I should retrain."

Leena looked away and down, deciding to bring her attention to the problem at hand. With a quiet focus, the table worked to untie themselves until they were a circle of hand holding. Though Eric and Leena stopped to chat partway through, the table did in fact finish ahead of the others and were declared winner. There was no prize, save for the opportunity for the kind of physical contact not expected in work. Something at least two people did in fact value.

A few boring presentations later, and the conference was done for the day. Unfortunately for everyone there, it was one of two days, and they were expected back bright and early next morning. Extra unfortunately was that the conference centre was deep in the countryside, and the adjoining hotel did not have capacity enough to host everyone there. Thankfully, Eric booked well ahead, and so had no concerns of driving down darkened country roads in search of a guest house or shoddy B&B. Bidding goodbye to his table, he made his way through the hall to the front desk of the adjacent hotel. It was an older building, a hotel that spread out, rather than up, with aged carpet of deep red, still with the faint smell of cigarette smoke despite countless cleanings. At the front desk was a girl, barely out of her teens if that, and thoroughly uninterested with being there. Eric gave his name and booking number, and the through the reflection in the girl's round glasses he saw her search through their system for his room. He rattled his fingers against what felt like a genuine oak desk, and after a short time was joined by a familiar face.

"Fancy running into you here." Leena said.

"Thought I was finally rid of you. We need to stop meeting like this. People might talk."

"Well this is the last you'll see of me, at least for this evening."

The girl behind the desk interrupted before Eric could get out some cheeky quip, handing him his key.

"Room 104." She said.

"Thank you. Leena, have a goo-"

"Hold on. I'm 104."

Eric felt something shift in him. He expected another joke, but Leena looked too serious for that. The most serious she'd looked all day. She turned, and asked the lobby girl to check her booking. After a few minutes of anxious silence she confirmed it.

"Double booked. Bollocks." Leena said.

"Come on, it's easily fixed. Are there any other rooms available?"

The girl made a token scan, and quickly shook her head. Eric and Leena looked at each other. It was late. It was dark. It was also the case that anything else in a 5 mile radius would likely also be fully booked. Eric looked back at the lobby girl.

"Is it at least a twin room?"

***

The room was nice. Spacious, with warm carpeting. It had a modern bathroom, with a walk in shower, and selection of plush white towels on an even plusher queen bed. It had just one problem, in that it was only one room. Leena turned the key, which Eric had given to her as a deeply embarrassed courtesy. She walked in, flicking the golden lights on and tossing the key to the bed. She placed her hands on her hips, revealing more of her full figure than the belt cared to show.

"Well, there's a chair at least." She said, gesturing to a single armchair pointed directly toward the bed.

"I'm not sleeping in that."

"Why not?"

"It just gives me a vibe. Plus it makes for bad posture."

"Well there's always the floor."

"Why have I been given second choice? She gave me the key. I checked in first."

"Well I thought you'd be gentlemen enough to offer, but I guess I misjudged you."

"I literally gave you the key, let you in, isn't that gentlemen enough?"

"You would if you took the chair."

"I'm not sleeping in the cuck chair."

"The what?"

"Nothing, doesn't matter. Look, we're both adults, we can tolerate a night."

Leena sighed, she was too tired to argue, and Eric had been fair in offering the room. He had checked in first, after all.

"Really takes the piss. You want a drink?" she said, taking the room service menu in her hands.

"You drink?" Eric asked, eying the headscarf and clothing that gave away no skin save for her face and hands.

"Behind closed doors." She said, loosening her headgear and freeing long dark waves of hair.

It surprised Eric, though only briefly as he took a moment to consider all the times he had used contraception despite his Catholic upbringing. The shock then shifted to excitement. She seemed to be making the best of the situation, and so should he.

"Sure thing, split a bottle?"

Refreshments ordered, the two took the time to get comfortable. Leena loosened the belt, and though she remained in her all-covering garment, took on a more relaxed persona as she slumped on the bed checking what channels the hotel was willing to share with guests on their modest television. Eric on the other hand took to the bathroom to change, emerging from the white and sandstone room draped in a slender dressing gown that greatly complimented his lean figure, only a hint of chest showing at the deep V-neck.

"You comfortable in that Hugh Heffner outfit? Lord you still have socks on." Leena scoffed with faux disdain.

"Would you prefer my usual hotel room attire, underwear, socks, and a shirt?"

"Maybe. What, afraid of showing a little leg?" Leena asked, thick dark eyebrow raising.

"Are you?"

Leena drew in a breath to answer, but a sharp knock at the door silenced her. Though she was closer, she motioned for Eric to get it, making a small gesture to her exposed hair. Eric complied, opening the door to be greeted by another teenager, different to the lobby girl.

"Your drinks. It's on the hotel, for the room mix up." The teen said, eye peeking past Eric to glimpse inside.

"Very kind of you." Eric said, handing him a tip regardless.

The teen's gaze was still fixed past Eric, catching sight of Leena's legs and feet at the end of the bed, calves crossed and toes absentmindedly pointing and flexing. Her dress had run up her leg slightly, exposing smooth bronze skin, which she had the habit of idly rubbing the sole of her foot across. The boy smiled, his attention coming back to Eric and his stylish dressing gown.

"Well you two have a good evening." He said, voice barely suppressing his vicarious excitement.

Eric knew what he was getting at, but nonetheless refused to engage, leaving the boy to his own devices at the door. Coming back into the room proper, he prepped the glasses and bottle on a bedside stand.

"I think we're already being talked about by the staff. Shall I?" He said, lifting a glass.

"That so? Fantastic. If those old hens in HR find out I'd never hear the end of it." She said, taking the glass as Eric poured.

Their eyes met as they came to raise their glasses.

"To networking." Eric said.

"To 'cross pollination', and the forms it takes." Leena replied.

The two drank, and Leena already started to mellow out. She readjusted herself on the bed, giving space for Eric to sit as she introduced him to her favourite hotel activity, channel surfing.

"Do people still even watch TV anymore?" Eric asked.

"That's the game, what is it that the hotel think guests need? Look, we have all the news channels, but also TV gambling."

"Maybe they get a cut for showing it?"

"Now you're getting it. House always wins, and so does the hotel." Leena said with a smile.

The two sat, drinking free champagne and scrolling through a selection of rubbish. Televangelists, conspiracy documentaries, and late night call-ins whizzed by as they joked between themselves at their abysmal quality. That was, until they went one channel too far, and were met with the sight of tow naked bodies, silhouettes of pink melting into one another, with a filthy sound to match. Eric and Leena were silent, the first time both had nothing to say since meeting at the start of the day. Eric looked for the remote, still firmly in Leena's hands, her eyes lingering on the screen more than one should. She caught herself, though not before unconsciously biting her lip, and changed the channel. The beast with two backs gone, Eric exhaled and found his composure again.

"So, what's the deal behind that one?"

Leena giggled.

"Easy, you booked this room, right?"

"What are you implying?"

"That you ticked the box for included smut, right next to what eggs you want for breakfast."

"I remind you, Leena, that you also booked this room, and seem a more partial to a bit of vice than you let on."

She looked at him, wide honey-coloured eyes gazing into his.

"Maybe." She said with a wink and a giggle.

The two returned to their game for the reminder of the bottle. Their hearts were no longer in it though, the atmosphere of the room now very much changed. The tension that had been building between them, sometimes deliberately, sometimes not, had now irreversibly shifted. There was a silence between them. An anticipatory silence, where it felt like one was waiting for the other to say something that would tip the mood, and the whole evening, into somewhere else entirely. Eric felt that moment, and he felt it pass as Leena broke the silence, announcing her intention to get ready for bed. She left him as she went to the bathroom, his heart pounding, and a stirring in his groin that was as intense as it was frustrating, recognising the opportunity he had missed.

He got comfortable, disrobing and getting under the thin white sheets of the bed, keeping to one side through an improvised partition of spare pillows. He was ready to turn in when he heard the door click and swing open. Leena stood, her modesty garment gone, replaced with a salacious arrangement of black lace that clung to her upper thighs and bust. A sheer mesh lattice traced across her midline, darkening her caramel skin somewhat, while still betraying the shine of a gold and sapphire navel piercing. Her full figure was free to see, no longer implied with belts or folds of thick fabric. She was not afraid to show a little leg, as she watched Eric become transfixed on her generous and smooth thighs as they came to meet her waist. He looked at her, no intention to let the opportunity slip again.

"So, is that really for sleeping, or did you have something else in mind?" He asked.

"About time you asked."

Leena dropped onto the bed, kneeling beside him as he lent back on the headboard. Her hands moved across his tight and broad chest, coming up to his neck and shoulders. Warm hands travelled over him as they locked lips. Sensually, but with an anxious impatience that accompanies a drawn-out day of teasing. Eric's tongue slid into her mouth, dancing in her as his hands moved to explore her body.

The lingerie felt expensive, the gaps in the mesh too fine to perceive as drew his hands across her back and down to her full behind. Her outfit had a pleasing shape to it, exposing her round cheeks for full tactile appreciation. With a slight encouragement Eric beckoned her closer as they kissed. They both tried their best to keep their desperation in check, though Leena rushed to remove the sheets between her and Eric, and came to sit atop him. He grasped her well padded behind as he reclined on the headboard. She began to move her hips atop him, grinding against the bulge that presently remained in his underwear, aching to be released. Eric resisted that urge, instead taking his hands to explore her bust. From over sheer lace he cupped and massaged her plump breasts, toying with her dark nipples, proud and engorged. She gasped, and the movements in her hips filled with purpose, taking deep strokes across his groin.

Eric had reached his limit to this kind of foreplay, and moving things along, acquainted himself with what was between Leena's thick hips. Interestingly, her garment seemed to be designed with excellent access to her genitalia, though he nonetheless couldn't resist rubbing her wet clitoris through the lace at least once, if only to experience the novelty of such a texture. Curiosity satisfied, he found it easy to remove fabric to the side and get to work on her, drawing circles around her with fingers and thumb, gliding across her soaked vulva. Leena had stopped grinding on him, her body moving only in reaction to him as electric feelings shot through her body. She wanted more, needed more. Her throbbing clit and starved pussy craved it. She freed Eric from his own fabric prison, his member standing impressive and hard, ready to be made use of.

Leena leaned back, bracing one arm on Eric's leg as the other hand trailed down his chest, her fingers tracing the contours of his toned core. Angling herself up, and Eric down, she slipped him into her. Her warmth wrapped around him as she took him in, savouring the slow descent as their pubic bones met. She let out a deep sigh, her whole body humming from the fullness of him. Eric too let out a deep exhale as if some pressure in him had started to ease yet escalate. Leena began to move again. At first, she was slow, savouring every unrushed moment as she glided up and down Eric's shaft. A pulse spread through her, sending a shiver rippling up her spine. She took her hand off Eric's body to run a hand through her dark hair, long wavy locks draping themselves across her front and back, messily dancing in front of her face. Her pace became steadily faster, her pace unconsciously quickening in reaction to the sensations running through her. The force in her movements made her breasts move, her hard nipples rubbing up against the lace. Eric could see she wanted to be free of her mesh cage and leant himself forward to guide the one piece off her shoulders and down below her waist. There it remained, Leena enjoying herself too much to stop and awkwardly disrobe. Her breasts were free, and now happily bouncing with the momentum she gave them with her movements.

Eric felt her beckon him deeper into her as she squeezed and pulled him with every stroke from her position atop him. Her core moved in waves to match her hips, her navel jewellery glinting in his eyeline, the sound of metal gently hitting metal accentuating Leena's own building moans. She leant forward, the pretence of pacing herself now well and truly gone. Bracing herself with her hands on Eric's obliques, she flung her behind up and down him, frantically activating her glutes and lower back in a frenzy of movement. The sensation was building in her, and she chased this pleasure, charging towards her own climax. Her voice was loud, uninhibited screaming and moaning as she desperately rutted atop Eric. She squeezed him from the inside, her hips slamming into his as she went from a rapid tail flick into something more aggressive and primal. With each bounce her engorged clit bumped up against his tight self, sending goosebumps up her back and neck. She was flushed, rosy from her cheeks to her collar to swollen nipples. Her nails dug into Eric's side as she shut her eyes, her face reflexively scrunching.

Overwhelmed with the sensation, she came, bearing down on Eric with long deep strokes. Breathy scrams accompanied her as she collapsed atop him, finding a firm pillow in his upper chest and broad shoulder. She breathed out a heavy sigh, hiding a grin from Eric as she buried her face into him. The clamping grip she held on him relaxed somewhat, though her pussy remained as warm and moist as ever. Eric waited a moment for her to catch her breath, before taking the initiative. Bracing is legs, he wrapped his arms around his lover, crisscrossing her back. He moved in her, quickly picking up speed. Her insides gave little resistance as he glided in and out her, bringing himself as deep as he could with every stroke. It took Leena by surprise.

Thinking her pleasure had peaked, she found it had merely plateaued, her body happily accepting Eric as he fucked her from below. She pressed into him more, relaxing and giving in to him. He felt her fast warming piercing as she lay atop him, his hands exploring the way her lower back arched into her plump bottom. He took hold of both cheeks, spreading them gently, widening the scope of sensation for them both. Leena stretched, burying her face into Eric's neck as he thrust deeper, his pace quickening. She bit her lip, her plateau now turning into another peak. She found herself moving, drawing herself up and down him, letting his member travel further out, and further in. She tried to match his pace, but Eric soon proved too fast as he reached the peak of his own climax. She submitted then, as he ploughed deep into her, letting him be as rough and fast with her hole as he desired.

The feeling quickly came on Eric, and he erupted in her, painting her insides with his own sticky self. She heard his trembling moans and heavy breathing as he came, the sound of which was enough to trigger her own release as her muscles contracted all around him. The pair were a mess of fluid and sweat, a lump in the middle of the bed. There they stayed, motionless as they bodies climbed down from the heights of feeling. Leena felt Eric soften in her, both himself and his seed slipping out and diffusing into the mess of fluids around them.

Time passed, as they both slipped in and out of a pleasant doze, though before long Leena rolled off of Eric's chest and to fix herself.

"Is this what you had in mind when you thought up your 'cross pollination' event?" Eric asked.

Leena was too relaxed to quip back, instead sighing as she righted herself and rearranged her lace bodysuit.

"We should get some sleep. It'd be a shame if we overslept and missed our chance for some more networking in the morning."

"Sounds good to me. Just don't forget to talk to reception about a refund for your booking."

Leena said nothing, leading Eric to have a moment of insight.

"You, did have a booking, right?"

Leena smirked, rolling over to her side.

"Good night, Eric. Get some rest, we have all of tomorrow ahead."

She flipped a bedside switch, the golden light vanishing from the room and replaced with black-blue darkness. Eric, spent and too exhausted to replay the events of the day to unpick her non answer, drifted off to sleep as he stared at the ceiling.