Luciana 05: Nude at Manager Meeting

Hello again, and welcome to Luciana's fifth story. Each story can be read on its own.

There is no detailed sex in this story.

All characters are over eighteen.

* * *

"So this Achievers Assembly is not held every year?" I asked Tanner. He was sitting next to me as our flight to Rochester took off. "I remember you went to one when I was on your team."

"Yep, three years ago," Tanner said, nodding. "It used to be annual, but the pandemic years were not so great for luxury goods companies. RicheVenue has done well this last year, I guess."

Tanner leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. I looked at him for a while and wondered why he always looked tired these days. I didn't interact with him much now, but remembered him as a cheerful, outgoing person.

I had been in his team when I joined the company four years ago and he'd been an encouraging, helpful manager. His positive reports had contributed to my promotion to manager. At 35, he was seven years older than I, and I had (mostly) gotten over the crush I had for him. Tanner was a deeply committed married man, and everyone knew it was futile to expect anything from him.

Sighing, I opened my Kindle and read a few pages of the book I was halfway through. An hour later, the pilot announced the descent for landing. I was happy to see Tanner awaken; I needed information about the meeting we were going to.

"Well, there are two managers from each of the twenty-four city branches in our Eastern zone," answered Tanner. "Herbert chose you and me this time."

Herbert was our branch head. It wasn't hard to see why he selected Tanner -- that team was a consistent high performer. Picking me was strange, I thought -- I had a small team of four people and had been a manager only a few months.

"May not have been entirely Herbert's decision," said Tanner thoughtfully, when I asked him. "You got the second-highest sales in the country for that launch last month. It's possible head office asked for you to be here."

The plane landed with a slight bump as I digested this. "I didn't realize one launch could get so much attention."

Tanner grinned. "Even though you didn't touch the half-million target."

I felt my face and neck grow warm and was thankful for my light brown skin that didn't reveal blushing. I'd lost a wager by falling short of the target and had had to undress midway through the company Success Party (told in Luciana at the Success Party). Tanner had been one of the few guys who'd not ogled my nude body or taken pictures.

"So what do we do at these meetings?" I asked, not wanting to dwell on that launch and party. "Just mix with other managers from the company?"

"The company top brass are at the meeting," said Tanner, unbuckling his seat belt. "The CEO, VPs and Directors of Marketing and Finance, some others. They usually have one-to-one conversations with some of us over Saturday and Sunday."

"Oh," I said, taking down my bag from the overhead bin. "I wish I had known. I would have packed differently."

"I wouldn't worry too much," Tanner reassured me. "The dress code is pretty much casual at these events. The top brass dress in formals, but no one else."

"I guess the company heavies will talk to senior managers like you," I said as we passed through the aerobridge into the terminal. "I'll just try to network and pick up some tips."

"Think again, Anna," said Tanner. "That launch performance won't have gone unnoticed."

The drive to the resort on Lake Seneca took an hour from the airport and Tanner was mostly quiet, concentrating on driving. I wished I'd had a few days to prepare for this event instead of being informed just a couple of days ago. An interview with one of the senior managers could affect my career arc in the company, and I was unprepared.

"Luciana," I said to the blond-haired teenager behind the front desk. "No, I don't have any special preference. Any floor is fine."

I turned around to find Tanner talking to a middle-aged man with a trimmed beard. "Luciana, this is Ashford, from our Syracuse office. He's been with RicheVenue for over ten years, right, Ash?"

"True," said Ashford, shaking hands with me. "No great achievement there -- no one else wanted me." Tanner and I laughed politely. "Shall we go up and put away our luggage?"

"I'm on the second floor, Anna," said Tanner, as we dragged our bags to the elevator. "I'm meeting an old friend for lunch, so I'll see you in the evening. Will you be all right?"

"Yes, I'll be fine, Tanner," I said, smiling at him. "Have a good lunch."

"Only a few people have turned up as yet," said Ashford, as we waited for the elevator. "The first official function is the dinner tonight, so most people will land in the evening, I suppose."

"Guess so," said Tanner. "If there'd been a later flight we would have taken that. But meeting Harry would've been difficult."

"Well, you're here, so have fun," said Ashford. "And don't worry about Luciana. Zoe and Buchanan checked in a little before me and we're having lunch together." Turning to me, he asked, "Would you like to join us?"

"Yes, please," I said, after a moment. Ashford seemed nice enough and meeting other company colleagues would be useful. "I'll be happy to join you."

* * *

"... and Henry Buchanan, Buck to friends," Ashford finished the introductions as we sat down to lunch in the outdoor cafe. Buchanan was a bulky black man, and I guessed he was around fifty. Zoe was a brown-haired woman in a simple dress that nevertheless showed off her well-endowed figure. I knew everyone at this event was a team manager, and wondered why such senior people hadn't moved into upper management.

The menu was mercifully short and our server was able to secure our orders in a few minutes. I was surprised when she returned minutes later and placed cocktail glasses before everyone, including me.

"Oh, we ordered a martini for everyone," Ashford explained when I asked. "Their bartender doesn't come in this early, so they weren't keen to take separate orders for everyone."

But I don't drink martinis, I wanted to say. I usually stuck to one or two glasses of wine and avoided even that in the day. The conversation had moved on to other things by then, and I shrugged and sipped my drink.

"Yes, almost four years now," I answered Zoe. "I joined RicheVenue straight out of college." I swirled the last of my drink and finished it. "Tanner was my manager for three years, before I got promoted."

Everyone knew Tanner and each other, it seemed. I had attended the company's annual conventions but had never mixed with managers before. During the conversation at lunch, I realized managers met far more often at pre-launch briefings, feedback sessions, and these Achiever Assemblies. Our server replaced my empty glass with a second martini, surprising me again.

"Brittany! Yoo hoo!" I heard Ashford call out and wave his hand. A brunette with short hair and closer to my age smiled and walked over to our table. Buchanan pulled over another chair for her as she joined us. She held onto my hand for a while after we were introduced.

"I'm from Concord," she murmured, squeezing my hand. "It's my first time at an Achiever's."

"Mine, too," I confessed. "And I'm not even sure why I'm here."

She grinned. "Welcome to the club!" She raised the cocktail glass our server had delivered. "To clueless achievers!"

"Not nice, Britt," said Buchanan after we'd all raised our glasses. "Zoe believes she knows all the secrets of the universe."

"Yeah, like why you're holding on to Luciana's hand," said Zoe, smiling. "Just broken up with your girlfriend, haven't you?"

"I suppose Nick told you," said Brittany. Thankfully, she let go of my hand. "Yeah, Iris got transferred, and it was just too hard making it work long distance."

"Sorry to hear about this, Britt," murmured Ashford.

"It's okay," she said, shaking her head. "We're still in contact and I'm planning to visit her sometime."

"What does anyone know about the new product they've been teasing?" Zoe deftly moved the conversation away and Brittany gave her a grateful glance. "Will we be getting some details here?"

No one had any definite knowledge of the upcoming launch, but we spent a few minutes speculating. I looked into my glass and debated whether to finish it -- I was already feeling a little tipsy. I noticed a group of four come into the cafe. They waved to our group but found a table for themselves on the other side of the cafe.

"They're from Tennessee," said Ashford to me. "I've met a couple of them at earlier meetings. Don't know them well." I nodded gratefully for the information.

"No, Adrian had the launch," Buchanan was saying. "Touched a quarter million, barely. Obviously, Nancy didn't choose him for the AA."

"AA as in Achiever's Assembly, not Alcoholics Anonymous," chortled Ashford, seeing my befuddled look. "Another martini for you, Luciana? How about you Buck?" I shook my head, and he made signs to our server.

"How about your office? Was it Tanner handling the launch?" Brittany asked me.

"No, it was me -- my team." I said. "Herbert took a gamble on a new team, and it worked out all right."

Ashford snapped his fingers. "Of course! I should have known you. You're the Success Party Sensation, aren't you?"

"Huh?" I said. "What do you mean?"

"Yeah, we saw the pics," said Zoe, grinning. "You looked terrific."

"I heard about it," said Brittany, nodding and squeezing my hand again. "You racked up almost a half million. Terrific work, girl!"

The managers across the different companies knew each other, of course, but had my office colleagues talked to these people about my lost wager? Looking around at the four people grinning at me, I realized they did know. I knew many people had taken pics of me nude on stage; I hoped those were not the pics Zoe was referring to.

Our server appeared with our orders, and we were quiet as she served us. I looked around, enjoying the view of the resort gardens and Lake Seneca beyond. I wondered if it would be cold later in the day.

"Yes, it does get a little chilly up here at night," said Buchanan. "We're pretty far North. But our evening events are all indoors, so we should be all right."

"He, he, he," giggled Zoe. "Planning to get naked at the dinner, Luciana? Good idea to check out the weather."

"What? No, of course not," I said, vehemently. "I was just asking generally."

"I think now is a better time," said Brittany, thoughtfully. "The company top brass will be at the dinner. Best to do it now. Fewer people, and none of the heavyweights."

"Yes, and you know, the company big shots take managers aside for personal interviews." Buchanan looked at me kindly. "You don't want to be nude when that happens, perhaps today evening. Best to do it now."

"No, no," I said, trying to make sense of all the words. "I don't want to be nude at the dinner."

"Yes, exactly," said Ashford. "There'll be nearly fifty of us managers, and then the company's top shots. That's not the time to get nude."

"Yes, let's do it right now," said Zoe. "Very few people have checked in yet. Best to get it over with now."

"And it's good weather, too." Brittany was holding my hand again, speaking earnestly. "Evening dinner will be in a cold hall, and outdoors will be freezing."

"It's warm," I conceded, looking around and trying to make some sense of all the advice. "But it's so windy. My clothes will fly away."

"Oh, don't you worry about that," said Ashford, comfortingly. He raised his arm and waved to a young man in the resort's uniform. "Hello!"

"Hello, Sir." The youngster looked no more than twenty as he came up to our table. Maybe less. I wondered why Ashford had called out to him. We already had a server, though I couldn't remember her name in my befuddled state.

"Do you work here, uh, Josh?" Buchanan had leaned forward to read the name on the tag on his chest.

"That's right, Sir." Josh nodded politely to everyone at the table. The strong breeze ruffled his long black hair as he stood. "I'm not a restaurant staffer, though. I can get your server if you need something."

"No, no, she's kept us well supplied," Zoe spoke reassuringly. "So where do you work, Josh?"

"Everywhere, actually," he replied, with a grin. "I'm in the Maintenance department, so I work wherever there's a problem in the resort. These people called me to fix a flickering light."

"Ah, so a man of all work," said Brittany. "Then you can help us. Luciana, here, is deathly afraid that her clothes will fly away." She lowered her voice theatrically. "Well, this place is windy."

Josh looked confused, mirroring my state of mind. I wasn't sure how we got here or where we were going.

"So we were wondering," said Buchanan, leaning forward, "whether you had any place where you could keep her clothes safely."

"Well, our office is in the basement," said Josh. "I can stow anything in my cart just now, and put it away safely in the office later."

"Excellent!" said Zoe, as she pointed at me. "Give him your clothes, Luciana. Josh will keep them safely for you."

"Uh, how will I find you when I need them?" I started unbuttoning my top as the group fell silent and looked at me.

"You just pick up any of the House phones, ma'am," Josh said. "Or dial 9 from your room phone, and ask for Josh from maintenance. They'll page me wherever I am."

"I'll help you," said Brittany as I shrugged off my top. Leaning over, she unhooked my bra and lifted it off as I raised my arms. I heard Josh gasp as my breasts and brown nipples came into view. I wasn't sure which of the men whistled.

"Wow, girl," said Zoe. "You're sensational. No wonder everyone at your office talks about the Success Party."

Brittany was folding my top and rolling my bra into it. I heard Ashford call out to our server and ask for a box. At Zoe's urging, I stood up and undid my skirt. Putting my thumbs into it, I made sure to grip my panties, too. In one movement, I lowered both garments and stepped out of them. Brittany bent and picked them up, putting them on my chair to fold them.

I heard a murmur from a distance and realized the group at the other table had seen me. I felt their eyes on my bare skin as I stood there waiting for Brittany to finish. Apart from her, everyone at our table was silent, staring intently at my suddenly revealed thighs and crotch.

"You're incredible, Luciana," breathed Buchanan. "I never thought you'd do it."

That brought me back to reality and I sat down, trying to cover myself with the tablecloth. Our server appeared with a large box, and I watched Brittany place my rolled-up clothes into it. Before I could say anything, she handed the box to Josh.

"Off you go, son," said Ashford, softly, and Josh took off, nodding to us. I looked around wildly, wondering how many people were watching me.

"This is unbelievable!" Buchanan had his eyes fixed on my breasts above the table. "I can hardly believe that Luciana is sitting with us completely nude."

"Give this disbeliever a twirl, Luciana," Brittany suggested, and I stood up. Cheers from the other table alerted me and I sat down again with a thump.

"Don't give me crazy ideas, please," I said, holding my head. "I've already been crazy enough."

Zoe giggled and leaned forward to pat my hand. "You've been a dear. These AAs are pretty dull affairs, but this one will live on in our memories."

I picked up my fork again and joined my companions in eating lunch. Our server came up to our table with an enormous grin and asked if we wanted to order anything more. I saw her eyes on Brittany's hand, which was stealthily moving higher on my thigh.

"We'll order dessert after a while, Hailey," said Zoe. "We got distracted and didn't finish our lunch."

"I can see your distraction," giggled Hailey. "And very hot she is, too." Blowing me a kiss, she wandered off to the other occupied table.

It could be worse, I decided. It was early on Friday and not many guests had checked in. Our own event was scheduled to start in the evening, so only a few of my colleagues would see my nude exhibition. Just the four at my table, and the four at the other table. Yes, things were not too bad.

Cheering up, I joined in the conversation my companions were having. As we finished our mains, we were in an animated discussion about the most influential movie stars of the last decade. The passionate talk made me almost forget my predicament.

Looking over Ashford's shoulder, I saw a grey-haired man in a dark suit come out of the resort building and enter the cafe area. He walked to the table with the four Tennessee managers, who stood up and shook hands with him. I locked eyes with Brittany who could also see the newcomer, but she shrugged her shoulders.

"Eating with a good view always makes me hungrier," announced Buchanan. "At home, I'd never be able to finish this big a serving."

"Mmm, true, that," murmured Zoe. "I've never been out this way before. We had an annual convention in Syracuse once though."

"I understand it's a little over an hour's drive," I said. "We're flying back from Syracuse Airport."

"Rochester is closer," offered Ashford. "Did you look at flights from there?"

"Yes, we came in through Rochester." I looked out at the lake, enjoying the ripples caused by the stiff breeze. "But return flights are only late at night from there. Syracuse has better timing."

Zoe and the two men had their backs to the other table and hadn't seen the new entrant. Putting down my fork, I used the serviette and looked up to see the man in the suit walking towards us with his arm over the shoulder of a chubby man. I realized he was one of the four from the Tennessee managers' table.

The two passed close to us, talking intensely, and walked over the lawn towards the lake. Ashford broke off mid-sentence as he saw the two men walking past us. For a moment, Zoe and Buchanan stared at him, then followed his gaze.

"Oh!" exclaimed Zoe. "What's Desmond doing here already?"

Buchanan turned to Brittany and me. "That's Desmond Waterman, our VP of Sales. He usually attends the AAs, but doesn't show up until Saturday morning."

"Looks like he's having a private conversation with Benjamin," added Buchanan. "Nashville, isn't he?"

"Yeah, I've met him at the annual conventions," said Zoe, thoughtfully. "Not at an AA before. Must have done something wonderful."

"Good guess." Ashford was staring over my shoulder, and I turned around to see Waterman and Benjamin stop at the railing at the lake's edge. "Desmond likes to pick the brains of people who've achieved unexpected results."

I jerked upright. "Do you think he'll come to our table? I can't meet a vice president like this!"

"Uh, I'm sure he saw us all when he passed by," said Brittany. "But he seems deep in an important conversation. Maybe you could sneak away?"

"He may not have seen you," said Zoe, reassuringly. "Ash and Buck were pretty much covering you."

"Yes, but I have no clothes," I almost shrieked. "What shall I do?"

"Uh, we need to contact Josh," said Brittany. "Where's a house phone?" She looked around wildly, as I tried to get Hailey's attention.

"We can't leave, honey, because he's seen us and knows us," said Zoe, softly. "You can rush up to your room and get dressed."

"But try to come back quickly," said Ashford. "Meeting the senior leadership is always useful."

"I -- I can't run through the hotel stark naked," I said. "And I don't have the key card. It's with my clothes."

"The front desk can generate another key card for you," suggested Brittany. "I'll go get you one, if you like."

"Would you do that?" I smiled gratefully at her. "I owe you one, Brittany."

She leaned close to whisper into my ear and her hand on my thigh moved to caress my pussy lips. "You owe me one hour."

While I tried to sort this thought in my mind, she was up and off, hurrying through the cafe and into the resort building. Zoe smiled lazily at me, and I wondered how much she had heard.

"Benjamin is keeping him engaged," noted Ashford. I resisted the urge to turn and look. "I wonder what Nashville has been doing."

I pushed the remnants of my lunch around my plate, wishing I had thought of asking Brittany to bring me an outfit from my room. When she came back with a new key card, I would still have to walk through the cafe and resort to my room. Dumb, dumb, dumb!

"Desmond is usually quick and concise," mused Zoe. "But he's taking his time with Benjamin."

"I don't mind," I blurted out, and everyone chuckled. "I hope Brittany comes back before those two wander back."

And Brittany did return, a minute later, out of breath and empty-handed. "Sorry, love. The receptionist said they can't give a key to a guest's room to anyone else. Security."

"They're shaking hands," reported Buchanan. That meant their pow-wow was over, I knew. I looked wildly around for a place to vanish into.

"Calm down, Luciana," said Brittany, which, of course, sent my anxiety sky-high. She wasn't the one completely nude in bright daylight.

"Waterman is a bit of a stuffed shirt," said Ashford, trying to comfort me. "But these AAs aren't very formal affairs."

"Has anyone attended nude before?" I asked, trying to keep my voice and anger in check. The others grinned and shook their heads.

Ashford stood up, and I knew Waterman was approaching our table. Nothing for it now. I closed my teeth with a click and decided to make the best of my situation.

It was obvious Waterman hadn't noticed me while he was at the other table. Ashford and Buchanan were large men and had hidden me from his view. As I stood up, his jaw dropped and he froze in the middle of shaking hands with Ashford.

"Good afternoon, Sir," said Buchanan smoothly, enjoying the older man's discomfiture. "Delighted to have you join us." Waterman offered a feeble hand to him, his eyes still fixated on my nude body.

"I'm Brittany, Sir, from the Concord office," said Brittany, trying to keep a straight face. It was obvious Waterman was having difficulty coming to terms with meeting a nude woman at the company event. "Very pleased to meet you."

"Oh, likewise, likewise," said Waterman, at last tearing his eyes away from my breasts. "Yes, Concord, hmm. Good work there. We're watching you all closely. I hope to connect again at the dinner gala."

"Luciana, Sir," I said, holding out my hand as he turned his gaze back to me. "Delighted to meet you."

"Oh, yes, from Herbert's office," said Waterman, showing a spark of recognition. "Oh, yes, of course." I wondered what he knew or remembered about me.

"That's right, Sir," I said, trying to be polite. "You have a wonderful memory."

"You're on my list, y'see," he said, dropping his eyes to my nipples again. "Your numbers at the last launch were astonishing." He gestured to the others to sit down. "Please carry on with your lunch. Luciana, I'd appreciate a few minutes."

It sounded like a very courteous request, but, of course, coming from a senior executive, it was a command. I followed him as he began walking away from our table. Though I was now showing my bare bottom and back to all the others, there were no whistles or catcalls.

"Your area has a unique mix of urban and rural stores." Waterman jumped right into business as I caught up to him. "What strategies..."

He went into details of the launch and the responses I had achieved from different stores. The point of sale marketing had worked particularly well in our area, and he was curious to know what placement had worked. His rapid-fire questions had me struggling, but I managed to answer some questions to his satisfaction.

We had reached the railing separating the lawn from the water. Waterman seemed to have made this his office -- he had conversed with Benjamin at this exact same spot. I turned around to lean on the railing and faced the senior man as he talked and made notes in a small notebook.

His speed of asking questions was disconcerting. He would shoot a question at top speed and then look at me, ballpoint poised over his notebook. I found a solution quite by accident.

As he finished a question, I took a deep breath to answer. My breasts pushed forward, drawing his eyes, and he seemed lost for a few moments, giving me time to formulate a coherent answer. Things went well for me after that; whenever I needed a moment to think, a deep breath gave it to me.

How did I get here? Just the nightmare I had wanted to avoid, meeting and being interviewed by a company top executive while nude. And it had happened almost as soon as I had arrived, with the meetings and social events all still to come. How would I face all these people over the next two days?

Fortunately, my body had metabolized the alcohol and I was thinking clearly. I was spared the ignominy of meeting Waterman both drunk and nude. An eternity later, the man put away his notebook and held out his hand again.

"Thank you, Luciana," he said with old-school courtesy. "I was hoping for an extended discussion with you. Uh, I appreciate your talking to me despite your, uh, awkward situation."

"I appreciate your interest, Sir. Thank you for talking to me." I felt I should make some excuse for being nude at a company event. "Uh, we weren't expecting you this soon, Sir."

"Yes, I don't like to miss Friday at the office," Waterman acknowledged. "But this is our first Achievers' Assembly in three years, and I have a big list of managers I must talk to." He started as he saw two women come into the cafe. "Oh, there's the Pittsburgh people. Good, good."

"Well, bye for now, Sir," I said. "I hope we'll meet at the banquet."

About to walk away toward the newcomers, Waterman turned. "Our Director, Marketing, Henry Ward, will be here tomorrow. I'd like you to keep some time to meet the two of us, Luciana. Your ideas about POS run counter to what Henry has always pushed, and I'd like you to meet him."

"Uh, I don't know about that, Sir," I said, apprehensively. Arguing with a Director of the company sounded like a shortcut to getting fired. "My ideas just worked in our limited region. May not be applicable countrywide."

"Nonsense!" was Waterman's vigorous response. "What works is worth knowing. Henry needs to hear it directly from you. I'll schedule a half hour with you sometime on Saturday, if that's all right with you."

"I will be honored, Sir," I said, with butterflies in my stomach. "I wish I had known I would be meeting with senior managers. I'm completely unprepared."

"You're doing splendidly," Waterman declared. For the first time, he grinned. "And don't worry about dressing formally. In fact, come as you are, if you like." He wagged a finger in my face. "But remember to wear your conference ID."

"Yes, Sir," I murmured, as he walked toward the table with the Pittsburgh managers. Hmmm. The big guys wanted half an hour of my time, and Brittany wanted an hour. My calendar was filling up quickly since I got out of my clothes.

"I'm sorry, my dear," said Zoe, softly, as I sank into my chair. "If we'd known Waterman was here, we'd never have egged you on to strip."

"Shit happens," I said philosophically. Then the absurdity of the past quarter of an hour struck me -- discussing business with a senior manager nude in the grounds of the resort. "What a crazy thing to happen. He wanted to talk seriously about the launch strategies and I met him bare-assed."

"I bet this is one interview he'll never forget," chortled Ashford. He waved his hand toward Waterman, now talking to the two women at their table. "Morgan has a tough act to follow."

"I'll say!" chimed in Brittany, giggling. She put her arm around my waist and cupped my breast in her hand. "How can anyone compete with this?"

"Hey!" I protested. "We were discussing serious marketing wisdom and feedback. I hadn't planned to be nude."

"I know, Luciana," murmured Brittany. The men had been watching her hands on me and she discreetly dropped them below the table. Out of sight, her fingers wandered over my inner thighs and pussy lips. "But, hey, no regrets, right?"

"Yeah, I suppose." I made an effort to speak normally, with Brittany's finger running up and down my slit. I gave her a glare, and it had an effect -- she brought her hand to rest, with two fingers between my lips.

I thought about changing my seat, but I didn't want to sit next to Ashford or Buchanan. Waterman had taken one of the Pittsburgh ladies to his outdoor office near the lake. I watched as he had an earnest conversation with her, and smiled inside as I remembered the game I'd played with him.

"Oh, yes, let's have dessert," I heard Zoe say. "What do you recommend?"

"The Key Lime Pie is our pastry chef's specialty." Hailey was standing behind me, and I wondered if she could see or guess what Brittany was doing under the table. I squirmed as I felt her fingers resume moving up and down my slit. "Shall I get the same for everyone? Five orders, then?"

"Uh, Hailey," I said, turning around. "Could you, you know, message Josh from maintenance? Tell him I'd like him to come to the Cafe?"

"Oh, I see." Hailey grinned. "You want your clothes. I'll page him from the phone in the kitchen."

Ten minutes didn't produce Josh, but then Hailey appeared holding our desserts. She shook her head as she put mine before me. "Sorry, Josh went to town to pick up some parts for the electric carts. He'll be back in a while."

My face fell as I faced the prospect of making my way to my room without clothes. Brittany smirked, as did Zoe. I knew I couldn't expect any help from them.

We chatted amiably while finishing our meal with the scrumptious dessert. I knew they were all waiting to see what I would do, now that the time to leave the cafe was on hand. I could wimp out by asking Zoe or Brittany to get me a set of clothes, but that didn't appeal to me.

"The evening starts at six," said Ashford, reading the program. "Lots of awards and acceptance speeches, but I suppose we'll have to attend."

"Should be getting back to our rooms, then," said Zoe, stretching her arms. "Started my day early to get here."

"Yes, me too," said Buchanan. "A little relaxation will go down well before the long night."

"Well, see you all in the evening," I said. Rising, I moved swiftly toward the resort building. With Josh away, I would have to get a duplicate key card from the front desk. I hoped there wouldn't be too many people checking in.

* * *

The inside of the resort was cooler than the cafe and I shivered as I stepped through the door. As my eyes adjusted, I saw the long passage leading to the entrance lobby. Hoping no one would come out of the doors on either side, I strode along the passage.

The door at the end opened and a man in a checked jacket with two large cameras hanging around his neck walked towards me. Now, I don't have anything against photographers, but cameras make me nervous when I'm nude. As he passed by me, I was relieved to see lens caps on both his cameras.

I looked over my shoulder to make sure he wasn't taking pictures of me from behind and didn't notice another man coming through the door. Before either of us could react, I had bumped into him, hit the wall, and crashed to the floor.

"Anna!" I heard, and looked up to see Tanner. He extended his hand to me. "Are you hurt? What happened to your clothes?"

I was never so glad to see him. Holding his hand, I stood up and reassured him. "No, I'm not hurt. Just lost my balance. Sorry I bumped you. I was watching that photographer." I pointed at the man behind us, who had stopped on his way out to stare at me as I fell.

"You're modeling for a photographer?" Tanner sounded incredulous. "Like this?" He waved his hands at my nakedness.

"No, no," I hastened to clarify. "I don't know him at all. I was..." I stopped and looked up at him. "Say, Tanner, could we just go to your room, please?"

He offered me his arm and I happily put mine through it. I could stay in his room for a while and then see if Todd was back. I wouldn't have to parade my naked body through the lobby and stand at the front desk to get a key card.

I knew I was in no danger; Tanner was the safest, most married man to be around. I could be with him in his room with zero worries. Curse him!

"... and I had two martinis, and they convinced me it would be a good time to get nude. I didn't... "

"Ah, all these managers are sales experts," said Tanner, laughing. I was sitting on his bed; he was sitting on the only chair in his room. "But what were you thinking, Anna? Handing over all your clothes to a Maintenance man and running around the resort?"

I hung my head. "I really don't know, Tanner. They convinced me."

"Don't you get scared, being completely nude in a strange place?"

"Yes." I nodded, then thought about it. "I'm consumed by anxiety and fear when I first undress. But then, nothing bad happens, so I relax. Sometimes, I even enjoy the situation and the effect I'm having."

"What about now? Locked out of your room, no clothes, and alone with me in this room?" Tanner tried to give me a fiendish look and failed so spectacularly that I burst out laughing.

"This is the safest I've been all day, Tanner," I said. I wrapped my hands around myself to stop my small breasts from jumping about as I laughed. "You're a faithful husband and there's no way you'd touch me."

"Not for long," said Tanner, and something in his voice stopped my laughter in my throat. "Diane filed for divorce last month."

I didn't know what to say. I beckoned to him, and he rose to sit near me. "Tell me about it, Tanner," I said, holding his hand. "If you like, of course." He was quiet, collecting his thoughts, and I moved back on the bed. "Diane and you were so good together." I didn't know his wife well, but had met her at our company's Christmas parties.

"Nothing went wrong, Anna," he answered. I had to lean in close to hear, so low did he speak. "We met while working together. That was in Chapel Hill. We dated and got married, and as per company policy, one of us had to leave. So I came to RicheVenue."

I knew most of this. I'd been part of Tanner's team of seven when I joined, and we'd worked together for three years. I waited as Tanner collected his thoughts.

"Her college boyfriend showed up. They broke up because he had a family business and a girlfriend waiting in Reno. But the business collapsed and the girlfriend left, and he got a job in Durham."

We were both quiet for a long while. I fell back on the bed, lying on my back, holding my breasts for a moment. "Are you trying to work it out?" I asked. "You guys were married for what, six years?"

"Seven," said Tanner. "And we were together for two years before that. But this Wesley turns up and Boom! We're done."

"Can't someone talk sense into her? Her parents? Or a counselor?"

"Her parents have always liked me," said Tanner. "They tried, but she's determined to marry Wesley. No use hanging on to someone who loves someone else, right?"

He turned around to look at me, and I put my hands around his neck and pulled his head down. Though surprised, he met my lips with his. It was a soft, gentle kiss, and I didn't try for a tongue duel. After a moment, he responded, kissing me back and holding me tighter.

"Uh, Anna, what are you doing?" he said, sitting up straight near me. "I mean, I'm still married."

"Of course," I soothed him. "I'm just being a friend. Not expecting anything more."

He nodded, and we sat silently. I held his free hand for a few minutes, and then placed it on my belly. I could feel his warm breath on my bare breasts as he breathed out.

"Are you planning to keep working through it all?" I asked him, more to distract him than for information. "You must have paid time saved off."

"I haven't been taking much time off, true," Tanner mused. "There's probably a lot of days I can use. But it helps to be at work. Staying at home is pretty awful."

Tanner suddenly realized his hand was close to my pussy. He stiffened and removed his hand from my body. "I, I'm sorry, Anna," he was stammering. "I touched you without realizing it. I shouldn't have done that."

"It's all right, Tanner," I said briskly. "Don't worry. You didn't strip me and you haven't undressed. No need for any guilt. What's a little touch between friends?"

"No, it was..." Tanner stopped, not knowing what to say. "I shouldn't have."

"No worries, Tanner," I said, sitting on the bed opposite him. "I know you're married. It was no big deal. Just forget it."

I wanted the man but didn't want to spook the man. I smiled encouragingly at him. Tanner ran his fingers through his hair and looked at me.

"Uh, Anna, you're nude. Shall I get you a robe or something? I bet Housekeeping can send us one if we ask."

"No, there's only you here, and you've already seen me nude." I fell back on the bed and smiled at him.

"What do you mean?" Tanner was clearly puzzled by my casual behavior about nudity.

"You were at the Success Party," I explained to him. "You saw me nude for hours. So there's nothing to hide now." I yawned theatrically. "Actually, I'm kind of tired. Got up very early to get to the airport."

"Yeah, me too," Tanner said. "Wish there'd been a later flight."

"Well, get in," I said, raising the duvet. "Let's get a power nap. We need to be sharp at the banquet."

"But, Anna..." He started to protest, but I gripped his hand and pulled him down.

"I don't want to call housekeeping and then sit around waiting for them." I covered him with the duvet too and turned on my side, facing away from him. "We'll do it when we wake."

"I'll set an alarm for five," he said and reached for his phone. "We can't be late for the event."

We both slept well, and I woke before the alarm went off, feeling Tanner spooned behind me. I enjoyed the sensations and wished he was nude, too. I shifted in the bed to lie on my back and his hand moved to hold my breast. Before I could enjoy it, the alarm went off.

"Mmm, time to get up," said Tanner, silencing his alarm. Then he noticed what he was holding in his other hand. "Oops!"

"You're welcome," I said, putting my hand on his. "Feels good."

"Umm, Anna, I don't think..."

"Yes, I know. I hope Diane and you work it out." I smiled at him and he smiled back. "But if it doesn't I'm registering an interest."

"That's... that's wonderful," Tanner said, his voice husky. He sat up, and I did, too, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Shall I call Housekeeping now?"

I stood up and stretched. "Let me call Maintenance first. If Josh is back, we won't need the robe."

I dialed 9 on the phone in the room and asked the operator to send Josh to the room. "Yes! He's back, Tanner, so I'll have my clothes and my room key in a minute."

"That's good," said Tanner. He looked at me curiously. "Why did you give everything to him, anyway?"

"Ah, Ashford and the others said he would keep my things safe." I tapped my head. "I wasn't thinking clearly."

"Well, be careful tonight," admonished Tanner. "Those guys will all be there, and they've tasted blood. They'll try to make you do something silly again."

"I'll take care," I promised. "One glass of wine only tonight. And you'll be there to look out for me."

"Ah, don't depend on that." Tanner shook his head. "There are so many people to meet. Just keep your wits about you."

The buzzer sounded just then and Tanner stood up to answer it. Stopping, he grinned at me and asked, "Is Josh the guy who packed up your clothes at the cafe?"

"Well, him and Brittany. She folded them and he rolled them and put them in the box."

"Oh, so he's already seen you nude. Go ahead, open the door for him." Tanner sat down again with a poker face.

Gulping, I steadied my nerves and moved to the door. I'd given Tanner a silly argument to stay nude in his room and now he'd trapped me. Praying it was Josh at the door, and alone, I fixed a smile on my face and opened the door.

Josh had a smile too, which turned to a startled look as he saw me standing naked at the door. He had to grab at his bag of tools which dropped from his hand.

"Hi, Josh! Come on in." I stood aside to let him in and quickly closed the door.

"Hi, ma'am. Hi, Sir." Josh stood looking at us, waiting.

"Oh!" I said, as the penny dropped. "No, we don't need anything fixed, Josh. I want the box we gave you in the cafe. It has my clothes and key card."

"Oh, yaas," he said, mopping his brow. "I didn't know this room number, or I would have brought it. I'll just rush down and get it." He spun around and left.

"His office is in the basement," I said to Tanner. "I hope he gets back soon."

"So tell me, Anna," said Tanner, looking at me with amusement. "It was okay to open the door nude because Josh has seen you naked earlier?"

"Yes, he was at the cafe when your friends talked me into taking everything off. He collected my clothes, packed them in a restaurant box, and took it away." I smiled beatifically at Tanner, hoping this wouldn't lead me into fresh embarrassment.

"So let's see," he said, sitting back in the chair. "If Ashford and Buchanan walked in on you showering tomorrow, it would be all right?"

"Well, sort of," I said, thinking. "If it happened this morning I would be devastated, but tomorrow would only be a little disturbing. I was nude with them for hours, Tanner."

"And the people who attended our Success Party? They all saw you nude, too."

"That's right." I wondered where this was going. "That's why I'm so comfortable now. You've already seen everything I have."

"So anyone in our company could see you nude and you wouldn't have a problem?"

"Well, only the people who were at the party, obviously."

Tanner shook his head slowly, as if understanding me was beyond him. Coming up to me, he put both hands on my waist. "You're quite, quite, wonderful, Anna. Crazy, of course, but wonderful." He brought his lips down on mine and this time, it was a deep soul-stirring kiss that warmed my toes and set fire to my pussy and breasts.

We stepped away from each other as we heard footsteps approaching. Josh bustled in and placed the box on the table. "Sorry, it took a while, ma'am. The service lift was busy."

"That's all right, Josh," I said, sweetly. "We were busy, too." I heard Tanner choke behind me and ignored it. Opening the box, I shook out my top and pursed my lips. "All crumpled. We should have found a larger box."

"A pizza box would have been best," Josh agreed. "But Hailey got a regular box that they use for doggy bags."

"Yeah," I said. "Maybe housekeeping can supply me an iron and ironing table."

Tanner grinned. "So you would rather be nude than wearing this crumpled shirt?"

"I wasn't going to wear this to the evening banquet anyway, Tanner. It's not dressy enough for evening wear." I rolled the top again and put it back into the box. "Well, thank you for the sanctuary. See you at the banquet."

"You're welcome," said Tanner as I swept out into the passage nude. "Tell me at least that your room's on this floor."

"Yes, just in the opposite wing," I said over my shoulder. Josh closed the door and caught up to me, offering to carry my box. It wasn't any weight, but I handed it over.

I was lucky. No one opened their door as I walked along the passages in my nude glory. No one saw me walking nude down the hotel corridor with Josh.

Reaching my door, I asked Josh to find the key card in the box. Instead, Josh whipped a key card out of his pocket and held it to the lock. The light turned green and he pushed the latch open.

"I have a master key card," he explained. "Necessary to attend to repairs even when the guests are away." He stepped in and placed the box on the table and stepped back out.

"Well, thanks a ton, Josh," I said. "You've been very helpful, and incredibly nice to me." Rising on my toes, I kissed him on the cheek. I felt his arms go around me and instinctively returned the hug.

"YOU CHEATING SON OF A BITCH!"

Well, luck is bound to run out at some time. Josh and I untangled and looked along the corridor. A brown-haired girl stood there with her hands on her hips. Perhaps she was pretty; it was difficult to judge with her features so distorted by anger.

"Jenny, I can explain," began Josh, walking toward her. "It's not what you think. I was..."

"You're coming out of a naked woman's room and she's wrapped all over you!" Jenny was screaming so hard that the veins on her neck bulged. "We're through!" She turned and walked away toward the elevators.

So young Josh has a girlfriend, I mused. Too bad she turned up just as we were sharing a friendly hug. I decided to talk to her tomorrow, after she'd had some time to calm down.

* * *

"See you in Richmond," said Brittany, as she stepped out of my door.

"Yeah, see you," I replied, keeping behind the door. "Sorry to rush you out, but I can't keep Waterman waiting." I wasn't telling anyone about meeting Ward. No use in generating jealousy.

Our annual convention was in Virginia later in the year. Closing the door, I stepped into the shower and turned it on. Getting together with Brittany once or twice a year would be okay, I thought. We'd both enjoyed our time together.

Coming out with a towel around myself, I opened the closet and looked inside, hoping some good outfit had magically appeared. For the fiftieth time, I cursed Herbert for informing me about this trip so late and not briefing me well.

I had the denim outfit I had planned to wear on the flight back. Or I could repeat the skirt and top of the first day. Waterman hadn't seen that outfit since it was already in the restaurant box by the time he came. Neither option was exactly a dress to impress choice.

And then the light bulb went on. Come as you are, Waterman had said. Hanging up my towel, I stepped into my Mary Janes and looked around for the conference ID.

* * *

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