Dream Disaster

Desirae Walker was here!

I felt the energy as I rode the elevator; twelve floors up to my new office building. My new job. My new life. I was finally here, and I was here to stay.

The spacious halls housed just under one hundred employees and was one of the largest Architectural firms in London. We served our clients from conception to construction. Creating, building, and designing. After having spent fifteen years at small firms, I had finally landed at one of the largest in London and would not only get the opportunity to display my skills but would work on some history making building concepts.

I settled into my new office and began unpacking my things when he came in. All six feet three inches of him. His modern navy-blue suit was the perfect balance of classic and slim. It sat at his waist and had a trim fit through to his hips and thighs. The slightly tapered leg opening moved with each step he took towards me.

“Good morning. My name is Dante. Dante Ajello.”, he said reaching his hand out towards me. I didn’t respond. I couldn’t, one does not just speak to Adonis. I was caught off guard by his chiseled face, buff shoulders, and long strides. He was smiling at me. A bright smile that covered the lower half of his face. Radiant white teeth blinding me with their sparkle. I was the debris being sucked into his supernova. “Are you alright?”, he asked

A dry cough rose from my throat as I gulfed air. My body responding to a lack of much needed oxygen. Drawing my hands up to my mouth I covered my indiscretion. How dare I, but Adonis showed nothing but concern and through my whooping coughs I saw his eyes scanning my new office.

Having spotted a small table over by the couch with glasses and a decanter of water he quickly fetched me a glass which I downed to still my outburst. “I’m so sorry.”, I said composing myself, “I’m Desirae.”, I recovered and thrust my hand out towards him.

His hands having already been stowed away in his pockets were pulled free as he reached out to shake my hand. His reflexes much quicker than mine had been. “I know Desirae. We will be working together, and I wanted to come in and say hi and welcome you to the Sheppard’s team.”, Dante winked at me in that seductive 1950’s way that made a girl’s heart sink.

I smiled a bit too broad and had to shake myself, “Thank you Dante.”, I said rebuking myself for being so stupid.

“I heard that you aced your interview and I have to admit I got a friend in HR to give me a glance at your resume. Very impressive. I’m looking forward to sharing ideas with a woman as beautiful and talented as you.”, shivers ran up my spine. Did he just call me beautiful? Granted I was the shade of chocolate with milk, had luscious pink lips, deep brown eyes, and a Diana Ross mane it never made me feel bad when someone noticed. Especially someone as handsome as him.

I put on my best sexy and dipped my head in thank you to his comment. Blinked seductively and smiled minimally so as not to ruin my moment. “Are you going to show me around Dante?”

“Certainly.”, he offered and re-stowed his hands, “Why don’t you unpack, and I’ll be back in twenty and I can take you on the employee tour. Not the HR tour you got when you signed your contract.”, Dante smiled graciously, and I nodded my agreement. As soon as he left my office, I allowed myself a happy dance. Big company, big salary, big future, and stunning associations. Exhausted from my dance I took a deep breath and continued taking possession of the new space.

*::::*

Dante did come back to show me around the office on my first day and he has been at my side at every meeting for the week past. I knew that I would have to be at my best at this level and so far, I have not disappointed.

I rose my voice at meetings, made sure the male superiors knew who I was and what I was capable of and began building relationships. So much so that I was invited to the pup with my co-workers on my first Friday. I was looking forward to it.

Dante was going to be there, and I had truly enjoyed having him by my side as I found my fit at Sheppard’s Architecture. I had worked hard to be here and knew that I deserved it but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine being part of the it-crowd. I was elated that it was all finally coming into place. Dante poked his head around the door, “You ready?”. Of course, I was. I snatched my purse and we walked out together.

He was funny and had me giggling in the Uber all the way to the pub. It was crowded but not sticky, smoky, or loud. It seemed like the place that the elite went. I was not elite and was thrilled to be seeing this side of this world. Growing up on the small Caribbean island of Trinidad, life is not usually full of the finer things. I had studied hard, I had worked hard, and I was ready to live life lavishly.

We sat together, Dante, Rosemary, Jonathan, Karen, Lizbeth, Julie, Kyle, and me. I noticed that there were five women and three men. The office was laid out much the same. Women were taking over the world but the very top of the strata was only men. Men that looked like Dante and Kyle. I couldn’t help but wonder what a woman had to do to get to that level. I wanted that and I knew that I could work for it.

Jonathan was pointing at each of us to speak our drink to the waiting waiter. When he got to me, I stalled having not spent much time in this type of establishment, I wondered what my drink was, but Dante saved me, “She’ll have a sex on the beach.”, he said to the waiter then leaned close to me and whispered in a throaty voice, “I think that she’ll look sexy on the beach.”

I blushed. If the room was a little brighter everyone would be able to see the flush on my skin. I could feel it. Dante had made me tremble slightly every time he was near. My heartbeat overwhelmed my body and I had to continuously remind myself that this was purely a professional relationship. He wouldn’t be interested in a newbie like me with my Caribbean accent.

Unlike me I’d learned that Dante was raised in Italy and had not rich, but well-to-do parents. Like me he had moved to London to study and complete his Ph.D. in Architecture. Where I had to work part time and rely on scholarships Dante had cruised by and even admitted to having paid to have some of his papers written in college. He knew his stuff but the story about bought papers resonated every time he slipped on the terminology of our trade.

He was, however, kind. I had been taken aback throughout the week by not just his treatment of me but of other co-workers whom we interacted with.

Even so his whispered words were unexpected. I was surprised to think that those butterflies in my stomach weren’t just there because of my inexperience with life but because he may have put them there on purpose.

I looked over to him and our eyes met unwaveringly until Karen interrupted, “Hey you two, lets dance.”, she said and stood and pulled Dante by the hand until he broke our moment and joined her on the dance floor. I shivered at the thought. I knew I was attractive and intelligent but to be with a guy like Dante.

It couldn’t be! I shook the thought off. It couldn’t be me?

*::::*

I’d made it a month and I just kept getting better. I was awarded an opportunity to compete with some of my fellow co-workers for the chance to lead a team on the design and execution of a project for a client in Asia.

Finally, I thought, I get to put my abilities on display. That may have been when it started. The snide remarks at being given this opportunity after only a month when some of my fellows have been here for years without ever receiving the same.

Dante always responsive, made it clear that I should focus on putting my best foot forward and disregard any who may not want me to succeed. Eat or be eaten he said with that charming smile that washed all my worry away.

We had graduated to having lunch together and today he had invited me to his favorite eatery. I would never have been able to afford a place like this in college but now I even offered to pay for the dashing Dante. “That’s not fair, if you pay then you have to let me take you on a proper date?”.

The smile evaporated from my face and I gaped at him until he broke our awkward silence, “Unless, you don’t want to go on a date with me?”, his voice wounded as he inquired. The corners of his lips dipped towards the floor and it was the first time I’d seen Dante pale. I had stripped him of his sureties, just as I had when we first met. My indecisiveness had only served to fluster the always in control Dante.

Slowly a smile formed on my full lips. I felt the light beam nimbus around my face. The possibility that Dante would be interested in me was no longer a possibility, it had materialized. “I would love that.”, I answered and dipped my head to stuff my mouth with another large bite of salad. Not wanting to be awkward and ruin the sensation which I could tell had engulfed him also. That glaring smile filled with white was back. He had reddened at my response and I had to admit my spirit had floated two feet above my body for the rest of our lunch and the balance of my day.

I was going on a date with Dante. Dante Ajello.

*::::*

Dante had whisked me away in a red Ferrari and taken me out of town for our date. He touched me. Several times. Placed his hand in the center of my back. Took my hand when we left the car and danced with me so slow that I practically climbed into his bed. There was no denying it I was falling for this Italian God.

Dinner was not at a restaurant. He had organized something special in a countryside cottage. I had expected it to be rainy and wet. My expectations of the English countryside were wrong. It was quiet, the air was fresh and the only sound other that the music Dante played was our heartbeats.

We had left London on Friday night after work and after the hangout with the work crew. Both agreeing not to raise any unnecessary suspicion until we knew that we wanted to continue to see each other. He had asked me to pack an overnight bag and I’d thrown something sexy in also. Not knowing where it would go but sure that one night with this handsome man would not ruin my life.

It didn’t the first time.

After dinner and a few drinks our inhabitations were removed and when his lips touched mine the sparks were uncontrollable. I held back allowing him to make all the first moves but when it was clear that we would end up in one direction I began to guide. He tasted like something sweet. He smelt like leather.

His body was lean, and his erection was firm. I enjoyed how he toyed with me and brought my body to life with each touch. The couch was the first rendezvous but by the time we were ready to leave Saturday evening there had been several more similar encounters. All as great or better than the first.

*::::*

We continued our office romance for the next two months. Sometimes Dante stayed at my place and sometimes I stayed at his. It was getting to the point where I felt we should just be open about it, but Dante felt we should wait a little longer.

It was also close to that time where our projects would be up for review. Dante and I had agreed that our work was important to us and should have no place in our private relationship. Every time he was at my place my notes and drawings were neatly put away and the same applied if I stayed with him.

Because I’m naive, I never knew what had happened until the morning of the presentations. I wanted to go first. I knew that I had done a fantastic design and felt confident in my success. My lover talked me out of it. “If you’re so sure why would you want them to forget about it by the time the seventh presentation gets going. You should go last. Make a memorable impact.’, I’d agreed and watched as the first, second and third presentations were done.

Dante was fourth.

I gasped loudly and my mouth fell open when he pulled up a mirror of my design for all to see. Kyle was sitting beside me and he leaned over, “He’s good but not that good.”, he said. Clearly Kyle felt that there was no need to be impressed.

I pulled my lips into a thin line and narrowed my eyes at Dante. He never once looked in my direction. It could not have been a coincidence that our designs were so similar. He’d pinched my design. I trusted him and he had stolen from me.

I blinked back the tears that dared spring from my eyes but knew that there was no time for that. Dante was number four and I was number seven. It took approximately twenty minutes to complete a presentation. Thank God that this was the first time our ideas were being presented for review and no other member of the team had seen them before.

I was top of my class and had fought for this opportunity. It as imperative that this incident was not allowed to set me back. Dante was a creep. A weaselly creep who I had allowed to breathe all over me and touch me inappropriately. Never again.

I excused myself and headed to my office. Think Desirae, think. How do I make my plan better than it was in thirty minutes? I set the timer on my smartwatch and started editing my presentation.

*::::*

“You are a fucking liar.”, I shouted at Dante

He’d managed to avoid me the balance of the day and stayed away from my office and apartment for the rest of the week. I was no longer in the it-crowd and was conveniently not invited to this Friday’s lime.

It stung.

I felt used but knew that I could not give up now. Dante had clearly used and betrayed me but those years at school didn’t fail me. I’d changed my presentation just enough so that it was like the ones that Dante had stolen but different enough so as not to draw any attention.

Apologizes were given for the printed display. There was only enough time to change the electronic version. I promised everyone a printed copy by the days end, and I delivered. Because I always deliver. Being a hard-working Trinidadian woman, I have always known that I had to be a little better, a little faster and a little more aggregable than everyone else.

What Dante had done was nothing but another mountain to climb and I’d climbed many.

He had crawled into my office with promises and apologies when it was announced the following week that I would be given the lead. Those who choose to congratulate me had done so with a chip on their back. Dante specifically I would never trust again.

The deadline was approaching and none of his ideas worked for the location and he felt backed into a corner enough so that his well-to-do life could upstage all the hard work I had put in. This was my dream job, and he was willing to shatter that for his personal advantage. Dante was not what I imagined him to be.

I’d listened as he spoke, but I’d also packed up the small items he had left at my place and kept it at the office. I never called or begged an explanation. I simply dived into my work because I deserved this even though it was not turning out to be what I’d imagined it to be.

After he finished, I stood and picked up the bag from the side of my table and walked towards him and dropped it at his feet.

“I have specifically asked not to work with you. I went to HR and told them what we did. What you did and what I did to keep my job. I deserve this and refuse to be surrounded by liars, thieves and cheaters.”, my eyes fixed on him, unblinkingly. “Get out of my office. I deserve better”, I scowled at him and he sucked his teeth, but I knew that by the look on my face he wouldn’t try.

He collected his bag and left.

I had to remind myself through the entire project that I deserved this. They worked hard and I worked harder. I wanted love like any other but for now I choose to love my dream job with all my heart. My core.