Was she escaping from her old life? Yes.

Was she using the job to stop herself from thinking about the terse text she’d received from Dan this morning, telling her not to call so late again and that he’d be in touch when he could? Absolutely.

He’d been gone for three days and had yet to find the time to take her calls. Not that that was so unusual these days. It had been that way on more and more overnight trips over the last couple of years.

Sophie knew better than to let herself think about it too deeply, because then there would be questions that needed answers. Up until now she hadn’t wanted to ask them, even though they were there in huge black capital letters. The gulf between them had slowly widened into an ocean awash with the flotsam and jetsam of a neglected relationship; countless cold shoulders instead of enveloping hugs. Too many dry pecks on the cheek rather than passionate clinches on the dining table. Too many hurriedly hidden text messages. The circumstantial evidence all pointed towards another woman, and Sophie’s sexual confidence had ebbed away in the face of Dan’s undeniable rebuttals in bed. She’d been feeling old, and cold. Until now. Until she’d stepped into Lucien Knight’s force field yesterday evening.

He had a way of looking at her that made her feel all woman, and Sophie could feel herself blossoming… ripening… re-emerging… and she liked it.

She liked it a lot.

She grabbed her lunch from her bag and returned to her desk to make a start on that report Lucien had asked for. She flipped the file open, and the full-page illustration on page one stilled her sandwich half way to her mouth.

What was that? She tilted her head to the side to try to work it out but ended up none the wiser. A standard vibrator given to her on her hen night was as far as her experience with sex toys went, and even that hadn’t seen much use. Sophie flicked over the page and read the product description.

'The all new Vibrating Lick’n’Love Ring features all the best features of our regular vibrating cock ring, with the addition of an innovative silicone tongue-shaped clit stimulator for enhanced couple play. Designed to move and feel like a real tongue, the remote control Lick’n’Love Ring combines the best of all worlds. The fully waterproof unit also comes with detachable anal stimulation beads for male or female use.'

Sophie read the blurb with her hands pressed against her cheeks in shock. Was Lucien testing her again?

Or was this just the reality of the job she’d taken on? Sophie wasn’t certain, but either way she needed to write the report. A flick through the rest of the pages showed them to be individual satisfaction surveys with tick box answers, and then a space for individual comments. Straightforward enough to collate, but far from easy to read. Sophie found herself growing hot and flustered as she read the anonymous strangers’ responses on the forms. It certainly seemed as if the toy had found favour with its reviewers.

Mind blowing orgasm, one said. Felt just like a real tongue, another reported. Sophie found her eyes constantly pulled back to the image of the toy as she tallied up the responses.

Was it really that good? How life-like would it actually feel? These questions and more crossed Sophie’s mind as she collated the comments, and she didn’t hear Lucien’s office door open until he appeared around her doorway. He gave her a mock salute when she glanced up.

Were her cheeks telltale red? Could he see how flustered she was? By the knowing gleam in his blue eyes, probably yes.

“I’ll be just out here if you need anything,” he murmured. Sophie looked up as he turned away, and couldn’t help but notice the way his dark shirt clung to the width of his shoulders. He was obviously in great shape, long and lean with defined muscles. Sophie puffed her fringe out of her eyes and shook her head to dislodge her mind from the path it was heading down. A path that had her wondering just how good Lucien Knight would look without that shirt on.

“How’s the report coming along?” The question appeared in the chat box in the corner of the screen. She hesitated, then tapped,

“Okay I think. Almost finished.”

“Nice work. Come and feedback the results to me when you’re done.”

Lucien probably heard her gasp out loud. The idea of discussing the reports findings with him made her squirm in her seat.

She couldn’t, she just couldn’t.

“Yes you can.” The words popped up on the screen, and she heard his low laugh. “Your CV said you want to be challenged, Ms. Black.”

Sophie put her hands over her face. She hadn’t expected this sort of challenge.

“Fifteen minutes. Bring coffee.”

Sophie almost longed for her old job as she clicked save on the last of the comments and pressed print. Boredom was easier to handle than this barrage of nerves that had her constantly on edge.

She pinned two copies of the report together and put them on the tray next to the coffee. It was now or never. She popped her head around the door.

“I could just email the report to you if you’re busy?”

Lucien grinned at her last ditch avoidance pitch.

“No need. I’m all ears, Sophie.”

She turned back and took a deep breath as she picked up the tray. It was time for the other Sophie to come out to play; the one Lucien had given the job to. She could do this.

She turned around and went through into Lucien’s office.

CHAPTER FOUR

Sophie placed Lucien’s coffee down next to him and took the seat opposite his at the desk.

“So, Sophie. How did you get on with the report?”

Sophie picked up the two printed copies and handed one across to him. He glanced down at the front cover, on which Sophie had included the image of the Love’n’Lick Ring and its blurb accompanied by the date and report header.

“Nice presentation.” He nodded. “So far, so good.”

“Thank you.” Sophie smiled but didn’t look up and meet his eyes. She’d decided that the only way she was going to make it through this session was by imagining that he was her old boss, Derek, and they were discussing something as innocuous as wall grouting options. If she looked up, that would be impossible.

Lucien turned the top page over to the results analysis.

“Talk me through the findings, please Sophie.”

Sophie swallowed at his softly spoken command. Short of refusing, he’d left her little room for manoeuvre. She cleared her throat.

“Well, as you can see, the test group found that the product was, umm… fit for purpose.”