Forbidden Passion Read online

  Ruth Gogoll

  FORBIDDEN PASSION

  Translated from the German by

  Susan Way

  © 2012

  édition el!es

  www.elles-books.com

  [email protected]

  Translation by Susan Way

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form whatsoever.

  Cover Illustration:

  © -Misha – Fotolia.com

  Part 1

  Part 2

  – 1 –

  Tiny letters danced across the screen in front of Kim’s eyes. Exhausted, she rubbed at her eyelids. Working at a computer for hours at a stretch wasn’t exactly restful. But when she could work no more, she went to one particular Internet site, where she could relax a little. There were stories there that she read again and again.

  Very special stories. From woman to woman.

  Slowly, Kim let herself slip into the tale. The woman with the chestnut brown hair sank back on the couch, and the other woman leaned over her –

  “Ms. Wolff?”

  Kim spun around. Her boss stood in the doorway. Silky chestnut brown hair fell across her shoulders, shiny and seductive. Kim swallowed.

  “Are you working on something urgent?” her boss asked. “Or could you come see me right now?”

  “I can . . . come,” Kim managed with an effort. That was certainly true. She probably could’ve, almost.

  Sonja Kantner, department head and object of Kim’s restless dreams, glanced briefly at Kim’s computer screen, but she was too far away, the screen stood at too sharp an angle, and the letters were too small. Kim thanked all the goddesses in heaven for that.

  “Let me just save this.” Kim felt heat rising to her face. She hoped she hadn’t turned beet red. Lucky for her that she didn't usually suffer that fate.

  “Fine, do that.” Sonja Kantner nodded, then turned away.

  Kim watched her luscious backside disappear from the doorway. Did she have to be so attractive? It was a daily torture.

  SIX WEEKS EARLIER

  Six weeks ago Kim had seen her new boss for the first time, in the conference room at Sonja’s introduction to the company. Kim had nearly fainted. She immediately began working out a plan for how, “for reasons of strategic importance to the company,” she could move the department head’s office – normally immediately adjacent to her own – to the other end of the hall, or better yet, to another floor. Or even better still, to another building.

  After relating a few of his new department head’s career highlights, the CEO gave the floor to Kim’s new boss. “Why don’t you start by introducing yourself, Mrs. Kantner?”

  He stepped back, and Sonja Kantner stepped forward. She repeated, in slightly different terms, what he’d already said about her work history, but Kim wasn’t interested in all that. What interested her was something Sonja Kantner had said right at the start: married, no children.

  “Yet,” she added with a charming smile.

  She’d guessed right. Kim almost sighed when she received confirmation of what she’d already known anyhow. Sonja Kantner was straight, and solidly so. But what good would it have been, even if things were otherwise? Kim brooded some more over her plan to ship her off to another building. Maybe over in Eichhalde. Didn’t they have branch offices in other countries than Germany, too? Couldn’t Sonja be assigned overseas?

  Kim knew one thing, at least: She wouldn’t be able to stand having her new boss so close to her for long, every day, almost every minute. Or perhaps Kim would get used to her and the attraction would fade with time? Kim examined Sonja Kantner’s body once more from head to toe as she spoke. No. No, the chances of that were exceedingly slim. The opposite was more likely to occur.

  The assembly started to break up, and Kim was about to leave when the CEO waved in her direction. “Ms. Wolff? Would you come over here, please?”

  Kim took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. Courage! She walked over to the two of them, and he introduced her with a smile. “This, Sonja, will be your closest coworker, Kim Wolff. Kim, I’d like to formally introduce you to Sonja Kantner.”

  Sonja smiled and extended her hand to Kim. Kim would rather not have touched her, but she could hardly be rude, after all. Sonja’s hand was soft and warm. Once they actually touched, Kim would have preferred never to let go, so it was left to Sonja to draw back after the appropriate interval, which she did.

  “I’m glad to meet you, Kim. I hope we’ll work well together.”

  Work together? Kim thought, but aloud she responded with what was expected of her: “I hope so, too, and I’m looking forward to our association as well.” She smiled in a way that she hoped came across as confident. The tingling that had slowly spread from her hand throughout her entire body somewhat hindered her ability to be precise in her reactions.

  “You’ll take Sonja on a tour of the company and show her everything, won’t you, Kim?” her CEO surmised, in a tone of friendly command.

  Kim tried not to gulp. “Yes,” she replied, the effort required to control her voice making it sound very soft. “Of course. I’ll show her everything.” If only that were possible! What Kim would have liked to show her . . .!

  Sonja laughed. “But not until tomorrow! Today, I still have to tour the executive floor.”

  The CEO melted at her charming smile just as Kim had, only he was permitted to let it show; Kim wasn’t. One day’s reprieve! At least she had that!

  “Then until tomorrow.” Sonja smiled at Kim once more. “What time will you get in?”

  Kim forced out an answer. “At eight.”

  “Good.” Sonja smiled. “I’ll be here at seven.”

  “This really wasn’t necessary, Kim.” Mrs. Kantner greeted her, beaming.

  Already in such a good mood this early in the morning – this was going to be something! When had she gotten up? Kim had been punctual, but Sonja was already sitting at the desk when Kim entered her office.

  She came over to Kim and extended her hand. “Good morning,” she said when she’d reached Kim, and her eyes delved into Kim’s with an irresistible gaze.

  She probably had no idea what effect that had on Kim . . . what effect she herself had on Kim –

  “You could just as well have come in at eight,” Sonja continued. “I know I get on everyone’s nerves by being such an early riser. But I like to catch up on things in peace and quiet first thing in the morning. When there’s no one here yet. Otherwise there are some things I’d never get to.” Her laugh was enormously likeable.

  She’d only just started. What was there for her to catch up on? Kim nudged herself into an understanding smile and withdrew her hand, which Sonja was still holding. “You’re right about that,” she agreed. “Although I prefer to do it in the evening, when everyone else is gone.”

  Sonja Kantner laughed once more and went back to her desk. “To each her own.” She turned to face Kim. “How late do you stay at the office in the evenings?”

  “Sometimes until ten. But I usually don’t come in until –” Kim broke off. Perhaps she shouldn’t reveal to her new boss what time she normally came in in the morning.

  Sonja smiled. She was too clever to be led so easily astray. “You don’t normally come in at seven or eight, do you?”

  Kim sighed. “No,” she admitted. “But I’ll change that, of course,” she added hastily. “If you’re here at seven, I will be, too.”

  “That won’t be necessary. As I said: I know I get on everyone’s nerves by being such an early bird, but I don’t demand it of anyone else.” Sonja kept smiling. “Although by ten o’clock in the evening, I’m usually in bed. So we ought to agree on some time in between.”

 
In bed? Kim looked at her. How seductive must she look lying in bed, if she was already this attractive during the day? She was sure to have wonderful negligees for nighttime . . . and if she wore nothing at all . . .?

  “What’s the earliest you can be here?” Sonja was paging through a file on her desk, something her predecessor must’ve left behind.

  Kim had to tear herself away from her un-businesslike thoughts. “Eight-thirty?” she suggested. She could probably manage that, just about.

  Sonja looked up. “Fine.” She smiled once more in that unbelievably likeable, almost loving way. “And if it’s more like nine sometimes, that’s not a problem. I suspect that was the time you really wanted to suggest, am I right?”

  She must’ve graduated from a great many leadership seminars, to be this good. “Yes,” Kim admitted.

  “We’ll thrash it out together eventually!” Sonja laughed. “Will you show me around now?”

  Thrash it out together – what a nice image, Kim thought for a moment. Then the two of them left the office for the tour.

  And they really had thrashed things out together, so to speak. Working with Sonja was a pleasure. What Kim found less enjoyable was the physical proximity that usually went with it, and which Sonja showed no inclination to limit. She leaned over Kim’s chair when she stood behind her and Kim had to show her something on the computer screen. When they met at a conference table to discuss something, she sat very close to Kim so they could study the same papers. Again and again, she smiled when they talked – always purely business, of course – and brushed casually against Kim’s arm, raising goosebumps that were visible for miles – or would be, if Kim hadn’t made a habit of wearing long-sleeved blouses to work.

  Straight women! It never occurred to them that women might also be receptive to such temptation. In that respect, only men existed for them. Kim was already dreading the approach of summer. Her T-shirts and short-sleeved blouses would have to rot in her closet, and she would sweat like hell. But she still preferred that to letting Sonja Kantner see how she felt.

  On the other hand, Kim also yearned for that physical closeness. To a certain extent, it was sweet torture whenever her boss called her over or approached her to work . . . when she was so dreadfully close, and yet Kim couldn’t come any closer.

  Never would Kim have dared to touch her the way Sonja carelessly touched Kim, just brushing her arm like that.

  Kim would’ve exploded – on the spot.

  ~*~*~*~

  Kim brought herself back to the present. I should go over there, she thought. She’ll be wondering where I am.

  She entered Sonja’s office and was greeted with a smile, as always. “Let’s sit there.” Sonja indicated the conference table.

  Oh, no, not that again! Kim had barely managed to calm down after being surprised by Sonja at her computer screen so uncomfortably – but Sonja was completely unaware of that. For her, all of this was innocent. She was straight, after all.

  Kim lowered herself into a nearby chair and waited for her boss to sit down next to her, but she didn’t. She sat down on the opposite side of the table and placed a prospectus in front of Kim.

  Kim picked it up and looked inside. “You’re going to this seminar?” Thank the Goddess! A couple of days of peace!

  “Yes, and I’d like you to come along.”

  So much for the relaxation. “Me?” Kim asked, astonished. “This is a management seminar.” She looked at Sonja. “Do you need someone to take minutes?”

  “No.” Sonja shook her head. “I don’t want you to take minutes. I want you to take part in the seminar, just like I will.”

  “But I . . . I’m not a manager,” Kim marveled rather feebly.

  Sonja Kantner leaned forward and looked at Kim with that intense gaze that Kim could barely endure. “But you could become a manager.” She leaned back again. “In my opinion, you are considerably under-challenged in your current position. You have many other qualities than those you’re putting to use here. And I wish to foster them. Once you’ve completed this seminar, you’ll meet all of the prerequisites for a promotion. You could be a manager by the fall.”

  Other qualities? What did Sonja Kantner mean by that? Had she noticed that . . .? Did she want to get rid of Kim? Kim cast a furtive glance at her boss. No, she seemed as friendly and competent as ever. “By the fall?” Kim asked, taken aback.

  “Yes, it can’t happen any sooner. Promotions are only announced once a year.”

  “I know.”

  “And? What do you say?” Sonja asked with an inviting smile. “Will you come along?”

  “If you want . . .” Kim replied vaguely. This was her boss. If she said Kim had to, then Kim had to.

  “No, no!” Sonja shook her head. “I don’t want to force you into anything. You’re welcome to say no. But I think this would be a great opportunity for you, wouldn’t it?” She gave Kim a questioning look.

  “Yes. Yes, it certainly would be,” Kim admitted.

  Kim’s misgivings were not of a professional nature. She was more than happy to have the chance at a promotion. That would certainly have more money attached to it. But at a seminar like this, they’d be even closer than they were here in the office. And there would be no blessed end of the day at which they’d part ways and go home.

  Kim knew about these seminar hotels, too. There was never anything nearby. That meant conference attendees sat in the bar in the evening with other seminar participants, because there was nothing else to do but have a drink and gab away. All small talk, and normally not a problem, aside from the inevitable boredom, but if Sonja were there, she and Kim would probably tend to concentrate on one another because they didn’t know anyone else. Until well past midnight, probably, when it was finally time to go to sleep.

  Fine. Kim would at least have those few hours alone in her hotel room to recover from her, from her constant gaze, from her uninterrupted presence.

  Sonja was still watching Kim, waiting for her answer. She was probably wondering why Kim would hesitate at all. Anyone else would surely have agreed right away, and with excitement.

  Kim nodded. “Sure. I’m looking forward to it.” She gave Sonja the most enthusiastic smile she could muster, to make her forget her hesitation.

  “Lovely.” Sonja stood up. “Are you finished with the report that we talked about this morning?” she asked as she went back to her desk; she was obviously already thinking about something else.

  “Almost. The meeting with the project group took longer than expected. I haven’t quite had time to finish it up.” And because of the little excursion Kim had needed to make on the Internet . . . But Sonja Kantner certainly didn’t need to know about that.

  “When, then?” her boss asked succinctly. She was exceptionally efficient when it came to work.

  “In an hour,” Kim promised.

  Her boss nodded. “Bring it to me as soon as you’re done, please.” She sat down, and with that, Kim was dismissed.

  Kim glanced down at the prospectus one more time as she stood up. “Should I reserve the rooms?”

  Sonja looked up briefly. “No, I’ll take care of that. It’s included with the registration. I need to talk to them about something else anyway.” She went back to reviewing her files.

  Kim nodded, left the office, and stopped at the coffee vending machine. She needed something to get over that shock. Unfortunately, the company management hadn’t seen fit to provide stronger drinks for such occasions. Hard liquor would’ve been just the thing right now. Kim did know of a colleague or two who were guaranteed to have a bottle hidden in their desks, but she didn’t really want to go so far as to ask.

  ~*~*~*~

  The seminar took place a week and a half later.

  The drive took just under two hours. Kim and Sonja chatted about in-house business, appointments for the following week, when they’d be back, and other organizational matters. Kim became more and more aware of Sonja’s proximity while her boss drove and talked at
the same time, developing entire concepts as she spoke. Kim’s job was primarily to listen. She could observe Sonja Kantner the entire time in complete innocence.

  Sonja’s car was a large one, but Kim pressed herself inconspicuously against the outside edge anyway, into the door. The broad automatic transmission console in the center did separate them, but it wasn’t enough to keep her from feeling Sonja’s body heat with increasing intensity and smelling her perfume. Her scent was familiar to Kim, but was intensified by the closeness of the car. It unleashed indecent fantasies in her mind. Kim imagined how Sonja would smell when she was aroused, when she lay in bed and spread her legs –

  “Do you think we can do it that way?” Sonja glanced briefly over at Kim.

  Kim hadn’t been listening. “Yes. Yes, sure. Certainly,” she answered quickly. She’d find out eventually what it was her boss had been referring to.

  Sonja turned her attention away from Kim and back to the road. Ten minutes later, they had arrived and headed for the reception desk. Sonja took care of everything while Kim looked around and waited for the concierge to hand her the room key.

  When Sonja had finished, she turned around and dangled the plastic keycard in front of Kim’s face. “Would you like to . . .” she inquired with an inviting smile.

  “Is that my key?” Kim asked in return. She was rather surprised. Normally, the concierge only gave them out individually, and each guest had to sign something first.

  “Ours,” Sonja Kantner replied, similarly slightly surprised. “I explained all that in the car earlier. The registration was too last-minute. They only had one more room available. And the other participants are all men. So they put us two girls together.” She laughed at her own joke, referring to grown women as ‘girls’. “Earlier, in the car, you said it was fine. Or would you rather room with someone else –?” She broke off, even more confused than before.

  With a man? Oh, no, definitely not! In that case, I’d rather stay with you. Although Kim didn’t find that prospect exactly enticing. That is, she did find it enticing – but that was hardly open for debate. So she wouldn’t even get to recover alone in her room at night. Even then, she would be there.