She was going to be cordial and polite. If anything, this was the one thing Delaney kept telling herself as she pulled into the parking space marked for the Assistant Manager. She sat in the car for a few more seconds, collected her thoughts, and opened the door. JC’s parking space was right next to hers and his brand new Mercedes convertible was so shiny it was almost gleaming in the sunlight. She locked the door to the car and followed the path to the sidewalk that led her to the back entrance of the hotel.

“Hi, Ms. Nixon.”

Delaney turned to see Ashley walking behind her. She smiled at her and stopped as Ashley caught up to her.

“Hi, Ashley. And it’s okay to call me Delaney.” Delaney tried to be assuring in her tone but Ashley shook her head.

“No, Mr. Chasez insists we call all hotel managers by their last name. It garners respect or so he says.” Ashley told her this trying her best not to roll her eyes and Delaney could tell she was trying to keep a straight face.

“Well, I’m not Mr. Chasez. You can call me Delaney, at least off the clock.” Delaney opened the door that led to the back of the hotel. She waited while Ashley clocked in and then they took the elevator up to the lobby.

“I’ll see you later Ms-I mean, Delaney.” Ashley smiled as she walked in the opposite direction of Delaney towards the Spa at the opposite end of the lobby. Delaney turned towards the stairs that led to the corridor of her office. Just as she went to unlock the door she looked up to see JC standing at the other end of the hallway coming towards her.

“Good morning.” Delaney did her best to be polite and smiled at him.

“We have a meeting in fifteen minutes,” said JC, his response less than welcoming or inviting.

“I’m aware.” Delaney opened the door to her office and stepped inside, greeted by a large flower arrangement on her desk. She went over to it and took the card from between a white rose and a red rose.

Welcome to The Chancellor. We look forward to working with you. Regards, Human Resources.

“That’s sweet,” Delaney said to herself and looked up to see JC now standing in the doorway of her office. “Did you need to tell me anything else?”

“Just seeing what you did with the place.” He looked around the office and saw a few pictures of Delaney and who he assumed to be her family. She had her college diploma on the wall above her desk and the Hospitality Management award framed next to it.

“When did you win that?” JC walked closer to her desk and peered at the award. “2011, huh? I got mine my first year here as manager.”

“So 2009?” Delaney asked him, knowing the answer already.  

“Uh huh. How did you know?” He rested his palm on the edge of her desk as Delaney sat down and put her purse in the bottom desk drawer.

“I did my homework before I came here. I told you that.” Delaney shrugged. “And I also won the award my first year at the Ritz, in case we’re comparing notes.” She was trying to be funny but JC didn’t take it as such and pulled a face at her.

“No comparison needed, honey. I know I’m quite good at what I do.” He turned and began to walk to the door. “Don’t be late for your first meeting. See you in a few minutes.” He barely acknowledged her as he left and Delaney, thinking that they were possibly making headway, clasped her hands together and groaned into them. She would not let him do this again and ruin her first day on the new job.

Before the first meeting, JC ventured down to The Cup, the coffee shop on property. He was curious to see if the girl he’d seen a few days before behind the counter was working that morning. Opening the door, he spotted her fixing a cup of coffee for a guest and chatting with the other barista. He watched her for a few seconds. She had long black hair that cascaded past her shoulders and an olive complexion. The black button down she wore as part of her uniform was unbuttoned just enough so that he could look at her cleavage. He noticed her breasts were full and big, peeking out just enough for him to gaze upon them. Once the guest had gotten his coffee and left the counter, JC made his way over and rested his elbow on the bar, his chin in his hand.

“Good morning.” He greeted her and she turned around, surprised but then giving him a sexy smirk.

“Good morning, Mr. Chasez.” She walked to the edge of the counter where he stood. “What can I get you this morning?”

JC looked at her right in the eyes and he could already tell she knew what he was there for.

“What’s your specialty?”

She bit on her lower lip and laughed softly. “Hot and steamy…” she started off and paused and JC chuckled when she finished with, “coffee.” He looked at her nametag. Morgan.

“Well, Morgan, I think I’ll take some of that.” He leaned forward and brushed his hand against hers. “And how about you bring that hot and steamy specialty up to my office around eleven?”

Morgan gasped and did her best to compose herself, then nodded. “Okay. Eleven. Do you take cream and sugar?”

JC felt as though he were in a bad porn. That line could be used in so many different ways it wasn’t even funny.

“Just come up to the office at eleven. We’ll handle it from there.” He turned and left the coffee shop, checking his watch as he walked back through the lobby. It was nearing nine o’clock and he was going to get to the meeting just in time but it didn’t matter. He was already looking forward to eleven.

He spotted Andrea at her usual post at the front of the entrance and walked around one of the columns in the lobby to avoid her. He still wanted her around but Morgan was easily going to take her place, no question.

Ashley had heard the entire exchange between JC and Morgan. She’d been hidden by the magazine rack and suntan lotion on the other end of the coffee shop and had been far enough to not be seen, but close enough to hear everything. Going to the counter, she pulled out her Chancellor card to receive the employee discount and paid for a latte. She said nothing to Morgan but watched her blush and look at the path that JC had just walked to get back to the lobby. It disgusted Ashley to think of just how many women JC had lured into his office.

As she walked out of the coffee shop and back towards the spa, she felt her phone buzzing in her pocket. She pulled it out and smiled when she saw it was Chris texting her a smile and asking if she could take a lunch break at one when he took his. For a minute, Ashley forgot about the sleaze she had just encountered and went back to the spa.

“The new menu for Room Service is going to include specialties from Cartwrights, Miso’s, and Mussels,” said Chris as he passed out the new Room Service menus at the meeting. “We don’t want it to just be club sandwiches or hamburgers. People come to The Chancellor for a whole new experience so why not make the Room Service menu just as nice as any other menu but keep prices lower?”

JC flipped through the four pages of the Room Service menu and looked up at Chris, regarding him as though he were a flea. “That’s all well and good but if people see they’re paying $20 for a shrimp and crab salad and then see that they only have to pay $15 for Room Service, they’ll easily stay in and get the cheaper option.”

“That’s not necessarily true.” Delaney spoke up and looked from Chris to JC. “People who come to this type of hotel want to go out to dinner. They have the money to spend $20 on a salad and five bucks isn’t going to make that much of a difference.”

She could tell immediately she’d hit a nerve with JC. He grimaced and cleared his throat.

“So would Room Service be going back and forth to the restaurants and getting the orders?” JC asked Chris.

“No. We’d get the recipes from the chefs at each restaurant and prepare them in the kitchen in Room Service.” Chris answered and looked at both JC and Delaney waiting for their response.

“Would they be as good as the chef’s original recipe?” JC leaned back in his chair and folded his hands behind his head. He swiveled back and forth and looked at Chris, a look of disbelief on his face.

Chris didn’t say anything at first, only let out air slowly through his nose. He looked down at the table and then back at JC. “There’s only one way to find out.”

“Good. Then the chef should get on it. I leave at six today. I’ll expect to have tasted a few items from each menu before then. Then we’ll decide if this so-called idea of yours works.” JC looked at Delaney. “Do you have anything to add?” He figured it would be a rhetorical question and Delaney would shake her head ‘no’ and that would be it.

“Actually, I do,” Delaney said and laced her fingers together. She rested them on the table and looked at Chris. “I don’t think it’s necessary for you have the chef go through all that trouble.  Maybe he could just do one of the menu items or just create a small sample.” She could feel JC glaring at her but continued. “Making all of those dishes would take away from Room Service and there are supposed to be showers in the afternoon. I can guarantee that means a few people are going to stay in and order lunch.”

“While Ms. Nixon thinks that she’s had the final say here, I’m going back to my decision-“ JC started but was quickly interrupted.

“JC, you can’t expect the kitchen staff in Room Service to drop everything and start making full meals of dishes you’re not even going to finish.” Delaney had tried her best to remain calm and even-keeled but even she could detect the impatient tone her voice carried.

“Then perhaps Chris needs to just stick with the old Room Service menu and be done with it.” JC saw Chris looking at him and Delaney as if he were watching a tennis match.

“Well, then this meeting was a waste of everyone’s time.” Delaney sighed, not hiding at all the exasperation that had built up. “You wanted new items on the menu, Chris is giving you a reasonable suggestion and-“

“Step outside with me, Ms. Nixon.” JC abruptly stood to his feet and before Delaney could answer him, had already made his way to the door of the tiny office room they were using as a meeting space.

Delaney stepped into the hallway and JC immediately began to lay into her.

“I don’t know who the hell you think you are but you’d better go back in there and show some support for me. This wasn’t meant to be up for discussion. I’m the general manager of this hotel and you are the assistant. Assistant. So you can try and call the shots but I’ll be damned if you try to overstep my authority!”

“I’m not trying to overstep anything. But this meeting was called because you said yourself that the Room Service menu needed to be updated and revamped. That’s what Chris is trying to do and you’ve shot down every idea he’s had today. And as for you making the chef create all of those meals for you? That’s a waste of time and food and money. If you go back in there and tell them that you want the menu to stay the same then you’re going to make a lot of employees irritated.” Delaney stepped back and waited for him to reply.

JC looked down at her and his blue eyes looked as though they would shoot icy crystal daggers at her. She had to admit they were captivating but she was beyond looking at him as anything other than an asshole at this point.

“Then I guess I’ll have to risk it, won’t I?” JC snapped and turned on his heel to head back into the meeting. Delaney wished she had something to throw at the back of his head. She collected herself and walked in behind him.

“Ms. Nixon and I have decided it best to forego the new menu idea and just stick with what we have,” JC said and Delaney immediately tried to say something but he continued. “Thank you for your time.”

“So that’s it?” Chris asked, still remaining seated and looking at JC in disbelief. “You asked me to create a new menu and after an hour long meeting this is your decision?”

“Yes.” JC answered the question as though Chris had asked him if the sun rose and set everyday.

“That’s bullshit.” Chris muttered this under his breath and slowly rose to stand.

“Excuse me?” JC snapped and waited at the door.

“Nothing.” Chris shook his head and JC eyed him before walking out of the room.

Chris looked at Delaney. “What did you have against this idea?”

“Absolutely nothing. But apparently the general manager and the assistant are not allowed to disagree.” She was oozing with sarcasm but she didn’t care. “It’s his loss. It was a great idea and I think we should bring this back to the table in a few weeks.”

“Thanks. Though I still don’t know why he continually shoots down every single idea I throw at him.” Chris followed Delaney out into the hall and they began to walk back to their offices. “I don’t even know why I bother to have meetings with him since nothing ever changes.”

Delaney knew that JC had to be jealous of Chris in some way or form. She wondered if Chris had done something to JC unbeknownst to him back when they’d first started out. Maybe it was a fight over a girl or something. She shrugged the thought off and looked at Chris.

“I wouldn’t worry about it. You were made the Food and Beverage manager for a reason.” She was trying to be positive but Chris still had a doubtful expression on his face.

“Yeah, well, he was made the General Manager over the whole damn place. So he did something better.” Chris sighed and went into his office, leaving Delaney out in the hallway alone. She didn’t even hesitate as she began to walk towards JC’s office and did her best to keep her calm as she marched up the stairs and rapped her knuckle against his door.

“Come in.”

Delaney opened the door and saw JC starting out of his office window out at the beach. He turned around and made a face.

“Can I help you, Ms. Nixon?” He asked with a bored tone in his voice.

“Do you have something against Chris, JC? And also, you can call me Delaney. I find you calling me ‘Ms. Nixon’ to be degrading.” She crossed to his desk and placed her hands on the edge, leaning her weight onto it.

“Find it however you want to find it. I was taught to be a professional.”

“Oh? And did they also teach you how to be an ass? Because you’re really good at that, too.” Delaney snapped and JC went to reply but she didn’t give him the chance. “I am not going to come into work and be faced with opposition from you everyday. You may think this place only exists to run because of you but it takes several people, a surplus of many teams, and a lot of decisions. You’re running it like a dictatorship and it may have worked in the last few years but you have to bend at some point.”

“This hotel has seen a gross net of over fifty million dollars this year alone. Our stock is higher than it’s ever been and we’re in the midst of plans to add on a new wing. So don’t you stand there and tell me I don’t know how to run this place!” JC raised his voice it only urged Delaney further.

“I never said you didn’t know how. I said that you run it like a dictatorship and if you know anything about history, you know that dictatorships ultimately fail. Five years is one thing but can it last another five with you acting like you do?” Delaney felt her heart beat fast against her chest and knew she’d never felt as agitated as she did right then and there. She knew she was making great points but they were falling on deaf ears.

At that minute there was a knock at the door. JC issued a “come in” and Delaney turned around to see a female employee from The Cup standing there with a cup of coffee in her hand. She looked a little taken aback to see Delaney and tried to play nonchalant. Delaney knew why the girl was there in the first place and was even more disgusted at JC.

“Is that all?” JC glared at Delaney.

“I guess it has to be, doesn’t it?” Delaney sighed and it was only then that she felt she’d clenched her fists together tightly throughout the whole exchange. She turned and walked past the girl standing in the door and headed back to her office.

“Did I interrupt?” Morgan asked JC as she stepped into his office.

“You came just in time.” JC walked over to her, reached around and shut his door. He locked it and then brushed up against her, taking the coffee out of her hand. “We won’t need this.”

“I know.” Morgan reached behind her and took her hair out of the ponytail it had been in. “But I had to have a reason to get up here. You can’t just tell someone you’re going up to fuck the boss can you?”

“Oh? And how do you know we’re going to fuck?” JC had her pressed against the wall.

“Just a hunch.” Morgan began to unbutton her blouse but JC put his hand on top of hers.

“Let me. I’ve been thinking about your breasts since I saw you earlier today.” His fingers skillfully undid each button until he was able to slide the shirt off of her shoulders. He stood back and admired her full breasts, taut and tight against the lacy material of her bra. “Now, Morgan, there are a few ground rules you should know about.” He reached out to cup each of her breasts in his hands and kneaded them as he spoke. “This is just sex, okay? Nothing more, nothing less. If you start thinking otherwise-“

“Let me put your mind at ease.” Morgan’s voice was breathy and low. “I don’t want anything more. To be honest, I’ve wanted to fuck you since I first started this job. I think you’re just about the sexiest boss I’ve ever had.”

“Perfect. Then we’ll get along great.” JC started to undress and pulled her with him over to his desk.

Andrea looked wistfully at the large clock over the Front Desk. It was already past eleven and she hadn’t seen him at all that morning. She reminded herself that it wasn’t everyday that they got together but after yesterday and being with him twice like she’d been, she was expecting him to come find her sooner. She knew she was in over her head and that she should’ve remembered what he’d told her after their first encounter. It was just sex. He didn’t want a relationship with her. Unfortunately, Andrea had fallen and she had fallen hard for JC. She couldn’t help it.

“Hi, Andrea.”

Andrea shook herself from her thoughts and looked up to see Todd standing next to her.

“Hi, Todd.” She smiled at him and was grateful that he’d distracted her. She liked Todd. He was always nice to her and had helped her out many times in her first few weeks at the hotel. It was a large complex and easy to get lost in, not to mention as a lobby greeter, Andrea had to know where everything was located. By now she knew the hotel like the back of her hand but most of that had been because of Todd.

“Have you had lunch yet?”

Andrea shook her head. “No. Morgan was supposed to let me know when she was going but I haven’t seen her.”

“Oh yeah. How’s the roommate situation going with her?” Todd picked up a few fallen leaves off of the large floral display behind Andrea.

Andrea shrugged. “Fine, I guess. She’s not really home and goes out and parties a lot.”

“Not really your thing?” Todd asked, already knowing the answer.

“No. I mean, I don’t mind going out every now and then but she’ll go out till four or five and then come here and work all day. I can’t do that.” Andrea shrugged. “But other than that we get along fine.”

Morgan kissed JC once more before rolling off of him. She stood with her feet planted on either side of the floor and looked down at him, smirking. JC hadn’t even made it to his desk before they’d both fallen onto the floor together.

“Thanks.” Morgan walked over to where her panties had fallen in a puddle on the floor by the door. She pulled them on slowly and watched as he sat up and reached for his pants, thrown over the loveseat. “You just let me know when you wanna go again.”

JC stood and walked over to her, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her hard. “Not your first time to do this with your boss, is it?”

Morgan fastened her bra and flung one arm around his neck and took her free hand and began to massage him between his legs. JC’s eyes widened at her gesture.

“My business ethics professor and I fucked for months.” Morgan grinded into him and kissed him, letting her tongue trace his teeth. “Then his wife found out. It wasn’t very fun.”

JC raised an eyebrow, chuckling at the fact that it was a professor who’d taught business ethics of all things. “Well, I guess you’re definitely not a stranger to this, then.”

Morgan shook her head, biting her lower lip. “It’s just sex. I’m not looking for anything and I’m definitely not looking for marriage.”

JC looked down at her hand still moving up and down on his partially hard erection. “You know, if you’re gonna continue that, I might need to sit down and let your mouth finish it off.”

Morgan took her hand away and immediately dropped to her knees. “Or I can just do it right now.”

Fifteen minutes later, Morgan left JC’s office and quickly went into the nearest ladies’ room to wash her hands and do her best to clean up. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and smiled at herself in the mirror. She’d always had a thing for unattainable men, which had been the attraction to her professor in the first place. She also had a knack for knowing exactly how to act around them in order to get in their pants in the first place. JC had almost been too easy but he’d been one of the best she’d ever had, that was for sure.

She headed back into the lobby and saw her roommate, Andrea, talking with Todd and it was then she remembered she had told Andrea they could go to lunch together. She walked up and Andrea, caught her eye, and smiled.

“Hey. Where’d you just come from?” She asked Morgan and Morgan didn’t even flinch.

“I had a special delivery for a coffee.” Morgan looked over at Todd and acknowledged him, nodding her head. “You guys wanna go get some lunch? I’m starving.”