Page 83 of Analysing Her Assets

“How far? I’ll walk you home,” Danny said.

She really didn’t want him to. She worried Gideon would see them together. It could easily happen when he came back from his evening walk with Shemesh. Gideon wouldn’t like to see her with Danny. Not that anything was going on, but he still wouldn’t like it.

“No, really, there’s no need to walk me home. I’ll stay. Come on, what do you need to know? Let’s talk here.”

They were right by his desk, and she had a strong déjà vu of how he asked her out last time. It wouldn’t happen now since he was with Yelena.

“I’m going to be straight with you. I really like you. I think we can be good together, and you’re exactly the girl I want to bring home and show my parents.”

This was ridiculous.

“Wow, Danny. I thought you were seeing Yelena.”

“Yelena is nothing.” His booming voice was full of contempt. Tamar hoped Yelena hadn’t fallen too hard for Danny and hated him for the way he used her friend. “She’s the hors d'oeuvres before the main dish.”

“I’m the main dish?” she asked, not sure she’d heard right.

“Yes. You’re good for business. You’re a keeper. Are you with Gideon Sela? Are you guys together?”

“I really need to go,” she said. His eyes narrowed.

“I’ll walk you home,” he announced.

She didn’t know how to get rid of him, and she still needed him. Implementing the new recommendations system would require integrations, training, and tutorials. Without Danny’s good will, she had no project.

They shared the elevator with more people. When they arrived at the lobby, it was gray and cold, with a light drizzle falling. Neither of them had an umbrella.

“I have one umbrella left,” Alexi, the friendly guard at the lobby said. “Here, take it.” he gave it to Tamar. “You can share with your friend if you go together.”

Danny smiled and nodded, and she was trapped. Danny held the umbrella high above the two of them, careful to shield her more than himself. They crossed Hertzel Street and walked along Rothchild Avenue. It was windy, driving rain at them, and Danny’s black hair shone with raindrops.

“Where do you live?” she asked Danny.

“I bought a two-bedroom apartment on the Celeste project, ninth floor. It’s beautiful. I wake up in the morning and see the Mediterranean from my window.”

Celeste was a new high-end five towers project bordering on the Northern most beach of Tel Aviv.

“Oh, wow, it must have cost a fortune.” She stroked his ego and despised herself for doing it. His lips curled in a satisfied smile.

“It did.”

She steered them down Bar Ilan street, making the way a little longer because it lessened the odds of running into Gideon.

“Here, that’s me,” she said and planted herself beneath the trimmed Ficus arch. She would not invite him upstairs. Before she understood what was happening, his arm wound around her waist. He plastered her to his torso, both of her arms glued ineffectively to the sides of her body.

“Let’s kiss under an umbrella. How romantic.”

She could feel the front of his pants against her sternum. He was that much taller than her.

“Just one kiss,” he said. Just like Gideon did weeks ago.

He lowered his head and opened his mouth a little. She’d heard about women freezing when coerced and despised them for it. Why didn’t they move away, speak out, scream? Now she was just like them. Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. She couldn’t speak the words that would tell this odious man to stop. He was so strong he needed just one hand to keep her in place. The other one held the umbrella high above them. He put his mouth on hers. Tamar tried to breathe through her nose and keep her mouth shut. Danny’s lips pressed stronger, and she gasped under his pressure. He darted his tongue in and she tasted his saliva. It tasted like a stale rag. He angled his head, lifted her a little, and pressed her even closer, his tongue going deeper. She lay limp, her mouth moving under his, her head light from lack of oxygen. A part of her brain that still functioned analyzed the situation as helpless. She had to wait passively for it to be over.

Danny took his mouth away, but he didn’t put her down. She drew in a deep breath, and it pressed her breasts into his chest. He growled and slid her down his front, his large palm gluing her ass to his probing dick.

“Shit, you’re sexy,” he said.

“Danny, let go. Now.” Finally. Her voice was squeaky and whizzy, but at least it was back.

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