Synopsis
When a works team bonding exercise in a hotel looks like ending in a failed project, the interior designer tries another form of bonding.

Outside the Team
by obohobo

Warnings

Please take note!
The text in this story contains erotic material and is expressly written for adults only. 
MF Rom 

If you are underage or offended by such material, or if viewing this file is illegal in your locality, then leave, close or delete this file-story now. 
This is a work of fiction, any resemblance to persons living, dead or otherwise is purely coincidental. The ideas and thoughts that follow are pure fantasies.  In real life, at the very least they would be unpleasant and probably illegal. Fantasies are like that; daydreams where we can contemplate and imagine the sensations without suffering or inflicting the pain, despair or humiliation. 

(C) obohobo 2011

"... as you are all aware, I booked you into this hotel with a conference room facility close to the site so we could expedite the design and costing of the conversion of the old Victorian clothing factory into premises suitable for a modern mail order company on two floors and accommodation for the owner and his family on the third, without losing the character of the old building. Having you all in one room should have promoted a speedy interchange of ideas and over the week you have been here I expected the various disciplines within the group, to have coalesced into a single, vibrant team that worked and bonded together, both on the job and socially. Sadly this has not been the case with several members of the team," he paused slightly and looked at Pauline Collins, his secretary who we heard refused to go to bed with him but she didn't look up and he continued, "And unless they get their act together we could well lose the contract. This morning when I spoke to Geoffrey Pinkerton, the owner of the property, he indicated his displeasure at the progress of the design departments particularly when it now looks unlikely that we will have even draft plans by the end of next week, like I promised..." Ben Chavington, the project manager, gave what he considered a `pep talk' to inspire and chivvy the group into action but for some it had the reverse effect.

"What a lot of old bollocks!" I muttered, "Ben smarty-pants straight out of university not two months ago with a degree in business studies and an uncle who happens to be the CEO of the firm, thinks he knows everything about organising a project and we who have been doing the job for a good many years, know nothing; we're considered Luddites, dinosaurs who are not up to speed with the latest technologies and ideas. Hell, he couldn't even organise the accommodation at the hotel without a balls-up. To him we were just a list of names with a job on a computer, not humans with relationships."

With four men and four women in the group, to save money he booked four double rooms expecting us to share although he booked an extra room for himself, I suspect more because he wanted to attract women to his bed rather than to distance himself from the `workers'. On paper, the arrangement might have worked but Roger Thompson, the 25 year-old the junior architect and Jodi Carson, a fiery redhead whose job here is to estimate materials and source supplies, were partners and have lived together as man and wife for a number of years. I hadn't started to unpack when she stormed in and ordered me out and when I complained she laughed, "I guess you'll have to sleep with the big white chief and you can do a bit of brown-nosing at the same time." Knowing Jodi, I knew the words were teasing and not malicious, particularly as I had already made known my feelings about him.

Ben vehemently refused to consider it or let me travel from home each day and in the end, when none of the others would move around, it took all the force of his authority to quell the storm that broke out and threats of sanctions, to get Rachel Catalan our 24 year old IT expert and confirmed lesbian to allow me to sleep in the same room as her which I did with the threat of a rape charge if I so much as looked at her sexually. After a failed relationship many years previously, I'd decided not to go that route again and assured her that she would be safe with me. In any case our ten-year age gap and the difference in our professions; with an IT background and heavily into computers she eschewed my preference for a pencil and a sketchpad even though my work as an interior designer means that I must perforce use a computer too, would restrict our closeness.

All went well for the first three days and with each of us changing in the bathroom, I barely glimpsed any of her flesh that wasn't normally on view. On the fourth afternoon, I came into the room early and decided to shower and being alone, didn't bother about walking naked into the room to get my clean pants. She chose that moment to enter the room with Sarah Goodson our liaison officer. Rachel yelled at me to get my trousers on but Sarah, looking unashamedly at my firm but not erect, prick, commented, "Geez Tom, I didn't think you'd be so well equipped," and before dinner that evening everyone in the group knew about my `enormous weapon' that grew larger with each telling, whereas in truth it's only a little above normal at about 7 and-a-bit inches when hard.
While I'd mentally recalled my stay at the hotel, Ben reviewed the progress of each worker praising some particularly Sarah who did sleep with him and Bob Newsom who meticulously surveyed the structure. From the way things were going, I knew it would soon me my turn, not to receive praise but to be lacerated with the sharp edge of his tongue, however, he attacked Richard `Dick' Stevens, our 45 year old chief architect, first. "After a week here you and your assistant have nothing but a few vague outlines and drawings of the place as it is now, to show for your time. You've been sitting around pretending to make notes or wandering over the site measuring this and that and yet have produced nothing in the way of a draft plan. I hope you intend working over the weekend to make up for the wasted time." 

I knew Dick wouldn't put up with comments like that but wouldn't get angry or abusive and he confirmed this by pushing his bulk up, scraping his chair noisily out of the way to allow his pot belly to clear the table and in his usual quiet way said, "Male bovine excrement!" before pushing his way around the others and out of the room. I've never known him to actually swear and those that understood his terminology, covered their faces to hide their smirks from Ben.

"Your job is just as much at risk as everyone else's," Ben yelled after him and we knew the simple answer had rattled his nerves. Then came his assault on me. "As for you Tom Harris, you designers are all the same, you think you are outside the team and have the right to sit around doodling on scraps of paper to try and make us believe you are thinking. Well you don't fool me..." Taking a leaf out of Dick's book, I turned my chair around and faced away from him while he, red faced, continued to lambaste my work and me. Maybe I should have told him that the whole concept of the time away was wrong, but I didn't, he could find that out the hard way. I couldn't design the interiors until the architects determined the size and shape of the rooms and Dick couldn't really get started until Bob completed the structural survey to determine which of the inside walls could safely be knocked down. I also needed to talk with the owners although I had a fairly good idea of their requirements because I knew them and stayed with them several years ago but at the moment to keep the peace, I went along with the advice Sarah said she'd received from the him and didn't let her or Ben know of my inside knowledge.

*****

"You leaving Tom? Going home after Ben's comments?" 

"No, Pauline, I'm going away to another guest house for a few days, the atmosphere here is depressing and demoralising. I work better where it is quieter and I don't want him to think I'm resigning. You don't look very happy either."

"Ben and Sarah left me this pile of work so it will be midnight before I get to bed. I don't know how much more of this I can take. Reports, reports and more reports and most of them I suspect are not read."

"Bin them and come to the guest house with me. I've a twin room and like with Rachel, you won't be raped or anything."

"I'd lose my job."

"You'll lose your mind if you stay for long and end up with a nervous breakdown and in any case, the future of this project hangs by a thread. Go and pack your stuff and let's get the hell out of here. I doubt you'll get the sack and if it went to a tribunal his behaviour would be closely questioned and because he invited you to his room, you could play the sexual harassment card."

"I don't know, Tom..."

Seeing her wavering, I picked up the pile of papers and theatrically dumped the lot in the wastepaper basket, jumbling and mixing them until it would take a considerable time to sort them again, such was my certainty that she really wanted to get away and my anger at the way Ben treated us. "Go pack," I ordered quietly.

*****

"They'll think we've gone away for a dirty weekend." Pauline sounded part worried and part amused but I couldn't look because of the heavy traffic on the narrow road.

"It's probably best if they do." She looked puzzled but didn't question the remark and I didn't explain.

"Sarah will be disappointed, she intended to seduce you this weekend."

"I thought she slept with Ben."

"She does, but only to further her career. She said he's nothing to speak about in bed and she's gone on at great lengths about the size of your manhood and I think at the last telling, you had enough to service an elephant, so I may well have to stay in my own bed for safety." I heard her giggle.

"It's your choice as to which bed you sleep in, I won't force or coerce you."

"Am I not attractive enough to warrant a little coercion or would you rather wait for Sarah's attentions, assuming they ever let us back into the group?"

"God forbid that I would partner Sarah, she'd bully and try to dominate me more than Mary, my ex, ever did. You're far more attractive than that skinny, painted up bitch."

"Do you really think so?"

"Yes. You're no glamour girl, you're too short and not slim enough for that, but attractiveness is more than your bodily shape, it's personality. You have all the qualities that Sarah hasn't; kindness, a willingness to help even when it would be better to refuse, and a loving reliability." I tried to find other suitable adjectives until we arrived at our guesthouse and I introduced Pauline to the landlady who seemed more than pleased that I brought a girlfriend after visiting three times on my own. 

"We've been missed, Pauline." I showed her the text message on my phone; we'd both turned them off during our escape.

<Where are you Harris? Is Pauline with you?>

<Yes, abducted by aliens and we're several hundred miles above earth>

"I'm worried, Tom, I don't want to lose my job and have to give up my little cottage because I can't keep up the payments."

"It won't happen, Pauline, it's all in hand."

"You're hiding something from me!"

"Only this." I put my hand over my groin. That didn't bring the smile I hoped for, instead she looked on the verge of bursting into tears, until I hugged her close and reassured her that I would shoulder the blame if it didn't work out. With her clutched tightly to my body I couldn't resist the temptation to give her a kiss, and then another. "Have I to coerce you into my bed tonight?" I whispered in her ear.

"Yes, with a few more kisses like that, I won't be able to resist your charms or your elephant prick."

We showered together and played with each other with me fondling and sucking her fulsome tits and she rubbing her crotch against my prick until we were both aroused, me obviously so, and she commented that, while it wasn't as large as Sarah suggested, she'd not taken one as big before and asked me to treat her gently. I did and with her juices flowing freely, my prick slid in easily and we were able to make love without any discomfort and with a good deal of enjoyment. We did so for half an hour during which time I knew she'd climaxed twice and then early in the morning we did it again for a shorter time. 

*****

"Why are we getting up so early?" Pauline sleepily queried when I roused her at 7:30 a.m.

"Tee off time is 9 o'clock."

"Golf?"

"Yes, and bring your notepad and pencils."

"What sort of game are you playing with me, Tom Harris?"

"One that I hope will ensure our future with the firm."

Pauline immediately recognised Geoffrey Pinkerton and he her, even so I introduced them, "This is Pauline Collins my new assistant, Sir..."

"None of that Sir, stuff Tom and that goes for you too Pauline, I'm Geoff unless we're in a formal meeting. How did you prise her away from Ben?"

"Officially it's alien abduction," Pauline chirped, quickly becoming at ease with the down to earth man.

We played nine holes, neither of us showing any great skill but the banter it produced brought us closer together and Pauline learned that I had been in college with his son and had stayed with the family several times.

Things became more serious after lunch at his home with his middle-eastern wife, Batul, his daughter-in-law Teresa and her thirteen-year-old daughter, Fiona. Paul his son, worked overseas much of the time leaving his wife Teresa and Fiona in his family's care. "What's the problem with the project, Tom? Management? That Ben's still wet behind the ears and too arrogant to know it." I went on to explain the problems as I saw them and gave my ideas on the interior designs of the their personal rooms. This appeared to please them, particularly Fiona who wanted to help me design her room, but towards the end of the discussion, Geoff looked grave, "I like your ideas Tom and I'm sure we could work with them and you but this is a million pound plus project it's in chaos. There's some good people on the site but they're being throttled and made to run around chasing their arses without achieving anything, all because of one person and I cannot for the life of me understand why Ralph Baker your CEO put him in charge when he has so little experience. I don't trust his sidekick, Sarah, either and I'm sure she says what she thinks will elevate her in my books, whether or not it's the truth. So Tom, and you too Pauline, I hope we can still be friends after this but I have to tell you bluntly that unless there is a major restructuring of your workforce, I'll pull the plug on your firm getting the contract. I had intended to do that on Monday but in view of your visit, I'll give you a few more days but unless there's a shake-up in the project, I guess you'll all be looking for other work. I'm sorry it has to be this way but there's too much money involved to have it wasted and the work not completed on time or to budget, because that's what it means to me."

*****

"We're all going to lose our jobs, aren't we Tom, there's no way Ralph Baker will oust his nephew because of his family connections and his wife wearing the trousers where Ben and family are concerned." I tried to comfort her but she pushed me away and said it was all my fault and it took a lot of reasoning to point out that it would have definitely happened on Monday if I hadn't taken her away and now we'd a few more days to sort the problem. "What are we going to do?" she asked when her tears had more or less dried up, "Can we throw them off the project without the CEO's assent?"

"We may have to try, dear, it's our only hope now." I phoned Dick Stevens. "Can anyone overhear you Dick?" and on receiving a negative acknowledgement, I explained the situation and asked if he could organise the group getting to my guesthouse early on Sunday morning without Ben and Sarah knowing. He agreed to try. 

Pauline refused to come to my bed that night and I assumed she worried what would happen if she lost her job and perhaps still illogically blamed me for it. I knew from the little sounds that came from her, like me she lay awake and going over and over the events of the last few days and today in particular. My thoughts also centred on Pauline and our relationship. We'd known each other for many years but as acquaintances and not friends and I'd always got on well with her whenever we met or I had dealings with her office, now we were in a different ball game and I had thoughts of us becoming an item, or even getting married. "Has she similar thoughts about me?" I wondered. Much would depend on the outcome of this project.

My beside clock showed 12:09 when I heard her start weeping and decided to slip into her bed, hoping and praying that she wouldn't push me away. To my relief she didn't and allowed me to cuddle her closely and whisper words of comfort and encouragement. Of course, my prick had its own agenda and while it pressed against her thigh, I made no attempt to initiate sex. Eventually we drifted off to sleep and when we awoke, we had barely time for breakfast before members of the group started to arrive. The landlady let us use the lounge and kindly provided a pot of coffee and when we were all assembled I started rather pompously by saying, "I expect most of you believe I just went away for a dirty weekend with Pauline but in fact her coming was not part of the plan and a last minute rescue attempt to save her from a work overload. No, the real purpose of my going away was to see Geoffrey Pinkerton, who I have known for many years, and see what could be done to save this project..." After giving them a detailed account of our visit with the site owner and his ultimatum, I asked for suggestions. Jodi wanted us to go back to the hotel and physically throw the pair out and several others started to back her until, Dick, a local councillor, brought order to the meeting and suggested we formed a working committee and decide on a policy that we could take to Geoff Pinkerton. Almost by default he became chairman and one by one he asked for the views on the state of their progress. By lunchtime we'd drafted and sent an email to our CEO, which we cc'd to Ben and Sarah.

We adjourned to the local pub for lunch, anxiously hoping for a reply but not knowing if the CEO even opened his email on a Sunday and it wasn't until we were about to depart that I had a phone call from Geoff. "Well done, my boy, seems you really stirred things up and poor Ralph got an ear bashing from his wife for allowing Ben to take charge of the project. Ironically, apparently she had insisted he did. Will you ask all the group members to be on site tomorrow at about 10 o'clock ready to go through the individual problems and possible solutions with me? Batul wants you both to come and see us again and I do too if only to appease Fiona. She has teenager ideas on how she wants her room to look and the colours she wants it painted so you may have another fight on your hands to keep it from becoming hideously garish!" After thanking him, and further small talk, I signalled the others to sit down and gave them the good news. 

Pauline and I stayed on at the guesthouse and the others, except for Dick, went back to the hotel for a final night there. Dick stayed to talk about the logistics of the project and whom we would get as a site manager; Pauline and I both voted for him.

We went to bed that night in a much happier frame of mind and made love joyously and in the aftermath spent time discussing our lives and our future together. For years I'd lived in a one bedroom flat so after a few weeks of staying with Pauline in her cottage at weekends, I moved in permanently so I have much to thank Ben for although I know he wouldn't return the thanks. At least neither he nor Sarah lost their jobs but were downgraded to more junior positions in other departments.

The conversion is well underway now with our original group overseeing the work and no one outside the team.

Finis
