Free The Pleasure of the Dean by Ann Marie Nelson

idea as to how to take
down Cole to coalesce.   Then Bruce
would finally ascend to his rightful position as Dean of the US School of
Medicine.  

 
    Crystal’s abrupt appearance startled Bruce,
causing him to lose the hand of poker.   He looked up intending to give her a set-down, but he changed his mind
and gave Crystal a salacious grin instead.   Maybe a physical release would help with his strategy session?

 
    “Anxious for some afternoon delight my
cupcake,” he drawled, stroking his mustache suggestively.   “I’m busy, but I can spare a few minutes
for you.”

 
    “No you idiot!” Crystal barked, before she
could stop herself.   Bruce looked at
her in confusion, surprised by her tone.   Crystal usually only whispered sweet compliments to him.

 
    She immediately checked herself.

 
    “Silly,” Crystal purred, walking to his desk,
“I’m still too sore from the last pounding you gave me.”   She leaned over.   Crystal’s blouse gaped, giving Bruce an
unimpeded look at her braless chest.   Bruce stared, mouth agape, mesmerized by the sight of her thorny
tattoo.   He put down his game, stuck
his hand down her shirt, and began pawing her breasts.   Crystal resisted the urge to roll her eyes.   She didn’t have time for this.

 
    “Brucey,” Crystal said, running a fingertip
down his face and gently tilting his chin up so he looked her in the eyes.   She needed him to focus.   “I came to see you because I have some
information you’re going to love .”   He ignored her and went back to his
exploration of her tattoo, replacing his hands with his mouth.

 
    Since sweet words weren’t breaking through to
Bruce, Crystal decided to try another tactic.   “Cole Armstrong is fucking Sophie
Benedict,” she said bluntly.

 
    “What?!” Bruce said, finally unlatching from
her breast.   “How do you know
this?   Do you have proof?”

 
    Crystal adjusted her blouse, covering herself
back up.   “I overheard a
conversation between Drs. Benedict and Magnuson in the Circulata.   They were gossiping about the Dean like
schoolgirls.”

 
    “I knew it!” Bruce replied,
triumphantly.   Ever since Cole
Armstrong’s impassioned defense of Sophie, when she was caught moonlighting,
Bruce had a suspicion the Dean wasn’t only interested in Sophie’s brain or superb
patient care.   After that incident
Bruce watched Cole and Sophie’s interactions carefully, but Cole was too savvy
to do anything untoward in the hospital setting.   He gave her a little extra attention and
Bruce observed some longing looks, but nothing that would be the proverbial
nail in Cole’s coffin.  

 
    Bruce was actually slightly surprised Sophie
returned Cole’s affection.   If he
knew she was interested in powerful older men, he might have been more lenient
with her.   Bruce could be flexible
when the situation warranted.   As
long as the payoff was worth it.   Just the thought of Sophie’s long blonde hair, cherry lips, and pert
breasts made him hard.   Bruce
imagined running his hands along her nude nubile body.

 
    “Mmmm, a sexual scandal,” he said.   “Better men than Cole have been brought
down by their peccadillos.   If we
can come up with proof of the affair, we can use the information to get the
Dean terminated.   Should we get
Chambers in here to pull their email and phone records?”   Eric Chambers was the IT Director for
the School of Medicine.  

 
    “Too risky,” Crystal replied.   “I don’t trust Chambers.   He’s not a team player.”   Crystal’s past experiences with the
brilliant IT Director left a bad taste in her mouth.   He didn’t take orders well.    

 
    “Then how do we obtain proof?”
     
    “On my walk over, I formulated a plan for
gathering evidence of the affair,” Crystal replied excitedly.   The thought of putting Cole in his place
and terminating Sophie filled her with glee.   She was flushed with excitement.