An Unexpected Situation | Penguin & Sunshine

[Sunshine and Whiskey]

❝And that concludes everything you need to know about the trip.❞

Meridith commented while she clicked a button on a small remote to turn off the projector, two men brought the screen down while a lady flicked the light switches upward, turning the beaming tubes of lights on. She walked to stand at the edge of the table with a smile, eyes bouncing from person to person before they landed on Luke then away from him. ❝Any questions?❞ Eddie raised his hand while Meridith scoffed softly to herself with her eyes rolling up to the ceiling above the occupants in the boardroom. ❝Yes, Eddie, you have to room with the men.❞ A few people chuckled while she shook her head then tapped her finger against the table to see if she was forgetting anything.

She walked over to a bag, which she kneeled down beside, and unzipped it to retrieve packages from it. ❝If you forgot anything I mentioned, it's all here in these binders.❞ She passed out some then raised up two of her fingers. ❝Since we'll be rooming with one another, you each get one.❞ Meridith remarked with a little smirk that curved the corner of her lips. One of her fingers removed a few strands of hair that were hanging over her left eye and tucked behind her left ear. A soft sigh escaped over parted lips while her orbs went towards Luke once again, a smile that was fake began to spread between her lips. ❝Is there anything that you'd like to add?❞ She asked, curiously because if she made a mistake or forgot something, Luke was sure to point it out. He was their CFO after all, which was also above her head.

That position should've been hers or so she always thought to herself ever since meeting Luke.

She'd wait until said something if he had anything to add, Meridith clapped her hands then smiled at everyone. ❝Okay, let's get into two vehicles.❞ Again, she held up two of her fingers then pointed her index finger at the genders. ❝Guys ride together and girls do the same.❞ Meridith basically commanded of them while they all murmured and gathered their things before exiting the office in a pack then she proceeded to do the same. Of course, she bumped into Luke and her lips parted to say that she was sorry but nothing came out. Probably because she wasn't going to mean it.

She just rolled her eyes and stepped in front of him, picking up a small run to catch up with her friend, Jasmine, so they can gossip about the upcoming retreat. She really wanted to room with Jasmine but the room arrangements were already taken care of and they didn't know who they were rooming with until they got there. Meridith didn't love the element of surprise but luckily for her, it was guys rooming together and girls doing the same. That was a relief but she just remembered that they were one person short, which she made a mental note to remind Luke of whenever they reached their destination.

Meridith helped the ladies pay Tetris by stuffing their bags into the back of the SUV that they were riding in and she was driving for the first half, switching out with another person for the second half of the trip. She nodded her head towards Luke while making a trek towards him. ❝Ready to go?❞ She questioned him with an arched brow, waiting for his response before getting inside of the vehicle and following the guys to the area where the company retreat was going to be taking place.

Let things go peacefully. She thought to herself while a breath exhaled through her lips, hands clutched the steering wheels, and eventually, they were on the open road.​

 

[Penguinlord7]

Luke sighed loudly as Meredith finished her speech. He sat back in his chair slowly clicking a pen repeatedly as he glanced around the room. He laughed at Eddie's question and didn't bother to sit up when Meredith handed out the binders. He looked up as she questioned him, to which he just shook his head, flashing his bright white smile. "No, Meredith, I definitely think you covered everything we could possibly need to know." He emphasized his words to ensure his sarcasm wasn't lost as his buddy Zach chuckled at his response.

He stuck his pen in his pocket and stood, adjusting his shirt a bit before they all headed out to the cars. He was chatting with Zach when Meredith bumped into him and said nothing. Luke scoffed and as she ran to meet up with her friend he called out, "Hey, no need to run, she's not gonna leave you like he did." he said, laughing as word had traveled quickly about her getting dumped. He smiled and walked over to the big suv the guys were taking. He tossed his bag in the back, most of the guys packing light as usual so there was plenty of room for their stuff and all 6 of them inside.

Zach hopped in the driver's seat and Luke opened the passenger door as Meredith walked up. "Yeah I think we're good, Meredith. I figure we'll stop about halfway, there's a rest stop with a big gas station and restaurant we can refuel." he said as he got in the car and watched as she walked to the other car. He shut the door and looked over at Zach, "You know despite how much she annoys me, Merediths kinda cute. Not that I'd ever tell her." Zach rolled his eyes, "Shut up man, you don't need someone like her in your life, stick to club girls!" he said as they pulled away and headed onto the highway and toward the cabins.

 

[Sunshine and Whiskey]

Her mind was elsewhere and the ladies she was currently inside of the vehicle with, knew exactly that. She had been thinking about Luke while her fingers drummed against the steering wheel once they came to a red light. Meridith was unsure why she was thinking of him at a time like this. Right now wasn't the time because she had to remain focused, not only for herself but along with the rest of the group. Her lips parted so that she could exhale a sigh, to which Sarah in the passenger seat looked over at her then nudged her arm, causing Meridith to escape her thought and focus on reality now.

❝Hm?❞ Her brown eyes fluttered over towards Sarah with a raised brow, looking at her curiously. ❝You alright?❞ Sarah asked and Meridith nodded her head before she proceeded to follow behind the men. She extended her hand out to turn on the radio while they sang along to every song that played, laughed at the right times, and even talked about guys that they worked with. With as far as to rate them between one and ten.

When it came to rating Luke, she tuned in then leaned over to make her ears twitch. One of them said a five, to which she scoffed softly to herself. ❝What would you rate him as, Meri?❞ Sarah asked while they all eyed her with a certain interest in their eyes. ❝A zero on my scale.❞ Again, they laughed and made their little jokes about Luke all the while she felt something inside of her. But then again, Meridith just remembered what Luke said to her at the office in front of his buddies.

It was sickening for him to say that out loud. She made a mental note to confront him about it sooner rather than later.

❝I think we're going to stop at a rest stop nearby soon.❞ She mentioned to the ladies, who agreed. ❝Just to refuel and recharge, I guess.❞ She continued before the time had come for them to stop and quickly, Meridith turned the engine off then got out to refuel the SUV. Her gaze went over to Luke, who wasn't that far away from her. She bit down on the swell of her bottom lip with the top teeth before she made a trek towards him.

Of course, Meridith didn't know what she was going to say to him but yet, she proceeded onward then tapped him on the shoulder to make him turn around and face her. ❝Uhm, back at the office, the comment you made while I was running away was a little uncalled for, don't you think so?❞ He probably wouldn't agree with her though she still wanted to plead her case. She folded her arms over her chest then shifted her weight to the left side. ❝Well, anyway, just thought I'd let you know that I'd never say anything publically to the club girls that you love so much.❞ Meridith scoffed almost silently to herself before she turned on her heels to walk away, shaking her head while her hair blowing in the wind.

All sorts of curse words were being uttered from her lips while Zach called out for them to get back in their vehicles. It was now Sarah's turn to drive, so Meridith got inside of the passenger seat and slammed the door, quickly strapping herself in her seat. She folded her arms over her chest once more while the ladies looked confusingly at each other then back at Meridith before they proceeded to get back on the open road.

She couldn't wait for this retreat, where she could hopefully relax for a few days once their work was done for the day.

She could definitely use a drink or two along with a massage.​

 

[Penguinlord7]

Luke was bobbing his head to the music, Zach had just got a CD of one of their favorite rappers and they were jamming out. The guys in the back were familiar but not as big of fans but they didn't complain. After a few songs Luke turned the volume down and started talking. "So guys, there's a chance some of you get roomed with one of the ladies. Who do you guys hope for?" he asked, wondering if any of them would say Meridith.

Zach quickly chimed in, "I hope I get paired up with Sarah. She's in HR so if anything happens she'd be incriminating herself" he said as he laughed. "But really she's hot and I'd bet she's a freak too." Eddie rolled his eyes and sat back in the seat. He was sitting next to Alex in the 3rd row, David and Martin in the second row. "As long as it's none of you guys I'm fine" Eddie said as he put headphones in and drowned them out. Martin spoke up, "I'd fight you for Sarah, Zach. She does look like she'd get freaky haha."

Three down, two to go, Luke thought as the last two guys were thinking. Alex finally says, "Jasmine is pretty cute. I bet she'd be fun to stay with" He smiled, Alex was sort of the prude of the bunch, never talking or joking about women like the others. They were looking between Luke and David and David spoke first, " Probably Meridith, especially a recent break up, she's probably all emotional and vulnerable right now so perfect time to turn up the charm and leave this weekend well satisfied." he said with a wink.

Like shook his head, "Nah.. You. Don't want Meridith.. She's so uptight and by the book. She'd make you sleep in the floor and have all kinds of dumb rules" he said laughing as they turned off to the rest stop. "Alright guys, we're refueling here, get a snack, take a piss, whatever you gotta do, you got 10 minutes" Luke said as they all climbed out. He stretched up, his shirt lifting a bit as he shook his arms out and started walking around as Zach swiped the company card and started fueling.

Luke glanced up from his phone and sighed as Meridith approached. He shoved his phone back in his pocket and watched her walk up, a real smile on his face but he overplayed it to seem fake. He raised an eyebrow at her complaint, he did kinda feel. Bad about making that bad of a joke but he couldn't let her know. He just shrugged, "Fine, if you can't take it then I'll stop joking about it. My bad." he said, not sounding sincere in the least as he just smiled again and she left.

He climbed back into the car and Zach looked over at him, "What did she want?" Luke laughed it off, Just complaining about my sense of humor like always. " Zach shook his was the other guys quickly piled in and they left the rest stop with the girls driving behind them. The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful until they reached the grounds for the retreat. It was a pretty sizeable wooded area at the base of some large foothills that led to the mountains. There were about a dozen lodges and they had rented out the biggest one that had 6 bedrooms. It was a mix of rustic and modern with lots of wood trim and accents, but brightly colored walls to distinguish the cabins from each other. They all climbed out and a representative from the retreat was waiting on the front deck. Luke waved to them, "Hey I'm Luke, CFO. I believe you have our living arrangements?" he asked as the man handed him a packet of papers. "Yes sir. Here are the living arrangements base on the questionnaires you all filled out, we try to pair people who are like minded and we feel would be the best fir for each other.

Luke nodded and opened the packet." Okay first up, in the English Cottage room.. Eddie and Jennifer." Eddie smiled and waved at her as they grabbed their things and headed inside. "Okay next up is Zach.." he was listening and eyeing Sarah as Luke continued, "and Sarah! You two get the Lavender Lounge room." Zach did a slight fist bump and jokingly flipped off Martin as he grabbed his bag and headed inside. "Okay now we have.. David and Alex, you guys don't have too much fun together in the.. Rustic Ranch room" they bumped fists and headed inside. Next was Martin and Emily, leaving Zach with Meridith and her best friend, Jasmine.

"Alright.. Last two rooms here..this one has just a single twin bed known as the In-law Inn.. And it's.. Jasmine!" he paused for a a moment, rereading the list and quietly adding, "Which leaves the Sunshine Suite for myself and Meeidirh..." he looked up at her and bit his lip. This was what he wanted but at the same time they did make each other miserable most of the time.

 

[Sunshine and Whiskey]

She rode the rest of the ride in absolute silence. Her arms still folded over her chest, anger seethed through her, and just seeing Luke's face plagued her mind through flashback moments. Meridith didn't particularly dislike him but maybe being around his friends brought out the worst in him and not the best. She shrugged her shoulders unnoticeably to herself then her eyes examined the scenery before her gaze went forward.

❝We're here.❞ She spoke excitedly while the other ladies squealed with glee. This was definitely going to be an experimental weekend for everyone.

Meridith waited until the vehicle was parked before unbuckling her seat belt and practically jumping out of the vehicle. She went to the back of the vehicle to retrieve her luggage and work bag while giving the other ladies their own belongings, as well. Her eyes closed, she inhaled the air then exhaled, taking it all in before she walked alongside the rest of the ladies towards the lobby. She still couldn't believe that Luke booked this retreat at such a place as the cabins. Many of them stood there hungrily, waiting to see who they got as a roommate for the weekend. Her eyes closed again, thinking to herself that she had really hoped that she and Luke weren't sharing a room together.

It came down to her and Jasmine as the remaining ladies then the names uttered from Luke's lips made her nightmare come to reality. Meridith felt everyone's eyes on her and she felt herself sink into the ground beneath them. She literally buckled, waiting to faint but didn't want to cause a scene. It might've been a joke. It had to be a joke, right? Her eyes laid on Luke while her face turned into a scowl and walked over there towards Luke, her gaze shifted to the piece of paper that she snatched away from him. ❝This has to be some sort of mistake.❞ She said under her breath to no one in particular.

Meridith looked at everyone else that made their way to their rooms, excited while she was about to blow the roof off of the place. One foot after the other, she marched towards the front desk with anger, slamming the paper down on the desk. ❝What is the meaning of this?!❞ Her voice raised then she shook her head. ❝I am not rooming with him.❞ She stated as if Luke couldn't hear her or that he wasn't standing a few feet away from him. If she thought her anger wasn't noticeable before, it sure was at this exact moment.

❝Is this some sort of sick joke, Luke?❞ Meridith asked through gritted teeth and walked slowly, methodically towards him. She finally reached him and pressed the list against his chest as hard as she could. ❝I'm leaving, so you guys have fun.❞ She stated with pure hatred while she walked past Luke, over to her bags to retrieve them but was stopped by Jasmine. ❝Don't do this. We didn't come all this way for anything and no one knows how to explain the program better than you.❞ Jasmine stated, trying to stop Meridith from making a rather rash decision before it was too late. ❝I mean, it is only a weekend, and not forever.❞ Jasmine chuckled once stated then nudged Meridith playfully while she walked away to head towards her cabin.

With an exhaled sigh over her parted lips, she turned on her heels to face Luke but didn't walk toward him this time. ❝So, shall we continue on?❞ She asked with a gulp, still not believing that she had to room with a man that she currently despised.

Her eyes then went towards the front desk clerk. ❝His blood will be on your hands.❞ She remarked sarcastically before she walked a few paces behind Luke, following him towards their suite.

She had at least hoped that there were two beds in their room.​

 

[Penguinlord7]

Luke sighed as she walked over, he moved to hand her the paper as she snatched from him. He watched her face as she confirmed that they were assigned together. He shrugged as she walked to the desk. He had no control over the room assignment and while he was already annoyed with her, he could see the possibilities of having a good weekend if she wouldn't be so uptight.

The manager at the front desk smiled politely as she slammed the paper on the counter. "I do apologize ma'am but our room assignments are final and are 100% based on the questionnaires you all filled out. Perhaps if you are paired with someone you should look.. Deeper.. And find the connection. Have a wonderful time this weekend!" he said as he handed her the papers back.

Luke tried to fake a smile as she walked toward him again. His confidence that something good might come of this weekend was waning. He stumbled slightly and had to take a step back with the aggressiveness to which she shoved the papers against his chest. "Hey it's not my fault. You think I wanna room with you either??" he asked before she said she was leaving.

He shook his head when she tried walking away, she was the coordinator of their activities this weekend and corporate would surely cancel the trip if she left. He glances at Jasmine who stopped her and when she seemed to give in he mouthed "Thank you" to her before she went to her room. Now faced with Meridith alone, he just smiled his corporate beaming smile and grabbed his suitcase. "Let's go find our suite.." he said as she started following him. He chimed in at her last comment to the staff, "She probably watches a lot of true crime so you won't find any blood." he chuckled and kept walking ahead of her as he checked the papers and found their room. He slid the key card and opened the door, heading inside and propping it open for her as he started laughing.

The room was a very stunning and elegant room, filled with rustic furniture including a large dresser, a plush love seat against the wall, a small dinette set in the corner by a huge bay window, two very intricately carved nightstands and in the center was a four post king bed. "So... I call left side" he said before she could even see the whole room. He pulled his suitcase over to the left side of the bed and sat on the edge. It was a very comfy pillow top mattress and there was plenty of walking space around the room.

He looked in his nightstand and found a little journal with a pen slid into the binding. He opened it and as he was reading his eyes widened and he looked at her, "So um.. This room... Seems just like a nice big suite.. Is typically for honeymooners. There's matching robes, the tub fits two, there's wine in the mini cooler, and all guests from this room get a couples massage." He couldn't wait to hear how she would complain or make this into a bad thing. Wine, a robe, and massages included, a tub big enough to spread out and fall asleep in..this was perfect to him.

 

[Sunshine and Whiskey]

She heard Luke's retort about her but didn't even bother to make a comment, or even bother. Probably considering the fact she just made a huge scene about their suite anyway. Meridith still stood a few paces behind Luke once they made it to their suite, watching as he slid the key card and a little beep sounded off that basically meant access was granted. She walked in right after Luke, arching a brow because he started laughing. Again, she didn't even bother to entertain him at the moment. But her eyes did roll upward whenever he called the left side of the bed.

❝That's fine with me.❞ Meridith stated while her eyes were still surveying the room that they currently dwelled in.

Eventually, she sat her bags down on the right side of the bed and briefly looked up at Luke before they went to everything that she pulled from her bags. Meridith walked to the dresser that was on the right side and started to place her things inside of it. From there, she entered the bathroom to set up her makeup, toothbrush, and other necessities in there and walked back over to the bed. Her eyes fluttered up to stare at Luke as he started to read something from a journal. By his reaction, it had to be something that she wasn't going to like. ❝What?❞ She inquired from her side of the bed as her breathing quickened.

❝You say what?❞ Meridith scoffed while she walked over towards Luke to glance over the journal that was in his hands, not snatching anything away from him this time around. It appears that he was telling her the truth, which was shocking for her to realize that. Stay calm, Meridith. Just stay calm. She thought to herself while she made a trek back over to her side of the bed. She knew that deep down inside Luke was waiting for a reaction but as Jasmine reminded her, it was only for a weekend and she wanted to have some fun with this. ❝So, when are we going for our massages, husband?❞ Meridith tried her best not to cringe by laughing it off then waltzed over to the mini cooler, knelt down to open it.

It was like an endless supply of wine and on the shelf above it was a chiller for ice and some wine glasses. Meridith stood up after she closed the mini cooler then turned back to face Luke with a small smile. ❝I say we just make the best out of this situation, yes?❞ She made the agreement to herself but wanted confirmation from Luke as her hand extended outward towards him.

Meridith honestly felt as if she was about to make a deal with the devil.​

 

[Penguinlord7]

Luke knew they had a few hours before their first meeting and kicked his shoes off, sitting on his side of the bed as he looked at her. He was surprised she hadn't commented anything snarky since arriving at the room. Hmm maybe she'll actually be tolerable this weekend.

He smiled at her massage remark. Husband? Was she actually making a joke, not as his expense? He had to pause for a moment and take in what she said. A tiny part of him hearing her and imagining some twisted world where she called him that seriously. He shook his head and finally looked over at her.

"Well, wife.. I think the massages are tomorrow" he replied, chuckling softly. This side of her was much more enjoyable, even fun if he dared to think it. "Oh you read my mind." he said as she grabbed the bottle. He kicked his feet up on the bed and laid back, offering his hand to take one of the glasses. "Yes, we're all here to relax, there's no reason we can't relax too."

He offered his hand out, "I promise I won't make jokes about your relationship or anything negative about you." he hoped she would return the favor and say things that she wouldn't do, agreeing to at least be civil and pleasant with each other for just 2 and a half days.

 

[Sunshine and Whiskey]

She couldn't help but try to at least get along with someone she had to tolerate for two and a half days. It was going to be quite difficult for her because of how much she previously despised but that was slowly changing. Meridith felt the need that she needed to change to benefit both of them this weekend. For one, he's the CFO and she's like his right-hand woman because of the current program that they were trying to release into the world for everyone to use.

No one knew that she needed this because this might be the first thing that defined her in the company.

Her eyes went towards Luke, who had gotten comfortable on his side of the bed, then she went back to rummaging in the mini cooler with a shake of her head. Meridith again tried her best not to cringe whenever he called her his wife, playing along with her from earlier. ❝Tomorrow, we're getting those massages as soon as possible.❞ She demanded as she grabbed a wine bottle around the neck and two wine glasses then walked over towards him, holding the items up. ❝I mean, it's here, so why not take advantage of it.❞ Her shoulders shrugged after that statement while she went over towards the bed, kicking her shoes off as well and relaxing on the soft surface of the mattress.

❝If you ask me, I think you and I need this more than anybody else.❞ Meridith spoke softly while she handed him one of the glasses then proceeded to open the wine bottle. She poured herself a glass then did the same for Luke, looking into his eyes before quickly looking away to sit the wine bottle down on the nightstand. Her eyes laid upon Luke as started to speak again, which made her nod her head at the statement. ❝I'll drink to that.❞ Her arms raised up with the glass in hand that she did take a sip from, agreeing with Luke.

She exhaled a sigh then licked her lips to get the excess residue of wine there. ❝I promise to be more cordial with you.❞ She added while her tone of voice sounded sarcastic but she really meant it. A little laugh came from her while she reached for the bottle of wine, pouring some more into her glass then into Luke's if he needed it. ❝Let's play a game, shall we?❞

Meridith smirked while she looked down at Luke, her tongue rolled over her lips once more and she pressed them together. ❝Let's play truth or dare. If I guess something correctly or fail to do a dare, you drink, and the same for me. No pleading the fifth either.❞ Her smirk didn't even bother to remove itself from her lips once she explained the rules of the game, her game that she came to love because of a party she went to way back in high school. ❝Got it?❞ She asked him and waited for him to respond before she raised her index finger up to tap against her chin.

❝So, Luke...❞ She started, thinking of what to say. ❝Truth or dare?❞ She asked with an arched brow then adjusted herself to get comfortable on the bed.

❝If you choose truth, is it true that you hooked up in your new office after you got promoted?❞ Meridith allowed that to sink in before she continued. ❝Choose dare and you'll have to streak from our suite to Jasmine's.❞ She bounced the ball into his court to see which one he was going to choose now. ​

 

[Penguinlord7]

Luke smiled at her. Possibly the first genuine smile he ever gave her as she said they both needed this retreat the most. Despite their differences, they had worked well together creating this master project and getting it set up for release. This could change the entire company if successful enough. They worked late nights, dealt with international conference calls, stubborn employees, and more.

He nodded at her agreement with him and clinked glasses before taking a sip. He raised an eyebrow at her suggestion of a game. A game? They went from enemies to playing a game together.. This must have been some really good wine. He nodded as she explained. This sounded fun at least. Get them to loosen up a bit.

"Alright let's go, what do you got for me" he asked as he set his glass down so he wasn't tempted to drink it anyways. He waited and as she spoke his eyes widened a bit. " Oh you're devious... Okay, coming out of the gate with the tough decision..." he thought for a moment. He actually hadn't hooked up with the girl in his new office.. They had made out and maybe got handsy but nothing more. He knew she wouldn't believe him even if he said what happened though.

"Alright well I'd love to say you're wrong but even if I explain I don't think you'd believe me so I guess I'll choose dare. Although you know, wife, it's our honeymoon, you could have just asked me to strip." he teased her as he sighed and stood up. He didn't know what she expected so he quickly unbuttoned his shirt and took it off, leaving his black muscle shirt on for the moment. He unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants, letting them fall as he stepped out of them, just his navy, silk, loose fitting boxers covering his lower half. He looked at her again and smirked, tugging his shirt off, exposing his toned but not overly muscular chest and stomach. He walked toward the door in just his boxers. "Which direction is her suite?" he asked, not thinking she actually wanted him fully naked for this..but part of him wanted to strip down as well. It's not like he had anything to be ashamed of.

 

[Sunshine and Whiskey]

When Luke said that she was devious, Meridith couldn't help but smirk then looked off to the side with a shrug of her shoulders. ❝I play dirty, Luke.❞ She remarked with a quirked brow then leaned a little forward towards him to see what his choice was going to be. It seemed as if he had chosen truth while she still tried her best to not cringe at him calling her wife. Again, she played it off with a little giggle then shook her head at his words with her eyes rolling upward.

It was when he maneuvered himself off the bed and stood up. Luke started to strip, which caused her to gasp, shifting her gaze away with an uncomfortable feeling. She wasn't ready to see him in all of his glory but her eyes did get a glimpse. Meridith couldn't believe that he actually stripped in front of her.

His body did cause quite a stir inside of her that made her wonder what exactly was inside of his boxers. Her eyes caught sight of him looking at her which made her look away again. She really didn't want him to get any ideas about anything happening between them right here, right now in their suite.

❝Wait.❞ She finally spoke up then stood herself, shaking her head as she walked past Luke then headed to the door. Her hand waved for Luke to come closer then pointed at a cabin all the way on the end of the row of cabins. Meridith then closed the door and leaned her back against it, her eyes examining Luke's body then went down to his boxer briefs before fluttering back up to meet Luke's gaze. ❝I said streak, which means naked.❞ She commented then smirked while her eyes stayed focused on his. ❝Bare.❞ Meridith continued before her head nodded towards his boxer briefs.

She pushed herself up from the door, walking past Luke to stand behind him then turned on her heels to face him. ❝Come on or you can back out now.❞ Meridith chuckled while she proceeded to shrug her shoulders, sitting on the edge of the bed, basically waiting for Luke to accept defeat. ❝Lose the boxers.❞ She commanded of him then leaned back with her legs crossing over each other and arms along with her hands sprawled out.

The ball was definitely in his court to see what he was going to decide. It was either losing the boxers or being defeated by Meridith, whose life he has made miserable on more than one occasion. It was her turn to do the same to him, which is something that he wasn't expecting from her.

She was really just waiting for her moment to strike and that moment was seemingly now.​

 

[Penguinlord7]

He smiled innocently at her, " Oh you play real dirty. I can play dirty too." he said as he had a pang of nervousness wash over him when she had him see that she was pointing all the way across the retreat grounds. "Oh fuck.." he whispered as she shut the door. He stood there for a moment and nodded. "Oh I'm not backing out now. I'm not giving you a show and having to take a drink! Haha"

He thought for a moment and went to his side table and grabbed the room key. "In case you get any funny ideas about locking me out!" he said as he held it and peaked through the door, there was no one visible but it was mid afternoon so surely someone would be around soon. He decided if he was going to do this, he would make her as uncomfortable as possible. Which wasn't against his promise to her of course.

He smirked, sticking the key card between his teeth for a moment before keeping eye contact with her, regardless if she glanced away as she had glanced at his crotch multiple times already. He stuck his thumbs in the waistline of his boxers on either side if him, did a little shimmy to get her to laugh or at least be amused with him. As the thin fabric slid down, there was a small tuft of hair as he tried to keep it neatly trimmed most of the time. He continued and let his boxers fall. He smirked as his modest 6.5 inches hung between his toned thighs as he bit his lip and turned, showing off his bare bum as he opened the door, held the key card in one hand and smirked at her befofe taking off down the path.

His feet pounded the ground, he felt his soft length swinging and smacking against his thighs. He reached the other cabin and turned around, keeping his eyes focused on hers as he headed back, hoping he wasnt seen by too many people.

 

[Sunshine and Whiskey]

She could tell that he was nervous, which made her warm inside. Meridith might not get her revenge here and now but just seeing him cower made all of this worth it. Her eyes examined him while he looked out the doors to survey the grounds, which let him know how far he had to run there and back. Of course, she knew but wanted to surprise him. Her ears twitched at his whispered words that made her chuckle a little, shaking her head at his words that he wasn't backing out from the dare now.

It really didn't matter to her if he did or not but now, Meridith was a bit worried about how he was going to counteract.

Her eyes went to him while he maneuvered himself towards the side table and retrieved a room key. ❝Oh, how you know me so well.❞ She commented sarcastically while Luke peeked through the door once more. ❝Stop prolonging this.❞ Meridith groaned while leaning her head back with a bit of annoyance because she started to grow bored.

It was when he started to strip in front of her. She diverted her eyes away from his sculptured body, not even smiling or showing any expression after his shimmy that she saw out of her peripheral. When the door finally opened, her eyes went to his toned ass while waiting with anticipation to see if Luke was going to through with it. Sure enough, he finally did it and she rose up from her seated position, scurrying in a hurried motion over to the door. Meridith peeked through the door to see him run across the grounds then turned on her heels to waltz back over to the bed.

Her eyes went down to the wine glass that she just sipped from that was now held in her hands. Meridith poured her another glass, eyes peeking over her shoulder then turned back around. ❝Have a nice run?❞ She'd question him, not even looking in his direction. She set the bottle back down on the nightstand and then raised the glass to her lips, sipping the red liquid that soothed her throat. Luke may have won round one but there were still many more rounds to be played.

❝It's your turn.❞ Meridith encouraged him with a smirk that curved at the corner of his lips. She turned around after a hair flip then sat down on the edge of the bed, taking another sip from her glass. Her eyes were focused on his own, trying not to stare down at his length that she already glimpsed out once or twice. Meridith grew nervously while she waited and wondered exactly what Luke had planned for her.​

 

[Penguinlord7]

He made it inside, shutting the door quickly as he heard someone whistle. His breathing wasn't too heavy but it took a moment for him to calm down just from the adrenaline rush. "You know what..." he started as he glanced over at her, ignoring the fact that he was still completely naked.".. thank you. That was invigorating and exciting.. Despite what you may believe about me, that is the first time I've ever done something like that so congrats to you."

He smiled and finally looked around and found his boxers, slipping them back on as he glanced at her. He knew she had peeked at least once. He didn't mind. He only threw his shirt back on, opting to leave the pants off for now, I mean she had seen it all so why bother being modest with pants, and it was more comfortable in just boxers. "Right, my turn..."

He takes his glass and sips the wine, letting it linger on his palette for a moment before swallowing. He raises an eyebrow at her and smiles. "Alright, Meridith, sorry, I mean wife. Truth or dare? Is it true that you have at one point or another, 'gotten off' on company grounds to relieve stress?" he couldn't help but chuckle at his question, there were rumors that she'd go to a private bathroom and play when she was overly stressed or worked up. Not that there was anything inherently wrong with that. He certainly has done it multiple times, once or twice even thinking about her on a day she wore a particularly form fitting outfit.

"Now should you choose not to confess.. " he paused for dramatic effect, and decided he'd confuse her a bit with his dare. "...I dare you to kiss Jasmine at our meeting today." He figured they were best friends so she could find a way to make it work. He looked at her for her reaction." I mean speaking.. Purely objectively.. You two are the most attractive females here.. So why not have you kiss her. "

 

[Sunshine and Whiskey]

Meridith didn't really expect Luke to give her a thank you, which she basically shrugged off. She didn't make the dare up for him to feel the excitement. She wanted him to feel embarrassed as he made her feel once or twice. It was stupid of her to think she could actually make him feel miserable or any other sort of emotion close to it. She didn't turn back around until she saw that his boxers were placed back on his muscular-toned body. Then with a sigh, she folded her arms over her chest and rested her ass against the stand where the television sat upon.

❝Hit me with your best shot.❞ Meridith spoke with her arms and hands stretched out towards him. She contemplated with herself as she shouldn't have come up with this game on a whim. A drunken whim, that is. Her top teeth met with her bottom lip because of the nerves that swelled up inside of her and the fact that she didn't know what sort of dirt Luke had on her. She swallowed hard whenever he started to speak again, cringing at the whole wife thing as she wished that she never, ever called him husband. It was the biggest mistake she probably made on this trip and undoubtedly thought to herself that it won't be the last.

Her eyes widened whenever that truth spewed from his lips, not really believing that he knew that. She smirked slightly, having the perfect comeback for that but Luke continued on, pausing that made her rock on the balls of her feet. His dare was even worse that made her groan while her teeth chitted together. Did he just call her attractive? It made her shudder inwardly but nevertheless, Meridith pushed herself off of where she was currently resting and walked closer to him. ❝You know what.❞ She smirked again, taking a walk in a circular motion around him before she stopped right in front of him and placed a hand on his chest. ❝When I was getting off on company grounds...❞ Meridith took the same pause as Luke did before and her eyes fluttered up to meet his own.

❝I was thinking of you.❞ She spoke in a sultry tone while resting her index finger on his chest. It was true but she made it seem as if it was a lie. ❝But me and your buddy, Zach, hooked up in the bathroom one time.❞ That was a lie but twisted it as she did before. Meridith then turned on her heels again, waltzing over towards the bed only to turn around with her hair flinging over her shoulder before she sat on the edge of the bed, legs crossed over each other and folded her arms.

Whether he knew it or not, she had him in the palm of her hands with those rebuttals. She knew how to play the game extremely well and knew how to twist her words around to confuse others. If she was a succubus, she would totally be sucking his soul right out of him during this moment.

❝I'll also do your dare to show you that I don't turn away so easily.❞ She commented then smirked again, which curved heavily at the corner of her lips. ❝So, Luke, truth or dare?❞ Meridith bounced the ball back into his court, giving him some things to think about but to also see if he wanted to continue playing or not. ​

 

[Penguinlord7]

Luke watched intently as she circled him, watching her as she spoke and suddenly found himself a bit flustered as she admitted to thinking about him when she was at work and playing with herself. He bit his lip and sighed at her next comment. "That bitch said he didn't even like you.." Luke muttered quietly as he watched her walk away. His brain was running wild with thoughts. Had she really touched her self while thinking about him.. even if she hadn't, just the thought of it made the blood flow between his legs. He quickly tried to ignore those thoughts as he was still in just his boxers, his length slowly stiffening as he looked at her.

He tried to stall, finding his shirt and slipping it back on before getting his glass and taking another drink. He admired her gamesmanship of going through with the dare still. "I respect that decision...and look forward to watching it." he said with a wink. He took a deep breath and thought about her question. He was worried what she might know and force him to admit. He also wondered how much more of this teasing he could handle before he did something about it.

He couldn't let her get the better of him now. He walked over and leaned against the dresser directly in front of her. "Alright Meridith. Truth. I'm not afraid to be honest with you." He said as part of him really was. He took another drink and watched her face for a reaction as well as the next question. He would have to ask Zach about the bathroom statement later but he felt confident she was lying. He tapped on the dresser absently as he smiled at her. "So what's it going to be? what do you think you know about me?"

 

[Sunshine and Whiskey]

❝Men will say a lot of things.❞ Meridith stated with a shrug of her shoulders. It wasn't true what she had said to Luke about herself and Zach, she had just wondered to herself if Luke was going to ask Zach about it and couldn't wait to see his face. She was embarrassed by the man she dwelled in this room with so many times that she lost count. Meridith didn't worry about him being in his boxers still but watched him scramble to find his shirt, which he placed back on his muscular, toned body. She'd be lying to herself if she didn't mind watching every muscle flex. She was a woman who loved men after all.

His comment about her still kissing Jasmine made her eyes roll but she didn't even bother to give him the satisfaction of a comment. Instead, her hand reached out to retrieve her own glass, which she rose up to her lips and took the red liquid in. Once it went down her throat, her lips pressed together and her arms went lazily over her knee. ❝Don't be afraid, Luke.❞ She started before sitting her glass down. ❝Be terrified.❞ Meridith giggled after those words with her hand waving dismissively towards Luke.

Her index finger tapped at her chin while she tried her best to think of something that she heard around the office. Nothing too major really came to mind other than what she had spoken about earlier. Meridith had a lightbulb go off inside of her head, so she just had to make something up. ❝Did you fire Mrs. Graham's husband because you want her for yourself?❞ She asked with her eyes staying focused on Luke to gauge his reaction in order to see if could detect that she was lying. ❝If that's true, you're a cruel human being.❞

Meridith drew out a yawn but not from tiredness, from her current state of drunkenness. She was definitely starting to feel a little tipsy considering that she had approximately four or five glasses of wine by now. It was a wonder if she was going to be able to keep up at the meeting later or will her speech be slurred slightly.

At this point, whatever happens, happens.​

 

[Penguinlord7]

Luke stood and walked over to the mini fridge and grabbed a bottle of water and sat at one of the chairs at the dinette set, facing her on the bed as he took a drink and heard her first comments, making him chuckle. He tried hard to think and couldn't come up with anything that was really damning that he had done so he smiled confidently. He watched as she finally spoke, his brow furrowing as he was confused by her question.

"What? Do you really think I'm the sort of person who would do that?" he asked offended. Sure he wasn't exactly a role model, but to purposely ruin someone's career for a quick fuck or an affair was a bit absurd even for him. "No, he was let go because during our quarterly report he had the lowest production out of the 5 people in his department and that department was determined to be overstaffed." he sighed loudly and took a drink. "I'm a bit upset you would actually question that... maybe you've had enough to drink. our meeting is in an hour." he added, glancing at the clock and seeing it was 4 already.

"Truth or Dare?" He asked flatly, not wanting to linger on her previous question any more. He stood up, still a bit shaken at the thought of him doing that to someone for those reasons and sat back on his side of the bed, leaning against the headboard as he pulled out his phone and texted Zach. Hey, did you and Meridith ever hook up? She claims you did.. at work.. in the bathroom. He looked up from his phone and stared at her, waiting for a response so they could continue if she still wanted.