Chapter 2
The car was already waiting when Aurora stepped out of her building. “Come on, I can’t have this car out here for too long”, Anthony whined through the passenger side window. He didn’t budge from the driver’s seat. Aurora picked up her feet and moved fast to the limo. “We can’t be late”.
Aurora opened the door to the back of the limo. “Aren’t you supposed to open the door?” Aurora asked as she got comfortable on the seat.
“I do, all the time”, Anthony shot back.
“It was just a question”, Aurora huffed as she sat back in the seat. It wasn’t like she needed someone to open the door for her. It was just that opening the door was a part of the fairy tale feeling that Aurora wanted to hold onto.
The weekend was already starting out on the wrong foot. It was sending Aurora, whose expectations had gone sky high, crashing right back down to the ground.
“So, have you ever been to one of these conferences before?” Anthony’s question startled Aurora. She hadn’t thought too much about the conference, or what was actually going to be expected of her on this trip. At least, not from a business standpoint. She suddenly felt under prepared.
“Never”, She admitted.
“The food is unreal”, Anthony laughed as he seemed to be lost in thought recalling dinners gone by. “Lobster, steak, and champagne all day long! Ha! You’re gonna gain 20lbs by breakfast tomorrow”. Anthony laughed as he fought his way through the mind day traffic.
“So, you’ve been?” Aurora asked.
“Of course”, Anthony swallowed his laughter a bit.
“I mean not this one, but Mr. Macauley let me go to one that was held here…in the city”. Anthony was older, maybe 45, and he reminded Aurora of an extra from Good Fellas, or The Godfather, or any gangster movie really. The intern could tell that her question had embarrassed Anthony. She decided not to press him on the issue.
“So, what is it like to work for Mr. Macauley?” Aurora broke the silence that had settled between them.
“Oh, he’s the best”, Anthony nodded his head as he considered his words. “I mean, once he knows you, your family, and he will always be in your corner”.
“I guess that’s how he keeps his marriage going”, Aurora could feel herself prying. She didn’t know who had asked that question, was it Aurora, or her mother. Lance was a married man, and Aurora didn’t need to know anything about this man’s personal life. She was here to go to a conference.
“Ha! Okay, sure”, Anthony laughed to himself. “Well, I guess the loyalty part isn’t in question there, but I don’t know that I’d call it a marriage”.
Aurora wanted to ask more questions, but the car stopped and Anthony got out. Aurora looked out the window. The limo had stopped right in front of the Salacity Building. She hadn’t been paying attention to the streets that they had been taking, but Anthony had to have been circling the block a few times. Aurora’s apartment was only a ten-minute walk from the building. “Why did he rush me?” Aurora wondered as she remembered Anthony yelling at her from the window of the limo.
The door opened and Lance Macauley slid into the seat beside her. “What is this doing back here?” Lance asked, and Aurora’s heart sank. The fairy tale feeling took another jab to the face. Then Lance grabbed the suitcase between Aurora’s legs and tossed it to Anthony. “In the trunk”.
Aurora had forgotten about her suitcase. As Lance dressed Anthony down outside the limo, Aurora fixed her hair and straightened out her suit. She had wanted to go with a dress, but Carly found a suit with a skirt, “It looks more professional, save the dress for the dinner after the conference”.
“You brought stuff to change into I assume”, Lance said as he sat down in the car.
“Sorry, is this not appropriate?” Aurora asked as she renewed her attempts to smooth out the dress. She wasn’t sure how running her hands down the jacket was going to help anything, however as soon as he made his comment that’s where her hands went.
A finger in the air was Lance’s only response. He took a call, which lasted until the car reached the airport. Aurora could barely tolerate Anthony, but at least he had kept her company. The car came to a stop and Lance got out of the car without saying a word to Aurora.
Aurora grumbled under her mouth as she edged out along the seat. It was tough to move in the tight-fitting skirt. She saw a hand reach out for her, and she assumed it was Anthony. Aurora used the hand to pull herself out of the car, and then she took a second to straighten herself up.
When she did look up, Aurora realized that it was Lance standing very close to her. “Take this off”, Lance said as he pulled the jacket off of Aurora’s shoulders. His eyes were studying her very hard. “Put your hair up”.
Aurora fished a hair tie out of her purse and she quickly put her hair into a bun. She couldn’t look Lance right in the eye. There was something about the intensity in his eyes that was making her uncomfortable. Aurora could feel shivers moving through her body. The shivers seemed to follow Lance’s eyes as they moved around her body.
“A lighter shade of red next time”. Lance held out a Kleenex for Aurora, and she hesitantly put her lips on the white tissue between his fingers. The tips of his thumbs grazed her face, and Aurora wanted to die when she heard the little moan she let out.
People were watching them. Aurora could feel the eyes of the other travelers. She was not used to being put on display like this, but she didn’t dare say anything to Lance. She stood on the sidewalk and waited for his approval.
Lance threw the Kleenex to Anthony and then he turned around. Aurora looked at Lance, and then at Anthony. “Go”, Anthony mouthed the words as he motioned with his whole body. Aurora ran to keep up. She wasn’t sure why she was letting this man put her through all of this.
Lance was not her boss, but he already seemed to have a hold over her. She was running after him like a puppy dog for god’s sake. Aurora was questioning all of the life decisions that had led her up to this point. She barely noticed that they were walking past the security check points.
“A private jet”, Aurora could’ve kicked herself as she heard her voice gushing over the lavish plane. Way to play it cool, she thought to herself. Lance didn’t seem to notice any of it.
“That’s right honey”, the flight attendant almost sang the words as sashayed up to Aurora. “I’m Gerrard, your sky concierge”. Gerrard gave Aurora the official tour. The kitchen, the office, “And of course, Mr. Macauley’s bedroom”.
It was nicer than any house the intern had ever been in. Flat screen TVs covered every available wall, and it looked like the pillows, sheets, and just about everything that could be covered in silk, was covered in silk. Aurora ran her finger along the fabric of a pillow. She loved the smooth feeling of silk against her skin.
“I think every sheet should be made of silk”, Gerrard sighed. Aurora looked over to see that the sky concierge was also feeling the bed. “I didn’t know you were coming or I would’ve gotten the bed ready”.
“Isn’t it ready?” Aurora asked as she looked at the fully made bed.
“Mr. Macauley is very particular, especially when it comes to you know”, Gerrard was making hand motions that made Aurora very uncomfortable.
“Oh, it’s nothing like that”, Aurora reassured the flight attendant. “I am his personal assistant for the conference”.
“Oh, okay”, Gerrard laughed, but he was barely paying attention to the distraught woman beside him. Gerrard stared off dreamily as he let his hands roam across the covers. “Now, what can I get you?”
Aurora asked for a coke, but Gerrard brought her champagne. “It’s high class coke”, he teased as he strutted off into the plane. Aurora wasn’t sure if she was allowed to drink, and so she held onto the glass. She was sitting on a couch that ran the length of the room. The whole plane felt like it was way too big for just two people.
It wasn’t until Lance walked into the lounge drinking a scotch that Aurora finally took a sip from her glass. Lance sat down on the other end of the couch and started reading the paper. Aurora wanted to ask him about the conference, but she wasn’t sure how to start. Lance had presented himself as anything but friendly.
“Are you trying to ask me something?” Aurora looked over and realized that Lance was staring at her. She had been trying to think of a way to ask him a question, but clearly, she was being far too obvious about it. “Come down here then, I’m not going to shout”.
Aurora stood up and walked over to Lance. She was still trying to think of a question. She had so many, but words were escaping her. She wanted to ask about her role at the conference.
“Whoa!” Aurora yelled as the plane rattled around her. She was sent flying into Lance’s lap. He opened his arms in time to catch her. There was champagne and scotch all over them. The plane steadied itself.
“Air pocket”, Gerrard’s chipper voice filled the room. “That was fun, is everyone okay?” Lance waved the attendant away.
“Are you okay?” He still had his arms around Aurora. She managed to nod. “Stand up”. Lance pushed Aurora up to standing.
“I am so sorry”, Aurora apologized as her cheeks got three shades brighter. She looked into Lance’s eyes, and saw that he wasn’t upset. Although it was hard for the young woman to read the mogul’s face. Lance was showing nothing in the way of emotion.
“Take it off and get me a new one”, Lance said as he got to his feet and stood in front of the nervous young woman. Lance made no move to help. He stood there and waited as Aurora looked over the shirt, unsure of where to start.
She gently lifted the shirt out of the pants. Aurora stopped and looked over the shirt for a second. She moved slowly, and cautiously as she undid the cufflinks on Lance’s right cuff. When she had both cufflinks off, Aurora set them on the coffee table. Taking a deep breath, Aurora’s fingers moved to the first button on Lance’s chest. Aurora’s fingers were so nervous she was glad that Lance wasn’t wearing a tie.
As the buttons slowly parted, Aurora could see the well-defined muscles of Lance’s chest. It led down to the washboard stomach. Aurora could feel the muscles tighten as the backs of her fingers grazed against them. She could feel the shivers taking over her body again.
“White dress shirt, black tie”, Lance’s deep voice moved right through Aurora. She could feel tingly sparks bursting under her skin. She pulled the shirt off from behind, letting her hands run down the muscular back.
Aurora felt intoxicated as she took the shirt to the bedroom. She was under a spell. It wasn’t until she heard footsteps from behind her that the spell lost its hold. She turned to see Gerrard smiling at her.
“So, maybe I should get the bed ready?” Gerrard teased.
“What?” Aurora snapped. “No, no what? I spilled something on him”.
Gerrard’s smiling only got bigger as he walked off down the hall. Aurora grabbed a shirt and tie and headed back to the lounge. She had no idea what was happening, or why this man had such power over her.