“I don’t like that you put your hand on another man, but I wasn’t there. You tell me how you felt. You told me the details, but you never did go into specifics about what it is that you felt when you were touching him like that. That will tell you everything that you need to know. It will also tell me if I even stand a chance at taking you out of his hands.” He sat there with his eyes glazed and still feeling the effects of the bottle of wine that he had consumed.
“At the time, I thought that my feelings had gotten the best of me. The trouble with Jones is that he thinks that any woman is powerless to resist him. I was like that, but I don’t fall for the pretty packaging anymore. There has to be more than physical attraction. It would be nice to have one last time with him to say goodbye, but I don’t think that I need it.” I wasn’t sure what would have happened if those lights hadn’t caught me in the act. I didn’t tell him that part. He would read too much into it.
“It sounds like you have made a decision. Do I take it that I should make the arrangements for two instead of one to go to China? They were very impressed with our preliminary drawings. They are setting us up in a private suite for the duration of our stay. They want us to be comfortable. They told us if we needed anything that we only had to ask. This project is going to be an undertaking. It was only supposed to be a couple of months, but they have expressed interest in a more long-term commitment. It could be that we will never come back here again. Are you sure that you are ready for this? We never did discuss how leaving everything behind was going to make you feel.” I wasn’t sure how to process this. Two months sounded like a vacation. The rest of my life sounded like I was running away from something.
“I am glad that you were willing to listen without going off the handle. I know that Jones wouldn’t have been able to do the same thing. He would have found it necessary to do something about this attraction that I have for you. He knows about you, but I don’t think that he feels threatened. I think that he’s taking you lightly. I’m not taking you lightly and the way that my heart jumpstarts every time that I see you is a clear indication that I’m where I’m supposed to be.” Seeing him sitting there made it easy to envision draping my legs over the arms of that chair and giving him a very dirty lap dance.
“I just want to remind you that I’m not your girlfriend. I’m willing to hear what you have to say, but it still hurts me to think of you with him. I’m just going on the record. It doesn’t come as any big surprise to you that I’m a bit jealous of the connection that you have with him” He was being honest and that was what I had asked of him. That didn’t mean that I had to like what he had to say.
“I’m not going to lie and say that having you both fight for me hasn’t been a dream come true. It does stroke my ego to think that I have two guys that like me that much that they are willing to do practically anything. I would say that you are a front runner. I don’t see how he could ever hold a candle to you.” The only thing that could make any difference was some kind of grand gesture that was going to catch me by surprise. I didn’t have any worry about that with Jones. He was not the type to go outside of his comfort zone. He could never do anything to embarrass himself or the image that he had built over the years in the NFL.
“Oh goody… I’m a frontrunner…that makes me feel all good inside. I think I’ll hold off on making those arrangements until you can convince me that I’m the only one that’s going to turn your head. You can look all you want and I’ve been guilty of that myself. I just need to know that you will be coming home to me and not shacking up with Jones in his love nest.” He looked damn good in that suit, but I had a feeling that he would look even better out of it.
“I would go ahead and make the arrangements. Jones doesn’t know how to step out on a limb. He’s stuck in his ways and there’s no way that he will ever want to tarnish his reputation for being a ladies’ man. That kind of arrogance is not going to win him the kind of woman that is going to be with him for more than his money. He only came here in a knee-jerk reaction to his father’s death. In my opinion, that’s no way to rekindle an old romance that fizzled a long time ago.” I held his gaze. August looked at me and I could almost see what he was thinking.
“I want to believe that, but I’m not entirely convinced. I won’t be until we are far away from here where I can have you all to myself. I don’t know much about the Chinese culture, but you do. I look forward to putting myself into your capable hands. I was a little apprehensive about this, but I think that I’m feeling more excited than anything else. It’s time to shake things up and living in the past doesn’t do anybody any good.” He was talking about himself, but I had a feeling that his comments had a double-edged sword.
“I do think that we should refrain from being together. However, if you were to permit me, I think that you and Jones should be on a level playing field. Besides, I knew what I was getting when I put my hand down his pants. I don’t know that about you. I would really like to find out. You have no idea how much I want to find out.” He thought that I was putting him on. He found out differently when I stood up and went around to his side of the desk.
“I really wish that you stop. I’m not sure that I can be trusted once you get your hands on me.” It was a risk that I was willing to take and one that was destined to happen sooner than later.
“If I were in your position, I would keep my mouth shut in case you say something to ruin the moment.” I draped my legs over the top of him and I sat down with my panties rubbing up against his formidable appendage. “There comes a time that you need to say nothing at all.” I unbuttoned his shirt, feeling this sensation down below that was making it very hard to hide my arousal.
“I wasn’t expecting this. I want to stop you, but I don’t think that I can.” He had his hands to his side as if he didn’t know what to do with them. It was nice to have him ensnared in my web of depravity. I felt this liberation from the way that I was acting. It certainly wasn’t in my character to be this brazen and bold.
I pulled the shirt out from his pants and I peeled back that Egyptian silk to reveal his hardened exterior. I ran my finger down along his pectorals, circling his navel and then I traced the outline of his six-pack like they were a roadmap to his pleasure zone.
“I don’t want to get too carried away. I’m going to depend on your discretion. You’re going to have to tell me when it’s enough without going too far.” I wasn’t sure if he could make that distinction.
“If you are expecting me to put a stop to this, then you’re going to be waiting a very long time. This is where you show me what you want me to do. If you want to walk away there is nothing that I can do about that. I have been waking up in cold sheets for too long.” I moved back slightly. I was able to reach his belt and had it come undone underneath my agile fingers.
“I’m going by feel and trusting my senses.” I undid his button and I pulled down his zipper very slowly with him staring at me the entire time. It was that animal inside that was forcing me to take this to the next level.
“There’s no point in me saying anything. You’ve made up your mind and I see that wild horses aren’t going to keep you from doing what you want to do. Looking at you makes me believe in miracles.” I could see and I could feel the product of his desire for me. His underwear was the only obstacle in my way. I wasn’t going to let that be a deterrent.
His black briefs were quite snug and left very little imagination to what he was sporting. I traced it down the length on either side without touching it. I finally had enough and I pulled down those shorts to reveal the magnificence of the man. It was quite daunting and thicker than I imagined. It really was a work of art that was worthy of my admiration. I was almost afraid to touch it thinking that it was some sort of optical illusion.
“This is a little unusual, but I’m going to allow it.” He sounded like he was a judge ruling over the court that he was presiding over.
“I can’t believe I have allowed you to sit in dry dock all this time. It seems unnecessary for you to use your own hands when I have two of my own. I’m going to try to control myself, but I’m not promising anything.” I thought that I was shy, but given enough rope, I could run with it.
I hadn’t touched it and I moved closer until I could literally feel the heat from his over exaggerated state. That thing was immense, but I was not going to shy away from it. I grabbed it and I heard him gasp. That was only making it that much harder to let go. I had my hand wrapped around him and my fingers didn’t meet. It was quite an impressive piece. I was sure that it had given a lot of ladies more than enough satisfaction to last them a lifetime.
“Be…careful and I might be just a... a…hair trigger ready to go off. I’ve been thinking of this moment and this is not how…how…I thought things were going to go. This goes well and beyond anything that I could come up with. You have shown yourself on several occasions to think outside the box, but not in this way.” his voice was strangled and he was struggling to keep still.
I moved my hand slowly up to the top and then I used my thumb to make him grunt his approval. I circled around the head and then I moved back down to the very bottom. I did this a few times with him trying to thrust out of his seat.
“If you can’t sit still then maybe I should just stop altogether.” It was that threat and promise that made him settle down and be a good boy. There was really nothing good about him and it was his bad boy image that had me fighting this every step of the way.
My resolve had collapsed and I wasn’t sure what it was going to take for me to leave him to finish this off. I felt like I had to see this through to the end. I finally felt him shudder and I could’ve given him exactly what he wanted, but I had enough strength to let go.
“Now I know what Jones felt and it doesn’t feel very good. You might have gotten interesting thrill out of playing with the both of us, but I can’t say the same thing. It was nice, but it was a reminder that I still might not have you. You say differently, but there’s always that possibility that something will turn you in his direction. I don’t know what that is going to be. I hope that he never finds that special spot that belongs to me.” I was still sitting on his lap and that hungry looking serpent was ready to lash out and strike against any warm body that came into his path.
I walked away backward, keeping my eye on him as he sat there with his member now out of sight. I closed the door and I knew that teasing him would only be a stall tactic. I was looking forward to taking things past the teasing stage. I had to make sure that the past wasn’t going to interfere.
* * *
I couldn’t bring myself to go back into the office and I sent him a text message to tell him that I would be there at the Airport in two days. I wanted to make him wait on pins and needles to see if I was going to show up or not.
I’d made the preparations by putting my condominium up for grabs in the market. The for-sale sign was out on the lawn and I was going to miss this place more than I could ever say. Gemini wasn’t very happy that I was letting it go. I’m sure that she would’ve paid for it, but she didn’t have that kind of money.
“It looks like you made up your mind, but I think that something might change it.” She didn’t have to tell me. I heard the rumble of the motorcycle and the way that the engine turned off. It sent a thrill through my bones and I shivered at the very thought of how I had used that piece of machinery to drive me out of my mind.
“I don’t know what he thinks that he’s proving. I know who he is and I have no interest in playing that game.” He was still wearing the black leather jacket, but no longer was he holding onto that casual image with blue jeans. He was wearing a suit of all things and looked ready to proclaim that this was his Independence Day.
“You have to admit that he does have a bit of class. He probably felt that you poured cold water in his lap and yet here he is ready to valiantly try again. I don’t know how you got so lucky to have both of these guys looking at you with hunger in their eyes. I don’t even have one and you have two. It’s not like you can hide from this. You’re going to have to hear him out.” I could easily hide, but that would only be sending the wrong message. I had to face this and be strong enough to let him say his peace. I was hoping that I would get that chance myself.
“I don’t want you to leave. Stay in my bedroom and only come out when I call for reinforcements. He has this funny way of leaving me speechless. I think about some of those things that we did and I find myself lazily touching myself in the middle of the night. I wouldn’t even be thinking about him at all if I saw fit to take August for a test drive.” I heard that knock on the door and wearing the face of conviction, I went to answer it with my jeans already quite moist from the sound of that engine revving.
I opened the door and I didn’t even let him get a word in edgewise. I lambasted him for being callous enough to think that he could come back here and win me. “You can see that I’m leaving. You would think that would be some kind of hint. What is it that I can do for you, Jones?” He tried to get around me, but my foot was in his way leaving him to profess his love with the whole neighborhood watching. They weren’t really watching, but it did feel that way.
“I thought that I would make one last effort. I can’t leave without doing this.” He grabbed me and I gave out this startled gasp that was followed by his tongue stabbing into my mouth. I vainly slapped at his chest hoping that would be enough to get him to let me go, but it wasn’t.
The fight that I had was draining significantly with the way that he was touching the top of my palate and sending signals down below. My legs gave out by the sheer pleasure of him kissing me and running his hands down my spine. If it wasn’t for him, I probably would have crashed landed on the floor.
I heard clapping and he finally let me go with two of my neighbors giving what I considered a standing ovation. They were the gossip of the neighborhood and there was no way that this wasn’t going to get around like wildfire.
My lipstick was smeared across his mouth and he was licking that strawberry gloss and smiling like he had done something to change my opinion of him. I immediately grabbed him by the collar of his starched shirt and pulled him into the entrance.
I turned away from him pretending that I was disgusted by his behavior and secretly wanting that kiss to last longer than it did. “I don’t know what you are doing, but that was uncalled for. You know that I have feelings for another man. Just because I don’t have a ring on my finger doesn’t mean that you can manhandle me like some sort of brute.” My voice was a little raised and I was hoping that Gemini was going to interject her thoughts. Unfortunately, I got the impression that she wanted me to handle this on my own. I had to do that or I wouldn’t be able to look at myself in the mirror the same way again.
“You can’t tell me that you didn’t feel anything. That is not the kind of passion that you can fake. I know that you have another man that you are interested in, but I don’t care. Like you’ve already said, you don’t have a ring on your finger and even if you did, I doubt that would even stop me. I know what I want. You showed last night that you were ready for more. Again, you can’t fake the eagerness in your eyes when you had me in your hand.” He was throwing that back in my face and I didn’t think that was fair. It was appropriate considering that I was the one that was doing all of that under my own free will.
“You have always been a good kisser and there has never been any reason to deny that. It doesn’t mean that I’m ready to go backward. Being with you is a mistake. I should’ve seen it a long time ago, but you really did throw me for a loop by coming back into my life.” I looked at my watch and I knew that I was going to be late to the airport.
“I wasn’t the only one kissing. That wasn’t one-sided even though you profess differently. You fought me, but then you sank into it and enjoyed every moment. Even your neighbors saw that you were into it.” He was beating a dead horse. If I didn’t do something radical and extreme, then he was just going to think that this kind of behavior was going to be tolerated.
“It gives you no right to touch me like that without my permission. You need to grow up and stop acting like the same teenage heartthrob that you were in high school. Those days are over and you can’t go back no matter how much you want to. I understand that your father dying made you willing to commit. It’s just not going to be with me.” I could still see him naked and it did very little for the temperature in the room.
“My father was one small part of the reason why I came to see you. His words echoed in my ears. I know that I have been wasting my life on those girls that are only with me for my money. I never felt like I was shortchanged when I was with you. There was something real about what we had. I’m not sure that I will ever find that again.” He was afraid of being alone. It made me feel for him.
I took him by his two hands and made him sit down with me sitting on my knees. “I think that it’s a good thing that you know that you can’t stay the same. You need to find somebody that is going to be more than eye candy. I wish that I could be that for you. I’m sure that if things were reversed that you would be telling me the same thing. There’s no point in grasping onto a piece of the past. I’m lucky that I found a man that was accepting of my flaws and vice versa.” His last-ditch effort to win me back had failed.
“I really do feel stupid for coming here. This was supposed to be a gesture. A reminder of what we had and could have again. I see now that it’s not what you want. It can’t be what I want no matter how much I want to cling to the old times. I want a family and I swear that I’m not going to rest until I find the woman that is going to make me feel the same way that I feel about you.” He stood up, gave me a hug that was more friendly than the kind of embrace that I would have expected from him.
“I want you to be happy. Another time and place, we might’ve been able to make it work, but that’s not going to happen. I found one that I want to pursue. You and that damn motorcycle will always hold a special spot in my heart. It’s a relic of a time long ago and maybe it’s time that you finally put her to rest. It’s time for you to get that clean slate.” I was only telling him what I felt. It was going to be up to him to make that commitment to clean up his act.
“If it’s all the same to you, I’m going to keep black beauty, but maybe it is time to put her away in storage. Family has always meant a lot to me. I never knew how much until my father died. I have to find a way to carry on the family name.” That was the closure that the both of us needed. It didn’t have to come from us twisting in the sheets together. It would’ve been satisfying and a memory that I would have loved to repeat, but that would have been only asking for more trouble than it was worth.
The door closed and I had my hand on top of it with a silent goodbye in my heart. It was fitting to see him drive off into the sunset alone. I had no doubt that he would find somebody to fill that void that his father left behind.
“That was very touching, but I think that you have forgotten one thing.” I turned to look at Gemini and she was tapping her wrist and making me look with my eyes wide open at the clock and the seconds ticking by. “You’re never going to make it. It’s too bad that you sent him away. You might have had a chance with that motorcycle.” I slapped my forehead, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me.
I tried to send a text message, but the service was down for maintenance. I was cursing myself. We had left things in good terms and Jones would’ve been able to get me to the Airport. I heard the motorcycle and it wasn’t like it was in the distance.
I sprang into action, throwing the one bag that consisted of all of my worldly belongings over my shoulder. It was a green army bag that had been passed down from my grandfather. It had a sentimental connection that made me look like a hobo ready to ride the rails. I didn’t care.
I opened the door. He reached out and I thought that he was going to kiss me again, but this time he grabbed his gloves that he had left behind.
“I wonder if I could ask you for a favor. It’s a bit of an imposition, but I think that we can remain friends.” I told him that I needed a ride to the airport and he was happy to help.
He handed me the helmet and I managed to keep the green army bag in front of me. I told Gemini that she could stay for as long as it took for them to sell the property. She most likely was going to take me up on my offer and disappear once more when the sale was completed.
* * *
The vibration between my legs was the painful reminder that having my arms wrapped around his waist was like that same blast from the past.
“I hate to admit this, but I think that I’m going to have to invest in buying one of these. I don’t think that I have to tell you the reason why. You already know better than others what riding on one of these things does to me.” I was rubbing incessantly and it was a good thing that I was wearing jeans and not a skirt. I probably would have collapsed altogether and become a roadside hazard.
“I know and that’s the reason why I came to see you on it. I’m glad that it still has that effect on you. It’s nice that I can put that smile on your face. Unfortunately, I’m going to send you hot and bothered into another man’s arms. I do have one regret that we didn’t find a way to get that closure by the cries of ecstasy that I could have made you scream in the dark of the night.” I was such a dirty girl for thinking the same thing.
“It seems kind of fitting that you would be the one to come to my rescue. I know that this is not how you wanted to end our story, but our flame could only burn for so long. I think you know that deep down. We’re not right for one another. What we had was not healthy. We both have very strong opinions.” Any more of this and I was going to slide from first base all the way to home.
“There is one girl that I have been reluctant to speak about. I wanted more, but I got caught up in the old habit of sneaking out after the deed was done. I think that I might look her up and see if I can’t convince her to give me a second chance. She’s the only one excluding you that I ever thought that I could have more than a physical relationship with.” This was my time to give him some advice that would hopefully help him in his love life.
The wind was blowing through the hair that was sticking out from underneath the helmet. The vibration was keeping me occupied and making me wonder about how I was going to be able to stand steady when I finally arrived at my final destination.
“You need to learn to be yourself and not what you think that you need to be. Women like a man that is honest and will show some vulnerability. Don’t be so quick to think that you are right all the time. A girl wants to feel protected, but they also need to know that you are willing to listen to reason. That romance that you have fought against is something that you should really think about. Gestures like flowers and candy might seem juvenile, but there are those little things that count the most. Drying a dish or putting away the laundry will leave her wondering what she ever did without you.” He was breezing through traffic and I thought for sure by the way that we were leaning that we were going to come to a fiery end.
We came to the Airport and I was 15 minutes late to the party. I got off, but I had to hold myself against the bike to stop my legs from shaking. One more minute on that thing and I would’ve been done for. I was already breathing heavy and I closed my eyes to try to get back whatever dignity I had left.
“I want you to take a few deep breaths. I do find it funny that you still get that extra jolt every time that you get on black beauty. Both of us have missed you, but I think that I’m going to take your advice to heart and see what I can’t do about finding my own happiness.” My knees were knocking and I did breathe deeply until I finally was able to stand shakily on my own.
“I would really like to find out how things work out for you, Jones. You have my contact information. Let’s keep in touch and be the friends that we should be. Don’t be a stranger. At least now, I can say that I don’t feel terrified of you coming around anymore. Don’t worry, I’m still attracted to you and that’s never going to change. It’s just not enough anymore.” I was wasting time and I watched him wave to me. I ran with moments of having to stop and hold myself up against anything that I could find.
I got to the gate with my lungs burning, but it was too late. “I’m sorry, but the plane has already taken off. I can put you on the next available one. It’s not until tomorrow morning at 5:00 AM. I have two available seats, but I’m afraid that they are in first class.” I didn’t have the kind of money to fork out for that kind of extravagance.
"I can afford that.” I felt my heart fall and I hated myself for making him think that I wasn’t going to be there with him for this new and exciting chapter. “We’ll take both seats in first class.” I heard his voice, but I had to see it for myself to believe it. I turned and I didn’t know what to say. “I was on the plane, but I couldn’t leave without you. There will always be other planes, but there will be nobody quite like you.” His face was like seeing the clouds part with the sun shining through.
“I’m sorry…I’m sorry for being late. I had some unfinished business to do. I think that you’ll be glad to know that Jones will not be bothering me anymore. We are going to keep in touch, but only as friends and nothing more.” He took my hand and brought it up to his lips. It was that extra spark that I needed to clench my legs closed.
“I’m not that insecure that I’m going to worry about a friendship with a past love. That would be petty and I’m through giving you the impression that I feel threatened. The next flight is not for 12 hours. I would like to take that time to learn more about you. I think that I have enough in our budget to splurge on a dinner and maybe two rooms with connecting doors. I would never want to assume anything.” I took his hand and placed it against my chest so that he could feel the thumping presence of my heart giving him the only answer that he would ever need.
“I do want to be close to you, but after everything we’ve both been through, it would be better to start at the beginning. I don’t think that we’re going to need the adjoining room unless of course, you think that you can’t handle being close to me. I would think that we have reached the phase in our relationship that we can trust one another.” I could say that, but I wasn’t sure that I could live up to that promise. The motorcycle, his lips on my hand and being close to him in the same bed was a recipe for disaster.
“I think I can handle that.” I had to stretch on my toes to reach his lips. I showed him that there was a promise for more. The orient was a land of mysteries, but the one mystery that I didn’t have was how I felt about him. It was a lot in the last few days. My mind was still going a million miles an hour. I was going to use the anticipation to keep me on the edge. I was looking forward to the Chinese hospitality. I felt that we needed something that was just for us. I wanted this to be the start of something that would last forever. This trip was meant to give us that freedom to be more intimate. One thing was for certain and there were no past loves or present ones that were going to stand in the way.
I was going to have to trust in the both of us that we could keep it in our pants. I wasn’t sure that being in the same room together was a good idea. I couldn’t say anything or that would have led him to believe that I was lost to my own passion. I was hoping to show him in due time. It was going to be interesting when we finally took off the training wheels. We had waited this long, so what was a little while longer. I was just going to have to keep one eye open and contain that passion with cold showers. China was waiting for us with open arms.
* * *
BOOK 3: STEAL ME (PART 4)
Blueprints of Love
Amanda never thought that it was possible to have anything close to love at first sight, but there she was about to embark on a journey that had been ripe with sexual tension from the moment that they met. August Rivers was not an easy man to get to know, but underneath the suave and sophisticated ladies man was a kind and gentle soul waiting for somebody to come around to open him up to real love. They have been through their own form of trials and tribulations to get to where they are today. They thought that it was going to be easier away from any distractions including ex-girlfriends and boyfriends that seem to show up at the most awkward time. They were wrong and what they face now is something that will shock the both of them. Will they be able to keep the spark alive?
* * *
Being in a strange and interesting culture was not an easy thing for either one of us to do. I had read a lot about the Chinese way, but it still didn’t prepare me for what I was about to face. They were stuck in their ways and that old tradition had never been stronger than in the business world. If I thought that I had problems with those from the western side of the world, then I was in for a shock on how close-minded these people could be.
Our first meeting with the Chinese didn’t go exactly as planned. I was shunned and ignored from the moment that I entered the room. They didn’t even acknowledge my existence. They referred all questions to August who seemed a little awkward and kept looking at me to understand what was going on. I thought that they had gotten past their antiquated thinking about where women were supposed to be in the business world. It became painfully obvious that the only reason why they brought me along was because August had made it a part of the deal.
“I understand that you have a lot of ideas, but we would really like you to reconsider your position. Mr. Nakamura has always been about traditional values and morals when it comes to creating something that is going to leave a lasting impression. I don’t want to tell him something that he’s going to refuse to even look at. I was hoping that you would be reasonable and maybe a couple of days thinking on it will help you to come to the right decision.” Michael was the son of a prominent businessman and he was tasked to keep things cordial and moving along at a steady pace.
“I don’t understand any of this. You called us here specifically to give you something that nobody else has. Yet you still want to hold onto the old ways with an iron fist. You haven’t even given my partner the respect that she deserves. I am this close to cutting ties and going back to America. I don’t see any reason why we have to contend with being made into puppets for this administration.” I could see that August was getting hot under the collar and he had a tendency to show it without even meaning to.
“It galls me that you think that you have a choice. The contract that you signed is ironclad. There is no way around it. You can have your lawyers look it over, but I think that they’ll agree that you are now our property. Whatever you do for the next five years is considered the intellectual property of the Nakamura industry. Like I said, I think that you need some time to think about it before you make any rash decisions. My father and I have to go out of the country for a couple of days, but when we return, we would really like to get started as soon as possible. Follow the rules and there will be no problems.” Michael was only following his father’s orders. I could tell that he did not want to get on the bad side of a man that could make his life miserable.
“This is not the last that you’re going to hear about this. I was given some assurances that we were going to have a license to create. We are artists and what we do is something that not many people can. We work well together and you haven’t even made the effort to look her in the eye. Amanda is an integral part of all of this and for you to dismiss her out of hand isn’t something that I’ll tolerate.” It was nice that he was sticking up for me, but I wasn’t sure that this was the place or the time for something like that.
The chairs were supposed to be comfortable, but my back was hurting something fierce. They were designed to be ergonomic and made for a productive workforce. I shifted in my seat continuously trying to find a comfortable position. I was aware of the way that he was looking at my body. I felt self-conscious around this man.
“I am very disappointed that this meeting didn’t go the way that I had hoped it was going to. My father is not going to be very pleased when he hears about how stubborn you can be. I thought mistakenly when we had our in-depth discussions that you were on board. Be careful what kind of waves you want to make. I can tell you from personal experience that those that go against my father don’t last very long in whatever business we are conducting with them. He has a long reach and a power base that exceeds even yours Mr. Rivers.” Michael was being formal, but this was the way that they were raised to show respect to those that they worked for. That is if they were men. Women were pretty much left to sit on the sidelines.
August went over to him wearing his emotion on his sleeve and grabbed him by the collar of his starched shirt. He rumpled the blue fabric and the tie was askew on Michael’s frame. It didn’t look like Michael was at all concerned about the way that August was behaving. He never lost his composure and very gently removed August’s fingers from around his metaphorical throat.
“I believe that you need to keep control of your anger, Mr. Rivers. It will do us no good to be at cross purposes. You can fight it all you want, but I think that you’ll find that it will be futile. My father is a man of honor, but he knows how to conduct business with a forceful and demanding way. He does not speak your language and he considers westerners to be a waste of skin. It took a lot for me to even get him to agree to work with you. He was the one that made the contract. That is the very same contract that you signed and sent back to me digitally.” Michael with his coifed black hair and almond colored eyes momentarily looked in my direction and gave me a sideways glance that made me feel like he was trying to make me burst into flames.
“This is a lot to process. I apologize for grabbing you like that, but you have to admit that you laid a bomb in our lap. We had no idea that you were going to be so strict that you wouldn’t allow us the freedom to show you what we can do. I’m going to have to give this some thought and weigh my options.” August was trying to remain calm, but it was difficult with this man trying to run roughshod over us.
“I will forgive this trespass one time and one time only. Don’t presume that you can put your hands on me for any reason. I know that emotions are running high, but that’s no excuse for this kind of unprofessionalism. Ignorance is not an excuse and one that is not going to be tolerated. Your day begins at 8:00 AM our time and ends 5:00 PM unless otherwise stated. You have two days to make peace with your situation or we will see you in court. I think that you’ll agree that you want to avoid that at all costs.” Michael was wearing a red power tie and the glasses were mostly for show.
I was terrified of saying anything in case that it would be subjected to scrutiny. I thought that I was independent and had a mind of my own, but here it felt like I was a second-class citizen. There were women in business, but they really didn’t raise the bar for the rest of them. They followed along with the owners’ wishes. It was only if they were able to break free and become their own boss that they were given a bit more than a casual glance.
Michael closed the door gently like he was trying to make a point. August immediately slammed down his hands on the table so hard that it actually made me jump to my feet. I was shivering in place.
“I don’t even know what to say. I have more than enough money to fight them, but it would be a never-ending battle for years to come. I would lose my reputation. You haven’t said much. I know that he can be intimidating, but you have to stand up for yourself in order to be recognized. I didn’t like doing all the talking for us. We are a team and I would hope that you would act like one.” His anger towards Michael and his father was now spilling over. He saw me as a target and he was using me to get rid of some of that pent-up frustration that he felt.
“Honestly, I didn’t know what to say and everything that Michael said was in the face of what we believed. He came in here shaking your hand and I knew that something was wrong when he didn’t even look at me. I didn’t feel that it was necessary to say anything. He had a script before coming in here and he was following it to the letter. Nothing was going to make him deviate from what he was going to say.” I was just as angry and I wanted to scream, but to do so would only feed into their perception of us.
“I came here in good faith and they slapped that in my face. I thought that I had a good standing with Michael over the phone, but I see now that he was only putting on a face. Telling me what I wanted to hear and then slipping a contract through the cracks. I did take him lightly and he made me feel like we were on the same page.” August had turned a crimson red and I thought for sure that steam was going to come out of the top of his head.
I placed my hands on his shoulders in a gesture of good faith. I could feel the tension in his muscles and there had to be a way to relieve him of what he was feeling. I could think of one way, but to use my body in that fashion would be the wrong way to start this relationship.
“We have two days to think about what we’re going to do. It’s really not a long time, but we don’t have to think about it right now. Let’s get out of our head and do something fun. We’re here in a city that we don’t really know. I say that we embrace it.” I turned his head towards me and I saw the look of defeat in his eyes.
* * *
I could smell the Chinese Food cooking on the industrial sized Wok in the back of the restaurant. There was nothing like authentic Chinese Food. There was one place back home that had taken their recipe from their homeland and brought it to my table.
August looked anxious, but at least he had discarded that tie for a more casual approach. He had the first couple of buttons undone as if those buttons were choking off the air supply. He kept looking around and drumming his fingers on the table with that excess energy running through his veins.
“I know that it’s going to be difficult, but you need to calm down. There’s very little that we can do at this time of night. You’ve already put in calls to your lawyers and they said that they would get back to you in the morning. I heard their sigh of exasperation when you told them that you signed on the dotted line without them present. It almost seemed like they were laughing in your face. I’ve taken the liberty of ordering some of their favorites and I do hope that you will find it to your liking.” It felt like a lifetime ago when I had to deal with my ex-boyfriend that had come calling when I was just about to admit my feelings for August physically.
All those problems were thousands of miles away and there was something liberating about being here where nobody knew us. We could show affection but still got some strange looks from those that didn’t feel that it was appropriate.
“I just feel like such a fool for getting you involved. It was supposed to be an adventure and not some kind of purgatory where we are sentenced to five years of hard labor.” He had nothing to apologize for. He had always been straight with me. The only thing that we seemed to dance around was our feelings for one another. We were both to blame for that.
“It’s not your fault and they tricked you into thinking one thing and doing another. There’s always going to be those that believe that they are the only voice that matters. I should have said something in my own defense with Michael. There was this tension in the air that you could cut with a knife.” The girl that waited on us was mild. She never said much of anything and went back to the kitchen after she had taken our order.
“I should know better than to negotiate in good faith. I’ve been known in the past to play these same games. I should have known that it was going to come back and bite me in some way. They say that karma is a bitch and that has never been more evident than the way that Michael has treated us. I have never been spoken to like that before and I don’t ever want to be subjected to that again.” August had power, but it appeared that Mr. Nakamura had a lot more clout in a city that had his hand prints all over it.
“This falls on my shoulders as well. I should’ve been more diligent and done a detailed search on the Internet about their business practices. I went on the premise that everything was taken care of. I allowed you to take the lead on this one and I never even questioned how this was going to work. I know from my research of their culture that they can be stickler for details. Their laws are not up for interpretation. You do something wrong and you pay for it. Do you know that when they kill somebody here for a crime that they actually send the bill for the bullet to their loved ones? Like in business ignorance is not tolerated or accepted as an excuse or defense in a court of law.” I had already polished off the rice wine that they had brought over to the table for dinner.
“I was actually looking forward to learning about this city through your eyes. I’ve been here a time or two, but I never really took the time to look around. It was always about business. Being an architect is not the only thing that I have my hand into. I have the kind of money that allows me to invest in various ventures. I have lost my shirt, but that is par for the course.” August was ashamed of himself for letting his guard down. I imagined in some small way that he would blame me for that and rightfully so. I did take him off his game and made him vulnerable to the manipulation of others.
“This is not a good way to start a new business partnership. I feel that if it wasn’t for me coming into your life that you would’ve seen this coming. I hope that you don’t have any regrets coming here with me. I probably shouldn’t pull at that thread, but I need to know if what you feel is still as strong as it was before we left the states.” I waited for an answer and I thought that he would have given it to me quicker than he did.
It felt like forever, but it was only about a minute before he finally said what was on his mind. “I’m not going to lie and say that you didn’t affect the way that I do business. I can’t say for sure that things would be different if you were not in my life. I don’t mean that to sound like I regret anything. I don’t and I think that I can find a way out of this for the both of us and still save face with Michael and his father. I just don’t see it right now, but there’s always a solution. I’m sure that if we put our heads together that we will come up with some way that will benefit both parties.” I could see that his mind was whirling and that mumbling underneath his breath was his way of figuring things out.
“I’m sorry that you feel that way and maybe being together is not the answer to anything. I’ve never wanted to change you. I’m sorry to say that I did change you and it appears not for the better when it concerns seeing what is most likely obvious.” The food came, but I was in no mood to eat anything. I was not only mad at myself, but I was furious that he would even consider that I was at fault.
“You did ask and I thought that it was a good idea to be open and honest. We need to show each other the courtesy of being upfront at all times. There can be no secrets between us. I still feel deeply for you and the love that we share will overcome any obstacle. I know how that sounds. I heard it coming out of my mouth and I almost began laughing despite my best intentions. We have been through a lot and this is just another thing in our way that we’re going to have to make sense of." August was at least referring to me as an equal and not just a partner in business.
I felt like I had put him in this position. He was doing nothing to discourage that belief. I could tell that he was having second thoughts. It was a woman’s prerogative to change their mind like a man changes his pants. I couldn’t decide what to do, but standing by him seemed to be the right thing.
I wasn’t at all ready for the taste sensation that touched my lips. The food and the egg rolls that were made by hand and not commercial in some kind of factory were something that you would have to experience to enjoy. The fortune cookies were lying there after we had finished our meal and we were both hesitant to open it up to see what our fortunes would read.
“I feel that I need to apologize. This can’t be easy on you. You came here because I gave you every reason to think that this was a fresh start for the both of us. It hasn’t turned out the way that I had envisioned. I’ve always believed that we make our own luck. We can turn this around and we just need to find a way.” He took my hand and held it lovingly with his thumb moving across the back to ignite old feelings that had never gone away.
“Fighting amongst ourselves is not going to accomplish anything. I dressed in this beautiful red dress with a plunging neckline and skintight against my frame to get your attention. I thought that when I came out of the bedroom to get ready for dinner that you would have said something or at least had your mouth wide open and your tongue hanging to the floor.” I could tell that some of the patrons were looking my way. It was only when their wives were otherwise indisposed in the bathroom that they gave me that unwanted attention.
“I haven’t done anything right since the moment that we arrived in this god forsaken country. I was foolish to think that this was going to make us happy. My father always said that if it looks too good to be true then it probably is. He would be so upset with me that I didn’t see this coming. I’m just glad that he’s not around to see it.” His connection to his father was very deep and his approval even now was paramount on his mind.
“We can both agree that the food is exemplary. I don’t know if I could eat another bite. There’s an old wives’ tale that says that if you eat Chinese that you’ll be hungry an hour later. I’ve never witnessed that for myself. That was a filling meal and one that makes me want to come back here again.” This place was close to where we were living. They had put us up at a very nice penthouse suite. They did that to keep us happy and not ready to make any waves. They thought that if they gave us luxury that we would roll over like a dog.
“Let’s forget about all of this ugliness and get back to the romance. I’m not much for the sappy things in a relationship, but I think that I could be convinced under the circumstances. I do love the way that you touch my hand. It shows that you are able to show intimacy. I don’t want either one of us to shy away from this.” I was trying to let him know that there was a way that we could make the best out of a bad situation. We didn’t have to let them have the power over us.
“I know you’re right, but it’s hard to think of anything else. I can’t get over the way that he spoke to me like I was beneath him. He probably feels that way every time that his father talks to him. It’s a vicious cycle and one that I regret making you a part of.” This wasn’t the first time that things had gone astray. His words did cut deeply like a cleaver that a butcher would use to make short work of a slab of beef.
“You can only account for your actions, August. What he does shouldn’t concern either one of us.”
“You’re being very understanding. I’m not sure that I would feel the same way if I were in your shoes. I do have to let this go. I’m thankful that you are around to ground me. Without you, I think that I might go mad and actually do something that would get me into a lot of trouble. You don’t know how close I was to smashing his face in. I could see it already happening and when I grabbed him, I felt like I could throw him through the window.” Those windows were probably reinforced for that specific reason. The building was a fortress with enough security measures to give it the appearance of a prison that was in lockdown.
We took a walk and we did stick out from those that were going about their daily business. There was a disturbance approaching and I had a feeling that Michael was not going to be any kind of pushover. His father had already ingrained in him the way to do things and getting away from that was going to take a drastic change in his attitude.
I felt like he was miles away and this was not the time to take things to the next level. I thought that after our meeting with Michael that we would be in the mood to celebrate. I had even packed the very outfit that I was going to use to seduce him before my ex-boyfriend came into the picture. My body might have been an acquired taste, but the stares that I was getting from the local men had me feeling like I was a steak ready to be devoured.
* * *
There wasn’t much that could be said about what we were facing. He was definitely in no mood for bedroom activities. He had the weight of the world on his shoulders and I was right there with him to carry my fair share of that load.
“I’m always apologizing to you. It’s not just for my behavior. I want to give you a reason to stay, but I don’t feel in the mood. I don’t have a headache, but I don’t think that my mind would be into it. I want our first time together to be special and something that we can build on. I don’t want to be like some dead fish lying there as you use me for your amusement. I’m sure that it would be good for you and I would most definitely get there, but it wouldn’t be the same as having my undivided attention.” August had me curious and there was no way that I was going to ruin our first time by jumping his bones.
The penthouse suite had a spiral staircase that went up to the second floor. There was a master bedroom and the master bathroom was something that was even more spectacular. It had a sunken tub and a shower that could fit at least four people comfortably. The view of the city from the panoramic windows gave an atmosphere of love. It was just too bad that neither one of us were in any frame of mind to strip our defenses and do what came naturally.
We did sleep together, but that was all that we did. I didn’t notice before, but he breathed heavy when he gets into that deep slumber. There’s a whistle that comes from his nose that is quite unnerving. There was a moment there that I wanted to use my two fingers to cut off that distraction. I managed to put a pillow over my head and drown out any stimuli that were going to keep me from getting a full night’s rest.
I woke with a start and I didn’t know what had caused me that much concern, but it was like I was tapping into a woman’s instinct about their baby being in trouble. I snapped forward and had to cover the sheet over my pendulum breasts. Standing at the foot of the bed was Michael with his arms crossed and shaking his head in disbelief that we would even entertain the idea of going back on our word.
I turned to August and I shook him until he fluttered his eyelids. He saw the angst on my face. We both looked to where Michael had been at the foot of the bed and there was nothing there. I was just my paranoia and a manifestation of my fears playing a deadly game. He was not there. He had already told us that he was going to be out of the country for the next couple of days.
“You look worried. I was up earlier talking to my lawyers and they had some distressing news. They had an army of lawyers go over the fine print. There is no wiggle room. They say that we can fight it, but it would do us no good. They would have been tied up in court, costing thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars to put up the necessary defense. They basically told me that I made my bed and now I had to lie in it. Of course, I fired them in a knee-jerk reaction. After calming down a little, I said that I didn’t want to fire them and keeping them on retainer was the best for everybody. They will take my money because they know that I am always good for business.” August was wearing nothing and we had reached a point in our relationship that being naked around each other was commonplace.
“I don’t like having no idea what is going on around me. I’m with you all the way to the end. Whatever you decide to do is something that the both of us should discuss beforehand. I do have my own opinion and I just hope that we don’t find ourselves arguing. Five years is a long time and yet it can be gone in the blink of an eye. We could fold and just do what they ask us.” This was my test to see if he was willing to compromise and bend a little.
The black silk sheets molded around my body, but there was no denying that my breasts were a focal point for his excitement. The tent in the sheet underneath him was quite pronounced. I wanted to reach out and touch it. I didn’t feel that it was a good time to lay hands on the man that I loved.
“I’ve caught an Angel of mercy and there are moments that I see this very bright light behind you. I have corrupted a young mind and you would think that I would feel guilty about something like that. For a culture that doesn’t take women seriously in business, it surprises me that they even mentioned you in the contract. In fact, they made it abundantly clear that you were a part of the package. They must see some value in having you working with me. It could be that I have praised your work. You could take it as a compliment that they would want you to stick around, but it’s a backhanded one that probably stings a little.” He was standing with that fine ass within reaching distance.
I had both hands in the air mimicking squeezing those cheeks, but not actually going through with it. I let the sheet fall from my bosom with the nipples standing strong and hard as ever. My body was ready to receive him in kind.
“I can’t think of anything other than your body. We did promise each other that this was going to be fun.” It seemed like a dream what happened with Michael. “I liked the way that you felt in my hand. I want to take things further, but I don’t want to do anything that you’re not comfortable with. What is your next move concerning Michael and his father? You must have something up your sleeve. I’ve come to learn that you never take chances without having a backup plan.”
“I was thinking about threatening them with legal action and actually putting things into place to let them believe that I was true to my word. It’s a bluff and one that I hope that they won’t see through. Michael might be convinced, but his father who has seen and done it all will see through my ruse. He will call my bluff and I will be left with egg on my face.” August was pacing back and forth and I was watching his love stick swinging and bobbing with a life of its own.
“You must be preoccupied not to notice that I’m sitting here completely naked and waiting for you to do something.” This seemed to break him from whatever thought was running around in his head. He actually licked his lips like he was contemplating giving me more than a good morning kiss.
“I’ve been blind, but now I can see. I’m not going to give up and there has to be some kind of loophole that we can use for our own purposes. My lawyers said that they will continue to comb through every word with meticulous detail. Their research department is better than anything that I have seen. Whoever is in charge of going through legal precedent has a mind like a steel trap.” August was hopeful and I could tell that his demeanor had changed slightly from the angst that I had seen on his face last night.
“I’ve been hot for your form for as long as I can remember. When I came to work with you it was like a dream come true. It was unfortunate that you couldn’t stop ogling me and making me feel like I had to call human resources. I see now that you only needed me to break you free from the monotony. You were at a point in your life that you weren’t looking for any kind of commitment. Imagine your surprise when I gave you a reason to think that commitment was the answer to your happiness.” I used my fingers to turn myself on. Watching him naked so near and yet so far away was more than any woman could bear.
“I was afraid to say the words and I actually needed to change my ways. Women have come and gone from my life like my bedroom was a revolving door. You rebuffed my advances. I saw you as a challenge. It was only after I pursued you and worked with you that I started to realize that there was more here than a one night stand.” He had broken up with Julia because he knew that love wasn’t in their cards.
“I want you and I thought that you wanted me, August.”
“If you haven’t guessed it by now, I want you and I should’ve introduced us both to the mile-high club. I’m just not sure that is the way that I want to start my relationship with you. We can do better and this bed looks like it can take a pounding. Don’t think that I haven’t noticed the scent of you. That new perfume that you bought has been driving me insane.” He was still naked and standing at the window. This place had wall to wall windows and gave the impression that you could see everything for miles.
“If you’re not careful, you’re going to put on a show for the neighbors. I’m sure that these eastern girls have never seen anything quite like you. Most of the Chinese men are smaller.” I had nothing left to say. He was still the same man that I remembered. “We have a chance and I don’t think that it’s a good idea for us to squander it. Tonight, is the night and I’m not taking no for an answer. I’m willing to leave it up to you. You can plan every detail. Let’s hope that your lawyer gets back to you with something that you can use to hold over Michael and his father’s head.”
“Amanda, you have been amazingly patient. I have a few ideas that involve a deep tissue massage and a day at the spa to get you ready for a night of love. We have to stop taking this too seriously and it’s only going to cause us to act before thinking. I promise that tonight will be something that you won’t be able to forget. I’m going to pull out all the stops. I want the surprises to make you that child about to open a present in the morning on Christmas Day.” August was painting a pretty picture and one that I hoped that he wasn’t going to renege on.
“There’s no reason to go overboard. The only thing that I really want is you in this bed completely naked and a smile on your face. I’m not just a pretty face and body to match. I have more going for me than the curves that you wake up to every day. I can be a little bit shy, but you don’t let me get away with it.”
“You deserve so much better than me. There are many men with money that don’t have the baggage that I do. Don’t you think that you would be happier with one of them? They can give you the world and I wouldn’t hold it against you to leave me holding the bag.” He was playing the martyr and willing to fall on his sword to protect me from five years of never ending hell.
“If I was any other woman, I would probably take your offer and run with it. I feel that loyalty is a cornerstone of any partnership in business. We need to be vigilant and we can’t expect them to be honest with us. If they can be sneaky, then we can be twice as sneaky. I don’t like stooping to this level, but sometimes it’s necessary. This will be just between you and me.” I was looking forward to being pampered and then treated like a princess. I knew that my argument about him not going overboard was going to fall on deaf ears.
* * *
“You are one very lucky girl to have a man like August in your life. How you haven’t taken it to the bedroom yet is beyond me. I might seem old-fashioned, but I’m more progressive than some of my sisters.” Lily was my masseuse with the magic fingers that had me in a relaxed state before I knew it. “I saw him out in the lobby when he dropped you off. I would be all over that in a New York second. I didn’t always live here. I was born in New York and one day I will find my way back to the big apple.”
I was making noises that were equated to those that you would find behind closed doors. I couldn’t help myself. She was touching my body with warm oils that were stimulating my sex drive. I told her my plan for August and what he was going to do to seduce me and she smiled like she had an idea of how to make things move in that direction.
“I never realized that I needed this. I’ve never had a real massage from a professional and there is a difference. August is the love of my life. I’ve tried to deny it, but it has been right there in front of my face. He was a two-timing bastard when I first met him, but having me around changed him.” Her hands were moving down along the inside of my calves from behind. She almost touched something that would be considered taboo and inappropriate. It was that closeness that was making me squirm. I moaned with that hard swat on my behind.
“I’m going to get you so riled up and then I’m going to set you lose on August. He won’t know what hit him until it’s too late. For god’s sake let him come to you and not the other way around. Let him get close and then pounce on him like a tiger after its prey.” Lily was wearing a geisha type outfit that was more conducive to Japanese culture than Chinese. There were those of the male persuasion that didn’t make that distinction. They wanted that prim and proper young lady of virtue acting naughty and doing something entirely out of character.
‘I’m not going to be able to keep my hands off of him after this treatment.” The heat from the oil was doing its job. My body was highly tuned sexually speaking and ready to have those training wheels taken off. We had already been intimate with each other, but not in the way that I was ready for.
“I have something that will help you tap into that part of you. If you would permit me, I think that I can help to keep you from letting thoughts of business get in the way.” She had me turn over on my back and I was presented with a sight that shocked and made me curious to know more.
“I know what that is called, but I’ve never actually gone through with having acupuncture. I want to try it. Do it before I change my mind.” It wasn’t long before a multitude of needles were sticking out of my body. She tapped them every so often and it elicited a response that I wasn’t expecting.
“This will open the pathway to certain pleasures that have been unknown to westerners. This will leave your mind uncluttered and you’ll be forced to live in the moment. You don’t have to thank me and the smile on your face is thanks enough. If she wasn’t careful, I was going to take flight into the stratosphere of my own orgasm. She was a master at this technique and could elicit a response from me that was more animalistic than anything else.
“I haven’t even thought about business from the moment that you started to puncture my skin with these needles. I’m not much for watching somebody get a needle and I have to turn away. This is different and it’s like you are connecting my body and soul as one. I don’t know where you learned this from, but you are a testament to your profession. I’m in good hands. You know what you’re doing. The only thing that I ask is that you don’t go too far. I want that build up until I can’t take it.” She continued to manipulate those needles.
I jumped several times in a spastic fit with my whole body shaking and trembling underneath her touch. She finally extracted those needles one at a time. I felt more in touch with nature and with my sexual self. There was a sense of anticipation in the air. The euphoria of having those needles penetrate my body was not even near enough. I wanted something quite imposing. He had that something that I wanted and this time I was not going to allow anybody to get in the way.
“If I thought that I had a chance with August, I would take it. He has only eyes for you and I don’t think that he even gave me the once over or undressed me with his eyes. I know that you did and maybe that’s something that you should explore with August. Being with him has opened up a whole new you. You’ve broken free of the only obstacle that was in your way the entire time. You have been your own worst enemy. What I did here today is a temporary fix. I request that you come back once a week for a repeat treatment. Couples break up because they can’t communicate or show the kind of affection that will keep them coming back for more.” Lily got my body humming a different tune.
“This has been very enlightening. It would probably be a good idea that August return here with me. He needs this more than I do. I don’t really know what we’re going to do about Michael and his father. I probably shouldn’t have said anything and I don’t want it to get out by some kind of gossip between you and your friends and colleagues. I’m asking for your discretion and I hope that you will abide by my wishes. There’s a big tip in it for you for your silence.” I showed her $100 bill and her eyes went wide like she hadn’t seen that kind of cash before.
“Behind these doors is a safe haven for you to talk openly without judgment or condemnation. What happens here stays here. You’re not the first one to ask for my silence and you won’t be the last. August would make a great candidate for acupuncture. I think that you’ll find that he’ll be more receptive if you were to mention it beforehand.” I got up feeling a little lightheaded, but that was to be expected from having my inner being aligned. I felt like I was connected to everything. Sex was going to take on a whole new meaning.
I hadn’t even thought that the Chinese had special techniques when it came to sexual pleasure. This trip was interesting and getting more so by the minute. Westerners didn’t have a patent on sexual discovery.
“I’m glad that you said that. I made some interesting noises and I doubt that it was anything that you haven’t heard before. I had to let it out. There was no way that I could keep something like that to myself. You hijacked my body. I’m surprised that I was able to let things go so easily. I think that is the influence of having August as a role model and mentor. He’s more than that. He’s my friend, partner in business and soon to be wild lover in bed.” Lily had to be there for me with a cold glass of water after feeling dehydrated.
I had the fortune to sit in a sauna that was infra-red and it made me sweat through my pores. It left me docile and her suggestion about acupuncture didn’t make me afraid like it should have. I was feeling ready to charge ahead and do what was needed to make this work. August said that he had gotten a very odd message from the researcher in his law firm. I had to hope that it was good news.
“You came in here as tight as a drum and you are leaving relaxed and sexually open. I learned my English from television shows and movies. This thing that you have with August is something that you need to do something about. You know exactly what I’m talking about. Everything else will fall into place one way or the other. It’s a matter of timing and there are no words that can express the way that you feel. Words are empty without actions. Do yourself a favor and take the bull by the horns. He might treat you like a fragile doll that is going to break, but you are stronger than that. Don’t let him handle you with kid gloves. Throw your misconceptions into the fireplace with those broken glasses and do what they do on the discovery channel. We don’t get that here, but I’ve heard others speak of it from your neck of the woods.” She was kneeling in front of me, holding the glass and letting me drink from the cup.
“I sometimes get the impression that we’re going against the natural order of things. Every time that we are close to being together something comes around to tear us apart. Old boyfriends and girlfriends aside, there has to be a payoff after everything that we have been through. I just hope that we are not stuck between a rock and a hard place. I’m going to tell everybody that you are the best and that they should come here before they go anywhere else. Word of mouth is what is good for business.” I felt that hunger for my man and it came from those open pathways that she had amazingly worked wonders with.
“Everything happens in its own time. You may veer from your path from time to time, but you always find a way to get back on track. It’s obvious that you were meant to be together. You can’t let business be the focus for the reason why you’re here in China. The payoff that you are looking for is in your hands. It has been there this whole time. You already know that, but you have decided to hide from it” Lily held my hand and I could feel tingles of excitement running up and down my lower extremities.
“We should’ve done something about this attraction between the two of us a long time ago. We let our fears dictate our lives. I’m through doing that.” I held her hand and there was real strength coming from those little fingers. It was as if she was touched by an angel and given a profound gift to give pleasure to others. I’m sure that if I had asked for it that a happy ending might’ve been negotiated. I could see myself experimenting. I couldn’t say that before I met August. He was letting me play in the sandbox. I didn’t have to believe that sex was one sided in the male’s favor. I deserved more than that and I wasn’t going to settle for anything less.
“Our culture was born from marriages of convenience. Our fathers were the ones that made the decision on which family to marry us into. I broke from that and they have never looked at me the same way again. I send them money and they send it back without even a note. We can’t live for others. The only person that we have to be better than is ourselves.” Lily helped me to get dressed. She was very caring and compassionate and she made me feel at ease in your presence. It was a spiritual awakening.
“It is a beautiful city with riches and wonders that have yet to be discovered by myself or August. If you could suggest a couple of places that we should visit, then that would go a long way to helping him to realize that he made the right decision by coming here.” She put up a finger. She grabbed a pen and paper and began to scribble madly like a woman possessed.
“I wrote down a few places that most tourists will never see. I also mentioned in that same note a few supplements. They will give you a virility that you didn’t know that you had. Get him to take it at the same time and the physical connection that you have together will be stronger than ever. The one that I would suggest and worked wonders for me is the deer antler.” The supplements that she was talking about was those things that you could find in nature.
I found myself hugging her and then rushing back to the penthouse with only one thing on my mind. It had nothing to do with business and everything to do with getting him out of his pants and his underwear at the same time. I was going to kick this into high gear and it didn’t matter what he did to prevent me from attacking him.
* * *
I waited for 2 hours and then I heard the door open and the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. I got up and I lay back against the bed in a compromising position with legs spread and my intention quite obvious from the way that I was dressed in that same lingerie.
The door opened and I saw him staring at me and then dropping whatever papers he had in his hands. “I think that you might be a little underdressed. Dinner is served downstairs.” I tried to reach for a robe by the door, but he snatched it from my hands and made me stand there. “On second thought, there’s no reason for you to get dressed up. What you’re wearing will suffice nicely. I also have some potentially good news, but I think that can wait until later.” August took my hand and made me walk ahead of him. I could feel him staring at me and the way that my panties were wedged up into the crack of my ass.
He wanted to enjoy the view from the back. There was definitely a new skip in his step. The weight on his shoulders was gone and in place was the man that I had professed my love for.
“I took the liberty of ordering off menu.” The glint in his eye told me that he was up to something. “Please, take a seat and you’ll find that most of these dishes incorporate a certain magic mushroom that is known to the locals. I don’t know the pronunciation, but it’s said to be a very potent part of their sex life.” I put the deer antler in jerky form in front of him. I told him of the significance of it. We were both thinking the same thing.
“The one thing that we don’t need any help with is getting in the mood. I can already see that you are happy about something.” He looked down and the bulge that was trying to escape his trousers was not average by any means.
The food was delicious and the mushrooms and deer antler did complement the dish precisely as advertised. I was a little nervous and being this vulnerable and exposed left me with chills running up and down my spine. He dropped his napkin and then he disappeared under the table. I knew exactly what he was up to and I didn’t dare look. I continued to eat when I felt a pair of hands spreading my legs. Those fingers crept up along the garters, snapping them once to garner a yelp of surprise from my mouth.
I could feel his hot breath on the thin fabric of my blood red panties. I felt the touch of his wet and agile tongue. It wasn’t direct contact, but it was certainly a tease for better things to come. His hands were lightly touching the inside of my thighs igniting that ember into a full-blown blaze.
“I hope that you know what you are…DOING.” I lost my speech as his fingers delicately moved away the only obstacle that was preventing him from seeing me. I felt his one finger draw a straight line down until he penetrated. I pushed against him to see how far that finger would go until it was past the second knuckle. The grip in which I held him in my embrace must’ve given him an idea of what he was in for.
“Put yourself into my hands and I promise that you won’t regret it.” The tip of his tongue moved ever slowly from my knee all the way up to the inside of my thighs. I didn’t need to see what he was doing to know what roadmap he was using to get there. I had this feeling that he had a very profound conversation with Lily before he left. “You taste delicious and I haven’t even sampled the best part. I just hope that you don’t suffocate me.” That was a promise that I couldn’t make because I didn’t know that I would be able to keep it.
“Oh, my…that does leave me a little heated and it has nothing to do with the temperature in the room.” I held the table, willing myself to be in the moment and feeling like the acupuncture had lessened the control that Michael had over what was going to happen.
That tongue came in direct contact with my clit for a brief moment before taking it away. I made an audible gasp that I was sure was music to his ears. He drove the point of his tongue like a spear until I was slamming my hands down on the table with more than an encouraging word. The explicit language would’ve made a grown sailor blush.
He was darting his tongue in and out of my body with a precision that had me feeling like he was some kind of serpent. He was showing that he was in control. This was a man that had a lot to offer. His experience was doing wonders for my libido.
I had to push away from the table, panting like an animal in heat and placing my foot in those high heels up on his forehead to prevent him from touching me like that anymore. He looked a little disappointed, but I didn’t want to reach the end of my rope that quickly.
“Your patience will be rewarded. There’s no point in getting too hot to handle. I want this night to live in infamy in both of our minds. Our first time will be a long drawn out affair with the both of us having the chance to explore each other’s bodies. I believe that you are in a position to carry me up those stairs and into the bedroom where the action will take place.” Most men wouldn’t be up to that task and my weight was a major issue back in the day. Those guys that had come before were toxins that had to be excised from my body like demons. He was the answer to all of my dreams coming true. I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
“I think that I can handle that.” He lifted me easily into his arms with my legs kicking in an overanxious way. “I can’t wait to get you out of this thing. It looks good on you, but I think that it would look even better on the floor. I don’t know why, but I would like you to keep on the stockings and high heels. There’s just something about them that makes my motor run even higher than it already is.” He walked with ease up those stairs, not sweating one bit or making me feel like I was a burden.
He laid me down on the bed after uncovering the sheet. The cool and crisp feeling against my skin was only making me hungry for more. I grabbed him by his belt and pulled him into me with his tongue stabbing into my mouth. I was doing two things at the same time. It was awkward with the way that he was kissing me. I did manage to undo his belt and then unzip his pants to feel the heat of his loins striking against my fingertips.
I made a conscious effort to go fishing and I found that the bait of my cock hungry body was enough to draw him out. He was quite advanced in his development. It was saluting like a good soldier with the large helmet already showing a sheen of his excitement. I used my thumb and I got better acquainted with what was going to be plunging deep within the scorching lust between my thighs.
I took a hold of his shaft, hearing him moan in response as I began to draw the skin up over the head. I did this several times and I was quite happy to see the results dripping down the sides. I was on my knees and I had to break the contact of his lips. He had my lipstick smeared across his mouth and I was going to do the very same thing for another part of his anatomy.
“I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. For weeks, I fantasized about what it would be like to be with you. It seems so surreal that we are here together. I thought that you saw me as a lost cause. I didn’t like the way that you made me feel, but it was for the best.” My mouth was near the object of my desire. I stuck out my tongue and tasted the byproduct of his desire for me. It was sticky and sweet. I wanted more where that came from.
“I was wondering how you were going to taste and I have to say that I’m pleasantly surprised.” I sealed my lips over top of him and drew him into the back of my mouth. I eased him into my throat with his balls touching my chin in a very erotic way.
“I don’t think that I could ever dream something like this. I can feel the heat from your mouth and the way that your tongue curls around me. I want to hold off, but I’m not sure how long I can under this kind of torture.” I wasn’t about to let him prematurely end the party before it began. I knew when he was going to be ready and that was when I was going to take a page out of the oldest profession in the book.
If they wanted repeat customers, then they had to do something spectacular that would have them coming back each and every time. I slowed down the pace in which my lips were gliding up and down the length of him. The salty taste of his seed only compelled me to take what I wanted.
I could feel his hand running through my hair and holding the back of my head. I gave him about 5-minutes of my oral expertise and then I took it away with no explanations. He was soaking wet and he wasn’t the only one. The panties that I was wearing had a stain in them. He pushed me backward and lifted my legs in the air while grabbing my panties with his teeth.
He pulled them ever slowly up along my large and silky legs. He growled like an animal and then twisted his head to the side with the panties flying until they were flung over the lampshade. I don’t think that he could’ve done that again in much the same way.
“You have brought out the animal in me and you have only yourself to blame. You can see what you do to me. This is what happens every time that I’m near you. Let this be a reminder that you have more power than you think you do over a man. Take a stance against Michael and I think that you’ll find the respect that you’re due.” He had that mushroom tip against my sex and I had to get up on my elbows to watch as every inch sank into the deep confines of my sweetness.
I locked my legs around him with my ankles cinched to keep him as close as possible. He had stuffed me full and I was enjoying the feeling more with every stroke that he gave me. The rhythm was slow and agonizing, but it didn’t remain like that for long.
“If I brought the animal out of you, then you have brought the woman out of me. Believe me; it’s not something that I say lightly. Please, take me and let me feel the fire that burns out of control between us. Taste my skin and know that everything that I am is because of you.” The way that he was making love to me was gentle but firm. There was a need that surpassed all others in his eyes. They crackled with electricity. I was the one that was responsible for that.
“I was worried that we were only fooling ourselves. I see now that I didn’t need to worry at all. We are compatible in ways that exceed my expectations. I can feel the way that you hang onto me and it’s very hard to pull out. That bead of sweat running down between your breasts is what I’m using to keep myself in check.” I thrust my body in the air, wrapped my hands around him and felt the jerk of his hips as he continued to supply me with the kind of pleasure that women everywhere would be jealous of. The mattress was moving against the wall and soon the headboard was cracking against the plaster and making it rain.
“Yes… God damn it…this is what I want and I never thought that I could…HAVEEEEEEEE.” My climax was legendary with this earthquake between my legs that had me seeing stars dancing before my vision. Those inner muscles worked him over into a frenzy. They were massaging that stick of dynamite that had already been lit before we had entered the room.
His movements became more erratic, but he never slowed down until he got that telltale look on his face. The floodgates opened. This continued almost a full minute before he finally slumped forward on top of me. I could hear his heart beating and I thought for sure that this was the end of our time together. I reached down and felt that his semi-erect state told a different story. We had only begun and I had a feeling that there wasn’t going to be a whole lot of sleep had tonight.
* * *
By morning, we were exhausted and spent with the sheets curled around us and lying on the floor. I was lying against him with my head on his shoulder. He had his arms wrapped around me and was whispering sweet nothings in my ear.
“I’ve never been more satisfied in my life, Amanda. I think that you have ruined me for other women. I don’t think that I’ll be able to look at one without thinking that they can’t hold a candle to you. The way that you moved was like an alley cat. You purr like a kitten, but you growl like a lion. I think that I might have bitten off more than I can chew. I might die, but I will die with a happy smile on my face.” They were the sweetest words that any man had ever said to me.
“I don’t even know where to begin. I have nothing left to give. We really did have some time to make up for. That had to be the best that I’ve ever had it. You were so responsive to my needs that it felt like we were connected more spiritually.” I didn’t want to break the spell that we were under. This was our own little world and we had captured a memory for posterity.
“I wasn’t the only one that was responsive. You were definitely not shy about telling me what you needed. For the most part, I already knew what to do, but it was nice to know that you weren’t afraid to speak your mind. I lost count after the fifth time how many times you came. I had three climaxes myself and that’s an all-time record. I’ve never actually gone all night before without some sort of pharmaceutical aid. The little blue pill really does come in handy from time to time. I can assure you that I didn’t need it this time. I just needed the right woman to push my buttons in just the right way.” I knew that there was something that I was forgetting and then it dawned on me that he had mentioned the potentially good news.
“You made all the blood from my head rush to another part of my body. Now that I’m thinking straight, I would like to know what you meant when you said that you had potentially good news. There is definitely a change in your attitude. I know that some of that is courtesy of what I was wearing, but I don’t think that was the extent of it.” I touched his depleted member and the head was extra sensitive after going off that many times.
“The research advisor that I was telling you about came up with something that we might be able to use in our favor. Intellectual property is not the same as patents pending. I had the foresight before I went into this business to patent all of my designs. They can have us, but they can’t have our designs without both of us signing off on it. I know that they’re not going to like that, but that’s hard cheese.” He was smug, but if he had thought about this, then it was likely that their lawyers had already found a way to circumvent that very thing.
“We have one more day and then we will have to meet with Michael and his father to discuss things further. We can’t go off half-cocked. It does us no good to show how desperate we are. I’m glad that we waited and it made it that much more special. I don’t have any frame of mind, but I think that we might have broken the sound barrier. I know that I screamed until I was hoarse and you couldn’t stop moaning my name over and over again. I don’t think that there’s a better sound than hearing my name coming from your lips.” I moved my fingers over his sweaty skin and I knew that we were in major need of a shower for two.
“I’m ready for them this time and they won’t catch me with my pants down again. Fool me once shame on them, fool me twice and shame on me. The one thing that I do know from all of this is that we both need each other. I listened to you breathing last night and I could almost hear the things that you were dreaming about. When you opened up your eyes the truth came out about how much you love me. You tell me that you want me and that you need me more than the air that you breathe and I believe you.” August held me tightly and I think that he had the same sentiment that there was no better place than being in each other’s arms.
“When I hold you in my arms like this it’s like I’m home. You put me in the spotlight and made me perform for an audience of one. You can’t hide your emotions from me. You can from others, but I can see through the bravado.” I was quite content to lie in his arms forever, but that was only a pipe dream. Sooner or later, we were going to have to face our problems head on. We were together and nothing was going to conquer us.
“I’ve never felt more connected to anyone in my life. The dreams that I had were the most satisfying. They had to be about you. When I wake up with a smile, I know that it’s because you are with me, Amanda. There’s something about you that keeps me wide awake. I had a resurgence of energy last night that came over me like nothing that I have felt before. Usually, I’m good for one or maybe two, but last night I went beyond my wildest imagination.” Whenever I looked at him, I believed that I could do just about anything.
“August, you say the sweetest things and yet I don’t believe that they are lines. Men might say the damnedest things to get a woman into bed, but you are not like that. You might have been in the past, but you learned that there is a give and take to any relationship. That we need to continually work to better ourselves. We will have arguments and fight like cats and dogs, but we will never go to bed angry.” That was a promise that I was intending to keep.
“I am a little older than you, but I certainly didn’t expect you to be able to bend like that. Only contortionists can do some of those maneuvers. You’re very flexible and you always keep me guessing. Every time that I look at you, I feel like my heart is going to explode.” We finally had to go and take a shower and that was making it very hard on us not to have a repeat performance. It wouldn’t be long until we were throwing caution to the wind and there was still a whole lot of this penthouse suite that we had not taken advantage of.
He helped me to towel dry and I could feel his fingers lingering a little longer than necessary. When he bit one of my cheeks, I jumped out of my skin, but also laughed at the way that he couldn’t help himself. We were not conventional and the love that we shared was something that was written in the stars.
“You keep doing that and you know what’s going to happen. We haven’t even had a moment to step outside of his room for over 12-hours. We need to nourish our body. We need to get dressed and go someplace to have breakfast. Don’t worry; I plan to take full advantage of that body of yours. I don’t think last night was a fluke, but there’s only one way to find out. We need to practice and I’m not opposed to pushing the envelope.” I’d always wanted some man to use my breasts for their pleasure. Seeing him thrusting that last time straddling my chest was an awe-inspiring moment. The heat of his discharge was still on my skin.
“I keep thinking that what I have against them is not enough. That somehow they will turn the tables and have us looking like fools all over again. I’ve gone over what that researcher found and it is very well hidden. They would need somebody that is meticulous and won’t just gloss over the details. They think they have us over a barrel and they won’t even entertain the idea that we could be in the driver’s seat.” I saw him putting on his pants and I wanted to reach out and pull it back down to where he was accessible to my eager and hungry eyes.
“August, the one thing that we can’t do is accept everything on face value. We go in there armed to the teeth and ready to blow their world apart. We don’t let them get a word in edgewise and we hit them with this from the moment that we enter into the office. That will draw them into an offensive position. Be ready for them to play dirty. We’ve already witnessed that for ourselves and it’s not like they were very subtle about it. Michael got us here under false pretenses and they can’t be allowed to play with people’s lives like that. They need to know that there are consequences to their actions.” I put on a pair of jeans feeling like today was a day to go casual. I slipped a sweater over my head, but it didn’t exactly hide my otherwise endowment.
“I agree with you. We need to make sure that we have all of our bases covered. After breakfast, I suggest that we go into the office using our newly acquired key cards and do a little bit of reconnaissance. We can poke around and do some digging on our own. Let’s see if there are any skeletons in their closet that we can use against them. The kind of business that they do must’ve made them a fair supply of enemies. What I have is damning enough, but we want them to be in a position where they will have to work with us than against us. The only way that we’re going to be able to do that is to fight fire with fire.” It was a good idea, but Michael and his father didn’t get to where they were by being careless.
“Gossip might be normal for other offices, but I doubt that there are going to be any loose lips to be found. We will be lucky if we find anybody that is even remotely talkative.” I had my back towards him and then he was behind me with the abundance between his legs pressed up against me. I could feel it nestled between my cheeks and I was this close to unbuttoning and bending over for the occasion.
“We are both as bad as each other. Let’s get out of here and find someplace that is out of the way. I’m sure that the driver waiting to take us to wherever we want to go will have some ideas. I even have this place that is not known to the tourists.” I told him about my adventure with Lily. He was apprehensive, but he was at least willing to come with me the next time.
“I do like the way that you think. You make me feel like I’m a fish out of water. I don’t necessary like that feeling, but having a woman like you makes it palatable.” We closed the door and went downstairs to retrieve our jackets by the front door.
I looked at him and I still couldn’t believe that I had landed a big fish like him. He seemed so unattainable. Girls were flocking to him. He had found a reason to be close to me instead of pushing me away. Even when I didn’t respond to his overtures, he still kept me around because he knew that I was a value to his company.
“The way that you are thinking has rubbed off on me. I look at things differently than I did before. Guys like you were a dime a dozen, but you were that hidden gem that I had to uncover. I think in some small way that you were hiding from your feelings. Rejection is never easy and you never let anybody close enough to break your heart. I’m glad that you were willing to open up to me. It wasn’t easy and it was like pulling teeth.” I opened the door and Michael was standing there with a tray and a smile on his face. It appeared that their business trip had been cut short and he decided to stop in on his newest acquisition.
* * *
“My father is downstairs and he will be up here shortly. I know that this is shorter notice that I had given you previously, but I can’t help that. I can only hope that you have come to your senses. Fall in line and you’ll be fed like fat pigs. Don’t and you’ll find yourself under litigation for breach of contract.” It was obvious that Michael had been sent ahead to smooth the troubled waters.
I was about to say something, but August interjected before I could get a word out. I was about to tell him that we were willing to work with him under certain conditions. It was his smug attitude that made me want to wipe that look off of his face.
“I think that it might be a little premature for us to talk about these things without your father present. I see that you brought us breakfast. We are famished and we appreciate the way that you have bent over backward to please us.” August was playing the game, but I could see the suspicion in Michael’s eyes like he was afraid that he was not seeing something that he should.
“Why is it that I get this feeling in the pit of my stomach? You are being way too kind and I expected more resistance than this. Tell me what has changed from the time that I saw you the other day to now. You must feel pretty damn cocky to stand in front of me not shaking in your boots. I don’t like being blindsided. My father’s not going to be very happy and you really don’t want to see his bad side.” August looked at Michael and didn’t give him the courtesy of saying anything more.
“I would say that you have gone above and beyond. This all looks very delicious. If I don’t miss my guess, I believe that you got this from the place across the street. I can never remember its name, but the owner is very rigid and his wife caters to those that enter.” Michael was fuming and August was enjoying playing with that Damocles sword over his head.
“I don’t like being ignored. I hope that you don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Trust me; my father is not one to be made a fool of.” Michael was pacing, wringing his hands and looking like a bit of the bluster had been blown out of him.
“You’re right, August and everything looks absolutely sumptuous.” I sat down and we both talked to each other leaving him out of the conversation altogether.
“I do like the way that they treat us. I’m not sure that I enjoy the way that they think that they have the upper hand. It’s interesting about what happens when you push an animal too far. They don’t just sit in the corner and lick their wounds. They find a way to fight back and use whatever is at their disposal to give their enemy something to think about. You would think that somebody with that kind of business acumen would know that there are several ways to skin a cat.” He was alluding to the information that we had that was going to change everything.
“I don’t know what you’re getting at. Stop this before it goes any further. I’m pleading with you not to get into this with my father.” It was too late for that and Michael was now backpedaling like his life depended on it.
“That is more than enough groveling, Michael.” We were under the impression that his father didn’t speak English, but that was just another one of his lies. “Let these people eat their breakfast in peace. We can always discuss business afterward. It’s not like they’re going anywhere.” He had this self-important attitude that really did grate on my last nerve.
He grabbed a chair from nearby and sat down with a smirk on his face. He was looking back and forth between me and August. It was a very uncomfortable silence. He was waiting for us to say something.
We continued to talk about the weather or anything else that came to mind. It was our way of sticking it to him. It was a dangerous game and could easily blow up in our faces. I could see that Michael’s father was a time bomb ready to go off.
“I have to give my compliments to the chef. I think that we will be making that place a regular haunt for some time to come. That is if we can get past this pesky business of you wanting things your way. Your son was very forthright, but I believe that the words that he spoke come from you. He was just a puppet and you didn’t want to dirty your hands with this kind of business. I’m sure that you weren’t very happy when he came back and told you of the way that we reacted.” The plates were pushed aside and now they were both facing off like adversaries.
“I will not allow you to talk to my…” Michael was cut off by a hand gesture that had him cowering and bowing his head in servitude to his father.
“I don’t know why we are arguing about this. You either do what we say, or all of this will disappear and you can expect a battle that will stretch years in court. We take breach of contract very seriously in my culture.” He was laying down the law like he was the sheriff and we were lonely peasants.
“I have something to show you. It gives me great pleasure to do so.” He retrieved the portion of the contract that was going to leave him speechless and stunned. “If you would look at section five, paragraph seven, I think that you’ll find that everything is in order. This contract supersedes the one that I signed to come here to work. You really should know your enemy before you go casting stones at glass houses.” His facial expression changed from mild amusement to outright contempt.
“I see that we have come to an impasse. How do you suppose that we get past this? I’m open to ideas, but don’t think that you have me where you want me. I could easily just rip up the contract. I don’t want to and that is going to be my last resort.” Michael’s father was dressed impeccably with not a hair out of place. His fingers were manicured and I had no doubt that the rest of his body was summarily taken care of.
“You think that it’s a threat that you can tear up the contract but it’s not. You came to us and not the other way around. With that being said, you and your son have not even mentioned my partner’s name. That stops now. I don’t care how you feel about women in general and I won’t have you treating her like she’s nothing. I have more than enough money. Losing this contract would be unfortunate, but not life changing” It was time that I said something or they would just continue to use me as a doormat.
“August isn’t the only one in this room that has something to say. You can either agree to our terms to get the best from us or you can turn your attention to somebody else that you can have your thumb on. The one thing that I do know is that you will never have a design for a building that will have people in awe of the Nakamura enterprise. We’ve already proven ourselves time and time again. One client, in particular, is the measuring stick that you should be using.” I felt his glaring eyes, but I stood strong and did not cower like his son did.
“I know that things are changing. I won’t be conducting day to day business with you. That role will fall on my son. I will instruct him to make every allowance. I won’t dignify what you say with a response. As long as you both stay out of my way then maybe we can work together. I do find myself curious to find out what you will come up with. I doubt that I’m going to like it and that’s just a risk that the three of us are going to have to take.” He got up with a refined gesture and then he stepped towards the front door like he was still the master of all things.
“I almost forgot to mention an old friend of yours that wanted to say hello. Tanner Young is a name that I know that you know all too well. He was very talkative about certain things. If they were to come to light, then I don’t think that I have to tell you what would happen.” August had found out that there was a skeleton in the Nakamura closet. Tanner only alluded to something that would be a black eye to the Nakamura image. He didn’t say anything concrete, but the only thing that August needed was something to keep these people from breaking their word.
Michael’s father turned swiftly and he pointed at the both of us like he was chastising a little child after he had broken something of great value to his family. “Well played. I won’t forget about this. I’m just glad that I don’t have to see either one of you ever again. Any conversation will go through my son first. I might have underestimated you and I don’t think that I’ll be doing that again. You can tell Tanner from me that I won’t be causing any more problems. That’s not to say that I will automatically agree with any design that you come up with.” He walked out with Michael standing there not believing what he was seeing with his own eyes.
“I don’t know what that was about, but you actually scared him. Let me shake your hand. I’ve been trying to get his respect all of my life. I’m sorry that I gave you a hard time. I was just following orders like a good soldier. You don’t know how much I want this to work out. Working with the both of you is going to be my pleasure. Anybody that can take my father down a peg is OK in my books.” He bowed politely and then followed his father like a dutiful son.
“You know that bluffing at cards only leads to trouble. We don’t know anything about that skeleton in his closet. It’s a good thing that he thinks that we do. I think that we have a reason to celebrate. We’re going to have a good time tonight. You said all of that with a straight face. I’m not sure that I should be impressed or scared that you can lie through your teeth so easily.” I did enjoy the way that they had no choice but acknowledge my existence. I could see that it was easier for Michael than it was for his father. That was a man that had a certain way about him. He was used to using intimidation tactics like fine print in a contract.
“I’ve never been so turned on in my life. That was great, but what fueled my sexual appetite, even more, was putting that old man in his place. There was a crack in his stoic façade that I couldn’t stop smiling about.” He lifted me from the chair and placed my ample posterior on the table. He sat down and placed his head in my lap with my fingers moving through his short hair.
“It was interesting to see that switch turn on and off. This is not going to be easy, but in life, anything that is worth doing is worth doing the right way. I can only speak for myself, but I have this hunger that needs to be fed. Breakfast was good, but I’m sure that there is something that you can give me to wet my appetite.” I was alluding to the long and packed sausage in his pants. “We don’t have to be to work until tomorrow. We have all day and I think that we can make good use of that time in a constructive way.” He raised his head and lifted me once again into his arms.
“I think that you are a dirty girl in need of a good scrubbing. Let’s go see what we can do about using that sunken tub.” I had a feeling that there was going to be water everywhere.
I found out later that I was pregnant with his child. I was going to keep that to myself until there was a more advantageous time to spring this on him. We had spoken about children in the past and I knew that he wanted a big family. That was one thing that we had in common amongst others.
As he bounded up the stairs two steps at a time, I knew that the fire that we had for one another was never going to be contained. It didn’t matter what country we were in or what kind of workload we had. We would always have special moments just for us. I was looking forward to a bright future with the man that I loved.
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There are more bonus stories ahead…..just look what you want to read next via the Table of Contents (TOC)
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