Chapter Three
The white stretch limousine was easily a focus for those of curiosity. They would want to know who was behind the tinted glass and have their phones ready to secure their 5 minutes of fame.
“I can’t believe you convinced me to do this. You don’t know how many times I was about to pick up the phone and tell you to go straight to hell. It would serve you right to have your wife show up unexpectedly.” Claire was wearing her secret weapon. The Donna Karan little black dress had the subtlety of a Mack truck running down a small sports car.
“I never put a gun to your head. You could’ve said no at any time, but you didn’t.” They were sitting at a red light on their way to an exclusive restaurant catering to those who liked privacy.
“I would be remiss if I didn’t say that you certainly know how to dress to impress. The Armani suit was something, but it doesn’t even compare to the tuxedo. Not many men can wear a bow tie, but you pull it off.” Claire had a string of pearls draped around her neck gleaming underneath the lights of the limousine.
The smell of champagne was on their breath and they were having a few cocktails before dinner. It loosened them up and made them susceptible to more than just words. The caviar was a nice touch.
“I haven’t worn this in over a year.” He remembered the last time and how he stole the room with one glance. His attention to detail with the cuff links and the pressed material had made him a noteworthy attendant. He wasn’t the only one.
His wife mingled amongst the crowd at the fundraiser carrying a conversation from one to the other. She was quite adept at reading a room and immersing herself into a conversation without anybody realizing her interruption.
“It still looks like it fits and the material is quite soft to the touch.” Claire proved her claim by running her hands down over his chest. Remarkably, he was well put together and there was something of a desire to see him without his clothes.
“It’s not a good idea to be poking the bear unless you want its claws.” He grabbed her and held her wrists with the grip of a lion applying his teeth to his prey.
“Such forcefulness can be foreplay in the right hands. I would be very careful and you might be close to the fire.” Claire felt powerless and the look of determination in his eyes brought their lips a little bit closer.
“I have a firm hand in business and sometimes it translates into the bedroom. There is no better feeling than making an acquisition. I get hot and bothered. Touching you like this brings back that feeling 100 times over.” Eric saw that she was breathing heavily and her chest was rising and falling with each labored breath.
“You might have found my Achilles’ heel without even trying. I like a man who takes what he wants. It has been a long time since anybody has shown me the kind of man that can leave me breathless with anticipation.” She could smell his aftershave and it made her smile while closing her eyes to the fragrance assaulting her nostrils.
“I would like to take a moment to say how sexy you look tonight. The dress is a design that is only seen in high-end boutique windows. I don’t know that much about fashion, but I have some unique insight. We haven’t even discussed what you do for a living.” He knew the subject of occupation was going to come up eventually and decided to ask the question.
“I’m a realtor for very exclusive properties with $1,000,000 price tags. I specialize in foreclosures and those properties on the water. Living in paradise is a prerequisite for those with money. I wonder if you have any interest in setting up some viewings. I have a few tricks up my sleeve which you might find appealing.” Claire pulled out her phone and brought up several listings overlooking the ocean with one catching his eye. She saw the way that his pupils dilated.
“It’s been a long time, but that one seems familiar. I could swear it’s a place that I have spent a fair amount of my childhood. I never thought there was a way to pry it from my friend’s family’s hands.” The wall of windows with the white painted façade was nothing without the wooden steps leading down to 200 feet of private beach.
“I could easily give you a tour of the place tomorrow morning. I have the keys and the view from the master bedroom is to die for,” Claire said. “The bathroom is a wet dream for a woman of refinement. The oasis of the quaint claw tub with a skylight above is a perfect ambiance for romance.” She had him on the hook and was using the bait of the property to reel him in.
“My wife is away on family business. It wouldn’t be the property for her, but I can’t say the same thing for myself. I think it might be a good idea to cut this evening short. Dinner will have to wait. I know you’re disappointed, but I will make it up to you.” He had spied a text message from Jack and his attention was needed elsewhere.
“I’m not disappointed and I’m quite anxious to get my hands on the commission of selling that property. I can be quite tenacious. Think of a Pitbull and then you might have a good idea of how hard I’m going to sell you on the place.” Doing her due diligence and finding something familiar was easier than expected.
“I wouldn’t get your hopes up and the property will have to sell itself. I’m just not sure it’s a good idea to delve into acquisitions concerning real estate at this time.,” Eric said. "I could be convinced, but only if this place ‘blows me’ away.” There was an unconscious double meaning behind his words.
“I can assure you that this property is something that will take you by the throat and never let go. The previous owners are on an extended vacation in Europe with their family. I have received multiple offers, but the owners have been unwilling to budge. I’m sure with the right offer they will jump at it, but it’s going to have to be something quite the eye opener.” Claire was sipping from her champagne glass and still feeling the phantom touch of his fingers gripping her wrists.
The image of being manhandled into submission using the silk scarves that she had acquired at the market was immediately blazing in her mind. Struggling and looking up at her captor with those bedroom eyes was going to become something of an obsession.
“I can be quite generous if given proper motivation. A woman of your persuasion can probably make me do things against my better judgment,” He said. “I feel like I shouldn’t look directly at you or risk having my eyes burning out of my skull. I’ve never been in a position of being tempted by somebody quite like you. That’s not an insult.” He couldn’t help but admire her curves.
“I’ll keep that in mind. Learning about a potential buyer is half the battle. I like to think that I bring to the table a lot more than other realtors. A personal attention to detail is something that I aspire to. A hands on approach is not something that I shy away from.” She was feeling the bubbles of the champagne tickling her nose and the intoxication of the liquor was making the temperature rise a few degrees.
“It’s very difficult to sit beside you and not want to touch you inappropriately. I want to savor every minute in your presence. I regret this evening and I can only imagine what the rest of the night had to offer. I’m already kicking myself about this damn merger with…” He felt so comfortable with her that he almost spilled the beans. Eric had already warned his people about loose lips and here he was about to commit the same cardinal sin.
“That sounds like it has a story behind it. I’m not going to pry and it’s really none of my business. I hope that is not a hardship, but maybe you can drop me off back where you picked me up. It’s such a waste to wear such a knockout dress and have no place to go. I might have to go out and I find myself a fresh piece of ass to take to bed. Boys my own age are only after one thing and will lie through their teeth to get it.”
“I have the same problem and you might not think so, but women tend to become quite transparent when they are looking to cash in on their pot of gold. They are gold diggers and they don’t even care that I’m wearing a wedding ring. I know how hypocritical that sounds considering the circumstances.” He kept looking at his phone and getting the sense of somebody playing a dangerous game to get his attention.
“I feel a little sick to my stomach for even taking you up on your offer. It might be a good idea to keep things civil without the entanglement of getting physical. We can treat this as a strictly professional relationship. You have acquired my services to find you a property.” Claire was shutting the door on the possibility of romantic overtures. It was going to be interesting to see how he was going to handle this obstacle.
“I can’t say that I’m happy about this latest turn of events. I look forward to seeing what you have up your sleeve. If this is the same property I’ve come to know and love during my childhood, then selling it is not going to take much effort on your part. It is a lot of money for something I really don’t need.” They arrived back at the restaurant where she had waited patiently for him to collect her.
“This evening didn’t go according to plan, but I think it’s for the best. There’s no reason to pout and we are going to see each other quite extensively in this search. They say that you should never buy anything without making comparisons. I will show you a couple of other properties before we make our way over to the one that has you bouncing like a kid in a candy store.” She was bending over in a compromising position at the window.
“I haven’t seen the place in quite some time and it looks like it has gone through some major renovations over the years. I could see potential in every room and I was prepared to make an offer before getting shut down by his parents,” Eric said. "They said, as much as they appreciated the offer that there was no way they could ever let it out of family hands. I don’t know what made them change their minds. It doesn’t seem like them, but circumstances change on a dime. They might be desperate for cash.” He took her hand and gave her a kiss like a gentleman.
Claire fanned herself with the other hand. “I don’t need this drama in my life. If only you didn’t have that damn ring around your finger. I guess there is truth in the saying that the good ones are either married or gay.” She heard the incessant buzzing of her phone and looked down with a sneer of dissatisfaction on her face.
“I look forward to the next time I see you, Claire. I will be ready bright and early tomorrow morning unless something comes up at the last minute.” He seemed to recall there was no discussion about what he did for a living. He had no problems throwing his money around and it wasn’t like he was going to be able to take it with him.
As the car rounded the corner, she picked up the phone and pressed the signal to receive.
“Everything is on schedule and I hope that I can put this to bed quickly. There’s a beach in Mexico with my name on it.” She didn’t even give him a chance to make any sort of rebuttal and closed off communication with what felt like somebody punching her in the stomach.