Nancy stood in her closet, sorting through work outfits when she heard the door open and a moment later, Jared’s voice. “Time for the seasonal rotation?”

  She forced a smile but didn’t turn to face him. “Yes. I have lunch with Matt, then I’m heading in.”

  “Be back tonight?”

  “Not sure.” She pulled two outfits and placed them in the garment bags. “If it runs long, I’ll stay at the office. I have early meetings.”

  “Well, tell Matt I said hi. He should come by the house. I know Michael would love to see him.”

  “He flies out this evening, but I’ll pester him to stay longer next time,” she said, holding two suits up before glancing at her watch. “I need to get going,” she said as she put both in the garment bag and zipped it up. “Can you put these in the car so I can get changed?”

  “Sure,” Jared said and picked up the bags. He paused, his gaze lingering on her as she pulled her tank top off. She turned away before she said something that might give her away.

  “Should I just take those down when I go?” she asked as she fastened her bra.

  “Huh, oh yeah, sorry,” Jared said and left with her clothes. Nancy watched him go in a mirror and caught herself clenching her teeth.

  That asshole better not think he had a chance at touching her ever again. She let her head fall back so her jaw could relax. After several deep breaths, she decided she would have dinner with Elias tonight. She put one of her more form fitting dresses and some taller heels into her gym bag before going downstairs.

  “You’re all loaded up,” Jared said when she reached the bottom of the stairs.

  She nodded as she walked out. “Don’t wait up.”

----------------------------------------

  Elias sat at the table picking at his marinated mozzarella and tomato appetizer. He glanced over to the wait staff and snapped his fingers. One of them rushed over.

  “Yes sir?” the cute Asian serving girl said.

  Elias eyed her up and down, appreciating the buttons on her shirt stretched by her chest. His gaze eventually making its way up to her dark brown eyes. “A bottle of your best Pinot Noir and two glasses.”

  “Right away, sir.”

  As she turned to go, he grabbed her wrist. “Can your bartender make a negroni sbagliato?”

  A forced smile appeared on her face. “I’ll find out, sir.”

  Elias watched her backside as she walked away. She was shapely but heavier than liked; if he wasn’t here for someone else, he might have propositioned the girl. Movement at the door drew his attention. The host opened the door for Nancy and gestured to Elias’ table in the center of the dining hall.

  Her hair was down this time with a few curls at her temples, partially covering some dangling gold ear rings. She wore a very flattering tight pencil dress with a splashed floral print that had a deep v neck. The bounce of her tits entranced him as she approached.

  “I’m going to give you lessons in subtlety,” she said as he pulled out her chair.

  He laughed. “Whatever do you mean?” He caught the scent of strawberries and vanilla as he pushed her chair in, which was just his excuse to look down her dress. “You said no one else involved.”

  “Yes, but securing a whole restaurant for the two of us is calling for attention,” she said as the server brought back the wine, glasses, and his drink. Elias watched her walk away before turning to Nancy.

  “What do you think? Should we invite her back with us?” he asked with a big grin. Nancy glared at him until he waved his hand. “Okay, okay. Enough with the mean eyes. You can’t blame me for trying.”

  She shook her head with a sigh. “I can.”

  Elias sipped his drink while staring at her cleavage until Nancy picked up and held the menu to block his view. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on the table so he could look over it. “You know, I’m still curious. Why your sudden change of heart regarding me?”

  “It wasn’t a change of heart,” Nancy said. She sat back, still holding the menu. “I had an itch that I needed scratched. I picked you to scratch it.”

  “Oh ho ho. It gets more interesting. Is this itch normal for you? Does that husband of yours not scratch it well?”

  She looked at him over the menu. “I’m thinking either the Risotto alla Milanese or perhaps the Tortellini en Brodo. What do you have a taste for?”

  Elias grinned, sat back, and put his arm over the chair. “What’s say we skip dinner. Head straight to dessert.”

  Nancy sighed and lowered the menu, drawing his eyes back to her chest. “You said dinner. I’m holding you to that.”

  He grinned. “Will you hold something else to me later?”

  “If you’re good,” she said, still perusing the menu. Elias laughed and looked over to the servers. The snap of his fingers pulled Nancy’s attention from the menu. The male server came over.

  “Yes sir?”

  “The lady will have the Risotto alla Milanese and I’ll take the Bistecca alla Fiorentina. Oh, and a plate of Torrone.”

  The server nodded. “Excellent choices, sir.”

  Elias turned back to Nancy, her hands in her lap and one eyebrow up. “Did you... not want that?” His grin faded as her gaze changed from curious to how he imagined a predator would examine prey. She blinked and took a deep breath before leaning forward to rest her elbows on the table.

  “If you feel the desire to order for me, you’ll ask first.”

  “Easily remedied,” Elias smiled, turned and raised his hand. Nancy caught his wrist with a grip that made him jump. A shiver crept down his spine as they locked eyes. The steel in her gaze threw him back years ago, when his first wife caught him in bed with her cousin. He was certain he was going to die that day.

  “Don’t do that,” the sharp edge of her voice holding his breath as her hand held his wrist.

  He swallowed, unable to look away. “... do what?”

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

  “Snap your fingers at them.” She released his hand but keep that awful look on him. “It’s disrespectful.” She huffed, breaking the stare, and turned to the staff. She smiled and raised her hand.

  “That’s... how I’ve always called staff.”

  “I don’t care. You won’t treat them like that around me,” she said, the edge still in her voice despite her smile to the female server approaching. “Hello, I’m so sorry. If it’s not too much trouble, could I change my order to the Tortellini en Brodo?”

  “Of course ma’am.”

  “Thank you so much.” When the server left, Nancy turned to Elias, her eyes narrow. “Do you want this to continue?”

  “Of course.”

  “Then your attitude changes immediately. You’re going to be humble and appreciative for the service they provide,” she said with that unrelenting stare.

  He chuckled and shot her his best grin. “You really are something. I don’t let my girlfriends speak to me the way you do.”

  “I am not those girls,” she said over the top of her wine glass before taking a sip.

  “I’m seeing that,” he said as he grabbed his own wine glass and emptied it.

  “Also,” she said as she swirled her wine. “You’re going to tip each of them very well to compensate for your behavior. I think perhaps... ten times the cost of this meal should be appropriate.”

  Elias glared at her. He ran his tongue over the back of his teeth and tapped his fingers on the table. The audacity of this girl. She had great tits, but she wasn’t attractive enough to be making these kinds of demands. He was on the point of calling the evening off when Nancy sat back in her chair.

  She tucked her free arm under her breasts to hold her elbow as she swirled her wine again. Her jiggling cleavage drew his gaze. Elias watched them wave back and forth as they fought against their confinement in the dress. He did very much want to see and play with them again. Following their gyration for a moment, he slapped the table and made the plates jump.

  “Deal.”

  When their food arrived, Elias hoovered his food while Nancy picked. “Do you know why I’ve pursued you?” he asked as he sliced another piece of steak.

  “I’m sure you’re going to tell me,” she said, not looking up from her plate.

  “It’s because you aren’t like my girlfriends. I can’t buy you. I can’t flatter you. Hell, it’s taken me nine years to get a personal call from you.”

  “So you enjoy futile endeavors?” she said, which made him laugh and shake his finger at her.

  “Not so futile, I think,” he said and waved his hand between them. Nancy’s eyebrow shot up as she finished chewing.

  She pointed her fork at him. “Make no mistake Elias, I didn’t cave to your advances. You were the best option in the moment for something I wanted.”

  He laughed. “Oh ho ho. There were other options and yet I’m the one sitting here?” He spread his arms wide. “I’ll take that as a win.”

  “Don’t get too happy,” she said, and speared another tortellini. “It’s not a guaranteed position.”

  “Ha! I like this. So, performance based then? Very well, and how were my marks for last night?”

  Nancy put a finger to her jaw and examined him for a moment. “You passed the interview. Tonight’s your on the job evaluation.”

----------------------------------------

  On the elevator ride up, Elias ran his hand around her lower back and down until he cupped her butt in his hand. He leaned in and whispered in her ear. “Your ass looks amazing in this dress.”

  “I know,” Nancy said as the door opened. She walked out of the elevator into the hallway with Elias following, his gaze on her swaying backside. She pulled out the key card and opened the door. Following her in, he caught her with an arm around her waist and pulled her back.

  Elias shut the door by pressing himself against her. His hungry hands explored her as his lips found her neck. Nancy exhaled heavily as he kissed, then bit her neck while his left hand squeezed her breast.

  “No marks,” she breathed.

  Trapped between him and the door as his right hand gripped her ass, she wrapped her leg around his calf as he kissed his way down her neck to her cleavage. When he reached up to pull her dress down, she took his head in her hands and pulled his face up before turning.

  “Unzip me,” she said, placing both hands on the door. Elias pulled the zipper down and tugged her dress down onto the floor. His eyes lingered on her back dimples before she turned and put her hands on her hips.

  His gaze when to her chest and his eyes glazed over. “From no underwear last night to no undergarments at all tonight. What happens next time?”

  Nancy smiled and pushed him away with a finger. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  He followed her through the main suite into the bedroom where she climbed onto the bed, laid down, and rested her head in her hand. She snapped her fingers at him with the other hand.

  “Clothes,” she said, making him laugh.

  “Come help me take them off.”

  She shook her head. “No. I want a show.” She snapped her fingers again.

  He tilted his head to the side and swayed his hips. “You want I should do a strip tease?”

  She grimaced. “Not like that, shoes first,” she said with another snap. “Then your shirt.”

  Elias squinted, not sure if she was serious or not. After a moment he complied, stepping out of his loafers then unbuttoning his shirt and letting it fall to the floor.

  Nancy admired his physique in proper lighting this time. If she hadn't know about his lavish lifestyle, she might have thought he had been a laborer in his youth. Her height without heels, Elias had a tan Mediterranean skin tone, broad shoulders, and thick arms that ended in large hands. She had particularly enjoyed those hands on her last time.

  Nancy preferred a bit of scruff, so the moderate amount of hair on his chest and belly wasn't a bad thing. The belly was fairly common in man his age, especially someone as well off as him.

  “Trousers,” she said, snapping. He obeyed, removing his belt before unbuttoning and letting his pants drop to reveal bikini briefs. His curve made his very erect member stand out.

  She chuckled and beckoned him with a finger. “Come here.”

----------------------------------------

  Elias released her hips and pushed his hair out of his eyes before locking his hands behind his head, trying to catch his breath. Nancy fell forward onto the bed and stretched before turning onto her side to look at him.

  “It’s been a while, since I’ve come that hard,” he said, shaking his head at the ceiling before looking down to her. “I’m a little light headed.”

  She slid off the bed and walked into the bathroom to pee. Elias came in after she had finished and found her grimacing in the mirror at the bright red hand print on her butt. Walking up behind her, he put his hands on her hips and turned her so he could get a better look.

  “Looks good on you,” he said, making her glare at him in the mirror before she turned and put a finger in his face.

  “No more of that,” she said, her negotiation face dialed to ten.

  Elias laughed and squeezed her hips. “Oh, come on, you enjoyed it.”

  “Not the point. I told you no marks.”

  He sighed. “So many rules.”

  She squinted at him. “You run wild and free all the time and how quickly do you tire of your playthings?”

  His brows drew together. “Huh, I suppose you’re right,” he said, his eyes locked on her chest. She grabbed his penis and walked him back out to the bedroom. “Where are we going?”

  “You had yours. It’s my turn.”

  “Let me get some energy first,” he said, moving to the nightstand where he pulled out a small gold box. Opening it, he sat on the edge of the bed and tapped out a line of cocaine before shaping it with the card inside. Elias glanced over to Nancy and held the box out. “Pick me up?”

  She shook her head. “No, it gives me headaches.”

  Elias watched her as she removed her heels. “Shame that.” He snorted the line, blinked, shook his head and took a deep breath. He clapped his hands together and turned back to Nancy. “Alright, how do you want it?”

  Nancy pointed to the bed. “Lie down.”

  “Oooh, I like it already,” he grinned and flung himself onto the bed.

----------------------------------------

  Elias released her legs and let them drop as he fell back on his haunches, sucking air in. Nancy laid an arm across her eyes as she waited for the fluttering feeling in her thighs and stomach to fade.

  “Did I... pass?” Elias asked. She stretched, then pushed herself up on her elbows. Elias was slick with sweat and seemed like he wasn’t going to catch his breath.

  “You’ll do for now,” she said and slid off the bed. He fell over onto his side and failed to grab her as she walked into the bathroom.

  When she returned, he had caught his breath and watched her approach. Climbing onto the bed, she sat next to him and ran her fingers over the gouges she had made in his chest. Elias pulled his gold box out again, retrieving a neatly rolled joint.

  “I think I might buy an apartment in Ranola. Live part of the year here,” he said, lighting it.

  “Don’t do that,” she said, and took the joint when he offered it.

  “Eh, why not?” Elias asked and laid back against the headboard, his eyebrows going up at her long pull.

  She exhaled, blowing the smoke out. “This is fun because it’s not every day,” she said, handing the joint back to him. “If you lived here, even part of the year, this would become routine and boring.”

  “Hmmm,” he sighed, rubbing the wounds in his chest. “I suppose you’re right.”

  “Of course I am,” she said and folded one leg under her knee as she laid against the head board. “Get on your jet, go back to Chicago, and we’ll play again next quarter.”

  Elias ran his hand up her leg. “Any more play tonight?”

  Nancy looked him up and down before shaking her head. “Can your heart can handle it?”

  He roared with laughter. “Hell of way to go if it can’t!”