He opened up the paper in front of me and those were the kind of zeroes that could send my grandchildren to the best private schools’ money could buy. I didn’t even have one child and I was already thinking about the future like I was going to be part of this.
“Three more buildings from the same person is quite the coup. He must really think that you are able to get into his head. You make it look simple, but we both know that it’s not. It took me almost 5 hours just to figure out what he might find acceptable. I took those basic blueprints and I grafted something that was unique to him. Mind you, I didn’t do it alone and we play off of each other well.” I jumped back, as the cork to the champagne bottle that he had found went flying across the room.
“I know that it’s a little early in the day to drink, but I feel that we have more than earned it. I’m going to offer you 25% of what he proposed. I think that is being more than generous and that’s on top of the salary that I plan to give you annually with bonuses and stock options. This deal is only good until you leave this room. I hate to be ‘that’ guy, but I don’t have time to haggle. You’re not going to get anything better anyplace else. Besides, you’ll have to learn all over again those quirks of your boss.” He did make an interesting argument and I had already decided that I wanted to make this a long-term commitment.
“You mentioned this deal, but I haven’t seen anything on paper.” He put his finger up to his nose and reached into his suit jacket to pull out a proposal.
“I went on the assumption that things were going to work out and I had this made. It’s a lot of legalese, but the main point that you should be looking at is the figure at the bottom of the page. I have plans to take my genius and yours international. There is a Chinese delegation that has expressed interest. I’ve been reluctant, but having you there would help me to navigate the cultural differences between them and us.” August was basically saying that he wanted me to join him for an indefinite amount of time in China. I think on some level my post graduate work in cultural studies played into his decision.
“I have always wanted to see the world. I just never had the time and maybe this is that idea of having my cake and eating it too. I’m going to take your offer, but I will need some time to think about China. I have some obligations here, but I don’t think it’s anything that I can’t handle by e-mail or phone call.” With each new sip of the champagne, I began to feel more at ease and willing to take a risk for the sake of my career.
“I have been all over the world. It would be my honor to introduce you to some of the hot spots that are not known to the general public. There are tourist traps, but I have learned to listen to the advice of taxi drivers and bellboys. They know where the best places to go are, but for a price.” Weeks on end underneath him was only asking for something to happen. I had made it quite clear that my body was off limits.
“I am curious and it would be interesting to see how the other half lives. I’m assuming that we will have separate rooms. I don’t want you to get the impression that I’m cheap or easy.” I was only kidding, but I saw that he had taken my statement seriously.
“There’s nothing to worry about. We’ll have adjoining rooms, but there will be a lock on the other side. You’ve made your feelings crystal clear. I respect you for the work that you do. Having you around will help to loosen a few lips. I’m suggesting that you use your considerable womanly charms. Chinese men find American women fascinating.” I didn’t mind flirting. I was glad that he didn’t say that I was going to have to sleep with anybody. That would have been a deal breaker.
“I think that I can handle myself. I know what a man wants to hear regardless of nationality. They are all a sucker for a nice face and the curves that go along with it. I’m that forbidden fruit. I can dangle the bait without following through. I think that it would be interesting to have some late-night dinners together.” Without him trying to chase me around the office, I was finding that August was not the skirt chasing letch that I had thought him to be.
“I’m sure that we can fit that in, but I will be quite busy with my girlfriend.” That word was like a foreign
invader to my personal space. He had said it nonchalantly and I didn’t even know that he was seeing someone. “I took your advice and I decided to grow up. I’ve been acting like such a little boy. I’ve always been interested in this one girl, but she never did give me the time of day. Last night, I caught her after she was done her shift at the diner and I expressed interest in getting to know her better. There was no sleazy come on and we just talked for hours. I’m going to invite her to come with us. I’m not sure that she will be receptive, but I need to make the effort.” I had no words and I felt this green streak of jealousy running down my back.
“Oh, my…would you look at the time. I have an appointment that I can’t miss. I won’t be gone long.” He didn’t try to tell me that I couldn’t go and it was a good thing that he didn’t. I needed some space and I really couldn’t breathe like some kind of anvil was lying on my chest.
“I want to get started on those three other buildings tomorrow morning. Take the rest of the day off and you deserve it for all the hard work that you’ve put in.” I was glad that he had said that and I had to have time to digest this new information about him having a girlfriend. I didn’t know why it bothered me so much, but it might have had something to do with the fact that he had transformed into the perfect man.
I had no interest in the man that treated me like a piece of meat, but this man was different and was giving me food for thought. I had no idea how I was going to handle seeing them together intimately and showing affection. It was looking like I was going to have to bite the bullet and find out.
BOOK 3: STEAL ME (PART 2)
Blueprints of Seduction
Amanda Cochran had thought that August was just like all the rest. The sleazy come-ons and the way that he looked at her made it impossible for her to even think that they could have something together. She rebuffed his advances, claimed that she had just gotten out of a long-term engagement and that wasn’t even close to the truth. Amanda wanted to work with August and his reputation for making something lasting and memorable was a legacy that she wanted to be a part of. Without the constant threat of him trying to put his hands on her, she began to see that August wasn’t the man that she thought he was. There was a caring and compassionate side that was lost on her because of his lecherous ways. It was due to her rejecting him that he changed his ways. Amanda was now seeing August as more than just a partner in business. The obstacle of Julia Ames was threatening a happiness that she didn’t think was possible.
I paced back and forth in my bedroom, trying to figure out what I was going to do. Could I live with knowing that I had thrown August into another woman’s arms? I’d made it pretty clear that his interest in me was not going to be returned. There was no way that I could deny that he had a body that just wouldn’t quit. The charming dimples and the way that he spoke with refinement had made me putty in his hands. I tried so hard to push him away that I didn’t realize that there was more to him than the crass comments and the way that he tried to touch me inappropriately.
“What do you see in him? I only ask because you stated emphatically that he can’t keep it in his pants. He’s constantly coming onto you and making you feel like your skin is crawling. Don’t you see what’s going on here? Now that he’s with somebody else, you want what you can’t have. That’s not fair to either one of you.” Gemini was a friend that I had not seen in almost a decade. She just showed up out of the blue with her long hair colored in a blue and red dye. She certainly didn’t look like the same woman that I knew back when we met in school.
“I basically told him that he should shape up, but I neglected to tell him that I needed a real man to sweep me off my feet. I’ve never been one to shy away from the unknown, but guys like him are a dime a dozen. You can find somebody like him in any bar wearing their intentions in the way that they have their shirt open and that god-awful gold chain swinging back and forth against their chest. August might not be that transparent, but I thought that I had his number. I had no idea how hard it was going to be to hear him say that he was with another woman.” I was only wearing a pair of men’s boxers. I found that they were very comfortable when I wanted to sleep but not necessarily in the buff. The one thing that Gemini and I had in common was the size of our bodies. She liked to say that we were identical twins, but I couldn’t exactly say that with the way that she was dressed and wearing her individuality on your sleeve.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I really didn’t think that you had a chance with him anyway. Guys like him tend to gravitate towards those of the supermodel variety. You and I have a bit more going on for us than a stick thin figure. I don’t know about you, but I’ve learned to embrace my curves. It’s that confidence that has made it unnecessary for me to go to bed without the companion of a man. I see that same confidence in you, but it’s not as strong as I would like it to be.” Gemini was exactly like me and maybe that was the reason why she left town. I thought that it was something that I did, but I didn’t know at the time that she didn’t have any choice.
Her father was an army brat and staying in one place for too long wasn’t an option. I had kept in touch with Gemini, but this was the first time that we had seen each other without the necessary technological advancements. It was one thing to see her transformation while talking to her on a chat site, but it was another altogether when she was standing right in front of me flaunting her body. She made me feel inferior like I was doing myself an injustice.
“Don’t get me wrong, I want him to be happy, but I was never convinced that he would be able to find a woman. I thought that I had time. You have no idea how close I came to letting him do unspeakable things to me. I’ve thought about nothing else since the moment that he told me about Julia. I think that it’s a good idea for me to know my enemy before I go into battle. I’ve decided against my better judgment that I’m going to fight for him. I can’t do it up front and I’m going to need to rely on certain aspects of my personality that have remained dormant.” I was referring to my sexuality. I was never very comfortable with that kind of wanton desire, but I’d learned a long time ago that I didn’t have to be afraid of that part of me.
“I know exactly what you’re going through. I felt the same way, but traveling due to my father’s job really did open up my eyes. There was no reason for me to be some kind of a wallflower. My weight was my issue. I didn’t allow it to weigh me down and no man stood a chance. I hope that you know what you’re doing. I’m not in any position to tell you what to do. The only thing that I can suggest is that you take things slowly. Give him the idea that there could be something more, but don’t make any grand gestures. Be discreet. The one thing that you can’t do is allow Julia to know what your intentions are.” She sat on my bed with her feet curled in underneath her and her back straight.
I knew that this was some kind of yoga pose and that she was always into this new age health craze. I found it useful at times to delve into pharmaceutical aids that were more natural than big company medicine. I liked the idea that nature could cure anything. I took vitamin C every morning, including garlic pills to prevent me from having to get the flu shot. I lived my life the naturopathic way. I had no interest in taking any drugs for any reason whatsoever.
“I’m going to have to be subtle without throwing myself at him. It’s been a few weeks since he told me about Julia. He talks about her all the time. I have to bite my lip to keep myself from screaming. I want him. I just have to find a way to make him see me. You have this knack of finding clothing that makes our figure that much more appealing. That’s the reason why I asked you to go shopping with me.” We’d spent all afternoon and come back with some interesting things that made me scratch my head.
“I hope that you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of letting you have the benefit of my experience. You look at these clothing and you make this face like there’s no way that you could possibly wear something like that. When you can get that out of your head, then you’ll be the woman that y
ou’ve always wanted to be. Trust me; these are not issues that I haven’t lived with myself.” Gemini was staying with me for however long it took her to move on with another chapter of her life.
I looked at the dresses that we had gotten at that shop and I shivered with the way that it was going to put my otherwise endowed assets on display.