by M T Stone
He seemed to hesitate when he reached the top of my thighs. Apparently, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to keep massaging or move onto something more sensual. I kept my eyes closed and didn’t say a word, as I didn’t want to influence his decision. After lingering on my hips, he poured warm oil on my stomach and began moving his hands in a circular motion. It was so relaxing but exciting at the same time. He began massaging my breasts, and I instantly felt my nipples respond to his touch. As he rolled them in his fingers, I could feel the familiar heat building below as well. He took my right breast into his mouth, and I felt his hand slide down my body. Apparently, the Swedish part of my massage was over, and we were on to something more erotic.
I opened my legs for him as he began to move up and down my slit with his oily fingers. After working the outside of my lips, he opened them slightly and began to massage each one between his fingers. No one had ever paid so much attention to those lips before, and I was surprised by how good it felt to have them massaged. At the end of each upstroke, he would tease my clit before going down for another pass. It was very erotic. By the time he began using his fingers to massage my insides, it nearly drove me to the edge. He massaged spots that I never even knew existed until then. After a few minutes, he began to focus his attention on one particular spot that he must’ve noticed got the biggest reaction. I was already familiar with his G-Spot skills, but this was even better. With his fingers still focused on that incredible spot, he bent down and attacked my clit with his tongue. Within seconds, my body began to flex and quiver, and this only encouraged him to increase the intensity on both. After another minute or two, something inside me snapped, and I squirted, hitting his mouth and chin. God, that’s embarrassing!
“Mmmmm… That was awesome, Kate,” he said, with a huge smile on his face.
“You actually wanted me to do that?”
“Oh god yeah! That was fucking awesome!”
“You better wipe your chin. It’s kinda gross.”
Jack obviously didn’t realize how funny he looked with my juices dripping from his chin. Wow! These orgasms keep getting more intense each time. I don’t know how he can top this one, but then I thought the same thing after the last two. Mmmm… he was so intense! He even used the "f" word!
“I honestly hope you weren’t doing that to girls in high school.”
“No. I didn’t learn that one until many years later.”
“Give me that oil. It’s time for me to take care of you.”
“No. Tonight was all about you, Kate. I want you to return the favor Friday night. That’ll give you some time to think up something good.”
“Ahhh! A sexual challenge, huh?”
“Sure. If you want to call it that.”
“You’re on!”
~~~~~~
Chapter 20 – More Puzzle Pieces
Jack
Thursday morning I was awakened by the persistent buzz of my phone, which had been left sitting on the bathroom counter. Looking at the clock, I saw it was 9:35, which was the latest I had slept on a weekday in years. I rolled out of bed, grabbed my phone, and saw it was Kristen calling. Apparently, she didn’t believe me the other day when I told her I was outta there after the conference call. Listening to the messages she left, it seemed the transition team had lost their way after one day without my hand-holding. I decided that a little tough love was in order, so I sent her a text.
“Jot down any questions they have and send them over to me. I’ll get on a conference call with the whole group tomorrow morning at 9:00 to cover each point. I’m out of the loop today.”
“K” was all I received in return. I knew she wasn’t impressed by my text response, but I didn’t care. The next two weeks would be devoted to getting Kate’s business all set up and implementing my master plan.
~~~
As Kate was getting ready, I went down to the lobby to have a cup of coffee and call Brandon. My objective was to see if he would go with Rich to Allentown next week.
“Hey, Dad. Is something wrong?” Brandon asked when he answered my call.
“Nothing’s wrong, Brandon. I’m just out of the office today.”
“And nothing’s wrong?” he reiterated, teasing me.
“Actually, I have a favor to ask you.”
“Sure, Dad. What’s up?”
“We have an opportunity to buy a garment factory out in Allentown, and, since you’re the MBA in the family, I would like you to go along and negotiate the deal.”
“Ok… So you’re selling Ryker Fashion Merchandising and buying a garment factory in Allentown Pennsylvania?”
“Not exactly. We wanted them to manufacture Kate’s new line, but the owner would rather sell out at a huge discount. When you see how the numbers work, you’ll understand. This line will be as profitable as any that are manufactured overseas, and we’ll have a huge marketing advantage.”
“Gotcha. Why do you want me to negotiate the purchase?”
“The CEO doesn’t trust me. He seems to think that I single-handedly destroyed the U.S. manufacturing base. We’ll get a better price if you, Kate, and Rich Taylor go out there.”
“What’s Rich’s role?”
“You know he was my first backer when your mother and I started our mail order business. That investment made him the success he is today, and he’s hoping that lightning will strike twice. So I told him if he put up the money to buy the factory and manufacture the initial inventory, we’d give him a piece of the action. It’s going to be less than a $10 million total commitment, so it’s nothing really.”
“Alright. Why aren’t you just putting up the capital?”
“Originally, I was going to put up the money and be fifty-fifty partners with Kate, but that’s not going to work. Wallace isn’t the only one who thinks I’m responsible for the decline of the U.S. garment manufacturing. The press would have a field day with me.”
“I can understand that, but who’s going to run the show if you’re not involved?”
“Hopefully, I’m talking to him.”
By the silence on the other end, I knew Brandon wasn’t the least bit interested in running a clothing manufacturing business. However, if there is one thing that I’ve always been good at, it’s utilizing my persuasive skills.
“I’ve already got a pretty intense job, Dad. It’s not like I have any extra time.”
“Well, according to Larry’s right hand man at the firm, there aren’t going to be nearly as many associate opportunities for you guys as there have been in the past.”
“So, you’re my grim reaper?”
“No, son, just the messenger. If you sit down with me and go over the business plan, you’ll see how to make three times as much next year as you could in banking. Then I’ll take you over to meet with Andrew, and he’ll show you the sales potential. This will be a $100 million brand in five years, and you could own roughly a quarter of it.”
“So, 5 mill a year is my upside?”
“At least.”
The silence at the other end let me know that he was at least considering it. In reality, I had no idea what his prospects were at the investment bank, but I did know the potential with Kate. There really wasn’t any other card to play, so I played the security card. Brandon didn’t like uncertainty, and, by introducing some into his thought process, I knew I could at least get his attention.
“Alright, Dad. Let’s talk this weekend. You can make your pitch.”
“Thanks, Brandon. I’ll give you a call at the usual time tomorrow night.”
There was no doubt in my mind that Brandon would be on board once Andrew went over the marketing plan with him. In fact, I’m going to ask Dad to sit in on the meeting, as well. He and I couldn’t work together, but he loves Brandon. As long as dad knows this is Brandon’s deal, he will be a great guiding influence for him. Dad was a big help when Eva and I launched out catalog business, but once I began to deviate from his plan it got pretty rough. Seeing the level of success we achieved actu
ally seemed to piss him off. The more success we had, the more irritated he was with me. We reached a breaking point about ten years ago, when he lost his ass in internet stocks. While his bets went down the tubes, he watched us continue to adapt and grow. We had hardly talked since Eva’s funeral. It would be a comfort to me to see him build a good relationship with Brandon. He would be retired by the time things got rolling anyway, so hopefully he would leave the marketing plan to Andrew.
~~~
Kate
When Jack returned to the room, he looked like a cat that had just swallowed a canary.
“What’s going on, Jack?”
“Oh, all the pieces are beginning to fall into place.”
“Pieces of what?”
“Your business, hun. What else?”
Over the past week, I had noticed that he had begun referring to it as my business instead of our business. Then, he wondered why I had anxiety. I had told him up front that I wasn’t comfortable with running a business.
“I think we need to talk about our roles in this business. I’m not comfortable with the business side of things,” I said, hoping to get some clarification.
“That’s why I’ve been working on a master plan.”
“Oh, that’s what you’ve been so absorbed with?”
“Yes, and everything is coming together. If all goes according to plan, two weeks from now you’ll be in business.”
“What about you?”
“We talked about that, didn’t we?”
“About what?”
“You heard what Andrew said: 'I am the poster child for emerging market outsourcing.' Wallace had the same exact reaction when we met with him in Allentown. Hell, even Kristen said the same thing when I pitched her on the American Made for the American Woman catch phrase.”
“So, you’re not going to be involved at all?”
“Of course, I’ll be involved. I’ll help with anything you need, Kate. But, I won’t have an ownership stake or a corporate position. Think of me as a high powered consultant who you don’t have to pay.”
My heart sank as I realized that the dream of being in business with my business idol was turning out to be more of an illusion. Is he pawning me off on Rich Taylor?
“You still haven’t told me who’s going to help me run this thing, Jack.”
“That’s what I’ve been working on. You will be surrounded by a successful team, Kate. Trust me. This won’t all be on your shoulders. Eva and I built a $4 billion corporation by surrounding ourselves with great people. Regardless of what anyone tells you, that’s the real key to success.”
As he wrapped his arms around me, it made me wish I could just stay there, safe and warm in this cold, cruel world. I’m way too young to handle all this. I don’t have any experience running a business. I can’t manage people the way Jack does. Why is Jack bailing on me?
“Are you having anxiety again? You’re trembling.”
“I can’t do this without you, Jack.”
“You’re already doing it. All you need to do is design great clothes. Let me worry about the rest, alright? Don’t even think about the marketing or business side of things. I’m not abandoning you, for Christ's sake. I just have to keep a little separation so the PR works.”
Even though his words should have been comforting, I still had an uneasy feeling. That feeling deep down inside that lets you know something isn’t quite right. I do love the way he smells though. I can’t wait to pay him back for the massage he gave me last night. I read about a fun sexual massage online and need to go pick up a couple items.
~~~
Jack
That afternoon, Kate wanted to do some shopping, and I had a follow-up appointment with my doctor. The plan was to test my hormone levels again and make any necessary adjustments. I could tell, even without being tested, that my testosterone levels had risen again. Either that, or Kate just made me feel younger and full of energy. After Tim dropped me off at the clinic, I told him to spend the afternoon escorting Kate around town. A walk would be good for me whenever my appointment ended.
As I suspected, my testosterone levels were up since my last appointment, but still weren’t close to the 900 ng/dl target I was fixated upon. They were just slightly above average for a man my age. This wasn’t good enough, so I asked for an additional booster shot, and the doctor agreed to increase the strength of my patch yet another level, as well.
“There are risks associated with too much testosterone,” he warned.
“I know, but I would rather live a vibrant 25 years instead of a dull and depressing 35,” I responded.
He agreed, which was the primary reason I kept him as my personal physician. Right from the beginning, I could tell that he understood me, instead of treating me like all his other patients. I knew all the risks and rewards of what we were doing and was willing to sign a release of liability if I developed any issues as a result of hormone therapy. I’m not here to live a dull and boring life. It’s time to relive my 20s!
~~~~~~
Chapter 21: Going For A Test Drive
Jack
Friday morning, I informed Kate that I had another surprise for her. I had been dealing on a yacht that was the third version of a famous ship featured in several movies. The recent owner had renamed it “My Two Loves,” and it was currently sitting off the east coast of Puerto Rico, near Humacao. I first saw the yacht when Eva and I were on vacation in Cabo San Lucas. It was the sleekest, most beautiful private yacht I had ever seen. It had a stunning blue and white paint scheme, with red accents and a helicopter perched on the back. Later in the day, Kate and I were going to fly down there and spend the weekend test-driving her.
Since the weather was going to be beautiful and 85 degrees, I knew Kate would be in need of swimsuits and sundresses for the trip. Rita agreed to stop by with a few items for each of us. Since Rita had spent several hours with Kate, she had all her sizes down and knew what she liked. By noon, we had our warm-weather wardrobes packed and were aboard a helicopter shuttle to the airport.
“I was supposed to give you a massage tonight,” Kate said jokingly.
“You’re in luck. There’s a massage room where we’re staying.”
“Where are we staying?”
“I told you; it’s a surprise. You’re going to love it.”
Once again, she made it very clear that she didn’t like surprises, but she seemed to have accepted the fact that I liked to surprise her.
“Where are we going?” I heard her ask Captain Chuck and Tim as we boarded.
Chuck simply smirked, asking, “Hasn’t he told you?”
“No, he won’t tell me.”
“Sorry, doll. I’m not going to spoil the surprise.”
One reason I wanted to fly during the day was because it’s such a beautiful flight, especially since Chuck liked to fly over Florida to avoid the Bermuda Triangle. It added a few miles, but it provided beautiful scenery and made Chuck more comfortable. South of Miami, the scenery was almost mesmerizing as we flew over the Bahamas, as well as Turks and Caicos. There was something about the combination of blue and turquoise water that made it incredibly beautiful to me. Maybe that was why I had always been so captivated by Kate’s eyes; they were the same combination of beautiful colors.
During the over-land part of the trip, Kate was determined to talk business as she still seemed agitated by the fact that I was distancing myself from the company. I once again explained my reasoning and laid out the week ahead, which included negotiating the purchase of the factory on Wednesday and Thursday, as well as flying a couple of key employees to New York. My hope was that Rich and Brandon would go with Kate to Allentown, and I could stay in NYC for the week, working with my transition teams. Kate didn’t like the idea, but, once we got out over the ocean, I put away my notepad and turned her attention toward the window. The tension began to dissolve, and it was a great transition into a beautiful, relaxing weekend.
~~~
After landing
at José Aponte de la Torre Airport, we were escorted to a little helicopter that I recognized from the yacht photos. It was the one that normally sat on the back of the ship. Kate didn’t say anything as we boarded, but I could tell that her curiosity was reaching a breaking-point.
“We are here to take a little test drive,” I explained as we lifted off.
“You’re buying a helicopter?”
“Yes, you can say that.”
“What’s so special about this helicopter?” she asked, with a puzzled look.
“You’ll see in a moment,” I replied, squeezing her leg.
“I’ve got a surprise for you too, Jack,” she said, showing me a pair of handcuffs in her bag.
“Really? I love surprises! Is that what you went shopping for yesterday?”
“Yes. You don’t want to know where we had to go to get them either!”
“That’s hilarious! I’m sure Tim was helpful.”
“Definitely. I wouldn’t have done it without him!”
As we shared a laugh, the helicopter began to slow down and hover. We both looked out the rear windows, and our destination was right below us. Our target was the rear of the helo-deck and it appeared to be a true test of the helicopter pilot’s skills.
“A yacht and a helicopter go together about as well as a yacht and a pool table,” he said jokingly, as our landing pad rocked back and forth beneath us.
After what seemed like more than a minute, we finally came to rest on the deck, and the helicopter blades began to decelerate. There were several deck hands scurrying around in preparation for our arrival.
Kate looked at me and asked, “This is where we’re staying?”
“Yes, we’re here to take her for a test drive.”
“Wow, it’s huge,” she replied, as she turned back toward the window.
It was a bit overwhelming to realize that the ship was longer than two football fields, had five levels and a total of nearly 25,000 square feet of living space. To put that in perspective, the average U.S. home built in 2012 had about 2,700 square feet, up from 1,400 square feet in 1970. The one master and five guest cabins were designed to comfortably house up to 12 guests in complete luxury at one time. There was so much to do on the ship that it took a dozen crew members to perform the basic functions and tend to the guests. In other words, in addition to spending nearly $100 million to buy the yacht, I would also be adding a dozen salaries to my payroll. But, that’s about 3,200 fewer than I employed at my company. So, it seemed like a good trade.
