The Billion Dollar Contract: The Executive Collection

by Cynthia Dane

  “Oh, he hasn’t told you about the store card yet?” Nadia’s face lit up in sheer jubilation. “Do you know that boutique downtown? The Crimson Dove?”

  Jasmine gasped. The Crimson Dove was the pinnacle of fashion in the middle that city. They were known for carrying only the greatest designers and in the most limited of quantities. Every year there was a bloodbath at prom season when the elites’ daughters decided to duke it out over this dress or that skirt. Bridal season wasn’t much better since they were known for providing the bridesmaids dresses for all the hot weddings featured on that city’s own Page 6. It was the sort of place Jasmine had only walked by before. Sometimes she, like other women, would stare longingly at the displays and wonder what it would be like to afford even one dress from inside there. Something told her that this conversation was going places.

  “Mr. Cole has a private card that he uses there sometimes.”

  “What for? They only sell women’s clothing there.”

  Ethan interrupted their chat. “I buy clothes for my assistants that seem unable to do so on their own. I’m buying you new clothes, Miss Bliss. Buy some nice things for the office. And some eveningwear as well. There will be times when I will need you to accompany me to formal dinners. Like this Saturday.”

  Seriously? Now Mr. McBillionaire was treating Jasmine to a shopping spree? At The Crimson Dove? “Mr. Cole,” she began, sizing up that man as he sat behind his desk, “I formally request that you add a fainting couch to your office, because I could sure use one right now.”

  He smiled. One of the few times Jasmine had ever seen him smile like that. “Whatever you buy to wear on Saturday night… make sure you buy two. Just in case.”

  Jasmine didn’t ask what he meant by that. She was still over the moon at the concept of having an unlimited shopping spree in the most exclusive boutique in the city. Just as Ethan told Nadia to buy herself something as well, the receptionist took Jasmine by the hand and lead her out of the office, giggling.

  They grabbed their purses and Nadia told one of their coworkers that he had to fill in for her at the reception desk. “They’ve got official business to run for the boss,” someone else told him as both Nadia and Jasmine bounded into the nearest elevator.

  “Oh my God!” Jasmine hopped up and down the moment the elevator door closed. “This is so unreal. I’ve never been there before. I’ve never even dreamed of being able to shop there. Don’t dresses cost, like, thousands of dollars sometimes?”

  “If you’re lucky they’re that cheap. I bought a scarf for my sister this past Christmas, and it took half my paycheck.” Quite the feat when Jasmine considered that Nadia must get paid good money for her position. “Their stuff is absolutely radiant, though. You’re going to have a blast. I’m jealous.” Nadia gussied up in the elevator mirror. “He loves buying clothes there for his assistants. Not that I’m complaining. I get a little something for taking each one there.”

  Jasmine stopped her hopping. “How many personal assistants has he had?”

  “Since I started working here a year ago? I think you’re the fourth one. They don’t last very long. So far you seem to be adjusting the best.”

  For the rest of the elevator ride Jasmine stared into the back of Nadia’s red head. Four personal assistants in the past year alone? I bet he was sleeping with all of them. Jasmine turned back toward the elevator buttons. She didn’t know why she felt so strange about that.

  They walked to the boutique since it was only a few blocks down the avenue. There was something thrilling about being away from work in the middle of the CBD, as if Nadia and Jasmine were off to be bad girls while they hoped no one at the office realized they were gone.

  The Crimson Dove was flanked by a major avenue and another office building. Like most modern shops it seemed to be made of nothing but windows, towering from floor-to-ceiling as they showed off the wares within. Today it was all about the spring collection. The first dress next to the door was cute and pale white, the sort of thing that looked like an Easter dress for grown women. Undoubtedly it would look good on Jasmine, but she had a feeling that it wasn’t what Ethan had in mind. The red felt dress next to it, however, surely spoke to that man’s imagination. He sure did like the last one anyway.

  Nadia squealed over a blue dress in the other window before they went inside, where they were greeted by a woman who took one look at the receptionist and beamed. Clearly she knew who she was. And why shouldn’t she? Nadia carried Ethan Cole’s store card, and if she was bringing some fresh meat into the boutique, it only meant one thing: time to buy some clothes.

  “What can I do for you ladies today?” The patrons were escorted over to an antique couch while another woman served them champagne. “We have lots of wonderful styles in this spring. Why, we just got a shipment in this past weekend. We’ve only sold a few dresses since then, so we still have a variety of sizes.”

  Nadia put down her champagne glass without taking a sip. Jasmine, on the other hand, downed half of it in giddy glee. “Mr. Cole sent us to do some shopping. So you know he must be in a good mood.”

  “Indeed. And you are?” The woman, who had introduced herself as Gertrude even though she looked young enough to be in college, turned to Jasmine and raised her eyebrows at the half empty champagne glass.

  “Oh, I’m Jasmine. Mr. Cole’s assistant.”

  “Another one?” When both women looked at her oddly, Gertrude apologized and changed the subject. “Jasmine, you simply have the most radiant skin. I would love to dress you in some beautiful pastels and striking bold colors. If you’ll let me, of course.”

  “I can hardly wait to get started!” Jasmine flung her hand out, champagne spilling out of her glass and onto the white couch. Gertrude shrieked, but diffused the situation by calling up another worker to clean up the mess. There was work to be done, especially for the poor personal assistant who was in dire need of a wardrobe update.

  Never before had Jasmine had such an exhilarating experience shopping. For the next two and half hours, she was pampered like a princess let out of her castle for one day. Gertrude and her assistants took some measurements and went about the store picking up this dress, that dress, and a few accessories in between. Gertrude was sure that Jasmine was meant for a life of dainty pastels and dark, sexy colors that brought out the hues in her darker hair. Jasmine told her that she was sent to get clothes for work, which meant putting the evening dresses on hold for a while. But she was still thrilled to be dressed in skirts by designers that she had only heard about in her dreams, blouses as light and airy as clouds, and office dresses that hugged her body, accentuated her assets, and made her feel like she bathed in the fabric of luxury.

  Jasmine once made the mistake of looking at a price tag on a blouse she tried on. At first she wasn’t sure that she had seen so many zeros, and had to look closer while Gertrude took in parts of the blouse so it would better fit Jasmine’s frame. When she realized it really was that expensive, her heart sank. There was a pile of outfits accumulating at the end of the couch, and if they were even a fraction of the cost of this blouse, there was no way Jasmine could have even a few of them. Ethan had not thought this through. He should have sent her to a department store where designers still reigned but they were much more affordable. After all, he wanted her to have a whole new wardrobe. Not just a couple of outfits that happened to be super expensive.

  “What’s wrong?” Nadia asked. She had already chosen her outfit, an emerald green one-piece that contrasted with her hair. Naturally it was stunning on her.

  Jasmine showed her the price tag on the blouse.

  “Don’t worry about it. You’re nowhere near the limit yet.”

  That’s when Jasmine’s brain shut off. She couldn’t comprehend how much money they were spending already, so it was easier just to pretend it was fake money and everything was free.

  Once they had exhausted everything in Jasmine’s size in all of the casual wear, Gertru
de began bringing out the evening dresses. Jasmine froze as she touched them, amazed that such beautiful dresses could exist right here in front of her. I could never… Whether they were long or short, dark or light, they were too fancy for her. They were either like the bridesmaids dresses that she had heard stories about, or they were extravagant ball gowns. No way could she wear those to any party or event Ethan was throwing. Let alone Valentine’s Day!

  “How about this?” Gertrude rounded the couch with one purple dress in her hands. “It’s a Silvina. Very limited.”

  Nadia perked up at the designer’s name. “Wow,” she whispered, and Jasmine shared the sentiment.

  It was a knee length ruffle dress, cinched at the waist and meant for a woman who wasn’t afraid to show off some cleavage. Jasmine instantly volunteered to try it on, escaping with an assistant into the dressing room once more, this time with renewed energy. The dress slipped over her skin as if it was made for her, and the assistant commented that they wouldn’t have to make many alterations. “It’s gorgeous,” she said, and Jasmine couldn’t wait to go show it off.

  Nadia and Gertrude both gasped when Jasmine stepped out wearing her purple ruffle dress. She did a little spin before stepping on the platform in front of three mirrors, eliciting a sigh from one woman and a head shake from the other.

  Even Jasmine was impressed with what she saw. Looking back at her was a sexy, confident woman who filled this dress, from the bust to the hips. It hugged her thighs but did not chafe her; it showed off her breasts but not in a vulgar way. The little belt around her waist was just the right touch as a ruffle caressed her arms and hugged her chest.

  “Tell me,” she said to Gertrude as she admired herself from various angles, “if you were a man and saw me in this, how long would it take for you to pop out of your pants?”

  Gertrude’s hands unhooked in front of her as she gaped in surprise at her customer. “I…” Gradually her face softened, a coy look tugging at her mouth. “Two seconds,” she said.

  “Then it’s perfect. I’ll take two.”

  “Two? But that’s the second to last one already…”

  “Good. Then I can have both.”

  It took a few more moments for Gertrude to understand. “I see. Allow me, then.”

  While Jasmine waited for her outfits to be bundled up, Nadia looked askance at her. “I didn’t know you had a boyfriend,” she said. “Let me guess, one of those dresses is for work, and the other is for him?”

  “He’s not really my boyfriend. Just someone I hook up with.”

  “Yeah right. Nobody buys an extra dress like that just for a friend with benefits.”

  What about a three million dollar one? “Maybe it’s more complicated than that.”

  Scoffing, Nadia stood up and stretched out her one good leg. “Either way, you’ll probably need some help getting those home.”

  Something froze inside of Jasmine. “Home?” She turned to Nadia.

  “I’ll get a driver back at the office to take you home with your stuff, that way you don’t have to walk or take the bus like you usually do.”

  “No!” Jasmine quickly apologized for her outburst. “I mean, that won’t be necessary.” Who was she kidding? There was no way she could bring bags from The Crimson Dove through her neighborhood, even in the middle of the afternoon. Assuming that she wasn’t harassed, odds were good she would drop at least one bag in a puddle of filth along the way. Either that or Pancho would sink his teeth into one and try to get away with it. But she wasn’t ready for anyone at work to know what kind of condition she lived in. She didn’t think she would ever be ready. But I need help of some kind.

  Eventually she conceded to getting a ride down the road into her neighborhood. But before the streets could turn into Poverty City, USA, Jasmine told the driver to pull over so she could get out. She then made a mad dash to her apartment building as if her ass was on fire.

  “I’m gonna need a dehumidifier,” was the first thing she said when she opened her closet and smelled the musty odor of mold come and gone. No way in hell she was letting these priceless treasures waste away like the rest of her wardrobe.

  13

  It took a few trips to the dollar store, but eventually Jasmine found a way to protect her new clothes in her old closet. She wrapped every precious skirt, blouse, and dress in plastic wrap before hanging them in the driest corner she could find. While she did this that first night, however, she had to leave some of them splayed out on her bed, and when she turned around she found Blackbeard the tyrant lounging on one of the priceless purple dresses.

  “Blackbeard!” Jasmine rushed forward, snatching the cat off the dress and plopping him onto the floor. He yowled before licking his delicate paws, acting as if he had done nothing.

  Since he was a hairy thing, he left much of his DNA behind on the super expensive dress. No lint roller in the world could remove a cat like that. Exasperated, Jasmine didn’t know what to do. She put that dress far into the back of her closet, made sure the other one was well protected, and gave her cat an angry look. He meowed as he skulked off to do his business.

  When Valentine’s Day arrived that Saturday, Jasmine knew exactly what she wanted to wear. Sure enough, the second purple dress was still flawless when she took it out of the plastic wrap and draped it across the bed – sans Blackbeard in the room. She hopped into the shower before popping back out in nothing but a towel, giddy about what was to come that night. I haven’t been on a Valentine’s Day date in so long. Let alone with a billionaire, especially with a billionaire who was handsome and enjoyed having sex with her. As long as I get mine too. Jasmine did not doubt that sex was on the docket. But considering how selfish Ethan had been lately when it came to physical relations, Jasmine could only hope that he would take a day like this to remind himself that female pleasure was important as well. Yeah right.

  She was dressed in the purple gown, snapping on the ruby necklace, when she heard a knock at the door.

  Ethan? No, it couldn’t be. They were supposed to meet at the opera house again. Of course Ethan knew where she lived because it was in her paperwork, but Jasmine doubted he would come get her himself. Nevertheless, she looked herself over once more in her mirror before heading to the front door and peering through the peephole.

  “Juan!” She unlocked the door and flung it open, surprised to see her friend and neighbor standing in the doorway with a tiny box of supermarket chocolates. “What are you doing here?”

  “Happy Valentine’s Day!” He handed her the box of chocolates with a smile. “Whoa, look at you, all dressed up. Got a big date tonight?”

  Jasmine thanked him for the chocolates and put them on her coffee table. “You don’t know the half of it,” she said.

  “Who is it? Somebody I know?”

  “No.” Before Juan could pry any further, Jasmine continued, “Just somebody I met at work. It’s not serious.”

  “Well I have a serious date tonight. You know Alice? From down the street? I finally got the nerve to ask her out, and tonight I’m taking her to a movie.”

  Jasmine was happy for him, but she didn’t have much time before she had to leave. She gave him her best regards and told him to pass them along to his sister. When he left, Jasmine only had a few minutes to finish getting ready. She hadn’t even started doing her makeup yet.

  Sometimes she wondered how much Ethan wanted her to dress up for him. Am I really dressing up for him though? No, Jasmine wouldn’t have done half the things she did that night to get ready if it weren’t for the fact she was meeting up with a man who wanted to give her three-million dollars. She had even plucked her eyebrows earlier, something she hadn’t done in years. But she wondered how many of these things Ethan even noticed. Maybe he didn’t care how she looked, as long as she was cleaned up. Maybe he spent his entire time staring at her cleavage. Regardless, they gave Jasmine a certain thrill as she prepared for her big date that night. Knowing that it was like
ly to end with… Where the hell did I put my condoms?

  She put on a large black coat to cover up her expensive dress when she went out. The bus was waiting when she got there, and it didn’t take her long to get to the opera house. Ethan’s limousine waited alongside the curb, and the man himself got out to open her door and help her in. He didn’t say hello until he had followed her inside and closed the door behind him.

  “So where are we going?” Jasmine unbuttoned the front of her coat and relaxed into the corner of her seat. The limo pulled into the street, and Ethan could barely take his eyes off her beautiful dress. It took him a few seconds to realize she had asked him something.

  “Hm. To dinner.”

  “At the French place?”

  “No, Italian. We have reservations.” He looked away and buttoned up his jacket while Jasmine continued to unbutton hers.

  “I like Italian.”

  “Good.”

  That was all he said for a while, and Jasmine was content with that until she realized the ride was taking more than a few minutes. At least she was more comfortable this time, knowing Ethan as well as she did now. Sure, they weren’t best friends by any means, but she felt relatively safe around him and knew what to expect. He didn’t protest when she rummaged through some of the shelving in the limo and pulled out business and financial magazines. They only amused her for a few seconds before she put them back.