Kelly didn't even need to think for a second. "I'll take it. Can you give me two weeks to give notice to my boss?"
Elizabeth laughed. "Of course. It'll probably take me that long just to find an office to work out of. Real estate is not my forte, and I haven't signed a rental contract in a very long time."
Kelly nodded. "The market's pretty good right now, you'd be smarter to sign a mortgage on a property. I have a friend who works in the city tax office, she can put us onto some tax lien properties that you could invest in quickly."
"I'm impressed. Maybe we can look at the real estate investing game as well. Kelly, I think you and I are in for a lot of good work together."
CHAPTER 9
Erica was upset. It was a rare occurrence in her relationship with Dwayne, as for most of the past eight months, ever since he had moved to Miami, it seemed they were constantly of one mind. They had agreed on housing, they had agreed on decisions concerning Elizabeth, everything seemed as if they were sharing a low level mental link. They even shared ideas on things as simple as what to eat for dinner. If she said she wanted to go out for hamburgers, it was inevitable that Dwayne was also in the mood for them as well. They'd never had a night where she wanted Chinese and he wanted pizza.
Today however, it seemed they couldn't make that connection. She and Dwayne were in her office at the design studio, trying to find some sort of agreement. "What do you mean, the Jamaica hotel? I told you I didn't want to take baby Liz to such a dangerous place. Do you know how many people get shot in Jamaica on a yearly basis?"
Dwayne exhaled, trying to keep cool. "The hotel resort has its own private security. I'm not saying let's have the ceremony in the middle of the poorest part of Kingston."
Erica sighed. "I know, but I was hoping not to use one of your hotels for our ceremony. It's not that I don't think they're all beautiful, well, the ones you've taken me to so far, but this is our wedding. We should do it someplace that will stand unique in our memory."
"I understand that, but with our schedules, we need to get something done in the next month. If not, you're going to be getting ready for the spring shows, and I'm going to have seasonal ramp-ups for the summer, then summer tourist season, then you have fall shows. I just don't see much of a chance for us to get anything done nicely. Unless you want to just do a quickie ceremony. I have no qualms with that."
"I don't think either of our social circles would let us get away with that," Erica replied with a chuckle. "Besides, I'd feel ridiculous wearing that wedding dress I designed just to drive down to City Hall."
The argument continued, with little progress being made on either side, when a knock interrupted them. Turning towards the door, Erica saw her personal assistant Tina, holding baby Liz in her arms. "Hey boss.... Dwayne."
"What's up, Tina? Does Liz need some Mommy time?"
Tina shook her head with a smile. "This little angel? She's having a ton of fun with me. But, I did just get a phone call that I thought you would like, and might fix this argument you two are having."
Dwayne looked out at the studio, chagrined. "Were we that loud?"
Tina shook her head. "Nah. All the stitch monkeys couldn't hear a thing."
"You know they hate being called stitch monkeys," Erica admonished, huffing in good natured exasperation. Tina had made it a point of naming each and every position in the firm something somehow demeaning and rude. She didn’t mean anything by it though, it was just her nature. From stitch monkeys to stick figures, she had a name for everyone. "Make sure you call them design assistants or something like that when it's not just you and I."
Tina quirked her mouth in her infuriatingly charming way. She knew that as much as Erica admonished her, her use of the phrases kept Erica smiling and with her head right. "Well let me tell you about the phone call."
"Just got a call from a guy in Tokyo. It seems that one of their big department stores is doing a grand re-opening of their Ginza flagship store, and they want to do a specialty fashion show as part of the kickoff gala. They just happen to remember this dramatic new designer from Miami that they thought would be perfect to be the line they would highlight for the show."
"Specialty show, huh? I don't know. I've heard those can be a major headache. What else is involved?"
"Well, you'll be partnered with a Japanese female design house, and each of the lines will walk together. Thankfully, at least you'll be working with professional models. From what the guy told me, the girls are all going to be J-pop idols."
Erica rolled her eyes. She'd worked shows as a model in Tokyo with the so-called Japanese idoru and tarento. While they were usually good natured and hard working, calling the tarento talented was tremendously ironic in her eyes. "I'm glad on that. But I still didn't say yes to the deal."
"I know, but I was thinking, how about you and Dwayne taking a day or two after the show and do your wedding in Japan? I mean, they're into multiple ceremonies, so you could do one in your dress, one in a Japanese kimono, and all that. And it'll be unique."
Dwayne turned his eyes to Erica, a smile on his features. "I like it. We can save the resort holiday for summer, after your shows and we can all just crash and relax."
"You mean working holiday for you, right?"
Dwayne shrugged. "I have good managers. I'm sure we can get at least a week or more where I'm not working, unless something literally blows up. And I haven't had anything blow up at one of my resorts yet."
"So, should I call these guys back? The timeline is rushed, the show is going off in three weeks, so they were hoping to get a reply quickly."
"Yeah, give him a call. Tell them to fax over the contracts, and I'll have our new lawyer look them over. We can have them certified and sent back within a day or two. And Tina?"
"Yeah?"
"When you have the time, start researching places for a wedding ceremony. And hotels and stuff like that. You might be doing double duty as my wedding planner as well as assistant."
"Right, boss. You realize I'm going to demand a raise with this. Assistant, wedding planner, and baby sitter? Yeah, I'm getting a bonus this year."
Dwayne laughed. "How about just your own suite and first class tickets to Tokyo?"
Tina turned and pranced off, a remarkable feat with a baby in her arms. "It's a start!"
Dwayne looked at Erica, who shrugged. "I know, I know. She's mouthy, she's unprofessional, she's a total horn dog around any of the models, or really almost any single good looking man she sees...."
"And she's the best assistant you could ever hope to find," Dwayne said, scooping Erica up into a kiss. Their kiss deepened, the heat of their argument turning to the heat of passion as they enjoyed a private moment. Erica wrapped her arms around her fiancée's neck, thrilling as he reached down to cup her firm buttocks. She had worked hard both during and after her pregnancy to keep in shape, and was proud of the fact that her body was almost as tight as it had been before getting pregnant.
"Mmmmm, you keep doing that, and I'm not going to get any work done," Erica whispered as their kiss broke, and Dwayne kept massaging her backside.
"Who cares? That's what the stitch monkeys are for," Dwayne replied, leaning forward and kissing her neck. She closed her eyes as the sensations of his lips on her neck, his hands on her ass, and his chest pressed against her breasts filled her with heat.
"I can never get enough of your body," Dwayne moaned, as she felt his tongue trace the line of her jaw, causing her to shiver.
She pushed him away gently, regret in her eyes. "Sweetie, please. This is my office. What if someone sees us?"
"They have two choices. They can be jealous that I've got such a beautiful fiancée, or they can be jealous you've got such a stud to service your feminine needs."
Erica cocked a finely shaped eyebrow at him. "Stud, huh? You're getting a big head, mister."
Dwayne took her hand and laid it over the huge bulge in his slacks. "You're the only one who makes it this big."
"I be
tter," she replied, rubbing the bulge. She kissed him again, her tongue slipping inside to entwine with his. "And speaking of feminine needs, I have an idea, if you're willing to delay your gratification."
"Oh? And what's that?"
Erica sat down in her office chair, and pulled her loose skirt up to her waist. "Get under the table, and how about you have a mid-morning snack?"
Dwayne's face split open in a smile, as he dropped down and crawled underneath the table. It wasn't perfect, as Erica used a drafting table for her desk, so someone could still walk in and see. However, the added naughtiness of the act sent a thrill through Erica, and she knew that it wouldn't take much of Dwayne's skilled tongue to bring her to satisfaction. "You do a good job, and tonight I'll let you in where you like it most," she said, stroking his face. He was careful, and always attentive, fulfilling her deepest desires. "You think that can motivate you?"
"Like I need motivation," Dwayne said with a chuckle, bringing his hand up. He had to pull her panties to the side, his long fingers stroking against her silky folds, softly tracing the outline of her lips.
Erica felt the warmth in her body bloom even more as her lover continued his gentle caresses, causing her pussy to moisten, and her clit to swell stiff and hard, coming out of its hood to feel his touch. He dipped a finger into her, gathering the silky wetness before tracing back up to rub on her button in a way that had her hips writhing in her chair, searching for more stimulation. "You're teasing me," she mock growled, running her hands through his sandy brown hair.
"Just for a moment," he replied, taking his finger back and licking it. "I just wanted to make sure you were ready."
Dwayne lowered his lips to her aching pussy, tracing the outlines of her labia with his soft pink tongue. Erica threw her head back and moaned, as her lover found the inner folds of her body, gathering her nectar on his tongue before lapping it up hungrily. "You taste so good, I could do this all day," he mumbled, his voice muffled by the curviness of her thighs. "Like strawberries and coconut."
"Well, you should always eat your daily fruits and vegetables," Erica joked back, her laugh turning into another sigh as she felt his tongue go back to stroking her lips. He was an expert at using just his tongue to bring her pleasure, keeping the strokes feather light and broad, using the tip of his tongue to trace along each fold before spreading wide and taking her in one broad swipe. He used his lips as well, nibbling and kissing along her smoothly shaven skin to have her sweating and gasping, unable to help herself as she was kept at the edge of climax.
"Please, please," she begged, knowing it was what Dwayne was waiting for. No matter how much she wanted to resist, he could always reduce her to begging, submitting to his strength and skill in lovemaking. She loved it though, knowing she had such a powerful submissive streak, and thrilled she had finally found a lover strong enough to bring it out in her.
Dwayne's response to her pleas was just what she wished, as he brought his tongue up to trace around her clit, massaging the tender nub with his tongue before sucking on it softly, flicking it with his tongue while he sucked. She felt her orgasm crash on her, and it took all of her self control not to scream out as she came, instead biting down on her forearm hard enough to leave marks.
Scooting back, Dwayne climbed out from under the table, his knees a bit dusty and his mouth wet with her juices. He was smiling, and his hair was tussled. Erica had never seen him look so sexy in all her life. "So, I'll see you at home later?" he asked, as he brought his fingers to his face and inhaled her scent still upon them.
"Aren't you going to wipe your face?" she asked with a sexy half smile.
Dwayne shook his head. "Hell no. At least, not until Tina sees me and gets to be jealous. If I have to delay my gratification, I at least get that."
He turned and left her office, leaving the door open as he did, and she could hear him say farewell to her assistant on his way out. Within ten seconds, Tina was at the door, a knowing smile on her face. "Just to let you know, they've faxed the contract," she said as preamble, her eyes taking in the sweat streaked skin and after sex glow of her friend and boss. "So, how was it?"
"Amazing as always," Erica replied, a blush coming to her cheeks. "I don't know how I ever get any work done with the temptation of him around."
"That's what I'm for," Tina replied. "But if you ever catch me in an inappropriate situation in the back room with some cute intern or model, I'm going to remind you of this."
Erica chuckled and shook her head. "We're even, because I know what you've already done a few times backstage at shows. And hotels. And that fitting in Milan last year....."
Tina shrugged and smiled. "Okay, okay. I still owe you quite a few."
A soft cry could be heard from the other room, and both women looked over with a smile. "Sounds like Princess Liz wants some milk."
CHAPTER 10
F or Kelly, flying into Tokyo was one of the most amazing experiences of her life. She had never even left the southeast United States before, and now she was half the world away, watching as Mt. Fuji became visible in the distance and the sun came up over the horizon. The flight was luxurious, as Dwayne had paid for everyone to fly at least business class, although true to his word he had flown Tina first class. Kelly sat next to Elizabeth, who had stretched her legs out a bit into the aisle. She was glad her new employer had let her have the window seat. "Wow, it's amazing," she said, causing Elizabeth to look over. "Have you ever been here before?"
"A few times," Elizabeth replied sleepily. She had taken an Ambien to try and adjust her body more quickly to Japanese time, and had slept through most of the flight. "My father felt it was important to let me learn more about it than just through academic study."
Elizabeth caught the attention of the flight attendant coming down the aisle, speaking in quick Japanese that caused the woman to smile. Kelly watched the exchange with envy. Living in Miami, she had picked up a fair smattering of street level Spanish, but was nowhere near Elizabeth's level of fluency. "When we get back, I'm going to have to get to studying," she said, after the flight attendant walked away.
"Don't be too impressed, my accent is atrocious, and I still get tripped up by a lot of the regional dialects and accents," Elizabeth replied. "I'm what you could call business level. I can communicate, and in daily Tokyo life I can get along fine, but I still have a long way to go."
"Better than me and Spanish. Once you get past pendejo and puta, I'm struggling."
Elizabeth chuckled. "Tell you what. When we get back, we'll see about getting you started on some study. I'm going to need someone who is fluent in Spanish on our team, and if you want to be it, all the better."
The overhead sign dinged, and Kelly brought her seat to full upright and prepared for landing. The flight attendant came by and apologized for not being able to serve Elizabeth her drink, who waved it off with a polite acceptance. The plane started to descend, and Kelly felt her stomach lift in her belly.
Three hours later, the feeling hadn't abated. Getting out of the airport was a bit of a pain, but Erica's clients had arranged for a luxury taxi service to pick them up, taking them into Tokyo itself. Kelly had never seen such a busy metropolis, as even the most hectic parts of Miami looked relax to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. People seemed to be everywhere, and Kelly had to keep doing double takes as new and surprising sights kept grabbing her attention.
"We're getting a hotel in the Odaiba area of Tokyo, on the ocean," Erica said from the seat behind her, as she helped Liz with a bottle in her seat. The flight had been hard on the baby, but she was finally calming, although she seemed to constantly need her diaper changed. Erica had read up on it and most of the websites she had checked had said that it was quite normal, and would last anywhere from one to three days while her body adjusted. Thankfully, as a relative newborn, Liz's sleep cycle was so up and down that she could take a nap at almost any time.
After checking into the luxurious hotel, everyone piled back into the vans for a
drive down to the Ginza district, although Dwayne and Tina stayed behind. Tina had some coordination with wedding people to do, and Dwayne wanted to let his daughter take a nap and hopefully feel better.
"You guys go, enjoy. I'm taking everyone out for dinner tonight anyway," he said, giving Erica a kiss on the cheek. Kelly watched, a flare of envy going through her. She could never hate Erica, her friend had been far to loyal and kind, but she wanted what Erica had, a true love life and someone to call her own. Having a fiancée as handsome as Dwayne was just the icing on the cake, in her opinion. Starting with law school, she'd been far too busy for more than casual dating.
The Ginza district of Tokyo was perhaps even more impressive than anything she had seen yet. It was Sunday in Japan, and a lot of the streets surrounding the main shopping areas were closed off to cars, only allowing pedestrian traffic. Kelly felt like a total tourist as she watched the Japanese women go walking by, the fashions alternatively amazingly chic and weird. Elizabeth kept up a constant flow of dialogue, explaining everything. "That's what they're calling the hime look," she said as a girl in a white frilly dress, pink bows, powdery makeup and platform white boots went by. "She's supposed to look like a fantasy princess."
"And that?" Kelly asked as a girl dressed almost the exact opposite, in gothic blacks and sleek leathers with red and blue streaks in her hair went the other direction.
"Same as the US. Goth. But the goth over here is much more inspired by the local anime than the American version. Although if you think this is weird, you should take some time and head down to Akihabara or Yoyogi park. That's where you'll find the cosplayers."
"We're here," Erica said before Kelly could ask what a cosplayer was, as they approached the Ginza Sony building. "From what Tina told me, the majority of the events are going to be here, because the department store is partnering with Sony to promote all this. The runway show is going to be done here, but there will be some mini-shows in the department store."
Mr. Forrester: An Alpha Billionaire Romance Page 7
