She smiles. “Well, if you hate them, why did you ask instead of making it the way you like it?”
“Because if you like them I would have made the salad with them and suffered through it for you,” he replies with a grin.
“That’s ridiculous. Don’t ever do something you hate just to satisfy my desires. I can compromise, and if it’s something I won’t compromise on then we both will have to discuss the issue and make our own decisions.”
Puzzled about how anchovies could be taken so seriously, he tosses the salad. “Fair enough,” he says finally, “I’ll remember that. Tell me why you keep everyone at a distance.”
“Wow. This just escalated quickly,” Wendy says, avoiding and drinking more wine.
“Hey, you started it with the anchovy thing,” Jim replies.
He pulls some type of fish out of the oven and places it on a plate with risotto and fresh Caesar salad, then tops off Wendy’s glass of wine.
They both move to sit at the dining table, and Jim says, “I hope you like it. It’s crab stuffed halibut with fresh morel mushrooms.”
Wendy takes a bite and moans, letting Jim know he was successful. They enjoy some light dinner conversation before Jim hits her with the same question she coyly avoided earlier.
“So why do you keep everyone at a distance?”
Wendy adjusts herself uncomfortably in her seat and tries to skirt the subject, but Jim isn’t having it.
Cutting her off in the middle of an excuse, he says, “I’m serious, Wendy. I really want to get to know you, but I’m not going to play this game with you of having to figure you out all the time. Either you and I are going to begin trusting each other or we can agree right now to be just business associates. After that kiss in the kitchen I certainly hope you’ll trust me enough to give me a little glimpse of who the real Wendy Stevens is. Let’s start by you telling me your hopes, fears, and desires.”
He takes another bite of his dinner and watches her as she watches him.
Finally, she sighs. “You’re not going to let this go are you?”
“Nope.”
“Then I guess I need to give you some insight on me. I had a wonderful childhood until eighteen when my brother, Mark, stole my dad’s company through a hostile take-over and kicked him completely out of the company he built. Dad committed suicide a year later and Mark became the provider for my mom and me. At age nineteen, Mark and I had an incredible falling out and I never spoke to him again.”
“What was the falling out all about?”
“That’s something I’m not ready to share with you yet,” Wendy replies flatly.
He gauges her reaction, then nods. “Fair enough. Please continue.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t know how I feel about this, Jim. I haven’t had a man insist I open up to them emotionally in ages, so it’s been easy to keep them at a distance. I’m extremely attracted to you intellectually and physically. But your insistence that I need to be vulnerable with you scares the shit out of me.”
“I can appreciate that, but how else am I going to get to know you?”
“Oh, I understand your reasons. It just scares me because when you open up to someone you also give them the ammunition to hurt you. I have been successful in avoiding that land mine for a long time.”
“Is that what you think? That I’m going to use the information you share with me to hurt you?” he asks, almost incredulous.
“No, of course not. At least, not intentionally. It’s just that, when you really know someone well, you know the buttons to push to get a reaction from them.”
“True, but they also know how to support you when you are scared, threatened, or even weary. They can help you deal with certain situations and can provide the encouragement necessary to keep going. Is this why you never married and have avoided serious relationships? Fear of being hurt by someone you care about or even love?”
She gazes at him for a long moment. “I need you to ask me a different question.”
He represses a laugh. “Okay. How is dinner?”
“Thank you for not pushing,” she says quietly. “It’s absolutely fantastic.”
“You’re welcome. For dessert, I’ve prepared a fresh berry tart with some French vanilla bean ice cream and coffee.”
“I am truly impressed with your culinary skills.”
“Don’t be,” he says with a chuckle as he clears their dinner plates. “I bought the tart at a local bakery earlier today.”
“You know, you could have claimed you prepared it and I would have believed you after this dinner.”
“Perhaps, but that would have been dishonest of me, and if nothing else can be expected of me, total honesty can be.”
“That’s good to know.”
“Let’s have dessert on the back deck with our coffee shall we?”
“Let me help you clean up first,” Wendy says, heading for the sink.
“No, leave it. I’ll get it later. For now, I just want to enjoy the time we have getting to know each other better.”
Wendy concedes, and they make their way to the deck. Once they’re seated, she asks, “So what do you love besides making millions in quarterly bonuses?”
“That is certainly a highlight for me and this quarter has been outrageous for my career, as well as for Stevens Environmental Restoration Fund. I didn’t expect we would achieve such success in this short a time frame, but I suspect things will slow down. My job is to keep a steady stream of donors coming into SERF.”
Wendy gets up. “I’m sorry, it’s just too bright out here, and I would like some more coffee.”
He nods and rises with her, heading back into the living room. Jim gets them both a fresh cup of coffee and they settle on the couch. He hands her coffee and begins to answer her earlier question.
“I love cooking, old rock classics, fine wine, and impressionist abstract art. What about you?”
“I really don’t know how to answer that. For so many years my life has been tied up in my work and clients, so my ability to pursue any real passions had been controlled by my budget and I never really developed any of them. I love the sun, water, and the beach. I read a lot and, now that I can, I intend to travel. In fact, recently I’ve been toying with the idea of scaling back my practice and taking more time for myself. I guess I’m feeling a little burned out recently, which is something I never expected I’d ever be saying because I love what I do and how I help others survive devastating circumstances. Watching them grow and thrive is truly a joy.”
“Well, I have to tell you how much I admire what you do. It’s certainly something I could never do without wanting to kill some of the people your clients have to get away from.”
Wendy chuckles. “I have to admit there are days when that would be much easier.”
They both laugh for a moment, then Wendy looks at Jim with a piercing stare that unnerves him a bit but quickly dismisses it when she leans into him and kisses him with an intensity that excites him immediately. He returns the kiss with just as much eagerness, then pauses and looks at his watch.
Wendy quirks her head at him, “What the hell is that all about?”
“I’m sorry, but I needed to make sure if we were going to kiss like that we wouldn’t lose track of the time. You still have a plane to catch at nine, right?”
“Yes, but it’s only six now.”
“I understand. I just didn’t want to be the cause of you missing your flight, and if you kiss me like that again, I’m going to lose all track of time and get lost in your embrace.”
“Why don’t you let me worry about the time and kiss me. Please?”
As he kisses her, she slides into his embrace on the couch and runs her hand through his hair. As their passion for each other’s embrace increases, they both decide to lose their inhibitions.
Wendy’s hand slips down Jim’s chest, over his muscled stomach, and down the front of his slacks. She cups him in her hand and gently begins to massage him. He responds immediately to her gen
tle touch and begins to unbutton her blouse. As his kisses move from her mouth to her neck, she moans softly and responds by removing her hand from his groin and holding onto his neck. Placing her other hand on the back of his head, she softly applies pressure directing his head to her breasts. Instantly he kisses her chest and, slipping her lacey bra aside, flicks her nipple with his tongue, causing her to cry out with pleasure.
Pulling away, Jim stands and takes her by the hand, leading her into his bedroom. He removes her blouse and takes a moment to admire her tan upper body, enhanced by the purple bra. Wendy removes his shirt, kissing him passionately, then runs her tongue from his neck, over his chest, and down his rippled abs. On her knees, she stops at his pant line and unfastens his belt, pants and zipper. With one fluid movement, she pushes his pants and boxers to the floor as she stands, then kisses him again, exploring his eager mouth with her tongue.
He quickly spins her around and brings his hand up to her breast while simultaneously allowing his other hand to find the button of her pants. He unbuttons them and she hears the zipper slide down. As his hot breath along her neck ignites a shameless desire that must be quenched within her, she feels her pants slide down her legs. Instinctively, she pushes her hips back against his firm body and as his hand finds her, he slides a finger into her and her legs weaken instantly. She uses his body to support herself as he removes her bra and panties.
Reaching back, she places his penis between her legs, twists an arm around his neck, and pulls his mouth to hers. He slides his penis back and forth between her legs, and the friction on the outside of her labia is almost too much for her, so she turns to face him. He begins to lift her and she helps him. As he catches her, she wraps her legs around his waist, but doesn’t have long to wait. Jim’s passion has been enflamed and with a single swift thrust he penetrates her, sliding himself completely into her body. Wendy groans with intense pleasure as Jim slowly lays her on the bed without leaving her body or missing a thrust.
As he continues to push into her, Wendy becomes lost in the intense pleasure he is bringing her and thrashes her head from side to side. They both become lost in the moment when suddenly they erupt, reaching the pinnacle of their lovemaking.
Laying there, catching their breath in the afterglow, Wendy decides there is more pleasure to be reached. She rolls Jim onto his back while he is still inside her and begins to rock forward and backward. Within moments, both sense their passion and pleasure mounting once again, and he begins to meet her rocking motions with upward thrusts. Suddenly, he grabs her hips, rocking her in back and forth while applying downward pressure onto himself. This increased friction is more than she can stand and she explodes in another intense orgasm. He quickly rolls her onto her stomach and penetrates her again, this time with his constant and forceful thrusting. Wendy’s breathing intensifies again and they each reach another shattering orgasm. He collapses onto her back, and they lay there struggling to catch their breath, gasping through the shockwaves of the aftermath of their lovemaking.
As they each return to themselves, Jim rolls to his side and holds Wendy tenderly in his arms. She snuggles into his chest and, overwhelmed with the emotion of allowing herself to be intimate with him, teardrops fall from her eyes, unobserved by Jim.
After a while her tears dry and they begin to talk. They decide to take a shower together and find more passion under the hot water.
Afterwards, Wendy thanks him. “This was a wonderful evening. Thank you for a wonderful dinner, conversation, and evening entertainment.”
He smiles, “The pleasure was all mine.”
“No, it certainly wasn’t. I found it to be quite pleasurable myself!”
“I think I’ll be in San Diego soon. Not this week, but next. Can I call you?” he asks, cupping her cheek.
“I’d be extremely disappointed if you didn’t. How long will you be in town?”
“I’ll probably come into town Wednesday and leave Friday night.”
Wendy looks at her calendar on her phone and realizes she will be at a conference Thursday and was planning on spending the night.
“You should just stay at my place instead of a hotel,” she says, handing him her key. “Here, take this. I can use the one I have at the front desk. I’ll see you Wednesday, but I have to leave early Thursday. I’ll be back around midnight. If you can arrange your schedule to return to San Francisco later Friday evening we’ll be able to spend time together Wednesday evening and Friday after your meetings.”
Jim kisses her gently. “I’ll rearrange my schedule so my meetings will all take place on Wednesday and Thursday to maximize our time together.”
With their plans set, Wendy kisses him goodbye. “I’m sorry I didn’t help you clean up,” she says, and he hushes her and kisses her again.
After a long goodbye, Wendy drives back to Bonnie’s.
Bonnie greets her. “How did your appointment go?”
Wendy smiles. “It was an incredible appointment, even better than expected, and very enlightening.”
“That’s terrific. Have a glass of wine with me in the limousine on the way to the airport. We have plenty of time to get you to the pilot and home by ten.”
“I’d like that. I’ve missed you, and it is so good to see SERF is doing so well. You picked some incredible people to launch this project and it has definitely paid off.”
“I know. It’s fantastic. How are things going in San Diego after the difficult past few months?” Bonnie asks, pouring the wine.
“You know, it has all just made me think about what I really want in life and accept the fact that I will eventually get burned out. I may need to reevaluate my priorities.”
“Well, dear, the things you deal with daily are enough to cause one to burn out. So tell me where are you thinking of travelling?” Bonnie replies, accepting that Wendy could be serious about this.
“I’d like to see Paris, London, Italy, Spain, and, of course, spend some time on the beach in Mexico.”
“Paris is beautiful in the spring. Italy is kind of gross and dirty. At least, it was when I was there. Spain is wonderful, but I haven’t spent much time in Mexico, so you would have to tell me about it.”
“I haven’t made any firm decisions at this point, but I think I need a break. It seems my clients are experiencing much more violence then I remember, and the courts seem to be much less help than they have been in the past. It’s probably just me, and I suspect I’m just tired of it all. If that is truly the case, I won’t be much help to my clients.”
“Then why don’t you take a short vacation trip? Go to Mexico and see how you feel. Can you get away for two or three weeks?”
“Probably. I’d have to do a little planning to free some time, but that’s a pretty good idea. We don’t have any more unexpected board meetings coming up do we?” she asks with a smirk.
“Not that I can imagine, but the FBI needs to check everywhere you spend your time for security purposes.”
“You know, I’m not too worried about the penthouse, and I’m not sure what I can do with the office and still keep it warm and friendly.”
“Listen, sweetheart, I want you to be safe, and if that means inconveniencing a few clients so be it. Your safety is more important! It looks like we’re here, and the pilot is ready for you.”
“Thanks for the limousine ride, and I’ll let you know when I get back to the condo tonight. Thanks for the use of your jet as well.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Just call me when you get in and don’t forget or I’ll call you.”
“I got it, Mom.”
“I love you, too.”
“I’ll call you in about two hours. Have a safe ride home.”
They give each other a hug, and Wendy boards the jet for the quick flight back to San Diego. When she arrives at her place she gives Bonnie a quick call to let her know she is home safely and she will be in touch after the FBI makes their recommendations tomorrow.
Next, Wendy calls Jim to thank him
again for a wonderful evening and confirms his trip to San Diego.
“I’ll arrive a week from this Wednesday, and I should be done with my meeting by four o’clock,” he says.
Wendy smiles. “In that case, why don’t you let me make you dinner Wednesday night? It probably won’t be as nice as yours, but I’ll do the best I can.”
“I would be delighted to have you make me dinner. In fact, I’ll spend the next week looking forward to it.”
“Well, reserve that delight until after you’ve consumed my cooking,” Wendy says sarcastically.
He chuckles. “I’m sure it will be delicious, and if not I’m sure we can figure out things to keep our minds off of food.”
Wendy giggles, playing with her pen like a teenager in love before she realizes what she’s doing and stops herself. “I’m sure we can. I’ll see you next week.”
“I can’t wait,” Jim replies, and Wendy simply grins as they say good-bye and hangs up.
CHAPTER 14
burn out
Wendy arrives at the office earlier than normal, and Mona is surprised to see her so early after a late flight from San Francisco last night. Wendy explains to Mona about the threats and the pending FBI inspection this morning.
Mona asks, “Are these valid threats or are they more of the same old crap and is the FBI overreacting?”
“I’m not sure how to answer that question at this point. It sounds like the same old stuff, but this time the caller referenced Mark’s death and that has everyone a bit on edge,” Wendy replies, leafing through messages left for her over the weekend.
“Yeah, but why worry about this office?”
“Probably because I’m on the board of SERF, and we are wooing away MEC’s largest donors. Also, I’m Bonnie’s sister-in-law so there’s more of a connection to her for me.”
“But you’re just a board member not an employee. And why would they come after Mark’s sister?”
“I know. I have the same doubts. I think we’re probably in more danger from a spouse of one of our clients than whoever made the threat to Hector Sosa.”
Unrestrained Behavior: The Pleasure and Risk of Choice (The 'Un'missable Series Book 3) Page 13
