assistants. I guess they couldn’t cut it. I
wanted to be the one who stuck it out. I was all in.
When we pulled up to the entrance of the
restaurant whose name I couldn’t pronounce, the valet, the host and
the server all lit up with delight when Mr. Conrad greeted them.
These places stunk of pretentiousness to me, but they treated him
like he owned the restaurant. I guess when you have boatloads of
money to spend, you get the special treatment.
I sat next to Mr. Conrad as he worked his
magic over the next thirty minutes with an old, astute gentleman.
They discussed forecasts, risks and exit strategies – all words and
phrases I knew nothing about. But what I did come to understand was
Mr. Conrad’s masterful business prowess.
Little personal information was known about
him in the press. He was young – in his mid twenties like me. He
made a fortune creating computer software and became a billionaire
from his international real estate ventures. The description of
notorious playboy had also followed him. Him being demanding,
frightening and handsome – I could definitely confirm it.
After the other gentleman left, my
nervousness reappeared as I moved and sat across the table from Mr.
Conrad. He and I – alone again. Again he became silent.
Was he even going to remotely mention what
happened between us earlier today? Never in my wildest dreams could
I envision something like that taking place. That only happens to
high class escorts or women who write commentS on blogs about
trysts they had once upon a time. But it happened to me. And no
word of it? What gives? He played me like a fiddle. Another cute
brunette in his long line of work conquests. Damn, Danica. I broke
my rule. And on the first day. I could have at least dragged it out
for a few more days then gave up my goodies. I guess it was fun
while it lasted despite aching for more. At least I’ll have a
steady paycheck. And I had an unbelievably scintillating story to
tell the other woman at the senior citizen’s home when I get
older.
“ I had a huge lunch. I’m
not that hungry,” he said breaking the silence. I hadn’t eaten a
thing at all today. I was so nervous this morning I skipped
breakfast. I planned on grabbing a breakfast burrito on the way to
work, but I didn’t plan on a deer making me late on my first day of
work. “How about you and I have a look at a few small dishes? Maybe
dessert first, then the wine list?”
I looked off in the sea of other tables in
the room.
“ You’re not on the clock
anymore, Ms. Martin. It’s okay to have a drink or two around
me.”
I nodded.
“ You know you’re also free
to talk around me. Nouns, verbs, whatever you desire.” I cracked a
faint smile. “Is that a smile I see, Ms. Button?”
Wow, from petrifying to charming in a matter
of seconds. “Maybe.” I finally could release my gut I tensed up
whenever he came around me.
“ You know, you can’t
believe everything you hear, Ms. Martin. Most of it is not true.”
He pulled the menu closer to his face. I couldn’t see his
eyes.
“ Most of it?”
“ Yes. Most of it.” There
goes the devilish smirk of his again. “Let’s start with the blood
cake.”
“ Let’s.”
***
Over the next hour we were served an array
of fine delectable treats, the likes of yours truly had never
tasted. I scoffed at the possibility of eating something called
blood cake, but to my delight it tasted delicious. Mr. Conrad was
encyclopedic about food from other cultures. The thought of him
using his tongue and lips for things other than food had my
imagination churning.
He laughed to himself.
“ What’s so funny?” I asked.
All the mind games he played with me throughout today had me at
wit’s end.
“ You have a bit of
chocolate on your top lip. Let me get that for you.” He grabbed the
extra napkin on the table and wiped the cream from my mouth.
“There, that’s better.” Maybe I had the wrong idea about Mr.
Conrad.
I licked the smidgen of