Chapter 12

Karen returned home to a husband who, while certainly glad to see her seemed far more concerned in hearing every detail of her near week-long adventure than in discussing what Karen really wanted to talk about.

She related the sex with the Monets and the fact that they were prepared to accept the terms of the buyout which pleased Roger greatly.

“I’m so proud of you,” he said. “You must be a real tiger when you’re wooing a client like that.”

“I’d rather be a tiger for you,” she countered.

“Of course, darling, but sometimes these things are just necessary. Now, tell me how it was. Were there any new positions or techniques? Come on, Honey, tell me.”

So Karen related the night she had spent with the Monets and some of the positions they had used and the details of their manage a trois.

“Wow, sounds like you had a lot of fun,” he said smiling.

“Did you miss me, Roger?”

“Of course I did. I can’t wait to get you to bed and try out some of those moves you described.”

Roger, there’s more. I ... I can’t lie to you.”

“Lie to me? What are you talking about?”

And so over the next few minutes Karen described in detail what had happened aboard Brigitte’s Delight. She left out nothing including the sex with Robert while bent over the rail, the all night encounter with Tatia and the awful things Tatia had forced her to do including sex with the other two crew members before being sent home in disgrace. Then there was the encounter with Susan on the plane. But as debased as these were, Karen simply could not share the last two commands Tatia had given her.

“My god, Karen! I knew you were going to have a tumble or two in bed with the Monets, but this ... THIS!”

“It’s why I want us to leave Astron Industries, Roger.”

“You want us to WHAT?”

“I want us to leave Astron and never look back. You could get a job with another company. We could move to another part of the country, get away from all this.”

“Are you kidding? I just made VP, Karen. I can’t just walk away from that. I’ve just been asked to handle the Dunlop merger. Do you realize that with this merger Astron will move from seventh to second largest aerospace industry in the country?”

“I don’t care about that, Roger. I don’t care about Astron or the aerospace industry. I want our marriage back Roger. I want to go back to being your wife ... not a corporate whore.”

She could see the anger building in him.

“My god, Karen. You fucked everyone on that boat and debased yourself in dam near every way possible. You ARE a corporate whore! And a damn good one. You’re so good at fucking other men and women your services are in demand. The social director called the other day wondering when you would be getting back. The word is out about you, Karen. He told me there are five Astron execs and four clients who are waiting to get you into their beds. Now you tell me you’re fucking the entire crew of a boat as well as the clients you were sent there to entertain?”