Chapter 10: Business Trip Friends

Joe had the conference on his calendar for over a year. To ensure his attendance, the sponsors of the Chicago Design and Construction Trade Show had paid him a third up front. He was getting $50,000 to keynote the opening of the show and then to run one three-hour limited-attendance workshop on Innovation that afternoon; the workshop cost extra to the attendees and Joe would get most of that money. His conference contact told him the workshop had sold out instantly.

Chicago Build attracted the leading architects, construction and design firms, and real estate developers from all across the mid U.S. – from the Rockies to the East Coast. The week-long conference and expo were at the immense McCormick Place – the largest convention center in North America.

Joe was introduced to twelve-thousand attendees that wanted to hear him. They sat in the auditorium to hear his speech on Monday morning. Large monitors on either side of the screen would help them see him even from the rear of the huge space.

Joe was pleased to see his daughter and her roommate slip into the seats he’d had reserved for them in the front row. They both looked stunning; they’d dressed to look sexy and sophisticated. Until the night before, he hadn’t seen Emma since Labor Day and had yet to meet her roommate. Even if they were bored, his keynote would only run about fifty minutes. Anybody could suffer through that. He hoped Emma could spend another night with him. He had a small suite at the Four Seasons and they’d made good use of the bed before sleeping the night before.

The speech Joe gave was what he called his ‘Rousing, Get Off Your Ass’ speech. He talked about innovation, but was more inspirational at the personal level. Do something in your own life, in your own relationships, in your own work and play, that innovates. He gave a few examples and chuckled about how he could also cite his own love life as a case study. Instead, he tossed out dozens of short anecdotes to drive his points home like well-pounded nails. Most dealt with the building trades or somebody in them in some way. He seemed to have an unlimited number of relevant short stories.

As Joe finished, the entire crowd stood in an ovation of applause and cheering. He’d been a huge hit as well as setting the tone for the entire week-long event. He had superb public-speaking skills. He hoped he’d inspired at least a few in the crowd to do better things with their lives and work. The president of Chicago Build presented Joe with a plaque of gratitude and thanked him for his contribution to the group.

Joe waded through the throng of well-wishers onto the floor of the huge auditorium. Dozens of people thrust business cards into his hand, usually with a plea of some kind. He pocketed every one of them and smiled, but would rarely remember any one person in that kind of melee.

Joe finally found Emma. She gave him a hug and kiss on his cheek. Several men around them commented on the hot girls Joe attracted. Since Emma looked more like Marjorie, there was no guessing that he was her father. Emma’s presence and his reward created a little mystique about him – excellence in all things, even having gorgeous women fall at your feet.

As things quieted down, Emma introduced Stacy Marden, her roommate. To Joe’s surprise, she too gave him a full-frontal hug and kiss, only her kiss made it to his lips. Stacy was just as hot looking as his daughter: mid-height, long blonde hair, and athletic body with a generous helping of mammaries and cleavage. Not only was she so stunningly beautiful that every man in the place stared at her, she also exemplified what Joe sometimes called ‘ripe’. He’d heard his daughter talk about Stacy in glowing terms, but had never met the Illinois native before that day.

The best part, from the standpoint of Joe’s ego, was that both Emma and Stacy were making every effort to signal that they belonged to him in every way possible. They weren’t just flirty; they were undoubtedly his and trying to please.

The girls each took one of Joe’s arms and they wove their way through the crowded aisle of the auditorium and out the back. The noise level due to the din of a hundred nearby conversations was so high that they didn’t even try to talk to each other.

In the foyer there was a little less chatter. Emma said, “What’s your schedule like?”

Joe replied, “I have now to an early lunch free, then I have an afternoon workshop to conduct starting at one p.m. That ends about four p.m., and then I’m free the rest of the day and evening. I’m flying back to Boston early tomorrow morning. I assume you can do dinner? You’re welcome to attend the workshop, too.”

Stacy laughed, “I saw that it cost $1,000 to get in but was sold out. I’d go just to think I got a bargain by knowing somebody. Instead, I’d love to attend and learn more about how to lead an innovative life. You were inspirational in your speech. I’m a convert to the Church of Joe.”

Joe waved his hands in the symbol of a star over Stacy’s head. “Blessings, my child. Go forward and innovate.” They laughed, but Joe got another hug and kiss from Stacy. This could become habit forming. Her well-endowed upper body was perky and without doubt she was braless. Although her top was double layered, he could still see her points showing – and she knew he could.

The three of them found a coffee shop in the corner of the immense place, got cups, and then sat together and chatted. Joe made sure his phone was charged as they sat. Stacy gave a questioning look.

Joe explained, “Instead of lugging around a briefcase full of notes or a laptop into a workshop, I’ve gotten it down to where all my lecture notes, workshop prompts, and everything are on my phone. I just open up the right app and file and I’m ready to go for three hours. Of course, I have most of concepts and stories in memory, so I only need to refer to it if I’m having a senior moment and realize that I’ve forgotten something.”

“You’re brilliant,” Stacy crooned in distinct adoration.

“And you’re obviously in the middle of a snow job. I’m just a guy with a schtick about innovation that many people find interesting to hear about or get taught about. I’m not that special.”

“That’s not what Emma says. She’s so in love with you that it’s contagious. I’m just in awe that I get to meet The Man she talks about all the time – like ten times an hour.”

Joe turned with a slight frown to his daughter.

Emma said, “I had to talk to someone. Stacy’s my all-time BFF. She knows we make love and how I feel about you.”

Stacy promised, “I’d never say anything about anything to hurt you.”

Joe purposefully took the conversation in a more neutral direction. The safe topics were what was going on in the courses at their University, the lousy Chicago weather, and some neutral reports about life back in Dillon, Massachusetts. When Joe was reporting some news, both girls hung on every word.

Joe mentioned at one point that Marjorie had sold two more $10 million-plus homes in the Boston suburbs – another in Lincoln and one in Dover. Emma knew the kind of money involved. She also knew what her father made for the day in Chicago.

Emma teased, “Maybe I’ll become a woman of leisure and live off her parents’ largess.”

Joe looked over his eye-glasses at her. “Oh, this is news. You might want to rethink that after we give you our list of requirements to do that.”

Emma teased back, “I’ll be your sex slave, I promise.”

Before he could come up with a rejoinder, Stacy said eagerly, “I’ll help, too. I’d love to be your sex slave.”

Joe shook his head. “The post is currently filled by a woman named Marjorie. Sorry.” He gestured at Emma.

“Oh, pooh! You’re no fun,” Emma declared. She then brightened. Hey, let’s go have lunch. There’s a place I want to try within walking distance. We can be back by twelve-thirty so you have time to prep.

The afternoon workshop contained a hundred people in a makeshift classroom with multiple flipcharts and white boards. Joe was given a wireless lavalier microphone with a battery pack to wear.

Each person, or their company, had paid $1,000 for them to attend the elite three-hour workshop. Most of that went to Joe. There were long tablecloths covering narrow tables arranged in a chevron with some side tables and few spurious chairs. Each attendee had a tent card with their name and company affiliation on it. Each person also had a private workbook prepared especially for the event and an autographed personal copy of Joe’s latest book on Innovation Management.

Joe had developed an excellent classroom technique, even for a class size of a hundred. He wandered the aisles as he called on specific individuals for their comment or to add to a list that he was building on one of the flip charts. He was Socratic; often kept asking why, why, why; and played the devil’s advocate with élan, until an important point had been made. Again, he had still more stories and anecdotes to amplify on points he wanted to drive home. He was the consummate story teller.

He took a short break midway through the three hours. He made sure that Emma and Stacy wanted to stay, and then launched into the second half of the seminar without any diminishment in his enthusiasm and zeal to get some ideas embedded in the attendees’ minds. By the end of the three hours everyone had been called on at least once. The class rose and repeated the standing ovation he’d gotten at the keynote address. Many thought it was the best classroom experience of their lives, bar none.

As Joe chatted with several of the conference attendees that came forward after the seminar ended, he noted that a half-dozen younger men had made a beeline for Emma and Stacy. He chuckled to himself, and wondered what was being said and what the outcome would be. He could see some business cards being pushed into the girls’ hands and imagined that dinner invitations were also being offered.

After everything thinned out and Joe closed the loop with conference coordinator, he received another check from a different pot of money, shook hands, and was done for the day. Not a bad haul for Monday - $150,000. Not quite up to Marjorie’s commissions, but not shabby either.

Joe collected Emma and Stacy, and they caught an Uber to the Four Seasons hotel right in the heart of the city. The conference and expo had gotten Joe a small suite at the hotel. He’d been there with Emma the night before, yet somehow, despite their romance, they’d both managed to get a good night’s sleep.

In the suite, Joe expressed a need to shower and change clothes before going out. He’d been in a business suit with tie all day and also wanted to wear some business casual clothes. He parked the two girls in the suite’s living room with a large television and went into the bedroom, closing the doors behind him.

After stripping down, Joe entered the suite’s luxurious bathroom. He needed a rub down, but a hot shower would have to do. After adjusting the temperature, he walked into the shower and under the multiple showerheads, basking in the relaxing feeling of the various jets of water.

He added some shampoo and lathered up his hair, massaging his own scalp as he did.

Surprisingly, another set of fingers also joined in and then another. Two naked and busty feminine bodies pushed against him, rubbing breasts on him as the shampoo suds cascaded down his frame. Lips kissed his and then turned his head, so other lips could also kiss. Tongues became entangled in an erotic and seductive dance. With his eyes closed, he wasn’t always sure whose lips he felt.

Joe felt the hard nipples atop full breasts rub all over his body as the hands soaped his torso, paying particular attention to his genitals. Since their arrival in the shower, he’d said nothing to either Emma or Stacy. His rising shaft spoke for itself.

He was pulled from the shower spray as the last of the suds disappeared, and a mouth engulfed his shaft. This wasn’t Emma with her finely-honed expertise in fellatio. Stacy was more of a neophyte in what she was doing. He heard Emma whispering instructions to her friend. He felt some new sensations, and a hand started to fondle his sack. Joe wondered what a ‘bad’ blowjob would be like, and couldn’t imagine one.

Joe finally allowed his eyes to open. Stacy was looking up at him with dancing eyes. Her nude body produced a jolt of arousal in him. Emma was in his arms kissing him and professing her love. Stacy followed instantly as he responded. She said aloud between kisses, “Fuck me – right here, right now.”

Emma nodded, “Do it. Please! I told her how good you were. I love Stacy and want this for her. She’s had a test.”