Chapter 3

After our morning spent at the dress boutique and shoe store, we had about forty-five minutes to kill before our afternoon plans. I decided it was probably a good idea to get a bite to eat, so I drove toward an out-of-the-way Italian bistro with excellent food. One of the benefits of hanging out with Gabriel--who's a very knowledgeable gourmet--was that I knew where all the best restaurants were.

Neither Kate nor I were all that hungry, so we shared a hand-made stromboli. All through lunch, she pressed me for where we were going next, but I steadfastly refused to give her any details. She began to get a little testy, so I took her hands in my own and looked into her eyes.

"Do you trust me?" I asked.

"What's that got to do with it?" Her eyes glittered dangerously.

"Everything. So, do you trust me?"

She bristled.

"You've been a great sport all day," I said quickly, realizing that a little soothing was in order. "You've got a great new pair of shoes."

She smiled tightly.

"You've got a new dress that makes me hard just thinking about you wearing it."

She warmed a little and smiled at the memory of our dress boutique exploits.

"And the day started with breakfast in bed," I said.

"Well," she said with a smile, "it didn't start with breakfast in bed. But we got to it eventually."

"Mmm hmm," I said, nodding. "Are you having a good time?"

She looked at me seriously and then nodded.

"So," I asked, "do you trust me to plan something you'll enjoy?"

She reluctantly smiled. "Yes, I guess I do. I just don't like not knowing what we're doing next."

You don't like not being in control, I thought. I understood completely. "Well," I said, looking at my watch, "you're about to find out."

She perked up considerably.

"You have an appointment in," I looked at my watch again, "sixteen minutes."

Kate was out of her chair like a shot, and stood waiting for me as I leisurely paid our bill and left a tip. When we walked back out to the Rover, I strolled, and Kate gave me another of her "will you please hurry up" looks. I grinned at her and hit the key fob to unlock the car doors.

Fortunately for me, we were only a few minutes' drive from our next stop, and when we pulled into the salon parking lot, Kate beamed at me. Her look was full of questions, but I merely got out of the car and waited for her to follow suit.

I knew of a few high-end salons and each of them offered a comprehensive list of services. This was where I normally had my hair cut. I still had a full head of hair--while my younger brother was nearly bald--and I suppose it was one of my few vanities.

When I'd called on Friday, they assured me that during the Christmas season, they were open until nine in the evening, even on Sunday. I supposed it was because of their upscale clientele and all the usual holiday parties. We stepped into the salon and a young woman in her late teens greeted us.

"We have a three o'clock appointment under the name Kirilov." I spelled Kate's last name.

The young woman consulted her computer screen and then nodded. "Of course," she said. "You have appointments for a manicure and pedicure, a facial, a full-body massage, hair-styling, and then make-up."

Kate looked at me with a mixture of astonishment and amused curiosity, but I kept my attention focused on the girl. "And you should have an appointment for me, as well," I said. "For a four o'clock massage and a five o'clock haircut."

"Hmm." The girl studied her screen pensively. "Mr. Kirilov?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes," Kate said, smoothly interrupting me. "But you'll probably find his appointments under the name Ethan Mackenzie. You should probably change the name to Ethan Kirilov."

"Yes, of course," the young woman said, and began tapping on her keyboard.

Kate smiled smugly and I merely chuckled.

"Mrs. Kirilov," the young woman said. "You can change into a smock in the room to your left, and then I'll show you to your manicurist. If you'd like to wait, Mr. Kirilov, you can have a seat over there." She nodded toward a group of comfortable- looking chairs.

Kate smirked at me again. I tried to put on my best wounded expression, and her eyes softened. Then she rose on tiptoe and kissed my cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered, then stepped toward the changing room.

When she emerged, wearing a smock and some comfortable-looking flip-flops, the girl led her toward the manicure/pedicure chairs. I winked at Kate as she walked by, then settled myself into one of the waiting-area chairs.

Another young woman offered to get me something to drink, and I asked for sparkling water. Glass in hand, I took out my cell phone and punched the speed dial for Gabriel's number. He was probably still on the road, but I wanted to talk to him about our major project and give him an update on the situation with Brad Behr.

I knew he'd give me a call as soon as he got home, but I didn't want to be interrupted in the middle of dinner--or anything else that I might be doing later in the evening. Gabriel had an annoying habit of "exploding the phone": calling every number you had, and doing it over and over again until he spoke to you. The phone rang a few times before Gabriel answered. He was still about four hours from home, so I mentally congratulated myself for my timing.

We ended up talking for more than forty-five minutes. We spent most of the time talking about his vacation, and his notable lack of success in finding a sugar baby. I chuckled silently as he lamented that twenty-something women didn't appreciate all he had to offer. A couple of times, I tried to drag the conversation back to business, but Gabriel was being Gabriel--he's an only child--so I gave up and simply listened to him talk.

One of the salon assistants came to get me for my massage. I rolled my eyes and tried not to grin when the young woman called me "Mr. Kirilov," but I didn't correct her. I got off the phone with Gabriel and followed the assistant to one of the massage rooms.

Kate looked up when I entered. She was clearly surprised to see me. When I'd made the appointments, I had asked that our massages be scheduled together in one of the dual rooms. There was a cloth curtain that could be drawn between the beds, but we wouldn't need it. Kate flashed me her manicured nails and I smiled approvingly. Then she stepped into the massage room's changing booth while I waited patiently. A moment later, she stuck her head through the curtains and impatiently gestured for me to join her. With a grin, I did.

The changing area was big enough for both of us, and Kate began to undress as I pulled the curtain. I began to take off my clothes as well, admiring Kate's body as I did. She smiled and reached for my flaccid penis as soon as I had my pants off. She quickly stroked me to a state of semi-hardness.

Outside the booth, we heard the door open, and Kate gave me a smoldering look. She dropped to her knees, engulfed my half-hard cock, and easily sucked me to full erection. I put my hands on her head to direct her motions, but she pulled back just as I was getting into things.

I rolled my eyes at her as she stood and then shamelessly grinned at me. I stifled a groan when she wrapped a fluffy white towel around herself and stepped out of the booth. I took one of the towels and wrapped it around my midsection. Unfortunately, I kept thinking about Kate's lips around my shaft, and my erection refused to subside.

"Mr. Kirilov? Is everything okay?" one of the masseuses asked.

"Yes, Ethan," Kate said, enjoying teasing me, "come on out."

I pulled aside the curtain and stepped out, my hard-on making a noticeable bulge under the towel. The young woman, my masseuse, looked at my groin and her eyes widened in surprise. I tried to look as apologetic as I could, and she relaxed somewhat.

I hurriedly climbed onto the table, tried to unobtrusively adjust my erection into a comfortable position, and lay facedown. With a start, I realized the massage table was heated. I turned my head to look at Kate, but her eyes were closed in bliss. My masseuse turned down the room lights and turned up the soft background music. I began to relax as I watched her select a bottle of oil from the counter by the door.

The masseuses worked on us for an hour, covering every inch of our bodies, eliciting groans and whimpers of satisfaction. When we were done, they thanked us and quietly left the room. Kate sat up and looked at me with hooded eyes, completely relaxed.

"Don't ever let me doubt you again," she said with a serene smile.

She stood on wobbly legs and started toward me. When she reached me, I hugged her to me, half supporting her as she sagged against me bonelessly. She kissed the soft, fragrant skin of my bare chest and wrapped her arms around me.

"I think I'm ready to melt," she said.

"You like?"

"Uuuunh."

I smiled to myself at her incoherent response and stroked her back through the towel. A few minutes later, one of the ubiquitous assistants knocked on the door and then opened it a crack.

"Give us a minute," I said over my shoulder.

The door closed and Kate looked up at me. I kissed the tip of her nose and she moaned softly.

"I want you to take me home now," she said. "But I also want to put on that dress and go to Marie-Claire's."

"Which would you like to do more?" I asked seriously.

"Both."

I was silent for a moment, letting her think.

"The restaurant," she said at last. "I think." She looked up at me and smiled. "I want you to see me in that dress."

"And out of it?" I asked.

"If you play your cards right."

With that, we each shuffled toward the changing booth and returned to our clothes, me to my street clothes, and Kate to her jeans, smock, and flip-flops. When we were dressed, I gestured for her to precede me out of the room.

The woman who regularly did my hair, Dana, looked at me curiously when she saw "Mr. Kirilov" on her schedule. While she shampooed my hair, I explained. She giggled like a schoolgirl and asked me to point out Kate. I did, and she nodded approvingly.

My haircut only took about thirty minutes. After I was done, I settled into one of the comfortable chairs in the waiting area and half-heartedly leafed through the latest issues of Cosmo, Vogue, and Elle. I was still completely relaxed from my massage, so I wasn't really thinking about anything more than breathing and occasionally blinking.

When Kate emerged from the salon's make-up room, my breath caught in my throat and I suddenly had tunnel vision. I stood up, mouth dry, and simply stared at her. Her hair was done up in a loose twist, with tendrils framing her face. When she came closer, I noticed sparkling motes of light winking from the twist, and realized that she had something cleverly woven into her hair. I didn't know what it was, but the effect was stunning.

Her make-up was subtle but artfully applied, and the effect was... it was... magical. I stopped looking at details and tried to concentrate on simply breathing. Even in the plain salon smock, she looked lovely.

She actually blushed when she smiled at me, and I worked my mouth, trying to restore some moisture. She smiled nervously and her big blue eyes implored me to speak. Finally, thankfully, I found my voice.

"Wow," I breathed. My vision expanded and I suddenly realized there were people standing behind her.

"Happens every time, honey," a man's effeminate voice said from somewhere behind her.

Kate's blush deepened, and her eyes begged me to say something else.

I wracked my brain, trying to think of something suave, something cool and collected, something...

"Wow," I said again.

"We have a winner," someone joked from behind me.

All of a sudden, I was acutely aware of the small crowd that had gathered around us. When I began to blush as well, Kate giggled at me, and there was a collective sigh from the group.

I don't remember much else after that. Well, I do, but it's all very hazy, with a bright, shining Kate floating through all the scenes in my memory. Somehow, I paid for everything and helped her don the turtleneck sweater, taking care not to upset her hairdo. Once in the Rover, I drove to my house on autopilot.

By the time we reached my master bedroom, I'd regained most of my high-order neural functions, but I was still occasionally dazzled by Kate's beauty. She had been silent the entire drive from the salon, and I'd felt an almost electric sense of excitement in the air between us.

I hung up her dress bag and tossed her shoebox onto my bed. I had left it up to Kate to bring in (or not bring in, as she decided) her overnight bag. Much to my relief, she'd picked it up from the floorboard behind her seat and brought it with her.

We had about an hour before our reservations, so I wanted to shower and shave before going out. I could tell that Kate wanted to join me, but she didn't want to muss her hair or make-up. In the bathroom, I helped her strip off her sweater, and then I let my hands roam over her body, helping her with the rest of her clothes.

Once she was nude, she practically ripped my clothes off. She dropped to her knees and, without any teasing, took my cock in her mouth. I was already half-hard from undressing her, and I quickly reached full erection. She sucked me for a few minutes, lavishing attention on my shaft, but I had better ideas.

I pulled her off my cock and helped her to her feet. I bent her over the vanity and dropped to my knees behind her. She let out a throaty moan when I put my hands on the globes of her ass and pulled her cheeks apart. Her pussy was already wet, and her musk filled my nostrils.

I buried my face in her folds, licking and sucking her lips. She shuddered as I drove my tongue into her depths and swirled it around. Her pussy opened up before me, and I began to lap along the length of her slit, rubbing my lips and cheeks against her inner thighs. I squeezed her ass and she moaned as my tongue found her engorged clit.

When I stood up, my rigid cock bumped her ass and she tried to press back against me. She cried out in distress when she realized I'd moved. In three long strides, I was at my nightstand and yanking open the top drawer. I pulled out a condom and ripped the packet open as I strode back into the bathroom, my dick bobbing and leading the way.

Once there, I rubbed one hand over Kate's slippery pussy and looked at her face in the mirror. I stepped back for a moment and quickly rolled the condom over my shaft. Then I stepped forward, steadied my prick with one hand, and thrust into her in one swift motion. She moaned in ecstasy as I spread her inner walls.

I put both hands on her hips, looked at her reflection in the mirror, and began to move within her. In only a few moments, I was madly pounding into her, lost in the feeling of her warmth and wetness. The slapping noises of my hips hitting her ass filled the air. With each in-stroke, the head of my cock grazed her G-spot and she was going nuts. Her hips thrashed back against me, and I could feel her pussy spasming around my girth.

In only a minute or two, I felt my orgasm welling up. Kate's back was heaving as she panted and moaned with the force of my pounding.

"Oh, God! Harder!" she cried, over and over, and I eagerly obliged her.

Finally, I reached the point of no return and drove into her with one powerful lunge. My cock swelled as the first gush of semen spewed forth, and she joined me in climax. I clamped my eyes shut and groaned with the force of my release. Kate's pussy gripped me fiercely as her fluids poured forth with her orgasm.

When my cock stopped spurting at last, I opened my eyes and nearly collapsed on top of her. We were both panting from the exertion, and grinning like idiots, completely sated. For the moment.

When I emerged from the shower, Kate was still nude. She gestured for me to step aside, so I did, idly drying my hair with a corner of the towel. I watched as she reached into the shower, turned on the water, and then adjusted it. With a smile, she stepped into the stall and carefully took the nozzle off its bracket. Using deliberate motions, she quickly rinsed herself off, taking pains to avoid splashing her hair or make-up.

"The secret is keeping the water cool enough, so there's no steam," she said when she stepped out. "And making it quick, so you don't get anything wet."

I nodded and handed her a dry towel.

"When I was a resident," she said, "I got pretty good at taking a quick shower without getting my hair or face wet."

I nodded and she came to stand beside me, leaning against the vanity counter. I quickly shaved and went through the rest of my bathroom routine, while Kate watched me curiously. She didn't say anything whenever I looked at her, she simply grinned at me.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" I asked.

"Completely," she said. "You look good with no clothes on."

"You're not so bad yourself."

"Oh?"

She grinned at me when I nodded. I pulled her to me and held her in my arms. Her lips parted and I leaned down to kiss her, gently, lest I mess up her make-up.

"It's okay," she said, sensing my hesitation. "This lipstick isn't coming off until I want it to. Now kiss me."

Ever obedient, I did as instructed. Gladly.

"Help me with something," I said when we broke the kiss.

She nodded and stepped back.

"I didn't know what color dress you were going to pick out, so I need your help selecting the rest of my outfit."

Before I left the house that morning, I picked out three shirts and four different ties, and put them with my suit. They represented a broad spectrum of colors, and at least one of each would have matched almost any dress she picked out. Our choices, however, were obvious: a dove grey shirt with a sapphire blue patterned tie. The shirt would work well with her dress, and the tie picked out the blue in my eyes (or so she said).

I started to get dressed while Kate did the same. For her, dressing was simple. She carefully removed the tags from the Vera Wang dress and slipped it over her head. It gave me a thrill to see she had decided to forego panties. While she went to take advantage of the mirrors in the bathroom and make sure the dress was draped properly, I finished dressing.

I walked into the bathroom and stood behind her, tying my tie. She smiled at my reflection and turned to straighten the collar of my shirt. Then she possessively stroked my tie and smoothed it against my chest. She caught my self-satisfied look and grinned in reply.

I had just slipped into my shoes when I remembered the last thing I needed. I went to my dresser and pulled two black velvet boxes from the top drawer. Kate arched an eyebrow when she saw them, but followed me back into the bathroom at my gesture. When I opened the first box, the larger of the two, her eyes lit up, but she quickly looked at me and shook her head.

"Ethan," she whispered. "It's beautiful, but it's way too much."

"Relax," I said, "I'm sorry to say that it's only borrowed."

She looked at me, clearly curious.

"A few years ago, I did a web site for a friend of mine, a jeweler. Instead of paying me cash, he paid me in trade. These days, I make sure he's got a cutting edge web site and he keeps me in jewelry."

"You traded for that?" she asked, incredulous.

I shook my head quickly. "No, not this. But Friday, when I asked if I could borrow something really stunning, he pulled this out of his safe."

"It's dazzling."

"It" was a platinum necklace with 12 carats of diamonds and diamond melee, and a 3-carat blue sapphire pendant. I opened the other, smaller, box and showed her the matching earrings. She gasped when she saw them.

"How much are these things worth?" she asked.

"Well," I said, as nonchalantly as I could, "let's just say that if we get mugged tonight, I'll owe Gunther a twenty-eight thousand dollar web site."

She whistled silently, enraptured by the necklace and earrings. I took the necklace out of its custom case and gently turned Kate toward the mirror. Her eyes were riveted to the sparkling sapphire as I put my arms around her and then fastened the lobster clasp at the nape of her neck.

She admired her reflection for a moment, then absentmindedly raised her hand to stroke the pendant, making sure it was real. Her gaze met mine in the mirror, and I was surprised to see tears welling up in her eyes. She turned and hugged me tight, throwing her arms around my neck and squeezing as she planted kisses along my neck and jaw.

"It's beautiful," she said, her voice a hoarse whisper.

"You're beautiful."

She pulled back and smiled bashfully. I gazed at her for a moment; I couldn't remember a time I'd seen her look so self- conscious. The moment passed and her eyes brightened, still glistening with unshed tears, as she reached for the earrings. Once she was properly bejeweled, she preened in the mirror for a moment, too stunned to speak.

I looked at her fondly and smiled to myself as she simply stared at her reflection, lost in thought. She smiled sadly and her eyes once again threatened to overflow. With a tiny shake of her head, she seemed to come back to herself, then turned to look at me. I smiled gently, and she leaned against me to rest her cheek on my shoulder.

I couldn't tell what she was thinking, but I put my arm around her and held her protectively. We stood like that for a couple of minutes, neither of us speaking. Finally, she sniffled slightly and lifted her head from my shoulder. I wanted to know what she had been thinking, but her body language told me that she desperately didn't want me to ask.

Instead, I discreetly looked at my watch. "Are you ready to go?" I asked.

She nodded gratefully, and stepped into her shoes as I put on my suit coat. I helped her with her gauzy grey wrap, and then we took one last look at ourselves in the bathroom mirror. With her heels on, she was only a few inches shorter than me, and we looked good together. Kate must have been thinking the same thing, for when I looked at her reflection, she smiled and actually blushed.

Satisfied that we looked presentable, we headed downstairs.

Once at the restaurant, I pulled up to the valet stand and put the Rover in Park. A uniformed valet opened Kate's door while another was still walking toward mine. I opened it myself, stepped out of the car, and accepted the valet ticket from the young man. I walked around the front of the car and held my arm out for Kate. When she took it, I ushered her into the restaurant and we gave our coats to the woman in the cloak room.

"Bon soir, Madame et Monsieur," the maitre d' said as we approached. "Welcome to Marie-Claire's." His voice was a rich baritone, and his French accent was either genuine or very well rehearsed.

"We have a reservation for eight," I said. "The name is Mackenzie."

He didn't even consult his reservations book before his face brightened. "Mais oui, Monsieur Mackenzie. A table for two in the Library. If you would be so kind as to follow me."

I decided his accent was genuine, and moved aside so Kate could precede me. The room he led us to was one I was familiar with, if only in passing. It had an Old World feel to it, and was decorated with dark, rich mahogany bookshelves--hence the fact that it was called The Library.

An intimate table had been set up, complete with a fresh rose for a centerpiece. The maitre d' held Kate's chair for her while I seated myself, to her left. Behind him, a waiter unobtrusively stepped into the room. Without seeming to notice the new arrival, the maitre d' looked at us obsequiously.

"Madame Darcy wishes me to welcome you on her behalf. Laurent," he said, indicating he had noticed the waiter's entrance, "will attend to your every need this evening. If there is any way I may be of service, please do not hesitate to call on me."

"Thank you very much," I said. "Please give my compliments to Marie-Claire"

"Ah, certainly, sir. Bon appetit."

As soon as the maitre d' left, Laurent unfolded Kate's napkin, draped it across her lap, and handed her a menu. He did the same with me and then handed me another with the night's prix fixe selection.

"I will give you a moment to peruse the menu," Laurent said. "May I bring you an aperitif or something from the bar?"

I looked at Kate and she gave me a minute headshake. "No, thank you," I said. "But please ask your sommelier to see us."

"Certainly, sir."

With a nod, he was gone, pulling the doors closed behind him.

"This is one of my favorite restaurants," Kate said. "Thank you for bringing me here."

It didn't surprise me that she'd been here before. While the restaurant was exclusive, it wasn't difficult--with the right planning and lead time--to get reservations. And it was expensive, but Kate could have easily afforded it. Or, I thought to myself, the men she had dated could have as well, most likely.

I put that thought out of my mind as the doors opened and a young woman entered, carrying a basket of bread and a pitcher of water. She set the bread on the table and quickly filled our water goblets. Kate smiled at me after the young woman left, and then went back to reading her menu.

The waiter returned with the sommelier, and they looked at me expectantly.

"Would you like a few more minutes?" the waiter asked respectfully.

"No," Kate and I said simultaneously. We grinned at each other and I deferred to her.

"I'd like the lamb cutlets with the mustard tarragon sauce," she said.

"An excellent selection, Madame," the waiter replied.

Kate ordered a Caesar salad as well, and then smiled at me.

"I'll have the veal tenderloin medallions with the duck confit," I said as the waiter turned to regard me calmly. "With a Caesar salad. And I think we'll have an appetizer. Is there anything that suits your fancy, Kate?"

The look she gave me clearly said "you." I blushed and she turned to regard the menu with a satisfied grin.

"How about the foie gras with mushrooms and boursin cheese in Muscat game sauce?" she asked.

"Sounds perfect," I said, and handed my menu to the waiter.

He took Kate's as well, and I looked at the sommelier expectantly. After listening to what we'd ordered, he recommended three different red wines, all of them French, which would complement our food. I know a little about wine, but I'm certainly no oenophile. I confidently chose the second of his recommendations and he smiled approvingly.

"I didn't know you knew wines," Kate said as soon as the two men had departed.

I grinned sheepishly. "I don't. But a lot of what I do, in business, is making decisions. When an expert gives me options, I can pick one of them and sound confident. If I need clarification, I'll ask and then make a decision. In this case," I said, gesturing to the departed sommelier, "it didn't really matter which of the three I picked. I can't imagine that a restaurant like this wouldn't have one of the best sommeliers in town, so I simply picked a wine whose name I liked."

She looked at me, shook her head in wonder, then burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" I asked, trying not to sound wounded.

"I was just thinking how different our lives are."

"Oh?"

She nodded. "Most of my decisions are life or death."

"They can't all be life or death," I said.

"No, they're not. But enough of them are that I'd better know what I'm talking about when I make a decision."

"I understand. My job isn't quite like that, of course, but people still depend on me and the decisions I make. Half of being a good leader is inspiring confidence."

She nodded quickly.

"We lead people, Kate. You in the operating room, me in a conference room. The applications may be different, but the attitudes certainly aren't."

"I guess I'd never looked at it that way," she said.

"Our jobs may be different, but in many ways, I imagine they're very much alike. I need to be good at what I do as much as you do. So, believe it or not, I study this stuff."

She looked at me inquisitively.

I nodded. "Leadership, management, negotiation, etc. I may be a computer whiz, but I learned that I'm also good at leading people."

"Oh," she said, toying with her earring. "I can think of a few other things you're good at."

I blushed and was about to reply when the sommelier returned with our bottle of wine. Kate grinned unrepentantly and then composed herself. The sommelier showed me the wine and I nodded. He then efficiently opened the bottle and handed me the cork; I quickly checked to make sure it was moist and free of cracks. (I may not be an oenophile, but I do know a little about wines.)

When I nodded, the sommelier poured a small amount of wine into my glass. It was light red, and smelled slightly fruity. I swirled it around my glass, nosed it, and then tasted a sip. It was very good. At my smile and nod, he poured a glass for Kate and then filled mine. I thanked him and he placed the bottle on the table and took his leave.