Chapter 1

"Is it much farther?"

Jennifer Carpenter was looking forward to this evening with both excitement and trepidation.

"Just another couple of blocks," answered her husband, Ron. "It won't be long now."

He looked over at his wife of only three weeks.

"Relax, they're both great people. You're going to like them, you really are."

She smiled, but she knew these dinners were important in climbing the corporate ladder and, despite herself, she was a bit nervous.

Ron took his eyes off the road to glance over at his beautiful young wife. Jennifer had hair of honey which he swore would reach to her knees. She was attractive in a wholesome way, bright blue eyes and a smile to match. Her figure was slim with breasts and hips which, while not large, were firm and jiggled in a way he found to be an enormous turn on. Her long shapely legs made her seem even taller than five feet, four inches. The cocktail dress she wore accentuated her curves and the neckline showed just a hint of cleavage.

He looked back to the road in time to realize he had missed his turn.

"Oh, fuck..."

"Ron, please!" she winced.

"Ooops, sorry. I forgot about you and the "F" word."

She smiled to get the conversation back on track. "You know, I'm not going to get the chance to like them if you wrap this car around a telephone pole. Eyes on the road mister!" she laughed.

Now it was her turn to muse on the events of the past four months. College graduation, meeting Ron by mere chance at that small bridge in the park, their whirlwind romance, being married at that same bridge, two fabulous honeymoon weeks on a cruise ship in the Caribbean, only to return home to an offer for Ron to join Tremper Industries, one of the fastest growing companies in this part of the country.

"Mike's into fitness," he commented, "and Cindy has a collection of African artifacts which I hear is really something. Hey," he said playfully, "she's really good looking too."

"Oh? And just how do you know that, Mr. Carpenter," she replied with feigned seriousness.

"She came by the office yesterday. Mike introduced us."

"Aha! This means I will probably have to keep my eye on you all evening."

"Maybe, but Mike's a good looking guy. I may be the one having to keep a sharp lookout for you and that bronze Adonis," he chuckled.

A worried look passed across her lovely face.

"I hope they haven't had any problems here."

"You mean because they're black? I wouldn't think so. They just wouldn't stay. Mike's got a Masters and he's a real go-getter. He could find a job anywhere he wants."

Jennifer thought back to her college days and how some of her friends who were black were treated. She recalled the confrontations, the protests. A slight smile appeared as her mind drifted back to the day she and some friends were arrested after a confrontation with the Dean of Students.

"Well, I hope I make the right impression on your boss."

"Actually Mike's not really my boss. We're both junior executives, but he's been with the company a while and so they asked him to show me the ropes."

He glanced over at her again.

"Speaking of which, we got an invitation today for dinner next Tuesday evening with... ta-da!... Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Tremper the Fourth!"

He fished the invitation out of his pocket and handed it to her.

"You mean the big cheese himself?"

"None other. Apparently he has all his new execs and their families over to dinner to get to know them personally."

"Gee, if I'm a bit nervous about a meeting with a junior executive, imagine what a bundle of nerves I'll be with the CEO of Tremper Industries."

"You'll do fine, Honey. I just hope you can be happy being a corporate wife."

"You know I'll do anything to help you further your career. Besides, there will be time later for a career of my own if I want. Maybe it's time to broach the subject of babies again," she said with a playful glint in her eye.

"Give me six months to get established and get our financial feet on the ground and you've got a deal," he said, smiling, but earnest.

"Good. Then tomorrow I can have the company lawyers draw up a binding contract."

They both laughed.

"Just one thing I insist upon in the mean time," he said, sudden seriousness in his tone.

"What's that?"

"Practice, practice, practice!"

They laughed again.