Chapter 9

When Dan and Haley arrived, each of the four partners rose and kissed them, again getting looks from the rest of the patrons, some of them dirty. Vicki in particular was turned-on when she saw how gorgeous Haley was, with her mocha complexion and her long, jet-black curls. Haley was too classy and professional to dye her hair a color that looked obviously fake. She, in turn, couldn't help finding Vicki and the others sexually attractive.

Nothing compared to the way that three of the women reacted upon meeting Dan at last. They got tongue-tied for a second, as if his charisma and supernatural sex appeal made them feel like schoolgirls with a crush. They understood Vicki's position a lot better now. They also grasped why Haley hung on Dan's every word. It was about more than her being his secretary. He didn't so much own her as possess her with an almost demonic force. Vicki was clearly under the same spell and they each found themselves yielding to its power without even token resistance.

"Okay, now I've not actually eaten my lunch, and neither has Haley. Haley, darling, I think that it's time to grab some food. I trust that you ladies don't mind waiting for me to get some food in my system. I still need a little time and energy to recover from my last 'performance', if you catch my drift. I bet that you're starving by now, aren't you, Haley?" Dan led his secretary to the cashier, whose eyes had all but popped out of their sockets from the earlier girl-girl kissing that he had seen. He hadn't heard anything, but he had witnessed enough to fuel his imagination.

"What do you want, Haley? It's my treat," Dan turned to Ms. Wilkes, who was rather hungry by now.

"A Big Mac, large Coke, and a large order of fries, please. You? I can hear your stomach growling, Boss Man," Haley winked at her boss/lover. She loved picking on him, though not as much as working for him and screwing him.

"Quarter pounder with cheese, large Dr. Pepper, and a large order of fries. Hey, kid, you heard us. I know that you're a little distracted by all of these gorgeous ladies, but you still have a job to do. Put it in the system. Don't worry, I'm not mad. Just famished," Dan paid for the meals and handed Haley her cup as they went to get their fountain drinks.

It was typical of Haley that she turned this action into a way to get everyone's eyes on her, both male and female. She knew how to move her ass, much to the cashier's delight as he leered at her. Then again, Dan had a little more fun, since Haley leaned in close to him as they poured their drinks and whispered a rather steamy fantasy into his ear.

The four partners were all stuffed by now, of course, so they watched Dan and Haley patiently, understanding that they had other needs besides sex. This didn't mean that they sat idly by while Dan and Haley ate. On the contrary, they laughed and exchanged suggestive smiles with each other. They also played footsie with each other and with the new arrivals. They found excuses to rub their hands and arms against them and each other as well. The sexual tension grew by each second. Finally, once Dan finished his meal, he decided to speak up.

"So, Michelle, what exactly do you do for a living?" Dan asked, it occurring to him that her occupation and her schedule had never come up, yet she clearly had some means. They weren't anywhere in his league, from what he could tell, but she didn't lack for funds.

"Well, I'm an exotic dancer, as a matter of fact. That might shock you, but I only got into it toward the end of my marriage. I wanted money to pay a better lawyer than a housewife could afford, in case I got served divorce papers. I was right to do so, as Charlie already made up his mind to leave me by then. Surprisingly, despite my age, the club owner took just two minutes to hire me. That might have had something to do with my dance moves from before my marriage or perhaps the special attention I gave him afterward.

"Yeah, I was a naughty wife toward the end of my marriage. I've been friends with Vicki long before that and I'm glad that she didn't drop me like a bad habit. I hope that you don't hold it against me, either. I still sleep with the club owner now and then. I don't know if it helps my career, but it doesn't hinder it. Would I need to change jobs?" Michelle explained, hoping that Dan didn't get upset as some men did.

She might not be his fiancee/slave like Vicki, but she worried about how he would take this news. Michelle also felt herself automatically craving his approval for her own sake. It was strange, but it was a very real phenomenon, so she chose not to ignore it.

"Hey, you do what you must. It doesn't bother me any more than it bothered Vicki. Did you get a good settlement from the divorce?" Dan showed a keen, non-judgmental interest in her affairs, much to her relief.

"It was nasty. He filed on the grounds of adultery, but we both had our peccadilloes and plenty of evidence of them, so my lawyer was able to neutralize that issue. I counter-sued for desertion, fraud, and mental cruelty, which I was able to demonstrate. Since he didn't have too much money and we had no kids, it wasn't about the financial side of things. I just wanted vindication, to be perfectly blunt.

"I couldn't take him to the cleaners if I wanted to, and in fact had to fight off paying him alimony due to my new job. My past dependence on him luckily canceled out my sudden windfall, as I was able to prove that it was recent and he had made more over the course of the marriage.

"In the end, it was a bloody stalemate, with only the lawyers doing well. I'm just grateful that it's over. Community property was the final result, with no alimony going either way," Michelle sighed as she recalled this recent courtroom battle with her ex.

"Scorched earth, with plenty of hard feelings, huh? He must have hurt you badly. Very sorry about that, but those days are over. You'll live with us indefinitely. In fact, you don't ever have to leave. That's up to you. If someday you tell us that you've found a great guy or gal and want to move in with him or her, I will respect your wishes and not give you a hard time about it. I'm sure that Vicki will do the same, right, dear?

"If Charlie comes crawling back and you decide to reconcile, that's also okay, as long as it makes you happy. On the other hand, if you grow old at our place, that's also cool with us. There will be absolutely no pressure put on you, either way. You're a close and intimate friend of my Vicki, so you count as mine, too. I hold no one against her will. It's not my style. Sometimes, it may hurt, but I learn to simply bounce back. Just wanted to be clear about that," Dan informed Michelle with Vicki's obvious support.

"Thank you, Dan," Vicki and Michelle spoke at once, with plenty of gratitude showing in their voices.

"You're both very welcome, girls," Dan assured them with the calm authority of an aristocrat.

"So, you really are that great! Haley, does he treat you this well?" Sandy asked Ms. Wilkes, eager for an excuse to converse directly with the lovely secretary.

"Damn straight, he does! There's a reason that I'm his booty call. Another man would use a girl and then think less of her the next day. Dan doesn't let that lower his estimate at all. He will also literally give you the shirt off his back. I know this for a fact. Mind you, he has to find you at least somewhat likeable first. He's no doormat or milksop. Of course, it doesn't hurt that he's great in the sack, too," Haley smiled as she recalled several steamy encounters with Dan.

"Thank you, girls. Now, how about them Rangers?" Dan changed topics in haste, which only amused the ladies.