Chapter 5

Nothing else happened that day, of course.

Bob had seen Brenda and Jessica leaving Rob's office and stopped by to see if he could help, having no idea what was up. Rob told him it was a simple misunderstanding and they had cleared the air. Bob walked off muttering that there seemed to be a lot of that going around these days.

Rob and Dawn met for lunch, as was becoming usual. Deidra stopped by to take their orders, dropping off the drinks she knew they'd order and causing them both to laugh at how predictable they'd become.

When she came back, Deidra mentioned what a cute couple they were, causing Dawn to blush and Rob to grin. In nearly the same breath, she asked how Elaina was doing. It was Dawn that jumped to her defense, surprising both Deidra and Rob.

"She's busy today," she said bluntly, while at the same time looking at the bright sunlight coming through the deli's windows. "I'm pretty sure she runs her own investment company. Some of the things she says makes me think she's been in investment for a long time now."

Deidra frowned. "How long can she have been doing that? She doesn't look any older than you or Rob."

"I think Rob knows how old she is," Dawn answered, carefully not looking at Rob. "I know she's older than she looks." Now she looked at Rob, watching his eyes closely. Rob, as clueless as he was, didn't catch on. "Maybe in her late thirties even."

Rob nodded with a considering look on his face. When he noticed that the ladies were watching him, he said, "Don't look at me! I would never guess at a woman's age. Getting slapped once for guessing right was all it took for me."

He smiled a crooked smile, and Dawn shook her head, doubting her own thoughts. Deidra said it was a good policy regardless of the reason, then she walked off to tend to her other customers. Tony rolled his eyes from the counter where he'd been watching his waitress spend entirely too much time at one table, shaking his head fondly when he realized he would never say anything about it.

They finished lunch and Rob waited with her at the cab stand, getting a scorching kiss good-bye when a cab pulled up shortly after.

"Kiss Elaina for me when you get the chance," she whispered in the ear. Rob nodded, playfully asking if there was anything else she would like him to do on her behalf. Dawn slapped his arm, none to gently either, and told him he was bad. She kissed him again to make up for it and then climbed into the cab. Rob waved as she pulled away.

"Nice girl, that," Tony said from behind. Rob whirled around, not having expected someone there. "Whoa! Easy there, Rob. It's just me."

Rob smiled an apology and said, "Yeah, she is nice, and gets nicer by the day. Is there something I can do for you, Tony? I can't imagine you came out in the cold just to see us off."

"Nah. I'm just getting to the bank to buy some change. We're running short on small bills today." He turned to walk down the sidewalk. "See you tomorrow," he said with a wave.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow, Tony." Rob turned the other way and headed back to work.

There was a walk-in client waiting for him when he got back. He wasn't late, so he took his time getting set for the afternoon, then asked the receptionist to send him in.

The man introduced himself as a representative of the local branch of a national realty chain, telling Rob to call him Jeff. He presented the issue as he had been instructed, saying that there seemed to be a loss of assets even though the books showed as balanced. Rob told him that was usually the case when there was a problem. It was either a vague suspicion or a letter from the IRS that got clients to visit an organization like his.

Rob asked for the books and Jeff handed over a thumb drive. Rob took it to his desk and plugged it into his computer, taking a moment to match the data to a program that could read it. Ten minutes later he went back to Jeff and said there was something there that bore investigating.

"We're going to need a couple of weeks to pin this down," he told the client. "Will that be okay?"

"Well," Jeff replied, "This seems to have been going on for a while now, maybe as long as a year. It's not like we miss the money, so much as there should be more. The branch looks like it's underperforming and that has headquarters concerned."

"Tell me about it," Rob commiserated. "We just had a visit from headquarters because they thought we were overperforming." Rob shook his head and laughed.

"Actually, that's encouraging," Jeff said thoughtfully. "Makes me believe you try harder."

Rob went over the requirements, handing back the thumb drive. The men shook hands and Rob escorted Jeff to the receptionist.

"Tell her what you'll be sending and when we can expect it so she can route it correctly when it arrives," Rob instructed. "Thank you for coming to us. I'm sure you won't regret it."

They shook hands and Rob left him in the capable hands of Barbara, the receptionist.

Barbara had been married for twenty years and told any who asked that she planned on celebrating her diamond anniversary with her husband, God willing. She was one of the few who had no interest in either Rob or his love life, and he respected her for that. Once, when he'd commented that she didn't look old enough to have been married for twenty years, she told him she'd married young and left it at that. Rob remembered walking away bemused, wondering whether she'd meant it or not.

Bob came in for the after-action report and left happy that they had another client, a potentially big client if word made it back to the client's headquarters in the event of a successful conclusion to their case.

"No pressure, mind you," Bob had said. "But it would look really good at headquarters if we were the ones to land them as a national client."

Rob wondered briefly if he should handle this one himself, but then decided it wouldn't be fair to cherry-pick assignments until the group at least had a shot at it. If it made it to Jake, then he'd stick his hand in.

It was some time later, and Rob noticed that it was nearly time to go home. He'd started clearing up his desk when he heard a knock at his door, and he looked up to see Brenda standing at the door. He waved her in and had her sit by his desk.

"What can I do for you, Bren?" he asked distractedly. His attention became very focused when she answered.

"My master has asked me to extend an invitation for drinks at the Steam Room for six o'clock. May I tell him you accept?"

Rob cast a glance at the window and saw that the sun was going down behind clouds that had gathered on the horizon. A quick glance at his computer showed sunset arriving in twenty minutes.

"I would bring a guest," he said, leaving no room for dissension.

"My master expected that would be the case. A guest would be allowed," she replied.

"I've never heard of this club," he said thoughtfully. "Is it exclusive?"

"Very exclusive," she answered. "I will be calling him back so that he may put your name on the guest list. He had me print directions."

He looked at the sky again, then made his decision. "What's the dress code?"

Brenda smiled mysteriously. "What you have on would be appropriate," she offered.

"I don't think so," he said with a gleam in his eye. "What would be the club's policy on leather?" Brenda gasped and looked at him with her mouth gaping. "Ah, then I know what I'll wear. Call your master and let him know that Elaina and I will be arriving promptly at six. Oh, and by the way, may I assume your 'master' put you up to this as punishment for making it necessary in the first place?"

Brenda closed her mouth and dipped her head. "Yes, mast– sir, he did in fact do just that. Thank you. I must call him now before he thinks I've shirked my duty." She handed him a map with printed directions before she left.

As soon as she was gone, Rob closed his door and pulled out his phone.

"Elaina?" he said when she answered her phone. "Get out the hunting leathers. We've been invited to drinks at an exclusive BDSM club. We'll need the Mustang."

The Mustang was waiting patiently in front of the building, looking like it wanted to gallop, when the cab dropped him off.

"Boy, what I wouldn't give to have a chance to try that baby out," the cabbie commented upon seeing the car.

"Well, first, you have to find the woman who owns it," he said dismissively. "Then you have to try to take her away from me." Rob gave him his scariest grin and the young man gulped.

"That's okay. I'll just admire from a distance," he said, watching Rob guardedly. Rob handed him the fare and a good tip for being a sport, then headed up.

"Honey, I'm home!" he called jovially as he walked through the door. He stopped and looked thoughtfully at Elaina as she came out wearing the bottom half of her leathers and nothing else. "You know, somehow that felt right this time," he said, then he growled. "And you look absolutely ravishing, my dear."

He made a grab for her and she skittered off, telling him they didn't have time if he wanted to get there by six. He put away his work gear and hung his cloak at the door, then he followed her to the bedroom, muttering "Fuck six, I'm gonna get me some."

By the time he got there, she'd finished dressing and had his leathers all laid out, exchanging the heavy woolen pullover for a matte-black silk shirt. He shrugged and pulled a face, knowing she was probably right and they should get going, if only to keep the upper hand by being on time.

They still had twenty minutes to go when he'd finished dressing, ably assisted by his little lover. She had made especially sure the leather jock was fitted correctly and all was safely secured within its confines.

They had taken a moment for her to feed after he commented she needed to be on her game tonight. She showed him a different place to feed from when she nuzzled his thigh, her hair tickling his balls as she fed from his femoral artery. Then she helped settle the jock strap.