Priceless


PART THREE

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.

Kate tasted her wine and nodded appreciatively. I watched as she 
did so, once again admiring her beauty. The diamond and sapphire 
necklace drew my eyes to her long neck and the earrings 
complemented her aristocratic facial features. She felt my eyes 
upon her and turned to regard me coolly.

"What were you thinking, just now?" she asked.

"How beautiful you are," I answered honestly.

She smiled and lowered her eyes. I reached out, took her hand in 
my own, and rubbed it with my thumb.

"I've had fun today," I said.

"Me too," she said softly.

"You're fun to hang out with."

She arched an eyebrow at me. "And fun to spend money on?"

I nodded. "But I'm serious, I've had fun today."

"I'll bet you have," she said with a laugh.

"Not just the sex," I protested. "Although that was... _really_ 
enjoyable."

She grinned coquettishly.

"I dunno. I guess... well... everything just... worked. You know?"

She looked down and nodded slightly. "So," she said, changing the 
subject abruptly. "'Madame Darcy wishes him to welcome you on her 
behalf.' What was _that_ about?"

"I know the owner, Marie-Claire Darcy."

"Oh you do, do you?"

I nodded. "I met her several years ago, when I dated her younger 
sister. We've been friends ever since."

"You and the sister, or you and Marie-Claire?" Kate asked archly, 
but with a teasing tone.

I smiled genially. "Both, actually. Although Arianne, her sister, 
is happily married and has two young children."

"Ah, I see. So Marie-Claire still has a thing for you?"

I snorted in laugher and Kate blinked. "I doubt it," I said, 
still chuckling. "If Marie-Claire had a thing for me, I'd be very 
surprised. Trust me. Besides," I said, leaning close to Kate, "if 
Marie-Claire had a thing for me, I think her girlfriend might try 
to shoot me."

Kate looked at me for a moment, trying to ascertain if I were 
being serious or not. When she saw that I was, she burst out 
laughing herself.

"Touche," she said.

I smiled indulgently and lifted my glass. Kate lifted hers as 
well.

"To a good day?" I asked.

"To a good night," she said playfully.

I nodded and we clinked our glasses together, each of us taking a 
sip and looking at the other over the rim of the glass.

-----

Our appetizer arrived and we began to eat, chatting about the 
decor of the room, the quality of the food, and other 
lighthearted topics. Next came the salads, and when they were 
cleared away, we ordered another bottle of wine. Soon after it 
was delivered and opened, Marie-Claire herself delivered our 
entrees.

"Ethan!" she exclaimed, kissing me on each cheek as I stood. "So 
good to see you again."

Despite her name, Marie-Claire had a decidedly southern accent. 
She had worked at some of the finest French restaurants in both 
the U.S. and France, but she cultivated her southern charm. She 
liked to see people's reactions when they learned that beneath 
her Southern Belle exterior lurked a Cordon Bleu-trained chef.

"Marie-Claire Darcy, I'd like you to meet Dr. Kate Kirilov," I 
said, gesturing toward Kate.

Kate dabbed the corners of her mouth with the linen napkin and 
then stood to greet Marie-Claire.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Dr. Kirilov," Marie-Claire 
said.

"Please, call me Kate." Kate looked at me, curiosity plain upon 
her face. "Finally meet me?" she asked.

"Oh, yes," Marie-Claire said with a smile. "I'm certain I've seen 
you in the restaurant before. I apologize if I'm mistaken."

I chuckled and both women looked at me. "No," I said to Marie-
Claire. "You're not mistaken. This is one of Kate's favorite 
restaurants. Besides," I said to Kate in a confidential tone, 
"Marie-Claire has an eye for beautiful women."

"Ethan," Marie-Claire said, playfully slapping my arm. "You're 
tellin' tales out of school."

I grinned and Marie-Claire turned serious. "I'm sorry I can't 
spend more time with you," she said, "but the mayor has a dinner 
party in the Yellow Room. I promised him I'd make a special 
dessert for them. You just _know_ how he can get sometimes," she 
said with a wink and grin. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Kate. 
And don't be such a stranger, Ethan."

With that, she was back out the door, already intent upon the 
mayor and his party.

Kate and I seated ourselves and she looked at me critically. "You 
know the mayor?"

"No," I said quickly, laying the napkin across my lap once again. 
"But Marie-Claire knows just about everyone who's anyone in this 
town."

Kate looked at me with a hint of amusement. "So I see," she said 
wryly.

She affected innocence when I looked up, and I couldn't help but 
grin at her. She studiously ignored me, and began cutting her 
lamb.

Dinner was magnificent. My veal practically melted in my mouth, 
and the sommelier's wine recommendation was a perfect fruity 
complement. Kate's mustard tarragon sauce added a delicious note 
to the lamb, and she savored more than a few bites of my veal.

We finished the better part of half of our second bottle of wine 
and most of our dinners. I simply couldn't stop myself, and I 
knew I'd regret eating more than I should have. At Kate's guilty 
look, I realized that she was probably thinking the same thing. 
Fortunately, French cuisine is not noted for tremendous portions.

The waiter checked on us periodically, and when he realized that 
our eating had slowed to a halt, he cleared our plates. Despite 
the fact that Kate and I were both pleasantly full, when he 
produced the dessert menu, our eyes lit up. We finally decided on 
Bananas Foster, with two spoons.

After several minutes, the door opened, and instead of Laurent, 
Marie-Claire herself rolled a cart into the room. She grinned at 
us and proceeded to construct our dessert, lighting the pan with 
a flourish. With French cuisine, presentation is half the 
enjoyment, and Marie-Claire was a consummate performer. After she 
finished sprinkling the dish with powdered sugar, she added a 
sprig of mint and winked at us.

"Y'all come back now, y'hear," she said, in her best southern 
drawl.

Kate and I both chuckled and gave her a muted round of applause. 
She bowed, and with another wink, backed out of the room with the 
cart. The waiter closed the doors behind her. Kate shook her head 
in wonder.

"She's something, isn't she?" I said casually.

Kate nodded as she savored a bite of our dessert. "With that 
combination of southern charm and exquisite cooking," she said 
appreciatively, "it's no wonder she knows half the who's who list 
in the state."

-----

"Do you have cognac at home," Kate asked me suddenly, shortly 
after our dessert had been cleared away.

I nodded. "And Scotch, and... most anything else you could want. 
Why?"

She looked at me with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"Ah," I said. "Would you like to enjoy it the regular way, with a 
glass?" I thought back to our first dinner together, at the Jazz 
Club. She had let me drink the cognac, and then kissed me 
immediately afterward, tasting the heady liquor on my lips and 
tongue. "Or would you like to enjoy it the 'Kate way?'"

"Neither," she said mysteriously.

"Oh?"

"It's a surprise," she said, her voice dripping with good-natured 
irony.

"What kind of surprise?" I asked, setting her up for the obvious 
answer.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise.," she said with a 
grin, playfully throwing my earlier words back in my face.

We tarried a bit longer, enjoying the relative quiet of our 
private room and sipping on the last of our glasses of wine. By 
unspoken agreement, we'd left about half the bottle untouched, 
neither of us wanting to get more than a gentle buzz.

Kate slid her chair around so her thigh pressed against mine, and 
I put my arm around her. She ran her left hand up the inside of 
my right thigh and tickled my crotch. I arched an eyebrow at her, 
but she merely grinned at me. She continued to lightly stroke my 
flaccid member, and soon had my penis filling with blood. I 
shifted in my seat and she gripped my growing cock, giving me a 
gentle squeeze.

"Are you ready to go?" she whispered in my ear.

I nodded without hesitation.

"Good. Because I'm ready to enjoy my cognac."

While we waited for Laurent to reappear, Kate teased me 
mercilessly, stroking my erection and whispering in my ear about 
what she was going to do to me on the ride back to my house.

The wait for Laurent seemed an eternity, but was probably closer 
to five minutes. By then, Kate had used a combination of her hand 
and her sultry voice to work me into a state where I was just 
about ready to throw her on the table and fuck her senseless, 
consequences be damned.

Fortunately for her, the waiter reappeared and I asked for our 
check. He retrieved it from his apron pocket and without even 
waiting for him to leave, I handed him my credit card. Kate 
stroked my hard-on unabated, and pressed her lips against my 
earlobe as soon as he closed the doors behind him.

"Do you know what I'm going to do to you when we get to your 
place?" Kate asked.

I swallowed hard and shook my head.

"It's a surprise," she said, exacting a measure of revenge.

She giggled at my expression, and I reluctantly reached for the 
hand she had in my lap.

"I don't want to cause a commotion when I have to walk out of 
here," I said, tugging on her wrist.

She made a moue, but didn't protest. Laurent returned and I 
quickly signed the receipt, leaving him a very generous tip. My 
erection hadn't subsided, but I was too worked up to care. I 
helped Kate with her wrap, and she took my hand, leading me out 
of the room and toward the front entrance.

We picked up our coats, and once outside, Kate stood discretely 
in front of me while one of the valets ran to fetch my car. I 
quickly realized that she hadn't stood in front of me for 
modesty's sake. She took a half-step back and pressed her ass 
against my flagging erection, causing it to quickly return to 
full staff.

The valet pulled up with the Rover and one of the other young men 
stepped forward to open Kate's door. I walked around the back of 
the car and handed the valet a tip. He thanked me and I got into 
the driver's seat.

As soon as we were out of the restaurant parking lot, Kate turned 
toward me and reached for my erection. When I shifted in my seat 
to accommodate her, she took advantage of the situation and 
opened my belt. The fingers of a skilled surgeon quickly had my 
zipper open. Her cool hand slipped over the head of my shaft, and 
I tried to concentrate on the road.

The rest of the drive home was a little bit of a blur, with Kate 
gently stroking my erection and me trying not to get us killed. 
But the time I pulled into my garage, she had me in a tizzy. She 
let go of me only long enough for me to get out of the car--as 
soon as we met at the door into the house, she had her long 
fingers once again wrapped around my girth.

I pressed her against the door and kissed her hard. With one 
hand, I reached behind her and turned the doorknob. I backed her 
into the house with my body, never breaking contact with her 
lips. With one hand around my shoulder, she steadied herself, 
while the other hand gripped on my turgid shaft.

I kicked the door shut behind us and started backing her toward 
the stairs. I opened my eyes to make sure I didn't accidentally 
run her into anything, but kept moving forward. Her tongue thrust 
and feinted against mine as we shuffled through the kitchen.

By the time we made it to the stairs, I was ready to burst. Kate 
felt her foot hit the bottom stair and pulled back.

"Cognac," she breathed as I continued to kiss her neck.

"Later," I growled.

"No... _pant_... now... _pant_."

"Later."

She squeezed my erection just hard enough to get my attention, 
but not so hard as to actually hurt. "You get the cognac... _pant_... 
and meet me in your bedroom."

She kissed me hard and then pulled back, already headed up the 
stairs. I gripped my slipping trousers and held them up as I 
walked toward the wet bar. I quickly realized that I couldn't 
carry the bottle, the two glasses, _and_ hold my pants up. I set 
everything down, quickly fastened the clasp at the waist of my 
trousers, and then picked up the bottle and glasses.

My cock was pointing like a divining rod when I walked through 
the door into my bedroom. I pulled up short when I saw Kate. She 
was sitting on the end of my bed, grinning at me, wearing only 
the necklace and earrings, the grey suede shoes, and a smile.

"You were right," she said impishly. "I didn't need the dress 
after dinner."

I looked at her, my eyes wild with lust.

"Awww, poor baby," she said, teasing me. "All dressed up and 
nowhere to go."

At the look I gave her, she giggled, and finally took pity on me. 
She gracefully stood and walked toward me, more beautiful than 
ever.

"I have another surprise for you," she purred, taking the bottle 
and snifters from me.

She set them on the floor, ran her hands up my chest, and slipped 
my jacket over my shoulders. When she had it off me, she folded 
it and draped it across my dresser.

"I rearranged my schedule," she said.

She loosened my tie and it quickly joined my jacket. She started 
tugging my shirt out of the waist of my pants and then began to 
unbutton it slowly.

"One of the other doctors is going to take my office visits 
tomorrow."

She kissed each inch of skin as she exposed it, and then slipped 
the shirt over my shoulders and down my arms.

"So if you'd like," she said, looking at me with big, inviting 
eyes. "We can spend the day together."

I stepped out of my shoes as she undid my hastily fastened 
trousers.

"Would you like that?" She stepped close, and her nipples grazed 
my chest.

I focused my attention on her face and nodded.

She smiled, and in one deft motion, knelt and had my pants and 
boxers around my ankles. I stepped out of them while she helped, 
and then she kissed my thighs as she helped remove my socks.

I kicked the discarded clothing to the side and Kate smiled up at 
me, capturing the tip of my rigid cock as she did. She closed her 
eyes and sucked a few inches into her mouth, running her tongue 
over the sensitive underside of my glans.

When she pulled back, grinning, I almost took her head in my 
hands--I wanted to force my dick back into her mouth. With an 
effort of will, I restrained myself, and watch curiously as she 
poured a glass of cognac. She corked the bottle and slid it and 
the unused glass toward my dresser, out of the way.

With a lascivious grin, she grasped my rock-hard member with her 
left hand while the right raised her glass. She swirled the amber 
liquor around the snifter and then bent my cock toward it. The 
glass was so cool that it made me flinch when it touched the hot 
flesh of my erection. I watched, mesmerized, as Kate dipped the 
tip of my manhood into the liquor. She swirled the cognac again 
and then lowered the glass.

My cock emerged dripping, and she quickly locked her lips around 
the crown. I shuddered as she hungrily licked off the cognac. She 
moaned and took half my length into her mouth, lavishing 
attention on my shaft with her tongue. When she pulled back, she 
gave me a smoldering look and plunged my cock back into the amber 
liquid.

By swirling the liquor, she coated about the first inch and a 
half of my member. The cognac was cool against my skin, but I 
didn't have long to complain, as she quickly sucked my length 
back in her mouth.

She repeated the process--dipping my cock in the cognac and then 
licking it clean--for several minutes, until I could stand it no 
longer. She realized I'd reached the point of no return, and 
wrapped her fingers around the base of my shaft. Her tongue 
flicked against the tip of my cock and I erupted.

My back and legs tensed up as I spilled my seed into her mouth, 
crying out in ecstasy as I did. Kate pumped my length and 
greedily swallowed my come, moaning softly. When my orgasm 
finally subsided, and I was once again capable of coherent 
thought, I looked down to see her trying to engulf the rest of my 
cock. The head was still very sensitive, but she concentrated on 
the shaft, and the feeling was exquisite. She continued to suck 
me as I slowly shrank, and finally relinquished her lip-lock 
several wonderful minutes later.

-----

We finally climbed into my bed a little before eleven o'clock. I 
had Kate straddle my head and I licked her right to the edge of 
orgasm while she revived my cock with her talented lips and 
tongue. When she had me completely hard, I handed her a condom 
from the nightstand and she rolled it over my length with her 
mouth.

In the blink of an eye, she turned around and straddled my hips, 
lowering herself onto my jutting erection. Almost as soon as she 
seated herself, I felt her vaginal muscles spasm and grip me. She 
lifted herself off me and plunged down once, her body taut as a 
bowstring. She rose and fell two or three more times and then 
began to shudder with the first throes of orgasm.

Her pussy clenched my thickness and I moved my hands over her 
diamond-hard nipples, driving her onward. With a rush, she came, 
the waves of her pleasure crashing over her like a tidal bore. 
She cried out and arched her back, attempting to force more of my 
length inside her. As her orgasm began to subside, she trembled 
and collapsed forward.

I held her close, my cock still buried in her quivering pussy. 
She panted against my chest and I lightly ran my fingernails over 
her back and buttocks. She shivered at my touch, and then began 
to gently move her hips as she regained her composure. Soon, she 
was bouncing atop me, working toward her second orgasm.

She came with a rush, hard and fast, her body shuddering with her 
release. I was close as well, and slammed into her, intensifying 
her orgasm and reaching my own at the same time. With a grunt, I 
impaled her, blasting jet after jet of semen into the tip of the 
condom.

Slowly, we both relaxed and shared a sated smile. Kate lay 
forward and hugged herself to my chest, planting tender kisses 
all over my sweat-sheened skin. I held her close and felt her 
body as her breathing slowly returned to normal.

-----

My watch alarm went off in the morning and I quickly shut it off. 
Kate stirred beside me, but didn't wake. I quickly slipped from 
under the covers, trying not to disturb her, and padded to the 
bathroom.

Afterward, I quietly headed downstairs to my home office. The 
Russians don't usually celebrate Christmas on the same day we do-
-instead celebrating on January 7. But I was going to be out of 
town for several days, and away from my computers, so I wanted to 
make one final call to Dima and make sure everything was running 
smoothly.

I called him directly, not bothering with an AT&T conference 
call. He told me that he'd gotten my wired funds, and that Stasya 
had been very appreciative of the flowers and chocolates. She 
couldn't eat the chocolates until her tooth had been fixed, but 
he told me she had adored the flowers.

Lev had worked over the weekend; he and Brad had somehow overcome 
the language barrier and actually gotten a lot accomplished. Brad 
still had a lot of work to do before his December 30 deadline, 
but from the sound of things, he was on schedule to receive his 
bonus. Dima wished me a Merry Christmas, in English, and I rang 
off.

I had an e-mail message from Brad, telling me to call before 
eight in the morning. I was sure that he'd worked the entire 
weekend with little or no sleep, and knew he'd be wanting to get 
to bed. When I called him, he answered on the first ring, 
sounding sleepy but jubilant. He'd gleaned some kernel of insight 
from Staysa's notes and had saved at least a day. He had nothing 
but glowing things to say about Lev as well. Apparently, the two 
of them had hit it off better than I imagined possible. I told 
him to get some sleep and he quickly said his goodbyes.

-----

When I came back up to my bedroom, I realized Kate was awake 
before I even slipped into bed. While she only created a slight 
rise under my thick feather comforter, I could easily tell she 
was on her back, and her hand languidly moved between her legs.

"Couldn't wait 'til I got back?" I asked, looking down at her 
from the side of the bed.

She shook her head. "I woke up and wanted you. When you weren't 
here, I decided to get warmed up."

"And you just expect me to take care of your needs?"

She smiled beatifically and nodded. I tried to suppress a 
chuckle, but couldn't. One of her hands--the one not rubbing her 
pussy--snaked out from under the covers.

"Service me," she demanded playfully, snapping her fingers.

I grinned at her and slid under the covers. My feet were 
freezing, and I knew she wouldn't appreciate having them thrust 
upon her, so I tried to keep a little distance between us. Kate, 
however, had other ideas.

She snuggled close to me, throwing an arm and a leg over my body 
and pressing herself against my side. She was a furnace, and I 
luxuriated in her warmth. When her foot slid down my shin, I 
tried to warn her, but she continued. Her shriek as she contacted 
my cold foot was gratifying, but her fist in my ribs took the 
wind out of my enjoyment.

"We'll have to get you warmed up before I can have my breakfast 
in bed," she said.

"Oh ho! You think I'm going to let you have breakfast in bed?"

She ran her fingers through my pubic hair and gently grasped my 
cold, shrunken member. Her hand warmed me nicely, and I felt the 
usual stirring at the contact.

"Okay," I said quickly, "you win. You can have breakfast in bed."

"I thought you'd see it my way," she said smugly. "But while I'm 
getting you warmed up, so you don't freeze my backside with your 
feet, let's talk for a minute."

"I am yours to interrogate."

She kissed my chest and sighed contentedly, lying still for a 
moment. "Where was I?" she asked, coming back from her 
woolgathering. "Oh, yes. Do you have a tux?"

"Mmm hmm."

"Well, the chief of surgery at St. Mary's is having a black-tie 
New Year's Eve party at his house. Very posh. You'll need to wear 
a tux."

For the moment, I ignored the fact that she hadn't actually 
_asked_ me to go with her, only assumed that I would. Of course I 
would go with her, but I didn't like being taken for granted any 
more than she would have.

"And, of course, I'll need to buy a new dress."

"A new dress?" I knew where she was going with that, but in order 
to glean more information, sometimes it's best to simply repeat a 
statement in the form of a question.

"Uh huh. And we'll need to go to Couture du Monde. They have the 
best... um... selection."

"And don't forget the staff," I added.

"Yes, of course. And the best staff. I was thinking... You could 
arrange a private shopping trip, something after their normal 
business hours. Next Sunday?"

"Hmmmm," I said doubtfully, teasing her. "I don't know..."

Kate lifted herself on her elbow and looked down into my eyes. At 
the look on her face, my penis stiffened noticeably. "I want to 
see you two together," she said, her voice sultry and demanding.

"Who?" I asked, trying to look innocent.

She squeezed my slowly inflating cock, and got the expected 
results. "You know who. Renee."

"Oh, her."

Kate nodded again. "I want to see you between her legs, fucking 
her."

"And maybe you want me to see _you_ between her legs?" I asked 
with a pointed grin.

Kate nodded silently.

"Well," I said, flipping her onto her back and neatly rolling 
between her legs.

She squawked at the sudden reversal.

"You'll have to ask me nicely," I said, and began to slide down 
her body and under the covers. "And you'll have to do it after 
I've had _my_ breakfast in bed. If you're a good girl, I may even 
say yes."

She protested at first, but her protests soon turned into 
whimpers. Her whimpers turned into moans, and her moans 
eventually turned into cries of ecstasy. Afterward, she did her 
best to ask me nicely, and I ultimately agreed to both the 
shopping trip and the party.

But that, as they say, is a story for another time.