by Belvin, Love
Azmir cut me off with a tender kiss as he grabbed my backside, pushing me into him. He did all of this while taking a sharp inhale through his beautiful nostrils. His kiss took my breath away and my pulse surged. It was promising and calming all at once.
Still staring deep into my eyes he murmurs, “We have lots to discuss.”
But what does that mean? I don’t ask. Clearly, he’s not ready to answer.
I ride into work without incident. My workout with Tyler went well. I’m really enjoying the way my body is sculpting. It had been just a few short months and I was more impressed with my body than I had ever dreamed possible. Now, Azmir wasn’t the only one with a killer frame. I’ve stepped my game up. I showered and dressed at the rec and made it into the office by eight twenty a.m.
After speaking with Sharon about my schedule, I got my day started. The morning sped by as usual. However, my thoughts of my morning with Azmir played in the front of my mind. Marriage? Me? I couldn’t come up with why I wasn’t suited for this particular institution, but it was honestly something that I’ve never thought about since being a kid. Until now, I hadn’t come across a man that took my dreams that far. I mean, after our time in Vegas, I knew I wanted to be with Azmir forever, but marriage was an entirely different bird.
After finishing up with my midday client, Mrs. Ginn, I quickly scarfed down a bite to eat from the kitchen. Azmir had the cafeteria from the rec deliver various menu items to us several times a week. He pays for it and my staff always expresses their gratitude whenever he comes over.
I walked over to the rec and was confronted by my favorite nemesis, Old Lady Peg. She had warmed to me slightly over the months, but it’s clear she doesn’t want to get overly-friendly.
“He’s finishing up a meeting. You can go right in…at least that’s what he says. It seems quite rude to me,” Peg remarks. I fight the urge to roll my eyes as I make my way over to Azmir’s office and knock on the door. I didn’t want to barge in.
“Come in,” Azmir barked. I turned to Old Ice Queen Peg who rudely gestured for me to walk in as if I were a child. Once again, I ignore her and step inside. I see there are several people in Azmir’s office and all eyes are on me.
Once Azmir sees me his eyes goes into a priapic slant and we were suspended in time before he breathes, “Ms. Brimm,” as he searches for the time on his pocket watch all flustered.
Once it registers to him that it is nearly two in the afternoon he says, “Well, that’s my time, all. I expect those newly implemented reports in forty-eight hours from now. Should there be any further questions forward them to Brett. And if you think by doing that you’re off the hook, God bless you because he’s hell on wheels about these new standards. They’re his baby. Good day, folks,” Azmir announces far more cheery than I left him this morning.
I walked over to him as his staff all stare at me, trying to decipher the look he gave me moments ago. It’s either that or they’re wondering who is this woman who has the authority to interrupt an A.D. Jacobs meeting? I try to lock my eyes ahead toward Azmir as he exchanges a few parting words with Brett who politely greets me.
Azmir’s eyes travel over to me like a child in wonderment. “It’s nice to see you…breaks up the monotony of the day,” he murmurs in a manly and husky tone. It was arousing.
“You act as if we weren’t scheduled to meet at this hour,” I reply in an effort to end his flirtatious attempts.
I could hear Brett, who was just inches away from Azmir, speaking into a wire, say, “Mr. Jacobs, conference room C is ready for your meeting with Chesney and his team now.” Azmir nods and continues eyeing me from head to toe as he reaches for his suit jacket.
“Ready?” he asks. I shake my head with a smile and we headed up to the conference room.
Once seated at the table I ask, “How did your dental appointment go this morning?” I wondered where was his dentist located. Was it in Marina Del Rey? Unlikely because he’s new to that area. Was it here in LBC? Is that a personal question? Ewwwwww! I’m tortured by my personal thoughts.
“It was…discovering,” he chuckled to himself, looking deliciously gorgeous doing so.
“What’s so funny about discovery?” I ask as we’re trying to keep our voices low.
Azmir leans into me, “As she cleaned my teeth, she admonished me about my food choices this morning.” He tried to contain his private amusement. I was confused. I recounted what he had for breakfast.
“Was it the spinach?” I asked.
He shook his head. “A little stringier.” Azmir cocked his head to the side, bringing my attention to his mouth when he pushed back against his molars.
My eyebrows furrowed, trying to catch on. At the same time I hear people entering the room behind me and Azmir cuts his eyes to them, waving them in.
I’m looking at him in search for an answer. Putting me out of my suspense, he murmurs, “Hair.”
Hair? What hair?
He quickly points to my lap with his eyes and the nod of his head. Within seconds it settles in.
My pubic hair!
“Oh, shhh—!” I trill, successfully keeping myself from sputtering profanity. My eyes bulges at him and he flashes a panty-snatching smirk before turning his attention to his guests.
“Chesney!” Azmir greeted with great cheer and familiarity in his tone to a slender Caucasian man matching his height. It’s his attorney, Chesney, I presumed as I stood to greet him myself. His eyes locked with mine from the moment he laid them on me, looking beyond Azmir. It made me uncomfortable. I didn’t know if he was reading me or undressing me with his eyeballs.
Chesney was followed into the room by his associates whom seemed familiar with Azmir, too. Azmir finishes up his hellos to them and then proceeds to introduce me. “Chesney, as I’m sure you’ve figured out by now, this is the illustrious Rayna Brimm. A very special friend of mine.”
“I see. Are we using that title now?” Chesney taunts without a smile. He continues to study me for a moment, looking me from head to toe before exercising a wide contrived smile and announcing, “Ms. Brimm, I’m Edward Chesney of Chesney’s Law located in Glendora. I am A.D.’s—I mean, Mr. Jacobs’ attorney. I handle civil legal matters for him amongst other akin items,” he shoots out quickly and cunningly removes his smug smile. He gestures to my seat, “You may sit.”
I look at Azmir who was wearing an odd smile that didn’t quite register to me yet. But I had to motion to him regarding Chesney’s introduction by way of shooting him a look of bewilderment. Overall, his aura was weird. Azmir glanced at me for a brief moment before returning his attention to Chesney who had not stopped gaping at me, but diverting his sight down to his shoes now.
“Ms. Brimm, Mr. Jacobs here is not only one of my prize clients for…obvious reasons, but he’s also one of my favorites. Do you know why?” he poses a question.
I shift in my seat, growing uncomfortable and giving him a blank stare.
“I see. Well, it’s because he makes my life and therefore my job easy by doing one simple thing, which is keeping me informed—on everything!” He pauses before continuing. He’s now pacing the room from the opposite side of the conference table.
“You see, Mr. Jacobs is sure to share with me every detail of his life that can cause risk. Risk to his name, risk to his brand, risk to his reputation, and risk to his wealth. My job is to protect his wealth and I’m damn good at my job, Ms. Brimm,” he emphasizes the “m’s” in my name while towering over me, leaning on the other side of table.
I squint my eyes to chase off his very imposing gaze.
“I see,” Chesney continues. “Back to Mr. Jacobs and his skillful ability to disclose. Yes!” He tosses his long index finger in the air as if he’s just found his way back to his lecture. “He’s really good at divulging pertinent information. For instance, I know that you manage a physical therapy firm next door for Smith, Katz & Adams Sports Medicine Center. I know that you earn roughly $67-72,000 annually—which is grossly unde
rpayment for the role you play, coincidentally…”
I dart my eyes to Azmir, wondering how did he know how much I’m paid. I’ve never shared that with Azmir, which I guess is why I had to calm myself. Azmir shrugged, gesturing that he was just as much surprised by this information as I was.
Chesney continued with his monologue, “Okay, enough about you. I know that during January of this year, Mr. Jacobs endowed you with an extensive Louis Vuitton luggage collection. I know that it was part of a ploy to get you to vacation with him in Mexico. Some expensive woo’ing in my opinion but…” He held his hands up, femininely, in defense. His inflections were killing me! “…every man goes about charming in his own way,” Chesney paused again, gauging my reaction before continuing. “Let’s see. I also know that you and my client now cohabitat and a little off my advisement,” he says and I narrow my eyebrows at his audacity.
“Oh, yeah!” he confirms, responding to my reaction. “If I had it my way you would have signed a cohabitation agreement, highlighting every agreed upon detail, down to bathroom usage, but…he denied my request—something he always does as it concerns you, Ms. Brimm,” Chesney informs me while giving Azmir a cold gaze.
“E,” Azmir warned.
“Okay…okay…okaaaaaay,” Chesney placated very dramatically. In fact, this whole production was melodramatic. I couldn’t help but to wonder about his sexuality. He had several feminine traits, but that doesn’t guarantee anything now-a-day.
“Where were we?” Another dramatic pause, “I see. You see, Ms. Brimm, there are very few things that I don’t know about my client. I know his tastes and his preferences. For example, I know that you’re wearing lace panties of his gifting. And narrowing down his preferences, they are either La Perla or Victoria’s Secret. Narrowing down his color preferences they’re either some variation of white, pink. or black,” he says while looking me dead in the eye, which forces me to look at Azmir who now looks uncomfortable as he’s readjusting himself in his seat, but still says nothing.
“It is not my intention to belittle or embarrass you this afternoon, rather to orient you to the culture of my practice. Mr. Jacobs has generously retained me on your behalf and my firm has already begun our work in investigating said individuals. I would just like to stress to you full disclosure. This can get reeeeally ugly depending on if or how much the radio station backs this young lady who released this provocative video, claiming it starred you. With what we’ve uncovered, along with Mr. Jacobs—astounding discovery—we have a very strong case. I would just hope that you are just as forthcoming a client as your…boyfriend here,” he says, cutting his eyes at Azmir.
What the…!
“I plan to pursue this vigorously. You are now just as much of a client as Mr. Jacobs here. We have secured a meeting with your higher-ups over at Smith, Katz & Adams Sports Medicine Center for six this evening. I hope you don’t have dinner plans,” he pauses before asking, “Do you?”
Oh! He was waiting on an answer from me?
“Oh! Seeing that you know so much about me, I had assumed you were going to answer that question for me,” I hissed.
He gives an arrogant chuckle. “No, dear. But I do endeavor to know more about you…considering you don’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.” Yet another pause. He raises his index finger to his temple. “Yeah, and about that! How do you feel about prenuptial agreements? Just by chance…” he asks, drawing into me again.
I gasped. Is Azmir’s attorney asking me about marriage after my incident with Azmir earlier this morning? Is this confirmation?
“Ed!” Azmir fires off another warning shot again.
Chesney shakes his head, unsuccessfully attempting to retract his previous question. “Bad timing…bad timing. We can revisit that at another time.”
“Chesney, what do you need from Ms. Brimm now? I’m sure she’s still on the clock and has patients to get back to. And then I’d like a word with you,” Azmir takes over.
Finally!
Chesney shakes his head again in exasperation, “My associate, Whalus, over here will take a full statement and ask a few standard questions. The sooner you answer, the quicker you can resume your work day,” Chesney sulks.
This must mean he’s in trouble. Good!
I stayed behind for about a half hour to consult with Chesney’s team. I even had to give full disclosure about how I came to run the Long Beach City practice. I hadn’t thought about the details of that story in so long, but providing everything to the best of my memory. When that was over I returned back to my office to finish up my day.
I met Chesney and one of his associates at Smith, Katz & Adams Sports Medicine Center’s headquarters later that evening. The meeting was extremely brief. I was pleasantly surprised at how amenable Dave Smith was to not suspending me or taking any disciplinary actions until they have indisputable evidence showing that I was involved. Brian Thompson did most of the speaking while Dave Smith looked preoccupied. He mentioned that he was mortified that Michelle was on the tape and would do anything that would bring all those responsible for leaking it to justice.
It was weird seeing Thompson there. I could still see the healing bruises on his face. As much as I wanted to discuss his fight with Azmir, I knew this wasn’t the appropriate time or place. I was surprised that he hadn’t broached the subject yet himself. I also recalled Azmir’s request of me steering clear of Thompson. Azmir and I were still rebounding from that event, so I’ve managed to obey his firm request. I guess it was something I’d have to wait out.
~~~~~~~~~~
Rayna
On my way home I longed for my bed. It was later than usual so I’d hoped Azmir had warmed dinner in my wake. As I walked through the door, the aroma was delightful. The lights in the kitchen were on and I could hear the clashing of dishes ringing from there.
I placed my briefcase on the bench in the foyer when I suddenly saw a woman of Asian descent walking past. “Oh!” she gasped while holding her chest.
I must’ve given her the look of death. Who in heaven’s name is this?
“Ms. Brimm! I’m so sorry! We didn’t know you had arrived,” she flashed a nervous smile to move past our frightening introduction.
“I’m Kim. Mr. Jacobs is out on the patio awaiting you,” she said while extending her arm toward the patio.
Warily, I walk over to the balcony, passing the kitchen where I can hear Chef Boyd working the stove on the way. Soft music was playing as I walked out to find Azmir on the phone. I quickly notice the dinner table for two set up with an ivory table cloth and chairs with white covers. The fresh white lilies were resplendent with their black bulbs bursting from the center. The utensils were displayed in a formal manner with two forks and spoons with a knife. If I didn’t know better I would have thought I’d just walked into one of the five-star restaurants Azmir takes me to. There were gorgeous white lights trimming the balcony, creating a romantic ambiance. What was this for? My eyes dart back to Azmir who was still heavily engaged in his conversation.
“He bought how many shares? Is this something we’d still want to get into? Yeah? Uh-huhn. Well, let me sit on this and get back to you in the morning. Nah, man. I can’t rush this one. Something doesn’t feel right to me.”
He turns to find me waiting in the doorway. His expression changes as does the mood in his eyes. While keeping his gape on me he continues, “I gotta go, Rich. Love’s home. Yeah. First thing in the a.m.,” he assures before ending the call.
With his eyes still fixated on me he greets, “Good evening, Ms. Brimm.” He doesn’t smile, but there’s still that sparkle in his eye. And not to mention, the lights of the marina bouncing off the water, reflecting a warm glow against his skin.
“Hungry?”
“I was before stepping into all of this,” I saying, gesturing my hand to the romantic set up. “I see we have guests.” I was asking for an explanation when a young male waiter, with honey blonde hair and the most piercing green eyes, wearing a black c
hef coat, came out with two bottles of wine. He didn’t speak. Azmir acknowledged him by asking me to take a seat.
“Join me?” he asked, pulling out a chair. I stroll over to him and sit. He scoots me to the table and takes his seat. Once we’re down, the waiter approaches the table and says.
“Good evening, sir and Ms. Brimm. I am Chaise, one of your waiters for this evening. May I offer you a drink? Tonight we have a red, a 2005 Chateau Lafite Rothschild and white, a 2007 Sassicaia.
Azmir chose red and I followed suit. As Chaise pours into our glasses Azmir asks, “So, I hear your meeting with the Smith, Katz & Adams Sports Medicine Center’s heads went well. How are you feeling overall?”
“Tired. Annoyed. Happy to be done with my day.” Azmir looked affected. “Is Chesney always that intense?” I ask.
With a snort Azmir says, “You should’ve seen him the day I evaluated his law firm for services. You would’ve thought he was putting me on his payroll. Intense is an understatement. But he’s superior in his work.”
“Well, I can assure you that the good bosses of Smith, Katz & Adams Sports Medicine Center weren’t expecting the flair of Chesney.” We both giggled at that.
“So, are you going to tell me?”
“Tell you what, Ms. Brimm?”
“Tell me what’s going on with you. Your missed announcement this morning during our love session—”
He gives a sly smirk and interrupts with, “That was something to write the heavens over, wasn’t it?”
I blushed and maneuvered in my seat while trying to inconspicuously return to my point. “Then your foul mood this morning at the breakfast table. And this afternoon during the meeting with Chesney and associates. You were…subdued.”
He tilts his head to the side and asks, “Subdued. Hmmmm…really?”
I nod as I take a gulp of my wine. Kim comes out with crab bisque soup and bread. I start attacking it immediately. Oh, my! It’s sooo good!
Azmir takes a moment to think.