by Robin Cain
“And my timing and choices couldn’t have been better,” he explained. “The stock offering generated millions, and my option values soared.”
“Well, we seem to have something in common then, Mr. Campelletti.” Sadie let the words tease his curiosity before she continued.
“I was once a Realtor in ‘Dot-Com Valley’—Dot-Com Valley, Frank.” Her words painted a picture with which he was familiar. Much of his client base represented dot-com business.
“Start-up companies are usually cash poor. I asked for stock options before they went public, cutting my commission to the bone. Lost a few dollars on some—but others? Well, let’s just say my timing and choices couldn’t have been better either.” Her smile told him the rest of the story.
Though Frank appreciated the talents he saw in her, his respect level for her now bordered on awe. She had to be worth plenty and it was because she had taken risks few besides him would ever consider. Up until now, Frank’s longest relationship had been the one he had with his computer. Now that he had met Sadie—seen her savvy—his instincts told him that was all about to change.
Through the rest of dinner, they reviewed the details of the building and what was needed to make it work. Sadie identified with Frank’s vision of a corporate office tempered with modesty. He shared how he hated the pretentiousness of some buildings, believing they were simply monuments to the egos that ruled inside. He wanted grand but not grandiose. He wanted functional but not austere. He wanted fine materials and solid workmanship, but he wasn’t willing to spend ridiculous amounts of money in pursuit of some fame-seeking designer’s dream to appear on a magazine cover.
Not one of those “the sky is the limit” kinds of people who threw money around simply to impress others, he had learned lessons from his past. Frank had chosen not to involve himself in the family business, making up his mind to go in another direction. But it hadn’t been easy. Though he was extremely successful now, it hadn’t always been that way and he made diligent efforts to never take it for granted.
After several hours of conversation—including nonlinear topics, such as the day’s headline news and the best vodka one should use for a martini—and more than one bottle of very expensive red wine, they managed to complete writing up the offer. Sadie was more than pleased with their progress.
“Frank, I think you just might have yourself a new building.”
A substantial commission would come Sadie’s way, and Frank believed every good deal required all parties to contribute, so he tested her willingness and commitment by negotiating her fee. Sadie pleasantly surprised Frank with her bargaining skills when she persuaded him to meet her in the middle. This last concession on Sadie’s part convinced him to do whatever it took to make the deal happen. Though unwilling to tell her this little fact, Frank appreciated her tenacity and drive. He felt she could instinctively sense his determination.
“Well, let’s hope the seller sees it our way and we get this building. We are dynamite together, aren’t we?” he told her.
Frank watched Sadie contemplate his word choice and, when she spoke, the liberating effects of too much wine turned her words into a seductive proposition.
“Mmm—together. That sounds very nice.” Her thoughts were now displayed front and center and the realization of it began to immediately spread across her face in a scarlet cloud. “Oh my, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean...”
“No need to be sorry. No need at all.” Frank reached over and pulled away her hand trying to shield her face. “We could be one hell of a partnership. This evening has truly been a pleasure.”
Sadie appeared to freeze in place and her blank stare caused him to awkwardly search for clarification.
“I’d love to see you again—on a personal basis—beyond business. Like a date, just you and me. I really feel like we have something special here,” he stumbled, trying to explain, but the puzzled look on her face continued. Embarrassed, he let go of her hand.
“I’m sorry, Sadie. I guess I am being too presumptuous. Forgive me?”
It took a moment, but Sadie leaned forward in her chair and reached out for his hand. “Frank, I think you’re just fabulous. In fact, I’d love nothing more than to spend another evening with you.”
Frank leaned in and gently kissed her. The warmth of her mouth seeking his initiated an electrical charge between them. The hum of conversation, the gentle clink of glasses and the bustling noise of the waitstaff all faded into a muted background score.
Sadie was the first to break the spell when she pulled away and leaned back in her chair. Frank, seeing the look of confusion on her face, was unwilling to let the moment to end. He inched closer to her ear and seductively whispered, “May we continue this somewhere more private?”
Seemingly aware of the obvious need now between them, Sadie nodded, just as the waiter appeared tableside with the bill. They’d likely created a spectacle of themselves, Frank thought, but he couldn’t have cared less.
Paying the bill—while imagining what it would be like to wake up in the morning with this woman by his side—Frank could only wonder at this moment if his craving was matched by hers.
Hours later, after Frank and Sadie had made it to his house and into each other’s arms, Sadie woke up with the realization she wasn’t in her own bed. Startled by a muffled buzzing noise somewhere nearby, she rolled over and glanced at the nightstand to find the source. The bright globe of the June full moon, hanging high up in the night sky and visible through the expansive windows at the foot of Frank’s bed, provided the only light.
The muffled buzz began again and Sadie traced it to Frank’s cell phone on the floor. Neither the noise nor the flashing red light had woken him. She put the pillow over her head, relatively certain it was either too early or too late for anyone to need anything. The night before had lasted well past what was a normal bedtime for her, and she wanted to luxuriate longer in this wonderfully large bed, wrapped in what she was certain were sheets of an exorbitant thread count.
She couldn’t remember the last time she had this sort of connection on a first date. Nor could she recollect ever sleeping with someone so soon after having met him. The thought of her unrestrained zeal the night before now embarrassed her. No doubt—this man had literally charmed the pants off of her. She only hoped she hadn’t misjudged Frank as she had others.
Frank stirred and rolled over. Now aware of her there next to him, he smiled broadly. “What are you doing awake? Something wrong?”
“Your phone woke me.”
“Sorry—thought I shut it off.”
Sadie looked around the room. Her bra hung from the doorknob; Frank’s trousers lay in a pile outside in the hallway. And, when she felt with her toes what she was certain were her panties rolled up in a ball under the covers, she laughed out loud. “At what point do you think you had the wherewithal to even think about turning off your phone?”
Frank looked around at the haphazardly strewn clothes and laughed as well. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I just must have meant to turn it off. Sorry,” he said, kissing the top of her nose.
Frank climbed out of bed and, as he picked up his cell phone, it began to vibrate again. Looking at the phone’s display, he quickly shut it off and threw it back on the floor. Sadie thought she saw a bit of annoyance in his actions but, when he literally jumped back into the bed, she didn’t give it another thought.
“Now, where were we when you so rudely fell asleep on me?” He asked, throwing the covers back to get to her.
Frank’s hands explored her nakedness. She squirmed in pleasure when he found her warmth. Wondering if her appetite for this man could ever be satiated, she impetuously allowed her legs to open up to him once again. Now, grabbing a hold of him, she discovered that Frank was more than insatiable himself.
The phone on the bedside table rang, startling them and momentarily putting their exploration on pause. When Sadie heard Frank sigh she let go of him. But, in one smooth and rapid movement, he gr
abbed her around the waist and used his other hand to reach for the phone. It rang one last time before he was able to swat it off the table. Flying as far as its cord would allow, it crashed abruptly on the floor and went silent.
Frank never missed a beat. He pulled Sadie closer and moved his head down the length of her torso, exploring her nakedness with his mouth. When he passed her navel, she let out a seductive moan.
Her back began to arch in response to the pressure Frank applied with his tongue.
It was nearly seven a.m. when Frank woke up a few hours later. With the bright sunshine now peering in through the open bedroom drapes, Frank tossed the tangled sheets aside, sat up in bed and realized he hadn’t slept that soundly in years. He ran his hand through his tousled, slightly graying hair and noted the musky smell of spent passion that clung to him. The strewn-about, hastily discarded clothes, serving as reminder of the evening before, fueled his desire to go another round. The sound of running water in the nearby shower heightened his need.
“Sadie, come back to bed and let me have my way with you again!”
“If you want to make a deal on a building today, we had better get moving,” she answered.
Frank picked the phone up off the floor, cursing himself for having not had the foresight to anticipate its ringing.
Why had Citra called in the middle of the goddamned night?
Shaking his head at the thought (and not for the first time, he realized), he stood and stretched in an attempt to work the kinks out of his back. A hobby runner of some frequency, he prided himself on his fitness level, but a night of Olympic-caliber sex and little sleep had left him feeling a bit worn out. The good news was that it hadn’t brought back his aching balls of the day before. Interpreting that as a good sign, he hurried into the bathroom, hoping to catch Sadie still in the shower.
The steamy glass shower doors revealed Sadie’s tantalizingly curvy silhouette. Now keenly aware of his pulsating groin, Frank reached for the door handle and carefully stepped in beside her. Her body glistening from soap suds as she stood under the cascade of warm water, Sadie opened her eyes and smiled.
This was just the feel-good remedy he needed.
A few miles away in another part of town, Billy Harwood cursed in a deep angry tone when Sadie didn’t answer her phone for the third time in as many hours. He slammed down the receiver and kicked the sleeping Rottweiler that lay at his feet. The stunned yelp of the startled animal made him feel only slightly better.
three
IT TOOK that entire day and much of the second before an agreement for the new MineWare building was reached with the seller. Agreeing to pay only slightly less than the twenty-four- million-dollar asking price, Frank was nonetheless thrilled with the outcome. The majority of people working for him were creative types, not performing well when boxed up in little cubicles in rooms with low ceilings and little chance of seeing daylight. He didn’t either, so the building would be a good fit for everyone.
While sitting at his desk that evening, after all the contracts were signed, he realized how tired he actually was. The adrenaline that had been pumping the last couple days had waned and, combined with his recent lack of sleep, he was exhausted.
The phone rang, interrupting his thoughts, and he pushed the blinking button for Line Four, “Frank Campelletti.”
“Hi.”
Citra. He hadn’t returned any of her calls.
“Hey, how are you?” he asked, trying to sound cheerful in spite of the guilt creeping into his thoughts.
“I’m okay. You sure have been a hard man to get a hold of these last couple days.”
“Sorry, I’ve just been swamped.”
“I bet.” The sarcasm in her voice was palpable. “Heard you’ve been involved in a building deal.”
Despite the fact there had been no formal announcement, Frank assumed that Citra, as one of his employees at MineWare, had obviously heard of the deal through the extraordinarily efficient company grapevine. Where is she going with this? He decided to answer carefully.
“Yes. It finally concluded an hour ago.”
She had worked for him since the beginning, starting back when the first MineWare product was preparing to go to market. Having heard of Citra through a business associate, Frank had convinced her to work for him. With her software background, coupled with a great deal of sales experience and contacts, she had been a gift from the gods at the time. Being young and beautiful hadn’t hurt either. Much of MineWare’s early sales successes were a direct result of her tenacity and loyalty. Consequently, she was more than reasonably compensated.
“You haven’t returned any of my calls,” Citra flatly pointed out.
“Sorry. It’s just been crazy.”
“Well, now that the deal’s done, would you like to take me to dinner and celebrate?”
Sadie had just left his office to catch up on some personal business, but they had made plans to meet for dinner in a few hours.
“I’m sorry, Citra. I’ve made plans.” Frank wasn’t certain where this thing with Sadie was going, but he was smart enough to know not to share it with Citra. “I’m meeting up with some of the guys working with me on the deal. They’ve been going at it real hard.” Choosing to let his lie linger, he said no more.
“Well,” she said, her tone turning noticeably somber. “How about tomorrow? It’s Friday night.”
Frank had not had two women in his life at one time in a very long time, if ever, and was uncertain how to go about it. Though he had tried to break things off with Citra several times in the past, it had been difficult for her to comprehend his lack of commitment to the relationship. She wanted more than he was ready or willing to give.
He had also overheard bits and pieces of water cooler gossip over the last few weeks about the effect their relationship was having on the work environment, and he realized she had begun to take liberties she wouldn’t otherwise have been entitled to had they not been dating. The other employees were beginning to resent her. This, combined with her sudden interest in departments and procedures unrelated to her duties, made him question her intent. She seemed to want more of what was his already nonexistent free time, sulking when he was unavailable. It was heading in a direction he wasn’t prepared to go.
“How about if I give you a call tomorrow, when I know better how things are working out?” He hoped she didn’t see right through his attempts to put her off.
“Sure.”
Citra hung up before Frank could say another word. She was obviously upset, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He’d have to deal with it—and her—at a later point in time.
A week passed and Frank never called Citra back. Busy with the details of the new building purchase, he had Sadie by his side for much of it. Sharing lunches and dinners and each other’s beds, he was immensely happy with the way things were progressing. Sadie had brought a sense of new excitement to his days and nights. She was warm and kind, yet not clingy or needy like so many of the other women he had known. Frequently surprised by her candor and sincerity, Frank felt himself incredibly attracted to this woman and unsure what it all meant. His common sense told him these feelings were too much, too fast—yet he was certain he had to go forward.
It was now Thursday and there were few people remaining in the trendy little diner Frank had chosen to take Sadie for lunch. Most patrons, with work schedules demanding their return long before, had come and gone, leaving the waitstaff and kitchen workers to go about the business of cleaning up. Frank and Sadie, now finished with their meals, were enjoying the last of their coffees.
“Hello? Is anyone in there?” Sadie asked, realizing the story she was telling Frank was falling on deaf ears.
“Oh, sorry. My mind was wondering for a second,” he answered.
“Am I already boring you?”
“Of course not. I was actually thinking just the opposite,” he confessed.
“Just the opposite? You mean you were thinking of what a fab
ulous woman I am and that you never want to lose me?” she teased. Her attempt at humor was interrupted by a woman’s booming voice.
“Well, Frank Campelletti. What a surprise to find you alive and well.”
Sadie witnessed Frank’s posture stiffen as a slender, statuesque, long-haired brunette approached their table.
“Uh—hi Citra,” he said, immediately standing up and giving the woman a somewhat awkward hug. He hastily began introductions. “Citra, this is Sadie Roderick. Sadie, this is Citra Banks, one of my employees at MineWare.”
Citra confidently extended her perfectly manicured hand with its cherry red nails polished to a high gloss. “Well, well, so nice to finally meet you. I heard Frank was seeing someone new.”
It was hard to miss the tone of disdain in her voice. Sensing Frank’s sudden discomfort, Sadie opted to be gracious in an attempt to lighten the mood.
“Nice to meet you as well. You must be excited and proud to be part of such a great company. I’ve been so busy with this deal that I haven’t had the opportunity to meet many of the MineWare employees.”
“Yes. I’ve been with the company—and Frank—since the very beginning,” Citra candidly offered. Her blatant emphasis on wording hung clumsily in the air between them.
Sadie was immediately intimidated and unnerved by Citra’s physical presence. With her long, sleek dark hair containing hints of coppery shimmer; her brilliant, straight white teeth surrounded by sexy, pouty lips made more pronounced by a ruby-colored lip gloss; and porcelain skin that appeared nearly translucent, Citra could have been the cover girl on a men’s magazine. Noticing the curves testified to by the dress, Sadie surmised Citra’s closest competition could only have been a Barbie doll. Her sudden and larger-than-life presence, combined with the accusatory tone in her voice, gave Sadie every reason to believe that she herself was now the intruder at this little party.
Frank quickly spoke up in what seemed to be an attempt to shed light on Citra’s explanation. “Citra has been an employee for a long time. We were just finishing up, Citra, or we’d have you join us.”