The Decent Proposal (Trust In Me)

by LB Shaw

  “Oh, right. Sorry, I don’t keep extra swimsuits on hand. Maybe some other time?” Rob continued as he led Ana down the long hallway. “I’m actually planning on having a pool party next month after some things settle down at work. I’ll definitely want you to be there. If everything works out, that is.”

  “Speaking of things settling down at work, Beth says Rich has been really stressed. Everything okay there? His job isn’t in jeopardy, is it?” Ana hoped she wasn’t acting out of line by asking.

  Rob cast a surprised look at Ana. “Rich’s job? No way, he’s one of our most valuable account managers. There’ve just been some rumors floating around lately. I don’t want to bore you with the details, but I’m sure this will all blow over soon. He’s probably just feeling a bit of the pressure we’ve all been feeling.” Whatever was going on, he sure didn’t seem to be too worried about it himself. He either wasn’t concerned or he was doing a good job of hiding it.

  “Are you ready to try on your dress? If for some reason it doesn’t fit, we can find a suitable replacement.”

  Ana glanced at her watch. “Really? You think you could find something else before we have to leave?”

  Rob winked and produced a devilish grin. “I’m pretty resourceful.” He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest and nodded towards the bathroom. Ana walked in where she saw the dress hanging in a protective, white covering on the wall. She closed the door and carefully unzipped the garment bag to reveal a beautiful, royal blue gown covered in sequins, cut to just above the knee. Ana thought it was classic, timeless, and elegant. After a few minutes of fighting with the back, she cracked the door and summoned Rob. “Hey, can you help me out in here?”

  Ana was standing in front of the full-length mirror as Rob poked his head around the doorway. “Oh, sure,” he said, making his way in and stopping right behind her. His hands gently stroked her bare skin as he grabbed the metal piece with his fingers, pinching the fabric below to hold it in place. Their eyes locked in the mirror, and they held each other’s gaze as Rob slowly pushed the zipper all the way up. When he reached the top, he pulled Ana’s hair around, letting it spill down the curve of her shoulders. She felt tiny bolts of electricity dance across her skin, sending shivers down her spine, making her realize just how much she wanted him. She sucked in a quick breath of air, almost allowing a sigh to follow close behind. Rob seemed to shake off the magic pretty quickly as he spun her around to take in the full, frontal view.

  “Wow,” he muttered. “You look absolutely stunning.”

  Ana smiled at him, but it quickly faded when she remembered something critical. “Oh crap! I don’t have any shoes!”

  “No problem. I told you I’d take care of everything.” Rob told her to look in the armoire in the next room, teasing her about what’s inside and only hinting that Beth had given him her shoe size. There on the shelf lay the most beautiful black suede, open toed, stiletto heels she had ever seen.

  “Giuseppe Zanottis? Are you freaking kidding? I went broke looking at a pair of those online once.” Ana was acting like a giddy eighth grader, and she didn’t even care. Without wasting a minute, she plopped down on the bed to try them on. Sliding them over her heel, she felt the soft interior nestling her toes as the smell of new leather penetrated her nose. When she stood up, she was at least three inches taller. Feeling like a princess, she strode over to Rob, looped her arm through his, and said, “Why don’t we go have a drink by the pool and start this party early?”

  Rob poured her a small glass of wine and made himself a scotch on the rocks. They moved outside where they stood watching the ocean waters swell in the distance. Ana could feel the alcohol relaxing her right away.

  “How can you stand living here? I would never go to work or school, or get anything done. I’d be out here staring at the ocean all day.” Ana said dreamily.

  “It’s pretty awesome. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. The only thing missing is someone to share it with.”

  Ana’s head snapped in Rob’s direction. He seemed lost in his own thoughts.

  “I don’t know. Somehow, I think I’d manage,” she replied, somewhat confused.

  Rob dropped his head and let out a sorrowful laugh. “Yes, but you’re still so young. You have a lot more time than I do to find that special person.”

  “Ah, come on. You’re a nice guy… successful. I’m sure you’ll find that person someday.” It seemed awkward giving him a pep talk when usually it was the woman in these situations being told not to give up on romance.

  “Maybe I can find her.” Rob turned to look at Ana. “The question is, will she want to be with me because of who I am or what I can offer her?”

  Ana was surprised and a little intimidated by his rhetorical question. He was obviously feeling lonely. And to add fuel to the fire here he was, paying her to go out with him. It was his idea, after all. He made it clear this was the lifestyle he wanted for himself, at least for now. Could he have been testing her? What if he met someone in the next few months and gave her the boot? She cautioned herself not to entertain such thoughts.

  “Just be yourself and the right one will come along.” Ana assured, not really knowing what else to say. Rob slung his drink, ice and all, over the banister and turned to walk in the house, leaving Ana alone with her thoughts and wondering if she had said something wrong. What did that comment mean? He wanted someone to share all this with, yet just the other day he had said he wasn’t ready for a relationship. Which was it?

  She waited a while before re-entering through the kitchen. After she placed her empty glass on the counter, Rob waltzed in dressed to the nines in a dark suit and tie, and they left for the Convention Center.

  * * * * *

  The banquet was elegant and much quieter than the first dinner she had attended with him. This event had a much more formal feel to it with softly lit candles on each table and light jazz music filling the air. However, she thought these guests were a bit more stuck up. It could have been the suspicious stares they received upon entering, or maybe it was the way everyone seemed to turn and whisper as they walked by. More than likely, Ana was simply being a little paranoid given the circumstances of their so-called date. In reality, most everyone was very nice, just not the kind of people she would choose to hang out with on a regular basis, which was fine because she was getting paid to attend. Besides, Beth and Rich were there, and Ana got to meet a lot of different people.

  Early in the evening, she and Beth were at the bar waiting on an order of drinks. Ana noticed that a gentleman standing next to her kept glancing in her direction. She thought he looked familiar, though he was probably at the last dinner she went to. When they locked eyes, he smiled at her and introduced himself.

  “Hi, I’m Dan. It’s Ana, right?”

  “Yes, how’d you know?” She was surprised. If they had met before, it had escaped her memory.

  “I work with Rob, he’s talked about you some. Speaks very highly of you. How long have you known him?” Dan turned to leave a tip for the bartender.

  “Not long, maybe a couple of weeks. How long have you two worked together?” If he wanted to get personal, she could get personal back.

  Dan took a deep breath. “Oh, I’ve been with Signify for about twenty-two years. Rob came about seven years behind me, so we’ve worked together for quite some time.” He took a sip of his drink. “I take it you’ve had the chance to meet everyone?”

  “I’ve met most everyone that Rob works with, I think.”

  “Ah, so you’ve met Stephanie?” he asked.

  Who the hell is Stephanie? This guy was rubbing her the wrong way for some reason. “No I haven’t.” Ana looked at Beth for some support, but she just rolled her eyes while Dan let out a smug laugh.

  “Well, when you do, look out,” he said.

  “What does that mean? Look out for what?” Now Ana was really put off.

  “Just be careful, that’s all. You may not want to turn your back
on those two. Especially Stephanie, but you didn’t hear it from me.” Dan turned quickly and walked off, not giving her a chance to respond. Spinning around to Beth, she snapped, “What the hell was that about? Who the hell is Stephanie? Do you know what he’s talking about?” Ana suddenly realized that it was really none of her business, but dammit, she was jealous.

  “Stephanie’s their boss and the CEO of Signify, but I don’t know why he said—” Beth stopped mid-sentence, threw a five on the bar, and picked up their drinks. “Let’s go over here and I’ll fill you in on something.” She guided Ana over to an empty table.

  “I asked Rich some questions after that first date. I thought you two hit it off, and I wanted to make sure Rob was on the up and up and… you know, good enough for you.” Beth nervously scanned the ballroom and lowered her voice. “Apparently, Stephanie and Rob dated for a couple of years. She’s the ex-girlfriend. Now according to Rich, it’s definitely over, but from what Mr. Congeniality over there says,” Beth waved her wine glass in Dan’s direction. “Ah… who gives a shit what he says.”

  “Jesus, Beth! Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I thought about it, but to be honest, I figured Rob would. And he might still. Hell, who knows, maybe he doesn’t want to make you uncomfortable or maybe he’s waiting for the right moment. Give him a chance. You’ve only gone out a couple of times.”

  “Ugh, I know.” Ana was painfully reminded that Beth didn’t understand the basis of their relationship. Yet. She looked up and saw Rob approaching. They stood up from the table, and Beth scurried away as if fleeing the scene of a crime. Ana quickly decided she would give Rob the benefit of the doubt and not say anything. After all, their relationship was just professional, even of no one else knew that.

  “I thought I lost you. Everything okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah, everything’s fine. We were just… making fun of some of the couples dancing.”

  Rob’s mouth turned up in a warm smile. “Can I get you anything?”

  “No, I’m fine.” Ana paused before asking, “So am I going to have a chance to meet your boss? What’s her name, Stephanie?” Ana wasn’t good at keeping her mouth shut sometimes. At least she—unlike Beth—knew how to show some couth when prying for information.

  Rob gave her a puzzled look, making her feel unentitled to such privileged information. “I suppose so. Who told you about Stephanie?”

  “Some guy named Dan asked if I had met her. Said I shouldn’t trust her.”

  Rob sighed and rolled his eyes. “Good old Dan. I can always count on him to be a royal pain in my ass.”

  “You two don’t like each other?”

  “Not really. Never did. I get the feeling he’s jealous of me.”

  “Jealous? Of what?” Ana had the distinct impression he was attempting to change the subject in an effort to avoid discussing his ex.

  “Nothing. Anyway, to answer your question—yes, I am sure at some point you’ll get to meet her. She likes to pull no-shows sometimes, depending on the purpose of the event. Personally, I think it’s a commitment issue.”

  “How exactly does a CEO get away with not attending her own company hosted dinners?” Ana asked, wondering if he would bother to mention that they were once an item.

  “Well, charity events and fundraisers—she always attends those. But these other dinners we do for our own benefit are more of a morale booster, and sometimes at the last minute she’ll decide that her time is better spent doing other things. She gets away with it because she’s the CEO.”

  Stephanie’s history of indecisive behavior obviously rubbed Rob the wrong way, especially while they were dating. Not giving her another chance to ask any questions, he threw his arm around her waist and told her he had some people he wanted her to meet. After approaching several men standing by the chocolate fountain, Rob introduced Ana as his friend. He kept her pulled close as they chatted with the men when out of the blue she felt his hand slip down to her hip. It made her skin sizzle with desire.

  Sensing that he was trying to send the message that she was his woman, Ana reciprocated, letting her hand wander down his side, drawing him even closer, if that was possible. She looked at his profile as he spoke, taking in every detail. God he was gorgeous—with a strong jawline and a sharp nose, smooth and ample red lips, a clean shave, and don’t even get her started on the tiny crow’s feet around his eyes when he laughed. As he talked with the men, they hung on his every word. He exuded power, and she wondered if he was aware of the impact he had on other people. Being with Rob made her feel as though nothing could ever hurt her. She felt safe, protected, secure. It was intoxicating.

  Despite the fun she had, after a full night of mingling and dancing, Ana was ready to cash it in. She didn’t get to meet Stephanie, but that was overshadowed by the fact that she had an excuse to hang all over Rob. And she did it well.

  Later on at his house, it was decided that he would hold on to the clothes and shoes so she wouldn’t be tempted to wear them to class. Yes, she would totally do something like that. Well, she would wear the shoes at least. While she was sitting on the bed putting her boots back on, Rob came and sat next to her, holding an envelope.

  “The limo is waiting outside for you whenever you’re ready. Here’s your pay for the evening. Look it over and let me know what you think. I’ll make sure you get paid at least four times a month, sometimes more, especially around the holidays and during the summer.” Smiling at her he added, “I really enjoyed this evening. Thanks for sharing your time with me.”

  “Are you kidding? This was, by far, the easiest job I’ve ever had. And I had fun, too.”

  Within five minutes, she was back in the limo on her way home. As she sat in the seat, she slowly opened the envelope Rob had given her and pulled out a stack of bills. Thick enough that she could tell right away it was a hell of a lot of money. She counted a grand total of 50, twenty-dollar bills.

  Umm, yeah… what bookstore? Without giving it a second thought, Ana knew she was not going back to her job. She picked up her phone and sent Rob a text:

  Meh-- I guess this will do. I’ll take the job if it’s still available

  Within a matter of seconds Rob responded:

  Haha. So glad! Of course the job is yours. I’ll be in touch soon.

  Mmm…touch. How I wish he would touch me soon…

  Nine

  Ana saw Rob regularly over the next month. He eventually started depositing money directly into her checking account and had her sign an independent contractor agreement that stated she was his personal assistant. He also advised her to pay taxes quarterly so she wouldn’t get in over her head. She was amazed with his worldliness, and her attraction to him was growing stronger by the week.

  Every dinner and party they attended was essentially a masquerade for them, posing as lovers. They danced and Ana would nuzzle his neck during the slow songs. He held her tight in his arms and she would graze his neck with her lips. She was playing the part well, and he sure didn’t seem to object. The sexual tension was growing, expanding like a rubber band, threatening to pop with every touch.

  One night when Beth had stopped over at Ana’s to return a blouse, Ana caved and gave her all the details on their working relationship. As expected, she was supportive but rather curious about one thing in particular.

  “I’m just wondering, why would he have to pay someone to spend time with him? There are plenty of single women he could have. Are you sure he hasn’t tried to get in your pants?”

  “Sweet mother of baby Jesus! I wish! He doesn’t want a heavy relationship right now, and he doesn’t want to give someone the wrong impression by only bringing her to these social events. I guess he picked me over someone else because he trusts me. Actually, this is the perfect arrangement. He has the benefits of a beautiful woman—that’s me—escort him anywhere he wants without the demands of a relationship. And I get to make mega bucks without having to work.”

  Beth still didn’t seem convinced. �
��Yeah, it may be perfect for some, but c’mon! The man has needs. If he doesn’t want a relationship and he’s not trying to sleep with you, he’s getting it somewhere, believe me. Men can’t go without.” Beth looked at Ana and shrugged. “Hey, it’s not their fault. Just look at what our magical puss does for them. We are sweet and powerful, and—”

  “Magical?” Ana interrupted, laughing. “Really? That’s what you think of Ms. puss?”

  “Hell yeah! At least that’s what Rich says. Look, you know damn good and well we hold all the power with our vuh-jay-jays.” Beth exclaimed. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Take advantage of that shit. Maybe you could ask him for some additional tasks. Tell him you’re ready to take on a heavier workload and see what he says.” Beth put emphasis on the word ‘load’ then laughed at her own joke.

  “Wow. You’re hilarious. You’re trying to turn me into a hooker. Great friend you are.”

  But the truth was, Ana did want that heavier workload. She didn’t necessarily want to be paid for it, but there was no denying that the thought did turn her on a bit. Well, a lot actually. She wanted him badly. And besides, sleeping with him wouldn’t be any different than sleeping with any other boss, right? Plus, she completely trusted him. Their arrangement was custom-tailored specifically for them. She wouldn’t consider doing something like this for another man, and she trusted that he had no intention of asking another woman to accommodate his needs until Ana came along. Plus, there was definitely something special blossoming between the two of them. She just didn’t know where it would lead. Maybe she should push the envelope a little and find out what Rob Goings was capable of, or better yet, what he was incapable of resisting. Was her puss magical, too?

  As if reading her mind, Beth spoke up. “In all seriousness, are you okay with this? I mean really okay with it? I know you like him a lot. You have to be at least somewhat disappointed, no?”

  Ana’s mouth turned up in a morose smile. “Honestly, I was when he first asked me. The truth is, I would have done this for free because I like being with him that much. I guess at this point I’m… hopeful. But I’m also not holding my breath. You never know what might happen.”