The Mount Series Boxset

by K D Grace

  ‘The business of scent is the business of attraction. I believe you said something to that effect last night, Liza, though a little bit more crudely. Attraction is the path to sex, and there has never been a point when the scents humans add to their own scent hasn’t ultimately been for the purpose of attraction – and sex. Paulo has been saying all along that we need to approach the new line more from that basic premise, and watching you in my office and then at the villa last night has convinced me he’s right.’

  She flipped to the next slide. ‘Based on your report and what we could observe, these are the scents we’ll be looking to create for Martelli’s new line. They’ll either be unisex or we’ll create scents for both sexes, depending on what your nose thinks is best.’ The slide read:

  Romantic vanilla

  Dom

  sub

  Kink

  Wild animal/al fresco

  She gave Liza a chance to take them in then said, ‘Of course we’ll have better names for them, but these are the scents we’re looking for, especially in the brave new world that’s obsessed with BDSM and kink.’ Once again she gave Liza no time to respond. ‘You said last night, in your report and while you were in the room with the trio from The Mount that it was the edgy, kinky scent of sex that would attract people, like the practice of a woman dabbing a bit of her own scent on her pulse points when she spends time with a man with whom she hopes to have sex. By changing and rearranging our ménage as you did last night, especially in the way you did, you changed the scent. After you left, a team collected the clothing, the bedding, and the towels used to clean up after sex. Everything was then bagged and taken to our labs to analyze for corresponding scents. What I need to know from you, Ms Calendar, what we all need to know from you, is if you can help us set conditions and come up with the right sexual combinations to reproduce, in our research facility, the basic olfactory and pheromonal building blocks for the scents we’ve listed.’

  When no one spoke, when all eyes were on her, Liza took a deep breath, smelling the mix of excitement and anticipation in the room with just a nip of doubt thrown in to keep her on her toes. ‘You want me to sniff people having sex to help you create perfumes that will generate similar responses?’

  Everyone nodded in unison.

  There was a tightness in her chest at what was actually being expected of her, and her own scent smelled of fire freshly kindled. ‘I can sniff out all of these things. I can walk down any street in any city and pick up intimations of all of what you’re looking for in the new line and more besides, but I have no idea how to go about orchestrating a sexual encounter to offer the results you want, nor how to create fragrances that correspond.’

  ‘We can orchestrate it.’ This time it was Paulo who spoke. ‘That won’t be a problem. And of course we don’t expect you to know how to create the corresponding fragrances. That’s our job. What we need to know is if you can come up with ideas for who and how and under what circumstances we might elicit the desired effects. The rest we can teach you. You said it yourself that while last night was a good idea, it wasn’t the way you would have set it up, and you changed it. All right, Ms Calendar, what we’re asking is for you to plan it, for you to tell us what your nose tells you needs to happen in order for us to create a base for these five fragrances.’

  Again all eyes were on her. ‘You have Martelli’s full resources behind you, Liza,’ Coraline said. ‘We’re all very excited about this line, a line which would be nearly impossible to do without some serious innovation, a good deal of which will involve your nose and your intuition. Can you do it?’

  Liza stared at the list of future fragrances still up on the slide and felt her pulse quicken as ideas flashed through her head. ‘How much access will I have to … well to people I need to do stuff like what the ménage did last night?’

  ‘Unlimited,’ Coraline said. She nodded to the slide. ‘Whatever you need. You’ll have. Can you do it?’ She asked again.

  Liza’s mind was racing. This was outrageous. This was insane, and yet she already had ideas flooding into her brain about how to elicit just the right scents that would drive each fragrance. She released a shaky breath. ‘Yes. I can do it.’

  There was a collective sigh of relief, and she felt Paulo’s thigh press tighter against hers.

  ‘Good,’ Coraline said. ‘Paulo can see that whatever resources you need are yours for the asking, and he’ll take you back to The Mount’s villa tonight, introduce you to the players, and help you understand what The Mount is all about. Oh, and there will be a non-disclosure you’ll have to sign for the protection of The Mount, but it shouldn’t interfere with your article. Of course, the Bernini flat is yours for the duration. And I trust you’ll find the salary and the benefits more than adequate. You can talk to human resources about that when we’re finished here. And –’ she reached into her briefcase which sat on the chair next to her, and pulled out a Kindle in a blue leather cover. ‘I don’t know if you read erotica, Liza, but if you don’t, now would be a good time to start. I’ve taken the liberty of downloading some classics, some of my favourites and some favourites of the people at The Mount. Anything else you want to add to your erotic research library, feel free to, at Martelli’s expense, of course.’ She handed the Kindle to Liza. Liza had her own and she did have quite a stash of erotica. With her lack of a love life due to her sensitive nose, erotica had been about as close as she got to hot sex before Paulo.

  ‘Also, I’ve had a good collection of porn added to the entertainment library in the flat, though you probably won’t have time to watch it, you might find it handy for inspiration.’

  Liza struggled to get her head around the idea of being paid and housed in a luxury flat in Rome to watch porn, read erotica, and orchestrate … well orchestrate great-smelling sex. Surely she must still be asleep in her cramped coach seat on the plane dreaming about the delicious-smelling man from the lounge that she would never meet again. Surely her brain was just compensating for her total lack of a sex life and for the royal fuck-up that had been her almost-relationship with Carl. She would have pinched herself, but as the stroking and kneading of Paulo’s hand against her thigh made her scent rise up and wrap around his like an intimate embrace, she decided if she were dreaming, she sure as hell didn’t want to wake up any time soon.

  ‘I’ll leave you in Paulo’s quite capable hands,’ Coraline didn’t even try to hide the knowledge that she knew exactly what that meant. ‘He knows Martelli as well as I do, and he’s on the High Council at The Mount, much to his chagrin.’ She offered him a smile, and Liza warmed to the growl at the back of his throat. If she didn’t get out of here soon, she was going to push back her chair and straddle the man, and surely that wasn’t a very good way to influence the boss. But then again, the boss had turned her over to her dominatrix head of security and then taken her to witness a small orgy last night and asked her to sniff it out with running commentary. It was very quickly becoming evident that Martelli Fragrance did not follow the typical business model.

  Chapter Twelve

  Liza’s office at Martelli was far nicer than the rented space above a law firm from which she and Addie ran High Rising. She worked for several hours brainstorming and putting together ideas for the sexy scents Martelli had in mind for its new line. Then Jim picked her up and took her for a tour of the research facilities, dropping her back at her flat a little before five. There was another message on her BlackBerry from Carl, whom she had nearly forgotten about between the excitement of what was happening at Martelli and the heat generating between her and Paulo. In the phone message, he’d had the balls to mention that since they hadn’t been having sex, he wasn’t sure if they even had a relationship – though he wanted one, he’d added quickly. She couldn’t argue that there’d been little between them to begin with, and a relationship with the man was now the last thing she wanted. Cursing under her breath, she decided it was time to gut it up and take care of the situation for good. She returned hi
s call and was surprised, but more than a little relieved, when she got only his voicemail.

  ‘Hi Carl. Sorry I haven’t returned your calls. I’ve been really busy, and I didn’t want to talk to you. You’re right, of course. There was no real commitment between us, and since I wasn’t giving you what you needed, I can’t blame you for seeking it elsewhere.’ It was surprisingly easy to tell him politely to fuck off. She thought she sounded rather eloquent really. She continued. ‘What happened the other night was just a wake-up call for me to realize that it was never going to work for us, and it was time to admit it. I wish you all the best, really, I do, and I have no hard feelings. Let’s just let bygones be bygones and get on with our lives.’ She broke the connection, relieved that she didn’t actually have to talk to him, knowing that he would have argued, and she really didn’t want an argument breaking her focus right now.

  That done, she looked at her watch, then mentally figured the time difference between Rome and Portland and decided it was late enough to Skype Addie.

  Her friend’s image appeared on the monitor, short red hair spiked and wet from the shower. ‘Hi sweetie,’ she said with a bright smile. ‘What’s going on between you and Carl?’

  Leave it to Addie to get right to the point. So she returned the favour. ‘I broke it off. Found him banging some bimbo on the kitchen counter and realized at the end of the day, I really didn’t care who he shagged as long as it wasn’t me.’

  Addie offered a sage nod. ‘So it was him making you sneeze and not the vicious New York City pollen and leaf mould you’d been blaming. Garbage usually makes me sneeze too.’ Her eyes sparkled with sympathetic anger. ‘Follow your nose, hon. That’s what you always told me. The bastard’s been making it sound like everything is rosy when he’s called me asking about you. I sort of felt like something was wrong.’ She leaned into the monitor and studied Liza. ‘You don’t look any worse for the wear, sweetie. What’s going on?’

  Liza couldn’t help it. She blushed. ‘I met A.P. Delacour.’

  ‘Yes, well I’m not surprised. I mean he is the heir apparent at Martelli.’ Her bright blue eyes suddenly widened and her mouth became a round O of understanding. ‘Oh. Oh! You mean you met A.P. Delacour.’ She wiggled her eyebrows. Then swallowed back a ‘Fuuuuck!’ when Liza only nodded slightly.

  ‘Paulo,’ Liza said. ‘He goes by Paulo.’

  ‘And how does he smell?’

  Only a good friend would ask such a question. Liza rolled her eyes and sighed. ‘Heaven couldn’t possibly smell better than he does.’

  ‘Details, girl! I want details.’ Addie was practically vibrating in her chair.

  ‘I don’t have time for details right now. I have to get ready. He’s picking me up. But …’ she leaned closer to the monitor, and her face nearly hurt from the huge smile ‘… it appears I’m going to be working for Martelli in quite a different capacity than the interview I’d expected. Martelli Fragrance wants to hire my nose.’ With that she filled in her friend as much as she could without too much detail, understanding as she did, the edginess of what they were about to do. Addie assured her that she could take care of High Rising until Liza’s consulting with Martelli was finished. Before she said goodbye, she made her promise a long Skype sesh with details about the very heavenly smelling Paulo Delacour. Still smiling as she closed her laptop, Liza headed in to take advantage of the swimming pool-sized Jacuzzi bath before she got ready to meet Paulo for their outing to The Mount’s villa.

  Instead of meeting Vera in his office, Jim met her at the café around the corner from the Martelli Building. He was late getting back from the research facility due to traffic. Clearly she’d had time to go home and change. She wore a pale yellow sundress that hugged her dangerous curves and contrasted beautifully with her golden skin, of which it showed plenty

  ‘I’m very upset with you,’ she said with a full-lipped pout that begged to be kissed. ‘You took Liza Calendar to visit the research facility and you didn’t take me.’ She took his hand and pulled him through the back of the coffee shop to a postage stamp sized courtyard where a small fountain tinkled cheerfully amid a tiny garden of cyclamen in varying shades of red. They had barely settled when the waiter delivered two lattes. ‘I hope you don’t mind,’ she said, ‘but I took the liberty of ordering for us. Since I’m substituting for Alessandro. I know what everyone drinks.’ She settled in at a tiny table and he sat down across from her

  ‘I didn’t know you wanted to see the research facility,’ he said, focusing on the packets of sugar and his coffee rather than the mounds of her breasts, which rose and fell with each breath above the thin fabric of her dress, completely unrepentant of the brazen press of erect nipples.

  ‘Of course I want to see the facility,’ she said, offering him a flirty smile. ‘But even more importantly, I want you to show it to me.’ She leaned across the table, her eyes locked on his, though surely she had to know that it was taking all of his self-control to keep his gaze off her exposed frontage. Then she laughed almost shyly and sat back in her chair. ‘What does a girl have to do to get you to pay attention to her, Jim? I thought about a striptease on the top of your desk after mail delivery, but I like my job, and I don’t want to get fired.’

  If Jim’s cock wasn’t already paying full attention, it certainly was now. He settled his cup onto the table and shifted in his seat. ‘Well either you were very subtle or I am extremely obtuse.’ He shrugged. ‘Granted that’s a real possibility, because if I’d had any idea you were interested I’d have made sure you had my full attention.’ His last word ended in a little grunt as she settled a bare foot into his lap and wriggled her toes, offering him an open-mouthed what-do-you-think-of-that sort of look.

  Then she giggles wickedly. ‘I see I have your full attention now, Jim Dryer.’

  ‘I’d say so, yes.’ The yes sounded like a snake hissing as she ran her toes up and down the length of his cock in kneading little grabs that were amazingly agile for a foot.

  As if she’d read his thought she whispered. ‘Unzip your trousers, Jim. Let me show you just how talented my feet really are.’

  He didn’t even think twice. With one hand he unzipped and worried his distended penis free from the breach while the other stroked her gripping foot.

  ‘You’re big,’ she breathed. ‘I knew you were. I could tell by the way your trousers ride against your package.’ The warm bare skin of her feet moved up and down his shaft. The smile she offered him was almost shy. ‘I’ve made more than a few trips to the ladies room to take care of myself while thinking about that hefty package of yours.’ She bit her lip and gasped, and for a minute her stroking of his cock became awkward. He could tell she was shifting to get a hand up under her dress. When she made contact, her eyelids fluttered and she whimpered, ‘Mmm, I can’t tell you how wet you make me, Jim. Shall I show you my tits? I know you’re dying to look at them, but you’re always the polite one, aren’t you? Always all business and focus.’ Without waiting for the response he wasn’t sure he had the brains left to give, she pushed down the straps of her dress and let her breasts tumble into plain view. Her nipples were dark and heavy against the puckered rise of her areolae and, even though he couldn’t imagine it possible, when she pinched and tweaked them between her thumb and forefinger, they got still bigger.

  ‘I’m going to do better than treat you to coffee, Jim,’ she said, sucking her bottom lip and offering a little moan. She rode her fingers with a jerk and grind that shivered up through her breasts. ‘I’m going to give you dessert too. And then –’ she stood up straight to give him just a glimpse of her fingers darting in and out of her pantyless crotch ‘– I’ll take you back to my place for the main course.’ She slipped under the table and in less than a heartbeat, his cock that had responded so deliciously to her long, agile toes was being deep throated in a grip that had him squirming and clenching all over the seat. If she’d left him any brain cells that weren’t focused on what she was doing under the table, he mig
ht have been worried about the waiter finding them in a compromising position, but she hadn’t planned to linger, and it didn’t take long before he reared back in the chair and unloaded into her hard-working mouth with her swallowing and sucking for all she was worth.

  When she finally came up for air, she wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and offered a wicked smile. ‘Now, how about we head over to my place, Jim, and you can tell me all about the research facility … or maybe we’ll just do a little research of our own.’ She plopped several euro down on the table and reached for his hand, with him still tucking and smoothing as they walked back through the café.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Paulo had told Liza it would be a formal gathering in the gardens of the villa. She hadn’t packed anything formal, but somehow, as if by magic, she had returned to Bernini Place to find a red gown that shimmered like sun-kissed cherries. It displayed the tops of her breasts like soft, round fruit cupped by a tight bodice, which accentuated her waist and caressed the flair of her hips and bottom. It was slit deliciously high up her right thigh. Whoever had done the personal shopping for her not only got her size spot-on, but made sure that all the accessories were included in the ensemble. Ms Martelli had even sent her own personal hairdresser. Though Liza seldom wore her hair up in anything more elaborate than a ponytail, she had to admit, the simple chignon showcased her cheekbones and her long neck. She thought she’d cleaned up rather nicely. The look Paulo gave her when he arrived at the flat, along with the spicy surge in his scent told her he heartily agreed. He picked her up in a midnight blue Porsche, but she barely noticed the car when the man driving it was positively edible in a tux that looked like it had been made for him, which no doubt it has been.