Cosmic Trifecta

by Anna Lewis

  She laughed nervously, but she let him pull her closer, resting her head on his shoulder and letting him lead her around the dance floor. Her stomach was in knots, her skin beneath his hands on fire. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes and tried to imprint the moment on her memory. She didn’t want to forget this night.

  Or this man.

  ***

  The limo pulled up to her apartment building and she sighed inwardly before looking at Eric.

  “I had the most magical night,” she said. “Should I have the dress cleaned and send it to the office?”

  “This dress is yours. I thought I made that clear.”

  “I can’t accept this,” she said, panicking a little at the thought that he might mean the dress to be her payment.

  Did it cost five grand? She didn’t know because there hadn’t been prices on the tags and the dress had been charged to Eric’s account. She had no idea how much the dress was worth and—

  Eric handed her an envelope and when she looked at the address window, she could tell it was a payroll check.

  “I figured you would want it this way, but I can rip this up and give you cash if you want,” he said.

  “A check is good,” she said, the relief washing over her.

  “I had a wonderful time tonight.”

  “I did, too,” she said, and she meant it.

  “Thank you for going with me. You made an intolerable bore of a night go much too quickly. And you’re a much better dancer than you give yourself credit for.”

  “I’ll remember that when my feet are killing me tomorrow,” she said wryly.

  “I like your humor.”

  Her heart skipped a beat.

  “Thanks,” she said, putting her hand on the door handle.

  “Let the driver get the door. May I walk you to your door?”

  Shawna thought about it for an instant, but she already knew her answer.

  She shook her head.

  “People are already going to talk enough seeing a limo in front of my building twice today. If you walk with me to the door, it’s only going to get more people talking about what I could possibly be doing.”

  “Why not just tell them?”

  Shawna laughed.

  “It’s different when you’re one of the normal people. You’re a billionaire; if you do or say something eccentric, no one questions you. But I’m just plain Shawna; the girl who can’t hold a simple job in a secretary pool. I’m not extraordinary.”

  “You are if you choose to be,” he said.

  He reached out and touched her hand, raising it to his lips and kissing her knuckles gently.

  “I had an amazing time tonight, Shawna. I won’t walk you to your door because you don’t want me to. But I want you to know that you are extraordinary and powerful beyond your understanding. I hope to show you that power someday.”

  Shawna stared at him for a long moment, lost in the magic of his lips on her skin. Then the driver gently pulled the door open and the moment was lost.

  “Thank you,” she said, clutching the envelope in her hand and taking the hand that the driver offered.

  “Anytime, Shawna Jones,” Eric said with a soft smile on his face, then he sat back and settled into the seat as the driver shut the door.

  The driver held his arm out but Shawna waved him off.

  “I can walk myself up,” she said.

  “We’ll wait until you get into the lobby,” the driver said.

  Shawna didn’t bother to argue. These men were Texas gentlemen, born and bred. They didn’t have it in them to let her out in the dark street at such a late hour without making sure that she got home safe. She couldn’t fault them for that; she didn’t live in the best neighborhood, though it was a step up from where she grew up.

  “Thank you,” she said, then she turned and walked on sore feet that were strapped in delicate heels with stones that glimmered when they caught the light.

  She went through the lobby door and bypassed the stairs, heading straight for the elevator that she rarely used. Her legs were exhausted and she didn’t know if her feet could take one more minute in these shoes.

  Letting herself into the apartment, she locked the door behind herself and dropped the keys into the bowl on the entryway table. She walked to the window and smiled. The limo was still sitting by the curb. She pulled the curtain to the side and waved. The rear window of the limo lowered and Eric’s hand slipped out and he waved back as the limo pulled away.

  Shawna’s heart fluttered in her chest, but she just shook her head.

  “Don’t be a fool, Shawna,” she admonished herself aloud. “He’s way out of your league and he’s not into you like that.”

  Shawna sat down on her chocolate colored suede couch and opened the envelope carefully. She slid the check out and a small square of paper fell out onto the floor. She ignored it for the moment, taking a pen off the coffee table and endorsing the check with the words “for deposit only”, then taking out her cell phone. She logged onto her banking app and took a picture of each side of the check, then accepted the deposit.

  Watching the icons on the top of her cell phone screen, she held her breath until the email icon popped up and the automated system told her that her deposit had been accepted. The air came out of her in a huge sigh of relief. That was over seven thousand that she had deposited in two days. It wasn’t much when she didn’t have another job lined up, but if she could get a job in the next week, she would have a nice little chunk of money left to fall back on.

  She leaned down to unbuckle her strappy heels, and only then did she remember the small paper with the note on it.

  She picked it up and turned it over, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply when she read the words. How could she have forgotten?

  The jewelry is yours to keep, the note said simply.

  She stood and looked in the mirror, the diamonds shining in the dim light of her living room. She couldn’t accept these gifts, but she didn’t have much of a choice. He’d let her forget intentionally and obviously planned it from the start. She either kept the jewelry or she went to his office Monday and tried to give it back. There was no way she was doing that. Eric Furst was gorgeous, rich and available. She knew if she went to see him again so soon, she’d be playing with fire.

  There was no way Shawna would risk getting burned.

  ***

  Shawna walked into her apartment and let herself fall backward onto the sofa. It was Thursday already, and she was still without a job. She was starting to get worried, even though she had plenty of money saved up and her bills were all caught up. Getting set up in a higher paying job was always a long process, with multiple interviews, competency exams and waiting while the company ran several other candidates through the same hoops. It could take upwards of three weeks to get offered a job, and then another week or two to start if someone was leaving the position she would be taking. Adjusting to be on the safe side put her starting a job in six weeks. She needed gainful employment within the next eight weeks, or she was going to be dangerously close to running out of money.

  “If you can’t get the first interview, there’s no way you’re going to get a job by eight weeks,” she said aloud, her voice filled with tension.

  She was six days in and nothing. No one was hiring, and those that were turned cold when she answered their questions about her more recent employment. Lying was tempting, but Shawna knew that they would find out the truth eventually, and it was better to go in honestly. Still, it was making getting a job in her field almost impossible and she didn’t know what else to do.

  She couldn’t go back to working in the food industry. Standing up, she began to pace the floor in her bare feet, trying to focus on slowing her breathing, but nothing was working. Nothing was going right and she was running out of viable options.

  She paced until she found herself going down the hallway and she knew at once where her subconscious was taking her. She did have one more option, but it wouldn’t f
ix things for long.

  The bedroom was dark when she stepped into the room and went straight to the jewelry box. She took out the necklace and matching bracelet, wondering how much they were worth. If she got in a bind, she could sell them and maybe make enough to make it another month.

  Her hands were shaking and she was starting to feel anxious. She had worked so hard to get her job at Furst Industries and she had even waited a few months to make sure it was going to work out before she started spending money. But now that she was stuck in this lease, she couldn’t just walk away from her apartment and hope that the leasing company wouldn’t sue her.

  Then there was her car.

  “Stop it,” she said out loud. “Stop compounding the problem. Take it one thing at a time and don’t panic. Tomorrow is another day.”

  But she knew that tomorrow wouldn’t change much, and she was trapped. She had to figure something out and quick. She stretched out on the bed, hugging her pillow and angrily swiping at the tears that surprised her. She wasn’t going to give up, no matter what. She just had to keep her head up and stay positive. Closing her eyes, she envisioned herself finally getting the call that would change her life, and every time her mind drifted toward the negative, she forced it back. She had to put out positive to bring in positive. That’s what she had learned in all this. She wasn’t about to give up the happy life she had worked so hard to build.

  She didn’t realize she had fallen asleep until her phone began to ring and her eyes opened to a dark room. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, she tried to figure out what had pulled her out of sleep, and then she saw her phone on the bed beside her.

  It took a moment for her eyes to focus, and when they did, she sucked in a quick breath.

  It was Eric.

  She answered the phone with a tentative “Hello?” and she could hear Eric’s smile through the phone.

  “Did I wake you?”

  “It’s alright, I was ready to wake up.”

  “I’m glad you got a nap in today.”

  Her stomach clenched at the suggestion in his voice, though she didn’t know specifically what he was implying with his tone.

  “I am, too,” she said hesitantly.

  “Look, I was wondering if you wanted to do another job with me again.”

  She had a moment of panic, but she shook her head as she spoke, trying to make it clear even though he couldn’t see her.

  “I can’t suffer through another boring fundraiser,” she said lightly.

  “That’s good, because this is something completely different, and far from boring.”

  Closing her eyes, she tried to gather up her willpower to tell him no, but she found herself intrigued.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “Have you ever been to Vegas?”

  ***

  The limo stopped and Shawna looked outside.

  “Where are we?”

  “The airport.”

  “I see that, but why are we on the tarmac?”

  Eric smiled and the door opened. He held out his hand and she took it, the electricity that shot through her hand with his touch even stronger than before.

  “I guess it’s a surprise,” he said, helping her out and leading her down a carpet that stopped just under their door.

  She followed the carpet with her eyes, and her mouth dropped open when she saw the black and silver Pilatus PC-24.

  “What is that?” she asked.

  “It’s an airplane,” he said. “More specifically, it’s my airplane. This is the first flight in this new one, so this should be fun.”

  “Why did you get a new one?” she asked, then almost kicked herself for the stupid question.

  He shrugged.

  “This one came out and I liked it. So, I bought it.”

  She shook her head, and laughed softly.

  “It must be nice,” she said, still laughing but feeling a little bitter about her lot in life.

  Following him onto the plane, she was amazed by the interior, but she kept it to herself. She was feeling nervous and starting to wonder if this was a good idea.

  The limo driver went straight to the back of the plane, taking a seat and settling in while Eric sat down in one of the large, reclining chairs in the front and patted the seat beside him.

  She sat down, still in the clothes she’d been wearing on her job search, wishing she had taken the time to change. A pencil skirt and a blouse weren’t exactly comfortable travel attire, and she was already feeling uncomfortable.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, his hand covering hers and giving her a reassuring squeeze.

  “I’ve never flown before.”

  He looked surprised.

  “I was actually wondering about your comment, but I’m surprised that you’ve never flown.”

  “Some people have no reason to fly anywhere.”

  He looked at her, his hand still on hers, but he didn’t say anything more on the subject.

  “What about the other comment. What did you mean by ‘it must be nice’?”

  She turned away to hide the color that rose in her cheeks at the embarrassing slip of the tongue.

  “I shouldn’t have said that. It was rude and I know that you work hard for what you have.”

  She felt his hand on her chin and he gently turned her head so she faced him again.

  “You must really feel that way if you said it so passionately. Don’t be afraid to be honest with me. I value honesty more than I value having my ass kissed.”

  Shawna laughed despite her embarrassment.

  “I did mean it, and I’m sorry. It’s not so much about you as it is about being bitter about the straw I drew in life. I bust my ass and I’m still struggling. It’s just hard to see someone else do so well that they can just buy planes like I buy underwear and not feel a twinge of jealousy.”

  “You only buy one pair of underwear every two years?” he asked, arching an eyebrow in mock surprise.

  Shawna laughed.

  “You’re right. It was silly of me to assume that just because it was a new purchase that you do that a lot. But still, what I wouldn’t give to be able to just buy an airplane.”

  “You could, if you wanted to,” he said.

  The plane began to taxi down the runway and Shawna felt herself getting more and more nervous. Eric’s hand was still holding hers and she found herself threading her fingers through his so she could hold on tighter.

  “How?” she asked, trying to keep her mind occupied.

  “I can teach you how to invest your money.”

  “I don’t have enough to invest.”

  “Sure, you do. After this weekend, you’ll be fifteen thousand dollars richer.”

  She turned to look at him.

  “Fifteen? Why so much?”

  “Don’t worry, I’m not paying for sex,” he quipped. “But this party is a little different, and I’m going to need you to dress a little differently than the last party.”

  The nose of the airplane lifted and Shawna’s body was pressed against the back of the chair. Her heart was racing and her stomach dropped when the wheels left the tarmac and the plane bounced lightly on an air pocket as it rose.

  “Different how?”

  “I’m opening a new venue on the outskirts of Vegas; really risqué. I’m going to need you to wear something a little more form-fitting and decidedly naughty.”

  “What kind of place is it?”

  “It’s a hotel of sorts, but it’s geared toward the kinky amongst us.”

  “Kinky how?” she asked. “Wait, I don’t know if I want you to answer that.”

  “It’s nothing terribly kinky, just a safe space for couples that practice BDSM as a twenty-four seven lifestyle to vacation and enjoy each other freely.”

  “BDSM?”

  He smiled at her, kissing her cheek tenderly.

  “I should have known that you wouldn’t even know what that is. You are delightfully innocent and sweet.”

  “I’v
e heard of it, I just don’t know if I’m that type of girl.”

  “Powerful, sexy, smart, in control? You are all those things and more, but I’m not asking you to be that kind of girl. I just need you to dress the part and stick by my side while I mingle with my financial backers in the BDSM community.”

  She swallowed hard.

  “There’s a community,” she asked nervously. “They’re going to know I’m a fraud.”

  “Relax, Shawna. They are going to know nothing about you except that you’re the beautiful blonde on the arm of the man making their kinky hotel dreams come true.”

  “What if I can’t?”

  “You can, but if you choose not to, then I’ll put you up in one of the tamer hotels for the weekend and you can fly back with me Sunday morning.”

  “That’s in three days.”

  “It is.”

  She took a deep breath, looking out the open window, then back at her fingers, white knuckled and holding his hand tightly still.

  “Fifteen thousand isn’t enough.”

  “I understand,” he said.

  She looked at him, searching his eyes and wondering if she’d made him mad. But he was smiling at her, and his expression emboldened her.

  “Thirty, and I’ll dress the part and I’ll even put on a good show.”

  She knew by the way he smiled that she had him.

  ***

  Shawna looked at her reflection in the mirror, twirling once to watch the skirt on the black skater dress catch air and flutter about her legs. The bodice dipped low, revealing more of her cleavage than she ever had before, but she felt more sexy than self-conscious.

  “You look gorgeous,” Eric said from behind her.

  She caught his gaze in the mirror and smiled.

  “The thigh high stockings were a nice touch,” she said, admiring the nearly one-inch gap between the top of the black stockings and the bottom of the dress.

  “I have one more thing,” he said.

  He moved her two French braids to the side and placed a wide suede choker around her neck. On a silver ring in the middle of the choker was an emerald heart the size of a quarter, sparkling in the dim light of the hotel suite.