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“Yes?” Kathleen’s voice nearly shakes. What in the world am I interrupting?

“Am I bothering you?” I ask, sitting in my favorite chair with my leg draped over my knee. “I can call back later if now is a bad time.”

Kathleen isn’t an easy woman to seduce, really, but I keep my tone flirtatious so she knows this isn’t about business. Well, not that kind of business. The other kind. The fun kind.

“Now is fine. Don’t have much to do at the moment since somebody took my job.”

“Sorry about that. If it makes you feel better, they’ve got us by the balls in negotiations.”

I don’t get a response.

“I’m calling because we have something to discuss.”

Still, silence.

“I think you know what I’m talking about.”

She clears her throat, and I imagine her sitting at home, whatever it looks like. I figure Kathleen would have an impeccable place full of clean lines and feminine accents. So, lots of white, bright colors, and some navies to balance it out. Marble tiling. Beige furniture. Frilly lace on the curtains. I don’t care about that. I care about what her bed looks like. Furthermore, I care about how I look in her bed. Think I’ll have a chance to find out soon?

“I know what you want, Ira.”

Good. Because I want you, Katie, “Let’s discuss it over dinner.” Her, me, a candlelit dinner in my favorite Italian restaurant. I’ll have to get us the private suite, assuming that blasted Etta Coleman hasn’t reserved it every night for the next millennia. Do you know how hard it is to get that room? They should name it after her. Build a different room for the rest of us billionaires, because we’re not getting her scraps anytime soon.

Ahem.

“Dinner?”

I’ve piqued her interest. Yes, Katie, I’m asking you out on a date. I’m going to pour your wine instead of letting the server do it. I’m going to brush my hand against your arm and my foot against your leg. I’m going to entice you to put your hand on my thigh again because I like it when you do that. God, I want to eat you up. Eat you out. Whatever.

“Yes. How about this Wednesday?” It’s the one day this week the Anderssens are too busy to negotiate. Seems like a safe bet. “I’ll make the reservations and come pick you up.”

“Wednesday… that’s soon.”

“Is there a problem?”

“No.” She’s trying to keep her resolve, but I sense her loosening up. Am I seducing you that easily, Kathleen? “I’m free Wednesday evening.”

“Let’s say seven.” We need to have dinner early if I’m going to use most of that night to explore every inch of her body. God willing. It’s about time I take, my uh, time discovering what kind of crevices a beauty like Kathleen has hidden beneath her clothes. I’ve taken way too many detours to her thighs and breasts the last two times.

“Seven. Okay. Should I dress…?”

“Dress however you usually dress to a restaurant.” I’m sure it will be fine. Kathleen is the type to have a closet full of designer clothes in various styles. She’ll look great in anything she wears, and always be appropriate.

Until I rip her clothes off at my place, anyway. Or we could go to hers. I really don’t care.

I want to be inside her again. To smell the nape of her neck and the shampoo in that soft hair. I’m getting tingles thinking about it. I know what I’m doing in my shower after this…

“Ira,” she suddenly begins. I don’t care how many times she interrupts my thoughts. Spending time with her is always better than my fantasies. “I agree. We need to talk. Talk.”

“Of course. See you then?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll text you any details before then. Oh, and Katie?” It feels so good to let that name roll off my tongue. “I’m looking forward to our time together.”

A delicate send-off. My goal is to fill her head with images of me, of the things we can do together, even if they’re fleeting and not really what we want from a long-term partner. I don’t care about the long-term right now. I care about what I want right now. And I want her. I want her body, her voice, her scent, and anything in that wild mind of hers that she feels like sharing.

Just, you know, I hope she keeps the sharing to before and after the main event. When I’m pleasuring a woman, all I want to hear is her moans begging for me to give it to her.