Dangerous Pleasures (24 page)

“Fill it in the city,” Devyn suggested.

Annie nodded. “Now beat it,” she said. “I need my sleep.”

“Annie?”

“What?”

“I think I’m falling in love with you,” Devyn said.

“Don’t!” she snapped. And suddenly she realized she meant it. She didn’t want another permanent man in her life. Nat had been her greatest love, and she would always love him. The memories she had of them, of their life together, were wonderful. She had a family. At her age she wanted a man for companionship and for sex. But she also wanted to be dropped off at her door afterward and left alone.

Reaching out, she stroked her lover’s face. “You’re adorable, and you are a great lay,” Annie told him, her tone softer. “But that’s all I want, Devyn. I don’t want a permanent man. At least, not at this stage of my life. Maybe never again. I had a wonderful husband, and if Nat had been alive, this—none of it—would have happened.

“I’d be home tonight with my husband and our children. We’d be playing board games, because we usually did on Friday nights. I wouldn’t be a working woman. I took this job so my little boy could have the Disney Channel added to our cable. So that my twins could have the microscopes they wanted. So my oldest girl could have the latest fashions, and not feel left out in school. Nat’s insurance wasn’t enough, and I’ve just been getting by, Devyn. My sister is making up the gap between Nathaniel’s scholarship and Princeton’s fees. Maybe in another year I can do that for my son. I don’t like being dependent, but I’ve swallowed my pride for almost three years now, and taken whatever was offered to me for my kids. I have to do right by my kids. Nat would want me to do it. But if a handsome man wants to bed me now and again, I won’t object. After all, there has to be something in all of this for me.”

“I can’t help how I feel about you,” he told her. “But I do understand, Annie.”

“I’m your first older woman,” she answered him with a small smile. “You’ve just got a crush on me, sweetie, and that’s flattering. Now put your clothes on and go away.”

When he had gone Annie got up and showered. She reeked of wild sex. Two men. It had been exciting, and it had been fun. Connor certainly had a skillful penis. She wondered if she was brave enough to find a way to screw him again. She would have to think about that. She didn’t want Devyn thinking he had an exclusive thing with her, and after all, it had been Devyn who had added Connor into the equation. She was amazed with herself. How could she think like this?

She and Nat had had a perfectly nice sex life.
Nice?
Yes, nice. So she didn’t always have an orgasm. He thought she did, and it made them both happy. But it hadn’t been exciting, or wild, or deviant. It had been nice, and she could have been happy the rest of her life not knowing exciting, wild, and deviant. But not now. No, not now. And given her “Beauty and the Beast” fantasy, her subconscious had obviously been very stifled until Annie Miller met the Channel. There was no turning back, and frankly she didn’t want to turn back. But maybe she had better keep her fantasies as fantasy. No need to get a reputation as a red-hot mama among the PAs. Especially now that she was about to become the Spa’s assistant manager.

Devyn brought her breakfast, and she told him no more multiple partners, explaining why. He nodded, agreeing it had been foolish.

“And tell Connor he is to keep his mouth shut,” Annie said.

Again Devyn nodded. He escorted her to the chopper. “Do you want me to come with you?” he asked her hopefully.

“No, you can have the day off,” Annie told him. “I’ll see you Monday.”

“Dinner tonight?”

“I’ll see you Monday,” she repeated.

The trip to the city was so much faster than driving in, and they were landing at the heliport on the river before she knew it.

“I go back at five p.m., Ms. Miller,” the pilot said.

“I’ll be here,” Annie told him, and turned at a touch on her arm.

“I’m your driver, Ms. Miller,” the uniformed man said, smiling. “Hey, Bill,” he said to the pilot. “Nice weather for a trip. You taking anyone back?”

“Yeah,” the chopper pilot said. “Ten a.m.”

“What time do you want Ms. Miller back?”

“Five p.m.,” the chopper pilot replied.

“I didn’t know I had a driver,” Annie said with a smile as they walked to the black Lincoln Town Car and got in.

“Yes, ma’am. Mr. Nicholas likes his people taken care of,” the driver said.

“Do you know where I’m going?” Annie asked.

“Yes, ma’am. And I’ll be with you all day. My name is Frank.”

The car pulled out of the heliport and into the city streets. It was Saturday, and the roadway wasn’t particularly crowded. Lizzie was waiting for them outside of her apartment building. Frank pulled up in front of it, and the doorman opened the car door, allowing Lizzie to get in. The two sisters kissed.

“Hi, Frank!” Lizzie said.

“Ms. Bradford,” the driver said.

“You know him?” Annie asked, surprised.

“Frank is always there to bring me home the nights I work late,” Lizzie said.

“Which is almost every night.” Frank chuckled as he pulled away from the curb. “Where to, ladies?”

It was just nine a.m., and they spent the next four hours shopping. Lizzie had an unerring fashion sense. “When you’re in a service business, how you look is important,” she explained. “You want classic clothing that can be refreshed over the next few seasons, with good accessories and jewelry so it all looks different. No trendy stuff,” she cautioned.

“I wouldn’t know trendy from untrendy,” Annie said with a smile.

“You look different,” Lizzie remarked. Then her blue eyes grew wide, and she dropped her voice. “You’re getting screwed, and not just in the Channel!” she gasped.

Annie flushed.

“Who is he? Tell your sister,” she said, grinning.

“Shut up, Lizzie,” Annie muttered.

“It has to be someone at the Spa, because the only places you go are there and home,” Lizzie murmured low. “And your household is all women but for a five-year-old boy, so it’s someone at the Spa.” She grew thoughtful, and then she said, “It’s your PA, you naughty girl. Is he good? Well, of course he is or you wouldn’t look so content.”

“I need shoes,” Annie said.

“We’ll go to Ferragamo,” Lizzie responded, grinning. “You’re going to tell me, you know. I could always get stuff like this out of you.”

“At lunch,” Annie said. “Not in the car.”

“Okay,” Lizzie replied. “And I’m going to want every last detail.”

They finally stopped for lunch at one of the lovely old-fashioned small restaurants that catered to women shopping. They ordered soup, salad, and bread-and-butter sandwiches. As they ate Annie told her younger sister about Devyn seducing her in the shop’s stockroom, and about Devyn bringing Connor last night. Lizzie ate slowly, and listened.

“When did you become so adventurous?” she asked Annie when her sister had finished her recitation. “I would never have thought you of all people could be so naughty. Two guys at once! I’ll have to try it.”

“This wasn’t the Channel, Lizzie. This was for real,” Annie said thoughtfully.

“I know,” Lizzie answered her sister, “but I can’t get involved for real.”

“And I shouldn’t,” Annie responded. “It really wouldn’t do for the assistant manager of The Spa at Egret Pointe to be known as the open road for boys, would it? I’ve only been with Devyn twice, and I think I’ll put our relationship back on a proper track. The Channel is a safer place to go for wild sex.”

Lizzie nodded. “I think you’re right, sis,” she agreed. “Mr. Nicholas seems to prefer his enterprises to maintain a low profile. And he seems to like you. Don’t disappoint him, Annie.” Finishing her lunch, she ordered dessert for herself and her sister.

“Hey, I’m watching my weight,” Annie said.

“You look great,” Lizzie replied. “Everything we bought today was a size twelve. You were a sixteen, last I looked.”

Annie sent her purchases home to Egret Pointe so that when Frank dropped her back at the heliport and she climbed aboard the Spa’s chopper she had nothing with her. Lizzie had come with her, and she waved to Annie from the tarmac where she stood. Annie waved back. It had been a wonderful day, and with this promotion she had a lot of wonderful days ahead of her. The chopper rose up and banked over the river. Then it headed north and east toward Egret Pointe. The sun was beginning to set, and the sky was awash with color. Annie leaned back, admiring the view. She had a marvelous new life, and she was enjoying it to the fullest.

C
HAPTER
E
IGHT

I
t was late May, and Nathaniel was home briefly from Princeton before taking up a summer internship he had gotten. “You look great, but you look a little stressed, too,” he told his mother as they shared a few moments over cups of coffee on the back porch of the house. “This promotion isn’t too much for you, is it?”

“No, I love it,” she told him. “I think I want a woman for a PA instead of a man, and I’m not certain how to broach the subject with Nora Buckley.”

“What’s wrong with the guy?”

“Nothing really. He’s nice, but I sometimes get the feeling he thinks he’s in charge and not me. I’ve tried speaking to him about it, and he apologizes, but nothing changes. I don’t want him fired. I just want to work with someone else.”

Nathaniel was silent for a moment, and then he said, “The guy coming on to you, Ma?” When she blushed he chuckled.

“Really, Nathaniel! Devyn is much younger than I am,” Annie replied.

“A lot of guys like older women,” her son responded quietly.

“It is flattering,” Annie admitted, “but uncomfortable now that I’ve got an executive position. I’m perfectly capable of doing my job. I certainly don’t need to be protected, or have Nora Buckley and Mr. Nicholas think I can’t cope.”

“You don’t have a choice, then,” Nathaniel said. “You’ll have to speak with Ms. Buckley and have this Devyn reassigned. Don’t hesitate, Mom, or this guy will make you look bad. Until recently I haven’t seen you smile since Dad died. It’s nice to see you happy again, and I know Dad would be glad of it.”

“I can’t believe I’m widowed three years now,” Annie remarked.

“You still miss him?”

“I do,” Annie said.

“Ever think of remarrying?” her oldest son inquired.

Annie shook her head. “Nope. Nat was the love of my life, and there is no replacing him, Nathaniel.”

“What about sex?”

“Excuse me?” She pierced him with a sharp look.

“Sorry,” he replied, flushing. “Just curious, Mom.”

“That’s something even a college-age son shouldn’t quiz his mother about,” Annie said with a small smile. She stood up. “I’ve got to get to work.”

“It’s just after eight o’clock in the morning,” he noted.

“I like to get there early,” Annie said. “Being assistant manager of the Spa isn’t just sitting about and being charming. I review all the applications, fix the reservations, monitor the personal assistants, check and approve the daily menus, order supplies. The staff come to me with any problems, Nathaniel, from the pool thermostat not working properly to deer getting into the salad garden. And I circulate among the guests making certain that they are happy and have everything that they need. It’s a long day.”

“The girls say you work late a lot of nights now, Mom,” Nathaniel remarked.

“I do, but Nanny Violet is here for them,” Annie said, and she glanced at her watch. “I really have to fly, darling. Enjoy your day. I’ll see you this evening.”

“Have a good one, Mom,” her son called after her.

“You have to sign the camp applications,” Nanny Violet told her as Annie came back into the kitchen. “They’re due up at Stoneledge next week.”

“Give them to me,” Annie said. “Amy wants to be a CIT?”

“Yes,” Nanny Violet replied. “There is a separate application for her. The twins are on a single page.” She handed the papers to Annie, who barely glanced at them before placing her signature at the bottom of the pages where required. “Thanks so much for doing this,” she told her nanny. “Do we need a check?”

“Just sign here,” Nanny Violet responded, pushing the household checkbook toward her. “The deposit is fifteen hundred, and I’ll mark it down in the register.”

“Thanks, Nanny, you’re a lifesaver,” Annie said as she scrawled her signature. “I shouldn’t be late tonight.”

“I’ll do a nice roast beef, then,” the nanny replied. “Have a good day, Mrs. Miller.”

Annie hurried out. She hadn’t seen Amy this a.m. Her school bus had already come and gone. The junior high kids were waiting, and the bus rounded the corner as she got into her little red Miata. Her promotion had netted her a company car. She backed out of the drive and waved to the twins as she sped by just ahead of the school bus. They waved back. It was a beautiful morning, but she was feeling a little nervous as she reached the Spa. Nathaniel was right. She had to speak to Nora about replacing Devyn. She headed directly for the spa manager’s office.

Nora was already there, and smiled as Annie stuck her head in. “Good morning!”

“Do you have a minute?” Annie asked her nervously.

“Sure, come on in and close the door,” Nora answered. “What’s up?”

“I want to replace Devyn,” Annie said. She had to get it out in a rush or she wouldn’t say it at all. “I want a female PA.”

Nora nodded. “I know there’s been a little flirtation between you,” she said.

Annie flushed. “That’s not the reason.” She neither confirmed nor denied Nora’s statement. “He’s sweet. And he’s a great PA, but not for me anymore. He tries to do my job for me, and I am entirely capable of doing it for myself. Frankly he’s beginning to annoy the shit out of me, Nora.”

Nora laughed out loud. “Good for you,” she said. “If there is anything I dislike, it’s being hovered over and told what to do by a man. You’d never know I used to be a meek little homemaker who looked to my big, strong man for guidance. But I got over it when Jeff tried to divorce me, and take everything besides.”

“Working here has been a revelation and a lifesaver,” Annie said. “I love it, and Devyn is spoiling it by second-guessing every decision I make.”