Laid and Leveraged (6 page)

“
So
where
exactly
are
you
taking
me?
”
she
asked
as
the
car
turned
the
bend
out
of
her
neighborhood.
She
took
a
sip
of
the
champagne.
It
was
delicious,
wonderfully
dry
with
just
a
hint
of
sweetness.
Her
driver
glanced
up
in
the
rearview
mirror,
catching
her
eye
through
the
open
partition.

“
Chartier,
”
he
answered.

Michelle
nearly
spewed
the
champagne
across
the
seat
in
front
of
her.
“
Chartier
?
”
she
choked.
“
You
must
be
joking.
There's
at
least
a
six
month
wait
for
reservations!
”

“
Mr.
Hollins
keeps
a
private
table
at
Chartier,
”
the
driver
informed
her
as
easily
as
if
he
were
referring
to
Applebees
rather
than
the
city's
finest
French
restaurant.
Michelle
drained
her
glass.
She
was
going
to
need
more
than
just
a
little
liquid
courage
if
she
planned
on
getting
through
this
night
with
her
wits
still
about
her.

Michelle
had
a
plan,
but
she
would
need
every
bit
of
confidence
she
could
muster
up
if
it
had
any
chance
of
working.
She
was
going
to
seduce
her
boss
in
exchange
for
him
relinquishing
his
control
over
her
company.
The
way
she
saw
it,
she
had
no
other
choice.
She'd
given
up
everything
for
Today's
Energy.
When
her
friends
from
college
were
falling
in
love,
getting
married,
and
starting
families,
Michelle
had
been
hard
at
work
trying
to
make
her
clean
energy
company
a
household
name.
She
sighed,
leaning
back
against
the
plush
seat,
and
unbuttoned
the
top
two
buttons
of
her
blouse.

***

Michelle
was
led
to
a
secluded,
out
of
way
table,
just
far
enough
away
from
the
stringed
quartet
to
hear
the
music
but
still
be
able
to
hold
a
decent
conversation.
Grateful
that
Roger
Hollins
hadn't
arrived
yet,
Michelle
lowered
herself
into
the
seat
the
ma
î
tre
d'
held
out
for
her.
The
table
had
already
been
set
with
a
bottle
of
Bordeaux
and
two
wine
glasses
which
the
ma
î
tre
d'
took
the
time
to
fill.
Michelle,
still
a
little
tipsy
from
the
champagne
on
the
way
over
decided
to
hold
off
on
the
wine.
Pulling
out
a
compact
from
her
purse,
she
checked
her
reflection.
The
dim
lighting
in
the
restaurant
did
wonders
for
her
already
smooth
skin.
She
dabbed
on
some
more
lipstick,
deciding
that
was
all
she
needed.
Trying
to
calm
her
racing
nerves,
she
took
a
deep
breath
and
prayed
her
plan
would
work.

“
It's
a
relief
to
know
that
you're
capable
of
following
at
least
some
orders,
”
a
deep
voice
startled
her,
causing
Michelle
to
drop
the
compact
onto
the
table.
She
looked
up
to
see
Roger
Hollins
admiring
the
cleavage
straining
against
her
thin
blouse.
He
grinned
at
her,
his
eyes
glowing
in
the
soft
lighting.
Her
breath
caught
in
her
throat.
Once
again
he
reminded
her
of
a
cat
ready
to
pounce
upon
its
prey.
He
looked
splendid
in
his
dark,
immaculate
suit
and
silk
tie.
Even
though
his
attire
was
more
formal
than
anything
he'd
worn
in
the
office
he
seemed
casual,
relaxed
even,
with
his
hands
in
his
pockets
and
his
eyes
languidly
roving
her
figure.

A
hungry
lion
,
Michelle
thought.
She
immediately
knew
she'd
made
a
grave
error
in
her
calculations.
It
wasn't
her
that
would
seduce
him
tonight,
but
rather
he
who
would
seduce
her.

“
I
trust
the
ride
over
was
pleasant
enough,
”
he
murmured,
pulling
out
a
chair
next
to
her
and
taking
a
seat.
He
placed
a
bold
hand
on
her
knee
and
she
nearly
jumped
out
of
her
skin
at
the
familiar
caress.
“
I
do
like
your
hair
like
that,
”
he
added,
taking
a
sip
of
wine
and
running
his
fingertips
lightly
along
the
inside
of
her
thigh
beneath
the
skirt.

The
touch
sent
shivers
up
and
down
her
spine
and
despite
her
resolve
to
stay
strong
she
felt
herself
melting
under
his
tender
administrations.

“
In
fact,
”
he
purred,
his
voice
dropping
an
octave
as
he
dipped
his
head
down
near
hers
“
You
might
say,
I've
thought
of
little
else
since
you
came
into
that
board
room,
hair
wild
and
eyes
so
full
of
hostility.
”
He
grinned
at
her
again,
as
though
he'd
won
already
and
she
was
his.