The VIP Room(97)

"All right. I have a copy of the proposal on my tablet, so I can pull it up and go over everything with you whenever you're ready. I'll call you back in about an hour."

"Great. Talk then."

Lauren clicked off and jumped up to get her laptop from the kitchen counter. Sure enough, there was a new email from Derek Holmes. She opened it and quickly scanned through all the photos. She didn't even look at the estimate. She'd pay whatever he asked.

Lauren closed the laptop and took it and a notepad with her as she exited the kitchen. She turned off all the lights on the first floor and headed upstairs to her bedroom. She tossed the computer and pad on her bed and opened her nightstand drawer, perusing the assortment of sex toys laid out before her.

She rested her hand on the big black cock, but then moved over to the rabbit, her true favorite. This model had a short extension at the base of the unit that worked her clit while the dildo penetrated and vibrated inside her. She pulled off her shirt and slipped naked under the covers. She had about forty-five minutes until Derek called back, and she was going to use some of that time to come up with some intelligent questions about his proposal so he wouldn't think her a total twit, especially after what she had done earlier in the day.

After filling one side of the notepaper with bullet points and questions, Lauren leaned back on her pillow. She had set her phone, the rabbit, and a set of nipple clamps out. She closed her eyes and contemplated her next steps. It was easy to get excited thinking about Derek. She started to review their brief meeting in her mind. The part where she sprayed him was funny, and she laughed.

Then two less amusing images flashed in her mind. One was the caller's face she saw on his phone. The pretty blonde. The other was the image of how Lauren had looked to him, the way she saw herself in the mirror after he left.

What was she thinking? A gorgeous guy like that would never be interested in a plump frump like herself!

In disgust, she tossed the rabbit and the clamps back into the nightstand drawer.

Why was she even fantasizing about him, anyway? It wasn't like she had ever looked twice at a man like him.

Maybe because men who looked like that didn't look at her, or maybe it was because she rarely had contact with any males outside of school or work. Most of the guys she dated or had been set up with were professionals or on track for a professional career.

Derek was the first man who wasn't a white-collar dweeb that she ever gave a second thought. Maybe he wasn't for her, but the idea that she could date someone who wasn't rich or on the way to becoming rich appealed to her. Even better, a guy like Derek who met her now wouldn't know about the family fortune. If she were lucky enough to have some man interested in her, it would be for herself, not the money.

Her cell phone rang. It was the same number as before.

"Hi, Derek. I hope you're sitting down someplace where it's quiet. I have a ton of questions for you."





Chapter 2





Usually Lauren relished sleeping in on Saturday mornings, but not today. Today she was up with the sun to get ready for Derek's arrival with his crew to work on her landscaping. Ditching her regular morning routine of a five-minute shower, she luxuriated the process and soaped up with scented moisturizing gel, shaved her legs and underarms, and applied a special coconut conditioning rinse after her shampoo that promised to tame the frizzies and split ends.

Instead of pulling her wet hair back with a clip and letting it dry on its own, Lauren used a blow dryer and brush, coaxing her rich brown tresses into soft waves that framed her face and cascaded over her shoulders. She drew the line at applying makeup, but she did slick a shiny pink gloss across her lips.

She slipped into a new matching strapless bra and panty set, a birthday gift from her friend, Samantha, that Lauren had never worn or thought she would. But today she wanted to feel beautiful.

She was surprised when she caught her reflection in the full-length mirror on her closet door. The new lingerie suited her and seemed to emphasize her assets while diminishing the appearance of the muffin-top that her regular underwear created. Normally, she paid little attention to her undergarments, usually purchasing whatever she found in her size that was on sale.

She turned, examining herself from all angles. Maybe Samantha is right, and I should spend a little more time and money on things that make me feel good instead of settling for whatever is available.

Lauren selected a pretty floral sundress with narrow shoulder straps. The bodice was snug, but not too tight, and the full skirt draped gracefully from her waist. The style sported a retro look, and Lauren thought how well she might have fared if only she had been born in the age of Doris Day and Marilyn Monroe, when a woman's curves were revered instead of mocked or eliminated in Photoshop.

She glanced at the clock and gasped. It was almost eight. She quickly slipped on a pair of strappy high-heeled sandals and headed downstairs to brew a pot of coffee and pop a batch of blueberry muffins in the oven.

The doorbell rang just as she placed the first tray of muffins on a cooling rack and the second one in the oven. Lauren checked herself in the hallway mirror before she opened the door to make sure there weren't any embarrassing streaks of blueberries or flour on her face. She took her lipstick from the pocket of her dress and smoothed the gloss over her lips.

The doorbell rang again, followed by a loud knock. Lauren swung the door open. Derek stood there, arm raised as if he were about to land another knock at the door.