The Art Dealer

By Megan West

Copyright © 2013 by, Megan West

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the author. Reviewers may quote brief passages in reviews.

This is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or business establishments, events or locals is coincidental.

“Are you going to do this or not?”

“Yes! I'm just..working up to it is all”

Jen Sutton was about to walk into one of New York City's most prestigious contemporary art
galleries and ask one of the art world's most notorious art dealers, Rick Harmon, out to dinner. She had been sitting in the car for more than five minutes working up her courage. Her impatient and often abrasive roommate Sarah was not helping her confidence building.

“I shouldn't have worn this ridiculous dress” Jen said as she looked down at her legs, the short dress hugging her thighs tightly. She felt awkward in the dress Sarah picked out for her. She often felt awkward in anything that showed her knees.

“Girl you look gorgeous! You can't expect to pull one over on him anyway. He'll know what you're trying to do so you might as well do it right and look sexy.”

She was right and Jen knew it. Harmon wasn't an idiot and the plan was never to fool him. It was to present herself in a way he couldn't resist.

“It's just not me is all.” Jen said even though she knew she looked good. She was a very attractive girl when she tried. With a naturally thin and toned body, short brown hair and bright green eyes she would be a head turner if she didn't hide her figure all the time under baggy clothes covered in paint.

Two months ago a prestigious contemporary art show was announced at the gallery. Jen was a recent art graduate with a few measly shows under her belt. But nothing as big as this one. Lots of big wigs in the art community would be there and she knew if she got in it would be her big break. So she had grabbed what she felt was her best piece and entered it into the selection process.

She stayed cooped up in her apartment for a week after the rejection letter came. She couldn't even stomach looking at her artwork. A week later she started to bounce back like she always did. She didn't seem like it on the outside but she was a strong and determined person who always got what she wanted. She had visited Harmon several times in an attempt to convince him to accept her painting in the show. He always refused. That's when Jen and Sarah developed their plan.

She would go on a few dates with him, string him along with the possibility of sex and in a week's time, after convincing him to put her painting in the show, dump him. One way or another she would get what she wanted.

“Look at me” Jen looked at Sarah, surprised at her sudden change in tone.

“You'll be fine, you're beautiful, he can't say no.” For the first time she was actually being encouraging. She looked in the car's visor mirror. She wasn't use to her hair actually being done. She let out her frustration with a sigh.

“Okay, I'm ready” She stepped out of the car, adjusted her dress that found its way far up her olive thighs, and began walking towards the gallery.

“Jen!” Sarah yelled out the car as she rolled the window down. She rolled her eyes as she turned around, wondering what she had to say now.

“Yea?”

“Your ass looks great!” She laughed loud enough to be heard over the New York City traffic. Jen blushed as she turned back around and began walking. Embarrassed and wondering if anyone on the busy sidewalk heard her obnoxious friend.

She knew her ass looked great. She would have been crazy if she hadn't checked herself out in the mirror a thousand times before doing this. She knew she didn't have that classic sexy supermodel look a lot of guys went for. She was rather petite but had perfect olive colored skin, a nice tight ass, and decent breasts for her size. She had to look her best if she ever wanted to have a chance at seducing Harmon. He was a very good looking man and she would have to pull out all the stops.

A gust of cold, crisp air hit her bare legs as she walked into the gallery; reminding her how nude she felt. The gallery was a large open space, with bare wood floors and spotless white walls. Colorful paintings hung everywhere, statues filled in some of the empty space on the floor. The place was extremely clean, sharp, and well kept. Not a dust bunny could be found anywhere.

She began to walk towards the receptionist’s desk. She walked with perfect confidence, even though her stomach was turning in knots. She was nervous, she wanted desperately for her painting to hang on one of those impeccable white walls.  

The receptionist was very attractive herself; blond hair, blue eyes. She would have looked more at home on a runway than behind that desk. Jen began to wonder if Harmon purposefully surrounded himself with gorgeous woman. She began to doubt herself. How could she get with Harmon if he had all of New York City to pick from?

“May I help you?” She looked at Jen with raised eyebrows. It crossed Jen's mind if she was on to her little scheme. After all she had been to the gallery numerous times before and never dressed like that.

“Hi my name is Jen Sutton, Is Mr. Harmon in?” She gave her a perfect charming smile. Attempting to calm the potentially troubled waters. The last thing she wanted was some sultry receptionist with big tits getting in the way of her destined career as an artist.

She paused for a moment as she looked Jen up and down. Finally with a reluctant sounding sigh she held down a button on the phone and leaned in to the speaker. 

“Mr. Harmon? A Ms. Sutton is here to see you.”

Within a couple seconds Harmon replied.

“Thank you Heather, send her in.”

Jen couldn't help but try to analyze his tone of voice over the speaker. Was it irritation? Joy? Surprise? She attempted to talk Harmon into allowing her painting in the show twice before. This would be the third time talking to him, she wouldn't be surprised if he had started to get irritated. She quickly gave up on her analysis. He spoke in a straight business man tone. No inflections here or there to give any thoughts or feelings away.  

Heather looked up at Jen and gave her a half smile on only one side of her mouth. It looked more like a smirk than a smile. She began to make her way towards his office door just behind the front desk. As she walked past she caught Heather giving her an up and down once over glance, still wearing the same smirk on her face. As if to say-
Nice try bitch, if I couldn't get him, you can't either.
Jen began to ponder whether or not she was being too harsh on the receptionist or to paranoid.
Nope, she's probably actually a bitch.
  

Her pondering quickly came to a halt when she realized she had reached the door to his office. After all this planning she would now have to actually open the door and go through with it. For a moment she wanted to turn around and walk away, but she knew she had already passed the point of no return. She clenched her teeth, reached her hand forward and walked in. 

She felt a lump in her throat form as soon as she laid eyes on him. She remembered him being handsome, but that day he seemed different, and much better looking than before. He had an ideal head of hair; jet black and wavy, and perfectly combed to the side. His strong jaw peppered with stubble. He wore a perfectly tailored thin cut suite as black as his hair, with a pale pink shirt underneath that gave it the right amount of pop. With a thin tie and a bright silver vintage tie clip he looked more like a fashion model than your typical wall street business man. Only a man with equal confidence could pull off his attire. He was the kind of guy that lit up a room when he walked in. He was immaculate, clean and sharp. The only thing sharper than his suite was his piercing blue eyes. The same piercing blue eyes that looked up at Jen as soon as she walked in the room; giving her a terrible catch in her throat.

Harmon had been standing behind his desk studying a paper when Jen walked in. Before the door had shut behind her he had already laid the paper down and made his way around the desk toward her.

“Ms. Sutton!” He gave her the biggest smile she'd ever seen and extended his hand to shake hers. She still couldn't figure out his opinion of her. Judging by his smile, most people would think he was ecstatic to see her. But she knew he could put on one hell of a smile, genuine or not. 

“Hello Mr. Harmon.” She managed to swallow the lump in her throat. She was impressed with herself after the words came out without a quiver or stutter. His handshake was firm, contrasting his smooth hand. She looked down at his perfect skin as he shook her hand.
Of course his hands are smooth and impeccable
she thought. This was a man that wore thousand dollar suites and wined and dined with celebrities and politicians. He used his wit, charm, and gorgeous smile to work his way up in the world not his hands. Her heart fluttered for a moment when she caught whiff of his cologne. A perfect balance of musk, sandalwood, and amber. It was very subtle, just enough to tickle the back of her nose. The smell was so faint she actually wondered for a moment if it came from him.          

“It's a pleasure to see you again.” He said as he leaned against the front of his desk, still with his bright smile. “ Are you here about our upcoming show again?” His eyes squinted. He asked as though he were saying -
haven’t you learned
. Yet he still had a perfectly warm smile that eased Jen's nerves.

“No, I've already accepted that your taste in art is lacking.” She said with her own charming smile. To anyone else this might have come across as a purposeful shot to his character and profession. But their conversations always had a strong playfulness to them. 

“Well I couldn't see your lovely face here every week if I accepted you now could I?” He shot her a playful grin.

“All you have to do is ask” She said with her perfect school girl smile and head turn. She hadn't tried to charm a guy since college 6 months ago. But she hadn't gotten rusty yet.

“oh, well if it's that easy?” His booming smile faded to a slight smirk as his voice dropped an octave.

“Ha! I'm only easy when I want to be.” She said as she took a step towards him. The same smell tickled the back of her nose again. It was intoxicating. Everything about this man made her heart pound with excitement. He gave a short chuckle under his breath.

“Actually I came here to convince you to take me out to dinner.” She said as she mustered up every ounce of confidence she could. With her chin held high, and a huge grin, she looked as proud as possible. She had to convince him that she was a worthy girl for a type of guy like him.

“Dinner!?” His face lit up. He put on an even bigger grin than what he had when she walked through the door.

“Yes.” She said in a matter of fact tone. He looked at her as though he was pondering something. She sensed he wasn’t debating whether or not to take her out, but instead something else. Perhaps trying to figure out her ulterior motives.

“That would be lovely Ms Sutton.” He said with his typical warm smile.
This man could calm anybody with that smile
she thought.

“Please, call me Jen”

“Of course, but only if you call me Rick. Pick you up at 7?”

“That's perfect.”

After they exchanged numbers Jen was gleaming with joy. She really didn't know if this was something she could pull off. Just as they said their goodbyes and she turned to leave, Rick said something to her that, in her mind, confirmed that he was on to her plot.      

“Jen.” For a brief moment she caught him looking at her ass as she turned around. Her heart raced with excitement.

“Yes?”

“Next time you don't have to dress like that. Don't get me wrong you look stunning. But your an artist..be yourself. “ He said in a perfectly genuine voice. Despite her feeling awkward in her clothes, her confidence boosted even further. She smiled at him, turned and walked out. She felt on top of the world.

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