The Decent Proposal (Trust In Me) (7 page)

“Just be yourself and the right one will come
along.” Ana assured, not really knowing what else to say. Rob slung his drink,
ice and all, over the banister and turned to walk in the house, leaving Ana
alone with her thoughts and wondering if she had said something wrong. What did
that comment mean? He wanted someone to share all this with, yet just the other
day he had said he wasn’t ready for a relationship. Which was it?

She waited a while before re-entering through
the kitchen. After she placed her empty glass on the counter, Rob waltzed in
dressed to the nines in a dark suit and tie, and they left for the Convention
Center.

* * * * *

The banquet was elegant and much quieter than
the first dinner she had attended with him. This event had a much more formal
feel to it with softly lit candles on each table and light jazz music filling
the air. However, she thought these guests were a bit more stuck up. It could
have been the suspicious stares they received upon entering, or maybe it was
the way everyone seemed to turn and whisper as they walked by. More than
likely, Ana was simply being a little paranoid given the circumstances of their
so-called date. In reality, most everyone was very nice, just not the kind of
people she would choose to hang out with on a regular basis, which was fine
because she was getting paid to attend. Besides, Beth and Rich were there, and
Ana got to meet a lot of different people.

Early in the evening, she and Beth were at the
bar waiting on an order of drinks. Ana noticed that a gentleman standing next to
her kept glancing in her direction. She thought he looked familiar, though he was
probably at the last dinner she went to. When they locked eyes, he smiled at
her and introduced himself.

“Hi, I’m Dan. It’s Ana, right?”

“Yes, how’d you know?” She was surprised. If
they had met before, it had escaped her memory.

“I work with Rob, he’s talked about you some.
Speaks very highly of you. How long have you known him?” Dan turned to leave a
tip for the bartender.

“Not long, maybe a couple of weeks. How long
have you two worked together?” If he wanted to get personal, she could get
personal back.

Dan took a deep breath. “Oh, I’ve been with
Signify for about twenty-two years. Rob came about seven years behind me, so
we’ve worked together for quite some time.” He took a sip of his drink. “I take
it you’ve had the chance to meet everyone?”

“I’ve met most everyone that Rob works with, I
think.”

“Ah, so you’ve met Stephanie?” he asked.

Who the hell is
Stephanie?
This guy was rubbing her the wrong way for some reason. “No I haven’t.” Ana looked
at Beth for some support, but she just rolled her eyes while Dan let out a smug
laugh.

“Well, when you do, look out,” he said.

“What does that mean? Look out for what?” Now
Ana was really put off.

“Just be careful, that’s all. You may not want
to turn your back on those two. Especially Stephanie, but you didn’t hear it
from me.” Dan turned quickly and walked off, not giving her a chance to
respond. Spinning around to Beth, she snapped, “What the hell was that about?
Who the hell is Stephanie? Do you know what he’s talking about?” Ana suddenly
realized that it was really none of her business, but dammit, she was jealous.

“Stephanie’s their boss and the CEO of Signify,
but I don’t know why he said—” Beth stopped mid-sentence, threw a five on
the bar, and picked up their drinks. “Let’s go over here and I’ll fill you in
on something.” She guided Ana over to an empty table.

“I asked Rich some questions after that first
date. I thought you two hit it off, and I wanted to make sure Rob was on the up
and up and… you know, good enough for you.” Beth nervously scanned the ballroom
and lowered her voice. “Apparently, Stephanie and Rob dated for a couple of
years. She’s the ex-girlfriend. Now according to Rich, it’s definitely over,
but from what Mr. Congeniality over there says,” Beth waved her wine glass in
Dan’s direction. “Ah… who gives a shit what he says.”

“Jesus, Beth! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I thought about it, but to be honest, I figured
Rob would. And he might still. Hell, who knows, maybe he doesn’t want to make
you uncomfortable or maybe he’s waiting for the right moment. Give him a
chance. You’ve only gone out a couple of times.”

“Ugh, I know.” Ana was painfully reminded that
Beth didn’t understand the basis of their relationship. Yet. She looked up and
saw Rob approaching. They stood up from the table, and Beth scurried away as if
fleeing the scene of a crime. Ana quickly decided she would give Rob the benefit
of the doubt and not say anything. After all, their relationship was just
professional, even of no one else knew that.

“I thought I lost you. Everything okay?” he
asked.

“Yeah, everything’s fine. We were just… making
fun of some of the couples dancing.”

Rob’s mouth turned up in a warm smile. “Can I
get you anything?”

“No, I’m fine.” Ana paused before asking, “So am
I going to have a chance to meet your boss? What’s her name, Stephanie?” Ana
wasn’t good at keeping her mouth shut sometimes. At least she—unlike
Beth—knew how to show some couth when prying for information.

Rob gave her a puzzled look, making her feel unentitled
to such privileged information. “I suppose so. Who told you about Stephanie?”

“Some guy named Dan asked if I had met her. Said
I shouldn’t trust her.”

Rob sighed and rolled his eyes. “Good old Dan. I
can always count on him to be a royal pain in my ass.”

“You two don’t like each other?”

“Not really. Never did. I get the feeling he’s
jealous of me.”

“Jealous? Of what?” Ana had the distinct
impression he was attempting to change the subject in an effort to avoid
discussing his ex.

“Nothing. Anyway, to answer your
question—yes, I am sure at some point you’ll get to meet her. She likes
to pull no-shows sometimes, depending on the purpose of the event. Personally,
I think it’s a commitment issue.”

“How exactly does a CEO get away with not
attending her own company hosted dinners?” Ana asked, wondering if he would
bother to mention that they were once an item.

“Well, charity events and fundraisers—she
always attends those. But these other dinners we do for our own benefit are
more of a morale booster, and sometimes at the last minute she’ll decide that
her time is better spent doing other things. She gets away with it
because
she’s the CEO.”

Stephanie’s history of indecisive behavior obviously
rubbed Rob the wrong way, especially while they were dating. Not giving her
another chance to ask any questions, he threw his arm around her waist and told
her he had some people he wanted her to meet. After approaching several men
standing by the chocolate fountain, Rob introduced Ana as his friend. He kept
her pulled close as they chatted with the men when out of the blue she felt his
hand slip down to her hip. It made her skin sizzle with desire.

Sensing that he was trying to send the message
that she was his woman, Ana reciprocated, letting her hand wander down his
side, drawing him even closer, if that was possible. She looked at his profile
as he spoke, taking in every detail. God he was gorgeous—with a strong
jawline and a sharp nose, smooth and ample red lips, a clean shave, and don’t
even get her started on the tiny crow’s feet around his eyes when he laughed.
As he talked with the men, they hung on his every word. He exuded power, and
she wondered if he was aware of the impact he had on other people. Being with
Rob made her feel as though nothing could ever hurt her. She felt safe,
protected, secure. It was intoxicating.

Despite the fun she had, after a full night of
mingling and dancing, Ana was ready to cash it in. She didn’t get to meet
Stephanie, but that was overshadowed by the fact that she had an excuse to hang
all over Rob. And she did it well.

Later on at his house, it was decided that he
would hold on to the clothes and shoes so she wouldn’t be tempted to wear them
to class. Yes, she would totally do something like that. Well, she would wear
the shoes at least. While she was sitting on the bed putting her boots back on,
Rob came and sat next to her, holding an envelope.

“The limo is waiting outside for you whenever
you’re ready. Here’s your pay for the evening. Look it over and let me know
what you think. I’ll make sure you get paid at least four times a month, sometimes
more, especially around the holidays and during the summer.” Smiling at her he
added, “I really enjoyed this evening. Thanks for sharing your time with me.”

“Are you kidding? This was, by far, the easiest
job I’ve ever had. And I had fun, too.”

Within five minutes, she was back in the limo on
her way home. As she sat in the seat, she slowly opened the envelope Rob had
given her and pulled out a stack of bills. Thick enough that she could tell
right away it was a hell of a lot of money. She counted a grand total of 50,
twenty-dollar bills.

Umm, yeah… what
bookstore?
Without
giving it a second thought, Ana knew she was not going back to her job. She
picked up her phone and sent Rob a text:

Meh-- I
guess this will do. I’ll take the job if it’s still available

Within a matter of seconds Rob responded:

Haha. So
glad! Of course the job is yours. I’ll be in touch soon.

Mmm…touch
.
How I wish he would touch me soon…

Nine

Ana saw Rob regularly over the next month. He eventually
started depositing money directly into her checking account and had her sign an
independent contractor agreement that stated she was his personal assistant. He
also advised her to pay taxes quarterly so she wouldn’t get in over her head.
She was amazed with his worldliness, and her attraction to him was growing
stronger by the week.

Every dinner and party they attended was
essentially a masquerade for them, posing as lovers. They danced and Ana would
nuzzle his neck during the slow songs. He held her tight in his arms and she
would graze his neck with her lips. She was playing the part well, and he sure
didn’t seem to object. The sexual tension was growing, expanding like a rubber
band, threatening to pop with every touch.

One night when Beth had stopped over at Ana’s to
return a blouse, Ana caved and gave her all the details on their working
relationship. As expected, she was supportive but rather curious about one
thing in particular.

“I’m just wondering, why would he have to pay
someone to spend time with him? There are plenty of single women he could have.
Are you sure he hasn’t tried to get in your pants?”

“Sweet mother of baby Jesus! I wish! He doesn’t
want a heavy relationship right now, and he doesn’t want to give someone the
wrong impression by only bringing her to these social events. I guess he picked
me over someone else because he trusts me. Actually, this is the perfect
arrangement. He has the benefits of a beautiful woman—that’s me—escort
him anywhere he wants without the demands of a relationship. And I get to make mega
bucks without having to work.”

Beth still didn’t seem convinced. “Yeah, it may
be perfect for some, but c’mon! The man has needs. If he doesn’t want a
relationship and he’s not trying to sleep with you, he’s getting it somewhere,
believe me. Men can’t go without.” Beth looked at Ana and shrugged. “Hey, it’s
not their fault. Just look at what our magical puss does for them. We are sweet
and powerful, and—”

“Magical?” Ana interrupted, laughing. “Really?
That’s what you think of Ms. puss?”

“Hell yeah! At least that’s what Rich says. Look,
you know damn good and well we hold all the power with our vuh-jay-jays.” Beth
exclaimed. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Take advantage of that shit. Maybe
you could ask him for some additional tasks. Tell him you’re ready to take on a
heavier workload and see what he says.” Beth put emphasis on the word ‘load’
then laughed at her own joke.
           
“Wow.
You’re hilarious. You’re trying to turn me into a hooker. Great friend you
are.”

But the truth was, Ana did want that heavier
workload. She didn’t necessarily want to be paid for it, but there was no
denying that the thought did turn her on a bit. Well, a lot actually. She
wanted him badly. And besides, sleeping with him wouldn’t be any different than
sleeping with any other boss, right? Plus, she completely trusted him. Their
arrangement was custom-tailored specifically for them. She wouldn’t consider
doing something like this for another man, and she trusted that he had no intention
of asking another woman to accommodate his needs until Ana came along. Plus, there
was definitely something special blossoming between the two of them. She just
didn’t know where it would lead. Maybe she should push the envelope a little
and find out what Rob Goings was capable of, or better yet, what he was
incapable of resisting. Was her puss magical, too?

As if reading her mind, Beth spoke up. “In all
seriousness, are you okay with this? I mean really okay with it? I know you
like him a lot. You have to be at least somewhat disappointed, no?”

Ana’s mouth turned up in a morose smile.
“Honestly, I was when he first asked me. The truth is, I would have done this
for free because I like being with him that much. I guess at this point I’m…
hopeful. But I’m also not holding my breath. You never know what might happen.”

“This is true. I just don’t want to see you get
hurt. But you’re a big girl, and you know I support you no matter what.”

“I know, Beth. And that’s why I love you so
much. And why I allow you the honor of being my friend.”

“Pfft
.
What the crap ever! If I wasn’t here to keep you in line, you’d be slutting it
up every weekend with a different guy. You’d probably have three or four kids
running around. You’d have a FUPA bulging through your mom jeans and a cigarette
dangling from your mouth, squinting through one eye. You’d probably live in a trailer
park with a guy named Shins, curlers in your hair, strutting around in a
terrycloth bathrobe and slippers shaped like Dora the Explor—”

“Okay! I get it! God, where do you come up with
this stuff?” Ana choked on her laughter.

“I don’t know. It’s how I imagine you might be if
I wasn’t around,” Beth replied straight-faced.

“Well, I think it’s more accurate to what your
life would be like if I wasn’t around. And there’s nothing stopping me from
slutting it up, as you call it, right now. I do have my dignity, you know. And
by the way, who the hell is Shins?”

“Oh, he got that name because he breaks the
shins of anyone who owes him money. He’s a dangerous contender.”

Ana’s eyes widened in horror. “You know this
guy?”

“Oh no,” Beth said, tapping her head. “Again,
it’s just what I imagine.” Ana stared at her blankly then Beth added, “Look,
it’s either him or Jebediah the snake pariah.”

Ana pondered for a moment, smirking. “I think
I’ll take my chances with Rob, thank you.”

“Ehh, you know,” Beth said in her best Boston
accent. “I tink dat’s a wise choice ovah theh. You got a good shot with dat,
uh, Rob charactuh.”

Ana took the blouse from Beth, grateful to have
such a good friend.

“You better go before Rich wonders where you
are. You wouldn’t want your own version of Shins coming and looking for you.”

“Call me!” Beth yelled as she breezed out the
door.

* * * * *

Rob sat at his desk typing up a business
proposal when one of the secretaries buzzed him.

“Mr. Goings? You have a visitor at the front
desk. It’s your sister.”

“Thanks, Taylor. Send her on back.” he replied.

Alyssa walked in to his office, a look of shock
drawn across her face. At the doorway, she did a double take into the hall and
motioned for her brother.

“Hey, Rob, who is this guy?” She spoke quietly,
nodding across the hallway.

“Who?” Rob peeked out the door.

“That guy there in the kitchen.”

“Oh, that’s Carl Dunlap, one of our attorneys.
Why?”

Alyssa snapped her fingers and shut the door. “I
knew it! Small freaking world. Don’t say anything, but he’s been a regular of
mine at the club for several years now.”

“You’re kidding! Carl? Hmm, it’s always the ones
you least expect.”

“Yeah, he’s into some kinky shit, too.”

“He didn’t see you come in here, did he?” Rob
asked.

“Nah. Even if he did, I doubt he would recognize
me with my clothes on.” Alyssa let out a mischievous laugh. “By the way, how
long has he worked here?”

“Oh, he’s been here for at least twenty five,
thirty years… a long time. I know he looks a lot younger than he is, but trust
me, he’s too old for you.”

Alyssa slapped him on the arm. “That’s not why
I’m asking, perv! I was just curious. I guess you guys will be sad to see him
go.”

“Go where? What are you talking about? He’s not
leaving.”
           
“Really?
Because according to what he told me, he’s moving out of the country soon.”

Rob stared at Alyssa. Surely she must be
mistaken.

“You okay? You look like you just saw a ghost,”
Alyssa said.

“Yeah, I’m fine, just surprised is all. What are
you doing here anyway?”

“Oh, right.” Alyssa reached into her pocket and
pulled out a roll of money. “Here’s some of the cash you loaned me. It’s not
much, but believe it or not, I’m trying really hard to catch up on my bills.
I’m thinking about applying for a job at Bill’s diner, and they don’t pay
nearly as much as what I make at the club.”

“Alyssa, I told you that you didn’t have to pay
me back. But I’m glad to hear you’re looking for a new job.”

“Yeah, well, I’m trying to better myself. I
thought a lot about what you said, you know, that I’m selling myself short and
all, and you’re right. Plus, if I take you up on your offer for school, I’m
going to need a more normal schedule. So that’s that.”

Rob smiled at his sister. He had been trying for
years to get her to quit her job as a dancer, and it looked like she might
actually do it. “Well, I’ll take the money,” he said. “But I’m putting it in
your education fund.”

“Alright, thanks big brother. I’m going to let
you get back to work. Any ideas on how I can get out of here without Mr. Skeevy
seeing me?”

“Shit, I need to talk to you about that, Liss.
Are you absolutely sure he said he was leaving the country?”

“Yes, one hundred percent. The reason I remember
it was him—other than my photographic memory—is because he calls me
his
Lolita
. I specifically remember
him saying that wherever he goes, he hopes he can find a hot, little Lolita
like me.” Alyssa paused. “Flattering, I know.”

Rob knew she was right. She did have a near
perfect memory, and she never forgot a face. If she said Carl told her he was
moving out of the country, then he believed her.

“Did he say why, or where he’s going?” Rob
asked.

“No clue on where, but he said he was getting
ready to come into a large sum of money, and people would be coming out of the
woodwork to get their hands on it.”
           
“Any
idea on when he’s leaving?”

“Hmm, he didn’t give a date, but he did say
something about hoping to be gone soon after the summer holidays. I’m not sure
if he’s referring to Memorial Day or the fourth of July. Why are you asking all
these questions? He still has plenty of time to give Signify some sort of
notice, don’t you think?”

“I suppose. He is approaching retirement. It
just think he would have said something to us by now if it was a done deal.” Rob’s
gut was screaming that something was really wrong here.

“Well, I don’t know, but you can’t say anything
because everything I just told you is confidential, comprende?”

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. I won’t say
anything.”
           
“Good.
Now can you check and see if the coast is clear? I really need to get to work.
And make sure that skanky bitch isn’t out there either, because if I see her, I
just might throw up in her face.”
 
          
Rob
laughed at Alyssa’s reference to Stephanie. His sister always took his side,
and he loved her for it. He opened the door, glancing in both directions down
the hall and into the kitchen. “Coast is clear. I’ll call soon, okay?”

“Catch you later!”

Rob thought about asking Alyssa if she could get
more information from Carl, but he didn’t want to put her in any sort of
jeopardy. He wondered if there was a connection between this large sum of money
Carl is supposed to come into and the issues with Signify. Probably the two
were completely unrelated, but suddenly his radar was up and he felt he should
get more information before completely brushing off the idea.