Romantic Novelist: Los Angeles

Max entered the house and proceeded to take the bags into her bedroom. Because she had bought clothes, he knew she would lay them out and then put them in the walk-in closet. Michaela walked into her bedroom, with a grin.

"There you are, miss," he said. "All in. Would you be needing anything else?"

She stared at him with an expression of warmth and longing. She went up to him and took his hand.

" I -"

"Yes, miss?"

"Max. I'm more than just your boss. Call me Michaela. And there is something I need....you."

This last part took him by surprise and he almost turned pale. He was poised and calm as always but already he began to feel an excitement growing.

"Need ..me? How so?"

"Max, I've never told you how much I've come to love you. You fill my fantasies. You inspire me to be loving and loyal, like you are."

"I'm overwhelmed, Michaela. I...I .."

"Yes?"

"I've always felt the same way about you."

Words were no longer needed. Michaela kissed him, not caring whether or not he had made the first move. She did not want to let him go. Now, here, in her room, in its privacy, she felt completely free and ready to give herself to him. She had been a fool not to have done this before. But she realized if she had slept with him years ago it would have been inappropriate and too soon, and perhaps built on lust and not love. She had come to love this man and she knew he returned that love.

Their kissing was slow, long and marked with a sweetness and subtle passion. She realized he had probably loved a woman before, having lived in the UK for years before becoming an American. But he was a gentleman and that implied he could not be too forward or too aggressive to make any sexual move. He was enjoying the kiss as much as she was. He kissed her back, with a rising passion. Their eyes locked. He cupped her face and tilted her head back, his kisses now raining down over her neck.

He moaned, as if he was finally releasing himself from some tight bind. Michaela, too, moaned along with him, letting go, relaxing, closing her eyes and letting him know she wanted this as much as he did. He held her gently by her waist and she was still arched back with her head tilted when he slowly lay her on her bed on her back. The bed had been neatly made by him, but now, he realized, the bed would again be messy after he was done with her. The sheets were soft and comfortable, the queen size bed perfect for them to lay atop of. Outside, only the sounds of a few passing cars could be heard and the distant LA sounds, which for Michaela was only a series of passing cars, honks and sirens. The freeway, too, figured in these noises. But she tuned everything out as she embraced Max. Their cheeks rubbed against each other intimately; their eyes were aglow with tenderness.

"Please, darling, make love to me," she said to him, her voice tinged with softness, her breathing becoming hard. Already her nipples were hard and crying for his touch, his tongue. Max grunted as he possessively mounted her, straddling her as she opened her long legs. His mouth was on her breasts, licking and laving her nipples with measured steadiness. She moaned and writhed beneath him, her arms outstretched above her head, holding on to a pillow. She moved about beneath him, the sheets becoming bundled up, their legs entwined.

"That's it, come on, love, come on," he uttered.

"Oh God, Max, Max," she cried out, her hands on his broad back.

His cock was inside of her now, moving in and out in a rhythm that was driving her mad. She felt her pussy become quite wet; she felt herself limp and tender. Her pussy contracted and squeezed his cock as he began to increase his thrusts, his hips moving with greater force. He let out a roar as he tilted his own head back. His hairy balls were slapping against her soft butt and her breathing became pants. She cried out and felt her orgasm building. She knew it was coming and it was going to be good.

Max showed control and did not cum until he had seen her cum and begin to relax, his own orgasm being quite powerful. They were an entanglement of limbs, and though Max wanted to lay beside her, she did not let him, and they stayed locked in a tight embrace. She closed her eyes.

"Sleep with me, Max, don't go," she said. "Stay the night with me here, don't go back to your quarters, OK?"

"Whatever you say, Miss, I mean...Michaela......"

* * * *

Audrey and Stephen rose the next day quite early. They both worked in the evenings, so this gave them time to do something like this for Michaela during the day. Audrey was a legal assistant to a lawyer, a man who she said was "a crazy lawyer who worked crazy hours". The man appeared to function without sleep. He would show he could not function without sleep when he would scream at her or anyone else who was being "incompetent". His name was Edison or "Ed"" and Audrey always felt he was an imperious prick. He was tough and usually won cases. He was very popular and lived in the hills outside L. A., having bought a house there so that he would not have to drive far to work downtown. After a year of working as his assistant, doing secretarial work, receptionist work and even personal favors like buying groceries for him and walking his dog, she felt that he was going too far. But he paid her enough. She was still in college; coincidentally it was USC and not UCLA, where her boyfriend went. Now Edison had taken to working late and she had to stay in the office at night and didn't go home till about 10 pm, sometimes 11 pm. Audrey hoped she'd graduate soon, teach classes and publish novels and rid herself of Ed.

Stephen worked as a bartender in a popular lounge bar in Hollywood. Many film producers, agents and other "Hollywood types" frequented the place; even a few celebrities had been spotted there. It was called "The Lava Pit". Steve also aspired to write novels and was at UCLA. He, too, had the makings of a teacher. His connection to Audrey was more than a physical attraction. They shared the same passions for adventure, new experiences, travel and writing. Unlike Audrey, Stephen enjoyed working at his job, knew how to make the latest creations in drinks and was always in a good mood, socializing with everyone. Girls thought he was almost a dead ringer for Brad Pitt, only with much darker hair. They found him attractive and good-natured, so he was very popular.

Audrey had found the home of Andrea, Rich's mistress. It was a pretty home, and quite spacious, so Audrey figured she must have been living with other people there. Most likely these were roommates. The house was situated on a hill overlooking L. A. and not far from Edison's, her employer's, home. There were so many hillside communities here; it often looked like a giant maze of homes. Audrey decided she'd park by the house and remain in the car until she could spot Andrea and Rich, provided they came. If not, then it would mean Stephen would have seen them at UCLA.

She was wearing a blouse and skirt, because she wanted to go to work right after this and she had her hair in a ponytail to one side of her shoulder. She was preening in the car mirror putting on lipstick when she saw someone tapping at the car window. It was a man. An angry-looking man at that. He looked Italian or Jewish and was wearing a white sleeveless shirt and ragged- looking jeans. He must have been middle-aged.

She rolled down her window.

"Can I help you? Are you looking for directions?"

"No," he said rudely. "Are you Dae, the romance novelist?"

"My name is Audrey. Dae's my pen name. Yes this is she."

"If you weren't a woman, I'd punch you in the face," he said matter-of-factly. "Your book, your awful, stinking book, 'inspired' my wife to cheat on me. She said she never loved me and that she had faked her orgasms and that I did nothing to make her happy in the bed and out of it. I never beat her or nothing but she said I was a crappy husband."

Oh God, what was he on about? Audrey was shivering. How was this her fault? How dare this perfect stranger do this to her, shame her and make her uncomfortable?

"Thanks to your dirty book my wife said she got the courage to leave me and find 'true love'. True love my ass! He's her yoga instructor and known to be a ladies' man. It can't be about 'romance'. You should be ashamed. You're writing pornography for women who arouse them to do stupid things. It would have been OK if she was single because there would be no commitment issue..... but she was my wife."

"Sir, I'm sorry. I don't see how this is my fault. And I don't write smut or porn in the least. I write romance and novels about people coming to terms with things, having epiphanies, experiencing new things, having adventures, coming of age, maturing, discovering..."

"Yeah, you call it art if you like. It's porn. I hope that you go to hell with my wife."

With that he disappeared. Audrey was still shaking. She realized now that not everyone would adore her books and scenes like this one might again be repeated.

They shared a brief kiss. Good God, thought Stephen, it looks so wrong. He looks like he's a professor and she's his student. He began to film them, standing at some distance by the steps under a tree. They were talking but he could not make out what they were saying. She would smile and laugh, tossing her head back sometimes. They talked for an hour and then they headed out into the direction of a few parked cars nearby. Steve sighed. Perhaps it was better not to follow them anymore, especially in so public a place. It would be suspicious activity. He stopped recording the film and put away the camera. Everything was now in order and ready for Micaela.............................................

Audrey was in LA, in Edison's office. She was waiting for him to call her into his office, sitting down on a dark wood chair, her legs crossed. Her hair was down and her face showed signs of exhaustion. It was becoming late. The sun was still out and its heat was intensifying. It became unbearable. Audrey did not want to do it but she unbuttoned her blouse, and her cleavage showed a little. She looked at her cell phone and realized that she had missed Stephen's call. He must have called telling her he had spotted Rich and Andrea and filmed them. Thank God their work was done. Their tryst in the pool and their meeting at UCLA was more than enough evidence.

"Miss Rose, come into my office now," came Edison's voice.

Audrey had not been listening, her mind too wrapped up in thought. Edison was standing by the door to his office, holding papers and looking as if he was about to explode. His eyes were fixed on Audrey and his hands on his thigh. He cleared his throat.

"Now, Miss Rose, come in to my office," he said emphatically.

Audrey looked at him and got up from the chair. She walked into the office. Yikes, she thought, this dictator was going to be upset with her because shemust have done her job poorly ever since she started writing her novel and undertaken to help Micaela. It must have showed that she was distracted.

"Miss Rose, you've been distracted recently," Edison said, just as she had figured he'd say.

"I'm sorry, sir, I -"

"Daydreaming, not paying attention, thinking of something or someone," Edison went on, " I cannot tolerate that, Miss Rose. This is a law office and you work for me as my assistant. You've been unprofessional and that reflects badly on me. People will assume I hire unqualified people. Tell me, Miss Rose, are you in love?"

What business was that of his, Audrey thought. She was hesitant to reply. She looked at him in the eye. God, was he unattractive. He wasso dour looking and he had heavy eyebrows. He looked like some angry detective in a film noir. He carried a few extra pounds which gave him a menacing appearance.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I realize it's unfair to you."

"That was not an answer, Miss Rose. Are you in love?"

God, he was not going to quit until he got his answer.

"Yes, but I don't see how that is any concern of yours. My personal life is healthy and is not affecting my work. At least, I don't see it that way."

"On the contrary, Miss Rose. It appears you're neglecting your work. I often feel you'd rather be somewhere else, working for someone else or pursuing some other career. You don't care for law?"

"No," she said flatly, "I'm no law student. I took the job for the money to pay my classes."

"Are you studying acting or something?"

"No. Why did you say acting?"

"It's L. A. So many girls like you want to be actresses."

"I'm writing novels. If you want to know the truth, I've already been published. One book. A romance novel."

"Romance novels? Figures. Well, Miss Rose, I don't care for this. You took this job and you knew my policies. I expect commitment. You don't seem to even care to look up at me sometimes. I think you have a problem."

"Problem? I don't think I have a problem."

"O, please. All you women have issues. Probably why you go to see shrinks more than men. You are not a very realistic girl. Instead of writing which won't pay well, you ought to focus on something that will really be of benefit to you. Start a business. Become a lawyer. I can help you. You look like a girl who needs guidance. All women do. You're all helpless without -" "You're a sexist bastard, you know that? Look at you. You hire only girls, and attractive ones at that. You think we are dumb, dependent, needy things and you're the creme de la creme. You're a pig. You can have an office and you can win trials and defend high profile people in LA but you're a pig all the same. How dare you put women down. And we don't go to shrinks. We are the shrinks. There are more female therapists than male. I suggest you go to one because you need to respect women and think about how narcissistic you are. I don't want to work for you. I can't stand you. I hate you."

"Well, then, I can provide you with an easy solution. You're fired."

* * * *

When she had told Stephen what happened, he could not believe it. They embraced and Audrey cried on his shoulder. She would never again see that L.A. law office again, Edison had been cruel to her and only because, unlike the other girls who worked for him, Audrey had a brain and a willand she didn't act as if she depended on the job with her life.

"What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know. You know, Steve, I came from an upper middle class family. My family always had money to travel, to afford the hiring of piano teachers, French and Spanish tutors and nannies. I didn't have a real job till recently."

"So what you are re telling me is you feel you have no really useful skills?"

"Other than writing fiction," she said with a giggle, "but I suppose I cantake up a job that will help pay for my classes that can't be that stressful."

"Any job will be less stressful after what you went through with that awful jerk in LA." They were quiet and Steve put on the news. He was watching with a little more concentration than Audrey who was deep in thought.

"I think I'll take a job as a nanny who is also available for house-sitting. The house sitting part will allow me to write novels and have privacy."

"Hmmm. You know that's not such a bad idea. But that means we'll be spending even more time apart. You'll be away in other houses and I'll be alone here in this apartment. Plus, you've got that book tour coming up and I won't be a part of it."

"About that," she said to him, with a soft glow, "would you like to come with me on the book tour? I can talk to Gabrielle West my agent and publicist and convince her that it's good for publicity that I have a romantic partner, a boyfriend, in real life so my readers can know that I write about love because I have love in actuality."

"Do you think she'll let me join you?"

"Sure. It would be really lousy if she said no. If that's the case, I'm going to be really sorry to be away for so long without you."

The phone in their bedroom rang. Audrey picked up.

"Audrey? It's Micaela. Do you have the photos and film?"

Audrey put her on speaker phone because she couldn't hear distinctly.

"Yes, we have the evidence ready. It's all taken care of. We were waiting for you to call."

Over the speaker, they heard a distinctly male voice breathing next to Micaela.

"Max, will you be a dear and hand me that piece of paper? Thanks."

There was a moment of pause.

"Alright," Micaela went on, "this is the address to the Beverly Hills Hotel. If you have any trouble getting here, call me. This will be tomorrow night."

"It's not going to be a problem, Steve and I have both driven past the hotel on Sunset Boulevard and Steve goes to UCLA which is not too far from there really. What time should we go over there? Are we meeting at the Polo Lounge?"

"Oh no. I have a much better thing planned. You see, my folks and Rich's folks from Boston have decided to spend their dough on a big engagement party. There will be a chamber orchestra, many guests, dinner."

"O, Micaela, you bad girl you," Steve joked. Micaela laughed and it was pleasant to hear her laughter on the phone.

"So you mean to say you will announce to everyone that you areleaving Rich and expose him for his infidelity right there in front of everyone?"

"Yeah. Listen, I will personally let you into the Rodeo Ballroom as my guests. We'll be at the terrace courtyard outside and that's where I'll make the scene. This will be the turning point of my life. And there's more...."

"What is it, Micaela?"

"I'm in love. I found my perfect mate."

"That's wonderful. Who is he?"

"It's Max, my chauffeur. It is nothing irrational. We have been in love but never admitted it. We will fly to Seattle tonight. That's where we will be living together after we marry."

"I'm so happy for you, Micaela. Will you marry right away?"

"No. Not till some time later. I would love it if you were my maid of honor. Can we keep in touch?"

"Sure. I'll be in Seattle on my book tour remember? We can meetthen you know. It would be great."

"I'll do something even better. Let me know the date of your arrival in Seattle and we can meet up I'll marry while you're here. That way you can come to my wedding as a bridesmaid."

"Thank you, Micaela. And I wish you luck."

* * * * * *

On Sunset Boulevard, the "Pink Palace" otherwise known as the Beverly Hills Hotel, greeted only those who could afford it and those who knew what it was all about. At one time, it was more exclusive, a hotel for the elite and very important.Now, mostly new money types and yuppies could go to the hotel, anyone who could afford it could book rooms and meetings and it was also very popular for weddings. A young and chic crowd was in the Polo Lounge while another type of crowd - a Hollywood executive group, gathered in the Sunset Ballroom. Micaela's family, the Standfords, and Rich's family, the Davenports, had reserved the Rodeo Ballroom and a great number of guests from other parts of the country had come. Stephen and Audrey felt out-of-place in theopulence of the place and it was going to be difficult fitting in with these rich elitists. Audrey felt like she would shoot herself for even being here. This was not her type of place, neither was it Steve's.

Micaela greeted them and they felt more comfortable. Max was with her, dressed in his chauffeur outfit. He was quiet and looked nervous and with good reason. Audrey felt that it was really not the best thing to do, to expose Rich in front of so many people, including his own family, and this was straight out of some melodramatic soap opera, but there was no turning back. Micaela looked calm, confident and glowing with beauty. She was in love and everyone at the party said so, thinking she was in love with Rich. What fools.

The terrace was filled with many tables and weighed with food that was being catered to them. Palm trees adorned the courtyard and Audrey smelled rich foods that were probably high in fat. For rich people they certainly had no interest in preserving their figure. But she found that it wasn't altogether true for as she and Steve looked about, many of the guests were beautiful looking and in healthy shape, probably owing to the fact they had personal trainers or nutritionists helping them out. Steve made himself comfortable far more quickly than Audrey and it made her want to laugh. He ordered caviar which came to him quickly and champagne. He ate finger foods and walked about with a smile. He looked handsome in his tuxedo, which Micaela had bought for him earlier that morning.