Fashion is Our Name Pt. 08

Tom's darting eyes gave away the thought he was having about being outnumbered.

"You realize, parts of this can't be discussed in public? But perhaps if you provide a rough itinerary, I will inquire of friends whether certain contacts would be helpful?"

I spoke up, "Yes, that is precisely what we had in mind. The women will travel in style with trunks full of dresses, and their humble valet will have free moments here and there to explore leads and conversations."

Anne picked up on this immediately. "Tom, he is a little large to be a valet, but if we see to his proper clothing, he will do, don't you think?"

Tom was having trouble containing himself. "Lady Anne, given his recent accomplishments on the rugby field, he should be enrolled in bodyguard training before you leave."

An initial smile on everyone's faces turned serious. They all looked at me, realizing their young friend and lover might have protection duties.

"Tom, thank you for thinking of that. I'll ring in the morning for a contact."

I shifted the conversation to a calmer subject. "Soon, we will need additional working capital. Nicole and I are willing to pledge assets, but shouldn't we be thinking of a regular banking relationship?"

He was quick to respond. "Yes, absolutely. They will want to see preliminary financial statements, of course. I'll provide a reference to one of our banks and get you an interview. My friend Cedric is an accomplished rugby player and will talk your ear off and then give you a generous line of credit."

Anne reached out her hand to me. "Adrian, Cedric O'Brian is the son of one of my father's closest friends. I've known him for ages, and if it won't embarrass you too much to have an older woman along, I'd like to say hello when you meet."

She added, with a terrific smile, "Of course, our Vice President, Finance must come as well."

Tom smiled back, "She is very accomplished for such a young woman."

I turned to Anne, "I think you and Helen should wear FION dresses to the meeting so that Cedric will have an appreciation of the quality and style he will be financing."

Tom had a huge smile and mouthed at me, "Well done!"

He had an engagement for dinner and our little soiree broke up with smiles and kisses.

As the limo pulled away, Anne and Nicole thrust me in the middle of the back seat and let loose with a volley of hands.

"My god, that was fun! Cook has been working on something nice. It will give us a chance to tell Helen about her dress up meeting with Cedric the banker!"

We were hardly inside the door when the phone rang with Clarissa checking in. Anne asked, "Would you like to drop around for a small bit of dinner?"

Cook allowed as how five instead of three for dinner was a terrible imposition but she might survive. I took her in a bearhug, kissed her ear and whispered that she was terribly sexy.

"Oh lady Anne, he is such a pest." She wiggled her ample behind at us and eyes rolled.

The homemade pea soup with ham, along with salad and toasted french bread, was a big hit after a long day. We were just sitting down when Helen and Clarissa dashed in, excusing themselves for being late.

Helen inquired about the meeting with Tom. Anne said it went very well, and he would look for additional information about Philip for us.

"He also is arranging for us to meet a banker, Cedric O'Brian, whom I know through my family. There is a catch, however. This one," she said, pointing at me, "decided, without consultation, that you and I are to wear our newest FION dresses to the meeting to impress him with our work."

"My heavens, I have to be dressed as a model and remember my spreadsheets too?"

Helen was quite a picture, with rosy cheeks from the foggy chill outside, a Shetland pullover sweater, and a blush on the pretty face. The rest of us smiled and applauded.

"There are thousands of pounds on the table," I said, "she has to be in best form!"

Everyone helped with cleanup and wished cook a good evening. We needed a quick meeting, and a call to Kingham, and retired to Anne's large bed. In a few moments, the five of us were arranged under the quilt in our underwear, applying fingers and lips.

Helen said, in her most sultry voice, "I am so sad not to be going with you on the trip to observe his valet performance. But if I want that First, I need to stay and grind at the books."

My hand was between her legs, grinding at something soft. "Yes, grind for sure."

"Stop that. You are just a terrible embarrassment!"

Clarissa intervened, "I think she needs more embarrassment," and took our youngest model in a hot embrace.

Nicole had me by the ear, whispering, "What's a poor French girl to do, with all this English flesh so close by?" I pulled her tight and asked Anne to please get our friends up north on the speaker.

Inish answered and said the Inn was busy, but they had made progress on patterns for several dresses and were reading the manual for the machine to be bought for Broad Street that would automate much of the pattern work. She added that they missed us, but it would be another day before they could come down.

"We miss you too. There is no discipline here. None at all. We need a tough Kingham runner to crack the whip."

"Adrian, you project that voice right to my special place. I need you."

Voices at my end said, "We need him too. We will sit on his terrible body until your arrival."

I asked, in a strained voice, "Is this another one of those nights when we don't get back to the hotel?"

Anne said in a very authoritative voice, "Everyone behave. I am going to get some after dinner wine, and Adrian is going to tell us a story." She added, with a giggle, "And then we will have a proper sleepover."

I had, at most, five minutes to imagine a story that would excite them, but lead to sleep...

Returning with glasses and a bottle, she said, "My late husband was a fancier of expensive sauterne. This is not his precious Y'quem, but close."

My women and I were propped up on pillows, sipping on the nectar of gods. I began,

"It was a foggy night in Prague, years ago, before the Soviet collapse. The police, some in uniform and some not, were everywhere. Young people made a game of assignations on the medieval Charles bridge. Lovers would plan to meet in the middle of the bridge, trading hot kisses while watching others doing the same. Members of the democratic underground prowled, passing little slips of paper with cryptic notes written in Cyrillic to confuse the police, who accosted individuals, demanding papers.

"Our lovers, Andrej and Alena, were students at the university and well known for their activism. Both had been detained more than once. They delighted in the bridge game, and on this night were involved in a dangerous exchange with agents from the West. Arm in arm, they strolled across the bridge, eyes alert for another couple in patterned gray and black sweaters similar to their own. They leaned over the parapet, watching the waters of the Vltava swirl below. Quietly, a voice behind them said, 'Peaceful on a foggy night, isn't it?'

" 'Yes, peaceful.' This was the agreed code word for the exchange, which involved microphotographs of important communist documents in one direction and a very thick packet of American hard currency in the other. The exchange was completed while the two couples gave each other intense embraces and wet kisses to signify a close family experience that would not attract police scrutiny.

"Unfortunately, someone had betrayed them and a phalanx of uniformed men converged on the couples. The western agents, man and woman, were armed, and quickly brought down several uniformed men with accurate fire. Then, to the utter surprise of the police, all four leapt from the bridge into the river and disappeared in the fog.

"In the morning, police and firemen searched the banks of the river, finding nothing but four discarded wet suits in the brush along the water. It was a heart warming blip on the way to freedom for the Czechs."

Helen wiggled on me and asked, "If we walk across the Charles bridge on our trip, do we have to wear wet suits?"

Smiles and giggles and wine sent everyone to their sleep.

In the morning, I smelled fresh coffee nearby, but fingernails were dragging down my back.

"Adrian, we are too close to a real spy story for you to tell us scary tales about foggy nights and gunshots in the dark."

Nicole snuggled close and kissed me. My first lover's body was as delightful as ever, but others were poking and prodding. "Get up, there is work to do."

I grabbed a naked Clarissa and said, "You and I can talk in the shower."

Standing under the hot water, she said, after a hot kiss, "I won't talk unless you are in me." She climbed up with legs around my waist and sank down with a sigh.

"You are totally ruining me for any other man. I hug you and kiss you and ride you and then just lose it completely."

"So it's orgasms instead of architecture?"

We kissed some more and she had a quick hard climax and cried out. The shower curtain was pulled back to reveal other naked female bodies with dark eyes.

"That is not work! We heard you. He is ruining us too. How will anything get done?"

IOU's were extracted, with a lot of laughing, and we trooped to the kitchen where an early arriving cook had waffles almost ready.

Riding on a sugar and caffeine high, we organized the day. Helen insisted that I stay a few minutes and talk about the pro forma financial statements. The boys had a doctor appointment and Anne disappeared with them, saying Nanny was needed more by me than by the twins.

She brought her laptop to the table and we sat side by side. She was slow to get the spreadsheets open and turned to me. "We have to talk."

She stood, dropped the pretty plaid skirt on the floor, climbed into my lap, and buried her head in my shoulder. We clung to each other, rocking silently. Finally, she leaned back with teary eyes and said, "I'm not new to guys, but you have something that sends me into an emotional fit. I can't think straight, and I certainly can't do numbers."

I ran my hands up under her blouse and pinched what I found there. She stuffed her tongue in my mouth and reached between us to find my hardness. She said, with a laugh, "I will make you a deal. You do the spreadsheets and I will provide the sex!"

I knew it was not approved employee behavior, but hoisted her to my shoulder and walked us to the bedroom. Ten minutes of naked wrestling later, we were breathing hard and I was against the headboard with her in my arms facing away.

"This is totally inappropriate behavior for the CEO and one of his Vice Presidents." I cupped her breasts tightly.

"Are you going to do me or...?"

I spread her face down along my legs and dug stiff fingers into her hard ass. "As a matter of fact, I'm not. But I do love this body..."

"I know I am the youngest and the newest. Is it ok with Nicole that you and I play around?"

"You blew them away last week when you didn't reject their advances. If you hadn't noticed, they are hot for your body. I could end up frozen out..."

She got up and turned around so she could see my smiling face. My cock was standing tall and she batted at it. "Yes, I am going to freeze him out. Maybe dry ice would work..."

We wrestled, kissing here and there. I said, "Nicole is a very wise woman, and keeps telling me this experience is part of growing up and I am not to worry as long as my women say they are happy."

Now I was on the bottom and Helen was rubbing on me. Her kiss was wet and hot. "You listen to me. I am very happy. You have unleashed something I didn't know I had. Please do not mess with that. Promise?"

"Only if you admit you can screw and do spreadsheets too."

She smiled down at me, one hand keeping a firm grip on my erection. "You are the only guy I have been with that is comfortable with a woman on top. Why?"

"There is something about driving straight up into a woman that turns me on..."

She leaned over and whispered, "There is something about driving straight down on a guy that turns me on..."

I bucked her off and chased the tight behind to the shower. With the hot water streaming on us, I put my hands together under her bottom and raised until she could slide down and fold her legs around my waist.

"I am so glad you changed your mind. Give me a few more strokes and I will come..."

We were finished drying when she stepped into me and said, "I will be your girl forever if we can keep doing that."

She went to work on the spreadsheets while I called Tom about the personal defense training.

"Yes. I'm glad you called. The more I think about this eastern Europe thing, the more nervous I get. My original platoon leader in the SAS has a private facility in east London that specializes in preparing senior executives for dealing with attacks during travel. Or anytime, actually. He likes to arrange a regular schedule of sessions, one or two a week, along with related physical workouts. Do you think you can handle that? When is Anne planning on leaving?"

"Everyone needs to be in London by mid-October to prepare for the showing of our clothes toward the end of the month. We haven't discussed it, but mid-September sounds best. The stores will have their staff back from summer vacation and be willing to entertain a visit."

"That gives you a couple of months. Not a lot of time, but the rugby makes a difference. Have you had any firearms training?"

"No. Philip said to ask him about it after I was out of school."

"In a pinch, you need to know how to handle a gun. I will see about some private instruction and get back to you."

"Tom, I am very grateful for your help..."

"Save your thanks until you get over being angry at being tossed to the floor by the trainers."

We laughed and rang off. His PA would call with an appointment. Helen was looking over at me curiously.

"Tom is sending me to a place for training so that the first mugger doesn't leave me lying in the street with a knife in me watching Inish and Anne being loaded into a lorry and driven off."

She didn't look happy but went back to the computer screen.

I fixed fresh coffee and we sat at the table together. "These are first class, absolutely first class. This O'Brian guy is going to be impressed." I leaned over and kissed an anxious face.

"You know what I said about being newest and youngest?"

"Yes."

"I'm growing up fast."

We walked out together, hand in hand. I said to her, "One thing I have picked up about the spy business is that nothing is as it seems. You should practice being completely nonplussed with someone or something that strikes a false note. Maybe act a little dimwitted, if necessary."

"Just a runup to getting in my knickers, is it?"

We traded punches. "With your body, you'd best be on the lookout for that too."

She ran for the tube station.

As I exited a cab at Broad St., a crew was busy erecting scaffolding to allow the demolition and reconstruction of the new front entrance. Tom Brennan, the precinct policeman, was instructing the workers about keeping a minimal sidewalk clear.

"Tom, it's good to see you."

"What's this about, Mr. Compton?" he asked.

"There is going to be a new front entrance, two stories tall. Will go fast."

"Well, you should schedule any taking down of brick on the weekend. We don't want any pedestrians hurt."

"Of course, you are absolutely right. I will see to it. While I have you, we need to obtain professional advice about improving physical security of our entrances and lobby. Do you know of anyone in the area?"

"As a matter of fact, there is a project three blocks over that involves serious security. One of the Ministries. There is a bloke who seems to know what he is doing. Wouldn't probably want you approaching him on that site, but I could ask him to drop by."

"Tom, I would really be in your debt if you did that. Please give him my mobile and I'll arrange a convenient time."

"Not to worry. Better security for your women means less anxiety for me."

Chapter 23 - Security at Broad Street

I was just thinking about lunch when my phone chimed. "Hello, this is Jeremy Andrews. I am with Inland Security Ltd. Tom Brennan said you might have some business for us."

"Thanks so much for calling. If you are free to drop by and see our building, I'd very much like to buy you lunch and talk over our requirements."

In an hour, we were settled at the Tiger's Inn, having the set lunch, and sipping lagers. "That's a fine building you have there, Adrian. Your notion about using the new foyer to establish a security perimeter is exactly right. Of course, if we do a survey of requirements, there will be a long list."

"I don't have much choice, Jeremy, there will be women working in the building, as well as an apartment for my companion and myself. There is also an idea to provide a gym and spa facility."

"Yes, your insurance people will be very demanding. They will beat on you about light industrial, women employees, athletic facilities, public patrons. The letter will go on for pages!"

"Tell me, am I in over my head?"

He leaned back to think a minute and I studied the man across from me. Strong, late thirties, tanned, self-confident. Something clicked and I knew where I had seen this profile before.

"Adrian, frankly I am amazed that someone of your youth could be on top of all the details of this project. Did I see your name in the paper a while back about rugby?"

"Well, I don't go about broadcasting it, but we did win our conference championship."

I could feel something flowing between us, and decided to ask the nosy question, "Are you, by chance, ex-SAS? You remind me of a man I know with that background."

He stared hard at me. "Well, I don't go about broadcasting that, either." We smiled thinly at each other.

The food came and we ate silently for a few minutes. I looked up and said, "I'd like to hire Inland to do the security plan for FION, which is our business name. There is another matter as well. Do you ever take on special assignments for clients? Assignments with an element of danger?"

I got another hard look. "Possibly. We would need a completely different conversation about that. Why don't you tell me the name of the other SAS person you know."

"Thomas Carruthers. He is our family lawyer and was in the SAS with my father."

The hard eyes got softer and friendlier. "Ah yes, Tom, the rich lawyer. He was my team leader for a year. I suppose he is a reference?"

"Yes, of course. Why don't you check me out while I draft up a letter about the security work and send it around?"

Outside the pub, we shook hands and he said, "I only do personal security work with people I can trust."

I hesitated a few moments and responded, "Jeremy, I've learned at an early age that the world is full of untrustworthy people. It would be a pleasure to try to earn your trust."

We went our separate ways as he walked off trying to take the measure of his young client. I felt older than I was and hoped he thought so too.

(cont'd in Part 9 - Mysteries Deepen)