Harry Baxter Pt. 01

"Not so much. I'm settling up the fund raiser, and we're starting to plan the holiday one. He's a great salesman, and he made the whole thing a big success."

Faith was aware now that Marc might have some problems with her seeing too much of Harry. His tone was a little more than inquisitive. She hadn't mentioned the first lunch the day before. She decided it was best not to say anything about that. Or about the hand holding episode.

"I don't like that guy, Faith. Something about him bothers me. I think you should steer clear of him.'

"Oh, Marc, Harry did such a great job. He's basically a good guy. But I don't have to see him so much until later in the year when the next fundraiser is coming up.' Faith tried to look sincere.

Marc didn't buy it. He thought Faith was not being fully honest about Harry.

"Faith, he may be a great guy. Maybe he does a lot of good. But he's also trying to get into your pants. I'm sure you understand that, right?"

"I am aware that he finds me attractive."

"Just please be careful with him. He's not harmless at all. If you spend too much time with him, he might succeed with you. That would be a real shame, eh?"

Faith turned a little pale. She was surprised at how perceptive Marc was about Harry. She actually blushed a little. Marc noticed that as well.

"I will be extra careful around him. In fact, I really don't have to see much of him now, like I told you."

"Okay." Marc ended the conversation. But he was now on high alert. That blush was a real tell.

For his part, Harry knew that he had to back off from Faith for a while. He was a patient man, and willing to pursue other avenues until the time was ripe to pluck Faith. So, he left her a message when he secured a venue for the holiday fete, but then didn't call for a month.

Faith got the message. She got the message from Marc, and from Harry as well. She was a little annoyed, but plunged into a new matter at work, and soon forgot about the whole thing. Her life with Marc settled back to what she saw as normal. They had their usual sex. However, there were times when she still thought about Harry while she was having sex with Marc.

Marc was not lulled by the fading away of Harry contacts. He conducted some discrete surveillance of Harry. Over the next two months, Marc made himself aware of Harry's patterns of life. It turned out that Harry was pretty predictable during the week. He would go to the gym early in the morning, go to work, come home and run at dusk. He ran two different routes. One went through a park near his condo. One went out a more rural road and circled back to town. That was a ten mile run, and he only did it every two or three weeks. Marc had found out about the first route by running behind Harry. For the second one, he could not keep the pace. He slowed and consulted his phone for a map. He figured out where Harry might come out, and went there in his car. He was correct, and followed Harry's last two miles on foot again. Later he was able to put together where Harry had likely gone.

On the weekends, Harry always had a woman in his bed. Sometimes he had one Friday and another Saturday. Marc was able to find out the names of some of these women. Two were married.

All this surveillance was done by Marc on a piecemeal basis over months. He just filed away the information for possible future use.

As September rolled in, Faith knew she had to be in touch with Harry again, because the fundraiser was on the schedule for mid-December at the Hilton Hotel downtown. She emailed Harry about plans, and she asked her boss if she could have some help with the planning. She got William 'Billy' Kutchner assigned to her for that purpose. He was a paralegal, and quite detail oriented.

Faith set up a meeting at the law office between her, Harry and Billy. She didn't mention it to Marc. She told herself that there was no reason to ruffle his feathers with further mention of Harry.

The meeting went well. Harry and Billy got along nicely. The three of them spent two hours going over plans and details. Faith and Billy would handle the venue relationship, catering, and other details of the actual event. Harry was to work mostly on selling the event to companies, firms, and other organizations.

They decided that since Harry had found a hotel ball room for the holiday event, they would have a dinner followed by a dance. Faith had Billy contract with a band. Fifties and Sixties rock covers.

Things were going quite well through to the end of October. Harry had a lot of commitments for tickets from many organizations. He developed a scheme where those organizations would get quite a bit of good publicity about their generosity if they bought enough tickets. He also had some ads on radio, and public service announcements on TV.

Just before Halloween Marc asked Faith about the big event. Specifically he asked how she was getting on with Harry. They were sitting on the patio after dinner.

"Well, Marc, it really looks like Harry has outdone himself. The event is already sold out. Tickets are becoming a hot item."

"And you've been spending more time with Harry?"

"Some more, but we have Billy Kutchner helping and he has had the most time with Harry. I know you're sensitive about Harry. So far everything has been okay."

"But coming up, you have to see him more?"

"Yes, I will have to do more meetings as the event comes closer. Harry has some ideas about raising more money at the event, not just from tickets."

"Just remember what I said before. I don't think you were completely honest with me then. I'd like you to let me know when you're going to see him."

"Well, I can do that, but I feel as if you just don't trust me."

"I don't trust Harry. And, around him, I have my doubts about you."

"Marc, I'll have all the planning meetings at the office, and Billy will be there. No alone time with Harry. No lunches. Okay?

"Okay.'

Faith and Harry hadn't discussed Harry's declaration of desire at their earlier lunch. But even at the meetings with Billy present, Harry had started his campaign to seduce Faith. Small touches, smiles, familiar jokes. Harry knew why Billy was involved. He knew why all the planning meetings were at her offices. It was a real challenge to him. But, in the end, he knew that Faith had set things up that way because she didn't trust herself around Harry without protection.

Meanwhile Marc went to a hardware store across town and bought some supplies. He got a shovel, an adze and a large tarp. He stored them in space above the garage. He also bought an old used pick up truck, with a cap on the back. It had gone out of registration, and he paid cash. He did not register the truck. He parked it outside of town, in the back of a trailer park. He rode his bicycle the twelve miles back to his house. He told Faith that he was going to be doing more biking, to get in better shape. It wasn't a lie, he intended to do more biking.

Marc was also able to obtain a taser, from a fellow who was close friends with several police officers. Marc hoped that he would not have occasion to use it.

Faith and Harry kept on with the planning of the charity ball -- as it was now called -- through November. These preparations could not all be accomplished from the law office. Visits to the venue, the caterer, and the staffing agency had to be done. The three of them started out doing all of this together. But Billy had other duties, and just before Thanksgiving Faith found herself riding with Harry downtown to the hotel. They were having a meeting of all the parties at the ball room. Plans for decoration were to be finalized, as well as a menu. The staffing agency also was to have someone there to make a decision on how many people to have ready to go. The event was set for December 21^st, less than a month away.

Over the last few weeks Faith had become more trusting of Harry. He was still working on her, but she didn't see it for what it was. She believed that Harry was a true friend to her. Now, as he drove them to the big meeting, Harry believed that he could move ahead with his plans.

"Faith, I want to thank you so much for your hard work on this project. I know you had misgivings about me. I've tried to allay those, and I hope I have."

"Well, Harry, I still have some issues. I can't lie about it."

"That's why you've avoided being alone with me all this time. I know that. And it's flattering;"

"What do you mean? Flattering......." She saw what he meant as she was asking.

"You can't trust yourself around me. And, truth, I still feel the same as I did."

Faith was silent, and turned away. She did feel attracted to Harry, maybe even more that before, since she had had a lot more contact with him. She had been thinking about him fairly often when she had sex with Marc. This unsettled her. Still, she always got off in a big way when she imagined Harry inside her.

"Harry, I...I don't ever want to mislead you. I will not get into a sexual relationship with you. I will not."

"We're here," Harry said as they pulled into the hotel garage. "We need to get or game faces on."

The meeting went very well, and details were all set out for everyone. It lasted over two and a half hours. When it broke up, Harry and Faith were alone in the room. When Faith realized this, she became quite still. She couldn't look at Harry.

"What's wrong, Faith? I thought the meeting went well."

"It did." Faith looked at Harry and smiled. "Thanks.'

"Shall we have a quick drink somewhere to celebrate?"

"No, Harry, you know I can't risk that. Marc, well he wouldn't understand. Maybe after the event we can celebrate."

"I'll be sure to hold you to that, Faith. Come on, lets get moving. Are you going home or back to your office?"

"Home, I think. Couldn't get much more done at the office."

Harry dropped Faith off at her office lot. He hopped out of his car and quickly moved to open her door. As she got out, Harry brushed against her. Not much, just a brief bump. He walked her to her car inside the garage. By this time it was past 5:30, and dark.

Faith pressed the car key fob to unlock her door and Harry, unfailingly polite, opened it for her. Faith brushed against him as she got into the driver's seat. She turned and smiled up at him. The smile was to let him know that she'd done it on purpose. Harry smiled back and closed the door. He watched her as she drove off.

Marc was sitting in his car at the other side of the lot. He saw these interactions. The scene did not make him happy.

He arrived home just after Faith. He told her that he'd been running some errands. He did have some graph paper and pencils with him. She thought nothing of it.

Marc asked Faith about her day.

"We had a big meeting at the hotel to make the arrangements for the ball. It went really well. I think it's going to be a smash."

"Great, who all came?"

"Well, we had the hotel people, caterers, staffers, and decorators. Lots of synergy. There's going to be a raffle to raise more money."

"What kind of raffle? What's the prize?"

"Don't know quite yet. That's Harry's area."

"How's Harry doing? Are you still keeping away from him, as I asked?"

"I have been. But today he drove me to the meeting and back. Sorry, it just didn't make sense for us to take two cars. He was a perfect gentleman. No worries."

Marc was more than a little annoyed by Faith's little speech. Her demeanor was a little off, as if she had something to hide.

"Okay. But Faith, I want you to understand that Harry is a very sophisticated man, and that he's doing his best to fuck you."

"No, Marc! He's been nothing but nice. You're paranoid."

Arter dinner they put the kids to bed. Then Marc went to his study and got out some material he had prepared for Faith to see. It was an account of Harry's affairs with various married women, the divorces, wrecked marriages, his moving on quickly after. He had written it out in detail. He had documentary proof of everything in there.

He gave it to Faith to read.

"Please read this material, completely, before you comment."

Faith read through it. Her face turned red as she saw what it was. But as she read on. It didn't really take more than a ten minutes for her to finish.

"My God."

"I just never felt right about this guy, Faith. So I looked into his past. You see that you are not the first married woman he's pursued. Not even the tenth. Who knows how many more there are that we don't know about?"

"Marc, I still have to work with this man. But there is no way I'll ever be tempted by him after reading this. I...maybe I was tempted. He is obviously very good at seduction. But no more."

"Glad to hear it. Still, please avoid contact with him as much as possible."

"Sure. Okay."

They went to bed soon thereafter. Marc turned to Faith and began kissing her shoulder. Faith was aroused. Marc took off her nightie and kissed his way down her body. Faith scootched around and allowed Marc's tongue to reach her clit. It didn't take long for her to cum.

Then Marc straddled her chest and she sucked on him. When he was about ready to get release, she stopped and said, "Just fuck me hard."

And so he did. Faith was filled with lust, and came three more times while Marc was inside her. Marc's own orgasm was so powerful that later he thought it was the best ever.

When they were done, Marc fell asleep. Faith didn't. She thought very carefully about the fact that, despite what she now knew about Harry, her lust tonight was still all about him. If anything, knowing that he was a master seducer made her more excited when she thought about his cock inside her. She rubbed herself to another orgasm, thinking about Harry. She thought that any man who was that successful with women had to be one of the greatest fucks in the world. She wondered what his cock was like.

The next morning Faith was very cheerful as she got ready and went to work. Marc was as well. But he started thinking about the previous night. His revelation about Harry seemed to have done the trick with Faith. So, why was she so ardent in bed? When he thought about it, it didn't fit. Then he understood what had happened. His information campaign about Harry had the practical effect of letting Faith know that Harry was a sexual superman. Marc was actually angry with Faith. He was convinced that Faith was now even more likely to allow Harry to seduce her. For all he knew, she would take the lead. He had been foolish.

Ordinarily such an insight would be accompanied by some doubt as to whether he was correctly interpreting Faith's fantastic sexual response to the news that Harry was a serial seducer. But Marc had no such doubt. It was the only way to see it.

Marc left the house around noon with his shovel and adze. He drove to a spot in the park near Harry's condo. He walked back into some shaded woods, carrying his tools in a duffel. He found a very out of the way grove of trees. He dug a hole, a pretty big, fairly deep one. When he was finished, he covered it over with brush, and stuck a red warning pole into the brush. He walked back to his car and stowed the tools in the trunk. He drove back to his house.

Faith was distracted at work. She understood that she was becoming more open to Harry's advances. She had a difficult time squelching her desire, whenever she thought about this man. She didn't care that he was a con man, and some sort of freak fetishist. No, that made it better.

That day Harry called Faith in the afternoon. He wanted to firm up some details about the raffle. He had decided to raffle off a new electric car (not a Tesla, of course). He had persuaded the owner of a Chevy dealership to make that car available, a Volt. The owner was willing to do that because the electric cars were not selling well. He had too many on the lot. And he would get a raft of good press for the donation. So said Harry.

Harry was surprised by Faith's warm greeting when he called. He immediately sensed that something had happened to her. After they completed their discussion of the raffle, Faith asked him if she could see the car.

"Sure, when do you want to do that?"

"Maybe tomorrow at lunchtime?"

"Sounds good. I'll pick you up at noon."

"Great!"

Faith was really enthusiastic about the lunch meeting. She wondered if Harry would take her to look at the car first, and then take her to lunch -- or vice versa. She bet on lunch later.

Harry thought about what could have happened to make Faith virtually invite herself out to lunch with him. He had no way to know, but he decided he should be ready to start the sex part of the relationship. He straightened up his condo, cleaned out the fridge, and vacuumed.

As the day wore on, Faith began to have serious second thoughts about her impulsive thrust toward Harry. She had her family to think of, and she knew Marc was on the lookout for any indication that she and Harry were getting too close. The thought of losing Marc made her shiver. The thought of having Harry also made her shiver, though in a different way.

She drove home in a quandry. She parked in the driveway, but sat for a minute in the car, thinking through how she should approach the evening.

Marc saw Faith sitting in the car. He had heard her arrive, and looked out the window. The kids were playing some video game. He was on alert because she didn't get right out of her car and come inside.

When he saw her open the door, he called to the kids that she was home. They came racing from the game room and she hugged them. She asked about their day. John explained that he had made a perfect score on his history test. Vera said she ate lunch with her teacher. Faith asked several questions of them, then sent them back to their game.

Marc said, "How was the day for you? I had a really productive one myself."

"Well, it turns out that we're going to raffle a car at the ball. We get it for free. It's a Volt. Harry really is a whiz at this."

"Yeah, but the Volts are not selling. Still, I'm sure it'll raise a bunch of cash."

"Me too. What's for dinner? Did you cook?"

Marc smiled. "We're having grilled brauts and a salad. That's why no good smells. I'll put them on right away, if you're hungry."

"Sounds good. I am hungry." She went upstairs to change. Marc grilled the brauts and some buns.

At dinner the talk was all about the kids' fall soccer finals, which were coming up Saturday. Both of their teams had made it to the finals, and the matches were at the same time, in different places. It was determined that Faith would take John to his match, and Marc would take Vera. Each would take videos.

After the kids were in bed, Faith settled in with a book. Marc was in his office for a while, but came down.

"Are you still seeing Harry? The ball is creeping up." Marc made a habit of asking such questions now.

"Yes. Well, tomorrow we're going to look at the Volt, and take some pictures for a promotion. I hope it's a good color."

Marc frowned. "We meaning who?"

"Harry and I. We have to get the shots right away to put out the promo."

"Oh. I would assume that the dealership could email you some pictures. Why do the two of you need to go together for that?

"Oh, Marc. I think Harry just wants to show off the free car he got for the ball."

"I think Harry just wants to get up on you. And I think you're letting him. Last night after I showed you what he was, your reaction wasn't what I expected."

When Marc said this, Faith looked down, and blushed. Marc stepped to her, and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Don't." He pulled her chin up and looked her right in the eye.

"Just don't. You'll regret it. You'll regret it and so will he."

"Marc, I...well I just have been....I don't know." Faith was sputtering. She couldn't fool this man. She felt like he was inside her head. She got angry.