Heavy Traffic Ch. 11

Monica read both messages before holding the picture against her chest and smiling up at the couple.

Handing the pen back to Monica, Amanda asked, "What is your current role here, Monica?"

Glancing briefly at Sean before returning her focus back to Amanda, Monica responded, "I am a Customer Advocate with the World Wings division. In a nutshell, I serve as a sort of concierge for clients who reserve one of our planes, assisting them with transportation, lodging and other business or personal needs both at their point of origin and their final destination."

Sean was nodding at her answer as he chuckled, "We could have used your help earlier today, right Amanda?"

Amanda smiled at him and said, "I think you handled things just fine on your own, but it is reassuring to know that our customers have access to someone such as Monica should they encounter any difficulties. Do you enjoy your work, Monica?"

"Very much. It's rewarding when I know that I have enhanced the client's experience with World Wings to the point where they will recommend us to others and use our services again in the future."

"Are you open to other opportunities within Wallace Enterprises?" Amanda asked.

"Depending upon the opportunity, I would consider changing roles," Monica said. "Did you have something specific in mind?"

"There is one particular opening that I think you would be well suited for. The position as Sean's personal assistant is going to be opening up and I'd like for you consider applying for it." Turning to Sean, she said "Would you object to Monica as a personal assistant?"

"Based upon what I know so far, I would have no objections what so ever," Sean said.

Monica glanced directly at Amanda and asked, "You wouldn't object to me reporting directly to Sean as his personal assistant"?

Amanda put her arm around Sean's waist and replied, "Regardless of who Sean's personal assistant is, we will continue a Wallace family tradition where the person will be his assistant, but they will report directly to his wife."

Sean laughed, "You really have been talking to Moe, haven't you?"

Amanda bumped her head against Sean's shoulder lovingly and continued with Monica, "If you're available tomorrow morning I would like you to meet with me and Moe for a few minutes."

Smiling at them both, Monica nodded and said, "I'll make myself available at whatever time is convenient for you."

Sean took Amanda's hand once more and said, "Well, thanks again Monica. We need to run right now, but I'm sure we'll see you tomorrow."

As they made the short drive to the mall, Amanda filled Sean in on the question and answer session with their employees, her promotion of Moe and the selection of Nina as her assistant. Sean was proud of her and told her so. Amanda decided to wait until they were driving to his house before discussing her conversation with DeMarcus Steele because she felt it require more time for them to analyze it completely.

While they were shopping, Amanda noticed that Sean kept paying for her purchases with the same credit/debit card, which he kept in his front pants pocket with his driver's license. It finally dawned on her that she had never seen him pull out a wallet, so she asked him about it.

"Wallets tend to get filled with a bunch of useless cards and papers that make them too bulky," he explained. "I don't like sitting on a lump of a wallet, so I just carry the bare minimum and keep them in my front pocket so they don't get bent by me sitting on them."

Amanda slid her hand into his back pocket and pulled him against her hip. "I like having your back pockets empty. That way I always have a free spot for my hand." She squeezed him through his pants and continued, "Plus, I will generally have a purse or other bag with me, and there will always be room in it for anything you don't want in your pockets."

"You just might end up being kinda handy to have around," Sean teased her as he wished he could put his arm around her shoulder. He was carrying the dress she had selected in a garment bag and the shoes and other items with his other hand in a separate shopping bag.

Sean was surprised by how much he enjoyed watching Amanda shop. He marveled at her interactions with store personnel, listening with total concentration to their suggestions before either accepting them or expertly swaying them to her own opinions and desires as if they had shared them all along. She was like a little girl as she tried clothes on, frequently bouncing excitedly out of a changing room to model things for Sean's approval - and he never found a reason not to approve. Amanda had sensible tastes, an eye for colors, and a body that flattered anything that she wore.

Amanda used her connection to him through his back pocket to steer them both into her next shopping destination. "This store is for you," she told him as she opened the door with her free hand and led him into Victoria's Secret.

Sean's cell phone rang as he waited for Amanda to select panties, bras, garters and stockings - displaying each for Sean's approval before deciding on them. He stepped over to a seating area outside the fitting rooms and answered the call from Michelle.

"Hi Sean, I wanted you to know that I am heading up to Nashville in a couple of days. The FBI wants me there when they question Kimberly and Mark Morris."

"When do you expect to arrive?" asked Sean.

"According to the FBI, the real interrogation won't begin until Monday when they have had time to gather some phone records and other evidence from their Organized Crime Division that they want in hand before the questions start in earnest. The only questioning so far has been centered on what the Morris' know about the whereabouts of Tom Folsom. I hope to arrive Sunday afternoon and I'll go directly to the Federal Building downtown, so maybe we can get together for drinks later that evening and I can fill you in on everything we learn."

"I'm sorry, but I have family commitments all weekend. I'll text you directions to my house. You can join Amanda and me for a late breakfast there on Monday morning. I would like to show you the place and introduce you to my grandmother."

Michelle's annoyance was apparent as she said, "I'll have to play Monday by ear. I may have to transport the Morris' back to Atlanta in the morning, depending on what they have to say during the questioning."

"I understand," said Sean. "Well if we can't hook up while you're here, I'm sure we'll be able to get together when Amanda and I return to Atlanta next week."

"You're not returning on Monday?" Michelle asked?

"Not unless my grandmother there needs us for something related to the girls. Amanda and I have some business meetings and other arrangements to make here on Monday, so we'll need to remain here until Monday evening at least."

"You and Amanda are now in business together?"

"Husbands and wives are typically in business together," Sean said.

"You two are continuing that charade, huh?"

"Only until we can make it official. Amanda and I will be getting married and merging our family businesses in the very near future."

There was silence on the phone for several seconds while Mickey considered this news. She had always been very competitive, but she also knew when to back off. Backing off from Sean Wallace disappointed her on multiple levels. She liked and respected him, but the thought of what a physical relationship with him would be like had been a major fantasy of hers since she had met him. Mickey approached sex with a man like an athletic competition and as a result, she had never attained a level of satisfaction that she knew she was capable of with the men she had chosen so far. None of them had the stamina that her desires required, and most had been excellent physical specimens with either military or law enforcement fitness regimes that kept them in shape. She had sensed from their first meeting that Sean would be the man to finally meet the challenge that she would present to him in bed. Now it was unlikely she would ever know. Damn!

Michelle finally said, "Well, I guess congratulations are in order. I need to run now. I'll keep you posted."

Before Sean could reply, Michelle had ended the call. Sean glanced over to where Amanda had been standing previously and saw that she was now waiting for him near the front door with her purchased items in a bag. She held it up for him to see and smiled the most wickedly tempting smile that Sean had ever seen.

Approaching her, Sean smiled his own wicked smile and they both walked out of the store and then to the parking lot with an electric air of anticipation radiating between them.

Sean placed the packages in the back of the car and asked Amanda, "Do you want to try driving here?"

"Not yet. I would rather wait until I know the route so that I can focus on which side of the road I am supposed to be on rather than which direction I need to go. I would also prefer to sightsee a little more if you don't mind. This is beautiful country."

Sean opened the passenger door for Amanda and kissed her before she slid into her seat. As was becoming their pattern, Amanda reached across and opened Sean's door for him before he could get around to it.

"Do you know who else may be at this dinner that your grandmother is planning?" Amanda asked Sean as they entered the freeway.

"It's difficult to say with my grandmother. She hasn't had a lot of time to plan it, so I can't imagine it being too big of an event or for there to be anyone other than a few close neighbors invited. Are you worried?"

"No, I just would prefer not to have to spend the entire evening as the center of attention," Amanda said. "We didn't get much sleep last night and I have plans for you tonight that include more than sleeping."

Sean grinned at her, "If some of those items you were showing me at Victoria's Secret foretell your plans, then I can promise you an early exit strategy for both of us to get away from the crowd. Although, I'm concerned now that I may have to rescind my marriage proposal."

Amanda gasped and felt her blood leaving her face until she saw the twinkle in Sean's eyes and understood that he was teasing her in some way.

Sean couldn't hide the grin on his face as he continued, "I'm not sure a husband is allowed to lust after his wife as much as I lust after you."

"You liked what you saw?" Amanda asked with a glowing smile on her face.

"I liked the promise of what I saw," said Sean. "Tease me, please me Mrs. Wallace."

Amanda placed her hand along Sean's thigh and slid it up until she found his obvious firmness within his pants. "I promise you far more pleasing than teasing Mr. Wallace. I look forward to a lifetime of pleasing you. If there is some restriction to husbandly lust, I'm sure we can make an exception in your case, as long as I get the same exception as your wife where my lust for you is concerned. How long until we get to your house?"

"It will take us about thirty minutes or so."

Amanda used the time to describe for Sean her conversation with DeMarcus Steele as well as elaborating for him on her brief meeting with the personnel while he was dealing with the police. Sean's expression varied from subdued rage over the things that DeMarcus Steele had said, to radiant pride in the way that Amanda dealt with him and the employees.

"Did you get a sense for what his next move might be?" Sean asked her.

"Not really, but I'm glad that you had the foresight to arrange protection for Beth and the girls. I could envision Mr. Steele trying to use someone we cared about as a bargaining chip of some sort."

"I agree," said Sean. "Did he mention anything about the girls that would prove his involvement in their distribution?"

Amanda reflected on her conversation with DeMarcus Steele and said, "He said nothing specific related to the girls, but he did imply that we had disrupted some of his business transactions. Do you think this Tri-Star Partners organization is behind the planned distribution of the girls and that is how Tom Folsom got involved?"

"We don't know enough about Tri-Star beyond their management contract right now to be able to say for certain, but we definitely need to consider them as potentially being involved with you and the girls somehow. I'll get Bill Lester to start reviewing the details Brandt Consulting has already retrieved on Tri-Star Partners and we'll look at them from a broader basis than just their management consultancy business."

Turning off the highway onto a quiet two-lane road, Sean and Amanda hadn't traveled 100 yards before their path was blocked by two men in the road beckoning them to stop. Sean slowed and stopped before them and rolled down his side window. One of the men approached Sean's window as the other stood to the side with his hand inside the light windbreaker he was wearing.

"Good evening sir. Do you realize that you are on a private drive and not a through road?" Sean handed the man his driver's license and said, "I would hope so since it's my private drive. I'm Sean Wallace and this beautiful lady with me is Mrs. Amanda Wallace."

Amanda smiled at Sean's introduction and just waved at the man outside the car.

"Of course Mr. Wallace, we have been expecting you. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'll radio ahead and let the gate know you are on your way up." He handed Sean back his license and stepped away from the car. Sean continued up the road, leaving his window down and letting the evening air flow through the car. Amanda followed suit and rolled her window down as well.

"This road is your driveway?" she asked? The road was wide and smooth. lined by tall trees along grass covered shoulders. The branches had been trimmed so high and precise that they resembled columns as they drove past them.

"Technically no, the driveway is about a half mile ahead. This road goes past the driveway another two miles, providing paved access to the horse stables, and several other buildings farther into the property. There is also a private boat ramp for us to launch directly into the Cumberland River without having to cut across the lawn or pastures. Have you ever ridden a Jet Ski?"

"No but I have always wanted to," said Amanda. "Most bodies of water near my home had too many pests to make recreational use of them practical. When the Katherine River was running well we could safely kayak and occasionally swim in it, but that only happened a few times each year after a heavy rain. Other times, the crocs and snakes were too aggressive."

Sean nodded as he slowed the car. They had been driving past white fencing that separated the road from lush, green pastures with beautiful horses grazing and now were approaching a stone-pillared gate, behind which was a magnificent manicured lawn that flowed towards a large colonial-style mansion in the distance. The stark white structure appeared to almost float above the colorful landscape surrounding it. The gate was open, with two men standing on either side of the drive. Sean drove past them without stopping and proceeded towards the house to the semi-circular drive in front of the house.

"We'll unload our stuff and I'll put the car into the garage later," Sean announced. There was another car already in the drive, so Sean pulled in behind it and said, "I wonder who this car belongs to. It looks like a rental."

Before he could shut off the ignition, the two large oak doors at the front of the house opened and a tall, handsome man strode towards them. While this man was slightly larger than Sean, Amanda saw an obvious family resemblance between him and Sean as he approached their car and opened Amanda's door for her.

"You must be Amanda."

Recognizing the voice, Amanda jumped out of the car and threw her arms around him. "I am so pleased to finally meet you, Uncle Kirby. I didn't know that you would be here."

Chuckling as Amanda embraced him, Kirby caught Sean's eye and winked. "I couldn't wait for Sean to bring you to me," he told Amanda, "So I came to you."

"This is a nice surprise," agreed Sean as he came around the car to shake his uncle's hand. "Is Wendy with you?"

"She sure is," said a melodic voice from the doorway. A tall beautiful woman with shining raven hair tied back in a ponytail was just coming out on the porch to join them. She gave Sean a warm hug and kissed his cheek before turning to Amanda and extending both her hands to her. "Hi, I'm Wendy Wallace, Sean's aunt."

"I am so honored to meet both of you," Amanda told them as Sean moved beside her and they wrapped arms around each other's waists. The touch of something cold and wet against her leg made Amanda jerk and look down. Sean noticed this and also searched for the cause.

"Merlin!" he said as he knelt to hug the Sable colored Sheltie who had just introduced his nose to Amanda. Sean picked the dog up into his arms and presented him to Amanda who moved her face inward to accept the offered kisses from Merlin.

"What a handsome fellow you are!" she cooed to him as she ruffled the fur behind his ears. Turning to Kirby she asked, "Is he your dog?"

Sean answered, "No, he's mine. Uncle Kirby and Wendy have been watching him for me." Addressing his Uncle, he continued, "Thanks for bringing him along."

"Well come on in and meet Mom," said Kirby as he took Wendy's hand and led them all into the house.

Sean set Merlin down and him and Amanda once again put their arms around each other's waists. They followed Kirby and Wendy into a large foyer that was obviously designed to impress visitors. Opulence abounded and pretentiousness ruled the day in everything from the crystal chandelier that hung from the ceiling to the Chinese vases on antique tables, to the hardwood floor with the Wallace coat of arms inlaid into it. As Kirby led them into a large atrium sitting room, Amanda saw that expensive and luxurious furnishings were evident everywhere, but as in Beth's house, a large framed portrait of Sean in his Marine Corps dress blues hung in a place of prominence on the walls. Here it was joined by a similar portrait of his Uncle Kirby, also in his Marine Corps uniform.

She recognized immediately the aristocratic pomp and circumstance that Sean had mentioned spending half of his childhood in. The differences between this house and that of Beth Askew were diametrical and dramatic. Sean had told her that this house was more than 15,000 square feet, teasing her not to get lost in it.

At the far end of the room, a lovely older woman in her seventies with a patrician air stood to greet them. Sean took both of her hands in his and kissed his grandmother on the cheek. Amanda considered how much more reserved Sean was in his display of affection with his Grandmother Wallace compared to how he was with his Grandmother Askew, and instinctively knew that she should follow his lead.

"Grandmother, I would like to introduce Amanda Wallace," said Sean as he directed Amanda to his grandmother. Carol Wallace turned her gaze to Amanda and studied her as she stood before her. Amanda felt that she was being evaluated for purchase as a race horse under the scrutiny of Carol Wallace's examination.

Amanda smiled her warmest smile, "I am pleased to meet you, and very honored to be here in your home."

Carol Wallace glanced between her grandson and Amanda before responding, "Any friend of Sean's is always welcomed. I'm very glad that you were the catalyst that brought both my grandson and my son home for a brief visit." She reached down and picked up a small bell off a side table and shook it for a few seconds. A uniformed maid appeared instantly in the doorway.

"Jessica, would you please bring our guests some ice tea and lemonade?" Turning to address her guests once more, Carol continued, "We have a couple of hours before our other guests arrive for dinner, so if anyone wishes to freshen up, there will be time after refreshments are served. Everyone, please have a seat."