Overlooked Bride Ch. 04

"Thank you for expressing your appreciation Fitzroy, but I rarely do hotel dates and never with married men. Please just keep our relationship on a business level. Kit and I and bound to become friends now, but not one of her friends you greet and undo your zip. Be very clear about that, Fitzroy."

"Hear you loud and clear; you seem to have the wrong impression of me, Bianca. I'm just an enthusiastic lad who can easily be led astray. I won't mess with you; I promise."

Oh yeah? I'll be watching you unfaithful MP, Bianca thought, cutting the call.

Almost 300 responses to advertisements to fit up a workmate/partner for Marty who no longer wanted to carry on with the project. It seemed such a shame to abandon this resource but Bianca deemed it unethical to use those names for any other purpose so she'd have the temporary office assistant she'd hired to either write, call or email as appropriate the response: 'We regret the position has been filled, thank you for your response."

The cost of that would be added to Marty's account. She did find a most interesting response – a technical institute tutor in Australia who expressed an interest in a managerial position but she would also be prepared to have a romantic liaison if that was necessary to secure the position, but she'd rather not.

Bianca read this application thoroughly and sent it on to Marty marked: Head of department/tutor? She marked some sections, 'Born and raised in Shanghai, fluent in Cantonese, French and Spanish', 'English father, Spanish mother, both university lecturers', 'M Ed., London University 1976, BBS (business studies, Massey University)', 'divorced, no children, living in Wellington and hate place.'

Fifteen minutes later he phoned. "Thanks, Monica Wisenberg sounds great. She could be a good fit for the professional business person section we are about to establish. I called her and she's coming up for an interview early Friday evening of next week. You may have found a goldmine for our college. May I buy you a drink this evening?"

"Yes please. I adore drinking with gentlemen."

Marty seemed taken aback by that remark but his only comment was a polite goodbye, he'd call at her office around 6:00.

I only said that because I value him; I wasn't flirting, Bianca mused, not believing a word of her denial.

Sara Bloom of the visitor's centre called to say Brenda the chairman had made some minor changes to Bianca's draft letter and would be emailed back in a few minutes. "I found it unnecessary to change anything but Brenda and I agreed you should change it to and urgent meeting and hold it Thursday of next week. The urgency should incite some favorable reaction."

"Good idea, thank you."

"My friend Ruby Williams has just been speaking to me. I want you two to meet. She's wife of Crown Prosecutor Wilf Williams, so is a socialite. It's a case of the girls against the boys but I'll let her tell you about it."

"Fine, if you're going to procure for me we must do lunch on me."

"That would be lovely but procure, you don't know close that is to the mark."

"Pardon me?"

"No more hints. Bye."

Ruby Williams swept into Bianca's office as if she owned it. "This office is very small."

"It's big for just me, a receptionist or one or two clients. If big means more to you than quality service then I suggest you look elsewhere, Mrs Williams."

"No, I suppose you'll do. Sara Bloom seems to think you are top shelf and capable of thinking unlike anyone else she knows. We'll need a lot of that because this side issue comes down to them and us, and them has the resources though we rather think we out-brain them."

Bianca waited, expecting the confusion would lift soon.

"I suppose you're wondering what I'm talking about?"

"I have plenty of time."

"Is that sarcasm?"

"That's one interpretation."

"I see, a cute answer. You've pinged me without appearing to do so."

Bianca decided it was time. "Well then, let's get on with it. Tell me the problem in thirty words."

"Good heavens, you don't back down, do you?"

"Thirty words or fewer."

"A brothel is planned near Crucible Private School for Girls. It's an abomination and must be stopped. Our men-folk just laugh and say we tilt at windmills."

Bianca clapped her hands and complimented Ruby, saying it was the most interesting, dynamic and succinct job briefing she'd ever received.

"You have a very educated tongue, young woman. My confidence in you grows by the minute."

Bianca smiled and asked would Ruby expend another thirty words describing how she perceived Bianca's involvement in this windmill tilting mission.

"At our committee meeting tomorrow evening I want you to tell us how to shift this brothel project into the next suburb or even Antarctica."

"Wow. I ought to be charging treble full-rate. Instead I'll work for $25 an hour – does your committee have funding?"

"Yes, and most of use have a few pennies to spare. But please $100 an hour and I'll whisper you've halved your fee because of your social conscience. If I said $50 my parents' liaison committee would think I was hiring trash."

"Oh, we can't give them that impression."

Ruby smiled. "It's going to be fun working with you. I'll now give you a brief description of the school, it's ideals, a typical male and a typical female parent and how these husbands of ours, top professional men in the main, describe our concerns as and I quote, 'A bloody hilarious joke'. I ask you why aren't they interested in resisting and I'll ask you not to answer as the thought of the answer disgusts we women."

"Women go to brothels too, Ruby."

"Oh Bianca – please. Don't dare mention that. We stand united and must give the impression we are pure and staunch."

Ninety-ninutes and four cups of coffee later, Ruby left, looked far more relaxed than when she arrived. Without saying what she'd do, Bianca said she was absolutely confident she could lead a staunch troop of women into embarrassing the men and bring the wrath of the city, indeed the entire national and even beyond, on to unscrupulous investors in legalized sin and unacceptable pornography who threatee to blight the neighborhood of Crucible Private School for Girls."

"You have lifted my spirits, dear Bianca. I was worrying that over this issue I would become known forever as the least successful committee chairman in the history of the school."

"I'll succeed providing you hand me a troop of staunch women."

Ruby said Bianca had her promise.

Bianca was glad she'd switched from afternoon to a 6:30 morning slot at the gym. That allowed her to be available or not when being asked out for a drink. She slipped out at 5:00 as the temp left. She raced home for a shower and changed into something that was more complimentary to her body than a business suit. Walking back to the office and noticing some admiring glances she decided Marty would qualify as being staunch.

Staunch perhaps but Marty appeared to almost melt when he entered the office at 5:50 and Bianca came around the desk wearing half a yard of something flimsy that plunged from a halter neck to one of the deepest V's he'd ever seen in the flesh – meaning apart from MM or Gina L movies – and the flimsy stuff halted a foot above her knees.

"Hi, w-w-won't you g-get c-cold."

"You're staunch; I can rely on you to drape your jacket over me," she said, stopping just a hand's span away from him.

No reaction.

She shimmered to narrow that gap by half, looking up at his lips with intensity.

Nothing dammit, she thought, I'll not made the first move but had the satisfaction of hearing a quavered as he said, "We should be going."

Why should we, what's the rush, Bianca thought aggressively. You had time to comment on the precision with which I'd applied by lip gloss or mention romantically, 'How can a woman smell so beautiful as this when working all day in the office. You smell better than my mother.' Yeah, and he'd be thinking that was a supreme compliment in the ranking of 'This pie tastes better than what my mother makes. A long pause, and then comes just one word – 'almost'. Why is it some men become hesitant when faced by a female who's all woman, in this case standing only half a hand span away?

"Yes, we best go as a matter of urgency," she sighed, drawing a blank look.

Follow me out Marty and I'll give you an eye-bugging demonstration of an interesting way a woman can use her hips.

"You lock up while I'll hit the button for the elevator," he said. Masterfully she thought – efficient work, Marty, but you missed seeing my hip play.

No-one else was in the elevator. You have the choice Marty – kiss me or pick your nose. What? That's rather common, Bianca. Show your class please.

"Did your college earn more today than what it spent?"

"Huh?'

Bianca turned her back on him and aware that he was at the right angle to see into the mirror in front of her waggled her breasts into a more comfortable position in her half-bra. She looked to meet his eyes – a mysterious locking gaze of mutual allure. But he was reading an ad on the other wall of the cage promoting rodent control.

Another wasted opportunity, you rat. She waggled an ear-ring to give herself a little pain in the piercing, to sharpen her thoughts. Did males have any idea how many opportunities to—er—inter-elate with their date only to be misread or ignored? In all probability that occurred because females were too subtle for males. Well, Marty – that's the end of the show for now; this hopeful series of maneuvers has left me a tad stressed and exhausted. What do I want from you, Marty? Okay, I know, I'm not sure. If I were I'm damn sure we wouldn't be time-wasting in this elevator, not with my hormones yelling at me to get on with it. Aren't I'm lucky I'm staunch – it saves me from facing rejection. Have you rejected me as something warm and receptive to cuddle up to and exploit, Marty? Well, if I knew I wanted you I'd send our clearer vibes. It's my fault, isn't it? Men always think it's the women's fault. This is pathetic – I should be out with Kit doing the girlie thing. Oops, I really didn't mean that. I'm flexible, but not that flexible. So what am I? Thirsty.

"God I feel like a drink."

"Me too, Bianca; me too. May I say how stunning you look. If I look at you much more I'll have to borrow your handbag to cover my embarrassment."

Bianca's ears were filled with a roar; it was her rioting hormones yelling for her to knock him to the floor. Relieve flooded through her as the doors of the elevator opened: she was saved! From acting indelicately with a male, that is.

Her rollercoaster mind slowed towards normal as they walked through the foyer and on to the end-of-day vehicle and people polluted Queen Street, the city's principal shopping thoroughfare excluding outlying malls; that of course depending on one's definition of 'principal' in relation to shopping and one's definite of shopping but why dwell on semantics? I'd be better off trying to find adult maturity at last when it comes to men, she thought. These surges of lust that grip me occasionally are unladylike and are partly the reason why I've failed to lodge sensibly against the comforting hip of a desirable man who WANTS to leave that arm around me. Thank God that Joe dumped me in Melbourne. Talk about big dicks – small brains, where was my brain? She invented a line to a song, probably bits stolen from lyrics stored in her brain: 'You're a big girl now, won't your ever learn?'

"What was that?"

"Oh, just humming a line to a song, Marty."

"We've hit the street at a bad time – nevermind," he said as she was jostled heavily against Marty by a guy rushing to the harbor ferries.

"Asshole!"

"Tut-tut," Marty grinned, placing am arm around Bianca protectively and not in any hurry to remove it. The arm fell away as they entered the bar against people leaving and when they grabbed two vacated bar stools he was attracting the attention of the bargirl instead of helping her on to her stool and sneaking a feel of what kind of bra Bianca had on or whatever men think when they do that. I want that arm back around me, she whined to herself.

"Two Harvey Wallbangers," he ordered.

Bianca thought, he'd not consulting me; he's ordering that particular drink because he has seduction in mind. Well, he could get lucky after I've downed two or three of those.

Their drinks arrived with the recipients still not touching.

"We best only have one of these."

"Why are they strong?"

"You sound innocent; they do have a reputation."

"Like what?"

Marty rubbed his chin, obviously enjoying this conversation. "It's bar folklore really – mothers warn their daughters if they're drinking Harvey Wallbangers not to ride in the back of a black Cadillac."

"Why are earth not?"

Marty grinned. "Now that's something you'll have to ask your mother."

"You're not particularly brave when challenged, are you Marty?"

"Come out to my place for lunch Sunday but come early – I'll show you something that's a really big challenge."

"Oooh, I can't wait." She thought Marty looked a little confused so asked what was a Harvey Wallbanger.

"Just old-fashion Screwdriver with Galliano – an Italian herb flavoured liquer – added to the mix."

"Oh, is that all," Bianca pouted. "I thought it had some secret potion added."

"Whatever for?"

Lowering her voice an octave, Bianca told him: "So a girl can get it without really believing she's getting it thus feels moral when squealing in delight and giving back as good as she gets."

To his credit Marty laughed aloud, genuinely laughed. "God, you can be so funny."

To Be Continued...