The Bracelet Ch. 06

Kim entered the bar of the 54 West restaurant from the street side, pausing to remove her sunglasses so she could search the room for Rob. The late afternoon sun had temporarily blinded her, so she waited for her eyes to adjust as she put the glasses away in her clutch.

Several men seated near the door took notice of the gorgeous woman who just entered. She had dark hair, worn down to her shoulders in cascading curls. Her coloring and facial features reminded one man of a beautiful gypsy. She was dressed in a fairly short skirt and sweater set that could be considered business attire, but she pulled it off in a way that made it very sexy as well.

She had on high heeled sandals, with only two straps. One crossed her foot at the widest point, and the other held the heel onto her slim ankle. Her long, thin legs were bare, and slightly bronzed from the sun. Her toe and fingernails were done in a French manicure. Several men who were appraising her tried to imagine what she would look like without the classy outfit she was wearing.

Kim felt the eyes of some of the male patrons in the bar looking her over. The crowd was mainly business types, either stopping for a drink on the way home from work, or waiting for a seating in the restaurant, and skewed heavily toward men versus women. She was finally able to scan the crowd for Rob, and tried to avoid making eye contact with the single men who watched her with interest.

She spied Rob sitting at a secluded table in the back of the lounge. She expected to see Alan with him, and was surprised to realize he was seated with a man she didn't recognize. She made her way over to the table, and caught Rob's eye as she approached. She made a quick gesture with her shoulders to signal the question of "who is this" to Rob.

He rose to greet her and gave her a wink and his most charming smile. The man seated with Rob also rose quickly and turned toward Kim.

Rob took Kim's hand and used it to pull her into a quick kiss on the lips, then he turned to his companion and introduced him. "Kim, I would like you to meet a business associate of mine who is also my mentor. This is Max Stefanos. Max, this is Kim Anderson."

"Hello Max, it's nice to meet you." Said Kim.

Max took Kim's proffered hand and smiled at her as he murmured, "The pleasure is all mine, I assure you."

Rob pulled out the chair between he and Max and held it while Kim sat down. Rob and Max then sat and Max said, "Rob has been telling me all about you."

Kim glanced to Rob with her eyebrows arched. "All good things, I hope."

Alarm bells were going off inside her head, wondering if Rob's description included their sexual relationship. Kim trusted Rob in most things, but he was impulsive sometimes. She liked to keep her lifestyle choice compartmentalized from her public life. A lot of people, if they found out she had sex with men other than her husband, even with his consent and encouragement, would be quick to judge and condemn her.

Rob jumped in to explain, correctly surmising that Kim might be worried about how he characterized their relationship. "I told Max that I have known you for years, and that you and Rick took me on as a greenfield site in need of a complete design-build out."

Max chuckled at the look of confusion on Kim's face, and explained, "Rob is using a construction analogy, referring to an undeveloped parcel of land that is ready for someone to use in a project. When he was getting started, I told him that he had all the smarts about building that he would ever need, but his social skills were rough around the edges. I suggested that he cultivate some friends who were more refined, whom he could emulate in his dealings with clients."

Rob added, "Max did much more than that for me. He gave my company our first contract as the interiors sub on an office complex he was building. Since then, he steered several big projects my way when his crews were booked up. I owe a lot of my success to this guy. That's why, whenever he comes to town, I insist on treating him to dinner."

Kim smiled at the obvious warmth and admiration that Rob had for Max. "Well then I am honored to be included, and glad to help Rob entertain such a wonderful man." She added.

Max laughed again, delighted at the praise from his protégé and Rob's very attractive friend. "Why do I feel like the two of you have ulterior motives tonight?" he asked.

The hostess appeared, and told them their table was ready. After they moved to the dining room, Max realized that Kim still didn't have a drink, so he asked her what she wanted.

"I think I will just have a glass of red wine," replied Kim.

Rob ordered a bottle without even consulting the menu. Kim recognized the name from an earlier date with Rob, and recalled that the wine was over two hundred dollars a bottle. It was one of her favorites, though she and Rick would never order such an expensive wine if they were out for dinner together.

"You remembered what I like." She commented happily.

"Well of course I did." Responded Rob, as though the notion that he would forget such a detail in the weeks since they last dined together was absurd.

The trio settled into a comfortable conversation as the dinner progressed. The men talked shop for a while, giving Kim a chance to study Max. She learned that he was Greek-Italian, and had been in the business for over forty years. She guessed his age at about sixty, and he seemed in good shape, but not as good as Rob, who was compulsive about working out.

Max had gray hair cut short and styled impeccably. In fact, everything about him was impeccable. He had on a polo shirt and sports jacket over linen trousers. His watch and shoes looked European, and very expensive. He had the confidence and relaxed attitude shared by all men who have made it in life, and are enjoying the ride. Kim found him to be very sexy.

After dinner, Max excused himself to use the restroom. As soon as he left the table, Rob turned to Kim and said, "Thank you for going along with me tonight."

Kim smiled and said, "Of course, baby. Max is nice. I'm having a good time."

Rob relaxed and added, "I did call Alan about tonight, but he was already busy. I hope you are not disappointed to be stuck with me and the old man. I know you might have had something else in mind for after dinner."

Kim laughed at Rob's assumption that she couldn't be attracted to Max because of his age. Why did guys assume women had the same fixation on youth that they did with young girls?

"What makes you so sure that I'm not interested in something other than dessert after dinner?" she asked Rob. Then she added, "Unless you wore yourself out with that little hussy you were out with last night."

Rob grinned, and said, "You pretty much put the kibosh on that one, calling me in the middle of my date with her. I didn't even get to second base after your call."

"Poor baby," cooed Kim, reaching under the tablecloth and rubbing Rob's crotch.

She put her lips to his ear and whispered, "I am still up for a threesome, by the way. I think Max is very sexy." Then she stuck the tip of her tongue in Rob's ear and swirled it around.

"God damn." Rob groaned, and returned the favor by rubbing his hand up the inside of Kim's thigh and under her skirt.

Just before he reached pay dirt, Kim grabbed his wrist and hissed, "Time to behave. People are starting to stare at us and Max is coming back."

The two composed themselves as Max made his way across the dining room to their table. When he reached the table, Kim rose and excused herself to go powder her nose while Rob signaled the waiter to get the check.

"What do you think of Kim?" Rob asked Max.

"She is gorgeous." Max replied, then asked, "Where is her husband tonight?"

Rob replied, "He's travelling on business this week."

As Rob worked on paying the bill, his mind worked on how to handle the situation. He was unsure of how to deal with Kim's revelation that she was interested in Max.

Rob normally played the role of the "other guy" in Kim's relationship with Rick. He now found himself acting as her substitute husband, and the new role had him off balance.

Rob had strong feelings for Kim. She was not just another "fuck buddy" to Rob. He put her on a pedestal and she had no peers among his other women friends. He didn't think any deeper about it than that, because she was married to his good friend, and it allowed him to maintain the illusion that she was not as important in his life as she really was.

As Kim returned to the table, he thought to himself, "fuck it, I'm just going to see what happens tonight."

Rob suggested that they go to a club he knew that had a live jazz band during the week. Kim eagerly agreed, she loved music and was excited by the possibility of dancing with these two handsome men.

Max looked at his watch and back to Rob.

"Why don't you two kids go on. It's getting late and I have an early meeting tomorrow." He said.

He wasn't sure what Rob's plans were for Kim, but he didn't want to intrude on them.

"No!" Kim cried. "You have to go with us for at least one drink," she informed him, latching onto his arm like she was going to physically restrain him from leaving.

Rob and Max both laughed at how stridently Kim made her case. Max was interested, if only to spend a bit more time with his good friend and this beautiful woman, so he nodded his agreement.

The three of them left the table and Rob suggested that Kim ride with he and Max. She had consumed a good portion of the two bottles of wine that the three of them shared at dinner, and he didn't want her driving herself. She agreed that it was a good idea.

The valet brought Rob's big Mercedes sedan to the front entrance where the three waited. Rob opened the front door passenger door for Kim to get in. Max climbed into the back seat.

Once they were underway, Rob glanced at Kim and found her smiling at him demurely. Max was sitting directly behind Kim and checking emails on his phone, so he didn't see her pull the hem of her skirt up until it reached her pussy. Rob almost drove off the road as he realized that Kim had removed her panties when she went to the restroom earlier.

Kim turned and looked out the windshield as she spread her legs and stroked her pussy with her right hand while humming softly to herself. Rob tried to keep track of the road ahead, but found himself unable to stop glancing back to Kim's magical fingers.

Kim put her left hand on his arm at one point and calmly said, "The traffic light changed."

Rob looked up and realized he was bearing down on a car stopped at the light in front of him, and if not for the Merc's collision avoidance system he probably would have tagged it pretty good. His car made a rapid but controlled stop seconds before he reacted and moved his foot to the brake pedal.

From the back seat Max inquired, "Are you okay to drive, Robert?"

Rob looked back sheepishly at Max and said, "Yeah, I'm fine, just got distracted for a moment."

Kim sat smirking in the front seat, and said nothing. She lowered her skirt to ensure that they made it the rest of the way to the club in one piece.

When they arrived at the club, Rob double parked at the front door and hopped out. The bouncer standing just inside the door saw him and motioned for someone to come and take care of his car. The club was on a main street, and really didn't offer valet parking, but Rob was a frequent, good tipping customer and the bouncers all knew to look out for the black Mercedes, as well as what to do when he arrived.

Rob jumped out of the car and ran around to the other side, grabbing the handles of both passenger side doors and pulling them open.

Kim swung her legs toward him and allowed her knees to part to give him a glimpse of her damp pussy. She paused, grinning at him, then stood up and stepped over the curb. Max was also climbing out of the car at the same time, so he missed Kim's show.

Rob turned and handed the young man who came out to get the car a twenty dollar bill and thanked him. Then he followed Max and Kim into the club.

The hostess of the club recognized Rob and gave him a warm smile. He reached out to shake her hand and slipped her a fifty dollar bill. Despite the fact that the club was crowded, the hostess seated them immediately in a small booth near the stage.

Kim loved her dates with Rob. Even though Rick was very considerate, and took her to nice places anytime she wanted, their financial resources didn't allow them to live the way Rob did.

She found Rob's ability to get them into the hottest clubs and snag the most difficult tickets one of the many reasons seeing him was so exciting.

Kim sat in the back of the booth, with Rob on her right and Max on her left. They all ordered cocktails and listened to the band for a while. Rob put his left arm around her back on the top of the bench and started playing with Kim's knee under the tablecloth.

Kim left her hands on top of the table, confident that Rob couldn't get too carried away. The tablecloth only covered her from mid-thigh down, so Max would be able to see if Rob went any higher.

She loved to tease Rob when they were out on dates. The more frustrated she made him during the evening, the more dominant he became later. She figured that with all of the teasing already tonight, he was probably ready to pound the shit out of her poor little pussy. The mental image made her squirm in her seat.

The band launched into a cover of "Your love is king" by Sade. Kim bounced up and down in her seat and said, "Oooh, Rob, we have to dance to this."

She pushed Rob out of the booth and dragged him to the dance floor. Rob put his arms around her waist and pulled her into him, smiling as she turned her beautiful face up to his. They danced slowly, swaying in place and whispering to each other.

Max watched them with envy. How wonderful it would be to be young again, and as much in love as these two people obviously were with each other.

He still could not figure out the relationship between Rob, Kim and her husband, Rick. He hoped that his young friend did not end up with his heart broken, but after getting to know Kim during the evening, and seeing how she worshiped Rob, he couldn't imagine her doing that to him on purpose. But that was the strange thing about love, he thought. A woman can devastate her lover so much easier with careless affection than she can with cold, calculated malice.

When the song ended, Rob kissed Kim and said something to her, while motioning with his head towards the table. Kim nodded to Rob and they headed back towards Max. When they got to the table, Kim reached out to Max and said, "Rob tells me that you are an excellent dancer, please come out and show me."

Rob smiled at Max and said, "You know she won't take 'no' for an answer."

Max said, "I would be honored, thank you," and led Kim back to the dance floor. The band was following up "Your love is king" with "Smooth operator" off of the same album by Sade. Max took Kim's left hand in his right and held her arm out while wrapping his other arm behind her back. He began with a simple box step that Kim was able to follow easily, then began to guide her in a series of steps and twirls. Kim had taken dance lessons in college, and found much of it coming back to her under Max's excellent lead.

When the song ended, Kim was so happy she threw her arms around Max's shoulders and gave him a grateful kiss. Rob thought she let it linger a bit longer than necessary before she pulled away from him. The band played two more songs and Kim insisted that Max dance those with her as well. Rob had seen Max dance with women at other social functions before, so he knew he was a good dancer. He did not know how good Kim was until now, however. He decided he was going to take some dance lessons before they went out together the next time.

After the third song, the band ended their set and went on a break. Max and Kim came back to the table, and sat down. Max appeared unruffled and smiled serenely at Kim and Rob. Kim was panting a bit, and took a big gulp of her drink.

Kim then took off the three quarter sleeve sweater she was wearing, revealing the matching jersey tank top underneath. The material was a fine knit, and molded itself to her body from the perspiration that she generated while dancing with Max.

Both men tried unsuccessfully not to stare at the discernible shape of her b-cup breasts with their prominent nipples, outlined by the clinging material.

Rob stood so that Kim could slide into the booth again, then he and Max sat back down on either side of her. Kim fanned her face with her hand and gushed to Max,"You are an amazing dancer. I really enjoyed that."

Kim sat back and allowed her hands to fall to her sides, where they came to rest naturally on the thighs of her companions.

As she talked to Max about his dance training, Rob took the opportunity to devour Kim with his eyes, focusing on her breasts and the small portion of her thighs that he could see between the hem of her skirt and the tablecloth across her legs.

Although her appearance would be considered completely appropriate by anyone walking by, Rob couldn't get the image of the bare pussy concealed beneath her skirt out of his mind. Her warm hand on his thigh was a reminder of how warm the inside of that pussy was, and he was going out of his mind in anticipation.

Kim turned to Rob and said, "I think I am danced out for tonight. How about if we go back to your place and cool off outside by the pool?" She gave Rob a quick wink, hidden from Max's view.

Max was sure that this was his cue to excuse himself and take a cab back to his hotel, but Kim wouldn't hear of it. Not only was he not going back to his hotel alone, she demanded that he go with them to Rob's house.

"Has Rob even invited you to his house before?" she asked Max.

"You know I don't entertain often." Rob interjected in his own defense.

"Well I think we need to correct that, starting tonight," said Kim. "Max needs to see how you are enjoying the success that he helped you achieve, don't you think? In fact, I am going to organize a party for all of your clients and business associates for next month, so that you can thank them all personally for your good fortune."

Rob smiled at Kim and said, "you're too good to me." Then he leaned in and gave her a lingering kiss on the lips.

Her eyes were hooded when he pulled away, and she replied, "and don't you forget it, buster," poking his thigh with her finger.

Rob's car was retrieved, and Rob gave another twenty to the young man who brought it to the door. When he turned around, Max was holding the rear door open and Kim was climbing into the backseat. Max looked up at Rob in confusion, and Rob just shrugged his shoulders with a grin.

Kim's arm appeared out of the open door and began pulling Max into the seat next to her by the his jacket lapel. At that point it was Max's turn to grin.

Rob got in the driver's seat and looked over his shoulder into the back seat. Max was belted into the passenger side and Kim was right next to him latching the belt for the center seat across her chest. She grabbed Max's left hand and held it, then motioned with her free hand for Rob to get on with chauffeuring them. Rob just shook his head and turned to pilot the car to the expressway.

It took Rob about 20 minutes to get from the city center to his neighborhood. Kim and Max chatted in the backseat while he drove. He wondered if Kim would make a move on Max on the way back to his place, but she seemed to behave herself.

Rob reached his driveway and drove through the electronic gates to the four car carriage style garage. His house was a modern structure on a hill at the edge of the downtown area. The tony neighborhood was home to more than a few millionaires, and Rob's house was similar to the others in terms of opulence.