The Club Pt. 02

"Richard has a mansion on Lake Garda in Italy. He said we could turn that into our first Club Europe. I'm off to see my lawyer this afternoon and talk about what kind of agreement we can strike up. I'm so excited by this amazing opportunity!" Nina's dark eyes were glowing. I had never seen her look this animated.

What could I say? How could I burst her bubble? Most importantly, when this deal went through and I was absolutely certain it would, how was it going to be possible to work with Richard? He was going to start asking questions once the agreement was signed and became my boss.

"Wow Nina. That's....incredible news. I'm speechless. Are you sure you want to relinquish control over the Club though? What if Richard tries to take it over and run it how he sees fit?"

"Oh sweetie, you worry too much. I'm not stupid! I'll still the one in charge." She snorted with laughter. "Right, I've got a lunch meeting with another potential member and then off to my lawyers. I just had to pop in to share the good news. Remember to keep Richard Banks happy!"

With that passing comment, she departed leaving Alayna and I staring at each other in despair.

Chapter 10

Over the next couple of weeks, I was on autopilot and doing my job mechanically. Thankfully, Richard had not emailed us again and so a part of me believed he had decided not to pursue another session with "Jade". I felt relieved, but I also didn't want to admit to myself that I was a little upset. I was obviously forgettable which made me wonder if Richard was full of bullshit when he said our time together had been incredible and he wanted to see me again.

I knew from daily catch ups with Nina that the agreement with Richard was in its final stages of review and both parties making just minor changes. As Nina promised, Richard did not want to step on her toes and be involved in day to day operations. He wanted to invest in the Club's potential, with a guaranteed return on his investment. He also offered to connect Nina with all his influential and wealthy contacts abroad.

Four weeks after Nina's dramatic announcement, the agreement had been signed and Richard was officially a silent partner. He offered to celebrate by inviting Nina and I, to his mansion on Lake Garda for the weekend.

"Can't you take Alayna instead?" I begged, but Nina laughed and said I was being ridiculous.

"You and I are going, Jasmine. Why on earth would you turn this invitation down? He specifically asked for you to join us, so your hostess skills must have made a good impression on him. It would be such bad manners at the start of our business venture to say no to Richard."

To argue further would have made her suspicious so I kept quiet. On Friday afternoon, we closed the Club early and left in one our chauffeured cars for the airport. Alayna waved us off from the entrance of the Club and looked at us wistfully. She had wanted to join us, but the invite did not extend to her for some reason.

There was no surprise that Richard had his own private jet and we found ourselves whisked through a different part of the airport terminal at Heathrow, with no crowds and stress-free check in.

It felt like the royal treatment when we were offered wine at the private lounge.

My eyes were like saucers, but Nina, always conscious of appearances acted like she flew private jets every week.

On board the plane, I gazed in amazement at the luxurious interior. Huge leather reclining seats, mahogany side tables, a bar area you could stand up and have a drink and even a large plasma tv screen.

I noticed a private door towards the back of the jet and when I sneaked a look, I saw a bedroom with a large queen size bed and crisp white sheets. I had to stop the temptation to jump on it and stay in bed for the flight.

When we touched down in Milan, the whole process through the airport terminal was again seamless and we soon found ourselves sat in the back of a black limo, with tinted windows.

"This is amazing," I admitted to Nina, "I feel like I'm in a dream."

"Sweetie, you haven't seen anything yet. Richard showed me a video of his mansion and your jaw is going to hit the ground."

It was quite a long journey to Lake Garda. The limo was wonderfully comfortable and while Nina looked wide awake and was on her phone, my eyes started feeling heavy and I fell asleep.

I did not wake up until we were on the edge of the Lake. In the twilight, it shimmered like silver as the fading light cast a gentle glow over the water. The backdrop of the mountains was breathtaking and I pressed my face up against the glass, soaking it all in.

Eventually the car slowed down and we pulled up in front of a huge wrought iron gate. There were cameras mounted on pillars and the gate slowly swung open. Down a gravel path we drove, passing mature shrubs and trees on either side. The grounds were well maintained and reminded me a little of our Club back home, but with different trees, shrubs and flowers.

I gasped as the most spectacular mansion I had ever seen in real life came into view. It was a sprawling white property set on two levels, with a balcony facing the front. The large windows had black wooden frames and the roof was made of burnt orange terracotta tiles. It was elegantly lit, with lights dotted around the base of the walls, pointing towards the building giving it a soft and romantic glow.

"This place is stunning," I whispered, staring at the mansion in awe.

"I know! Don't you think this will be perfect for our first European Club?" grinned Nina.

I nodded. It was perfect. I could not wait to see the inside and any nerves I felt about seeing Richard again faded.

Chapter 11

The chauffeur helped us out of the limo. The evening felt balmy and I could hear the pleasant chirp of crickets. As we approached the property, the large double front doors swung open and a woman appeared on the steps, giving us a warm smile.

"Welcome to Signore Bank's home! I am Lucia, the housekeeper and I will make sure your stay here is most comfortable."

She was a slim and tall Italian lady in her 40s, with a tanned and friendly face. Her dark hair was pinned back and she wore a pretty pink floral dress, with short sleeves and buttons down the front. It was not how I expected a housekeeper to look. She also spoke in perfect English, with no trace of an Italian accent.

"Please come in, I will show you to your rooms so you can freshen up. Signore Banks is on a work call, but he will meet you for dinner."

The entrance led into a wide, open space, with pale beige marble tiled floors, a huge chandelier on the ceiling and a sweeping staircase.

"This place is so beautiful," I said to Lucia.

She nodded and smiled proudly. She must have heard this a thousand times, but she still seemed pleased.

"I am very lucky to work for Signore Banks in this wonderful home. Come with me, we will be going upstairs to the bedrooms. Someone will bring your bags up soon."

We followed Lucia up the sweeping staircase. At the top, was an open landing with a huge gold framed mirror on the wall. Lucia turned left and took us down a wide corridor lit gently with ornamental crystal wall lights. She stopped in front of the first door and pushed it open.

"One of you ladies may sleep in here."

Nina and I stepped inside. The room was beautifully decorated in cream and gold, with a huge four poster bed in the centre of the room. There were two large cream fur rugs scattered over the marble floors.

I walked over to the double doors and saw they faced onto a balcony. I gingerly pushed the doors and they opened easily. Below I could see the garden, gently lit up by night lights.

"I love this room. Can I take this one please, Nina?"

"Don't worry, Signora, the other room is almost exactly the same," said Lucia to Nina.

Nina smiled. "Of course. I'll have the other one. Shall we meet downstairs in 30 minutes?"

I nodded and continued looking around. In one corner was a free- standing tall, cream wardrobe and beside it an elegant cream dressing table, with a large gold mirror.

"I will meet you both by the bottom of the staircase in 30 minutes and take you to dinner," said Lucia. She left with Nina and shut the door.

The first thing I did was take of my shoes and sink my feet in the thick fur rugs. It felt like I was walking on a cloud. I tiptoed over to the romantic bed and threw myself on it, laughing at my fortune to be in this place. I closed my eyes and daydreamed about Richard, remembering our brief time together.

A faint knock on the door broke me out of my reverie. It was a porter with my bag. "Thank you," I said taking it from the young man.

I quickly unpacked and hung up my clothes in a wardrobe. Checking my watch, I saw that I still had time for a shower and I discovered one of the side doors led into a brightly lit bathroom. Everything screamed luxury; from the light grey marble bathroom tiles, to the deep white bathtub with gold taps. The walk-in shower had a huge showerhead fixed to the ceiling and when I turned it on, a strong cascade of warm water hit my body. I sighed happily. This was pure bliss.

After the shower, I slipped on a short, blue summer dress. The bodice had been beautifully smocked so it fitted tightly, but could also stretch, without the need for buttons or a zipper to get into it. I tugged the neckline and short sleeves down low, so that my shoulders were on display. I could just get away without wearing a bra and the neckline of the dress skimmed the top of my breasts. I put on some light make-up, spritzed myself with perfume and pulled on some beige heels.

I was ready to face Richard again and I felt strangely excited.

Chapter 12

Nina and Lucia were already waiting at the bottom of the staircase.

"Sorry to keep you both waiting," I said.

"Not at all, sweetie. I just got here myself," answered Nina.

She looked lovely with her black hair loose and a dark green dress hugging her shapely curves. Although we were sisters, we did not look alike. Nina had inherited our Indian father's black hair, dark skin and dark eyes. She was also a lot curvier than I was, similar to all our Indian female relatives. I had brown hair and fair skin and my aqua coloured eyes came from our Irish mother.

"I love your dress, Jasmine. Is it new?" smiled Nina, touching the fabric on the bodice.

"Yes, it is. I bought it for the trip," I said smoothing down imaginary creases on the skirt.

"Come on, let's go and say hello to Richard. I'm starving and could do with a drink too!"

Lucia took us through to an elegant lounge which had floor to ceiling doors that were flung wide open onto the outside terrace.

"It is so lovely tonight that you will be eating outside, overlooking Lake Garda," she exclaimed. The lake could be seen in the distance, the moonlight giving it a strange glow. A large circular table with a stark white linen tablecloth had been set up on the terrace, with only three place settings. A male waiter came over and ushered us to our seats.

"This is all so intimate," I whispered to Nina, as I took my seat.

"Yes, I know. I am guessing that Richard is trying to impress us."

"Would Signorina like white or red wine?" The waiter interrupted us.

"White please."

"Me too, thank you," answered Nina.

As we sat making small talk, my mind kept wandering. When was Richard going to make an appearance? What if he recognized my voice? The game would be over and I'd have to confess to Nina. Even though I was her sister, I didn't think she would hesitate to fire me for doing something so reckless and unprofessional.

A deep voice rang out into the night. "Nina, Jasmine! What a pleasure to have you in my Italian home. I am so sorry to keep you waiting."

I looked over to the lounge room and my heart rate picked up speed when I saw Richard stepping outside. I had not seen him since our encounter and that had all been in the dark. It was slightly disorientating seeing him now, fully dressed.

He was wearing a casual white shirt, with the top three buttons loose. I saw a few tufts of dark chest hair peeking out and I swallowed nervously, remembering how I had kissed him there. He also wore a pair of khaki pants and his tanned feet were completely bare. I had to resist the temptation to stare at his crotch, remembering exactly how his cock felt inside me. I had to get a grip of myself.

Richard had a wide smile on his face as he approached us. First, he leaned down and kissed Nina on both cheeks. "You look very well, Nina. Was your journey comfortable?"

"Hi Richard, it's so good to see you again! Thank you for arranging all the travel details. We were really spoilt! And it was so generous of you to invite us to your beautiful home. Are you sure you want to turn this into a sex Club?" she giggled flirtatiously. "You remember my sister, Jasmine, don't you?"

Richard turned towards me, a small smile tugging at his sensuous lips.

"Of course. The lovely Jasmine. How could I forget her warm welcome at the Club?"

He leaned down and brushed his mouth against my left cheek. The heat of his lips felt like he was branding me and I nearly flinched. He moved to kiss my right cheek and I sat rigid. His faint manly, musky scent ignited my senses and it started to create a spark in my body. Graphic images of our session started to play on my mind and I felt my face burn.

Richard pulled away slowly and stared at me intensely. My eyes locked onto his and my lips parted automatically. I heard Nina coughing deliberately in the background. The connection was lost and I looked down at my lap, feeling flustered.

When I looked up and glanced across at Nina, she was giving us both a quizzical look. I smiled at her brightly, feigning nonchalance.

"Well ladies, it looks like you started on the white wine, but surely we need something special to celebrate our new partnership?" Richard waved at the waiter and asked for champagne and then took a seat between us.

The waiter handed us each a tall glass of champagne and Richard lifted up his glass, "Let's toast to a successful new business and amazing adventures ahead," he said, looking straight at me.

"Agreed, let's drink to that!" said Nina, ignoring the tension between our host and me.

We clinked glasses and I sipped my champagne, my mind swirling in chaos.

Chapter 13

During the meal, Richard was the perfect host. The food was delicious and hand cooked by his head chef. Richard kept the conversation flowing and entertained us about his travels. We learned that he had purchased the mansion five years ago when his company floated on the Stock Exchange. Nina asked lots of questions while I remained mostly silent, watching Richard from the corner of my eyes.

He asked me a few direct questions, but my answers were short. I felt completely tongue-tied.

"How are your scallops, Jasmine?" he asked me politely.

"Delicious, thank you."

"Can I get you more water?"

"No, I'm fine, thank you."

"What do you think of Lake Garda?"

"It's stunning."

When Richard stepped away from the table to take an urgent call, Nina pulled her chair closer to me and hissed, "What's the matter with you, Jasmine? You're acting so rude and strangely towards Richard. Can you please relax and be friendly? I know you didn't want me to take on a business partner, but it's done now."

She was right. I was behaving strangely and had to snap myself out of it. I picked up my glass of champagne and took a few big gulps before Richard came back. I tried to relax for the remainder of the meal and I even managed to engage in conversation with Richard, asking him a few questions about Italy.

After dessert, I could see Nina stifling a yawn and I hoped we could make our excuses and go to bed. I was so grateful when she said, "I'm so sorry, Richard. I suddenly feel really tired. Would you mind if I have an early night? It feels like such a long day, after travelling here."

"Me too," I piped up.

"You slept in the limo for nearly two hours, Jasmine. Why don't you stay up and have a night cap with Richard?" she said, looking at me pointedly.

I was ready to make excuses, but I recognized the stubborn look on Nina's face that meant no arguments. She was determined for me to spend some alone-time with Richard, to make up for my lukewarm presence during dinner.

He grinned in satisfaction, "That would be wonderful, Jasmine. I'd love to talk to you a bit more about your role as hostess at the Club. I know we said we won't talk business, but I'm sure you have some interesting things you can tell me."

Nina said her goodnights and left me alone with the one person I wanted some distance from.

Chapter 14

With Nina gone, I had no buffer between myself and Richard. The waiter brought over some selection of liqueurs and I requested Baileys over ice.

"You were very quiet tonight, Jasmine. Not at all like the friendly and bubbly hostess I met at the Club. Are you alright?"

"I'm sorry, I think I'm just tired from travelling," I lied.

"I won't keep you up too late then, but how about we take a short stroll towards the lake? Walk off some of our dinner, eh? It is very serene at night and the view across the lake is really pretty." Richard smiled at me reassuringly, but I felt as though I was being led into a trap.

He got up and held out his arm for me and I had to take it. He tucked my arm firmly under his and led me down some steps from the side of the terrace. We soon found ourselves walking down a lit path towards the lake.

I wanted to maintain some distance from him, but when I tried to step away, he pulled my arm in closer, so that our bodies were touching as we walked. Being next to him made me feel unsettled and butterflies started stirring in my stomach.

At the water's edge, there was a raised viewing platform and we stepped up to take a look. I let go of Richard's arm and leaned over the railing to soak in the twinkling lights all across the lake.

"It's so magical here," I exhaled, letting out a long shaky breath.

"This is my favourite spot, outside the mansion and I much prefer it at a night," murmured Richard. He sounded extremely close and I turned my head to find him standing right behind me. If I took a step back, I would have bumped into him. My heart started accelerating.

I looked out again at the water. "It feels so calm and peaceful. How can you bear to leave this place?"

"I spend as much time here as I can and now we work together, you can come here too, as often as you like.....Jade."

My heart dropped like a stone. Did he just call me Jade? Was it a mistake? I stood immobile and then felt a hand gently lift my long hair off my neck and a gentle kiss landed behind my ear. I shivered with desire, but uncertainty kept me mute.

"I know who you are. You can stop pretending," he whispered against my ear.

I stayed silent as Richard continued to rain searing kisses along my nape and bare shoulders. I wanted to say something, but I didn't want him to stop what he was doing. He continued his explanation in between his hot kisses. "I knew who you were when I left the Club," he admitted, "do you prefer Jasmine or Jade?"

I managed to utter my name breathlessly, "Jasmine...."

He pulled the top part of my summer dress down to my waist, exposing me to the night and I couldn't stop him. I gasped when his fingers touched the sides of my breasts and listened to his mesmerizing voice.

"When you left me in the suite, I knew I had to see you again so when Alayna came to get from the room, I demanded she told me who you were. She gave me the standard speech about not being allowed to know another members' name or meet them in the real world."

Richards hands caressed the underside of my breasts and I desperately wanted him to cup them and stroke his thumbs over my nipples, but he continued teasing me and talking.