The Empath Cycle: 2013 Two To Tango

Jean had been wondering when they would talk about money. It was usually one of the first things recruiters talked about.

"I see that we are almost there." The woman said. "We have a guest suite in a downtown hotel. I will drop you there to allow you to refresh yourself after this long drive. Ms. Hutchison will be at the hotel restaurant in an hour to meet with you. Here is my card. If you need anything in the meantime, don't hesitate to call."

Jeanne whistled appreciatively once she was alone in the executive suite of the Hyatt Regency hotel.

A concierge had met her at the car and escorted her to the suite via a plush private elevator. When he handed her the room key after showing her where all the amenities were, he politely declined her offer of a gratuity, saying that it was all taken care of and assuring her that this also went for the minibar or whatever else she may require from the hotel. She only had to call room service and ask.

A magnum of excellent champagne cooled in a bucket of ice with two crystal flutes beside it.

Jeanine went to the minibar and pulled out a can of Sprite.

On a few occasions during the trip to Montreal, the woman had offered Jean a glass of wine, but Jeanine had politely declined in favor of coffee, the first time, then a bottle of water. Not a heavy drinker by any stretch of the imagination, she made it a point of never mixing business with pleasure and she had a feeling that she really should keep her mind clear for the next meeting.

She prided herself on her appearance and wore only sharp business suits for work, but she had felt underdressed sitting in front of the woman and discreetly looked at her perfectly tailored light grey executive suit. It certainly hadn't shown a single crease when she stepped out of the car to shake her hand and see her off, attesting to the quality of the material.

She looked at hers and groaned. At least the room supplied an iron so she could refresh it.

Before she stepped in the shower, she pulled a pair of black Brazilian panties from her handbag, glad for the habit she had kept over the years.

The woman's clothes hadn't been the only thing she had looked over. Though a confirmed heterosexual, Jeanine nevertheless had a fine appreciation of the female body.

She had admired the tall and trim body, the smallish boobs which the cut of her light blue shirt -- probably tailored too -- had suggested when a movement had opened her vest, the short dirty blond hair, naturally tanned skin, firm chin, luscious lips and vivid blue eyes. The handshake they had shared belied the first impression given by her long pianist's fingers. This was no desk jockey.

Jeanine had long ago stopped comparing herself to beautiful women.

At thirty-two years of age, she had no illusions about her plain features, regardless of her best friend's opinion. One look in the mirror confirmed her assessment. At five-eight, she looked hefty. Big boned, thanks to her matrilineal heritage, wide shoulders and her muscular body made her appear larger than she really was. As did her DD cups though she was careful to buy high quality bras which offered good support while being comfortable. She had been told by lovers and the few people who had seen her in a bathing suit that she had a gorgeous heart-shaped ass. Except for the occasional scar, she had smooth slightly olive skin -- thanks to her Italian maternal grand-father -- which tanned easily to a golden hue. She was most proud of her thick mane of wavy sandy hair cut below her shoulder blades though she wore it in a braid at work.

As she let the hot water cascade over her body, Jeanine tried to relax, but all the information she had been given churned in her mind. When she soaped herself and her hands touched her over-sensitive nipples, the slight jolt of pleasure reminded her of her favorite relaxation technique. She tried to bring her current lover's face and the rest of his virile body to mind, but only the image of the beautiful woman she had shared a ride with appeared. She wasn't upset by it as it was a frequent occurrence. Her secret guilty pleasure was the collection of lesbian porn dvds she kept hidden in a locked closet.

She tried to imagine the body hidden by Ms. Ryan's classy clothes as she kneaded her breasts. Once she had the picture firmly in her mind's eye, she moved to her large nipples and roughly brought them to full erection. By that time, she could feel her cream mix with the water on her thighs. The abundant secretions had turned off more than one man over the years, but she didn't give a damn. They were there to satisfy her, not like her.

Keeping one hand busy on her nipples, she cupped her pussy, easily slipping two fingers in her vagina as she rubbed her clit with the heel of her hand. As the state of her panties attested, she had already been quite turned on so her first orgasm came quickly, as expected. The second one would be better since she would have to work for it.

She contracted her vaginal muscles around a third finger and she curled them to reach her g-spot. She imagined the image she was masturbating to joining her and playing with her own body as she watched. Her fantasy woman had barely thrust a couple of fingers in her twat when Jeanine's second orgasm surprised her by its intensity and the speed with which pleasure took her. She only had time to reach for the shower curtain pole and the handicapped bar on the wall before her knees buckled.

"What the hell!" She said out loud as she hung there, chest heaving. She had only rarely had two orgasms so quickly. Certainly no man had ever made her come like that. The only times it had ever happened were when she masturbated with her best friend when they were young. What got her off like that this time? It couldn't be Ms. Ryan. She was beautiful enough, but Jeanine had seen spectacular women in her day and they never had this effect on her.

Perplexed, she washed herself again. She still had wobbly legs once she had dried herself so she sat on the toilet seat to blow-dry her hair.

She stood naked in the living room section of the suite and went through a set of stretches and limbering exercises before she felt in full control of her body again.

She re-braided her hair and buffed her three-inch heel booths before getting dressed for her meeting.

She still had some time, so she decided to go down to the restaurant right away. She would sit at the bar to wait for Ms. Hutchison. Maybe a quick stiff drink would settle her nerves still frazzled by the experience in the shower.

At the last minute, she opted for a sparkling water with a slice of orange.

The barman set an unfamiliar looking glass with golden liquor in it.

"You made a mistake, sir. I asked for sparkling water."

The man smiled and nodded to Jeanine's left.

There sat a tall voluptuous woman, her ample feminine curves and generous bust enhanced by the clinging silk sleeveless evening dress she was wearing. Its plunging neckline displayed a cleavage that was sure to attract the eye. A long shapely leg was fully displayed by the slit in the skirt. Her graceful neck, unblemished skin, full lips painted a warm shade of red, straight nose and perfectly almond-shaped brown eyes made for strong yet sensual features framed by a mane of midnight black hair that Jeanine could see peaking beside what must be a perfect ass.

"It's Bushmills 16 year single malt in a Glencairn whisky glass, Scotland's great contribution to the drinking experience. Won't you join me?"

Jeanine had seen hookers before in bars, but this one must be an expensive one indeed.

"I'm sorry, madam, but I have a meeting in a few minutes with a very important person and I asked for sparkling water, not Irish whiskey. Anyway, I'm partial to Black Bush myself. Thank you for the offer, but no thank you."

She woman leaned toward Jeanine, displaying her assets even more blatantly. There was a glint in her eyes, a clear invitation if Jeanine had ever seen one.

"Aw, come on. Surely a stuffy old business meeting can't all that important. Anyway, just one drink won't hurt you. Live it up a little." The temptress said in her low and mellifluous voice.

"Madam, I'm trying very hard to be civil here. I don't want your drink, I don't want to live it up and the woman I am meeting is worth a hundred of you. So, buzz off!"

With that Jeanine turned to find the barman still standing in front of her, smiling from ear to ear as he replaced the glass of liquor by the water she had ordered. She nodded her thanks and looked back to find that the hooker had left, probably in search of another john.

Looking around, she almost moaned when she saw her sashaying with a sensual gait on stiletto heels. What really caught her attention was she sight of her back bare almost to the crack of her perfect ass and the two dimples rhythmically exposed as her hair moved from side to side as she walked, uncovering them for a second at the time.

Captivated by the sight, as was every single man in the bar, she did not notice Ms. Ryan until the hooker high-fived her. Before she took her hand down. Ms. Ryan made sure Jeanine saw the hundred dollar bill in her hand as she walked toward her, holding her eye.

"Congratulations, Ms. Laliberté. Should you choose to accept it, the job is yours."

"Was this some kind of test? It would never have worked. I'm not a lesbian."

"Really?" the woman raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "No matter, if you wish, you may go back to Quebec City right away, the limousine is waiting nearby, or you can wait with me. Ms. Hutchison will be back in thirty minutes or so."

"You mean..."

"Yup. And you can call me Barbara. We are going to work closely together after all."

"I... You... She... Wow! In that case, call me Jeanine or Jean. Was that really her?"

"She does like to make an entrance, but in this case, she wanted to get a first impression before you had time to put your game face on."

"I hope I didn't disappoint!"

Barbara opened her hand and showed Jean the hundred dollars again. "She trusts my judgement, but she likes her little games too." She handed the note to the barman. "Thank you for your help, Frédéric"¸

"Ce fut mon plaisir, madame." He answered, bowing to her.

"Bring the drinks to the table when madame returns, please. And bring Ms. Laliberté a Black Bush. Thank you."

"Jean, will you join me at our table?" Barbara asked as she stood up and held a hand to Jean in invitation while she extended her other arm to indicate the back of dining room.

Unsure of the etiquette, Jeanine took her hand lightly as she got up. The tingle that ran up her arm reminded her of her experience in the shower as it made a beeline for her pussy.

She quickly let go as she bent to pick up her bag and followed Barbara to a private room where a bottle of white wine waited for them. Jeanine was impressed when she read the label of the bottle cooling in a bucket of ice. Only the best for these women.

When the doors to their private dining room swished open, the women had tears in their eyes as they compared notes on who looked the stupidest as they testified at the recent Public Inquiry Commission.

Jeanine jumped up when she saw the woman who had propositioned her earlier, but dressed in a sharp grey business suit, her white silk shirt opened at the throat -- thankfully with only two buttons undone.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Hutchison. It's a pleasure to meet you... again."

"Lee Ann or Lee, please. I hope you will join our company Jean. Sorry for the deception, but I prefer to meet people informally first before we get down to business."

"I understand, ma'am..."

"Lee Ann, please. I get ma'amed enough as it is. When we're between us chicks, there's no need to be formal."

"Yes, ma'am... I mean, understood Lee Ann."

"Good. Now, consider yourself off the clock as of now. Merci, Frédéric." She told the waiter as he deposited the three glasses of whiskey before them.

"Toujours un plaisir, madame. Est-ce que je puis faire autre chose pour vous?"

"Non merci, mon ami. Ça sera tout pour le moment."

"N'hésitez pas à sonner si vous avez besoin de quoi que ce soit."

"Je n'y manquerai pas. Merci."

Lee Ann turned back to Jeanine. "He's the best. I often come here for a quiet drink and we have great conversations. Would you believe he was a thoracic surgeon before he burned out? Now he works here, for fun mostly. He doesn't need the money."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be. He says he likes his life much better now and so does his wife now that he's no longer on call 24/7. But enough of that. Let's toast to a long, profitable and enjoyable association. Pick up your glass. I told you you're off the clock and so are we. That's what assistants are for."

"In that case, don't mind if I do. Slainte!" Jean toasted.

"Ah, a girl after my own heart. Slainte!" Lee Ann toasted.

"Slainte!" Barbara finished.

Without either of them ordering, three waiters knocked, then came in and deposited various kinds of salads in front of the women. Jeanine gasped when she discovered her grandmother's secret family vinaigrette on the side.

"I don't believe it! How did they get my Gran's recipe?"

"They didn't. She wouldn't divulge her recipe, so she made this batch especially for you. I confess that I begged her to make a jar for me. The purist over there will only put balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil on her salad."

"Some people have a refined palate, you know. Not like some Philistines who shall remain nameless"

They all laughed when Barbara didn't name anyone, but pointed to Lee Ann with her elbow.

"How did you manage that?"

"Oh, we had a nice conversation over coffee and sugar pie à la mode. Huuummm! She reconciled me with sugar pie. I haven't tasted any as good outside my mother's kitchen. I love that she uses maple syrup instead of brown sugar."

"You did go see her. It's the only way you could know that."

"Of course I did. I never lie... Well almost never... Okay! Okay! I lie all the time but never to friends or family."

"That's closer to the truth."

"Chose your team carefully, Jean. Never hire a friend and certainly not your best friend. They never let you get away with anything."

Jeanine almost choked on her sip of whiskey.

"Why are you covering your breasts like that?"

"Because that minx has strange notions of personal relationship management. She's the only one to get away with it though, so she clearly abuses the privilege."

"Don't listen to her, Jean. She's a drama queen. Listen. Today is Friday, so if you want to spent the week-end in town. Our limo service can drive you around for the week-end. Don't look so surprized. We do it all the time for visiting clients or partners and you're much more important to us than they are. I'm sure Carole would be glad to see you. She hasn't seen you in a month or talked to you in a week. She's quite upset. I'd buy her a bouquet of flowers and/or a nice gift when you go see her. Or you can invite her here and have the driver pick her up. The suite you're in is booked year-round. It's yours if you chose to stay."

"That's nice and I appreciate it, but I didn't pack anything. I'd have to drive to my grandparents' place to get some casual wear."

"Think nothing of it. Take Caro shopping with you tomorrow. She'll love it. Ask her to pick up a pair of jeans, a pair of Brazilian panties -- with your skin tone, you should always wear your red ones. Whatever possessed you to buy the green? --, a pair of boxer shorts and a t-shirt. That will do to go shopping which you will have to do anyway. This suit will never do. Barbie will give you the address of our Italian tailor. The first one is on us. Go see him tomorrow so he can measure you. You will have to come back to Montreal in a week to ten days for a final fitting. Go buy yourself some nice shoes too and another pair of jeans, a couple or those denim shirts you like and a good pair of sneakers. And don't use your fee for today to buy those things. Here is a temporary credit card. You will get a permanent one when you sign on the dotted line. I trust I can have faith in our future Auditor not to abuse it."

"No, ma'am... I mean, no Lee Ann. Are you trying to buy me off? And I suppose I'll have to have a long talk with my friend and family about privacy."

"Don't be too hard on them. They're nice people. I like them and they especially liked Barbie here."

Barbara let out a dramatic long suffering sigh and rolled her eyes.

"She's the one who seduced your grandmother. The dear old lady insisted we stay for supper and she showed us the family photo album."

Jeanine put her hand over her eyes and groaned.

"We're kidding. Come on, Barbie, tell her it was a joke."

"Okay. I may have slightly exaggerated. She didn't show us the family album... She only showed it to me. Lee Ann was in the basement watching a hockey game with your grandfather, Éric and Bernard."

"I see this is going to be a lively work environment if I take the job. I should warn you two that I take these matters very seriously and that I do get even.

"We know. Carole already told us."

"I'm never going to live this interview down, am I?"

The two women looked at each other.

"Nope." The answered in unison.

The rest of the meal went as Jeanine expected by then. She was served a thick filet mignon cooked just like she preferred with sautéed chanterelles and a double-baked potato, then the waiters brought a whole warmed up sugar pie from her grandmother's kitchen with vanilla ice cream. The coffee was her favorite blend too.

When they were done, Barbara leaned back and rubbed her belly in satisfaction.

"Thank God I don't have to go back to the office. I'd never get anything done"

Lee Ann reached over and rubbed Barbara's belly as she commiserated most insincerely. "You're so right. You're going to have to spend a couple extra hours at the gym. I keep telling you not to eat all that healthy food. It's not good for you"

She was too slow to pull back. "Ouch! You see Jean? She has absolutely no respect."

They fooled around some more as they enjoyed a Fleur de Courvoisier in a ballon they could hold in their hand to keep warm after Frédéric heated it a little for them.

When they took their leave, the women hugged and kissed Jeanine of both cheeks. And left arm in arm as if they were only two friends out for an afternoon of fun on the town, not two of the most powerful women in Montreal.

Jeanine grinned all the way to her suite, thinking that even if she didn't take the position, she had made two new friends. Her cheeks still tingled where Barbara had kissed her.

When she opened the door to her suite, she found her best friend sprawled on the couch, surfing the multitude of channels, naked as the day she was born.

"Hey, Baby Girl! What are you doing here? I was just about to call you."

She laughed as her friend jumped from the couch and ran to her. As expected, Jean had just opened her arms when the diminutive woman launched herself to wrap her arms around her neck and her legs around her waist.

"You mean, mean woman. You're lucky I love you. I haven't heard from you in forever. You're so lucky to have such good friends as Lee and Barbie. They told me you'd be here and gave me a room key so I could wait for you. Oh, we're going to have so much fun shopping together!"

"Woah there, Baby Girl! Back up a bit. What makes you think they are my friends? Well, they are now, but I met only them today."

Carole looked at her with a surprised expression. "You did? Your Gran said they've been visiting for months. I think your Uncle Éric is having a man crush on Lee and Gran is thick as thieves with Barbie."

"I don't doubt it." Jean laughed. "Gran showed her my baby pictures."