A long list of names appeared on the screen and Samantha began to scroll down through them. ‘Look at the right hand column. That shows the conversion of sales to calls and as you can see there have been very few for over two weeks. Sally Barnard suggested I was losing it, but I can assure you I’m not.’
‘What has Sally Barnard got to do with it?’
Samantha turned her head and gave Barrie an odd look. ‘Oh, come on Barrie, you know! As head of marketing, she hates the fact that Dynamic was your idea. She’s been watching sales like a hawk and it’s only now, when for some inexplicable reason, our conversion rate is tailing away; she feels she can put the knife in. Her only moan up to now has been what I earn out of it, and what she refers to as my favoured position in your regime.’
‘Do you have a favoured position?’
She turned and looked up at the person she thought was Barrie with a sly grin. ‘Yes, on top – as you well know.’
‘Mine too,’ replied Natasha, without really thinking, then sought to cover her confusion. ‘Any idea what could be happening to Dynamic sales?’
‘I think someone has managed to get hold of our client list. It’s the only possible answer. In telesales you work on averages and my average per call has dropped too fast for it to be a market anomaly.’
‘Do you think Sally could be behind it?’
‘Well, logic would dictate that it has to be an inside job. How could anyone else get hold of our client list?’
Natasha was beginning to hate Sally Barnard. She was trying to destroy her husband and she needed to defend his cause in the board meeting. ‘Can I have a copy of your sales record to take into the Board meeting? Would you mind?’
‘Course not. I’ll take it back two months to show the steady increase, then the rapid decline. How many copies?’
‘Nine if possible. That’ll save anyone having to share.’
‘No problem. It won’t take a few minutes; I’ll bring them up to you.’
‘Great. Thanks Sam.’ Natasha automatically touched Sam on the shoulder. She turned her head and gave a flashing smile. Natasha found it difficult to dislike Sam, even if she was bonking her husband.
When the door bell rang at DebTash Corsetry & Lingerie, Barrie was still going through the presentation routine with Debbie. All items were laid out in order of presentation on the bed in the customer changing room. Curtains had been drawn on the ground floor for privacy and to help Debbie control the lighting as she wanted it. As equal partners in the business, Debbie insisted they should both greet Davina Maypole, the buyer for Naughty but Nice. They ran down the stairs and Debbie opened the door on the second ring.
Davina Maypole was slim and attractive with elfin looks, probably in her early forties, but it was difficult to tell with such women. She was smartly dressed in a black suit trimmed with white and the monochrome theme extended to black and white shoes, white elbow length gloves and a black pillbox hat, with the merest hint of a white veil. She carried a slim, black leather briefcase in her left hand. She reminded Barrie of an old movie star, but he couldn’t remember which one. Debbie had met her before. They hugged and kissed air. When Debbie introduced Natasha, Davina looked deeply into Natasha’s eyes as they shook hands. Then her eyes wander down over Natasha’s body, lingering on her cleavage before re-focussing on her face with an approving smile.
‘How wonderful to meet you.’ She spoke in a husky voice. Fuck me, not another lesbian, thought Barrie, what a waste.
‘Can I get you coffee Davina?’
‘That would be lovely, Debbie darling, but why didn’t you tell me you have such a beautiful partner?’
‘Natasha’s my business partner, Davina. Strictly business, nothing more.’
‘What a terrible shame – and such a waste.’ Davina Maypole looked at Natasha and moved her tongue dreamily across her top lip.
‘Natasha is married and has a hunk of a husband,’ said Debbie. ‘She’s unashamedly straight, I’m afraid.’
Davina Maypole carefully removed her hat and handed it to Barrie. ‘Put it somewhere flat please Natasha. It doesn’t respond well to being hung up.’ She touched her fringe and flicked at it to make sure it was in place, then stroked the back of her short hair, all the while looking longingly at Barrie. She was definitely not going to give up on Natasha.
Barrie was quite thrilled at the prospect. He knew full well that Natasha did not have lesbian tendencies, but he was coming at it from a different perspective. He placed the hat carefully on the sideboard and hovered whilst Davina sat down in the chair Debbie had allocated and balanced the coffee cup and saucer on her knee. Debbie sat next to her, coughed and cleared her throat. ‘I don’t know how you prefer to play this Davina. Natasha and I were thinking that if I show you the garment design and talk through the material we use and the likely cost per unit, she can be changing into that item to model it for you.’
Davina sipped her coffee and fluttered her eyelashes as she looked up at Natasha. Barrie saw the look and wondered how a confirmed lesbian would feel if she really knew that a hairy arsed rugby player, was lurking inside his wife’s very feminine, very beautiful body.
‘I think,’ said Davina, after a period of deliberation, ‘it will probably be best if I see the product on the beautiful Natasha. Then we can discuss it while she’s changing into the next garment.’
Debbie nodded. ‘I’ll introduce each as Natasha comes down the stairs.’
‘How terribly exciting.’ Davina wrinkled her nose at Natasha and winked.
Barrie wondered if she was taking the piss. He thought their efforts a bit amateurish. Davina Maypole may be excited at the prospect of seeing Natasha with her kit off, or at least in some sexy, flimsy underwear, but he very much doubted if it would lead to any orders.
‘Off you go, Natasha.’ Davina made a shooing motion with her right hand which Barrie was only too pleased to obey. Resisting the temptation to run up the stairs two at a time, he skipped lightly up to the changing room. The summer dress he was wearing buttoned down the front. It had been deliberately chosen by Natasha and using her deft fingers he had it off in a matter of seconds. He paused to admire her body in the mirror before reaching for the first piece of lingerie; the chemise in cream silk, with the simple rose motif. What was it Natasha had said? Keep the bra and panties on for the chemise and slip. Take them off to model the Chantilly lace briefs and demi bra. Then take the bra off, but leave the briefs on to model Debbie’s diva corset. Wear the matching G-string with her black and gold basque and finally, put the demi bra back on with the French knickers. He stepped into the chemise as instructed, put Natasha’s arms through the shoulder straps and pulled it up into position. The slim shoulder straps went neatly over the bra straps, but Barrie didn’t like it. He would much rather see the breasts unfettered. The chemise was not see through, but the movement of the breasts underneath and the shape of a nipple pressing against the fine silk would be unmistakable. As a man he would like that and he was pretty sure the lesbo downstairs would too. He slipped the chemise straps down over Natasha’s arms, removed the bra and put the straps back in position. As he moved her upper body gently from side to side, Natasha’s superb swaying breasts created wonderfully erotic patterns on the cream silk. He turned and walked slowly down the stairs, deliberately exaggerating Natasha’s shoulder movement to allow her breasts to weave their magic on Davina Maypole.
Debbie began her introduction.
‘This is our Natasha Chemise. It can be produced in cream or black silk, with a simple red rose motif between the breasts.’