She looked troubled and doubtful. "Well, I'll check it out. But I still don't believe that nonsense about NASA, and the CIA, and the other stuff you talked about."
"I know," he said. "If I weren't such a space nut, I'd probably have missed it, too. Once again, do the research. Look into how many 'joint ventures' NASA has entered into with smaller countries and civilian companies. They use their backing to encourage the 'partner' to overextend, and then, when the partner is stretched thin, NASA pulls out, leaving the 'partner' far in debt or bankrupt.
"Talk to Joao's friend from the Space Agency. They did it to Brazil, and he'll give you an earful. It has caused a lot of hard feelings down here. If the Brazilian government does sign up with me, a lot of the reason will be that I'm not connected with NASA. That part of my speech upset you; but I can assure you, it was a hit with the Brazilians.
"As for the CIA and that other stuff, that's a guess. But it's an educated guess, based on believable reports from credible witnesses and victims. And surveillance techniques have come far since 2001. So, I'm going to do the prudent thing and prepare for the worst. Call it paranoia, or pessimism; but remember that a pessimist is never disappointed. He may be pleasantly surprised occasionally, but not disappointed. I won't mind being pleasantly surprised."
Susan still looked troubled, and shook her head. But after a moment, her face cleared. "I promise to do the research. But I didn't get all fixed up and put on this heartbreaker dress just to talk about politics and business. So if you don't get busy trying to seduce me, I'm going back to my room!" She threw him a blinding smile.
He grinned. "Seduction is a little out of my line, and besides, you look more like an invitation to a rape! That is one spectacular dress! I love it."
She stood up and twirled around, the slit in her dress revealing nearly the entire length of a shapely leg. She winked and grinned. "If I'd known you had rape on your mind, I'm not sure I'd have come in here." She said.
He also stood and approached her. "Yes, you would," he said confidently. "You came in here in that dress to let me know that the Susan I've known is only one side of a far more complicated person. And it worked. I'm fascinated. I can't wait to get to know this new woman. And I'm going to start by greeting you the way I should have at Midway Airport!"
He stepped forward and took her into his arms. Pulling her to him tightly, he bent his head and found her ready lips waiting. The kiss seemed to go on and on, Frank reveling in the feel, smell and taste of her.
Finally, she stepped back. "Whew!" she said. "I think you'd better feed me before we both get carried away, here. We still have a lot to talk about, you know."
Frank stepped back reluctantly. He picked up the house phone, and a few moments later a discreet knock announced the arrival of dinner.
"I feel I've known you for years," he said after the server left, "and at the same time, I feel as though I don't know you at all." He smiled. "I know you're divorced, and have no children. But I don't even know how old you are. Or much of anything else."
"Good," she replied archly. "That means you haven't been poking around in my personnel file."
He chuckled. "Actually, that never occurred to me. Now that you mention it, though . . ."
"Don't you dare!" she snapped. "It has the most horrid picture . . ." she noticed his mischievous grin, and the sentence trailed off.
Frank's expression turned serious. "I've come to realize that I've been attracted to you for several years. I remember often thinking that you'd be a very attractive woman, if you were to dress a little more casually, and wear your hair in a less severe style. The problem, and the reason I didn't let myself acknowledge my attraction was that I was your boss. I had too much self-respect to be one of those cretins that uses his position to pressure a subordinate."
She snorted. "Pressure, indeed! I did everything but send up smoke signals! I decided that if I walked into your office stark naked carrying a motherboard, you'd never even notice me, but you'd identify the motherboard from twenty feet away."
"Oh, come now, I wasn't that bad!" He grinned. "Maybe you should have tried it. We both might have gotten a surprise. But now," he continued in a more serious tone, "we both know that we're both attracted to each other, and that we have a lot of time to make up. So, I vote we table the question of my sanity or obsession, and concentrate on doing that."
Her brilliant smile flared. "Then the motion is carried unanimously. And if you don't get back over here right now and kiss me again, I swear I'm leaving!"
This time the kiss was even longer, and ended with Frank hugging her passionately. "Susan," he whispered in her ear, "Would you spend the night with me?"
Her reply was also nearly a whisper. "This night and every night, you idiot."
She pushed herself from his arms. "Now, I think I want to see that bedroom you were bragging about."
Frank's heart leapt. "Uh, you know it doesn't really have a round bed."
Her grin didn't falter. "Prove it," was all she said. She turned her back to him and lifted her shoulder-length hair. "Care to help me with my zipper?" she asked in a breathy, theatrically sexy tone.
Frank laughed, and lowered the zipper to her mid-back. "But if you ask me to 'come on up and see you some time,' I swear I'll spank you."
She turned back to face him and gave him a hard stare. "I refuse to admit to being old enough to know who Mae West was," she replied. Before he could reply, she turned away and headed for the bedroom door, with Frank in close pursuit.
She reached behind her to finish lowering the zipper. "I certainly hope you're wrong about that CIA surveillance stuff," she said, and then she lowered the top of her dress, revealing that she was wearing no bra. Her breasts were ample and full, but not overly large, and showed practically no sag. As he shed his dinner jacket and started on his tie, she cupped a breast in each hand. "They're not really very big," she said.
Frank laughed. "You know what they say, 'everything over a handful is wasted.' They're beautiful, dear. Please lower your hands so I can enjoy looking at them."
Flushing pink, she did lower her hands, to where her dress had settled around her waist. "But wait, folks," she cried in the tone of a TV pitchwoman, "that's not all you get with this terrific bargain." She pushed the dress over her flaring hips, and it dropped around her ankles, leaving her clad only in an old-fashioned garter belt, nylons, and high heeled shoes. She simply stood, both hands on her hips, one leg slightly bent, as Frank devoured her with his eyes."
And she was even more attractive than Frank had imagined. In her present costume, she could have posed for a pinup. A narrow waist flared into womanly hips forming a heart-shaped frame for the small triangle of pubic hair at the juncture of her thighs. Her belly showed only the sexy double dome that is so flattering to a woman. She obviously worked to keep herself in shape, but her body showed none of 'hardbody' firmness and angularity Frank considered so unsexy.
"My God," he said after a moment. "You're beautiful!"
She didn't move, remaining posed, but her smile flared again. "If you only knew how hard I've worked, and how long, for this moment." She took a deep breath, and then, as though she was reciting oft-practiced lines, she said, "Frank, this body is my gift to you. I have kept it in good condition for this moment. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I will enjoy sharing it with you for many years to come."