‘Mr Billington,’ she gasped. ‘That was … absolutely … spectacular.’
Liz slid off Wendell’s cock and collapsed onto the mattress, her flushed face mashing into the pillow. Liz and Wendell had been meeting three times a week since their first encounter in the Hamptons, and the sex just seemed to get better and better every time. The convenience of Wendell’s permanent suite at The Pierre certainly helped. They had been known to slip out of their respective offices for lunch and be back, invigorated and alert, for a meeting an hour later. Far from interfering with work, Liz felt there was nothing like a quick, hard lunchtime fuck to sharpen you up for the day ahead.
Wendell got out of bed, put on a bathrobe and moved to the table by the window where lunch had been set out on starched white table linen. He stabbed his fork into his swordfish and picked up the Financial Times, neatly folded by his china side plate.
Liz looked over with interest. As one of the world’s most important investors she felt sure that Wendell read every piece of global financial journalism, but the question was: what was he reading about? With his insider knowledge and contacts, she might be able to sniff out some valuable information; in fact Liz had heard a rumour that Wendell was about to buy Vue, a huge British vision-care business, for an estimated billion dollars.
‘Have they reported about Vue yet?’ she asked innocently.
Wendell looked at her with surprise. ‘And how would you know about that?’
She walked over to him and stroked the back of his neck. ‘Knowledge is power, darling,’ she smiled coquettishly.
His eyes trailed across to her bare breasts as he reached out for her, but she nimbly stepped out of his reach, scooping up her knickers and sliding into her dress. She did not want him distracted when they were talking business. She sat opposite Wendell, pouring herself a glass of water and feeling the autumn sun on her face.
‘I want to buy Skin Plus from the family,’ she said without preamble.
A small smile crept onto her lover’s lips. ‘And do Meredith and William know this?’ he asked.
‘Not yet,’ she replied, shaking her freshly highlighted bob.
‘Be careful, Liz. This is family now.’
‘No, Wendell, this is business,’ she said firmly. She looked at him, waiting for a reaction. ‘So what do you think?’
Wendell wiped his mouth with a napkin.
‘I think that you should be CEO of Asgill’s because I think that you could turn the company around. And I think you probably will be one day. So I don’t think you should try and buy Skin Plus out of spite simply because your family aren’t giving you the recognition you deserve.’
Liz smiled. ‘Oh, I’m past spite. I’m talking to you as a businesswoman who sees something with enormous potential, who wants to be in total charge of realizing that potential.’
Wendell gave a low, slow laugh. ‘You are very sexy when you’re angry.’
Under the table, Liz curled her hand into a fist. ‘Why don’t you try taking this conversation fucking seriously?’
There was a long, stagnant pause.
‘Why are you mentioning this to me?’ said Wendell finally.
‘Because you are an investor and you know I am a good bet,’ said Liz. ‘Plus you have no interests in the cosmetic industry, but you do have complementary businesses: airport outlets, media, pharmaceuticals. Diversification is always a good idea in tough times.’
Wendell viewed her sceptically. ‘I don’t need to remind you that Meredith and William will soon be my family too. It might not be such a good idea to upset them quite so soon.’
Liz waved a hand dismissively. ‘It won’t be a problem, not if I handle it in the right way. And if you didn’t want to disclose your involvement, I’m sure you have plenty of covert investment vehicles you could use.’
Wendell shook his head, chuckling. ‘You’re persuasive, you know that? And I should know, I hear seventy per cent bullshit most of the day.’
‘So. Are you interested?’
‘Get a business plan over to me by Monday,’ he said coolly. ‘Maybe we’ll talk. No promises.’
‘I’ll courier it round to your office first thing tomorrow morning.’
‘You’re good,’ he said, smiling.
‘I know.’
‘Come here.’
She walked to the other side of the table and pulled back his chair. Slipping open his white towelling robe, she ran her hands across his chest hair, sank to her knees, and got to work.