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AFTER A QUICK SHOWER, she walked into her overflowing walk-in closet to search for the perfect outfit to wear on her lunch date. She surveyed the racks upon racks of clothes, unable to decide on what to wear.
It was one of the most important business luncheons she’s had in a while. Brad Gautreaux decided to run for Senate and asked her to arrange the campaign announcement party. This could be one of the biggest functions she planned to date. It would land her directly in the big leagues. This had been her goal since she knew she wanted to go into party planning. More importantly, Brad Gautreaux had a good chance of winning. He stood for the values that most Louisianan’s supported wholeheartedly. His list of backers was staggering. On top of that, the man was a handsome devil, all broad shoulders and brooding dark looked. She became weak in the knees just thinking about him, as do most women she knew.
She began planning for this meeting weeks in advance. She had everything outlined. She has been told that she was OCD when it came to the details, but that was what made her one of the best in the business. She had everything planned out, even to the smallest detail. Now she had to impress Brad Gautreaux.
The reminder on her cell phone beeped. She needed to get moving if she wanted to be at the restaurant early. She didn’t like to keep clients waiting. She grabbed a black shirt and a red silk blouse, which everyone said complimented her pale skin and tousled auburn hair. The plunging neckline showed her cleavage to perfection. What man alive didn’t want to talk business while staring at her ample cleavage? After all, her success may depend on whether or not she could convince this very prominent Southern aristocrat that she was the right person for the job. Whether it was from her keen business sense or sex appeal made no difference to her. She slipped on a pair of stilettos, grabbed her leather purse and flew out the door.
They chose to meet at The Riverside Bistro to discuss their plans. Mr. Gautreaux had explained that he was never in his office, and he was too busy to come out to her office. She was accustomed to meeting clients at different locales, so it didn’t matter where she met to discuss their business. She had only eaten at The Riverside Bistro one time. It was a little too trendy for her tastes, but it did have a breathtaking view of the River. Brandi reserved the banquet room that overlooked the river so that they could enjoy the view and talk in private. The main area of the bistro offered too many distractions and there were too many prying eyes in this town. Even though Stewart was nowhere near a small town by Louisiana standards, it did have some busybodies that were extremely nosy.
The hostess informed her that she was the first to arrive. She led Brandi back to the banquet room so that she could have everything set up upon Mr. Gautreaux’s arrival. When Brandi learned that the bistro was one of his favorite places, she contacted the manager to inquire as to the cost of renting the restaurant for the gala she would be hosting for Mr. Gautreaux. The price was more reasonable than she expected. Mr. Gautreaux was also a favorite of the owner. If they utilized the outdoor patio as well as every inch of the restaurant, it should hold everyone she planned on inviting.
She made her way through the crowded restaurant, buzzing with lively conversation and laughter. Brandi looked around the busy restaurant and mapped out the entire scene in her mind. She had just enough time to set up the information she brought with her to charm the pants right off Mr. Gautreaux. As she finished setting up, she looked up to see him entering the room. Damn, but the man could make a woman’s heart stop. The suit he wore fit him to perfection. It emphasized his broad shoulders, trim waist, lean hips and powerful thighs. The women of Louisiana would show up just to see him. If he ever decided to marry, the market would be missing one prime piece of real estate. With deliberate ease, he sauntered over to the table, “I’m sorry I’m late.” He was so close to her that she could feel the heat emanating from his body. She caught a whiff of his cologne, and her pulse quickened. A hunger ran through her. It’s been a long time since she felt such a longing for sex. Every pore in her body tingled, thirsty for his touch. What was with her? Her libido was in overdrive today. Didn’t she swear off men for a while? They were such shallow, selfish, cheating bastards. The way he made her body respond left her wondering if she should get her feet wet again.
Even the man’s voice sent shivers down her spine. Listening to him speak had her daydreaming erotic images of hot, sultry nights; the scent of jasmine heavy in the air. His beautiful eyes were a rich brown with flecks of gold around the iris. There was such an intensity about him.
She chuckled, “You are right on time.”
“Running for office is more hectic than I thought it would be. I don’t think my phone has ever rang as much as it has lately. I may need a secretary around twenty-four/seven just to handle my cell phone calls and emails. Not to mention all the social media websites my campaign manager added for my candidacy as well.”
A young woman appeared before them with a pad and pen in hand, “Hi, I’m Emily. What can I get y’all to drink today?”
Mr. Gautreaux looked up at her, “Sweet tea.”
Brandi told her, “Water with a lemon wedge, please.”
The waitress asked, “Do y‘all know what you would like to eat or do you need a few more minutes?”
Mr. Gautreaux perused the menu one more time, “I would like the Crawfish Acadian, but could I please have it with no rice and the catfish blackened instead of fried?”
“Yes, sir, you sure can, and you miss?”
Brandi looked at the menu once more. It was difficult to find anything she would like on this menu. This particular chef preferred to use all the new cooking techniques. “I’ll try the Chilean sea bass over fennel.”
“That’s an excellent choice. It is quite good.”
Brandi wanted to say that at thirty-two dollars for a lunch plate it better be damn good, but she kept her mouth shut. It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford the exorbitant amount for the meal, but, seriously, they should rethink their lunch prices.
The waitress collected their menus, “I’ll be right back with your drinks.”
As she outlined her plans for his campaign, she noticed the gleam in his eyes of unmistakable interest. Was it for her plans, or her, maybe both? Her mouth felt extremely parched at the very idea of having a fling with the handsome candidate. Suddenly, the room became still, the noise of the restaurant faded away. She looked at her new client with thinly veiled interest. She had come here hoping to land the contract to handle the party announcing his candidacy, but could he be more than that to her? Would he see her as merely a party planner?
From across the table he stopped reviewing the information in front of him and looked up at her. His lips curled into a roguish smile that warmed her to her core. It should be illegal for one man to be this damn sexy, “And what kind of price are we looking at for this campaign kickoff?”
Snapping out of her fantasy, she responded, “No more than twenty-five thousand.”
He leaned back in his chair contemplating. She started to doubt her price; it was an exorbitant amount of money. She knew the man came from an influential family, and they were loaded, but even the rich didn’t want to part with their money if they didn’t have to. “That seems to be a fair price. I was expecting a figure somewhere in that ballpark. Well, Ms. Vidrine, I say we have a deal.”
Giving herself a mental shake to make sure she heard him right, she smiled. “Mr. Gautreaux, I can’t wait to work with you at this important time in your career. You have nothing to worry about. I will make sure everything goes smoothly.”
“Please, call me Brad. It’s a bit silly for you to be so formal when we will be working in such close proximity.”
“Then I must insist that you call me Brandi.”
As they signed the paperwork, she became aware of how close his face was to hers. She noticed his high cheekbones and the strength of his jaw. He looked utterly sensual and provocative. It would be so easy to lean over and kiss him on those luscious lips. Just the thought of kissing him made her completely weak in the knees. She swallowed hard as she finished signing all the necessary papers.
For a moment, she caught him staring at her mouth as well. His gaze dropped down to her throat and settled on the cleavage the blouse revealed. Did he want her as bad as she wanted him?
***
MON DIEU. Nice. The male in him couldn’t deny that she was a knock-out. Si belle. He may be playing with fire by letting this woman handle his campaign party. Ever since he laid eyes on her, he found her intriguing. Looking at her through veiled eyes, he appreciated her body. Her breasts were practically ready to spill out of her top, just begging for a man’s touch. He could picture her shapely legs going on for miles and miles, leading to other hidden delights. He envisioned those sensuous legs wrapped around him, her silky hair falling across her shoulders. Le bon Dieu m’ait la main. God help him. She was a hard woman to resist.
He could have had his campaign manager take care of the whole thing for him, but then that wouldn’t have brought him to her. He heard the rumors around town about Ms. Brandi Vidrine and he wondered if they were true. He believed he could have her in this very room if he wanted to. She was putty in his hands, waiting to be molded. Ever since he decided to enter into politics, he kept his tempestuous love affairs out of the public eye. An affair with this woman, no matter how satisfying, could possibly be detrimental to his career.
Brad Gautreaux had spent too much time and money on this campaign to let anything get in his way. Mais non, he would not allow some little affair mess up his dreams. He had already planned out his campaign promises and was ready to start. He had no doubts that he would be elected. He planned to become the Governor of Louisiana within a few years, and eventually President of the United States. No, he could never have a public affair with Ms. Brandi Vidrine, but something private and discreet he had no problem with. She probably had quite a few talents that could be interesting to discover.
He had been so busy planning his campaign that he has not taken care of his sexual needs recently. Being this close to such an attractive and obviously willing woman reminded him of the need to remedy this situation. He may just have to give the Madame a call. His friend had already given him the name to ask for when he called. Looking once again at Brandi’s ample cleavage, he decided to make the call tonight. Hours in the company of a woman whose only goal was to satisfy his sexual needs was just what he needed. He couldn’t wait to see if his friend was correct about how talented the Madame’s mouth really was.