Sierra was disappointed that Harry hadn't come to meet her, but then thought why should he? He would be at his office, doing his work as well as most of hers, or else plugging Jenni in some hotel room if she could get away from her busy home refurbishing consulting practice. But then even busy people manage to snatch periods of intense personal privacy when they take a lover, don't they?
The feeling that came over Sierra identified itself easily. It was a familiar emotion β jealousy one of her 'big two' personal concerns. She sighed, thinking she preferred jealousy over inadequacy as one fired her up, the other ground her down making life miserable.
Okay, she was jealous and it didn't help to accept that Harry would revel being in Jenni's hands, literally because she was a great seductress as Sierra had seen her in operation more than once. Sierra knew she had merely to push out her chest and whisper in a male's ear to have a great chance of nailing him whereas without a body beautiful and a rather plain face, her friend Jenni had to rely on the extensive arts of a true seductress.
Yes, the smooth male with no chip on his shoulder and an acceptable amount of ego would find Jenni a delightful bedfellow and a warm personality to socialize with when they were not humping into exhaustion. Sierra smiled, thinking she almost approved of the liaison.
Ah she couldn't afford to respond to her jealousy and ditch Jenni over this because Jenni was practically the only person who really understood her. Instead she might ask Jenni how well Harry performed in bed β oh yeah!
She grinned and yawned. She wouldn't call Harry β actually she knew he'd be hard at it work for sure, being such a conscientious professional. Ah yes, a great role model but falling short of perfection because he'd fucked one's best girlfriend, the swine.
Sierra had returned from France attempting to be the new Sierra. While in that country she'd found a sports center with an indoor running circuit and that pleased her because one never knew about muggers, rapists and other foul men lurking on the streets waiting to pounce on an unsuspecting foreign female jogger.
The center manager, who spoke perfect English which was understandable because she was born and raised in Edinburgh, lined up nine personal trainers β three of them females β for Sierra to choose from.
How very convenient, Sierra had thought, selecting a male purely on physical attraction, assuming they all were good at their job as the money she was paying for short-term membership was horrendous. She figured if she wanted sex during her stay, she might as well partner her personal trainer.
Amazingly, the combination worked perfectly. Her trainer was absolutely ruthless with her in the gym and on the track, driving her into tears. But the three times she managed to get him into bed when his wife was occupied lecturing in art he proved to be attentive, sensitive and was reasonably good at it.
Kathleen the center manager had said Sierra couldn't expect much to change in three weeks apart from establishing the framework in which real change would occur over a much longer period. But then Kathleen didn't know this stunning woman, who appeared born to shop, take in lovers and socialize at all the right places, would display a ruthless streak (inherited from Duncan Bycroft).
Sierra attended symposium business sessions and partnered her father to social events of his choice and fitted in some shopping and visiting some galleries she'd missed on her last visit during her recent six weeks' 'sickness' leave. Much of her remaining time was spent sleeping, in the hotel spa and beauty center or at the sports center.
When not working on fitness with her ruggedly smooth Marc, Sierra put in the hours on the track and in the pool until becoming practically legless.
Kathleen didn't approve of Sierra pushing herself to that extreme but organized the center dietician to provide Sierra with supplementary food and liquid to facilitate quicker recovery. Apart from falling asleep at some business and social sessions, Sierra appeared to be thriving, her father simply assuming she'd quickly found a lover or perhaps several.
The second morning after arriving home, the new Sierra dressed to kill, wearing a dark business suit and no shirt β just a bright red silk and lace cami covering her bra, black sheer stockings and black high-heels.
She had her hair combed up professionally and arrived at the newspaper at 9:40, in time to deal with the greetings and any urgent matters and to be prepared when Harry put his head around the door at 10:00 to welcome her back.
Both receptionists oohed and said she looked stunning, boosting Sierra's self-belief that was revved to maximum. You fool, she smiled, eying the wall clock β you're as excited as a flighty school-girl.
Right on 10:00 Harry virtually staggered into her office, looking terrible.
"Good God," she gasped. "What's wrong?"
"The doc says it's influenza β it's been creeping up on me over the past two days, but this morning I know it's here β I won't kiss you if you don't mind."
"You were going to kiss me?"
That had just jumped out.
"I thought about it. Have you changed something?"
"Oh don't bother about me. I'm putting you into a cab to return home and sleep. I'll come over and check on you early-afternoon and bring some soup. You'll have to give me the access numbers or should I get those off Jenni?"
Harry gave her a wry smile.
"I haven't seen Jenni for five days. We both agreed to end our running arrangement as it could emotionally interfere with your and my relationship and endeavors to prepare you for the throne."
"The what?"
"You heard. Oh gawd, where's my bed?"
She bundled him off home and returning to the executive floor went through his mail, diary and computer, relieved that at his insistence they linked their computers to operate as they had in the newsroom over those four years working as reporters except near the end when Harry became acting chief of staff for six months before being promoted to city editor.
That connectivity made it so easy to deputize effectively and Harry's PA also assisted her at such times.
Switching on Harry's computer Sierra had a premonition and half expected to see Jenni's face or her vulva magnified as the background graphic. To her astonishment she saw her own face, obviously scanned from her favorite photo of herself that sat beside her computer. Well, well.
Later when checking through his files for any sign of one named 'Jenni' or 'Sperm eater' or whatever men do in such circumstances, she came up empty-handed but sat, fingers shaking slightly, reading the name of a folder named 'Taming Sierra'.
Breathing in deeply, she opened the folder, accepting Harry would feel violated knowing she was prying like this.
Twenty minutes later Sierra closed the folder, shaking.
Like most people, she'd never had anyone examine her character thoroughly, analyzing strengths and weaknesses, what they like and dislike about her. What she'd read had both delighted and depressed her but she had to admit it seemed pretty accurate.
Sierra had been particularly excited with the ratings: Hair (magnificent), face (extremely kissable), breasts and she was glad he didn't call them tits as men do (AAA) and legs (150%) but the delight dissipated when she looked at the other column: butt (going flabby), make-up (it's a mask, hiding character), overall demeanor (too often surly, switches on and off selectively which is cruel, all-in-all, consistent with being raised as a spoilt brat).
That's not fair, fumed Sierra, but okay buster, what are you going to do about it?
She knew already her butt was firming and her legs were exhibiting newfound strength so that could well push them into 200% approval. The bastard, she couldn't help being raised in and affluent family environment.
Sierra felt like having his computer tossed into the trash bin but that completely changed when she read the following page, 'Taming Sierra, Stage One'.
The series of bullet points indicated he planned to 'support her professionally and socially'. She knew she was reading a well-thought out program. She particularly liked, 'Me as personal trainer...I want her running with me'.
Watch out Jenni, she smiled. Wowee, this man was really something. He really didn't have to bother. In fact he could distance himself, watch her wallow towards disaster and then he may become heir-apparent of the newspaper company in terms of control.