~ I want to thank sexstringwizard for all his support and help always and for editing help from Brettj, a good friend and great writer.~
It was a warm day for September. The leaves are still green and birds are flying about outside. Abigail Pinot was having trouble concentrating on her work on such a glorious day. She sat, wishing she could walk away but she had only a few changes to the designs and then she could shut down her computer. She wanted to get outside with a nice bottle of wine in her lawn chairs and breathe in the fresh air.
It was Friday and she looked forward to unwinding into the weekend since she had no outstanding projects for the first time in months. She had been booked solid ever since she started freelance Interior Design in the residential section. She wondered why she made the switch from the commercial end.
When she was a designer for an architectural firm, she had more evening and weekends free. Plus the clients seemed tougher in residential design. It was more personal to the client since it was their home and reflecting their personal taste. The lure of the money and clients that seemed to come out of the woodwork for her tapped into her work-a-holic nature. She loved design so passionately and the luxuries her had work afforded her too much.
She had first dates with men. She always found an excuse in a project or an appointment with a client that superceded a second date or a relationship. Her priority list was work and clients so her social life suffered.
She was lost in thought watching a bird peck at the grass outside her home office window as the phone rang, "Abigail's Designs?" She answered.
"Yes, hello" the strong male voice said on the other end, "I was directed to you by Miles McKinley, I just purchased a home and am in dire need of help furnishing it. I heard your designs are spectacular and I need to make an appointment with you today."
"Who is this guy and why so late on a Friday does he need an appointment?," Abigail thought to herself. "I am sorry sir, I am afraid I didn't catch your name."
"Oh, please forgive me... my name was Samuel Detrick and I need to fully furnish and accessorize my home in 4 months," he said authoritatively.
"My goodness, 4 months is quite a turn around. That really will be a challenge," Abigail replied as she wondered just how big Mr. Detrick's house was.
"If there was a problem with you being able to complete such a job Miss Pinot, I have a few other names on my list I could call. I phoned you because I was told you were the best," Samuel stated, sounding irritated.
"Oh no Mr. Detrick. It is not a problem at all. What time would you like to make our appointment?"
They made arrangements for their appointment, he gave her his address and after hanging up she Yahoo Mapped his address for directions. She did not want to get lost with this client since he seemed edgy and impatient. She then Googled his name and discovered he was an attorney. "Great," she thought to herself. It had been her experience that attorneys tended to be difficult clients. They knew what they wanted but didn't always articulate it well. Then it was done incorrectly, in their opinion. Then found the loop-holes to get out of paying for all or part of the design services.
Abigail sighed as she climbed the stairs in her suburban home to change from her casual working at-home clothes into something more professional for their appointment. She put on her nicest white silk blouse that had a low neck line and black pinstripe skirt that was almost too short to be professional. She figured that if he was this gruff she would try to disarm him with her sex appeal. Sometimes that did work, and she felt she needed all the charms she could muster for this meeting. She checked herself out in the mirror. Her strawberry blond hair was in loose curls falling about her shoulders. She smiled at her petite frame that was kept in shape despite her 28 years of wear. She slipped on her favorite black 3" heels. The addition of 3 inches on her 5'-1" tall body made her feel tall, even if she was not.
Feeling a little disappointed that she couldn't kick it back on a Friday evening with a bottle of White Zinfandel in her back yard, Abigail slid into her Audi with her portfolio, paint samples and swatches. The trunk of her car was a traveling design library of furniture books and other necessities. Even though she had more in her office she figured she did not have enough time or information on Mr. Detrick's taste to pinpoint her search. So what was in the trunk would have to do.
He only lived a short distance from Abigail's home so she easily made the appointment with time to spare. She found arriving early showed the client how eager she was. She pulled up into the governors drive to an exquisite brick home. Living in Harmony for her whole life she watched the community grow and bust at the seams. Harmony was the new 'in' community in the suburbs these days. The homes kept getting bigger and more expensive, and she laughed to herself remembering in high school Harmony was referred to a Cow Town. At the time the town had few signs of progress, now everyone who was anyone lived in Harmony. ~~~
She walked to the door and realized she forgot her digital camera. She turned around to retrieve it from the passenger seat. She was bent over searching a bag for the camera case when she heard the front door open and turned quickly realizing she could be revealing a little of her ass in her bending. Her eyes met his as he approached and her heart jumped and she blushed. His eyes were the most exquisite caramel brown with long, dark lashes. His skin was the kind that looked naturally tan year round and he had a devilish goatee that screamed 'bad boy'. He was dressed in suit pants and a vibrant blue dress shirt. His tie had been long ago removed. The first two buttons of his shirt were opened revealing just a peak of his strong chest. She eyed his taut 5'8" frame with appreciation and began to flush.
"Hello Ms. Pinot, may I give you a hand" Samuel reached out and took some of the sample binders in Abigail's arms. Although he seemed stoic in his expression she swore there was a bit of a smirk behind his eyes. "Did he see her ass in her thong?," she wondered and blushed. "Oh oh... yes thank you Mr. Detrick" she stammered "Please, call me Sam" he said in an unassuming tone. "Thank you, Sam" Abigail said smiling.
They entered his home and she surveyed the surroundings. She had been in beautiful homes before so wasn't overly impressed by them so much anymore. She found that the more she saw that she liked in clients homes, the more renovations she undertook in her own. His home was beautiful but bland. It smelled new but the walls were white and it was a white wonderland. "Boy, do I have my work cut out for me," Abby thought as he lead her through the foyer to the large kitchen. The kitchen was in the back of the house and she placed the books on a card table in the breakfast nook. It seemed to be the only piece of furniture in the whole first floor. She realized this as she began too panic.