The Clinton Enterprises Saga

Gathering in Boston

Chapter 9 - A Special Dinner

After the last minute decision to move the special dinner to Boston, we were picked up at Logan in two cars. Emma and Emily were going touring with Beth in the new van. Anna had moved up our appointment with Sam and was taking me there. Amy was grinding out client work so she could go back to Vermont next week with a clear conscience.

Anna was in a new and fabulous Audi in pristine black. I hopped in and kissed her warmly. Her lips pressed back hard on me. "Hi."

"Hi yourself. What's with the wheels? Am I on the hook for this too?"

She smiled a cynical smile. "I'm not going to get a company car working for Clinton Enterprises? That's a terrible disappointment. Sam won't approve."

She let that sink in, and added, "It's my brother's. He is in Paris for a week on business and I'm keeping it for him in my gated garage at the condo. I thought we could visit Sam in style."

She was zooming at the sharp curve to the tunnel coming out of Logan and I clutched my seat. Around we went, flat as anything. "If you don't fly off the viaduct, the cops are going to get you."

"I thought you wanted a partner who takes chances?" Her smile was brilliant, but she got us under the limit as we entered the tunnel.

"How long before we are due at Sam's?"

"Almost an hour, I gave us some extra time in case you were late."

I dialed a number on my mobile. "Alex! It's Alec, I'm in town early. You know that request I made of you? Any luck? Excellent! May I come and see it now? You are a true friend!"

She looked at me and I said, "A small deviation. We need to get to Albers Street, just off Boylston in Back Bay. I'll get you the close in directions."

"You're being mysterious."

"I have plans for you, and Alex is an acknowledged expert."

"By the way, that is a killer outfit." She had her hair up, with diamond studs in her ears. The makeup was magical but discreet. The pin striped suit top was amazingly well cut for her body, and the matching skirt was six inches above the knee sitting down. She had stockings on, and business heels. What a package.

We had to park a block away, and I was feeling inadequate walking next to the confident executive. She said, "This better be good, you are distracting me from our conversation with Sam about a partnership agreement."

The shop was understated but obviously upscale. The brick facade was meticulously well taken care of and the sign "Magosian Jewelers," was in gold leaf.

Alex saw us coming and met Anna and me at the door. "Alec, such a pleasure to see you. Please introduce me to your friend."

"This is Anna Petrova, a recent graduate of the Computer Science doctorate program at MIT, and possibly about to be my partner, if I should be so lucky. Her birthday is next week, but we will be in Vermont, so I took this opportunity to come by."

Turning to Anna, I said, "I would like to buy you a birthday present, but Alex insisted that a woman should be allowed to make up her own mind about jewelry. You are encouraged to be very critical of his selection, if it doesn't please you. There are many other choices."

She was struck silent, and Alex brought a small box from under the counter and carefully opened it. Within lay a blue sapphire pendant on a finely worked white gold chain.

"If you would allow me, madam." Alex fastened it around her neck and turned her to the mirror. The effect against her pale complexion was stunning. Neither Anna nor I had words for a moment, and then I asked in a low voice, "Is this something the women in your family would admire? It looks wonderful on you to my eye."

She hugged and kissed me. "Oh, Alec, it is perfect. There is a picture at home of my great grandmother in a necklace like this. It was taken from her and lost in one of the displacements. Oh dear, I'm going to cry!"

Alex grinned at me over Anna's shoulder as I hugged her tight. He extracted a tissue from behind him and handed it to me. I held it to her wet eyes.

"Alex, there is a special dinner with friends tonight. I would like to present it then. Can you make a small wrap around it?" I undid the clasp and handed it to him.

Walking away from the store, she said, "You're not going to tell me what it cost, are you?"

"Never. Don't even think of asking."

"It's not fair to the others to give me such a present."

"Anna, you bring so much to all of us. They will be as excited as I am to see you wearing it. Besides, I want to raise expectations with my lady friends that I am not a complete boor about remembering birthdays. With five of you, I will have frequent shopping opportunities."

In the car on the way to Sam's, she reached for my hand and squeezed it fiercely. "I'm still shaking. Did you have any idea that sapphires are special to Russian women? I haven't told you this before, but although I grew up in Odessa, my family is Russian, not Ukrainian. My eldest brother is at the University of Stockholm in Computer Science. He has friends at MIT who helped me get admitted to the PhD program."

"You must have worked your beautiful buns off in school."

"The women in my mother's family have very good genes." She smiled at me.

"I'll say they do. How was I supposed to know when I saw this strange woman in Vermont asking about chips that I was going to fall in love with a White Russian beauty with brains?"

She punched me in the arm. "Stop that. We have to talk about the meeting with Sam. What do we want to know?"

"We want to know how to run a high tech intellectual property company. We want to know how to take venture capital but not lose control. We want to know how to structure the ownership so that if one of us dies, or needs to leave, the company is not damaged. Do you want to add to that?"

She didn't answer but concentrated on getting us parked and headed to Sam's office. She punched me hard on the arm. "Ouch! What's that for?"

"For being so fucking smart. You rattle off those questions like you plucked them out of the air. When we are done with Sam, can we go to my apartment? If you don't mind, I'd like to move the last boxes to the other house."

The meeting with Sam was short and sweet. "You two are overthinking this corporation business. First, you have to prove you know how to produce a product that people will buy. Put all your energy into that in the next few months. Come back when you have your first million in orders and we'll sort out the rest of it." He stood up and came over to hug us both. "You are two of my youngest and smartest clients. I expect great things from you. Don't disappoint me!"

We walked out in a daze. "Now I'm shaking." She took my hand and squeezed it.

"Nothing like putting us on the spot. He didn't even tell us to be prepared to go under, like sixty percent of all tech startups."

"He's like a rock climbing leader telling you not to look down."

She leaned up and kissed me. "I'm looking up," she whispered.

The Audi was parked in its special spot and we went up to her place on the tenth floor. I'd never been there. The view along the Charles was great. She stood next to me. "Unzip me, I'm going to wash off all this adrenaline sweat. I stink."

"It's a lovely stink." That got me another punch and a look at her sexy ass disappearing into the bedroom in lace bikini briefs.

In a minute, I asked, "Do you want me to take stuff down to the car?"

"Yes, but come in here a minute." She was in the bathroom leaning over the vanity and wiping lipstick off. Her naked behind was pointed in my direction. "Take your clothes off and come back. I want you in the shower with me."

When I returned with my cock already stiff, she said, "That's better. Put some of this on and some in me. I need you now while we are alone. We are not going to be alone tonight." She smiled at me in the mirror, holding out a tube of stuff that said, 'Love Cream' on it.

I squirted a generous amount on two fingers and approached the incredible buttocks wiggling in front of me. She leaned farther over and opened her legs wide. My fingers found a wet pussy that probably didn't need any of the stuff I was spreading around in it. Her cunt waited until I was all the way in, and clenched me hard. I reached around and pinched a nipple.

"We have to talk."

"You are in to multitasking? You want sex and talk at the same time?"

"Yes. Until you tell me to shut up and fuck." She smiled in the mirror. Her nipples were pink and stiff. My hard as iron prick came out and went all the way back in one thrust. She felt good. She always felt good. There was something special about our attraction for one another.

She said, "We are announcing our engagement tonight. I figured out that I needed something more important than a birthday to explain the necklace."

I was trying to think, but her cunt was squeezing and her ass was bucking. My cock wasn't going to stop for conversation. I went faster and could feel her reacting. The tension of the afternoon was about to go away. Her moans were getting louder and higher pitched. A few seconds more and we were there. Her eyes closed as the spasms shook her body. With a noisy growl, I emptied into her welcoming home for my cock.

We stood under the hot water and hugged, still vibrating. I said, "We are engaged?"

"Well, I guess it is a virtual engagement, since I have to share you with four other women."

She leaned back and smiled. "Is that ok? I want to send a picture of the necklace on me to my mother and grandmother. They would raise all kinds of hell if I was just living with a guy. Where I come from, the formalities of relationships still count."

She was back in front of the vanity mirror again, her chest and breasts an incredible color of pink. "Stay right there for a minute."

I carefully undid the wrapping of the necklace, grabbed my camera, and went back to her. The necklace against her rosy skin was incredible. The whole package, with her eyes made up, was incredible. She'd not only just had sex, she was alluring and ready for more.

"Stand still and give me your best come hither look in the mirror." I started snapping, talking to her to get expression changes. After a dozen shots, she said, "Those are going nowhere except to me. Or you will get seriously damaged." She looked at my now limp equipment.

I was mostly dressed when she came out of the bathroom wearing another set of lacy underwear. "I'm ready to go out, except for the dress. I'll put that on at the other house. Emily insists that you don't get to see us in the new dresses until we can show you together." She smiled and said, "Emily is one of the best things to happen to us, if you hadn't noticed." She threw on a tee shirt and jeans.

I got down on my knees. "Right now, Anna Petrova, I'm concentrating on my beautiful Russian princess. Will you be my bride?"

"Oh shit, Alec, you can't do this to me. I'm going to cry and spoil my makeup!"

I stood up and said, "So it's off. No engagement?"

She lunged at me, fists swinging. "You good for nothing. If we had more time, I'd beat you black and blue. Of course, I'll be your bride. You stole my heart a long time ago." She knocked me to the floor and flopped as hard as she could on top of my chest. Tears dripped on me, and small tender kisses followed. I held her and rubbed her back.

Eventually, we got organized, loaded her own car, and went to join the others. The necklace was safely back in its case. She looked at me and said, with a smile, "Tonight, you are to follow my lead. No talk about my present until dessert."

Amy, Beth, Anna and I converged on Beth's house within minutes of each other. Organized bedlam followed, with naked, or almost naked, bodies everywhere. Anna and I did chores while the others took showers and feminine voices screeched about missing cosmetics, underwear, stockings and other loose ends. When the dressing got serious, I was banished to the living room and told to greet Alice and her husband, who had been recruited to be the duty sober drivers, so the Clinton gang could all enjoy their party. I found chilled champagne and poured a round in flutes on the cocktail table.

In more than a few minutes, I looked up and a parade of gorgeous women in exquisite dresses entered the room. I knew it was going to be special, and it was. Very special. Teary special.

I carefully went around the circle, handing each woman a glass and extracting a gentle kiss that would not wreck lipstick. Each one got a whisper in her ear, a promise of good things to come. They blushed, every one of them, and did silly things like pull my hair and cuff my ears.

Just as it was time to go, the bell rang and it was Alice and Paul. He and I shook hands and he said in a low voice, "Thanks for this, I don't get to take Alice out enough. We can have a fine dinner without alcohol and then pick you up whenever the gang is ready."

Alice gave me a hug and said in my ear, "I am SO jealous! Would you look at this room full of beautiful women in fantastic dresses? Can you tell me what the occasion is?"

"Believe it or not, these are the Officers and Directors of Clinton Enterprises, which is a high tech company in the chip business just getting started."

"OMG, you've got reverse gender discrimination!" She laughed loudly and we all went out to the van. Seating in the back for the Clinton gang was crowded, but possible. Voices were insisting that dresses could NOT be sat on until we got to the restaurant. Lots of wiggling and adjusting, which I found very funny. Paul and Alice and the women knew where we were going, but I did not. Anna said in a very cool voice, "He is to remain in the dark until we get there. Just be sure you have a credit card with a high limit, buster."

I couldn't see much outside, so sat back and relaxed. Emily was on one side of me, and Beth the other. Emily had a dark linen dress with bright flowers on it, and looked like everyone's favorite bridesmaid. One of the others had fixed her up with an exotic and expensive scent. I pressed her hand in mine and whispered, "You are totally captivating tonight. At MIT, the bachelor junior professors would be falling all over themselves to hook up with you."

She bit my ear, "None of those joy boys are getting to me. I already have a boyfriend."

Beth spoke up, "Emily, you are not going to get carded tonight. I guarantee it. When the waiter comes around, say something sophisticated like "Bacardi and soda, please."

"What's Bacardi?" Her eyes were big in the dim light.

"I'll tell you after you have had a sip."

She leaned in and asked me, "Is it ok to say that?" I pulled them together in front of me and said, "Kiss your substitute mother and tell her thanks."

I was feeling good and the party was hardly started. The van rode like a dream, even with all of us in it.

Anna was across from me, looking devious. Damn Russian women. I admired the expensive heels she had on, and realized the charge was already on my credit card. I picked up a foot and massaged it gently. She mouthed, "Bad," at me and grinned. She had on a short pleated black dress and when she opened her knees, all I could see was equally black and very brief underwear. I mouthed "Bad," back at her and she closed her legs. Emily asked, "Is she flirting with you?" I put my arm around her shoulder and said, "Yes she is. She's very bad." I held hands with Beth, who was watching and laughing. Emily's perfume was seducing me on the spot. "If you ever want a guy to do exactly what you say, just wear that perfume again." Emily looked at me with hooded eyes. "Amy gave it to me. Said her father goes wild when her mom wears it."

"I'm going wild too. Do you have anything planned for later?"

Beth slapped my hand and said, "You are not allowed to proposition members of the Board on the way to dinner!" That broke everyone up and soon we were in Charlestown, on a narrow street near the monument. Pietro's was a family place with many fans. Pietro's son Dominic greeted us and gave Anna a special hug. They exchanged greetings in Russian, and we were led to a private room in the back. Anna made her way to my side as we sat down. I asked, "How does an Italian know Russian?"

"We met in Odessa after the breakup. He was with the Peace Corps and I got a job as his translator and guide. We had a very good time together, but nothing romantic. He was already married."

She had maneuvered us to end seats. She clutched my hand and whispered, "I am so nervous!"

The five course dinner was fabulous. I wondered if fate would treat Clinton Enterprises well, so that we could do this again next year. The staff cleared dinner, served an extraordinary tiramisu with espresso and capuccino to order, and a house special digestif from the old country. They closed the doors and vanished.

Cries of 'speech, speech' came from the far end of the table. I stood up and said, "This is a happy occasion at which I do not need to say anything. We are gathered here, friends, lovers, partners, to celebrate our decision to take the plunge and see what we can make of Anna's and my dissertation work at the Institute. I am honored to have you bless me with your faith and confidence. Today is also a special day for Anna and me. She has something to tell you."

Anna began, "I hope I can get through this without crying. Alec's genius in attracting those of us who are not Clinton relatives is a constant surprise. You have taken us in, immigrants from Asia and Europe, and treated us as family. For the last ten years, studying hard has been my life, and my good grades got me into MIT. Now I am jumping off the high diving board into Alec's arms, hoping for the best. On our way to Sam's this afternoon, Alec directed me to his friend Alex the jeweler's store in Boston Back Bay. Without one word of warning, he gave me an engagement and birthday present. He's going to put it on me now. We both want everyone to know that our virtual engagement is the same engagement everyone else has with Alec. He tells me more surprises are coming."

She sat down, wiping her eyes. I put the present in its wrapping on the table. With shaking hands, Anna undid the fancy paper and opened it. She and I could see the brilliant reflection of the sapphire, but no one else could. She stood up and I plucked the necklace out of the box and fastened it around her neck.

In the candlelight of the room, the effect was wondrous. The blue stone shimmered against her skin, nestled comfortably in her cleavage. The room was dead silent, and then the clapping began. Now she was crying, sobbing on my shoulder.

I held up my hand. "Anna has a few words more."

"I don't think Alec or Alex knew that the blue sapphire is a special jewel to Russian women. My great grandmother had a necklace like this that was stolen from her in the displacements after the Revolution. In some way, Alec has brought the sapphire necklace back to my family and it will be treasured by me, and by my mother and grandmother."

All my womenfolk rose and embraced Anna, everyone crying and dabbing at their eyes. I disappeared out the door to settle up and call Paul. I also asked for Dominic. He came quickly and asked anxiously, "Is there anything the matter?"

"Anna told me you knew each other in Odessa. I gave her an engagement present today which she likes very much and I think she would like you to see it. Please go in."

There was a great shout and I could see them embracing. He was pink and rejoined me. "How did you know about the blue sapphire?"

"I didn't. It was dumb luck that my jeweler friend had an opportunity to acquire the stone, and let me buy it."

"You are doubly lucky my friend. I've never met a woman as smart and beautiful as she is."

"She wrote an amazing dissertation for Professor Liu and we are joining forces in a new company."

"Come back, Alec, and I'll trade you dinner for stock before your IPO!"