The Layered World

The Layered World - Part 5 - Creating Subtle Attractions

He buzzed to release the door to Natalie's loft and the girls came leaping up the stairs into his arms. "Jay! This is absolutely wonderful!" They pushed into the middle of the room and knocked him to the sofa, smothering with kisses and giggles.

Natalie stood at the kitchen counter, laughing at the energy engulfing her boss and lover. "Hey, wonder girls, go change and shower and come down for a drink. You should find everything you need in the upstairs bath."

Jay went back to work, fiddling with the finicky pasta machine, and finally producing long strips of fettuccini. Natalie elbowed him, "I don't think you are employable as pasta chef."

"Good thing too. Pour me a glass of wine, will you?"

Jennifer and Scarafina came tumbling down the stairs, laughing and panting as they embraced their hosts. "You are so kind to do this for us! A Manhattan loft! We have only seen these in the fashion magazines!"

Jay pointed to the kitchen stools, "Down doggies. Momma will give you a glass of wine." He stood between them, applying kisses.

"Did your disguise as B-school students work?"

"OMG, you wouldn't believe the job offers we got! We used our accents and they were swooning in the aisle! Fina said something serious about the market and shook her tits at the same time and they positively fainted."

The dinner was fabulous and the evening was gay, especially after Natalie announced there would be no work talk.

Sipping cognac on the sofa afterwards, Jay and Natalie kept their hands busy on the two hard bodies, which wiggled and twisted like cats.

"What corner do we get to sleep in?"

"Daddy and I think you have earned a place in the big bed. Can you handle that?"

Purring and smiles. "May we go there now? Jet lag has got us."

Natalie wrapped herself and a blanket tightly around Jay. "This has been an incredible day."

"Yes, but I am afraid tomorrow morning is going to be a big shower of cold water."

"Wait and see. They are very tough inside. And they will be up early, still on London time."

He rose and settled her on her feet. "Yes. Set the alarm for three and send a quick note to Sybil and Sam about a breakfast call on the secure line."

"Yes, sir. I can see the honeymoon is over."

In the early morning blackness, he was awake before the alarm, and realized others were as well. His hand intercepted long fingers with nails and brought them to his mouth.

"Oooh." The soft moan was cut off abruptly with a slap. "Bad kitty. He hasn't got time for that this morning." The bedside lamp flicked on, revealing three naked female bodies in the bed with him. Their eyes blinked in the light and voices complained, "The alarm hasn't gone off yet, we deserve a little playtime."

Mommy was firmly in command, dragging two resisting bodies to the shower, which she turned full on cold. Piteous screams filled the room. "No, no, no. This is too cruel!"

Pulling on shorts, he stepped down to the kitchen to make coffee and warm the oven for croissants, thinking about how to start the day's planning session, and what ground to cover with London, assuming that the secure video would be decrypted within hours.

They were contrite and dressed in yoga pants and tee shirts. "We're sorry. We are ready to work. We do get to shop sometime, don't we?"

As Natalie opened up the television and made the connection, he sipped his coffee and gazed on the scrubbed faces of his brainy helpers, which would waylay any man, even without makeup.

Sybil was with Sam in the guest apartment of the Investment Management building near Paddington.

"Jay, you are putting them to work awfully early."

"We run a taut ship here in New York, even if you do have Nelson on his column there in London."

Jennifer tried to sound serious, "Sis, it is work, work, work over here. What news do you have for us?"

"Lawyers are beginning to sort out claims connected with the crash. So far, it looks as though our reserve is sufficient. Hugh says that the lab work on blast residue is not complete, but the security agencies are treating it as a jihadist attack and analyzing motives. None of the usual suspects has claimed responsibility."

Jay nodded at Natalie, who jumped in with their prearranged script. "Jay and the girls may be here a week or more. There is a list of important clients who need to be seen. There is also homework from before the crash on asset holdings and positioning. Scarafina is going to go over the security arrangements here so she can discuss them with Hugh when she goes back."

Sam asked, "Was he nice to you in California? After that long flight?"

Jay was sure that even in London on a screen, their deep blushes showed. "Oh Sam, Kelly's Mom has this wonderful place with a vineyard and a pool. We were very naughty, and Jay had to paddle us to pay attention."

He tried for a totally blank expression as his London PA's reacted to that with wide smiles.

Natalie punched his arm and asked, "Is there anything more? We have work to do here, if you hadn't noticed."

After the connection was closed, Jay wrapped Jennifer in a headlock and said, "That was inspired. What is the analyst who decrypts that going to tell his boss about Jay Manco paddling his female employees?"

Chapter 19 - Private Consultations with Important Clients

The next several days were filled with outings to the theatre, museums, and other sights, along with careful skull sessions fleshing out the scheme for erroneous wire transfers.

Natalie and Jay were reassured by the reports from the surveillance people they had hired. Apparently, two pretty young Brit women could play tourist in New York without trouble. Jennifer did poke Jay the second evening, saying, "We picked up a tail this afternoon. It was one of your people, wasn't it?"

Jay poked her back, "I refuse to answer..." and Natalie found a tender place to bite.

Fina asked, "They do know we are able to defend ourselves? A mugger, or worse, is going to have a knife in him."

He rolled and pinched and wrestled with them, accompanied by screams and giggles.

"I suppose this is good experience. The next time you spot a tail, it might be the real thing and they will be summoning a van for a quick kidnap."

Lying there, catching a breath, they rehearsed details of the plan that would be activated as soon as Jay reached London. He asked, "This idea I have, for traveling to London in the crate of artworks, may not be right. After I surface across the pond, the US Agencies will scrub everything, and might uncover my museum friend's favor. Which would close that door to us permanently. Perhaps it should be saved until we really need it?"

While they thought about that, he jumped ahead. "Some false trails would be useful. Perhaps have a little fun in the process. The day after tomorrow, Natalie and Scarafina will take the morning flight to London with details in their heads of the plan. Nothing committed to electronic or written form just now.

"Jennifer and I will fly to Miami at the same time, and pretend we are sunning ourselves at that fancy place on the beach. Two days later, we will fly nonstop to Lisbon, taking adjoining suites at the Britania. Hugh and the rest of you will fly independently to the Algarve on one of those tourist cattlecars, which should confuse the watchers. An unmarked van with eight passengers will journey into Spain with nothing booked."

The young ones were bouncing on the bed, shouting, "Jay, a perfect trip! You are sooo devious!"

Natalie punched him, "Why have I never sunned on Miami Beach with you?"

Jennifer pounced, "You've had six years with him! I've hardly had six months. You must take me shopping for proper PA clothes. I can't go along with Jay Manco looking like a bimbo inhaled at a Manhattan club!"

He abandoned the bed to a terrific tangle of giggling females, and decided hot chocolate was needed in the kitchen. His brain was busy slotting pegs into a variety of holes. It was time for Hugh to find ways to support the Orange plan in locations outside Britain. It was also important for Orange to secure a small number of outposts closer to jihadist centers.

He had four steaming mugs lined up by the time fleece covered bodies arrived. Natalie whispered in his ear, "Disappearing from New York and London at the same time? That will raise some eyebrows."

"Should we complete the circle and fly Kelly and Patricia to Barcelona?"

"Too dangerous at the moment. You need one office fully manned for client contact and so on. I assume you are going to avoid email and telephone in Portugal and Spain?"

"Yes. We know the good guys, and probably the bad guys, are keeping close tabs. When we resurface, the public story will be that we needed private consultations with important clients in the Arab world. Which happens to be true. When you get to London, develop a list of meetings that might calm things down and we can pursue from Madrid."

Natalie was on his lap, sipping chocolate and smiling at the other two. "When he gets turned on, you need to listen up."

He looked at the two young and earnest faces and whispered to Natalie, "If we give them MBA level homework, can we expect results?"

The hand between his legs squeezed as they watched smiles turn to outrage. "Jay! Neither of us has the slightest interest in a business degree!"

He smiled and laughed, "Bring your cups, we can talk better in bed."

Climbing the stairs, he wondered again about how to keep this much talent motivated and safe.

In bed, drinking the last of the chocolate, Fina said, "Jay, the MBA disguise might be useful. We are allowed to ask all sorts of questions that would be suspicious otherwise. "Sir, it's just for an assignment in corporate finance..."

He lay back with Natalie half across him. "I suppose you want me to get you admitted to real programs. This one has an honors MBA from NYU and look what's happened to her."

His PA hummed and kissed him as her body was deliciously attacked by sleepy hands.

In the morning, with the sun on them, Natalie was whispering, "Was that a compliment or an insult last night?"

His fingertips ran around lightly, driving her frantic with need, which neither of them could spare the time for. She pushed him out of the bed and toward the shower. The youngsters were missing.

He tucked her hair into a cap, turned on the instant steam vent, and soaped her generously.

"If you go back to school, it must be for a PhD in market analytics."

"Sounds like a grind. I thought I was in school under your instruction." She grabbed for his limp cock.

As they rinsed under the waterfall head, he hugged her tightly, thinking of tense days ahead.

She licked his face as he carried her to the kitchen counter. There was hot coffee and a note from Jen saying they had gone for a run and to get proper fresh croissant.

Natalie said, "They are brilliant, and not full of themselves as so many are."

"Agreed. But as she said, you have a six year head start. The next few days, concentrate on transferring your experience to them."

They sipped companionably, his arm around her. "I am visiting the sisters today for a checkup. Shouldn't I take them along? They need to be in the medical database."

"I need a checkup too. And they need a protector."

He laughed, "We can make sport of exploring their deepest bodily secrets! Give your friend Tim a call and see if he is available. We can feed him lunch if he waits."

At ten, they were headed north on the West Side Drive in Tim's elegant van. Jay had checked in with the Green sisters, who said examining four bodies would be no problem, especially since he was the only obnoxious male to be dealt with. Fina and Jen were hyper again, puzzled by the new development, but excited to visit the mystery women doctors who got to poke and prod Jay, as he mentioned from time to time.

Jennifer asked, "Jay we have only had time for two meetings with Natalie's associates. And we are leaving tomorrow?"

"I've adjusted things a bit. New York and London need to add more details to the plan. Andrew and Louis will be a help to us, but we haven't got our side of the story straight just yet."

Natalie said, "Yes, from the way those guys were drooling over the two of you, we need a way to turn the heat down."

Jennifer flashed her underwear at them, "I was just trying to do my job."

He moved across to their seat, claiming the middle and bending two bodies to his lap. "You were fabulous. But at the moment, your feminine firepower is either full on or full off. I want you to practice adding a tiny bit of aloofness. A small mysterious distance that allows you to calibrate the situation. Not enough to lose their interest, but just enough to make them want to know you better."

They sighed and closed their eyes.

Natalie smiled. "Jay is a master at it. You should have seen him deal with the wife of the Duke of Cumberland. In fifteen minutes over cocktails, she was gushing her husband's portfolio secrets right and left."

Jennifer looked at him accusingly. "Gushing, was it? You didn't go after her, did you?"

Natalie frowned. "If you didn't have a nice dress on, I'd have you over my knee! Jay does NOT mix business and pleasure."

It was Jay's turn to smile. "I talked to Harold the next morning. They were staying at the Waldorf. After I offered him part of my next tanker syndicate, he thanked me, and then said his wife came back from the reception singing my praises and told him she needed a hard fuck!"

Patricia, helper to the sisters, took his blood pressure. "It is elevated and I can see why. They are amazing!"

He kissed her lips quickly and whispered, "But you are first in my heart!"

That earned him a hard swat to the head, and a needle in his arm to draw blood. "I should take a pint or two to slow you down, ruffian."

"Please, just concentrate on looking at that in your microscope and tell me you don't see any little devils."

By noontime, all four had been through the poking and prodding. "Disgustingly healthy. We want you to stay that way!" They were on the veranda, looking at the Sound on a marvelous day. Jay thought of putting the plan on hold and going sailing. Thinking about bikini clad bodies at the mast made him hot.

Facing Helen and Ruth, he said, "You are still happy to be practising medicine and running your clinic?"

Coming to his side, their fingers worked through his hair. "What is the matter? Compliments in the middle of the day?"

Arms tight around two trim waists as they leaned for kisses, he said, "Things are a bit tense after that air disaster last week. Makes you conscious of mortality and I'm thankful for the work you do to keep me going."

A sigh went up from all the women. "Jay, please don't talk like that. You are right, of course, but it's better to keep those thoughts submerged."

He poked Ruth, "That is analyst advice, is it?" He rose and took her into his arms. The kiss was full of silent message.

A few minutes later, Tim had them headed swiftly down the parkway. Jennifer and Scarafina were nodding off from the wine at lunch, but managed, "Jay, they are wonderful. We got a whole workup without thinking we were anywhere near a medical facility."

Natalie was occupying Jay's arms and said, "Just another one of his arrangements. Makes being his PA a special job."

He kissed her forehead, "Close your eyes."

His thoughts roamed over the next two weeks. Moving every day, dodging watchers, maintaining appearances with curious Arabs. Most of all, putting the pieces of Orange in place. He wondered whether any of his acquaintances in the Muslim world were sufficiently outraged by jihadist behavior to join forces with the Orange plan. He needed to talk to Hugh, and perhaps Anthony, about that. No doubt this latest incident had MI6 and 5 people thinking some of the same ideas he was. At this very moment, there was probably a 10 Downing special executive group exploring covert options. All the more reason to keep what Manco enterprises might do in deep background.

Chapter 20 - Plans for Moving Money

The wild ones were at dinner with the financiers, Andrew and Louis. Their getup was what Natalie called 'understated fuck me.' She and Jay were nestled together on the big sofa, picking at salad morsels and thanking their calorie counts for missing another big meal. There was a split of quality champagne to aid digestion.

"How risky is it for them to lay so much gorgeous body on the line to a couple of boorish American males?"

She poked his ribs and laughed. "Jay, they are miles ahead in the flirt department. There will be just enough encouragement to keep things pleasant at dinner, and possibly through a drink or two at a club. I guarantee you the two will be in our door before midnight with no bruises."

They were asleep when the door opened quietly to admit Fina and Jen, who tiptoed over and applied soft kisses. "Your wayward daughters are home in one piece."

Natalie mumbled something and led the way upstairs to the big bed. After a bathroom call, Jay gathered naked bodies in his arms and asked, "In addition to spending their money on good food and drink, did you accomplish anything else?"

The voices were excited, not sleepy. "Oh yes! We coaxed the whole banking infrastructure of Spain out of them."

Scarafina jumped in, "Andrew spent last summer there as a fellow, or something like that, with the largest bank in the country. He provided an inside view of U.S. banking, and they gave him theirs."

She went on, "Jen was just marvelous with a story about how she was working on a paper about the Arabs repatriating their oil cash to the West, and how did the Spanish banks handle the problem?"

Natalie asked, "I suppose they were after you for another date?"

"Ooh, we were so devious. Told them Natalie wasn't satisfied with our work, and we had to close down social events for two weeks!"

"Jay," Natalie whined, "it's not fair for me to be the evil mother! I'm only eight years older than they are!"

Jay gathered two squirmy bottoms to his knees. "You will not embarrass your stepmother with these vile tales." His hand was delivering not so gentle slaps.

His awful voice asked, "Natalie, do you need to use the flogger on these disobedient girls?"

They struggled wildly, trying to get away before the flogger arrived. Natalie made a show of advancing on them, swishing the weapon through the air. Thwack! Thwack!

All was forgiven as they climbed into his arms and Natalie rubbed lotion into the pink behinds.

"Daddy! That hurt."

Jay answered quietly, "Sorry to get carried away. You are just too tempting..."

They licked his lips, "When do we get some cock, O Great Master?"

He had them arranged side by side in the bed, lotion glistening in the dim light from the windows. His fingers soothed Jennifer and Natalie's worked on Fina. Natalie said softly, "Just a little love tap, Papa, to send them to sweet dreams."

He entered the prostrate bodies carefully, first one and then the other. Long low moans filled the room. Their fingers intertwined as he worked them to quiet little comes.

Natalie summoned him with a finger pointing to the door. In the bedroom next door, "My turn, and don't be gentle. I will be silent."

She was very aroused and came in a minute or so, holding him tight to her chest. She tried to think of words to thank him with, and couldn't, as she slipped away.

The smell of coffee awakened them, but it wasn't early. The sun was high as the wild girls sat on the bed in lotus position, their eyes soft with the memory of last night. The smell of leftover sex mixed with the steam from their coffee mugs.

"That was terribly bad. We were crying when you went away with Natalie."

He sat up next to Natalie and reached for arms to pull limp bodies to their laps. His voice was soft, "You two do such good work, it's hard to know how to say thank you."