Paying The Piper 1

This is a work of fiction, none of the people are real. Everyone engaged in sexual activity is an adult over 18-years of age.

Cindy Thompson was trying desperately to control her heartrate and breathing. The 34-year-old wife and mother of twins was in a crisis of her own making, and she was terrified there was no way out...

The Story;

Cindy had met and fallen in love with Rick Thomas their junior year of college. He was fun, energetic, and made her laugh like nobody else. He thought of fun ways to surprise her and always seemed to know how to best show her he cared. Sometimes they would just take long walks on Sunday afternoon or sneak into one of the empty classroom buildings on campus where they would just sit, talking for hours. He was handsome and kind, which in college was a rare combination. Her parents loved him, and first sight and his family were smitten with her as well. Rick's sister Kathy once said, only half-jokingly, "If he ever breaks up with you, we're sure going to miss him."

By the middle of their last semester Rick landed an entry level job with major investment firm on the west coast. Cindy had earned a degree in education and began looking for teaching jobs in Orange County, close to Rick's assignment in Anaheim. She was hired by a local school district to teach 7th grade math. To celebrate their mutual new employment Rick took her out to a special dinner in San Clemente, overlooking the Pacific. Right before dessert he got down on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage. As per Rick, the ring was gorgeous, just under two carats and set in the gold band that was his paternal grandmother's. Cindy cried tears of joy, violently embraced Rick with all her might while whispering in his ear, "Yes, yes, forever yes" as the patrons around them exploded into applause.

Fast forward 9 years. Cindy was 32 and the mother of twins, Michael, and Sara. They were 6 years old. Cindy was still teaching but growing tired of the low pay and long hours. While she loved some aspects of the job, being away from her family and putting up with idiot parents convinced her, enough was enough. Both she and Rick were very good with finances so Cindy could step away from her teaching job even if it took her a year to land on her feet. It only took five months and it happened by random chance.

Cindy had kept in touch with her best friend in college, Kelly. They met their freshman year and immediately hit it off. They ended up being roommates all four years. After graduation they lived together during Cindy's 9-month engagement to Rick. If Cindy was fun-loving and adventurous, Kelly was a hurricane! It would be tough to say Kelly took risks, because Kelly didn't seem to know the meaning of the word. Along with her free-spirit, Kelly was absent any sense of planning or long-term thinking. She enjoyed the moment and rarely if ever thought, "maybe I should stop and consider how this could turn out." Without any, "look before you leap" DNA Kelly had led them on many an adventure. Fortunately for Kelly, she had Cindy to balance her and look out for her. More than once, Cindy had dragged Kelly away from potential disaster. Kelly's anger would flair up in the moment and later she would thank Cindy for being the friend she loved and needed.

So, it was one of these occasions that Cindy was on hand to pull Kelly's ass out of the fire if need be and, as it turned out, inadvertently set her career on a new course. It was late January when Kelly called Cindy and asked her to be her "date" to a wedding in three weeks. Kelly's boss was getting married in Napa and she had been invited to the festivities. She was excited to party and see what adventure may ensue (including sexual) but she had grown up emotionally and realized it would be better if her wingman was by her side.

"This will be so much fun Cindy," Kelly said, pleading with her pal, "Lots of wine, dancing, and a gaggle good-looking young professionals!"

"Married with twins' sis." (Cindy's nickname for Kelly) "So much fun for whom?"

"Oh, don't be a prude girl," Kelly retorted, "Let that gorgeous blond hair of yours down a bit. Some fun away from Rick and the kids may put a little spring in your step!"

"Rick puts plenty of spring in my step, thank you sis. How about I bring him along?"

"Sorry girlfriend, but the invitation says guest not guests," Kelly replied wondering why her friend couldn't be just a little looser every once and a while.

Cindy finished their chat by promising to check with Rick and get back with her. Later that evening, after the kids were down Cindy broached the subject with her husband. His response didn't surprise her. "You better go and keep an eye on her Cinderella." (His pet name for her.) "I'm sure it will be fun. Maybe you can swing by Frogs Leap and pick up a case of their 16 cab for us." When she asked about the kids Rick replied, "I've been wanting to see mom and dad. It's been 4 months since our last visit so I'm sure they'll jump at the chance for a long weekend with their grandkids. Go take care of your pal and enjoy a 'twin-free' weekend babe." She marveled at how she married such a good natured and generous man. (Not to mention hot!) About 10 minutes later she was expressing her appreciation in a very amorous manner! She fucked his brains out off and on for the better part of an hour.

Three weeks later a somewhat frustrated Cindy sat at a table in one of the nicer wineries Napa. She watched Kelly dance with one of the groomsmen who was probably about 8 years younger. As Cindy kept an eye on her rambunctious friend, she chatted with one of the bride's cousins. They were comparing notes about weddings and observed that this one had started late and was generally disorganized. Sally, the cousin, noted offhand, "Somebody could make a killing if they were a great event coordinator!" That got Cindy to thinking as she also contemplated how to pry Kelly away from her 22-year-old dance partner, who clearly wanted to do more than the salsa!

It took about 6 months to set up but Cindy was finally embarking on her new career with her own event planning business, We Plan, You Play. She was by nature an organizer. Her lesson plans and classroom execution were always impeccable so the transfer to weddings, reunions, business meetings and any other gatherings was seamless. She studied several good companies, researched the shit out of what it took to find the right niche and launched into her newfound passion with relentless drive. Two years in, she was thriving on smaller weddings, especially destination weddings along California's beautiful coast. It was then she met Bennett Davis.

Bennett was the owner / operator of three high end boutique hotels, all of which were perfect for destination weddings. Sand Diego, Santa Barbara and the Monterey Peninsula were each home to one of his properties and he had done quite well for himself. He worked hard, had an amazing staff who he paid well and from whom he demanded excellence. He had leveraged everything he had (and then some truth be told) when he was 26 to purchase a rundown 90-year-old mansion in Santa Barbara. He had just enough money and big enough balls to open it on time and barely under budget. His first two years were spent working 100 plus hours, 7 days per week. He almost failed simply because word of mouth, even when complementary, traveled painfully slow. However, by year three he broke even and in his fourth year the profits began to come in. Three years later he opened in San Diego and in another two years the gem in Monterey became a reality.

14 years in he still took his business seriously, worked long and hard hours but was also known to enjoy a good time, especially if it included fine wines, dancing and the opposite sex. Davis was, what women who knew him well described as a "CBNA", confirmed bachelor - not an asshole. He treated people with fairness and honesty even when letting potential female suiters know he was not looking for a long-term relationship. At 40 he was comfortable in his own skin and very much at ease with the life he had built for himself.

And so it was about 16 months prior to Cindy's moment of crisis that Davis Bennet and his head of staff Lori Templeton were meandering through the L.A. Convention Center on South Figueroa attending a gathering of service providers in the hospitality industry. At the end of the third isle, having spotted nothing of real interest yet, they came across Cindy Thomas and her We Plan, You Pay display. Bennett would later tell Cindy privately, he was impressed by her presentation, but it was her bright blue eyes that hinted at a deeply mischievous personality that grabbed his attention. She would later admit (only to him) that she did a very, very subtle double-take when she spotted him because in her words he was "gorgeous but didn't look like a prick." They struck up a conversation that lasted 45 minutes. It was professional but the connection was instantaneous.

He asked tough questions: What was her track record? Who were the key people on her staff? How did she interreact with the property leadership team? What was her worst event and why? Best and why? How did she determine overhead and profit margins? He also managed to toss in a few casual but slightly personal questions. What is your favorite wine? Can you dance worth a flip? Beach or mountains? He noticed her wedding ring, but he was just enjoying a bit of friendly banter while determining if this was someone with whom he wanted to do business.

For her part, she responded enthusiastically to his questions. She could tell he knew his business but didn't seem to take himself too seriously. She also enjoyed the more personal approach he took.

"Pinot Noir, only Willamette Valley and preferably 2014. In particular, Evening Land La Source from Eola-Amity Hills"

"I can waltz if need be but The Carlton, the Twist and the Tango, are my favorites but only with my husband."

"Mountains in the summer, any quiet beach in the summer."

She smiled as she answered but decided not to reply with any questions about him. Lori Templeton took all of this in with a wry grin. She knew when her boss was genuinely interested in someone. He was very polite and friendly to everyone he met, but he had a way of leaning in a bit when he really wanted to engage the person with whom he was speaking.

As they wrapped up the conversation and all the necessary information was exchanged Bennett said, "Mrs. Templeton and I are going to grab dinner at Fogo de Chao in a couple of hours, would you care to join us?

Lori noticed he used her formal name, something he rarely did, and she assumed he wanted to make sure Cindy knew his intentions were not inappropriate. Cindy begged off noting she was heading home after she took down her display to see the Rick and the twins before bedtime. However, she also mentioned an interest in a site visit and inquired if that would be possible in the next couple of weeks. By the time they were done it was agreed she would visit his original location in Santa Barbara, (his favorite of the three) a week from Wednesday for lunch and a tour. Lori and Cindy exchanged numbers, Cindy shook both their hands and ended their initial interaction.

As they walked away Lori kept glancing at Bennett. He could feel her gaze. "What?" he asked as innocently as possible. "I assume you saw the ring on her left-hand boss." "Well, a guy can flirt from time to time, can't he?" he replied feigning hurt. She never looked at him but replied knowingly, "Oh, is that what it was?"

Cindy's site visit couldn't have gone better. She had agreed to meet Bennett and Lori for lunch. It was only about 120 miles from their home in Orange County, but Cindy gave herself 4 hours to make the trip. She did it in just under 3 so had a little time to check out the Old Mission which was less than a 15-minute drive from the hotel. Always careful about her time she arrived at 11:45. The parking attendant opened her door, smiled warmly, and said, "Welcome to the Winfield Scott Hotel Mrs. Thomas!" She was encouraged that her hosts were possibly as good as they had claimed!

As she began to climb the short stairs into the hotel lobby she looked up and saw Bennett Davis, dressed in a finely pressed pair of Khaki slacks and a crisp dark blue M.J. Bayle shirt. His loafers and belt were fine Italian leather. His apparel made his handsomely rugged features stand out even more. The deep blue made his dark hair and even darker brown eyes stand out. Cindy rarely took note of men, beyond Rick. She wasn't a prude or naïve, she just had a man she thought was gorgeous, so most others didn't compare. Bennett was in the same league in the looks department, maybe even a notch above and this caught her by surprise. She also noted Lori was not by his side.

"So glad you could make it Cindy, I'm excited to show you the place and think about how a partnership could be great for both of us." Bennett exclaimed as he held out his hand in greeting.

"Thanks Bennett, at first glance the place looks beautiful!" Cindy replied taking his hand with a warm smile.

Perhaps neither of them was yet aware, but the connection they felt when they met in L.A. was genuine. They both respected hard work and success. Neither of them was pretentious nor cared for people who were full of themselves. They were both driven to be the best they could. And neither of them was hard on the eyes.

Cindy had chosen to wear a light but relatively modest black Tory Burch sleeveless sundress with a pastel Painted Linen scarf that made her bright blues eyes sparkle. Her dress was slightly shorter than knee length which showed off as just as much of her long legs as she wanted. Her Stuart Weitzman sandals were comfortable but also classy with enough heal to bring her 5'7" height closer to 5'8". Cindy was pragmatic. She knew men like Bennett appreciated a woman's looks which was never a hinderance when doing business. However, she was what some of her friends would call, "innocent as a dove, but sly as a fox."

She took Bennett's extended arm and immediately began asking questions about the property as they glided into the hotel lobby. It seemed every staff member knew her name and when they arrived at the table on the patio for lunch there was a small vase of Californian wildflowers as a centerpiece. The lavender, deep red, and bright white colors really popped against the white linen and Pacific blue background. Not surprisingly, there was also a bottle of the Pinot Noir Cindy had mentioned when they first met. As Bennett pulled out her chair she thought, "This guy is very good, I'll need to be on my A game, so I don't get fleeced!" They chatted for a few minutes about the drive, the recent wildfires, and the glorious ocean view. Within 10 minutes Lori came bounding around the corner, smiling, and carrying a small folder for the business part of the meeting. Cindy rose and hugged her. While she was taken with Bennett, she also genuinely liked what she knew of Lori and was happy to see her.

The three chatted for another 45 minutes over lunch and then began to get down to business. Cindy had limited her wine to a glass and a half so to stay focused, but also to let her potential partners know she was here to work, not play. After lunch, Lori excused herself and for the next hour or so Bennett gave her a top to bottom tour of the Winfield Scott. Cindy was no novice and had done her homework. She knew the hotel must have been named for the famous 1583 shipwreck off the Santa Barbara coast. The ship went down with a reported 1.5 million in gold bullion, and she joked that perhaps Bennett's good fortune was due to treasure hunting.

He smiled, winked, and replied, "That's not the kind of treasure I want!" They laughed and continued the tour. A little later Lori rejoined them, and they adjourned to Bennett's office to discuss options in detail. They came to several mutually beneficial agreements about Cindy bringing weddings and family reunions to Bennett's properties and everyone seemed pleased about the possibilities.

Late in the afternoon, their business concluded, Bennett had Cindy's white VW Passat brought around front. Lori said her goodbye's and the two of them remained for just another moment together. Bennett shook her hand with firmness but also with warmth perhaps holding it just a bit longer than he should and said, "It has been a delight being with you today and getting to know you better. I know we can do some great business together, but I'm also glad to get to know you better as a person." He then leaned in and gave her a polite kiss on the cheek. Cindy smiled and thanked him for a wonderful day and said she would be in touch with Lori about a couple of weddings she thought would be perfect for this location.

As she drove down the long driveway and left the property, she felt a strange sensation that caught her off guard. Her panties were slightly moist, and she realized there had been a very physical attraction to Bennett. She shook her head as if trying to dislodge the thoughts but the picture of Bennett standing at the top of the steps when she arrived, the little details he had made perfect and his soft kiss on the cheek before she left would not leave her alone. She was aroused!

She was still daydreaming when she glanced in the rearview mirror before changing lanes. Out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of a book on the back seat. It was one of Sara's favorites she must have left in the car. The Most Magnificent Thing was sitting face up and it brought Cindy quickly back to the real world. "Oh girl," she thought, "You've been spending too much time with Kelly! You're not a 16-year-old sophomore, you're a happily married woman, get your head out of your ass!"

She was genuinely disturbed with herself. She was married to an amazing man and had two beautiful children. There was no room in her life for acting like a giddy teenager much less flirting with anyone not named Rick Thomas. After spending 20 minutes chastising herself she popped on a podcast that discussed women's issues in business and began to disengage. However, if she had been honest with herself, she would have admitted she edged a little too close to crossing a dangerous line.

Back at the hotel, Bennett went to his office and quickly took care of a few business issues. He then retired to his room for an hour of relaxing before his evening run on the beach. He tossed off his clothes and stretched out on the bed. He began thinking about the day and more to the point about her. She was beautiful inside and out. Bennett had been with several good-looking women in his life, some even stunning, but none of them like Cindy. Her eyes, her personality, her outstanding legs, the way she walked, mostly the view when she walked away of him were all swirling through his noggin. She was married dammit, but she was amazing! Then he did something he rarely did because he rarely had to, he masturbated. Images of Cindy writhing under him, crying out for him to fuck her filled his mind with the most erotic musings. He came quickly.

At the same moment Rick was at home with Michael and Sara preparing dinner. He too was thinking of Cindy as he moved around the kitchen cooking their meal and laughing with their kids. He realized at that moment, how truly blessed he was. When Cindy arrived, the table was set and they enjoyed a delightful hour over the meal, listening to Sara explain how she found the neighbor's cat Ralph in their yard and had played with him for a while before Mrs. Bowling had come over and took him home. She wondered if maybe they should get a pet.

Later when the kids were in bed, Cindy, perhaps wanting to assure herself she was a one-man woman, took a hot bubble bath, put on her sexiest barbie doll lingerie, and made passionate love to Rick. Only once while her husband was working his oral magic on her clit, did she close her eyes and imagined it was Bennett between her legs...