Back In Circulation

CHAPTER 1

Operations manager Dwy (Dwight) Smith looked at the one paragraph summaries of the five applications who'd been short listed as possibly suited to become his new assistant. He scowled and snarled 'Fuck' and immediately apologized to office manager Irene Day. She ran HR as part of her duties in the small company that imported and distributed accessories for cats.

"There's no need to apologize Dwy (pronounced with emphasis on the 'w' as in why). You are overworked and frustrated."

Dwy glanced at Mrs Day's generous bosom and thanked her for being sympathetic. She delivered a motherly smile but that displayed her missing front tooth. The magic of the moment of intimacy died for Dwy. She pushed her breasts out a little but that noble gesture came too late.

"This bunch is crap," he complained. "All applicants are young with little experience and reaching beyond their standing in management to try to win a senior position."

"I know. Unfortunately the one applicant who appeared the perfect fit is forty-two and has been retired for twelve years."

"Yeah right. What a stupid cow thinking she could slide back into employment after such a long break?"

"Exactly."

Mrs Day was almost to the door, with Dwy studying her hip sway, when he said, as an after-thought, "What job did that woman have been she retired?"

"She ran her own flower vase importing business."

"Oh and it collapsed?" Dwy grinned.

"No she sold it for $2.8 million as I recall but there was substantial loan money to repay."

"Irene," he said softly.

"What?" she said, turning with a smile and touching her hair just above her right ear but avoided placing the other hand on her left hip.

"Bring me that women's application."

Katrina Withers was hired.

The 42-year old attractive brunette had decided to return to the workforce following the death of her husband, a university professor and formerly a close friend of Katrina's deceased father Daniel.

Charles Withers had divorced his second wife over her debauched behavior with the university's fast set. Charles remembered Daniel's attractive and still unmarried daughter who was now a successful business woman with a solid business degree and that would mean she'd fit in well with his role as head of the business school. He began visiting the MacDonald's household regularly and over time he wooed Karina and when she was suitably primed, he proposed marriage and was accepted.

He'd died eating peanuts.

* * *

Dwy was blown away at the interview. He couldn't believe at forty-two Katrina could have retained such a shapely waist and breasts that still rode so high and majestically. She was a brunette with an attractive manner. He also confirmed she possessed a master degree in business admin from a highly regarded school and found she'd kept up to date with modern business practice and trends by revising course schedules for her late husband and selecting required reading for Prof. Withers from the mass of business publications that flowed into his office and were published on the Internet.

The CEO approved of Katrina's appointment and she began as Dwy's under-study and Dwy studied her a lot.

Sadly Dwy began losing his memory after developing fierce headaches and nausea and then was struck by twitching and was found to have a brain tumor. The operation was successful but he remained weak and took early retirement.

The CEO Mrs Adams was happy that Katrina had meshed in with the way the company operated and appeared very competent.

The first time Dwy was away sick she said to Katrina, "I'm worried about Dwy. My feeling is he has a serious condition behind the discomfort he's suffering."

"I agree Diane. It could be very serious."

"I'm confident to have you acting in charge of the department Katrina if you are happy about that."

"I'm very confidence and relish the opportunity to grasp some real responsibilities again and when Dwy returns I will be better positioned to support him."

"Yes and I'm sure you will," Diane said. "I shall give you an assistant."

"Oh that won't be necessary. We are a good team and I can work longer hours if necessary because I have no domestic commitments, being a widow."

"That is generous of you. I'll lift your salary for the periods you act in charge."

* * *

Katrina had more money that she could spend rationally. She was pleased being back at the coalface in business and began joining business groups to commit to being back in circulation. Living on campus at the university had been a little like living in a compound although she was free to venture out. She thought of it like being a tent camp in the city. Well many of the university males were like bearded Bedouins including her husband. She sought the challenge of being back in real work and decided she'd like to marry again to have regular sex on tap.

Dwy had nailed her in her second month with the company but once was enough. He'd panted and dribbled over her face and came much too quickly and that was it and then had the gall to ask, "How was I?"

One doesn't say to the boss he'd been a huge disappointment.

Katrina purchased a non-metallic black BMW M3 convertible with black leather interior and she tended to drive it wearing black with dark sunglasses and wondered if any likely guy would be scared off, thinking Lady Vampire or, even worse, The Black Witch. She shrugged and decided to go with it for a while.

Three months later Dwy resigned and Katrina was appointed to replace him without the position being advertised.

For the next year she busied herself lifting the company's operations and just when everything was ticking alone nicely, Diane announced to the owners, a family of investors, that she was moving on. Two more resignations immediately followed and Mr Patel, head of the family, came in to assess the damage and Katrina could see he appeared a little flakey over losing his CEO, chief financial officer and office manager practically in one hit.

She struck.

When Mr Patel came to her office seeking ideas about what the family trust should do now, she closed the door and poured coffee and said, "What is your instinct to do about this Mr Patel?"

He didn't know or didn't wish to say.

"Cut and run?" Katrina suggested.

He nodded.

"Mr Patel why don't you sell the controlling interest of the company to me? Let's get two independent appraisals done, we each choosing an appraiser. Then when we agree on price you retain 49% of the company and I'll pay the trust to gain 51% of the company's stock."

"But you're a woman."

"Oh I'm glad you have noticed that Mr Patel. If you are suggesting I cannot run this company profitably then I may have to talk to your wife?"

"Oh no, I was out of line and I recall Diane saying much of the company's recent success is due to you."

Six weeks later Katrina acquired 51% ownership with the assistance of a bank loan with the right to buy out a greater share of the company if the family trust decided to sell down its stockholding or to pull out completely.

As Katrina had expected, once the news was out that the new principal owner of Kitty Cat Accessories Inc. was a woman, the list of new clients grew steadily and no existing clients were lost. Katrina had been aware that many pet store clients were businesses operated by females or male/female couples.

Then something more than interesting happened for Katrina.

Stewart Alpine, the business appraiser she'd hired to value the business operation prior to her building the controlling interest, phoned to find out how she was going.

"Very well Stewart and thanks for what you did to help make it happen. I believe I got a very fair deal."

"You did and I'm sure the other appraiser looked at recent bottom line improvement against the five and 10-year trends, mindful that the upward swings eventually change to a downward swing."

"Yes quite but my business plan calls for continuing improvement as from the day I gained control."

"Very good. I suppose that finishes our business connection."

"Yes but..."

He waited and was the next to speak.

"But what?"

"I'm attracted to you Stewart."

Katrina gripped her left hand into a fist and she heard him draw in breath.

He said that feeling was mutual but he was married.

"I'm not queasy about that."

He thought about that and said, "I'm a bit younger than you."

"I don't worry about things like that and I believe my skin is in fine shape, my body is firm..."

"Katrina!"

"Oh sorry; I got carried away."

"It's okay. I saw you driving your black car yesterday, hood down and you dressed in black and I, well, I thought wow."

"And so you decided to call here to ask me for a date?"

With only a slight hesitation he said, "I had been thinking lunch."

"Only for lunch would be fine Stewart. Today?"

"Er."

She waited and he said fine and said they'd have to take pot luck as it was late for bookings and she said no problem.

"Take me to a café in a back street where you think your wife and her friends are unlikely to go for lunch."

"Er I'm permitted to have business lunches without being secretive."

"Of course you are. You name the time and place."

"You suggest."

"The Apollo. I'll call and book for 2:00. I won't touch you in public and so you'll be safe."

He said unsteadily, "You are willing to touch me?"

"What do you think?" she laughed and cut the call.

Katrina smiled thinking of her brazenness. Well playing the tight-lipped lady hadn't won her dates. She was not ashamed of choosing the popular Apollo Restaurant in the city's main shopping street. His wife and girlfriends might well be there. Okay, so what? He said it was a business lunch. She didn't dwell on the thought they had had completed their business dealings.

Few 40-plus women could encourage strangers to take a second look. But Katrina was one of them.

She'd slimmed down in recent weeks after the death of her husband, not eating so much and eating more selectively and she'd returned to Pilate classes and was cycling again. She'd also been home to change into a much tighter fitting black lace dress and had removed her bra and, avoiding the no-no her mother used to go on about those older women in skirt lengths almost to their hips looked pathetic. Katrina's black lace hem rode knee-high.

She strode purposefully into the restaurant toward the bar, aware a few people were looking at her and that put a little more arch into her back when she heard Stewart call from a table to her far right, "Katrina."

Oh crap, now she looked stupid and everyone would know her name.

Katrina right-wheeled and had the satisfaction of seeing Stewart standing and creasing his face into a great grin.

She reached him and he looked uncertain. She kissed him... just a quick dab... so that his wife's spies in the room, who already knew she was Katrina someone, would be unable to report that the femme fatale had kissed Stewart passionately.

Spies? Katrina wondered did she have to feel so guilty about this lunch that she was becoming ... um... paranoid.

"Hi and how are you?" Stewart asked smoothly.

"Paranoid."

Christ why had she said that? She smiled and said she was feeling great and could see he appeared confused. Well who wouldn't.

"But you first said Paranoid?"

"Oh did I? I'd... um... just been thinking of what those early instant cameras were called.

"Polaroid cameras."

"Ah yes, thanks Stewart. Well moving on, is your wife here lunching with friends?"

"What?" he choked, and looked around furtively.

"Stewart I'm such a big tease. I'm sorry. We are here on a business lunch and that's perfectly legitimate.

He nodded as if thinking he really should be lunching in a back street restaurant.

"Have you engaged in other liaisons before this?"

Stewart said weakly, "Liaisons?"

"Stewart," Katrina said quite firmly. "We are not here to discuss your last birthday party."

"Birthday party?"

Katrina waved to a passing waitress who took their drinks order.

"A blended red wine please."

"A double whisky, no ice or water," Stewart said shakily.

"No my friend and I will just have two red wines please."

The waitress hitched up the left-hand side of her bra and Stewart said yes two red wines please.

He blew his nose and took some little time folding his handkerchief and braced his shoulders and said, "So you wish to commit adultery with me?"

That caught Katrina unexpectedly but she eyed him without wavering and said yes, providing they could do it without harming his family.

"Can we be that clever?"

"I would think so. Have you been down this road before?"

His gaze dropped and he muttered yes.

"And I have too, Stewart, being married to an older man. Do you wish to do it on this table now?"

He grinned and said, with only a slightly nervous edge, that he was getting used to her impishness.

Their drinks arrived and as the waitress walked off they eyed her butt and Katrina said, "I'm back in circulation Stewart and would like to mark this change in my life by having you between my thighs. If you don't wish to commit then please say so. Although I consider myself back in circulation no guy is banging me and I don't know why. I have decided I must go forth and ask for it, and so I've been thinking of you."

"Well that leaves me in no doubt," Stewart grinned. "We can go to a motel as soon as we've finished lunch if you wish. I know of one quite near here that provide very short term room rentals."

"Perfect and you are such a gentleman. Shall we order?"

* * *

Stewart and Katrina entered the motel room and she said, pleasantly surprised, "I believe many home bedrooms wouldn't match the quality of this room."

"My aim is to pleasure you."

She giggled and unzipped the back of her dress and lifted her arms for Stewart to do the rest.

"God no bra and what a great sight. You're in wonderful shape."

"Why thank you. You might care to suck and get a couple of fingers into me."

Stewart hastened to drop her skirt and panties and dropped to his knees, pushing Katrina's knees apart. Stewart was no longer had to be coaxed.

But alas it wasn't long before Katrina's knife-edge expectations began to falter, and falter turned into wilt.

Stewart was goddamn incompetent at sex... he dribbled over her face, he sweated excessively and slipped out an appallingly large number of times until destroying all credibility as a lover as far as Katrina was concerned.

But she endured it and finally got him away.

"Did you come?" he panted, looking anxious.

"Oh yes," she sighed, lying.

He then looked so boyish as he grinned.

Apparently he thought 'job done' because he said, "I must get back to work... unless you want another round?"

"Oh no, that's quite enough for me. Um Stewart, I have this feeling your wife will find out about us. I'm worried."

"Christ, so you really think so?"

"I-I don't know what to say."

"In that case we mustn't get together again. I'm off," he said, sliding off the bed and grabbing his clothes disappeared into the bathroom.

He emerged dressed with his hair done.

"Bye Katrina and thanks for the great fuck. You can get a cab away from here."

"Yes of course. Oh Stewart, please don't mention my name in your sleep."

"No of course not," he muttered now looking worried and left, slamming the door shut, leaving Katrina to finger herself to subdue her sexual frustration.

* * *

Katrina spent three weeks looking to move from her temporary accommodation where she'd lived since shortly after the funeral of her husband. Attractive apartments with great views appeared non-existent and finally she purchased a charming small brick house less than two miles from the city center overlooking a wilderness park with horse-riding trails.

The house needed interior renovation and she decided to hire a crew to attend to that and she'd have pleasure attending to the over-grown gardens. She contacted five companies from the Yellow Pages and the times they gave when they could start ranged from five to twelve weeks.

She contacted three advertisers in the local community newspaper under the heading Tradesmen Available. She interviewed three guys who looked shifty and unreliable and then the fourth guy arrived. He only looked sullen and uncooperative.

"When can you start?" she asked, after they'd inspected the interior. Katrina thought she preferred 'sullen and uncooperative' to 'unreliable and shifty'.

"At 8:00 this Saturday. I'm at college and need to study weeknights."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty."

"Oh I thought you were older and would be experienced."

"I told you I was experienced and had worked for my dad."

Katrina said yes he'd said that.

"I've worked for my dad on interior renovations during weekends and school breaks from the aged of fifteen until last year when he sold his business."

"Oh excellent, that really is experience."

He looked annoyed and said, "Now look here Mrs Withers there's no need to be sarcastic."

Katrina was quick to appear contrite.

"Oh but I'm not Mike, I took what you said to be the truth."

He said awkwardly, "Oh sorry."

"That's okay and you'll find I'm a straight shooter Mike. You go a great job and I'll give you a bonus because I intend living here for quite some time."

"Do you have a family?"

"No I'm a childless widow."

"Jesus Mrs Withers some guys will be cussing they haven't met you."

She laughed and said he was so nice and said it was time to discuss price. Mike said his dad had trestles and a paint sprayer that he could use plus brushes and other bits and pieces so all he needed was paint."

"Then name your hourly rate plus paint."

"Well what with you being a widow..."

"I run a business Mike so you can exploit me, just a little."

"Um $45 an hour plus paint."

"Okay Mike that make that $50 an hour and take no short-cuts and redo any work not up to scratch. Do we have a deal?"

"Sure thing Mrs Withers. And I'll commit to doing my very best. God I bet you are great in business."

CHAPTER 2

Mike Cook had worked two 8-hour days on Saturdays and 6-hour days on the Sundays, starting late on Sunday morning after a Saturday night out. He asked if he could have the third weekend off to go away for the weekend with his parents, and Katrina agreed.

At 8:30 on that third Sunday evening, he called on Katrina and she came to the door just in her robe.

She looked around the door and said, "Oh hi Mike. I thought it was Mrs Burroughs looking for her cat."

"No it's only me," he said, appearing to be carrying something. "May I come in?"

"I-I am just in my robe."

"Mom and Judy my sister wander about in robes."

"Meaning?"

"I'm used to seeing females in robes."

"Oh," said Katrina, opening the door.

"Jeepers their robes are not thin," he grinned. "You have a nice body. Um sorry for saying that. Here is a piece of prime cut venison dad has prepared for you with cooking instructions and two jars of preserves from mom. They are pleased you have given me work and I guess I have talked to them about you, saying what a swell employer you are."

"Oh Mike this is lovely of you and your parents. I thank you and please thank them on my behalf."

"Thank me with a kiss."

She kissed him, taking care not to press against him.

"Gee I didn't think you would do that."

"I don't mind kissing people I like Mike but a kiss is only a kiss."

"You have no idea of what I think of you, do you?"

"No and I'm old enough to be your mother. Off you go and thanks very much."

Mike arrived next Saturday to begin painting the master bedroom suite. He'd already completed the guest suite, the hallway and the visitor's bathroom of the 2-bedroom house.

He was in the bathroom painting when Katrina arrived in the bedroom back from shopping. She was changing into house clothes and had a leg on the bed removing her stockings when Mike appeared in the bathroom doorway.