Wife is accidentally purchased
*
Three floors of rooms were crammed with a bewildering array of objects, small and large, pieces of fine silver up to great lumps of furniture.
'Everything is for sale, just let me know if you see anything you like,' the owner said.
It was an everyday statement, said without much thought. Sebastian looked through an archway at a fine looking, dark haired beauty. Older than he preferred, but with the kind of voluptuous figure a builder couldn't be blamed for whistling at.
'How much for the dark-haired beauty,' he smiled, meaning to share a joke with the store owner.
The returned look told him he made a mistake. She wasn't a customer, or if she was, the guy knew her, or perhaps she was his sister, or a lover.
'That piece is expensive. The upkeep is high too,' Bob sighed.
He didn't get a chance to say more as she glided up to them.
'Don't put the customers off!' Bridget scolded her husband. 'The gentleman looks man enough to make up his own mind. Whatever it is you like the look of, a discount can be arranged,' she said, adding a wink.
The wink was made to get back at her husband, rather than for the customer's benefit.
Bob now looked as sheepish as Sebastian. They had been caught out making fun of Bridget, which was not a good move. The woman was independent of thought and a fierce believer in women's rights. She was not someone to upset. They looked at each other, sharing a male conspiracy, with knowing looks.
The dress she wore was out of their stock. A flouncy fifties white dress with deep blue trim. It showed off a deep cleavage, which she noticed attracted the young customer. Of course it did, she knew it would, and had argued with her husband about it that very morning. A male customer was hardly likely to buy the dress, but would be distracted enough to purchase something.
They needed the money. After six years hard work the business had picked up to the point it was well worth continuing, but the lease on premises was up. They needed a substantial amount to renew it, and wondered where the money would come from.
That morning he said the money wasn't coming from her cleavage, and another argument was sparked off. The business was working, but now the marriage wasn't.
'You look the kind of man that knows what he wants, and makes it happen,' she purred.
She touched his shoulder with fine long fingers, perfectly manicured.
'Maybe, if the price is right,' he grinned.
Bob winced, warning him to be careful. The expression was meant to convey that she's got a temper, and knew how to use it.
'Everything here is for sale. Whatever it is you have your eye on, I'm sure we can come to some agreement.' she said, with a mischievous smile upon her face.
Bridget had been reflexively swinging her hips from the moment she stood close to the customer. The dress swished and rustled with the enticing sound of petticoats.
He was tall, and well built like an athlete, though most of all, he was young and potent.
Sebastian liked to flirt, but didn't like being used to get back at a husband. The way she fidgeted, he expected her at any minute, to fall upon him. She put a finger between a pair of luscious pouting lips, and flickered long eyelashes at him, flirting outrageously, like a young woman trying it on. She was a woman who liked to get her own way, and he was willing to let her.
Bob knew what she was doing, but couldn't raise the conversation to stop it. No witty repartee came to mind, so he kept quiet. It was safer that way. A lack of energy for anything much these days, kept him quietly watching them from the sidelines.
Sebastian looked down her cleavage, wondering what the rest of her looked like. He had only seen the top half through the archway and missed her walking up to them. He now saw she had a slim waist, and he wondered what her legs were like. Her hair was jet black, held up from the neck in loose curls. It looked architecturally intricate, and he wondered how it had been managed.
An awkward silence ensued with a smile softening her full red lips. She waited for him to say, or her husband to hint, at what interested the customer. She couldn't stop until she found out what they had been discussing, and made a sale. If nothing else, it would show her husband she was right about the dress.
'Everything here is for sale. I'll make you a good deal, and give you a decent discount. Whatever you want, it's yours,' she teased.
They both stared at each other, looking directly into each other's eyes. There was a strange transmission between them, a rapport, an attraction, that held their gaze.
'You were putting him off something. What was it the gentleman was interested in?' Bridget asked her husband, without looking away from Sebastian.
There was a thinly disguised sound of disdain in her voice, aimed at Bob. He hesitated, looking at the customer for help. The guy shrugged. Bridget said he was big enough to make his own decisions, so why not.
'He asked how much for you, sweet,' Bob sweetly smiled. 'You said yourself, everything here is available, at a price,' he added, trying to sound amused.
If she was going to berate him, then let it be worthwhile. Both men looked at her. Bob was waiting for her mood to turn from flirting, to irritation at the impudence of such a remark. Sebastian flushed pink revealing it was true.
Before she could rally, Sebastian decided to defend himself.
'I don't know much about art, but I know what I like,' he smiled. 'Even the most beautiful work of art is available for sale, at the right price, and I don't think I've seen anything so attractive for a long time, perhaps ever,' he said.
He hoped that got him off the hook, and stirred up her husband enough to join in.
'So what did you like, what attracted you to the merchandise?' she challenged.
Her mood was on the sharp edge of anger, from realising they'd been discussing her in such a dismissive manner.
'The design of an object is important. I admire a slim waist with organic curves of the Art Nouveau style. Texture is important too. A soft porcelain skin, with a light tan, for a fit and healthy natural look. Tastefully decorated rosebud lips, a body in white with a light touch of blue, without gaudy gilding. A priceless object of desire, I'd say,' Sebastian commented.
The gauntlet had been laid down firmly, with an innocent smile.
'So, what price did you put on this object of desire?' she asked her husband, with a voice full of disdain.
He could see the young man had wriggled out from under the threat of retribution, leaving him to carry the can. The two of them had been flirting, yet he was the one in trouble. Life of a husband is always so unfair.
'No such thing as priceless,' Bob said.
He thought about it, then mentioned the figure they needed for the new lease.
Bridget was taken aback, preventing her from castigating a husband usually found wanting. He was in trouble whatever he said, though surprisingly she stood there thinking it over. She couldn't decide if he was being clever, or nice, or maybe for once, both.
'A very good price, very fair I'd say,' Sebastian told him, playing along. 'I need something to decorate the new house, in Broadway. I'm sure I will be happy with such a gorgeous item,' he warmly smiled at her.
He winked at Bob, without her noticing, as she looked from one to the other with an expression of bemusement.
'If you're happy with the price, then it's a sale. Returns must be within ten days, and in the same condition as bought. Though a full refund wouldn't be due on such a valuable object,' Bob said.
He looked at his wife expecting her to either join in the fun, or storm off in a huff.
They were audaciously negotiating her sale, right in front of her, as though she were nothing but an object. She had been angry, but that seemed to have evaporated. His teasing description of her, and something intangible between them, kept her quiet.
The thought of this handsome man owning her, sent a shiver down her spine. She dare not say anything, in case it revealed her state of confusion.
The young man was playing at buying her, with her husband giving guidance as to her secrets, and the limits of this purchase. Her boring husband was rising to the challenge, and she enjoyed the attention. It was the only excitement to be expected on a dreary Wednesday afternoon.
'A nice firm top, with long shapely legs. Very attractive in high heels. Wears decoration discreetly and well enough to be described as elegant,' her husband said.
Elegant? That was a surprise, and she liked it.
'What about age and idiosyncrasies?' Sebastian asked.
'I'd say around thirty something, but looks late twenties when given good finishing touches. Everything is in working order. All natural without false additions. No restoration,' Bob said.
'Yes, it looks in superb condition, and certainly much less than thirty,' Sebastian agreed.
They were pointing out her features, no, they were commenting on her figure, and getting personal. They were going too far, yet she was enjoying it. The comments were all positive, and showed her husband had taken notice of her after all.
'There's no manual to go with it, but I'm sure you can find out how it works,' he said.
Bridget wasn't sure how to play this, and failed to break into the conversation. Men as usual could easily discuss an object at length, as long as emotions weren't involved. The dispassionate way they discussed her, shouldn't have been allowed, and shouldn't have been enthralling, yet it was.
She folded her arms across her generous chest, but refrained from tapping a foot to show annoyance.
'Do you take credit cards?' Sebastian asked.
'Certainly sir,' Bob answered, playing the game.
Both Bob and Bridget were surprised to see a diamond card produced, and watched in fascination as the card was accepted. Such a large sum wouldn't have gone through on an ordinary card, yet the transaction went through without hesitation.
Bridget assumed her husband had dropped off a couple of zero's. Bob's expression when the right squeaks and buzzes sounded, changed to astonishment. This alerted Bridget to what had happened.
The large sum had been accepted! This meant Bob had sold his wife! He'd accepted the offer, received the payment, and sold his wife to a stranger. Bob looked at his wife with raised eyebrows, querying what to do next. She looked away, deep in thought.
Damn him! What did he think he was playing at? A game was a game, but this was going too far. She was furious with him. Some of the things he said were too close to the truth. If he had mentioned their bedroom games, she would have hit him, but he'd merely hinted at them.
