Jack parked his BMW at the kerb just below the house in the private close. He took his time to adjust his cuffs and arrange his tie. It may have looked like personal grooming but this little ritual gave him time to assess the neighbourhood. Well manicured lawns, paved drives with individual brick or stone features to identify the property. A driveway which lead to a double garage, with a 4 x 4 and a sports saloon parked outside. He had no remorse for the couple he was about to see. Ostentatious, overstretched and suddenly out of luck.
He had already valued the property, he knew the offer he was to make, the rest depended on the vendor. She sounded sexy, she sounded desperate, she sounded like Jack's kind of customer. When ever there was a down turn in the economy Jack's fortunes rose. He always invested in property as the market bottomed and sold at its peak. It was his good fortune to have independent means and who he bought from and who he sold to, were dependant on the deal they could offer.
Today he was a buyer, if he chose. The house was good, the area was established and buoyant, the vendor out of their depth. A quick profit in a rapidly expanding business venture had given them the cash to gamble. Well now it was time to call in the chips and the market for their business had shrunk. Jack at 50 had seen it so many times before, he loved recession it was so good for his profits.
He rang the doorbell, Samantha, call me Sam answered his call. She was as he guessed, 35 with dark hair, that fell in tresses about her shoulders. A natural tan, from the nearby coast, he had heard they had a boat for sale as well. Dark brown eyes, that looked a little watery, a soft wide mouth, reddened with shiny lip gloss, and gold jewellery which hung from her neck, and wrists. She wore a simple A line dress which ended just above the knee, with a concealed zipper and short slit at the back. The material was cotton, with a broad weave in a natural colour which looked beige to his untutored eye. She had on low brown heels which tautened her tanned calves, Jack felt a deal coming on inside of his pants.
Sam extended her red nail varnished hand, towards Jack. He grasped the soft flesh studying her long fingers and immaculate nails. He touched the back of her hand to his lips. He felt the tension in her wrist, but her smile remained fix.
'Do come inside Mr O'Brien.'
'Jack please call me Jack.' He said pulling her close to him so his body brushed her bosom as he walked into the room. He made a point of casting his eye about the entrance hall. It was pretty much what he expected, pastel light colours, with a mirror and a coat stand, some fresh flowers to add colour and scent, and a series of doors leading to the living space. Jack understood his assessment was important to the vendor, hesitation helped to broker any later deal. He remained non committal he knew suspense would help with his bargaining.
'Can you show me the rest of the house Mrs Fitzgerald, we'll start with the ground floor.'
He released Sam's hand, and waited for her direction. Familiarity then diffidence it helped to give Jack the control he needed. 'Jack please do not be so formal remember my name is Sam.' She said leading him by the arm. 'Let me take you to the kitchen, the heart of the house. Can I offer you some coffee or tea?'
Jack smiled inwardly, the old coffee trick often shown on makeover programmes as the deal breaker. It would take more than coffee to get Jack to sign a cheque today. But the room smelt warm, and the fragrance of hot coffee, encouraged him to take a cup.
He looked at the room, filled with appliances and gadgets, he knew none of them were paid for yet. He studied the hob, the oven, Sam was no cook this was bought for show. Sam handed him a black coffee, it tasted good, there was nothing like a caffeine fix to help him through the day.
He allowed her to guide him through the downstairs room of the house. There was a lounge, a dining room, a conservatory and a family room that led off the garage. Sam had children, both at school who had been cajoled into being tidy for Jack's inspection. Sam showed him the garden from the conservatory, a soft rolling landscape of half an acre, which flowed in a gentle S shape away from the house, pocketed with perennial flowers and herbaceous borders leading to a screen of trees at the edge of their land.
Jack had seen enough what he wanted now was the view from Sam's bedroom, but he allowed himself to be led through the other upstairs rooms first. He was cool diffident in his appraisal. He commented on the individual decoration of the children's rooms, noted the practical bathroom and en suite. Jack knew his price but he made Sam imagine it set lower.
Sam eventually led Jack into her bedroom. He looked across to the net covered windows and the view of the garden beyond. Before him was a raised metal bedstead, with beautiful white linen duvet etched with lace and purple flowers, with a white sheet underneath. To the side was a wardrobe with a full length mirror and adjacent to the window was a small dressing table. On the wall of the ensuite was a tall chest of drawers. Jack looked about the bright airy room with the sunlight streaming in. He made some rudimentary notes and briefly looked into their en-suite, he noted the laundry basket and the white satin soiled panties laying on the edge.
Sam also noted her panties with their sheer front, and satin edges on display, blushing she knocked them into the basket and out of Jack's view. He looked to the ceiling and the bathroom fittings without comment. He then returned to the bedroom routinely opening the chest of drawers.
Sam watched him a quizzical look on her face, but her situation made her reticent to question Jack's actions. Jack smiled opening each drawer as if he were making a bid for the furniture rather than the house. The contents of each drawer were neatly folded and ordered, tops, socks, sweatshirts and underwear. He looked towards Sam standing awkwardly beside her bed. As he stood he could see the pert swell of her ass projected onto both the dressing table and wardrobe mirror. He could see her weight shifting, he watched her buttocks clench with each movement.
Her breathing was becoming a little erratic although her face remained impassive a grin firmly fixed, but he could see her eyes watching as his hand delved into the open underwear draw, his fingers feeling the soft satin of the bras and panties neatly folded in there. He knew she would say nothing, he knew he was her last resort before the bailiffs came.
'You live well Sam, you dress well too is that where your little problem comes from?'
He closed the drawer and rested his weight back against the chest, he folded his hands across his groin, he could already feel his cock stiff pushing back against his open palm. He so loved being able to ask about people's private life. Sam drew a deep breath, he loved the way her chest rose, pulling the dress with it. So it was only the start of her thigh which was revealed but it did confirm his impression of the shape of her legs. Tapered with an even soft tan, his eye travelled to the mirror, he could see the backs of her knees and a little more thigh showing in the split of her skirt.
'It is just cash flow really Jack. We had a good business, we still do, but people are not paying, we have future business but nothing to support it. The banks as always are useless, they loan you the first amount then got cold feet when you need to buy time. We have economised. Our 4 x 4 is for sale, unfortunately so are many others. We have been able to place our children at a local school for the new term, which will be so much better for them. Help them to get grounded within the community. It is so unfair, people who sit around and laze get everything, whilst we are penalised for trying. There is no one to help us. No one who wants to help us. Which is why we came to you Jack. You are a businessman. You have a reputation for your fair dealing. I know the house is not worth it's peak price and there are considerations.'
Jack held up his hand. He did not want to hear her sales pitch. He knew the price and she had to understand, that would all there was on offer.
'Sam. I a also have a reputation for plain speaking. This is a nice property, but it is expensive. There are not many who have the money at this point to consider something like this. Your home in the current market is worth half its value, because there is no one to buy it is the law of supply and demand just like the 4 x 4 on the drive. My property portfolio is pretty solid, I don't normally stray into this upper market, but I like you. I like what you are trying to achieve. But I am not a charity. The price I will pay on a rent back scheme should clear current overheads and remove you from foreclosure. I have two other properties to look at today, all similar to what I have seen here. One is a young couple, he is the one making the deal. The other older, in a way I feel quite sorry for them. Their pension fund disappeared. So if you want to be the one who gets the second chance there has to be something to make it worth my while.'
Sam went to the window and looked out of the curtains, he eyes following the line of the grass to the trees. She watched as a bird flew up from one of the distant branches and circled the close.
'I love this house Jack. It is what I have always dreamed of. I like this area. I do not want to move. My family are safe here, we are part of the community. Is that true for the others you are going to see?'
Jack looked at her face, she was looking forward onto the landscape. He looked at the light falling onto her cheek casting a shadow onto her long smooth neck. The chains of gold about her neck glistened in the dappled light falling through the net. He could see the line of her bra through the back of her dress. He could see the bands of elastic, that gripped and fastened across her back. His eyes drifted down her back, to the round swell of her hips. He licked his dry lips and gripped his stiff cock through his trousers.
'Your husband Sam, he has always left you to deal with the negotiations, why is that?'
'Pride I guess. He still wants to succeed, he still wants to make this thing work. He is so busy trying to get people to pay, get new sales. He won't give in Jack.'
'No other reason? The young couple I am going to see, the lad is as ambitious as your husband. His wife is pretty, they have a young child, yet she does not have same commitment as you. Did you think you would make a better negotiator? Did he think you could offer something else to ensure the deal?'
Jack eased his weight off of the chest of drawers and stood straight. He let his hands slip to his side, his erection was creating a firm bulge in his trousers. Sam remained still looking onto the garden. Jack reached into his jacket pocket and produced a cheque book. He wrote onto the amount he was prepared to pay. He stepped behind Sam, his cock mere millimetres from her taut round buttocks. He placed his hand on Sam's shoulder. She trembled and looked down to the amount he had written.
'All that can be yours today Sam. I know it is not what you expected, but it will keep you in this house for as long as you want. You just have to prove to me, you want to do business.'
Sam looked at the cheque. He was right with some economies they could survive their problem and no one would need know they no longer owned the house only rented it from Jack. She felt a mixture of relief and disappointment. She had hoped it would be better than this.
'Jack it is a fair price. I know we are not in a position to haggle. We'll sign the house over to you.'
