Hesitating until her vision adjusted to the dim light, Jenny stood inside the bar her prey had just entered. As the tableau came into focus, she noted eyes gazing at her - male eyes, hungry eyes. She also hesitated because she worried if her meager acting abilities would be sufficient to the task ahead. Her self-confidence as a woman had been shaken by her disastrous marriage, and now she had to play the vamp, attract a man to the point he'd want to be with her so much Saturday night that he'd completely discount any other plans he had or could make in the interim.
Was that why she'd played those sexy games with Mel? To rehearse and test her ability to excite a man? No, she decided. Since stepping from the aircraft a few hours ago, she'd been subjected to one sexually charged situation after another, all of which had taken her arousal higher and higher until...
With a shake of her head to cast away the mental reenactment of Mel's ejaculate filling her mouth, she swallowed and noticed she could still taste Mel's semen. Would her prey smell come juice around her mouth if she moved close to him? Would Pete recognize the taste of semen if she kissed him? Would a passionate kiss be necessary to seal a date for Saturday night? The thought caused her to shudder with distaste.
She noticed Pete then. He was sitting at the bar, but he'd turned toward her, as did a number of other men in the joint. His expression could only be described as a lecherous leer, and in any other circumstance, she'd dismiss him, even sneer at him as not worthy of her attention. Instead, she strolled sexily and hopefully with confidence to the bar and sat on a stool with a vacant seat between her and her quarry. Glancing quickly around the bar, she searched for Kelly's ex. If he were present, she'd been instructed to leave. She didn't see him.
She crossed her long legs and heard the scrape of nylon sliding against nylon. She'd replaced her hose, but her damp panties were stuffed in her purse. Peripherally, she saw Pete take in her legs, and his leer became even more pronounced, something she didn't believe possible before.
"What'll it be?" the obese bartender asked as he wiped a damp rag over the bar in front of her. Beads of sweat dappled his sloping forehead.
"Martini, very dry. Two olives," Jenny ordered, keeping her voice low and sultry. She gazed at her reflection in the mirror in the back bar, an image broken into many parts by the liquor bottles sitting on glass shelves between her and the mirror. The broken image reflected her mood. She felt disjointed, at the very least, and seriously out of her depth. Why had she agreed to act this part? Would she be capable of pulling it off?
"Put the martini on my tab, Willy," Pete said.
Ah, the fish was nibbling at the bait. When Jenny turned her head, Pete raised his glass of beer and smiled at her. She returned his smile, but tried not to over act, which was easy considering Pete was the antithesis of her type. His mousy hair was receding, and his evil-looking, dark eyes appeared too small, making his face look puffy.
"Thank you," she said without further invitation.
Pete stood and moved to the stool between them. "May I join you?" he asked.
The door to the bar opened and sunlight streamed in. Mel had arrived to protect her if necessary. He sat at her left, three stools away, and Jenny turned her attention back to Pete. He'd taken the seat next to her without her permission, which would have normally incensed her, but under the circumstances, she forced a wide smile.
"Yes, please join me. Thank you for the drink. I'm Gabriel."
"Nice to meet you Gabriel. My name is Peter."
Her martini arrived. She sipped and glanced at Pete over the rim of the glass. His gaze had dropped to her cleavage, exposed by open buttons on her sheer white blouse. Good golly, he's literally drooling, she thought. Maybe I can pull this off.
They chatted, and finally Jenny informed him she was attending a convention and would be in town for the balance of the week.
"The convention has kept me very busy," she remarked as she glanced at her wristwatch. "In fact, I need to leave soon. I'm committed to dinner with others attending the convention."
"Speaking of dinner, Gabriel," Pete said and placed his sweaty hand over hers, "would you have dinner with me tomorrow night, or Saturday, if you're busy tomorrow."
Jenny frowned. "I don't know, Pete. I've enjoyed our conversation, but I hardly know you. Besides, I'm busy both nights." She turned her hand in his and squeezed slightly as she allowed a pleasant expression to replace the frown. "I suppose I could meet with you for an hour or so on Saturday night, but just for a drink, not dinner, and I can't set a specific time."
"I have a cell phone. I carry it with me constantly. I'll meet with you anytime, anywhere. Just call me, and I'll come running."
He raised her hand and kissed her palm, letting his tongue slip through his lips to briefly taste her. Jenny shivered with distaste, but she hoped Pete considered the reaction a passionate response, not the intense revulsion she felt. When it appeared he'd granted her wish, she decided it was time to set the hook in this fish. She'd land him, pull him into the boat on Saturday night. Leaning to him and brushing her lips to his cheek, she whispered, "You're sweet. Plan on a call Saturday evening."
Pete nodded vigorously.
"Well?" she said as she used her thumb to wipe her lipstick off his face.
"What?"
"I need your cell phone number."
"Oh, yes! Of course you do!" He pulled out a business card, turned it over and jotted down the number with a ballpoint pen.
She took the card, glanced at it and placed it in her purse.
"Call me!" he ordered, brushed his hand across her bare shoulder and then slid it down her arm to her wrist.
"It could be early evening or late at night. Does the time matter?" she asked as she turned toward him and dropped one foot to the floor. Her short skirt slid up even farther on her leg, and she watched his eyes dart down and take in the view.
"Late or early, it doesn't matter," Pete said. "Just call me."
"You like what you see, don't you?" Jenny asked coquettishly.
Pete swallowed and nodded. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever met," he gushed.
She stared at him intently. "I like you, Pete. You've been patient, not too pushy, and you're a good-looking man. I'll call you. Guaranteed. I want to get to know you better." She reached and brushed her hand across his face, an obvious caress. "Much better."
Standing she leaned to his ear and whispered. "I like the fact that you like what you see. Saturday, I'll show you more, if you know what I mean." She heard him gasp. "Don't ruin everything now. Stay here and let me leave by myself." She straightened up. "Thanks for the drink, Pete, and I'll see you Saturday night." She offered him what she considered her most dazzling smile. "Bye."
She turned and walked away, feeling Pete's small, evil eyes on her as she moved. Outside, she noticed the sun was setting, offering the beginning of what would probably be a marvelous sunset, but the pleasant view didn't alter her mood. She shuddered and walked quickly around the corner to Mel's car. It was locked, but Mel arrived moments later and let her in the passenger seat.
"Good job!" he exclaimed when he settled behind the wheel. "You had him panting, Jenny."
"Thanks. Take me to your house, Mel. I need a shower." She squirmed. "Touching that sleaze, letting him touch me, made me feel dirty."
****
"Give, Mel. You didn't tell us everything," Harriett said. "When you and Jenny arrived you looked like a little boy who'd just broken a brand new toy."
With a mischievous grin, Janice quipped, "You wear your emotions on your sleeve, Dad. Have you been a bad boy?"
Mel glanced from his wife to his youngest daughter and sighed.
Upon his and Jenny's arrival, Jenny had immediately announced her need for a shower, leaving him to describe the stakeout to his wife and youngest daughter. He had not told them everything, only those elements related to John's plan, certainly not about the fun and games he'd played with Jenny in his car.
Mel grimaced and decided yet again it would be impossible for any man to have an affair and get away with it.
To hell with them, he thought. He'd tell them what happened at a time of his choosing, and now wasn't the time.
"Later," he announced and pushed himself to his feet. "I'll call John and let him know Jenny's efforts were successful."
He watched his wife and daughter trade inquiring glances. Harriett shrugged as he left the room.
Mel was hanging up the telephone after talking with his son when Harriett entered his home office. She rested one hip on the edge of his desk with one leg dangling and the other touching the floor.
"It's later," she said.