The Nod by Karen Blayne

Oh by the way red tape first.

Be warned these short stories contain mature content or naughty bits and as such may corrupt you if you’re under 12, 16, 18, 21 or 25 depending where you live thus they are not suitable for you so put them back on the shelf and let them age for a year or two.

They were sort of scribbled for fun. They were first posted on asstr.org. If you’ve paid money for this book just be aware the author has not received any payment. In fact no one has permission to charge money for this book and copyright is retained by the author. All copies must be of the complete document. ©2014 Asstr.org accepts donations if you’re feeling rich or even if you’re not.

Luv Karen

Jacob opened the letter, if he’d like to present himself together at the lawyer’s office with his passport and driver’s license he could hear something to his advantage. He so presented himself. “Well this seems to be in order. Ryan John Lewis has left his entire estate to you.” “Ryan’s dead?” “A skydiving accident I understand.” He felt a little shaken, he’d only been skydiving once with Ryan, the first time for both of them and they’d written out pro forma wills before jumping, naming each other. He wondered what he’d been left, an Xbox perhaps? “Now if you’ll just give me your bank details, sign here, and here I’ll transfer the thirty five million dollars to your account.” “Thirty five million?” “Well a little more, thirty five million, eight hundred and twenty three thousand, nine hundred and forty seven dollars and nineteen cents to be exact.” “Thank you.”

He left the office and went to sit down in a coffee bar to collect himself. “That’s an interesting mug.” The girl at the next table sat in a mobility scooter commented. He collected his thoughts together, “I’ve always thought coffee tastes better in a china mug than a paper cup, and besides they discount the price by 20 cents for bringing my own mug.” “I’d never have thought of it.” He looked across at her sitting on a bright red mobility scooter rather than a chair at her table. They chatted and he casually asked if it was her day off. “The chance would be a fine thing.” He looked puzzled, “You need a job in order to have a day off.” She clarified. “I have a Masters in Business Administration but nothing afterwards.” Well he needed some one to sort his money out. “Would you like a job?” “Are you offering?” “I suppose I am.” “Doing what and is there a disabled loo?” “Looking after some money for me to minimise the taxes and so forth, and sort out the paperwork. Do you need an office or could you work from home?” “Saves on bus fare, sounds like a plan.” She gave him her parents address and he made arrangements to come and see her the following morning. She had trouble backing the scooter out from the table. “What you need is a café with bigger spaces for wheelchairs and things.” “My friend Steve has a fantasy about opening up a restaurant with extra wide spaces on some tables for wheelchairs and scooters.”

Next day they discussed how to look after his cash, forming a company to minimise his tax returns etc. “OK I’ve got all that now what do you want out of life?” He looked at her “I’ve never even thought about it.” “Well you’ve got the money to do anything you like.” “I suppose I have, I’ve always wondered about doing a PhD. But I don’t like others finding out I have money.” “Well go and talk to whomever then text me and I’ll arrange it.” “What about your friend Steve, does he stand a chance of opening up a restaurant?” “Well yes he’s had the training for it.” “But..” “It was in prison. I met him when I was prison visiting, one of my charities, they teach them that sort of thing in the hope that they can get a job when they leave but very few do.” “Is Steve out yet?” “He’s due out at the end of the month.” “Best find him premises soon then hadn’t you.”

At less than average height Jacob didn’t really standout but the Professor didn’t like to say no to anyone, he didn’t really have to it was always the funding that was the problem. “Well we’ve still got the vacuum equipment we used for the last student, but I’m not certain where you’d get the funding from.” At that moment the phone rang and he picked up the receiver. Victoria spoke quickly “My books don’t balance since we had a PhD research project die so I need something to replace it before the board meeting in an hour have you got anything?” “It just so happens I have a number of projects that need funding and I can submit for your approval what sort of thing were you after?” “Someone who will accept within the hour?” “I have someone sitting in front of me now, I’ll pass the phone over.” “See easy.” Jacob’s Chemistry PhD project on the precise reaction mechanism under vacuum was set in motion that afternoon.

Two days later Victoria rang him, she’d found a house and felt it would be an investment besides being more comfortable and possibly cheaper than having a room in hall. At the end of the month she took him to pick up Steve on his release and together they ate lunch at a small restaurant. “So Steve what do you think of the restaurant?” “It’s all wrong, like some tart’s plaything.” “Steve.” she spoke reprovingly “Well it is.” Just then a girl with a worried frown arrived at their table. “Is everything all right?” Steve snorted. “Hi I’m Victoria and work for an organisation that helps well behaved ex convicts find work.” The last part was delivered with a hard stare at Steve. “Well I don’t think we’re looking to hire anyone at the moment.” “One of my friends mentioned that you were finding it hard going, we might be interested in taking over the lease.” The girl perked up then looked at Steve. “Oh Ignore him, in fact can we send him to the kitchen?” The girl looked surprised. “Well if it turns him on.” “How long have you been open?” “Well we’ve had the premises for a year but everything took so long to get right so we’ve only been open for six months but its been slow.” “Want to sell? It wouldn’t be a very high price but at least you’d get your life back.” “You mean not have to work twelve hour days and do all the books. Sounds like bliss. I never dreamt it would be such hard work for so little reward nor how hard it would be to keep staff.”

They chatted and Steve came back from the kitchens and smiled at Victoria. She mentioned a price which was accepted, glanced at Jacob who just discreetly gave a small nod, so she took out a cheque book and wrote a cheque out on the spot. “You mean that’s it?” “Well more or less yes, there will be some legal bits about transferring the lease but that’s it, pass the keys over to Steve and you may walk out the door.” It took only a moment to pick up her coat and she was gone. Jacob raised a questioning eyebrow. “Daddy brought her a plaything, he’ll be more thankful to get out of the twenty year lease than anything else.” “So who is this dude?” Asked Steve looking towards Jacob, “He’s just a student, one of the volunteers of that organisation I mentioned. Now can you get hold of enough staff to run this place?” She asked Steve. “You mean real jobs for ex cons?” “Perhaps you should rename it ‘The Den’” remarked Jacob, Steve looked a bit lost, “As in a Den of thieves perhaps?” “Cool man I like that, The Den it is. Now I need a mobile to drum up some staff.” “Do you need any funds to start up with?” “Naw the kitchen is well stocked, the equipment is even better than the nick, sous-vide set up an all. It just needs a few table cloths and a bunch or two of flowers and we’ll roll them in. There’s some sort of live theatre near here we’ll give them a $5 discount if they show their tickets for a before or after the performance meal.” “How will that help?” asked Jacob intrigued, “Simple, bums on seats, they’ll be in and gone before the main crowd comes in or come in afterwards so we get more bums on more chairs besides its free advertising” He looked at Victoria, “He must live in an ivory tower not knowing that.” “We need a few dollars for table cloths but its coming up to Christmas so the money will soon be rolling in.”

Jacob felt a bit guilty about having a three bedroomed house to himself so put up an advert on the student accommodation board. Jasmine and Brianna moved in the same day, they paid the utilities which they seemed happy with and Jacob looked after the house maintenance. “Hi landlord I’ve been given two tickets for the big film on tonight, want to come?” Jacob’s nose twitched he wasn’t especially interested in seeing the big film and why wasn’t she going with Jasmine? “Well.” “That’s settled I’ll even stand you a burger at Dairy Queen beforehand.” Jacob had this feeling he really ought to be more assertive but whatever. Brianna guided him towards the rear of the cinema and they settled down to watch the film. He found the film really wasn’t that interesting “I think I’d rather go back and curl up with a book.” He whispered in her ear. “You’ll miss the good bit.” she whispered back and slid her fingers over his thigh. Ten minutes later she had his hardening rod in her fingers and was just rubbing the tip lightly with her thumb. “See what I mean.” She snuggled closer to him. “I think I’m..” Brianna moved quickly and her lips engulfed him swallowing his ejaculating sperm as it spurted forth. He sat there quietly with his arm round her “Now tell me exactly what’s happening.” “Well if you must know Jasmine has uncovered the fact that one of our overseas students has rich parents and is worth a million in his own right.” “So?” “So she’s invited him back to the house to seduce him before anyone else gets their claws into him.” “Just for his money?” “Well he hasn’t exactly got any other redeeming features.” “But would you do such a thing for a million dollars?” “Good heaven what sort of girl do you think I am? Certainly not, I’d do it for say $100,000, less competition and its quite enough for a deposit on a house. You wouldn’t be worth a $100,000 would you?” He managed to blurt out “Sorry.” “Oh well you’re nice I’d probably have settled for $95,000.”

Jasmine steamed through the door “The scheming bitch, flaunting her body at him like that.” Brianna looked up from her book, “Competition?” “I wouldn’t call the likes of her competition.” “Know where he lives?” “Of course.” “We could go and visit him, let’s get changed then off we go.” Jacob looked up as the two giggling girls dressed in long coats dashed through the door.

Next morning when Jacob had just finished setting up his low temperature equipment in the fume cupboard, and finished the distillation of some ether over a hot water bath and after taking great care to discard the last 25% and that no naked flames were apparent in the lab, he decided to take a break and go for a coffee. There was a tap on the door and a head popped round. “Jacob?” He nodded “I’m just going for coffee want to join me?” “We’ve only got ten minutes before the next lecture.” He took his lab coat off and locked the door behind him. “We can talk as we go then.” “I’m Angela and this is Jenna. We heard your tenants were leaving so wondered if we could have their rooms?” “Are they?” “You should hear shortly, apparently they’re both moving in with some foreign student guy with money.” Jacob pulled his mobile out and listened to Brianna’s voice in his voice mail. “Hi landlord sorry to do this but we blew Jasmine’s rich guy away last night, apparently he’d never had two tongues on his pecker at once before, so anyway he’s invited us to move in with him this afternoon.” “How did you get to hear about it?” “Oh simple Mackenzie was so pissed this morning she thought she had the inside track wearing silk stockings but then he didn’t turn up for their date and she heard that Jasmine and Brianna got in first with the silk stockings before he’d even left to pick her up, all she got was a text saying he couldn’t make it.” Jacob wrote down the address and made arrangements for Angela and Jenna to move in the next day.

It seemed to be a day for interruptions, he was just packing up getting ready to go home when Victoria arrived “Thank god I’ve caught you. My friend Claudia has two tickets for the theatre this evening but got let down by some guy or other and I can’t make it. Can you be an angel and meet her at the theatre if I put her photo on your phone?” “Can’t she go be herself?” “She’s afraid she might get hit on, be nice and go, I’ll make it up to you, I’ll get my mom to make a batch of frozen chilli for you.” Jacob grabbed a quick tea in the refectory and made his way to the theatre.

Claudia turned out to be a tall very elegantly dressed young lady and they were seated in the house seats, the sort you didn’t just get without connections. The play was more than enjoyable being transferred for three weeks as it toured the country. Jacob felt relaxed and suggested to Claudia they had a meal at a restaurant he knew round the corner. Claudia looked a bit dubious at the name when they entered. “Do you have a reservation?” “Sorry.” “We’re rather full tonight, you might have to wait an hour.” “Perhaps you could mention to Steve that Jacob is here.” The greeter looked dubious but picked up the house phone and spoke briefly into it. Steve put his head round the kitchen door in his chef’s hat and grinned as soon as he saw Jacob. “Jacob my man come on in.” Steve guided them to a table that was tucked away in a corner and turned on the lamp above it. “We’re short on waiters today so I’ll slip back and bring out your dishes from the kitchen myself seeing as most of the preparations finished now, we’re just getting one or two after theatre crowd in tonight and then we’re finished.” He started to turn away when Claudia asked him about a menu. “Oh you’re getting leftovers tonight.” Claudia raised a threatening eyebrow but Jacob managed to calm her down so she’d at least see what was offered. The soup was delicious, the main course cooked in the French style was superb. Part way through Steve left the kitchen and drew up a chair at their table. “So enjoyable?” He asked Claudia. “Yes but why did you call it leftovers?” “Well I normally prepare three dishes each day, we have a computer program that works out the optional number then I round it up to two above. So what you’re eating is what is leftover. Normally the staff get it but they’re just as happy with a burger and fries as the posh stuff as they put it.” “I notice you don’t have any waitresses.” “Well there aren’t that many women inside who get the training.” Claudia looked puzzled. “The Den is short for Den of Thieves.” added Jacob helpfully “It was Victoria, my prison visitor, who set it up somehow. She knew we’d done all the training inside and it was difficult to get work once you’re out. So now we have our own restaurant, and all the staff are ex cons. Jacob here is a student from what I hear had something to do with it as he was with Victoria when she brought this place for us, so he gets fed leftovers at the end of the day. Do you like it? We’ve put in bigger tables and in deference to Victoria we have three tables that have larger spaces round them to make it easier for wheel chairs and scooters. It cuts the number we can seat down to sixty but that’s enough for us. Works well on the wedding reception side, sixty limits the numbers but the quality is first rate, so lots of bride’s dads like the idea of using us to keep costs down but still have a first rate do.”

Claudia liked, Claudia talked, and soon the Den was the place to be.

He was just leaving for the day when he saw one of the professors trying to calm down a weeping student. She looked at him pleadingly and he gave a slight nod. “Isabel is worried she’s going to fail but I have a lecture to give in five minutes could you talk to her?” He took Isabel by the waist and guided her to a nearby bench. “I’ll look after her.” He reassured the professor remembering how traumatic he’d found the first term at University. He talked gently to her and asked what the problems were. “I don’t fit in here at all, it was all a stupid mistake to come.” It didn’t look as if it was going to be a five second conversation and he was feeling peckish so he suggested he took her back to his place and they could find something to eat before putting the world to rights since he wasn’t much good at putting the world to rights on a empty stomach.

"Chilli OK?" "Cooked fresh?" "No nuked, Victoria's mother made it and I haven't tried it yet." which seemed to distract Isabel. They ate and he encouraged her to talk and tell him her thoughts. They curled up on the sofa with his arm round her and let her talk her heart out. She hadn't met anyone she felt she could talk to like this and she relaxed. At eleven o'clock Jacob decided it was time for bed so kissed her on the forehead before getting up and walking to his bedroom. Isabel followed him still explaining her thoughts and simply got undressed and into bed besides him as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Next morning Angela wandered into his bedroom with a cup of coffee. "Morning oh lord and master landlord. I made a pot and thought you might like one. Oh hi Isabel would you like one as well?" She turned to Jacob, "Does this mean the utilities get split three ways?" she said with a grin. Jacob stuck his tongue out at her and Isabel raised her head "Utilities?" "Oh Jenna and I pay the utilities in lieu of rent so we'd be delighted if you moved in and split them with us three ways rather than two." "But I haven't been invited." "Oh that's easy just take his rod in your hand and give it a couple of strokes then ask him if he'd like you to stay and finish him off." Angela blew Jacob a kiss as she exited through the open door. "Jenna, you'll never guess what..."

Well that was it, he’d handed in his thesis and crossed his fingers that it was accepted. The methodology was fine but the end product, a sort of gooey white mess that solidified slowly then was totally inert seemed to be of very little practical value. He popped into the careers centre to see if they had anything for a PhD in chemistry, if he’d been lucky in his choice of subject for his PhD then industry would be falling over themselves to offer him a job but he knew most weren’t so he’d better have a think about what he’d like to do. They had an opening for an office junior, well it didn’t pay very much but it might be fun to see how an office worked.

There was a pool of office staff who filled in for people on vacation or maternity leave or on projects that needed more resources temporarily. The five girls who were there made him welcome, well he was nicely spoken after all, and gradually became more relaxed when he was around.

“Jacob do you think you could give me a kiss?” Jacob was a bit surprised by the request but politely kissed Brooke on the cheek. She took his tie and pulled him closer then kissed him firmly on the lips, opening her lips wide so as to draw him in. “That’s better, now two more like that and run your finger up my slit.” Jacob was too stunned to do anything other than obey. He was just getting into the mood when Brooke stopped him. “Now don’t get ideas.” before strolling out of the office in her four inch high heels. “Now what was that all about?” he asked himself. “Oh Mr. Hill’s personal executive assistant is going on maternity leave and Brooke thinks she’s in with a chance to attend the Jamaica sales conference with him, you know sunbathe all day then keep his bed warm at night. So if you get her warmed up nicely she stands a better chance of seducing him. Still she’s left you with a hard on hasn’t she. Stand still for a moment.” Shelby stood before him and quickly unzipped him before giving him a hand job and collecting his ejaculations with a tissue. “There comfier now?”

“Jacob can you finish off the mail run on the 19th floor for me? Mr. Williams has a special project for me.” Shelby asked as she unzipped her mid thigh mini skirt and pulled on another that was pleated and two inches shorter. He picked up the remaining mail and dutifully set off.

Selena gazed at her computer screen in frustration. “You wouldn’t know how to coax a Bessel function out of this machine would you?” “Well it depends which one you want, what are you trying to do?” Selena explained rather surprised that the mailman would actually look as if he understood what she was talking about. Four clicks of a mouse later and Selena was looking at the results of a Bessel function on her data. “You must be new round here?” “I’m with the pool striking a blow for men’s lib.” “Shelby is trying to become a personal executive assistant again I take it?” “Mr. Williams has a special project I understand.” “Well I need some help if ever I’m going to get these numbers crunched, I have access to the pool on request, would you like to come and assist me?”

“I don’t believe it?” cried Shelby in frustration. “What’s happened?” Jacob enquired. “It’s all so sexist.” “Don’t keep us all in suspense, what is?” came the cry from across the room. “Still he has got a nice butt.” she conceded. Jacob went pink, as Shelby handed him the memo saying he was now appointed to act as Ms Baker’s personal executive assistant. “I didn’t even know she was looking for one.” chimed in Brooke who was still hoping one would come through for her from the 26th floor. “Still less competition for the next one.” There were nods all round at this and Jacob took himself off to the 19th floor where Selena waved him to a second computer and gave him a rough out line of what she wanted analysing.

"Jacob there is a conference coming up I'm giving a presentation at, would you like to come?" "I don't think they'll pay for it." "Oh that's no problem the company has already paid for me but since I'm making a presentation I get a free pass." "Accommodation?" "Do you snore?" "How do I get there?" "Oh if you fly business class in the winter months then your spouse flies free." Selina beamed at him, "I found these second hand wedding rings at the jewellers and picked them up, would you like one?" Why not he thought to himself and agreed before his sensible side took over and found lots of reasons why he shouldn't go.

It was the end of the day and both were mentally reeling at the information they had heard during the day. As they wandered out a side exit they saw a restaurant named "The Other Den." "That looks interesting." commented Selena and guided him towards the door. "Do you have a reservation?" enquired the very formal maître d'hôtel. "Delroy that's Jacob, he doesn't need a reservation." came a call from one of the waiters. The maître d'hôtel picked up his glasses and peered "I beg your pardon sir, is it really you? I wasn't expecting you but please step this way. I must say we are highly honoured." He led them to a table for four and deftly removed two place settings. "I'll just let Jake know you're here." Selena looked at Jacob oddly, "Have you ever been here before?" "No I'm afraid not." "Then how can they know who you are?" "That's simple Madam." The maître d'hôtel had returned. "The legend goes that the first restaurant called the Den was set up by Victoria for Steve, but the person who gave the nod for it to go ahead was a student called Jacob so as a result he eats for free but we only feed him leftovers. I'm Delroy by the way. I assume that you aren't Jewish, Muslim, or vegetarian? And that you have no known food allergies?" Selena nodded her agreement. "Ignore the leftovers bit you'll find the food to be excellent. Delroy, meet the boss." "My wife's the same, delighted to meet you Mrs. Jacob. I'll leave you now and see what Jake will be providing and arrange a suitable wine." "No menu?" Asked Selena to Jacob "No menu but trust me it will be excellent." "As in trust me I'm a...." Selena's comment was interrupted by a young guy dashing into the restaurant waving a gun.

"Give me the money." He screamed. Jacob looked up to see the shutters closing rapidly down over the door and windows. Delroy wasn't looking the least bit scared. He thought he'd better take a hand. "Hi Sam, you realise that its just opening time so all that's in the till is the float say $25 in small change? Show him the till Delroy." Delroy pulled the till drawer out and poured the contents on the table. Sam jerked round "How do you know my name?" "It's on your jacket?" There was a short pause. "Now why don't you just sit down and have a coffee whilst we wait for the police to arrive?" "I'm out of here." "Sorry but the shutters are down if you shoot someone you're still waiting for the cops and its an extra five years in the pen." Sam looked bewildered. Selena picked up a slice of chocolate cake from the sweet trolley and walked across to Sam "The chocolate cake looks delicious." The TV screen above Delroy's head turned on and a CCTV recording in 4K came up showing first Sam stepping out of a BMW then entering the restaurant, followed by his demanding money whilst waving a hand gun. "What kind of place is this?" He asked "You guys just aren't normal." The kitchen door eased open and a soup ladle hit Sam's gun hand causing a distraction. Selena wrestled the handgun from him and dropped it on the table whilst Jacob kicked the back of his legs so Sam hit the ground and then Jacob pinned his arm up behind his back whilst on the ground.

"So what happens next?" Asked Selena, "I'll ask Jake's probation officer, she's in the back." Delroy replied. He turned and walked back to the kitchen door "Milly could we borrow you for a moment?" Milly, a motherly Afro-American, stepped out from the office. "I'm not supposed to have contact with him until he's referred properly." "We're just not sure what to do with him." Milly looked Sam over. "I demand to see my lawyer." cried Sam. "Oh my, what am I going to do with you. First you try to rob a restaurant just after it's opened. Not only that but the Den for heaven's sake. You know its called The Den short for the Thieves Den don't you?" Sam looked even more bewildered. "Honey every man here has done time. They're hard men. If you got away with it how long do you think it would be before they caught up with you?" Selena expression was puzzled. Milly picked up her phone and made a call. "There Mandy will be right over. Do we need the shutters down?" Delroy moved his hand to the switch and the shutters rolled back up. Milly turned to Jacob "Now young man I understand you're Jacob so next time you speak to Victoria could you let her know I have dozen murderers and armed robbers ready for her." Jacob nodded then asked Sam if he was OK. Sam agreed he was. Milly dug in her handbag and brought out a toy gun and placed it on the table.

"Now it will go better for you young Sam if you have some sort of part time job. Do you have one?" Sam shook his head. She looked at Delroy "You're asking me to hire a Charlie who hasn't done time?" He asked incredulously. "It's a turning point in his life Delroy. He's white and if that's his daddy's car outside he can't blame it on a deprived upbringing." Delroy looked to Jacob and Selena noticed his slight nod. "Looks like you got yourself a job but how I'm to explain it to the guys god only knows."

A police cruiser pulled up outside and Mandy strolled in. She looked down at Sam. "Is this my robbery in progress?" Milly nodded. "Let's put you in the car first then I'll take the witness statements." "I demand to see my lawyer." "All in good time Sir." She took the toy gun and dropped it in an evidence bag. When she came back Delroy mentioned to her that having a police car parked outside wasn't exactly good for business. "I'll go when I'm good and ready. Now you wouldn't have CCTV would you?" Charlie replayed the CCTV on the screen. "And the CCTV for last Wednesday when those poor unfortunate three men who I suspect were trying to run a protection racket tripped and fell?" Delroy's face was expressionless "You know I fear something went wrong with the recordings on Wednesday, I can offer you Monday or Tuesday?" "Surely protection rackets are a thing of the past?" asked Jacob, "Well for those three they are. I mean can you imagine who would even think about putting them in hospital for a few months or how a can of gas got poured into a smashed window of an expensive muscle car followed by a cigarette. One of those who tripped seemed more upset by the loss of his car than anything else." "Have you another evidence bag?" Asked Milly. Mandy pulled one out and the real gun was slipped into it. "Well now I'll be on my way. I almost forgot to put a call in about the BMW, I'll have it towed when I get back to the patrol car." She bent her knees slightly and nodded to them, "Evening all." As she left Mandy spoke, "Don't mind her she saw some sort of English cop show once called Dixon of Dock Green or some such and she fancies herself in the role."

"Mandy why did you put a toy gun in the first evidence bag?" asked Selena curiously. "Well if you'd looked at his clothes they were good quality, daddy's car is a BMW so there will be an expensive lawyer who would try to say the gun was planted. What Mandy and I are trying to avoid is him being sent down for ten years for armed robbery, so this way he'll end up on probation which is where we'll straighten him out, that and working here. If the expensive lawyer pushes too hard Mandy will turn up this lost and found gun with his finger prints all over it game over. It's all in a days work. Now I'd better get back to Jake and see he has all the support he needs but before I go Jacob can you remind Victoria about those dozen murderers and armed robbers, they'll be available in three weeks time."

Selena walked back to her table and sat down carefully. "Tell me about Victoria and why might she be interested in dozen murderers and armed robbers?" "Victoria, well she's about, you know I'm not even sure how tall she is I've only ever seen her sitting down on her electric scooter. She was unemployed when I first met her and became a prison visitor to pass the time, that's where she met her first murderer. She was concerned about what would happen to him when he was released. She's got a job now with some company or other and arranged for Steve to work in a restaurant which got called the Den, short for Thieves' Den. The restaurant has wide gaps between some tables to allow for easy access for wheel chairs and mobility scooters." He paused as a group of electric wheelchair and scooters arrived and took their places without waiting for the maître d'hôtel to seat them. "I'm surprised they can afford to eat here don't they generally have a problems finding jobs?" Delroy had arrived behind them. "We offer an 80% discount if you bring your own chair Monday through Thursday before seven pm."

"You know I've only ever eaten food this good once before in my life and that was when some guy was trying to impress me. Trouble was he didn't have enough room on his credit card so I ended up paying. I hope we can afford this. I'm a bit worried since I haven't seen a menu with prices on." The chef approached the table hesitantly. Jacob nodded and he smiled. "Jake is it?" Jake nodded, "How are you settling in?" "Early days yet, I haven't got used to all the toys in the kitchen." Selena asked "Can you show me this dish on the menu?" "Well its an experiment this evening, if you like it we'll add it to the menu tomorrow." "I'd give up, they won't allow you to pay you know." "It seems a little odd that's all." "Just mention us to anyone at the conference, actually I'll print off a stack of 20% off cards if you could leave them on a table for us." "Don't you guys think about profit?" "It's all about bums on seats, the 20% off will be good for this week before the magic hour of seven when we're empty anyway so with a bit of luck they'll have left before the bulk of our customers come in later."

When they got back to the hotel room Selena felt suddenly weak and collapsed on the bed. "You OK?" "I think so, delayed shock I guess its not every day a girl tackles an armed gunman." Jacob sat down besides her and slipped his arm round her to give her a hug better. She snuggled closer "That's nice feeling your arm round me. We make a good team you and I don't we?" "I guess we do." Mentally she tried Mrs. Jacob again and quite liked the sound of it. Lots of women earn more than their husbands these days she rationalised, and she was only half an inch taller than he was, she could give up wearing heels, now that was a real point in favour. She felt a feeling of lust come over her, she'd heard that people did as a reaction sometimes after a major fright. "I'm not sure I want to sleep by myself tonight." Jacob gave her a look. "Other related duties, personal executive assistants are expected to sleep with their bosses at conferences. Didn't the girls in the pool mention it? Clothes off now, follow instructions first, then query them later."

At the end of the next day she steered him in to a lawyer's office on the way to the restaurant. "Just sign here." "That's a prenup?" "I wondered if you'd notice." "Aren't I supposed to ask for your hand first?" "Oh this is just in case you do. It's called a subtle hint." She grinned at him. He signed as he asked her to marry him. She signed as she agreed to marry him. "Why the prenup?" "Oh my grand-parents left me their house and although I'm sure we'll stay together I don't want to lose the house if anything should happen."

"You guys seem different." Selena raised an enquiring eyebrow at the girl who shared their table for coffee. "Like you're the boss and he's the assistant, but that can't be right can it?" Jacob grinned and Selena split a few drops of coffee on her thighs as she spluttered. "But I am the boss." "Wow so you could tell him to do anything, like lick the drops of coffee up from your slacks?" "No, god no." Selena smiled and pointed, Jacob got down on his knees and licked her slacks clean with his tongue, his nose seemed to rub against her crotch as he moved his head slightly to get better access. He looked up enquiringly when he'd finished. A flustered and blushing Selina gasped "I think its still a little damp there." "I don't believe you two." Selena motioned Jacob to his feet before they drew too much attention to themselves.

Selena was a little nervous as she sat at the table with her parents, Victoria and Jacob in the Den. She wasn't quite sure what Victoria's role was.

"Well this is exceptionally nice but much as we'd like to throw the social event of the year we have a limited budget. We'd like to invite two hundred guests allowing for some from Jacob's side and I don't think we could run to the hundred dollars a plate to supply them with this standard of meal. It will have to be something simpler." "Mom has always dreamt that my wedding would be the event of the year." "And why not pray, I only have one daughter and it would be something to remember." "Would you like a contribution from my side?" "No no its our responsibility so we'll meet the cost." "The guys are very keen to do the catering and if you'll meet the cost of the ingredients and wine of say seventeen dollars a head they are willing to do the rest. We'd like to expand into outside catering and for us its an opportunity to gain experience." There was a pause, "Could you cater two hundred guests?" queried Selena's father. "Let's ask the guys." Jacob got up and walked over to the kitchen and returning with the guys. "Could we cater to a reception of two hundred without dropping standards?" Delroy thought they could, Jake looked a little doubtful. "Could we even raise the number keeping in the same budget?" interrogated Selena's dad. "We could, we have three restaurants to draw on for plates, cutlery, staff and so forth but what about kitchen space? Or somewhere to eat. I take it we aren't talking buffet." Sam put in his two cents "My dad rents a mobile kitchen and stuff when he gives a party." Victoria glanced at Jacob's almost imperceptible nod. "Shall we leave it in Victoria's capable hands to organise something?"

Afterwards Victoria cornered Jacob, "So how much can I spend?" "Ten thousand dollars wasn't it?" She gave him a hard stare. "I can feel in my bones we're going to end up with five hundred guests, we don't even have enough waiters for that many." "Somehow just make it happen, if you're serious about doing outside catering you'd better purchase enough equipment hadn't you? That way it wouldn't show on the books as a rental?"

Delroy looked around at the assembled would be waitresses, "Listen up guys, we're doing a wedding and all the staff have volunteered their services for free, that includes yourselves for three hours." "I'm out of here." One girl stormed out. "However before we turn you loose on the clients we are willing to pay you whilst training for six hours at thirty dollars an hour to make sure you turn up. Now Jake has been busy in the kitchens so for those of you who haven't had breakfast yet or have room for a second one there's a buffet on the side."

"Jacob, I'm a bit behind, could you interview some waitresses for me? All you have to do is see if you'd feel comfortable with them serving you." "Where and when?" When he arrived at the Den early the next morning it was crowded with students being fed breakfast. Jacob glanced at Jake as he came out with more pancakes and placed them on the table where a buffet was being emptied by the students. "OK guys Jacob here will interview you one at a time in the office through the kitchen door then just too the left. Victoria says to remind you it's a zero hours contract but we pay twenty an hour when we want you."

Jacob took his seat in the office and asked Jake to send the first one in. As she bent forward to place her CV on the desk her modest neckline gapped slightly, exposing her firm breasts to Jacob's appreciative eye. He picked up a $10 note from the pile besides him and handed it to her. "Your travel expenses," he explained "Could you ask the next one to come in please." "But you haven't even looked at my CV." She complained, "You have a job what more do you want?" She stalked out of the office and back into the restaurant. "So what questions did he ask?" "None he's just a sexist beast. He took one look at my boobs and told me I had a job." Around the restaurant clothes were subtly adjusted, three girls slipped out to do some last minute shopping as the next interviewee approached the kitchen door, after all they couldn't be hiring more than half a dozen waitresses and there were sixty girls waiting to be interviewed.

She sat down, placed her handbag on the floor and crossed her legs thinking a tighter skirt might have been more effective than just rolling the skirt band over once. That was the trouble not knowing if it was a male or female interviewing. Still undoing one more button on her blouse should do the trick if he was into boobs. She bent forward as she handed him her CV. He smiled at her and scanned the CV quickly. "Could you send the next one in." He asked politely as he handed her her $10 note. She smiled at him turned before bending down at the waist to pick up her handbag. She grinned over her shoulder as she caught his eyes on her skirt hem. "Have I got the job then?" She asked innocently looking at his crotch. Jacob closed his eyes and pointed to the door.

Laura entered the washroom and quickly removed her bra. Well big boobs she didn't have but she liked to think her nipples were first class. Especially when she'd just tweaked them a little. She was admiring herself in the mirror when Katelyn walked in. "What you really need is a just been throughly kissed look." Laura looked at her stunned for a moment and Katelyn seized her chance stepping in close and kissing her on the lips. The kiss deepened and Katelyn tweaked Laura's left nipple gently at first then more firmly. "There you see, nice swollen lips, a bit of blush, he won't know what's hit him." "I'm not sure I know what's hit me myself." "Oh that's soon remedied drop by my place and I'll show you in more detail including my vibrating strap-on." Laura scurried out and into her interview.

Katelyn slid through the door. "Did you appreciate Laura's swollen lips then?" Jacob looked puzzled for a moment then made the connection with Katelyn's swollen lips as well. As the light dawned on him he felt embarrassed and Katelyn recognised it perfectly. "I don't discriminate you know." She stepped closer, perched on his lap and kissed him on the lips. "See Laura's already softened them up for you. She wasn't bad for a beginner." Jacob wasn't quite sure what to say if anything. Katelyn handed him her CV, "There you can put mine next to hers." Jacob handed her a ten dollar note. "My, do I get one for every kiss?" "It's for your expenses in coming here." there was a certain amount of exasperation in his voice.

Caitlyn mentally braced herself, you can do this. She slipped out the rabbit vibrator and placed it back in her bag before leaving the washroom and walking into the office. She put her hand out to shake his hand. "Oh my your fingers are cold." She quickly slipped into his lap and guided his hand under her skirt and over her crotch, before slipping his finger inside her.

The next interviewee entered the office confidently "I've worked in bars and restaurants before and I know exactly how to guide customers onto the most profitable dishes and to get them to buy the must profitable and expensive drinks." Ashley said confident that this would win her a job. Jacob thought about would he be comfortable being manipulated by this waitress for a millisecond before handing her her ten dollars. "I'll bear that in mind. Thank you we'll let you know." He put her CV in a separate pile by itself and texted Delroy to get rid of her.

"So do I sketch you in for training on the 14th or 18th assuming you get offered a job?" Delroy asked Ashley. "Oh I think the 18th will be fine." Ashley waltzed out the door past the others whom Delroy had indicated with his eyes to just stick around for a few minutes.

Cynthia cast her eye over the remaining girls, there must be more than forty left, she mulled on how to reduce the odds? Sexist beast was he, well one way to reduce the competition would be to lower his libido so flirting with him wouldn't be so effective.

"Hi my name is Cynthia, but every one calls me Cyn." She passed over her CV and whilst Jacob was scanning it knelt before him and with practised ease exposed his harden rod, "Oh my those girls have been teasing you haven't they still let's release the pressure." Jacob was too stunned to protest before her lips eased over the end and far too aroused to even think about anything other than her lips once she'd started.

Well he'd finished his pile of ten dollar bills so with luck he'd finished the interviews, all sixty of them. There was a tap on the door and number sixty one entered. She looked a little older and had on a respectable length skirt for a change. "I'm not to late I am?" She enquired "Not at all, do you have change for a twenty?" She looked puzzled for a moment "Sorry I've only got two fives I'm afraid." "That'll do, if you pass them over I'll give you a twenty which is ten dollars expenses." Natasha dug in her purse and came up with the two five dollar notes and handed them over. She looked at the two piles of CVs on the desk. "Have you really only found one waitress so far?" Jacob looked embarrassed, "I don't think you're suppose to notice those, but for your information the single one is on our reserved list and I suspect the others will get offers." Natasha hitched her pleated skirt up her thighs showing her black stocking tops. "So its worth giving you a glimpse of these then?" He looked puzzled, "Oh didn't you know that your first interviewee came out of the office and said you were a sexist beast and I quote 'He took one look at my boobs and told me I had a job.'" "So that's why everyone has been exposing themselves." "Well I mean to say if it's a matter of showing a bit of skin and getting a job or not getting one what's a poor girl to do?" "Let's go and see what the others are up to."

Jacob followed Laura out into the restaurant and handed Victoria the two lists. "Just one I wouldn't feel comfortable with serving me." "Oh does that mean I have a job?" Demanded Laura, "Victoria will be sending out the offers but yes. Have you thought about some sort of uniform? Laura here looks neat and tidy perhaps she might have some ideas? Where do you buy your clothes?" Laura grimaced "I make my own. My arms aren't a standard length for my body size, and no I'm not up to sewing sixty dresses within a short period of time." Milly came out of the kitchen, I could find you three young ladies who are fully qualified tailors and seamstresses. They'll be available tomorrow as soon as I've found them somewhere to live. They should be fine as long as Heather remembers to take her medicine." "There's the apartment upstairs that's sitting empty." Mentioned Jacob quietly. Victoria looked at him, "They'll want a guaranteed wage not just a one off contract for sixty dresses?" Jacob nodded and Victoria turned to Milly, "$700 a week for a thirty five hour week each guaranteed and a drug plan but they're on flexi-time so my dresses get done before the wedding and they get time off afterwards." "Drug plan for everyone?" Chimed in Delroy, "No White Lady or street drugs, just as prescribed by a doctor." Delroy looked deeply disappointed at Victoria's words.

"Now formal waitressing maybe different to what you might have been used to when you've visited a restaurant. The idea is to anticipate the guests needs, and to serve them with the minimum of fuss. You do not enquire how are they today or make other friendly remarks. We'll cover when to serve from the left and when you serve from the right, when you clear from the left and when you clear from the right and why. This lunch time we have some disabled guest who have volunteered their services so I'll serve the first one then you will take turns to serve the next guest."

Sam sat on Andrea's, his dad's executive assistant, desk chirping away telling her all about his new job. "We're doing some wedding or other, the guys are excited about it for some reason and they're getting three fifty three foot trailers fitted out as mobile kitchens. I get to wear a penguin outfit and serve the nobs. Not bad eh for starting washing the kitchen floor." "What's the name of this place you work at then?" She asked out of curiosity. "The Den, neat name ain't it." She made a mental note to drop by and inspect it. Perhaps this evening the gang would like to go slumming for once.

"Hi gang do you want to try something different?" "How different?" "My boss's tearaway son is working part-time in a restaurant he swears is run by criminals or was it reformed criminals?" Melissa shuddered "How delicious." As they stepped into the restaurant Delroy mentally weighed them up. Eight executive assistants perhaps? They didn't seem as if they worked together so it wasn't quite an office outing but the body language spoke quiet power.

He guided them towards two tables that Caleb was moving together. "Ladies would you prefer table d'hôte which is chalked up on the wall or a menu?" They thought about it then declared "Table d'hôte but Melissa is a vegetarian." It was quiet so Delroy decided to go the full formal route. Empty plates were placed in front of each guest and they were offered a choice from the trays the waiters carried round serving from the left. "You call this slumming?" came the whisper up the table. "It's not quite what I expected." "The name rings a bell. I remember now they're doing the catering for Selina's wedding." "They are?" "Sam did mention something about some new mobile kitchens." "Is that Selina in Selina Patterson?" "My boss's daughter yes of course. They're going all out seeing as its their only daughter." "The nice thing about weddings is all the attention is on the bride and groom." "You mean good food and a quiet table could get all sorts of deals done without any nosey financial journalists." "You couldn't squeeze in a few more guests could you?" Melissa raised an beckoning eyebrow and Delroy was there on the instant. "I understand you do outside catering I need to arrange something for the 27th." "I'll see if Victoria is available." Victoria rolled out of the kitchen door on her red mobility scooter. Twenty minutes later she had four definite lucrative bookings for the mobile kitchens and three more tentative ones. "So we're agreed then we'll work towards this wedding being the event of the year so that the media attention will be on the wedding and not the business deals?"

As they left Caleb quietly handed them each an insulated bag "Your doggy bags." "I don't have a dog?" Well I'm sure you have a neighbour who has one. We're running short of freezer space and if you don't take it I'll have the throw them out." Outside Andrea unzipped hers and peaked inside. "Well guys mine seems to have single portions of enough frozen French cuisine to last me the week."

The three girls looked around. "Well its better than I expected but these made to measure dresses you want made up before a wedding, we couldn't do the wedding dress as well could we?" The other two nodded. "Like if it's the wedding of the year then if we made up the wedding dress we'd be made." "Yeah all them other high class bitches would want the same." "Real money spinner that would be." "It's not as if we couldn't do it, five years inside in the tailor's shop, all we'd need is the material and the bride." "I'll ask and that's as good as it gets."

"Selina have you settled on a wedding gown yet?" "I haven't seen exactly what I'd like, they all seem to be designed for a standard shape which isn't me and nothing is special enough to satisfy mother." "Would you mind talking to three dressmakers?" Selina shrugged "Why not."

Jada looked her over and started to sketch. "What we really need is something outstanding for the fabric." They described the sketch to her and how the gown and train would flow. "We'll need some of your time to go shopping for the fabric." Selina nodded her agreement. Victoria rang Melissa had she any ideas about where to buy Wedding Dress fabric? "Leave it with me."

The stewardess welcomed them aboard "Now you've all got your passports with you?" the little group nodded. Selina looked forward to some cross border shopping. "I've put you in the first class area behind the bedroom so you can stretch out but I'll ask you to give a hand with serving dinner later on." "Serving dinner?" "Oh it's the chairman's latest idea we rent out the seats in the back when we fly. It was all to do with some green activists at the AGM, so now we've spun all the aircraft into a separate company so we can say with a straight face we fly commercial rather than corporate jet. If you'd just like to change into these uniforms I'll arrange the passengers."

"Well I never expected to be told they'd cancelled our flight and we were to catch a different airline home." Some passengers were grumbling as they came on. Others looked overjoyed to be travelling. There seemed to be lots more elderly and students than Selina would have expected. "Oh Smith's airlines, that's us, has a special website, with flash sales on, $200 return to Europe plus taxes but only for over 65s and under 26s. The rest have been transferred from our alliance partners, we fly them and get given seats in return. It sort of works out quite well. Besides this one flies much faster than our old corporate jets. They don't do so bad in the cattle pens at least we give them thirty four inches between seats and feed them category one dinners."

"Where are we flying to?" "Paris to drop off Mr. Johnson, Melissa thought the shops might not be too bad, then onto Milan to inspect the shops there for two days then back to Paris to pick up Mr. Johnson and finally home."

The passengers were settled down and strapped in. "Right I'll get changed whilst we await Mr. Johnson's pleasure." She took in Selina's look, "Well he is the reason we have the corporate jet today, the rest is just marginal cost stuff so they can wait a minute or two." She changed into a sheer baby doll night dress that wouldn't have looked out of place on a wedding night before giving a little twirl. "Like it? It's my special uniform to take Mr. Johnson's mind off his fear of flying." "But what about women's lib?" "Oh the equal pay stuff, well I get that, $350,000 a year same as the pilot and we only have to work 16 days a month, not bad eh? I'd best get ready to strap Mr. Johnson to the double bed. Take off requirements besides he gets some sort of kick out of being restrained." She pulled the curtains across and disappeared to welcome her Mr. Johnson aboard.

"The Major's office just rang, he's available on the twenty fifth. Oh and some business associates have been dropping broad hints about invites." "Ask Andrea to forward the names to Victoria was it?" "You know its odd but Mrs. Griffin has been dropping hints." "Well at seventeen dollars a head we can afford a few more." Andrea and Victoria made plans, certainly the neighbours, and many of Victoria's charity contacts from when she'd been volunteering such as the chief of police made themselves available and the wedding list took on a life of its own but Victoria thought they ought to draw the line at a thousand but added in Mandy and Milly anyway.

The Vice Chancellor came up to meet the bride and groom. "Dr. Bailey how are you and this must be your new wife I'm very pleased to meet you." Selina looked at her new husband. "Doctor?" "Oh its only a Ph.D." The next dignitary arrived and Selina thought she'd grill him later.

Delroy discreetly spoke to "Jacob if you could spare a minute there are a couple of guests I think you should meet." He led him away to the far end of the marquee where a group of elderly gentlemen in formal dress where gathered. "Gentlemen, this is Jacob, Victoria you've already met." They looked round at each other. "Gentlemen?" "It's a mark of respect to your age you old snot." "Sorry about that he's got no company manners at all. We were down at the local nick visiting when we heard what great work you and Vicky are doing so we thought we'd come down and pay our respects." "Yeah Vicky mentioned we could sample the food if we came, and man its great." "Even if we had to dress up in penguin outfits." "I'm delighted to see you and to see the food has met your expectations so far, but I must get back now, perhaps we'll find time to talk later."

Jacob spoke quietly to Selina's mother "Some of my invited guests have declared they'd like to sing for their supper when the orchestra takes a break perhaps you'd like to come down to the second marquee to help reassure them." Selina's mother nodded her agreement after all Victoria had done wonders so a little effort in return was called for.

Victoria looked on at the dance band playing soft music, they started on a waltz and she could feel the enchantment of the music. Delroy approached "May I have this dance?" "Me dance, the legs aren't quite up to it." He pick her up as if she was a feather and held her in his arms and he waltz across the floor. "Put me down you big oaf, I'm far too heavy for this." He glanced down at her "Why do you think I worked out so hard in the gym, it was just so one day I could dance with you in my arms." Victoria felt flattered and it was nice to be carried round the floor in his arms. There was something very comforting about his size, she leaned her head on his shoulder as if to acquiesce her agreement.

"It's time for our break now but to keep you entertained we have a volunteer group of old age pensioners who will play in our absence and I'm sure you'd like to welcome them." There was a lukewarm polite ring of applause as they moved onto the stage keeping their backs to the audience. Then jaws dropped as the rock band broke into their signature tune. Selina's mother turned to Jacob "They aren't impersonators are they." in disbelief. "No they're real. Apparently they prefer to play to a live audience of a couple of hundred rather than forty thousand in a stadium. They dropped by to give concert at the local prison yesterday and stayed on for the wedding." A waitress behind them was heard to murmur "My gran's got all their recordings, they're a living legend." She grabbed a passing waiter "Let's dance!"

"So the only fly in the ointment is finding a suitable insulator that is inert and flexible at minus forty." "That pretty well sums it up. Apart from that it seemed a real money maker." Jacob took a white blob from out of his pocket and dropped it on the table. "Would that work?" He asked, "It's pretty inert and definitely flexible at minus forty." "What is it?" "One-phenol, four-tertiary butyl, cyclo.." "Alright has it got a pronounceable name shall we say." "White blob? I did my PhD research work creating it." "Do you own the rights?" "Well yes, its quite cheap to make as well." "Put me in for a million." "Me to." "How much do you want?" "I'm in for a million as well." Selina's eyebrows rose and she quietly drifted off to see Victoria. "The Den, who owns it?" Victoria didn't look as if she wanted to say anything. "Let me guess Jacob?" Victoria nodded. "What's he worth?" "Well we started with $35 million six years ago, putting aside the restaurants, the stocks and shares have done well so say $42 million at the last count." "And I signed a prenup?" There was a gentle nod from Jacob who had come up behind her.