Do You Know What Your Husband Has Been Up to? (closed)

[BornYesterday]

Eric Schurter took a sip of his champagne and glanced around, feeling more than a little out of place. He didn’t really think he should be there, but Bryan, the CFO of their little group, was insistent. They’d just scored their first round of VC but it wouldn’t last forever, and it was important to the future of the company that they expand their networking efforts and meet more potential investors. And as Eric looked around the ballroom, he knew there’d be lots of them present at this, one of the big charity events in the Valley. He didn’t know where to start, though. He might be nominally CEO, but that didn’t mean he was prepared to strike up conversations cold with VC reps at a fancy charity ball, even if he knew who they were.

The result was he, Bryan, and Ramanan, the COO—or nearly half the company—had shown up in rented tuxes, and so far had spent the evening talking mostly to each other. This was a part of business that none of them had much experience with, having just started their company a few months ago. Eric fiddled with his bowtie again, then ran his fingers through short black hair, hoping he hadn’t used too much product. For the third time, he asked Bryan, “Do you see anyone you know? We should at least talk to someone.”

Bryan joined him in looking around, but shook his head. “Got me. Rich said he’d come and introduce us to some people; we’ll just have to give it more time.”

The jazz orchestra was still playing the standards and Eric had noticed a number of attractive women among the partygoers. He was not a bad dancer himself due to the ballroom lessons his mother had insisted on (along with piano lessons and tennis lessons…), but none of them had brought dates. Since his breakup with Kathi he had focused on getting their company off the ground. He didn’t have time for dating, or so he told himself. Looking at the couples in tuxedos and evening gowns smiling and chatting happily, he was beginning to regret that.

And then he spotted her, long hair cascading down her bare back, laughing with a couple of other women. Could that really be Sarah Wilde from UCLA? It sure looked like her, although he hadn’t seen her since graduation. They hadn’t been close; they’d had one or two classes together from his business minor and a few mutual friends. He’d seen her at a few parties, but his lasting memory of her was running into her on the rec center courts one day when both of their partners had not shown, and she’d ended up trouncing him in tennis. Still, it was nice to see someone he recognized besides Bryan and Ram. So he said, “Excuse me guys, I think I see someone I know.”

He took another sip of the icy champagne, touched his tie again to make sure it was straight, and then walked around the edge of the dance floor to where Sarah was standing. Arriving just at a break in her conversation with her friends he gave a friendly smile and said, “Sarah? Sarah Wilde? Is that you? Remember me? Eric Schurter, from UCLA. What’s it been, about seven years? How are you doing?” Realizing he’d begun to babble, he stopped himself, hoping she’d remember him.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Sarah Wilde-Erlenson

Her auburn hair was straightened for the event and hung down the bare curve of her back, tucked behind one ear as she laughed at something one of the women was saying. Her champagne gown hung in a straight line from covered pert breasts to floor, the straps crossing over her back to hold it in place were thin and shimmered in the chandelier's light over head. She was striking, as she was ordered to be, but completely oblivious to the stares of those passing by. Shoes hidden, her back and arms was about the only parts of her bare. The material reappeared just over her firm bottom just below the two dimples in her lower back, just where her hair swung and tickled with each movement.

She smiled easily, her dimpled creases appearing each time she spoke, smile and laughed. Charming is what most called her as she played her part well. Wooing clients, friends and ex-colleagues into spending some money for the homeless children of the city. Working over the current gathering of women who were childless to maybe taking on a Big Sister Program in their spare time or even the option if they had thought of maybe adoption? No one was really interested in adopting and halting their freedom from children to do more than give her noncommittal remarks in teasing overtures. She had expected no less of them, nor no more but she had to try, didn't she?

Again her green eyes lift to the double doors standing open for signs of her husband and again was met with nothing but a passing servant or strolling person she barely knew. Checking to be sure the tennis bracelet was still on her wrist and weight of the matching overly pricey ear rings were attached, her feet ached and her boredom was growing, albeit slowly. She had a purpose but when she ran out of people to talk to, then what? The idea of dancing with more of William's partners gave her the creepy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She hated those bastards and their grubby grabby hands, all married and all as sleazy as her spouse was.

"Sarah? Sarah Wilde?" She turned to a man's voice and completely stopped, eyes wide as she stared at a very familiar face she had not seen in.. "Seven years?" Had it only been seven? College seemed so long ago, " Eric.. wow.." She was really just shocked to see him, had she seen anyone from college since William convinced her to let go of her Master's goal and be his wife. "I haven't seen you in .. ages." Her smile beamed wide, wondering why he was there?

"Excuse me, Ladies?" They were all eyeing Eric as much as possible without trying to appear nosey. Turning, she did not wait for their answers, as she knew they were eager to move on to more pleasing activities than her adoption coaxing. She shifted easily into the mode she treated anyone else with, hooking her arm in his and strolling beside him towards an empty table and edge of the dance floor. "I am good, thank you for asking." A flash of perfect teeth in her grin, she turned to face him, releasing his arm as she turned. "I am surprised to see you after all these years and here, small world isn't it?" She paused then gasped at what she said, " I did not mean that in a derogatory manner, just. HERE in this city. I thought you moved on to bigger and better things?" clutch held before her, she stood quietly as she took in his appearance. "You haven't changed much in the seven years, they've been kind to you."

 

[BornYesterday]

Eric was a little taken aback when Sarah took his arm and steered him away from the others. He wasn’t even sure she’d remember him, but she was acting like they were long-lost friends. Or even lovers. It was hard not to be caught in her spell. She had such an easy manner with people that Eric’s nerves were already disappearing, and of course she looked striking in that long gown that was cut so low in the back and so tight over her rear that Eric couldn’t help wondering if she could possibly be wearing anything under it. He was no judge of jewelry, but he noticed the flash of her bracelet and earrings as they passed under the chandelier, and thought they looked expensive.

But most captivating was her smile. It seemed to be for him alone, like he was the only man in the bustling ballroom. Unconsciously, Eric straightened up and pulled his shoulders back. It was a smile that made him wonder what else he could do to make her light up like that.

He realized, though, that Sarah’s seemingly effortless poise concealed something else. Sarah Wilde stumbled over her words while talking to him? It was inconceivable, and yet there she was apologizing as if she’d said something wrong. He chuckled and replied, “Bigger and better things? It doesn’t get much bigger and better than the Valley if you’re a tech guy. I came up here to do my master’s at Stanford and never left. Worked at AMD and then Google for a while, then went out on my own a few months ago.” He fingered his lapel awkwardly. “I’m not really into the charity benefit scene, but my partner thought it would be a good way to network.” He nodded toward Bryan at the other end of the room. “I’m just happy to see a familiar face.”

He took a step back to drink in the view from the front. He went on, “It’s kind of you to say I haven’t changed.” It was mostly true. He’d always looked younger than his true age, which was frustrating growing up, but now he secretly enjoyed getting carded in bars even though he was nearing thirty. “You have changed.” He looked in her green eyes and smiled. “For the better. You are even more beautiful than you were in college.” It must have been the champagne, because Eric normally never said anything like that. It was entirely true. She looked a little more mature, more self-assured, and positively stunning.

And then he noticed the glittering ring on her left hand. Of course she’s spoken for. How could she not be? With a start, Eric realized he’d thought Sarah had been flirting with him, and maybe she had been, but it didn’t mean anything. Just catching up with an old school acquaintance. It was better, in a way; no pressure on him. The orchestra began their next song, and Eric tapped his foot to the rhythm unconsciously. A foxtrot. He extended his hand to Sarah with a friendly smile. “Why don’t you tell me what you’ve been up to during a dance?”

 

[Sweetp4u]

Sarah

She had no idea when William would wrap up his meetings and calls to join them, and so her time was definitely her own. Who wouldn't want to dance, especially with a handsome smiling man her own age? Her smile widened as she nodded quickly and took his hand to follow to the spacious dance floor. It was not often she looked forward to a dance and the possible conversation that may come. It sure did not feel like business for once, but old friends.

"Kind? You Sir, are humble." She teased quietly as they found a spot suitable. Her fingers loosely resting upon his and shoulder. "Most do not age well and we end up looking older than our years or at least our true age." A soft chuckle followed, "I have been..." She faltered a moment in conversation, though they moved together so fluidly it was almost as if they had been partnered for years. "You dance wonderfully, Eric." A genuine look of shock and pleasure crept into her eyes. No sore toes for her tonight.

"I have been organizing, benefits. Dinners, and power dinners of course." She added quickly. "And when I am not schmoozing with the client's, I am playing chef in the kitchen. Planning menus, or taking trips around the country.. Business of course." She added. She had been in business management in college, but instead of her own business, she helped to run William's. They had no children as it was not what William wanted just yet, their business needed to be stable first.

"I have seen some really lovely places and made many connections.." For William of course, "So it isn't all work." Though her husband bought and sold companies for profit, there were some good ventures and a few places that were salvageable for both parties. It was however, quite boring to talk about. Again her eyes went to the stairs and then returned to Eric. It was obvious that whomever William was with was going to keep him until the night's end.

"And you, Eric? Tell me about you and where you went? It's bound to be interesting." A dimpled smile remained as she studied his face and eyes.

 

[BornYesterday]

He smiled at the compliment. He'd hated being forced to take dancing lessons as a teenager, but he had to admit it was paying off now. "Asian mom," he explained. "Started with piano lessons, then tennis—not that it helped against you—and then she made me take years of dance classes. When word got around my high school...it wasn't pleasant, I'll put it that way." He steered Sarah easily around the floor, her slim body responding to his slightest move. "I guess it comes in handy now," he continued, enjoying the feel of her hip on his. She was so close he could catch the scent of an expensive perfume.

They danced in silence for a moment after Sarah told him about her life. A trophy wife, more or less. He'd met enough of them at various business functions, and she surely had the looks for the part, but he was surprised she was satisfied with that sort of life. Maybe she wasn't, really, and that's why she was so glad to see him.

He spoke again. "Not too much more to say." He was very conscious of her bare back under his hand, but tried to focus. "Ram, Bryan, and I started this company a few months ago. Wearable devices are going to be big, we think. But they have to work with people's personal style. You wouldn't wear a big clunky watch to an event like this. We want to give people more personal options, work with designers on the exteriors. That's the idea, anyway. First we have to come up with something that works. That's my end; I mostly handle the hardware. Got a prototype ready, but need some more venture capital before we can hope to scale up. Bryan thought this would be a good way to meet people."

He shrugged lightly, not wanting to disturb Sarah's hand on his shoulder. "So far you're the only person I've talked to. I don't even know who anyone is, much less how to start a conversation. Definitely feel like a fish out of water." He pulled back a moment, still not interrupting their progress around the floor, to catch Sarah's green eyes in his dark brown ones. "I don't know how you do it so effortlessly."

The song came to a conclusion and he spun her around gracefully. It occurred to him that her husband might be just the sort of guy Bryan would want to get to know. He clearly had money—might even be in VC himself—and could probably help them out, if he wanted to. Another reason to stay on good terms with Sarah. Not wanting to be too obvious, he tried a more subtle approach.

Leading her off the floor, his hand still on the small of her back, he said, "Can I get you another drink? It's nice to see someone familiar. One of the downsides of working twelve hours a day is you don't have much time for a social life. But what about you? How long have you been married? Is your husband here?" And what would he think about me dancing with you? Eric wondered.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Sarah Erlenson

A bright pink blush lit her face up at his kind words, her dimpled smile spreading as pleasure tickled her senses. 'I am told that I have an honest face.." She fixed a grin on him, "What do you think?" A glimmer in her green eyes had them darkening just a bit as she toyed and teased him mischievously. "People talk to me, Eric.." She had no explanation for it, but chalked it up to being easy going kind.

"I have been married.." Her eyes would then shift with her thinking, a slight frown forming as she counted, "Six and a half years, I married William when attending UCLA.. " She had to pause, "Did you not know William? Erlenson?" She wasn't sure if they had the same class schedules or did the same events, sports.. Hell, did she even know all William had done in school? Did anyone for that matter?

"I am sure he is here some where, most likely buried in work as usual." And with that small .. fib as it were, as she truly did not know exactly what he was doing, but she'd venture a guess.. Her smile dimmed a bit and eyes shift from him to the gathered crowd.

Though he spoke nothing of personal life, Eric was all business as were all present tonight. The benefit seemingly forgotten as stocks and bonds and commodities, political ties, votes and who was wearing what took hold. Her champagne was tasting sour as the night progressed and these functions were creating a ball of rage within her. As was the knowledge her husband was probably nailing some fucking hired waitress on some random piece of furniture some where in the hotel instead of here, where he should have been. And the hypocrite would be dead silent and seemingly pleasant with cold eyes had he seen her dancing too close to Eric. But he had that reaction to anyone under fifty-five and worth less than a million, touching his wife.

"Teddy Lawrence." She pointed out the portly man and his lovely older wife, "He would be a good man to speak with on investing in technology. He is a gadget addict, if he can sample each item to test it for flaws and what nots, he will be a good solid investor. His wife loves lillies and poker nights." She offered Eric the tid bit of information. "I can introduce you to the man. Of all the poster.. Of everyone here, he is a sure fire if you have some innovative ideas and new product to bring to the market. It isn't about longevity here in the technological age, but the gimmick and uses. Those tiny cameras were a rage back in the late nineties and early two-thousand. Spy games, and so forth. Slim up phones, PCs, cameras and even recorders with a flavor of class.. Dolce might even put a stamp on it with Lawrence's influence." Turning her attenion back to Eric, she couldn't help but smile yet again as she met his soft brown eyes.

"It helps at times to store useless bits of information until you have a portfolio and ammunition. and that is what I am good at. Pieces." Her glass empty, she then moved into the back ground a bit and table to set it down and pick another.

 

[BornYesterday]

Bryan burst through the door of their small office space, holding a check aloft in both hands. Eric glanced up just in time to fend off Bryan trying to kiss him. “You did it, you little genius!” he shouted, “You must be like a VC savant or something. Look at this! And that’s not the half of it. Lawrence said he’d set up a meeting with John Sorrentino, who’s also interested. We’re talking serious capital here. Enough to set up production, get real offices. We’re off, boys. How did you do it?” he asked, looking at Eric.

Eric smiled and shrugged modestly. “I just met him at that party a couple of weeks ago and got to talking. He seemed interested so I offered to show him the prototype, and then he wanted to talk to you.” He wasn’t sure why, but he didn’t mention that Sarah had introduced him to Lawrence and his wife, or given him some suggestions for his meeting.

“Didn’t I tell you that party was a good idea?” Bryan beamed.

Eric nodded, though he wasn’t sure they meant it in the same way. He leaned back in his chair thoughtfully. It was exhilarating and scary at the same time. “This is serious, isn’t it?” We’re going to have to hire more people, I suppose. And production...that’s going to be tricky. None of us have experience in managing that.”

“Easy there, big fella,” Bryan cautioned, “We’re not quite there yet. But you’re right; we need to be prepared. If I’m going to talk to John Sorrentino, we need our shit together. He’s going to want to see a plan for production at the very least. Hardware’s your thing, Eric. Wherever we go, you need to make sure they can manufacture to your specs. Do you know anyone who can help with finding a manufacturer? Maybe Lawrence? We should talk to people before you fly off to Asia to look at facilities.”

He looked thoughtful. “ I could give it a shot. I know a couple of people I could ask.” He pulled out his phone and texted Sarah. Your ideas were a big help. I owe you. Can I buy you lunch?

 

[Sweetp4u]

Sarah

Her morning had been quite boring, uneventful as usual. The norm was breakfast, work out, shower and then dress and make up. She had to wear something different every time she went out or a combination not seen before as well as keep herself tastefully, gracefully pretty.

She handled the cleaning staff and gardeners. She planned the evening's dinner and left a list for the girls to see to and even prepare at exactly 6:15pm. Checked the house, the guest bedrooms and office, den and finally their bedroom. All was Martha Stewart picture perfect and quite boring.

Her watch was watched all through her morning and when he phone went off, she had thought she had missed a scheduled appointment, only to see it was Eric. And as quickly as that one brief message, the day's events and schedules was forgotten as a little pleasure stole into her mind. A friend, an old friend true but still a friend and he had great news by the 'tone' of his text.

Yes, would love to. When and where?

She sent her reply to him and waited for his response. Armed with On-Star and her own wheels, she'd text back she would meet him. Her smile was brighter, less of a boring day ahead for her. At least a temporary break from the monotony of house wife life... She often asked herself why she did not finish college? This wasn't nearly as fulfilling as her mother said it would be. She finished up her morning with calls to a local charity benefiting the local public schools, arrangement flowers to her mother in law and another smaller boutique sent an order of tulips to William's PA for her birthday.

 

[BornYesterday]

His phone chimed almost instantly. Yes, would love to. When and where? He checked the time and then wrote, Sushi OK? Meet at Shaburi in an hour?

He grinned when she wrote back. He was going out with Sarah Wilde. Not like it was a date or anything. Still, he wished he could go back in time and tell his college self that Sarah Wilde would be excited about going to lunch with him. Of course it would just be friendly, but if she were interested in spending time with him, he obviously had something to offer. Maybe he should get out there again. It had been a few months since Kathi left. Heck, Sarah might know someone she could fix up with him. Things with looking up at the company; he should focus a little more on his personal life.

Eric got to the restaurant a little early, got a table, and was sipping some green tea when Sarah arrived. He smiled and waved at her, standing up as she approached the table. Uncertain about how best to greet her, he just said, “Hey, thanks for meeting me,” and waited for her to make the first move.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Sarah

She smiled but not nearly as bright as before, her eyes scanning the restaurant and those around out of habit. Murmuring a soft, polite string of words as she scooted past a rising business man, eyes finding Eric's as she made her way through and to his table. Her hair was captured in a messy twisted knot at the back of her head, bangs left to frame her face and watchful eyes but her peaches and cream lips were smiling, "Good afternoon Eric." She stepped nearer, perhaps a bit too near as she pressed against him in the limited space without conscious thought of doing so, to take her hand within his. A brief squeeze before she was free of his touch and slipping into the chair held out for her to sit.

"Excellent choice for lunch." She made her small talk as she shift and sat, pulling her pencil skirt down as ankles crossed. Manicured fingers smoothed the soft fabric of her small jacket and blouse, "Were you waiting on me long?" She asked and hoped he had not been kept too long as traffic had been a bit more than she had planned on. It was then she was settled and green eyes locked onto the pair across from her with a curios look, a question in her eyes as she politely waited for him to give his good news or purpose to which he wanted a lunch with her. Buttons were loosened upon her little jacket and pushed aside a bit so she would feel less trapped, and perhaps she should have changed into something more comfortable and less business for this? Yet while it was a business style it was a bit too pretty to be practical for work, sheer under shirt was a bit racy for office or even political events. A deep vee bared more than enough skin to be sexy but not slutty, and the reason her jacket wouldn't come off until she reached home once more.

 

[BornYesterday]

Eric smiled as they sat down again. "Glad you like it. No, I've just been here a couple of minutes." When the waiter came back to take Sarah's drink order, he took the opportunity to study her. She was dressed nicely, her jacket unbuttoned enough to reveal a hint of cleavage. Dressing up for him? Or was she on her way somewhere else afterwards? It made him wish he had worn a jacket himself, but he was in his typical work outfit: a simple button-up (this one a light green) and a pair of jeans. Clothes had never been a priority for him, but now he wished he'd given some more attention to his outfit.

She looked at him inquisitively after the waiter left, so Eric said, "I wanted to thank you for all your help. Introducing me to Teddy Lawrence at the party, some tips about his wife. I showed him my prototype last week, and just this morning Bryan, our CFO, said he's making an investment, and helping us get connected with more venture capital. This could really be big for us, Sarah. We're talking about getting better offices, setting up production...and it wouldn't have been possible without you. I can't possibly thank you enough.

"And," he admitted with a wry laugh, "I was hoping to ask for more advice. I've never been in charge of production before and I don't really know where to start with finding a manufacturer for our designs. I thought you might know some people I could talk to. Or maybe that husband of yours...? Although at this rate, I should probably give you some stock in the company for all you're doing." Not that you seem to need the money. No expert in fashion, even Eric could tell her clothes were expensive. Who was William Erlenson? He'd never heard the name. Eric decided he should check him out. No particular reason; he was just curious what sort of man Sarah had married.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Sarah Erlenson

Fingers slipped hair behind ear as eyes lift in question and frown. "Stocks?" She did not take him seriously, it was not her purpose. "William wouldn't allow such, but I do thank you for the thought." A flash of dimple as cool clear eyes devour the menu, and yet in the back of her mind she is ticking off what isn't acceptable to eat as it would fatten her.

"Fredericks and Sons are an excellent firm for finding exactly what you're looking for, on a world wide capacity instead of just local. They make it their responsibility to research every company and keep a portfolio." Slim fingers wrap the glass and heft as she drinks a bit of water. Slowly she's relaxing, slowly she is slouching just a bit, her eyes are finally finding his once more and her smile is genuine. "Walkens also provide the same, but only on large company scale of the top notch sort and big bucks. They don't keep up nor bother with the mom and pop places. I think either would do excellent work, however if you wish to save money and give another small guy a try, I'd see to making an appointment at Fredericks."

Hands move to her lap, shoulders slip back as thighs cross and eyes assess the man across from her. She makes no effort to hide her regard as she looks him over, but her flushed smile as she finds those eyes once more is a little tell all. She hadn't even meant to do such a thing, as if he were a meal for her. Men looked her over thus, why had she done it to him? Habit? Fingers find her lower lip and hover, blocking part of her expression as she clears her head from wayward thoughts and that annoying self depreciating introspect and nagging voice of William within her mind.

 

[BornYesterday]

A puzzled look came over Eric. William wouldn't allow it? He hadn't been serious anyway, but still...that wasn't the point. Who was this guy and what had happened to Sarah? He couldn't imagine the Sarah he knew from college paying any attention to what some guy would or would not allow her to do. A few pieces clicked in his mind: how happy she was to see him at the charity ball, her quick acceptance of his invitation to lunch...it looked like Sarah Erlenson wasn't as happy as she pretended to be.

Coupled with the realization that she was checking him out like he was on the menu, Eric was a little taken aback. A slow flush and fiddling with her lower lip indicated she had become aware of what she was doing. He ran a hand through his hair and smiled. This was suddenly a lot more interesting than he had anticipated. He straightened up, holding her eyes. It was unexpected certainly, but not entirely incomprehensible. He wasn't bad-looking, kept himself in shape, and he had a company with a bright future all of a sudden (thanks in part to Sarah). See, Kathi? I am making something of myself, he thought with satisfaction.

And Eric guessed things weren't going so well at home. Maybe she wasn't getting the attention she wanted from William. It was odd that he'd never shown up at the party. Maybe Sarah was looking for a little extra attention, and he didn't mind giving it to her. He returned her frank appraisal. He hadn't been lying when he said she looked even better than she did in college. A little harmless flirtation never hurt anyone. Surely that's all it would be. If Sarah was so concerned about what William would allow he couldn't imagine she'd even consider an affair. Probably just wanted to feel wanted. And he'd been so wrapped up in work his social life had fallen by the wayside. It was nice to have someone take an interest.

Handing his menu back to the waiter after ordering a sushi combination, he doubled his resolve to get more information on William. He leaned in, grinning mysteriously. "You know, when I first saw you at the ball that night, I remembered that one time we played tennis in college and you slaughtered me. Never had a chance for a rematch back then. Do you still play? What do you say, Wilde?" he said, deliberately using her maiden name. "Up for the challenge? Because I think I can take you now." He recalled dancing together at the ball. Sarah could definitely still move, and it was obvious she was doing something to keep in shape. He sat back, watching her. Just seeing her in a tennis outfit would be something, and it might be an opportunity for a friendly wager as well.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Sarah

The flush didn't seem to leave her face for quite some time, it was quite obvious to her that he had seen her looking him over. She played it off and gave a tight polite smile, while mind scrambled to make sense of just what in the hell she was doing?! She had to recover and gain some composure before someone else noticed her odd behavior. Maybe it was coming up on that time of the month for her? Maybe she was too distracted with the quite likely affair her spouse was once more engaged in? Something was turning her into a bumbling moron and she had to figure it out soon!

God please.. please? Mercy?

"Tennis?" She coughed a moment, reaching quickly for her glass to drink and calm herself. Smile flashed as she cleared her throat and tried once more to speak past that formidable frog. "Tennis..." She chuckled softly, sipping one last time before setting the glass back down. "Gosh... It's been.." Fond memories, but years ago! Why did he have to recall THAT detail of all things? "I don't believe I have picked up a racket for some time.." Years actually, but life was busy as hell for her. He was quite right however, their match had ended with her trouncing him. She used to be so competitive, but that was before marriage and William quickly took the competition right out of her soul.

"That was, a very intense match if I do recall." Her dimpled smile brightened her face, but it did not quite reach her eyes as she became a little wary for a moment. Some men just can not handle losing, not being in control and most assuredly, never beaten at anything by a 'mere woman'. Yet, Eric could and did take it quite well back in the day. Graciously in fact. "I am a bit rusty.." Nagged out of her, pouring from her smiling lips without real deep thought. A nibble peeked through of that once eager streak, the rush of the game came to poke gently at her conscious mind.

 

[BornYesterday]

Driving back to the office, Eric played over their lunch in his mind. It had taken a little prodding but Sarah gave in relatively easily, a trace of the old smile he remembered playing over her lips as she proffered an invitation to tennis a week from Saturday. "William will be out of town," she explained, and Eric read the subtext easily: he would not look kindly on his wife playing tennis with another man. It was good to see a little more of her old self, that spirit he remembered from their college days. And an invitation to her house, no less. He didn't even consider the propriety of visiting her there with her husband away.

The man continued to be a mystery. All Eric found was that William Erlenson was a VP at Hyperion Technologies. Sarah regularly showed up in the society pages but William was curiously absent, almost a ghost. He'd thought about asking Bryan, who certainly knew more of the players than Eric did, but for some reason decided to keep his interest in William Erlenson to himself.

Until a few days before his match with Sarah, when he went to Teddy Lawrence’s office to show him their latest design. As before, Eric couldn’t fully hide his reaction to the older man’s office: the floor-to-ceiling windows with the impressive view of downtown, the plush carpet, and the massive antique desk dominating the room. A far cry from our little office. Their entire company could nearly fit in Lawrence’s office. But they were making progress and with some luck, in a few years Eric would have an office like his. That would silence everyone who had ever doubted him.

He couldn’t really say why he had brought it up, but as their meeting was wrapping up, he off-handedly asked, “Do you happen to know William Erlenson?”

He was taken aback by Lawrence’s immediate reaction: his face darkened and he scowled at Eric, so unlike his affable demeanor of a few minutes ago. “Why do you want to know? Is he investing in your company?” The way he said it made it clear what he thought of that idea.

Eric quickly moved to allay his concerns. “No, nothing like that,” he said hastily, wiping his hands on his pants. “Just curious. I used to go to college with his wife and we ran into each other at the ball where I met you. He wasn’t around. Just wondered what kind of guy he is.”

Lawrence eyed Eric carefully, then warned him, “Not someone you want to get involved with, that’s all I’ll say. Sarah’s a lovely girl, but William…” He shook his head. “I don’t do business with him. If you’re thinking of bringing him on, I’ll pull out, Eric. I’m just being straight with you.”

“No, hadn't ever crossed my mind,” Eric emphasized, nearly having a heart attack when Lawrence threatened to take his money out. “Idle curiosity is all. He won’t be involved.”

Lawrence seemed convinced, and walked with Eric to the elevator. As the doors closed, he thought, That was decidedly odd. There was something going on...and Eric intended to find out what it was.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Sarah

She met him at the door, standing within it's large entrance and waited until he pulled around and parked. She stood with her hands folded before her, but not wearing no tiny little tennis skirt and polo. Since she'd been jogging earlier, she remained in her black sports bra and matching shorts. It fit like a second skin and was just more practical than changing into some eye catching school girl fetish dream get up.

"Good afternoon, Eric." Her smile was genuine and words warm, "I trust the drive was pleasant?" She knew it wasn't a short drive out to the estate, but seclusion was what William had wanted more than location or ease. It was quite at the house, most of the help was done for the day but a few maids within the house doing the dusting. "There's cold drinks waiting out back by the pool." A motion over her shoulder as she lead him back through the spacious entry and living room of her home. Tasteful in cream, white and dark oak, she often was praised for her eye to detail and taste. A show piece like the whole damned mansion, but it was home.

They had no children as of yet, and there were no pets. Just work and the hired help. Friends of course, but rarely were there guests in her and William's home. Even for a short term visit. Why was that? It bothered her, but seemed no one ever really wished to be here nor stay. Personal assistants, some employees now and then, mainly women but over all, this was Sarah's.. prison.

The garden was lovely and blooming, white orchids and lilac bushes were mixed in with the basic of hedges. The pool was indoor and partially outdoor, heated and Olympic size. Tennis Courts and a small hedge maze, and to the far side, a driving range for William. Not a fan of golf herself, but to each their own. She sat down and turned her attention to Eric.

 

[BornYesterday]

Eric couldn’t help but gape at the opulent mansion during the short walk through the living room and out through the back doors. It had been obvious Sarah was rich, but he hadn’t grasped exactly how rich until he saw her home. Their home. A symphony of wood and cream, art placed just so. It oozed sophistication and wealth, but in a tasteful way.

Beyond just awe at the richness of the surroundings, Eric was trying to figure out where William’s office might be. He would only have a couple of minutes before Sarah would begin to wonder. He was so intent on trying to guess the layout of the house that he barely noticed Sarah. Distractedly, he followed her out back by the pool, setting down his racquet and absently accepting a glass of iced tea. Only then did he notice her brief outfit. The tight exercise wear left no doubt that Sarah had kept herself in excellent shape indeed. With her hair tied up in a ponytail, she looked a lot like the girl he had known at UCLA. There was just a hint of sadness that had not been there in those days, and again Eric had the feeling that this life was not exactly what she had planned. Eric would be the first to admit he wasn’t the most perceptive when it came to people, women especially, but it was obvious even to him that she wasn’t very happy.

He unzipped his bag and took out his racquet and a couple of balls. “Shall we warm up a little to start?” he suggested, hoping to offer a distraction and maybe see that smile that had dazzled him at the charity ball.

They began to hit the ball back and forth, Eric appreciating the sight of Sarah extending her body to reach the ball. After a few minutes he stopped and said, “I’ll just run in and use the washroom. Be right back.” Setting down his racquet, he went back inside the house.

Time was of the essence now. He had to find William’s office quickly or give up on his plan. He decided to try upstairs. He turned right at the top of the stairs first, but the double doors there clearly opened into their bedroom. An instinct told him William would want his office somewhere more private. So he turned around and went left, but the first doors he opened were a bathroom and a guest bedroom. Growing anxious, he tried one more.

Jackpot. William’s office was dominated by a large picture window and was furnished only with a couple of bookcases, a file cabinet, and a maplewood desk and leather chair. Right then, however, Eric was only interested in his computer. He took a quick glance out the window, which overlooked the pool and lawn. He saw Sarah sitting down on a lounger, taking a sip of her drink, her body still glistening. Eric hastily ducked away in case she happened to look up at the house.

He turned on William’s computer and inserted the flash drive he’d brought. It would be password-protected of course, but Eric’s friend who had supplied him with the software said it wouldn’t matter. As long as the machine was on, it would automatically load onto the hard drive and then Eric could access everything remotely. Hardware was Eric’s specialty, not security, but although he’d never say what he did, it was well known that Sam consulted with the NSA and he knew more about security than anyone Eric knew, and he trusted Sam not to ask a lot of questions.

He powered on the machine, waited until it booted and opened the login screen, then shut it down and removed his drive. Sam had said that’s all he’d need. Pocketing the drive, he hastily made his way back downstairs and rejoined Sarah. “Sorry, took a while to find the bathroom,” he explained to cover his absence. “Your house is kind of big,” he added with a grin. He picked up his racquet and said, “So what do you say, Wilde? Ready for some payback?”

 

[Sweetp4u]

Sarah Wilde

Sarah was breathing heavier than she had in a long time, felt the burn in her butt and calves and yet she was grinning a mile wide when she met Eric at the net. She felt a thrum in her blood, rekindling something she thought long gone.. Herself. Odd that it took an old college friend to wake her up from the day dream she'd been in for awhile now.

"Damn, Schuter!" She had sworn she'd beat him til the end, Eric had been holding back on her and practicing as well. "Good game!" Flashed a wide dimpled grin, "Hell...." She panted out, "I need a drink.." As she tried to walk it off on the way back to the patio. She had almost forgotten what it was like to compete against someone who could handle it. Almost forgot how to shoot for that win, but she felt it now and felt a thirst for it.. for more of it.

"Nice of you to take it easy on me.." Green eyes shimmered as she studied him over her iced tea. "I think a rematch is in order.." She had gone easy at first, not wishing to embarass the man. Out of habit, and now she were kicking herself for not trying to win from the get-go. He didn't sulk or make snide remarks on his win, wasn't rubbing it in her face and didn't make her feel that she had to throw the match to have a good day.

Plucking up a small hand held fan, she set to waving it before her face as her ass found the cushioned seat once more. She were sweating, panting and thoroughly wore out.. How long had it been? Knowing eyes, pleasure filled eyes centered back on her partner. An appreciative glint in her eyes, and in her smile. "Do you have to go soon or would you like a bite to eat first?" Offered as a maid came to the table with a fresh set of drinks. "Ice water for me, Linda, thank you." Shifting to study Eric a bit closer.

He had filled out and bulked up a bit more. As a man would. He was no longer thin and nerdy looking, had actually become quite handsome.. Or perhaps he had always been but she never noticed him in that light before? Regardless of that, Eric wore no wedding ring and he kept himself in shape. What else didn't she know about him.. and why was she suddenly so curios to know more? And perhaps too, he were as fake as William.. nagged in the back of her mind, taking some smile and glint out of her expression.. not all of it, but some.

"I had the ladies prepare a grilled chicken and bacon wrap for lunch if you're interested, the drive back a long one with little along the way to satisfy most hungers."

 

[BornYesterday]

Eric gratefully took his seat across from Sarah, his easy smile matching hers. Taking a long swallow of the icy tea, he reached down to massage his calf. Felt good to sit down after a tougher match than he anticipated. “Caught that, huh?” he said to her. He had taken it a little easy at first, after Sarah’s claim not to have played for years. It wasn’t long before he realized she was pushing him, stretching her lithe body low to return his shots, giving him nearly as much as he could handle. “I’ve been playing now and again, I have to confess. You’re on about that rematch. Any time...I mean...whenever.”

He didn’t want to say “when William isn’t home” but he was sure Sarah guessed at what he left unspoken. Was he that jealous, that he couldn’t handle his wife playing tennis with a friend? Or was it that Sarah didn’t want him to see the way she looked at Eric? The mystery was deepening: both what William was involved in and why Sarah had married him. And why didn’t she leave? He glanced around, the attentive servants waiting for the slightest word or gesture from their mistress. It didn’t seem like her at all. He wanted to ask her about that: how she got here, if she were content with this life, but maybe that was too much right now.

Eric took a patterned handkerchief from his pocket and patted some of the sweat from his brow, leaning back on the chair and letting his body calm down from the intense game. He wondered if it was a good idea, that rematch. Or being here at all. If William was so jealous...could Sarah really trust the servants that much? But he knew he wouldn’t stay away from Sarah. Part of it was the mystery that he couldn’t let go. Part of it was wanting to be there for a friend. And he had to admit, the attention Sarah was giving him was very flattering. It wasn’t that common for him. Did she want an affair? And what would he do if she did? It was so out of character for Eric, but this was Sarah….

A brief silence that was broken by Sarah’s offer of lunch. “Thanks, that’s nice of you, but I’ve got some work I should get back to. Besides,” he added with a wry grimace, “I gave up land animals.” He held up a hand. “I know, I know, but, you know...California.” The part about work was true enough, but there was another reason. Sarah dressed that way, glistening from the game they just finished, plus the hint that she had just dropped (or had that been his imagination?). Yet the servants were there, and maybe Sarah trusted them but their presence made Eric uncomfortable. The whole place did, really. It was so odd to see Sarah in the middle of all this luxury.

A somewhat awkward hug, during which Eric was acutely conscious of Sarah’s warm bare skin under his hand, and he took his leave. The flash drive felt like a weight in his pocket during his drive home. He wondered when he would get a glimpse into William Erlenson.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Sarah Wilde - Erlenson

A week had come and gone since her afternoon with Eric, and in that time a lot had changed. Reminiscent of her past, those dreams she had put on hold to help William were welling up inside her as if to choke on it. As the hours ticked by, alone, those whispers crept up. What if? What could've been if she had only..

Night after late night, she ate alone, fell asleep alone and barely had a passing kiss on the cheek on his way out in the morning. She hadn't ever been a distrusting wife, nor a snoop but it was starting to get to her, those nagging thoughts. She dressed her part, made her rounds and did those functions all high society expected her to do as Mrs. Erlenson.. but in the back of her mind, she knew something was off.. had been off for awhile now.

He had pass word protected everything, even his cell phone was blocked to her. All computers were locked as well, and when asked.. "Work related and can't be leaked by nosey hired help.." So he said. When did they lock their personal things away from one another? It nagged at her.

He never smelled of sex or another woman, she could find no trace of one anywhere and his sex appetites had not diminished nor changed.. He just wasn't with her, even when they were intimate. It was more than bothering her, it was starting to piss her off. Wen had she ever been a mouse? Hell, when had she developed long neck and legs to become a head burying ostrich?

As it ate at her mind, boiling her temper a bit, she sat in their dining room on friday night, alone. Again. Fingers curled about wineglass stem and threatening to shatter in her grip. Anger wasn't going to do her any good, and she sure as hell wasn't that damned old to sit home on friday night, sulking because her asshole husband forgot she existed.

So give him something to fret on.. Tit for tat, right? She knew a bar, a pretty nice hang out just down from the university. Friday nights were ladies nights, bands played and young adults would take in culture and some R and R. So why the hell not? She dressed like she had in college, nice pair of old jeans and a t shirt with her favorite football team embossed across her breasts, hair loose and carefree, keys and wallet.. She was out the door, leaving a cold dinner to rot on table top, heading into the city for some long over due freedom and fun.

 

[BornYesterday]

The alert came on his computer on Sunday while he was working at home. William had logged on and now his Eric had a copy of his screen on his second monitor. He put down what he was doing and watched, fascinated by this view of the other man’s activities. Would he chat with a lover? Watch some porn? What was his secret?

So it was with some disappointment that he realized William was just writing an email. Something to a factory manager overseas, by the look of it. Not expecting much of interest, Eric read along as William typed...another accident...references to some “compensation fund”...he tried to make sense of it, but it was like they were talking in code. That in itself was odd. Why was William being so careful about what he put in writing? Eric had been part of enough companies to know some of the reasons people did that, and none of them were good.

He decided to do a little snooping, first activating the part of the software that would prevent William from shutting the computer down. He flipped through William’s recent folders and documents, quickly scanning for anything that looked interesting but most seemed to be production reports and the like. Then he found it: an encrypted drive. That promised to be interesting. Unfortunately, he’d need some help.

He sent a text to Sam. Need to get into an encrypted drive? Got anything?

A couple of minutes later: I’ll send you something. Might take a while to crack though.

No problem. Thanks.

The software from Sam arrived a few minutes later and it didn’t take much longer for Eric to figure it out and start it working on William’s drive. Bearing in mind Sam’s warning, he found some other tasks to occupy him and checked it again Sunday evening. Still working.

And he found the progress bar hardly moved each day when he got home from work, often quite late as they were working on adding staff and preparing for production. He tried not to think about it, but of course the wait only made him more curious.
Finally, late on Thursday it was done. He copied the contents of the drive over to his computer (the legality of what he was doing not having crossed his mind for some time) and began to look through it, trying to find what William wanted to conceal. After a late night on Thursday, he took a day off of work on Friday to keep at it.

Finally, by Friday evening he had pieced it all together. William was cutting costs by neglecting safety measures at the company’s factories in Vietnam, and bribing local officials to keep a lid on things when the accidents inevitably happened. That was the “compensation fund” he’d been referring to. There had been three deaths in the last six months alone. And this had been going on for years.

It was massive. Way beyond anything Eric had expected. He wondered why no one had blown the whistle, but he soon realized no one had the proof. Only Eric did. He sat back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair. The potential consequences were staggering. William would undoubtedly be fired, if not liable for prosecution. Westgate Technologies would take a massive PR hit. The stock would dive. It would be a catastrophe for them. Even if the board knew what William was doing, they’d have to cut him loose.

And Sarah...what would happen to Sarah? The mansion, the servants, the whole lifestyle...gone. Did she know about it? Eric couldn’t imagine that she did, but there was so much about her that he didn’t know. He had to tell her; as a friend he owed her that.

He got up to get himself a beer and checked the time. It was getting late, but he couldn’t wait on this. He got out his phone again: I need to talk to you, in person. It’s important. When can you meet?

 

[Sweetp4u]

Sarah

The silent treatment, when you knew it was intentionally THE silent treatment, wasn't as bad as normal silent treatment due to work overload. Or so William said was work overload. He still hadn't forgiven her for going out, getting completely smashed and returning very early the next day. Certain she had been with someone, he flipped out on her but after snooping around and invading all her personal things.. he found no proof of another man, only that she had gone to the bar she said she had gone to and left at the wee hours of the morning, alone.

So why was he still acting like such an ass?

Who knew, he was constantly gone of late, and always busy when he was there. He was more than married to his job, it was his first love, his wife and his life. She was merely an accessory.

It wasn't sitting well with her.

But what could she do about it now? She promised to love, honor and obey. Until death. And she would keep her vows, no matter what went on. Hell, if she were to be honest with herself, she was or felt stuck there. Prenup kept her from divorcing, but it was more than that. More than material wealth. It was nice, but it was lonely. However, her name was tied to his and his reputation. Their empire was built by both of them. She earned this as much as he had, and if she left, she was on her own with no money, no home, no job or career. Nothing. She had no proof he was cheating, and if she thought about it, she really wasn't sure it was a woman taking him away from her. She had a sinking feeling it was merely his company and job and GREED! God knew he was a stingy greedy son of a bitch. Sure he spoiled her with gifts, but they remained his, right down to her engagement and wedding ring. So who was he really spoiling?

It was late when the text came, and she thought about ignoring it. Whatever Eric needed couldn't possibly be so important to drop everything and just meet up. Could it? She stared long at those words, arguing within her own mind whether to answer or ignore it. Glancing about the quiet house and empty wine glass, she hadn't had so much to drink she could not drive herself. Why not? Business whore, should be her damned title.

"Is it that important?" She swiped across her phone's key pad, then back spaced, not bothering to send it. Those words deleted from the screen and instead she swiped out,

"Where?" sent instead of many excuses, declines and over all just one hell of a 'I dont want to do this' mood.

 

[BornYesterday]

Eric paced around his living, bare feet rustling over the carpet, taking an occasional swallow of beer while thinking about what to do. Besides tell Sarah, of course. He couldn’t simply let this go on; people were getting hurt, even killed. There was the small matter of his having acquired the material illegally, but no doubt there were ways of ensuring it couldn’t be traced back to him.

He felt torn: responsible for doing something about it, but concerned about the impact on Sarah’s life. And there was still the tiny, nagging question in the back of his mind: did she know? Did she know how William was paying for that lifestyle? They’d talked, played some tennis, but how well did he really know her?

He took another beer from his fridge and kept pacing, not that it helped him reach any decisions. The bright side was that it was Friday night and he could put off any decision for the weekend. His phone vibrated and he hurriedly checked it. Just one word from Sarah: Where? There was an all-night coffee shop not that far away...but he wasn’t comfortable talking about this in public and had been drinking a little.

My place

He added the address and sent it. He didn’t know what he’d say when she got there, but he’d figure something out. He knew he’d have at least twenty minutes before she arrived, so he started backing all the data he had cracked to his personal server, and then straightening up. He had a maid come in once a week to clean, but he wanted to get rid of some clutter. He made sure his bedroom was free of dirty clothes. Obviously his two-bedroom apartment would be beyond modest compared to her place, but he thought it looked nice. He’d grown out of Ikea and had real furniture and Kathi had done some nice decorating before she’d left. He was high up enough to have a decent view as well.

It would be fine. He had nothing to be nervous about.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Sarah

She checked the address twice before she parked in one of the few open spaces, but it was down the street from the building. A quiet neighborhood, not upscale but it was not in the slums either. Still, she locked her car tight and checked the area for signs of life as she walked quickly towards Eric's building. Pressing the call button, she got buzzed in and had to reach the second floor. Finding the elevator wasn't overly hard, but it was quite noisey for such a late hour. Not sure why, but could hear sounds from all around both inside the building and apartments as well as outside on the street.

It reminded her of where she lived during college. Nostalgic moment there.

The elevator was clunky but quick, settling with a clank of metal and unsettling her stomach with a short drop sensation. Stepping out, she eyed doors up and down the hall, noting the corners and number before her. She moved then to the right, following it until she found his door. Raising a hand to knock, she stilled without a sound. What was she doing here?? Her hand dropped as did her head, looking over her clothing to tug down her skirt and blouse a bit more into place. She looked alright, casual but her skirt was a bit short and her blouse was a bit sheer.

Why she had to stop and check herself, was just insane. Perhaps it was habitat this point? A reassurance she looked proper yet attractive, and yet she had no desire to look sexy for Eric. Christ! She's a married woman, and standing in the hall, acting like an idiot!

She rapped her knuckles on the door four times and took a step back to wait for an answer.

 

[BornYesterday]

By the time Sarah had arrived, he still didn’t know how to begin. It was obvious enough she wasn’t very happy with William, but he had no idea how she’d react to finding out what he was really doing; where their money was coming from. He buzzed her in and continued his nervous pacing. Maybe inviting her here wasn’t the best idea after all. Too late to do much about it now.

She looked good. She always looked good. Probably she’d hate him after he told he what he’d found. Why hadn’t he left it alone? He always had to try to solve puzzles. Running a nervous hand through his hair, he simply said, “Come on in. I have something you need to see.” He led the way to his office, so focused on wanting to get through this that he didn’t bother to offer her a drink. He pulled up another chair and placed it by his desk. “Sit down.” It wasn’t phrased as a request.

He’d left some of the more significant and incriminating documents open on the screen. He didn’t explain where they had come from; he simply let Sarah read. Meanwhile, he watched her, trying to gauge her reaction. As far as he could tell, she was definitely surprised. Shocked, might be a better term. Quietly, he asked, "You had no idea, did you?"