Deceived Part 1 New York (pg-13 version, no erotic scenes in this version)

Chapter 1

“Miss Swanson, bring me the file for Baroness Von Lamberg”. The sudden outburst from the intercom jolted me from my work-a-day concentration. I quickly gathered my wits about me and pressed down the button to answer, “Yes Sir, I will be right there with it”.

Opening the file cabinet, I deftly located it under L for Lamberg and grabbing the file, I headed down the mahogany covered hallway to the office of Patrick Collins, the Agency Account Director of Meyer and Meyer.

I can’t believe it has been six months already, since I started working at the third largest ad agency in New York City. I was so fortunate to get this assistant job, even if it is just an entry level position. For once in my life luck was on my side and I landed the job right after graduating with an MBA in Marketing from Iowa State University.

Back in college, I would lie awake at nights just dreaming about living in a big city like New York. The constant busy pulsing from the myriad of city traffic calms me and excites me at the same time. Maybe city life excites me because it’s the exact opposite from my dreary life growing up in Fairfield, Iowa. Or, maybe it appeals to my hidden alter ego, a slightly darker facet of my psyche, which I like to think of, not as bad or evil, just as... a little edgy.  

Arriving in front of Patrick Collins’ office, I stop for a brief moment to straighten my skirt and knock on the door.

“Come in,” he ordered. His deep voice from behind the door compelled me to enter.   

“Here’s the Baroness’ file that you requested, Mr. Collins,” I announced as I placed the file on his desk. I noticed how his steel-blue eyes were scanning my body, up and down its length.  Subconsciously, I glanced down at my cleavage, wondering if I had opened my favorite black sweater a little too much for professional office attire, wondering if the sparkle of the open rhinestone button, that lay glistening on the roundness of my upper breast, was too enticing for my boss, Mr. Collins.  Maybe it was, but I liked that thought...

“Thank you Miss Swanson. Will you close the door and sit down for a minute?” he suggested.

Nervously, I shut the door behind me and pulled out a chair.

“Have you ever heard of Baroness Anna Von Lamberg?” he inquired. For some unexplainable reason my throat suddenly felt as dry as a dessert storm. I tried to answer confidently, but his intense stare left me feeling slightly anxious and the words came out with a crackle.

“No Sir, I can’t say I have,” I replied.

“Well, she is an eccentric billionaire, controlling over twenty-five office and retail buildings in Manhattan, not to mention her inheritance of one of the largest mansions in the Hamptons. She has been a client of ours for almost ten years now, but unfortunately only regarding her charities. What we would really like, is to represent her billion dollar retail empire but so far it’s been a complete dead end. You see, she can be a little - peculiar- and quite discerning at times which makes representing her almost impossible. What we need are some fresh young ideas to show her that we are a cutting edge company. And that’s where your talents come in. The Baroness will be here this afternoon for a creative meeting and I would really like it if you could attend,” he explained.

“Me? I mean- sure, that would be amazing!” I stuttered with surprise as I came to attention and sat up a little on the edge of my chair.

“Great!!” Patrick chimed out; satisfaction bellowing out of his voice. “I’ll see you later then. The meeting is at four o’clock in the main conference room.”

I took his cue as he arose from behind the dark mahogany desk, a duplicitous smile creasing his lips, and jumped to my feet. “Thank you Mr. Collins, thank you!”

Inside my head I was doing the “happy dance”. I couldn’t believe I got the chance to show off my ideas. My heart was racing. I imagined that I was already at the meeting delivering a marvelous oratory that astounded the entire group. I turned to make a quick exit out the door before he had the chance to change his mind when his words stopped me just shy of the threshold.  

“Oh, by the way...” he interjected.

I froze in my tracks. Oh no, - here it comes, the usual request, “Go get me some coffee...”  

“Could you do me a huge favor Miss Swanson? My niece is turning twenty-one next weekend and I need to get her a present. Would you mind picking out something for her?”

“No, not at all! What is she into...? I mean, what does she like?” I stammered. Halfway out the door, I leaned my upper body back into his office, holding the door open with one hand, gripping the door frame with the other.

“Get her an elegant dress she can wear to the Hamptons charity ball that she will be attending with me in two weeks,” he said decidedly.

            “Sounds great, what size is she?” I asked, while walking back into the office getting out my little notepad.

His eyes once again beamed up and down my body, this time making a, not so subtle, pause at my cleavage. “About your size I would say, except not as voluptuous up here,” he said cunningly with a gesture of his hands as if he were palming two large melons. “That should do. Here, take my card,” he urged.

He stood up and leaned his well-built upper body across the desk, his platinum credit card extended towards me in the fingertips of his strong hand, those steel-gray eyes piercing the air between us.  

“Get something - well - thateven you would wear to an A-list party,” he said with a suggestive glimmer in his eyes, while handing me his credit card.

“Will do, Mr. Collins.”

Something in the smile, something in his gaze made me feel aroused and weak in the knees at the same time. No sooner had the emotion washed over my body when it dissipated and I snapped out of it. No time for daydreaming now. Today is my chance to show him and the company what I’m made of, and besides, shopping for an expensive designer dress is fun, even if it’s not for me.

Without another word, I quickly accepted his bid and bolted for the door, my mind whirling with a multitude of thoughts that ran the gamut from one extreme to the other. Thoughts, on the one hand of projecting a professional business woman image in the meeting, to thoughts of seductively seducing Mr. Collins on the top of the main conference room table in a tight fitting red dress, slit all the way up the side to Shangri-La.

“Oh, and be sure to be back in time to prepare for the meeting,” he said coolly, as the door closed behind me with a soft whoosh and a click.