Where's your dress?"
Lucy grinned. "I hope it's in your closet."
Olivia laughed. "Yeah, right next to Sam's." All three laughed. "Go ahead, Mikey brought several choices. Anything but the beaded one. I'm going to wear that one another time."
They arrived at the Met early, so Olivia could make any needed last minute adjustments to the set up, but everything was in perfect order. Though the Gala officially began at seven-thirty, most high profile guests would be fashionably late, arriving between eight and nine. The three sampled the food and the champagne before Liv separated from them. It was her job as a representative of Dolby, Inc. to greet guests as they arrived and for the next hour only left her receiving line duties to work the room, making light conversation, networking, renewing relationships, and generally making sure everyone was happy.
"You look, well . . . beautiful doesn't even begin to describe you." Olivia heard from behind her.
"Mr. Grant. Thank you." She thought he looked beautiful too. Most men looked great in a tux, but he was really...really... Before she could finish the thought someone caught her eye and she quickly swiveled.
"Are you all right, Olivia?"
She swallowed hard and ran her fingers through her side bangs. It was something she did when she was nervous.
"Yes, I'm fine. What do you think?” She gestured to the room. “Is it everything you wanted it to be?"
"You all did a fantastic job. It's much, much more than I ever could have imagined."
Olivia smiled. " And we stayed on budget, sold every ticket and managed to secure great items for the silent auction."
"It's already a big success then, thanks to you." He grinned and Olivia's stomach fluttered.
"Well, I was just one person on the committee. Everyone did a great job."
"Yes, and they’ve all told me how much work you did, so thank you. This charity means a lot to me. I didn't grow up with much. In fact we were pretty poor."
He was being surprisingly open, she felt compelled to do the same. She scanned the crowd behind him and then looked back into his face. "My folks were subsistence farmers. I know what it means to work hard; to not have much."
He shook his head, and softly smiled. "That I didn't see coming. You, working in the fields?"
"I did, and hunted and fished too. Cleaned stalls, fed pigs. I'm just multi talented." Olivia watched his eyes as what she’d told him registered. His eyes widened, but when she saw his pupils expand with need, the noise of the gathering around her muffled and receded. Desire made her skin tingle, her palms feel clammy. "You should mingle. I'm going to check on the caterers, to see if they need anything."
"All right, but when Matasuki gets here I want to be the one to introduce you."
She nodded. "Of course. I'm really anxious to meet him."
Tyson watched her walk away. Finally, embarrassed by his blatant ogling, he turned and grabbed a flute of champagne from a passing waiter. As he took a sip, he noticed what seemed like half the room watch her cross the room. He was also having second thoughts about having agreed to Jerrod’s assigning of the Matasuki account to Olivia. Not because she couldn't do it, but because he was afraid that his attraction to her would impair his focus. Matasuki's business meant millions to his company; still he wasn't sure it was worth it. Maybe it was why Jerrod was avoiding him. In fact Jerrod was AWOL from the Gala. Tyson began to work the room, clockwise, just like he always did at these things.
"Olivia."
"Brian?" He was dressed for the occasion and he looked amazing in the formal wear obviously tailored especially for him. Maybe it was how the two day stubble looked with the tux that caused her to clench. Olivia felt the response the Kegel brought to her pelvic region, and the flow of honey onto her panties. Or maybe the male pheromone-laden atmosphere in the room was getting to her.
"I'm working. I want to see this guy, size him up. I just
Lucy grinned. "I hope it's in your closet."
Olivia laughed. "Yeah, right next to Sam's." All three laughed. "Go ahead, Mikey brought several choices. Anything but the beaded one. I'm going to wear that one another time."
They arrived at the Met early, so Olivia could make any needed last minute adjustments to the set up, but everything was in perfect order. Though the Gala officially began at seven-thirty, most high profile guests would be fashionably late, arriving between eight and nine. The three sampled the food and the champagne before Liv separated from them. It was her job as a representative of Dolby, Inc. to greet guests as they arrived and for the next hour only left her receiving line duties to work the room, making light conversation, networking, renewing relationships, and generally making sure everyone was happy.
"You look, well . . . beautiful doesn't even begin to describe you." Olivia heard from behind her.
"Mr. Grant. Thank you." She thought he looked beautiful too. Most men looked great in a tux, but he was really...really... Before she could finish the thought someone caught her eye and she quickly swiveled.
"Are you all right, Olivia?"
She swallowed hard and ran her fingers through her side bangs. It was something she did when she was nervous.
"Yes, I'm fine. What do you think?” She gestured to the room. “Is it everything you wanted it to be?"
"You all did a fantastic job. It's much, much more than I ever could have imagined."
Olivia smiled. " And we stayed on budget, sold every ticket and managed to secure great items for the silent auction."
"It's already a big success then, thanks to you." He grinned and Olivia's stomach fluttered.
"Well, I was just one person on the committee. Everyone did a great job."
"Yes, and they’ve all told me how much work you did, so thank you. This charity means a lot to me. I didn't grow up with much. In fact we were pretty poor."
He was being surprisingly open, she felt compelled to do the same. She scanned the crowd behind him and then looked back into his face. "My folks were subsistence farmers. I know what it means to work hard; to not have much."
He shook his head, and softly smiled. "That I didn't see coming. You, working in the fields?"
"I did, and hunted and fished too. Cleaned stalls, fed pigs. I'm just multi talented." Olivia watched his eyes as what she’d told him registered. His eyes widened, but when she saw his pupils expand with need, the noise of the gathering around her muffled and receded. Desire made her skin tingle, her palms feel clammy. "You should mingle. I'm going to check on the caterers, to see if they need anything."
"All right, but when Matasuki gets here I want to be the one to introduce you."
She nodded. "Of course. I'm really anxious to meet him."
Tyson watched her walk away. Finally, embarrassed by his blatant ogling, he turned and grabbed a flute of champagne from a passing waiter. As he took a sip, he noticed what seemed like half the room watch her cross the room. He was also having second thoughts about having agreed to Jerrod’s assigning of the Matasuki account to Olivia. Not because she couldn't do it, but because he was afraid that his attraction to her would impair his focus. Matasuki's business meant millions to his company; still he wasn't sure it was worth it. Maybe it was why Jerrod was avoiding him. In fact Jerrod was AWOL from the Gala. Tyson began to work the room, clockwise, just like he always did at these things.
"Olivia."
"Brian?" He was dressed for the occasion and he looked amazing in the formal wear obviously tailored especially for him. Maybe it was how the two day stubble looked with the tux that caused her to clench. Olivia felt the response the Kegel brought to her pelvic region, and the flow of honey onto her panties. Or maybe the male pheromone-laden atmosphere in the room was getting to her.
"I'm working. I want to see this guy, size him up. I just
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