The oak stained door swung wide and Moira hit the light switch and glided on through, crossing the sitting room of the large suite, and letting her coat drop to the chair along with her purse, tilting her head with a questioning look to her guest.

"I'll get that, my dear." He quickly closed the door, slipping the latch and hurrying to the chair, gathering up her coat and finding the closet in the foyer. "So," he smiled, returning to the sitting room. "This is a nice surprise. A pleasant one," he added hastily. "It's very lovely. I had no idea you maintained a suite here."

"Should you?" She sank onto the sofa.

"Well uh- I mean- I usually am made aware of the corporate holdings..."

"The corporation has nothing to do with this. This is mine, exclusively." She patted the space beside her. "Get me a drink and come and sit. We'll talk business first."

Myles did a double take with his feet as he turned to the bar. Business, first? He took a hesitant step, wondering if this might indeed be the beginning of something better than just acquiring shares. He was armed and ready with the other shareholder information from Peter and with another drink under his belt, the idea his wife's idle comments had suggested was germinating furiously.

"To a successful merger." He brought their drinks to the sofa and handed her one as he sat beside her.

"Indeed." Moira smiled, sipping the drink "Delicious. Thank you." She set her glass on the coffee table and half turned to face him on the sofa, one leg drawn up between them.

•••

Moira crossed into the bedroom from the sitting room and collected her things. She paused in the doorway to consider the rumpled sheets and the deal struck within their sweaty confines. She knew she was right about him being the correct choice; when she proposed her scheme to him he balked and began citing thousands of reasons why it wouldn't work but as he listened to the tape and the drink flowed and the intimacy grew, Myles began conceding to her logic, actually almost becoming giddy when he revealed how it paralleled his own imaginings. He almost frightened her with his enthusiasm, relating Miriam's comments about faking testimonials and how he could find out who they could use to accommodate Moira's scheme. The scheme itself was simple, if, diabolical. They would set Brian up for a confrontation with Barton, relying on both their quick tempers to provoke an act of aggression which would result in a contravention of the partnership agreement which stated: all shares, rights to shares and options would be forfeit to the company in the event of any partner committing an indictable act under the law.

Miriam's plan to a tee.

Myles accepted the task of finding a suitable technician for editing the tapes that Moira had collected on Brian. She would reveal them to Barton, along with a story suitably incriminating but unverifiable and let nature take its course. It all sounded so easy. Myles agreed with every aspect, melting helplessly under her ministrations as she outlined the plan. Moira felt smug and satisfied, amazed at how easy the men surrounding her little adventure seemed to lose their common sense when sex was involved-sort of like the way she was with Brian at first. Moira gave him the number of her unregistered phone and told Myles that it was to be used only when he needed to contact her. The idea of a secret communication source for security contact almost had him rushing her again.

She smiled, crossing to the closet for her coat, thinking about his expression when she moved from her seat on his stomach and held out her hand to shake on the deal, an almost tangible fear of being in bed with his employer's wife filled the room. What pleased Moira the most was his willingness to be the sole contact for the rigged tapes. No looking back now, Moira. She gave passing consideration to calling Peter and telling him what was up but ruled out the idea for the time being. Some further investigation of Peter was still needed. Riding down on the elevator, she revisited her mental script of the next steps and when she reached the lobby she came though the doors with dauntless determination, more than prepared for the next move.

Moira knew very well that when she called back and announced her agreement to swing the vote, Brian would be all over her with his pitch about their future together and while she had listened to the same words during hours of love-making, she also believed he meant nothing of the kind. The plan was evolving with uncanny accuracy and she was enjoying the boost it gave to the thrill of the affair.

The merger game was enjoined using the very kind of sophisticated technology that Barton's business catered to and was heading well down the road to the final outcome: power, wealth and independence. The question remained, who would be her final partner? Composing herself and deciding on a timbre for her voice, she placed her call to Brian. As anticipated, he was elated with her agreement and as expected, launched into a Knute Rockney style pep talk, finishing finally with effusive promises of doing the right thing for all.

Brian closed with a notice that she should not forget to get in touch with Myles Forbin to go over all the legal procedures necessary for her participation, and a promise to resume their wonderful moments together as quickly as possible. She bade him goodnight, in a small voice and hung up then hurried to the bedroom, stripping down and jumping into the shower, laughing aloud at the procedures Myles had offered.

•••

Brian finished making his telephone calls and with a huge sigh, fell back on his couch and gazed silently at the ceiling. Peter sounded elated; with Moira on board, everyone was primed for the next shareholder's meeting. He sat up and shook the beer can on the table beside the couch, hearing just enough for one small sip, which he took greedily. Myles would be at bat by now and all that remained then was the signing of the forms and they would be ready to take control of WesCat Alliance.

He went to the kitchen and took another beer from the fridge, popping the tab and taking a long swallow. It had been interesting manipulating Moira. Barton should have paid more attention to his wife; he would be sorry to learn that she still had plenty to offer. Unfortunately, he would have to pass up that opportunity as well once the vote was taken; control of WesCat's money offered so much more. Brian drained the rest of the beer, burped loudly and wandered down to his bathroom, humming Sinatra's, 'My Way', the piece that they had danced to at the cocktail rally.

•••

Peter rolled over and tugged the sheet up over his chest, flipping it up to get a waft of air across his sweating body. As he did he caught a brief glimpse of his companion's full bottom, bent toward him. With the sheet disturbed, she rolled over and smiled sleepily, leaving one dumpling breast draped over the crook of her arm.

"Penny for your thoughts, Peter."

He turned his head and took in the corn silk hair splashed on the pillow and the professionally made up face watching back through heavy lidded eyes. "Cheap at twice the price." He muttered.

"What is, baby?" She placed an exquisitely manicured hand on his shoulder.

"A penny. It's cheap at twice the price for what I was thinking."

"And that was?" She snuggled closer, her hand slipping down his chest and onto his stomach.

"How I could get you to service me while I make some phone calls." His grinned nastily at the look on her face as she yanked her hand back and swung out of the bed.

"You're a bastard sometimes, Peter."

He watched her stalk off to the bathroom as he picked up his phone and dialed a number. She was becoming stale, he thought, as he waited through the rings. Time to move old Gail on and bring in some fresh talent to pass the time.

"Yes?"

"It's me. Just called to see if everything is still going smoothly."

"I think so. It's almost too easy sometimes."

"Don't get cocky." The remark came as a reprimand and Peter turned his back on the shower sounds coming from the bathroom.

"I'm saving myself for you."

"I'm sure. Things should begin to move a little faster now, you had better get your ducks in a row... your business ducks, Peter."

"I'm ready. Brian called and said Moira agreed to vote with him. Myles is walking around with pink cheeks and a goofy smile, which tells me that your husband might be doing more than just consulting and I think Moira is more than ready to drop Brian in the soup. All I had to do was continue to convince her that he was only after her shares and make up a few nasty comments that I attributed to him; it was easy, just you wait and see. She and Myles have become thick as thieves. I also left her with the impression that I was there for her."

"I can just imagine. Try and restrain your libido during business, will you?"

"I guess I'll have to." The connection clicked off and he lay back, slowly closing the cover on his phone.

"Gail!" He shouted over the noise of the shower. "C'mere a minute, I want your opinion on something." He pushed the sheet down with his feet and wriggled over to the middle of the bed, arms and legs spread wide.