Caught In Deception

Lucid Dream~ II The Way We Met

For the next couple of nights, Shayla continued to fall to sleep after getting home from work, looking forward to where her dreams were going to take her each night.

~~~~~~

Price Inc Ceo Gary Price makes a last-minute call.  "Hunt the company is hosting a charity gala at a renowned restaurant downtown called Trendy's, and unfortunately, I can't make it tonight. Besides, you know I'd rather work and send a donation and skip the dinner portion. I'm wealthy, but hanging out with rich people is not my style. Besides, I've ripped most of the businesses that will be there to shreds, and most view me as their rival.  But this sort of thing is right up your alley Hunt. I know how much you love mingling with the rich, and actually, many of my colleagues seem to enjoy your company too."

"Well, Gary, you do have the reputation of being the ax, man, and I don't," Holland tells his boss, going on to say to him. 

"But one day, I will be rich. Besides, most of them already think we are partners. And they see me as the likable one of the partnership because I'm always treating them to drinks and being the reasonable one."  Holland Hunter tells his boss as they laugh together.

"Interesting, and therefore you'll never become rich treating people. Hunt rich people are tight-fisted. Man, you got to learn to smile less and hold onto some of your money.  Here, take the company credit card and buy you a classy suit to represent me correctly. Also, take the company car, don't scratch it."

Holland Hunter gladly volunteers to attend a gala at Trendy in his boss's place in all eagerness.

'Make this amount in donations and enjoy yourself tonight.' 

"Wow!" Holland said, looking at the money just transferred into the company's secondary business bank account 

~~~~~~~ 

Shayla's dream now takes her to the scene of when she met Holland Hunter that night.

Tonight, Trendy's is catering a Charity gala for an International Finance Businesses CEO. Shayla is scheduled to work at the function. Along with two other waiters and waitresses. Everyone was told to look their best and be exceptionally professional to these clients. That was easy for Shayla to do. It was her nature to be friendly and respectful to all people. It was the way she was raised. Shayla has worked hard most of her life, but that didn't stop her from having an outgoing, friendly disposition and being kind to others. That's why waitressing jobs have always been easy for her to attain. Shayla has never fallen short in the tip department either.

When the evening for the gala arrived, Shayla stepped inside the room to see where her section would be in the large hall. The room was beautifully decorated, and everything looked very sophisticated. Checking her uniform and hair once more, only seconds before the guest began to arrive. Shayla took a deep breath as she stood at her post.

The room filled up with attractive women and equally handsome men that came pouring through the doors. After the speeches were given and acknowledgments were delivered by one of the CEO of a company. Then, the guest was instructed to take their seats. Dinner was to be served shortly.  The people full of spirit, mingling with one another, selected their tables. Before taking their seat, they went over to the open bar, engaging one another in conversation. Soon, all the tables had two or more people seated at them.

Shayla looks at her Ipad to double-check the section on the chart. She's been assigned to the left side of the room. Shayla worked her way from the front end of the room to the back, greeting, smiling, and taking orders.

That's when she glanced up, and he caught her attention.  Immediately she sees this handsome face, thick black hair perfectly styled with a sharp lining. Her eyes moved lower—his flashy designer watch, tailored suit all scream CEO.

'Hmm, quite nice, if I do say so myself.'

Her eyes moved even lower. Looking at Holland's unbuttoned suitcoat noticing his narrow waistline and long legs, he's tall. She smirked to herself, running her tongue across her bottom lip.

"Lord, he's hot enough to melt this chocolate," Shayla mumbled under her breath.

He gives a whole new meaning to "eye candy." Shayla snickered inwardly, thinking of what she had spouted with such bravado not too long ago in the hair salon. 

The man that had caught her undivided attention was Alwin Holland Hunter of another culture. He took his seat at the last table in her section, which left him sitting alone.  A large pair of soulful brown eyes had his attention. A beautiful young lady was standing two tables right before his table, taking an order. Holland watched the girl intently.

The way she smiled and the graceful movement of her full lips struck him hard in the recesses of his chest. The young lady was different from his usual type. Who was usually fair skin and rich? She was, by all accounts, at the base of his male receptors at the moment, challenging his brain to give him a vocabulary so he could speak.  

It was Holland's first time at Trendy. 'So this is the place mega-rich people hang out.' He thought.

 But his attention was on the waitress at the moment. All he could think was how he would love to share a meal and a bottle of wine with the waitress in this fine establishment. 

"Who is she?" He asked himself. 

"Good evening Sir. Welcome to Trendy. May I take your order?" Shayla says, looking at his well-manicured nails, his skin, baby-soft. It's a man accustomed to luxury. Money. Power.

It was nothing special she said to him, but it was the sound of her voice—soft, subjective, with a hint of sultriness. Holland's future flashed before his eyes, and he could see himself doing things he never imagined. Like living a champagne life with an exotic beauty like her by his side.  But, he wondered, 'Is this what it feels like to experience what they call the, 'one or Love at first sight?' 

Holland replied to the young lady's question with an unusual question. 

"Do you like steak?" 

"Um, yes, we have a Tomahawk steak that is perfect with red peppers and caramelized onions?" 

"I'll have that when you get off from work tonight." 

Shayla blushed, "You're going to be starving if you don't eat something now. I don't get off until midnight. Which is approximately four hours and a half from now." She said, looking at her watch.

"Perfect," he said. 

His penetrating gaze rested on Shayla's beautiful face. Holland's stomach was growling like a lion.  But his heart was like a lion who had found its prey. The excitement over finding this beauty had taken precedence over everything else. 

"I can wait for you and that steak, all night if I have to," Holland replied.

Shayla stood there somewhat stunned because he was serious, but she remained professional through all his flirtation.

"Uhmm...maybe you should have an appetizer. We have king crab and shrimp cocktail with a bowl of warm Sunchoke soup."

Shayla said to the handsome young man that had her heart beating erratically as she fought to remain calm. 

"At twelve, I'll have the Tomahawk steak for two, medium well, with the red peppers and caramelized onions, along with the heirloom apple salad, the Tuscan black kale with polenta, and a side of you. Oh, please bring us a bottle of Domaine La Tour Vieille, Vin Doux Naturel, Banyuls to accompany the meal." 

Holland ordered it all without looking at the menu. Eyes fixed on Shayla. She couldn't deny that it was sexy and impressive, but there is one problem.

"Sir, at twelve, the restaurant will be closing and won't be serving any meals at that hour."

"Yes, that is a problem." Holland lifted his dreamy eyes, giving her his full attention.  

"My dear lady, I need to speak to your manager because if I can't have dinner with you tonight, that is a serious problem." 

Shayla was floored as she stood there, lost for words and specific actions. She was flattered, yes. But at the same time, all Shayla could think to herself. 

'This man must be used to airheaded women who fell at his feet. She knew the wine, and the food he just ordered was nearly worth $300.00 a plate.'

"Sir, thank you for the offer, but I'm going to have to pass. So, I will not bring my manager to speak to you about having dinner with me. Now would you like to order that steak or something else?" She said, smiling.

Holland sighed, closing his eyelids slowly, allowing the dark, almost unnaturally long lashes to sweep under his eyes as thick fingers rubbed his lids. Then, slowly, he opened his dark slanted eyes, giving her a smoldering look,  as if he was in the process of removing her panties.

Shayla's hands eased into her apron's front pockets as she observed the look in his eyes.  In less than a minute or two of sitting and not saying a word or responding to the first move in his game of chess, she had bet she summed him up.

"I was hoping we could enjoy a meal together at least before you outright rejected me."

He picked up his glass of wine, swirling the contents. Holland held the glass up, looking for sediment in the crystal, then sniffing and sipping. The wine coated his tongue with the most delightful hints of fruits and Moka. 

"Could you please pour me another glass, and can you bring me a blue cheese board to go with this second glass of wine? There's nothing more delectable to the palate than cheese and wine." 

Shayla poured the second glass of wine as his deep voice penetrated her soul, making her hand slightly tremble. She could feel his eyes gliding up her bare arm making the fine hairs stand at attention. That stimulated Holland even more, seeing her body tense. He wanted to know more about this girl and discover what other body parts he was making tremble. 

"Sir, will that be all?" 

"Yes,"

"You enjoy your wine, and I'll be returning with your board of blue cheese." 

Shayla left the table, sensing the man's eyes gazing hard at her backside and the shape of her body. The walk to the kitchen seemed like forever. Shayla didn't want to smile, but she couldn't help herself. 

'He's good. Real good. '

It was almost magical when she felt his fingers sliding over her skin. Shayla couldn't believe the exquisite torture wringing spasms of heat, cold, and pleasure from her dormant body. Her shuttered lids flew up, and Shayla recognized the repressed passion in Holland's startling, dark eyes.

 The dream had ended, leaving her panting for more.