"Terra Hawkins to see you, my lord," Ashan announced as he opened the door and entered Tamerlane's office.
Tamerlane looked up from the flexi in his hand. He was standing by the head of the conference table quickly reviewing the documents for the next meeting.
"The Carnige group has granted Terra Hawkins a small portion of their scheduled time," Ashan informed Tamerlane. Tamerlane looked at Ashan questioning. Ashan waited by the door, uncertain of how Tamerlane would react to the slight alteration in his schedule.
"The Carnige group took it upon themselves to alter my schedule?" Tamerlane dropped the flexi back on the table with his materials for the meeting. There was precious little down time between his meetings to relax. The busier his life became the more he relished the little moments of quiet solitude. "Which Carnige authorized the granting a portion of their time to Ms Hawkins?"
"Only two minutes were allocated to Ms Hawkins. Although I was assured it was a group decision, Bartholomew Carnige spoke with me personally," Ashan informed Tamerlane.
"Very well," Tamerlane moved around to the side of the table and perched himself on the conference room table. He was uncertain how Terra had managed to get the Carnige group to give her time. However, he was fairly certain she was there to chastise him for his comments to her brother and Alexandra during dinner. He could tell by her demeanor that his words had been offensive to her. Not to mention, Terra was very protective and defensive of her brother and now apparently Alexandra as well. "Show Ms Hawkins in."
"As you wish, my lord," Ashan bowed slightly before opening the door.
"And Ashan," Tamerlane's voice stopped the older man from leaving.
"Yes, sire?" Ashan pushed the door closed again without the lock engaging.
"Insure Ms Hawkins and I remain undisturbed," Tamerlane informed Ashan.
"As you wish, sire," Ashan bowed slightly before opening the door. He gestured for Terra to enter before disappearing out the door and closing it behind him.
Terra's gaze moved quickly around the room before finding Tamerlane. Her focus set on him and she quickly made her way towards the conference table.
"How did you get the Carnige family to give you any part of their meeting time?" Tamerlane asked as Terra crossed the room towards him.
"I was telling Bart I had been waiting for two hours to get two minutes," Terra replied as she stopped at the far end of the table. "He offered to help me out if I go out with him tonight after his meeting concludes then once this weekend. I have to allow him to escort me to a palace event. Voila … here I am."
"The Carnige family relinquished a portion of their meeting time so Bartholomew Carnige could get a date?" Tamerlane shook his head incredulously.
"Bart negotiated for two dates. Dessert and drinks tonight. Drinks, dinner, dessert and dancing this weekend. It is worth it to get two minutes with you," Terra looked toward the chronometer. "Now stop asking questions … you are wasting my time."
"I decide how my time is allocated for meetings … not you or Bartholomew Carnige," Tamerlane shook his head as he glanced toward the chronometer. It was getting later in the evening. After the Carniges', he was done with scheduled meetings.
"I know you are probably pissed that someone altered your precious schedule," Terra shrugged slightly as she picked up on of the flexis on the table then tossed it back down without looking at the contents. "After two hours, it appeared that there was no way I was getting in tonight. I saw the chance …"
"Two minutes is not a great deal of time. The Carnige meeting is the last one on my schedule for the night. If you had been patient, you would have had all the time you desired. And you would not be required to … date … Bartolomew Carnige." Tamerlane cut her off when she started to defend her actions.
"Jealous?" Terra raised her eyebrows with a slight smile on her lips.
"Of Bart?" Tamerlane shook his head with a slightly exasperated sigh. His eyes moved over Terra slowly as she made her way along the table towards him. She was dressed in the same shorter halter style dress from dinner and sandals. "You often ask that question. Would you like me to be jealous of an inferior Human male like Bartolomew Carnige?"
"Maybe," Terra replied as moved toward him as he sat there on his desk. Her relationship with Tamerlane Anasazi made no sense to her over the years. She had always been physically attracted to him. However, she knew there was more to it that mere physical attraction. Or at least on her part, it was. She was not certain if it was more than just a game to Tamerlane or not. Many times, she thought there might be something there. At other times, she just didn't know.
"I can guarantee there is nothing in this universe Bartolomew Carnige has that would lead me to be jealous in any fashion," Tamerlane shook his head as his eyes took in the soft sway of her hips as she walked.
"Nothing?" Terra tone was lightly taunting as she stopped a step from him. She smirked ever so slightly before continuing. "He has a date with me this evening."
"Why would that make me jealous?" Tamerlane raised his eyebrow with an amused expression on his face.
The smirk slipped from her lips and Tamerlane saw an instant of disappointment flash over her face.
"My two minutes are up. I should let you get back to your scheduled meeting with the Carnige's," Terra felt a little deflated by his response. She started to turn from him but was surprised when Tamerlane's hand caught hers. He tugged her gently to get her to move back towards him. When he could, his hand slipped to her hip and guided her into the V created by his thighs as he sat on the edge of the conference table.
"After going to such great lengths to get into my office," Tamerlane's other hand slipped to her other hip and tugged her even closer to him. His eyes moved slowly over her face when she looked at him. "You can at least tell me what was so important that you would promise your company to the likes of Bartolomew Carnige for at least three evenings."
"It was nothing really," Terra shook her head slightly as her eyes moved over Tamerlane's. She could see the faint amusement in them.
"You waited in the reception area for nearly two hours," Tamerlane voice lowered considerably as he leaned towards her. A wave on anticipation ran through her as he nuzzled her cheek. His lips were light along her jawline and his breath warm against her skin as he spoke. "I am certain it was not 'nothing' that brought you here tonight."
"I … ummm …" Terra began uncertainly as his closeness created a surge of desire in her. Her hand slipped up to cup his jaw as he moved away from her. His gaze met hers as her fingertips caressed his jawline.
"You … ummm …" Tamerlane murmured as his lips brushed ever so slightly against hers. Terra took a deep calming breath as his lips teased her lightly. The barest whisper of his lips over hers sent a flutter through her body as her eyes held his.
"Never known you to be at a loss for words," Tamerlane's voice was soft and taunting in a way as his lips brushed over hers again. One hand left her hips and slipped up along her neck while his thumb caressed her jaw.
"Never known you to be … uncertain … timid … in your actions," Tamerlane's lips toyed with hers slowly.
"Why are you here Terra?" Tamerlane asked softly. When she failed to answer, he kissed her top lip then pulled her lower lip between his before his mouth moved lightly over hers. Terra eyes fluttered closed as her lips responded and she became swept up in the slow, thorough kiss.
Her mouth moved eagerly over his. Her tongue parted his lips and delved inside. Their tongues twisted and twirled as waves of desire coursed through them both.
Her mouth left his and pressed feverish kisses along his jaw to his neck. Her lips and tongue caressed the length of his neck until she found the most sensitive spot at the base of his neck. His fingers tangled in her short hair as he cupped her head while her lips sent the most exquisite jolts of desire through his body.
Her hands made quick work of the fasteners on his vest. She pushed the suede open as she suckled the base of his throat a little harder until a low groan of desire slipped from his throat. Firm hands ran over his chest before taunting fingertips teased his erect nipples.
He pulled her mouth from his neck. A hot thrill ran through Terra when she gazed into his desire filled eyes. His mouth descended on hers, kissing her hungrily. His tongue plunged between her lips, meeting her eager one.
Tamerlane groaned softly when she pulled her mouth from his. Her hands on his bare chest pushed him away slightly. He took a deep calming breath as his eyes opened to meet hers.
"Too bad our union is pointless," Terra breathed heavily as she gazed into his eyes.
She smirked slightly as she started to pushed herself from his embrace. Strong hands on her hips kept her from slipping from between his knees.
Terra's eyes moved back up to Tamerlane and was a little surprised by the openness she found in his warm golden brown eyes.
"Pointless? Fortunately for you, I have a meeting then you have a date with Bartolomew Carnige this evening," Tamerlane murmured as his hand ran slowly over her hips and he tugged her to him. He leaned and kissed her slowly as his gaze held hers. "Or I would spend the remainder of the night … demonstrating to you … just how wrong you are."
"No little Anasazi babies will result from our union," Terra murmured as his lips teased hers. "Therefore, it is pointless."
"I have six Nietzschean wives who will produce all the children I need," Tamerlane's eyes moved over her face. His hand cupped her jaw as his thumb moved over her chin. "I do not need that from you."
Terra's eyes widened slightly and her heart hammered in her chest as she gazed into his eyes.
"What I acquire from you is unique," Tamerlane's voice was soft as he spoke. Terra could hear his underlying perplexity in his words. He leaned and pressed him lips against hers before pushing her gently from between his thighs. He pushed himself to a standing position before fastening his vest. Terra looked up at him slowly and found the open warmth in his eyes had disappeared.
"Unfortunately, it appears that you have used more than your allotted Carnige two minutes," Tamerlane glanced at the chronometer before moving back to the head of the conference table. "I do hope you can keep our dealings confidential while still explaining your extended use of their time."
"Their time? What do you mean?" Terra looked from Tamerlane to the chronometer then back to Tamerlane.
"The Carniges' only have fifteen minutes of their time remaining," Tamerlane tilted his head ever so slightly before smiling at her. "I do hope Bartolomew and his family are not displeased by your overuse of their time allotment."
"You're only giving them fifteen minutes?" Terra crossed her arms over her chest as she walked over to him.
"Bartolomew and the Carniges' never should have granted you a moment of their time," Tamerlane shook his head slowly. "Therefore, I will only grant them an audience for the remainder of their originally scheduled time."
"You know, I am probably going to have to sleep with Bart tonight to smooth that over, don't you?" Terra raised her eyebrows questioningly. Her eyes studied Tamerlane closely to gauge his reaction to her words.
"If you feel it necessary to appease Bartolomew Carnige in that manner," Tamerlane replied in a flat tone as he glanced at the chronometer. "Twelve minutes remaining."
Terra moved closer to him and ran her hand slowly up his chest. Her eyes moved over his slowly before a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
"Give them twenty and I'll wait in the reception area until you're done," Terra offered as she stood on tiptoe and kissed him lightly. "Then we can discuss just what you get out of having me around."
"Eleven minutes," Tamerlane replied with shake of his head.
"Tamerlane," Terra sighed deeply as she looked at the chronometer. "It's not going to kill you to give them a little extra …"
"Good Night Terra," Tamerlane replied as he pulled out his chair and took a seat. He picked up a flexi, dismissing her in a fashion.
"You're such as ass sometimes," Terra snapped irritably when he wouldn't discuss it further. Terra turned and hurried toward the door muttering about him being a power hungry, control freak, obsessive compulsive a-hole. She pulled the door open and was greeted by the irate faces of a group of Carnige men standing just outside the door.
Tamerlane smiled to himself when he heard the uproar in the reception area when Terra failed to pull the door shut behind her. The sound of Bartolomew's angry voice and that of one of his uncles cause Tamerlane to bristle slightly. Terra's calm but hurried attempt at an explanation was met with angry responses. A moment later, Ashan stepped inside to announce the Carnige group.