That evening, while Annie was getting ready she was looking at herself in the mirror applying the right about of eye makeup, smoldering smoky gray eyes and soft natural shade of lipstick. Under play her beautiful lips as they are the first features one notices and with men their eyes tend to move downward never seeing her eyes. She stopped to reflect on the afternoon spent with Eyal. A carefree time, the hours were fascinating as they shopped for her evening dress and the visit to the jeweler (one of Eyal's many contacts) was amusing. Eyal in his best form as they picked out the wedding rings. After banter between them over the size of the diamond it was the wise jeweler to make the decision. A simple three carte emerald cut diamond and plain wedding band in white gold. A necklace would draw attention to Annie's face so no necklace but a beautiful diamond bracelet. She had to blend in as a diamond broker's wife but not be overpowering and oblivious, for fear her true identity was discovered as Annie Walker - she being already a marked woman for death.
She was beginning to feel an ever so tiny spark of happiness again being with Eyal, the only carry over from her previous life. This woman was not meant to be a loner and she wondered how Eyal handled the long periods of solitude. She gave a final touch to her hair, soft dark curls framing her face flowing over her shoulders. Another small touch of camouflaging her face without being obvious.
Eyal was standing in the bedroom looking at himself in the mirror thinking how pleasant being with Annie again, much like old times and many different safe houses. His thoughts were interrupted with Annie's voice.
"Eyal, will you help with this zipper." Annie was walking toward him, trying to hold the front of her dress and reaching for the back. "It's a back zipper."
Smiling as Eyal obliged, trying not to tickle her as he zipped up the dress, "Normally I would be pulling the zipper in the other direction."
She didn't answer, just poked him in the side and went about finishing dressing with delicate diamond drop earrings and nude evening heel sandals. Picking up her clutch, turned to Eyal for his approval. Annie was wearing an evening gown that couldn't be any more alluring, especially the stunning embroidered teal green strapless dress with beaded patterns to liven up the lace bodice over nude material and graceful flowing double layer chiffon floor length skirt. The dress was both captivating and elegant.
"Neshema you are absolutely exquisite. All my fantasies come true."
"You do know how to flatter a woman, didn't know you had fantasies and thank you." Annie giving him the once over, "Not bad yourself Mr. Lavin... Uh Mr. Cohen right down handsome."
A black Bentley Continental arrived for Eyal and Annie driven by a Mossad asset, Levi. "Good evening sir and madam you are looking lovely this evening."
Must be a trait of Mossad agents, totally charming Annie mused. Eyal was handed a guest list of the people invited to the night's gala. Reading over the list, he smile, "We are in some fine company tonight, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie will be there. Hey some name dropping, Pippa Middleton and on the French side, Nicolas Sarkozy and his beautiful wife Carla Bruni. Looks like the upper-crust, beautiful women and the very wealthy."
"You were checking out the beautiful women."
"Nothing wrong with that. Oh yes, here he go, one Joseph Neilson and our target." Eyal still reading the long list of guest, "Good we have a contact also."
"Who?"
"A not too scrupulous precious gems broker, Dolph Branstrom a Swedish jeweler with offices in New York, Amsterdam, London, Paris and Tel Aviv. He will know me as Eyal Cohen." Looking at Annie, "And maybe our introduction to Prewitt Laroche."
The Bibliothecaires Sans Frontieres Charity holds annual galas to raise awareness for the need of education for at risk children and provides books with support for libraries mostly in the French-speaking developing world. The gala was a lavish affair with the who's who of the wealthy class, all wanting to be seen for their contribution to charities. A slew of photographers lined the red carpet as guest arrived, flashing camera and shouting for different celebrities to stop for pictures. The not so important people or the ones that didn't wish to be photographed were given the option of a side entrance, the one Eyal and Annie elected to take.
The ball room beautifully decorated with soft cream and pink fresh flowers and candle light, the French flair for romance. An array of top-notch restaurants where present with wonderful hors d oeuvres and appetizers. The finest French wine flowing freely and the sweetness of exceptional French pastries. In a separate room there on display were items donated for the silent auction, Eyal and Annie with glasses of wine begin to inspect the vastness of contributed pieces.
Eyal looking at a weeklong holiday in the French Antilles on Martinique. He placed a bid as Annie watched, "Are you hoping to win it."
"Of course, Mrs. Cohen needs a long vacation." Eyal with a devilish smile when he noticed someone enter the room. Putting his arm around her waist and drawing Annie closer to him a slightly turning her back to the new arrival. "Joseph Neilson just came in." He whispered so softly in her ear.
Annie knew she had to keep her face from view and both walked farther down the line of auction items only stopping at a safe distance from Neilson. Eyal inspecting an oil painting he seems to recognize, looking at it carefully and check whom the donor might be - anonymous. Moving on to other pieces, taking their time but keeping a safe distance from Joseph Neilson. Eyal placed one more bid, on a silver inlaid curved Arabian saber, donor - Prewitt Laroche.
Once back in the ball room and finding their reserved table, Eyal spoke to Annie, "There is an oil painting on auction that was used five years ago in a ransom payoff for three kidnapped Israeli military intelligence officers. The donor was listed as anonymous, wonder if we can find out who that might be."
"Hard but let's see who bids on the picture. I saw you bided on an Arabian saber."
"I wouldn't mind having it in my collection and the donor on that piece is... Guess who."
"Prewitt Laroche." Annie looking around the room to see if she could spot him. "I noticed Neilson had a very young woman by his side."
Eyal with a tilt of his head, "A purchased escort I would think. Couldn't be more than eighteen or twenty. More wine Shayna?"
"Yiddish for beautiful. Thank you I would love some more, wine and compliments."
"Well done, you learning quickly and for the praise, I shall shower you with them." He kisses her on the side of her cheek as he stood to fetch more wine and some hors-d-oeuvres.
When he returned to the table, Eyal had a couple with him and all smiles. "Nicole I want you to meet Dolph Branstrom and his wife Carina." Eyal putting his hand on Annie's shoulder, "And this is my love, Nicole."
"A pleasure to meet you but Eyal I'm so surprised. We were sure you were a confirmed bachelor." Carina smiling and then directing her comments to Annie, "I have tried for years to hook him up with one of my friends."
"What can I say, she walked into my life and wrenched my heart away." Eyal sitting next to Annie with his arm around her shoulder. "Please join us for a glass of wine and catch up on events."
Dolph Branstrom was a nice looking man in his late fifties and his wife a natural beauty at one time show signs for a few face lifts and alterations. She wore a bright red lace evening gown with diamonds and rubies jewelry, a bit over kill. Carina seems to be the talker and she made it her business to find out all she could about Eyal's new wife.
"So how long have you been married?"
Annie making mental notes to the answers so she could pass on the information to Eyal. "We've only been married for a couple of months, newlyweds."
"Are you from Israel also?"
"No, I'm French but have relatives living in Tel Aviv. That's where we met." Annie was in hopes they could move on to another line of chitchat, "What an exquisite gown."
"Oh thank you, it is a Christian Lacroix. I do love his work. I come to Paris for fashion week and love every minute. How about you?"
"No, sorry, I'm more to browsing the museums and dealing in art work. I try a help young artisans have shows and give their career a start."
"An art dealer, how interesting. Dolph, Nicole is an art dealer." Wonderful opening and with that the conversation turned to art and diamonds, perfect for Eyal in for an introduction to their target. The evening starting to slip away and soon it was time to announce the winners of the silent auction.
"Sorry Shayna I didn't win our Caribbean vacation." Eyal once more showing the affection of a newlywed.
As the announcements wore on, Dolph won a private fitting for a complete new outfit from the house of Yves Saint Laurent for Carina and a dinner for two at Au Boeuf Couronne. The ransom oil painting went to a man by the name of Kyril Davy, but absent from the gala, had a representative retrieve the painting. The Arabian saber went to bidder number 278 - Eyal Cohen.
"Fantastic, a magnificent piece of art work." Eyal showing joy over winning his bid.
Next on the agenda was a minuscule fashion show put on by Dior and half of the purchase proceeds to go the charity. Annie and Eyal watched, although Annie was very chic in her choice of style, she was also very thrifty, waiting only for sales - something she was so missing, her hours of browsing boutiques for great buys. Next was a dance band - the rich and famous liked to party all night and into the early morning hours.
Eyal and Annie dancing was pure magic to watch, they move with grace as if they had been partners for a long time. While on the dance floor, "Have you seen Prewitt Laroche?"
"He is seated at my left about mid-way back with several other people. I don't see Neilson with him and haven't seen him since the silent auction." Eyal turning Annie so she could see their target.
"How are you planning on meeting him?"
"It is customary for the donor to thank the bid winner for buying the item. I'll just waiting for him to approach and hopefully sitting with Branstrom will speed it along." The song finished and they walked back to their table.
"You look wonderful out on the floor. I've been after Dolph to take dancing lessons for years."
"You can thank my mother, I had no choice when I was a boy but I've enjoyed it as an adult." Eyal noticing Laroche receiving a note and standing with a woman also standing with him.
"Monsieur Cohen?" Laroche had walked over the table and was all smiles.
Eyal standing and extending his hand, "Eyal Cohen."
"I'm Prewitt Laroche and this is my wife Josette. Your purchase of the Arabian saber pleased me, it was my donation to this cause."
"Thank you, please have a seat as I would love to hear the history of the saber." Eyal holding a chair for Josette to be seated. "Let me introduce you to my wife Nicole and our friends..."
"We are already acquainted with Dolph and Carina." Prewitt taking the last empty chair. "I don't know much about the saber, I brought in on a trip to the Middle East several years back. The workmanship is beautiful but the wife here didn't appreciate it being a weapon."
The three couples now having switch from wine to drinking mixed drinks, dance and chatted well into the night. Eyal being a master at conversation was engaging and the others enjoyed his wit. All the information about Eyal business as a diamond broker was smoothly given to Laroche with the added bonus of Mrs. Cohen being an art dealer. The mission was set into motion. Saying their goodnights, both couples left Eyal and Annie alone.
"That was easy." Eyal guiding Annie to the dance floor, "Time for us to enjoy the rest of the evening." She stepped closed into his arms as they dance, he could smell the subtle fragrance of the delicate expensive perfume she was wearing and he was savoring each moment.
The party was still going strong when they decided to call it a night or early morning, it was going on three o'clock. Eyal walking Annie into the lobby of their hotel and while standing at the elevator, she looked at him, touched his face gently, "I saw some Colombian coffee on sale and we have a coffee pot in the room, you want to join me for a great cup of coffee?"
"Love to." Eyal walked over to the guest convenience stand and purchased a bag or fresh ground coffee.
In their room, Eyal found a chair and sat, watching Annie busying herself with brewing a pot of rich Colombian coffee. Once she had it going, Annie found her robe and headed to the bathroom, "I need to get out of this very uncomfortable dress - something more relaxing."
"I available to help if you need me." Eyal raising his eyebrows and his playful smirk.
"Think I can manage this on my own." She disappearing into the bathroom.
Eyal thinking he needed to stop the flirting and be a gentleman but watching Annie it was hard. The images of their honey trap romp in Washington came dancing back in his mind. She had known all the right buttons to push and he his suppressed feelings for Annie were starting to emerge. Soon the bathroom door open and Annie walked over to the coffee pot. She was wearing a floor length silk Japanese Kimono style robe in shades of yellow, stunning offset to her dark brown hair. Annie being a lady of grace and refinement with Eyal taking careful note, he sighed with delight in watching her.
Eyal slipped off his jacket and undid his bow tie and followed Annie to where the coffee pot was quietly perking away. The smell of Colombian coffee filled the room and bringing back visions of his brief time in South American, some wonderful memories.
"You ever been to Colombia?" Eyal making safe conversation, nothing with seductive suggestions.
"Yeah, last year chasing down a lead from Henry Wilcox about Arthur Campbell's son. Not pretty at all."
"I heard about Campbell's son and being killed by Wilcox's people. You really did get tired up a mess."
"I don't want to talk about it... You don't look very comfortable." Annie unbuttoning his cut-away waistcoat and was now fumbling with the buttons on his shirt.
He looked down and saw her eyes gazing at him as she reached to unbutton another button on his shirt. Eyal putting the coffee pot down, gently ran his hand up her side and then around her back pulling Annie closed to him. Holding the side of her face with his other hand he softly kissed her, becoming more intense. His manly wish was rising and there was no turning back but he had to force himself - the time was all wrong. Gently he pushed her away, and holding her face in his hands, "We should wait Neshema. You don't know how hard it is for me to turn away but timing is not now."
"I'm sorry Eyal, I don't know what I was thinking."
"Whatever you were thinking don't lose it because one day I'll make those advances and want you to come freely to me. I have many feelings for you on many levels of friendship and when the time is right to move forward we'll both know it."
All Annie could do was to hug Eyal, not wanting to let him go. She too had those feelings but couldn't get the words to come out. He was so right, timing was some point in the future and wanting to make that journey with him but there was Auggie still a hang-up in her life and she had to deal with that somehow. She poured herself another cup of coffee and stood watching Eyal as he sat on the edge of the bed removing his shoes and socks, standing unhooking the suspenders and sliding his tux trousers down and lastly pulling off his shirt. What a beautiful specimen of a man.
Eyal now only in his boxers turn down the bed and noticed Annie hadn't move, still standing there holding her coffee cup, maybe afraid of coming to bed with him. He walked over to her, taking the cup from her hand and gently untying the slash around her robe and sliding it over her shoulders. To his surprise she was not wearing her cover all pajamas but a beautiful yellow silk and lace teddy.
"You had planned this didn't you? This beautiful silky thing for me." Eyal's hands gliding over her side and around her waist.
"I think so. I'm sorry to have been so presumptuous."
"Not at all my dear Annie, I'm exceedingly flattered. You look beautiful but to me you would be gorgeous even wearing a flour sack." He holding her close, "Come to bed with me and let me hold you in my arms, to feel your body next to mine. Yakiri (darling) our time will come. Ani mavti'akh (I promise).