After a nice two hour fifteen minute meal it was apparent that John should not be driving them back to the hotel, so I offered to drive and Uber back to the restaurant. There were some “You don’t have to” exclamations but I insisted. Their SUV had three rows and I was pleased that Natalie sat in front with me. When I dropped them off and valeted their vehicle and gave John the chit I told them that I’d bring Monica and Linda to the studio with me at 9:30 the next morning. I got a hand squeeze and sincere “Thank you” from Natalie.
Guess what I was thinking when I masturbated that night?
***********
When I arrived at the studio with Monica and Linda the next morning, Natalie had a pants suit on. When I raised my eyebrows at her she playfully punched me in the arm and where no one else could hear muttered “I’m not giving you any free thigh flashes, bozo; you paid for them yesterday with your elaborate testimony but today I don’t need you.”
“Evil woman,” I muttered back with a big smile on my face.
By the time that the interview started Linda was on board because she thought that it would be a great dry run for Monica if she had to testify. The first half went as planned except that Natalie seemed to be a little bit startled by the fact that Monica was obviously pregnant — just starting her third trimester she testified to — and extremely good looking since that wasn’t information she had previously known. I saw Natalie give me a dirty look for not mentioning either the pregnancy or Monica’s attractiveness. I just grinned as she mouthed “bastard.”
When we broke for lunch Linda, Monica and I went our way, and the Villainy Link crew was on its own; we met back at the studio ninety minutes later.
There were some questions in the second half of the interview that Linda would not let Monica answer, but they were few and far between. I thought that Monica did a good job of explaining away all of the evidence the prosecutor was likely to use if Monica ever took the stand, and Natalie did a good job of questioning her — almost like the prosecutor would.
Again we broke shortly before 4:00 p. m. Linda and Monica hustled off because Linda wanted to have dinner with Monica and post mortem the interview and go over some other trial preparation even though it was twenty seven days off.
I asked the crew what they were doing. Beth said “Well the crew and I should have terminated things earlier. We need to get back tonight if we can because we all have plans for tomorrow, and it’s going to be tight getting to the plane.”
“What about Natalie?” I asked.
“She’s staying overnight and then flying to see her family on vacation; I think that her flight is early Sunday afternoon,” Beth replied.
“Do you need help with the equipment, getting it ready for travel?” I inquired.
“You don’t have to…” Beth started saying but then John piped up “We sure could use the help, Beth.”
“Yeah, Beth, let him help,” Natalie chimed in. “He’s big and dumb as a man can come so as long as John instructs him he can help out.”
With that I grabbed Natalie and turned her upside down and playfully said “Take it back, Natalie or I’ll march you like this around the entire studio.”
I thought that the crew would fall over they were laughing so hard. After some repartee between Natalie and me she finally said “OK; I take it back.”
I turned her right-side up and put her on her feet. Her face was flushed but she had a smile on it. “You’re kind of an animal, aren’t you,” she snickered, moving behind Beth for protection.
“What’s with this ‘kind of’ shit?” I laughed.
“Get back to work you clowns,” Beth laughed.
I really did help them; I could carry twice as much as the rest of the crew members, and we had the SUV loaded and everyone ready to drive to the airport within thirty minutes.
As the others left, Natalie and I waved goodbye. Once they were around the corner I turned to Natalie and said “If I promise not to turn you upside down again no matter how you insult me will you let me treat you to dinner?”
I was surprised by her quick “OK; but I need to get to bed by 11 p. m. since I’m travelling by plane tomorrow to meet my family.”
“No problem,” I replied.
I made reservations at a restaurant that I knew had glass table tops — hoping that she wouldn’t be wearing a pants suit like she was during the day — and arranged to pick her up at her hotel at 6:15 for 6:30 reservations.
I quickly showered and shaved and then took a 45 minute nap. I put on my best casual duds and arrived at her hotel at 6:10 (not that I was anxious). She was waiting outside in a classic LBD that was cut two or three inches above the knee.
I insisted on opening the door for her instead of the doorman, and off we went.
The dinner was fabulous; this time she had three glasses of wine, and both of us were uninhibited. I had lusted after her for years, and now that I knew her I was in love. Well, I was in love with someone else too, but I think that what I felt toward her was as close to love as you can get.
Her thighs looked fabulous through the transparent table top. The rest of her was equally yummy.
The most interesting exchange we had at dinner was the following:
“Why did you specifically ask for me to be the reporter on this case, Will?”
“Because I consider you the sexiest woman on TV, if not the entire world, and I’ve long ago wanted to meet you.”
“That’s bullshit; you’re telling me that now just to inflate my ego — which doesn’t need any help, by the way,” she laughed.