The Scent of Lavender: The Lavender Trilogy, #2

By Earl Watson

Marcus has returned from Paris and he and Amanda are back together. She has decided to go along with him and give his idea a try. She will give up some of her time at work as well as some of her freedom, and become his live in lover/girlfriend. Little do they know that a deadly storm is gathering around them. The name of this storm is Vision Industries. Over the years Roger's former company has become a world wide power in every area of finance and business. As wll as in international politics. Vision Industries is now determined to track down their long lost formula that Roger "stole" from them. The man who they have given this task is Michael Christchild. He is an almost seven foot, three hundred and eighty pound giant. Who takes pride in the fact that he has the morals of a sexual gangster. That is only surpassed by his lust for power, money and hsi hatred of Marcus Peterson. Along with his duo of coniving co-conspirators of T. Rex, and Judex Rhule. That form a trio that your literary taste buds will never forget. Michael Christchild is just as brillant as he is evil, and he and his two minions have put a target on Marcus and Amandas backs. A target that threatens to destroy their love that is getting stronger and stronger.   

• Language: English
• Publisher: Earl Watson
• Release date: Jan 10, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201993931

Book preview

The Scent of Lavender It had been almost two weeks since Amanda had returned from Rome. The only thing that got her thru the day was her work. She hadn’t seen or heard from Marcus since that last uncomfortable night in Rome. The hardest time at work was looking over at his office and knowing that he wasn’t there or if he was ever coming back. But no matter how hard the days were her nights back at her apartment were ten times worse. If she was able to get a good three hours sleep, it was a lot. It was on one of these agonizing Friday nights that her doorbell rang at a little past eleven o’clock. She threw on a robe and rushed down her short hallway. Her heart was racing when she snatched for the door knob and yanked the door open. On the other side was Willis Paige, he slowly stepped in.

Mandy I hope that you are not asleep. But I figured what the hell, it’s the weekend and you can sleep tomorrow. I was out on the town for drinks and had no place else to go. It’s not like I have to rush home, nothing happening there! Besides it’s Friday night and I hate being alone on Friday nights don’t you? It usually means that the entire weekend is going to be a bust.

No I wasn’t sleep. Come into the kitchen and I will fix us some coffee. Willis followed her into the kitchen and watched her as she put on the tea kettle. With her back turned to him Amanda got the distinct feeling that he was watching her because something was on his mind. From the time that she left the stove to when she sat down he was still watching her.

Willis is everything alright at work? Willis slid his chair away from the table and crossed his legs.

Everything is as fine as rain, I think that our spring line is going to be a smash.

Yes Willis I think that we will. Willis uncrossed his legs then crossed them again as he elevated his voice.

When is Marcus getting back? It was meant to be a question.

But something in his voice told Amanda that he already knew the answer. He folded his arms and dropped his head a little.

1

The Scent of Lavender But still kept his eyes on her as he waited for her answer. In the background the tea kettle started to sing in a slow whistle.

As she got up again to attend to it she could still feel his eyes following her. Willis got the feeling that she was stalling so he spoke up.

"It’s none of my business Mandy, but I am making it my business because of how I feel about the two of you. I never did believe that story about Marcus staying behind in Rome to set up a show. You and I know very well that if he had stayed because of that you would have stayed with him. It’s quite noticeable to me since you got back from Rome that something is wrong.

You appear to be in a daze all of the time and on edge. Every time that we have a meeting you can’t take your eyes off of the chair where he usually sits. You show up everyday to run your company but your heart and spirit really isn’t in it. You are acting just like Marcus did when we were in Paris."

I don’t follow you, please Willis tell me how was he acting?

Willis stirred his coffee and took a sip.

I didn’t notice it until the third day that he wasn’t acting like himself. As far as getting all of the contracts signed and setting everything up for your shows he was fine but he wasn’t his light hearted self. We all know that he never talks much but he talked even less. I thought that maybe he was coming down with something. The only time that he would perk up was when he knew that I was going to call and talk to you. For some reason he seemed afraid to talk to you himself.

"Afraid to talk to me! Why would he be afraid to talk to me?

Especially since I was dying to talk to him!"

Willis tapped his spoon against the side of his cup.

"What are you asking me for? I have been falling in love with men for over forty years. I have slept with them, lived with them, not to mention that I am one of them. But I still don’t know the first thing about them! So don’t ask me why he didn’t call. I could write a book on why all of the guys that I wanted to call me back never did. But that’s how it was with him for the entire time that we were over there. He didn’t get back to 2

The Scent of Lavender being the Marcus that we know until we landed at Kennedy.

That is when I put it all together. He was glad to be back in New York because you were in New York. Remember how he acted when he first saw you? He acted like a man who had been walking in a desert and you were a cold drink of water.

Isn’t that when things started getting serious between the two of you?" Willis pulled his chair closer to the table and put his hand on hers.

Thanks Willis, I really needed to hear that. I have been just so unhappy and miserable. We did have an argument when we were in Rome. But when he gets back we will talk about it and try to iron it out. Willis blinked his eyes hard and jerked his head back.

When he gets back! He’s already back! He got back a day after you did. Amanda’s mind went blank as she tried to make sense of what she had just heard.

You mean he’s been back that long? You have seen him? You have talked to him? Where? He didn’t even let me know!!

I spotted him out of my office window while he was standing across the street. He didn’t leave until you got picked up by Manny. Amanda was becoming more stunned by the second.

Willis stood up and reached for his coat.

Well I better get going. After all that ice cold bed won’t wait forever. Amanda was still in a daze as she opened the door for him.

Mandy he looked like a complete mess, he looked lost. He’s really a good guy. Maybe he thinks that he’s lost you. Oh by the way while you were in Rome, Alvin Seeton sold sixty percent of his company.

Sixty percent! To who?

"I don’t know, some company called Vision Industries. They are the worlds biggest chemical giant and worth over eighty five billion dollars, maybe even more. What I can’t figure is why they would want to get involved in the fashion business? But that’s the scuttlebutt anyway. Alvin still gets to run the daily operation however he still has to jump when Vision cracks the 3

The Scent of Lavender whip. They think that by getting into the fashion business it will be easier to get into what they really want to take over."

What’s that?

Mens cologne, they are determined to make a huge dent in that market. It looks like we are going to have to step up our game Mandy. Good night I hope that everything works out for you and Marcus. Amanda returned back to the table and finished her coffee. She was still turning over in her mind what Willis had just told her. For the first time since she returned from Rome she felt unburdened. For the first time in what seemed like years she was able to lay her head on her pillow and sleep soundly.

When Saturday morning arrived she found herself standing outside of Marcus’ condo door. Amanda was trying to get up the courage to put the key into the lock and turn it.

She was totally surprised to see the door open and Marcus’

cleaning lady in the doorway.

"Hello Miss. Amanda, I am so glad that you are back. I have been scolding that silly man for over ten days now. Ever since he got back from Rome he just mopes around. He hasn’t slept in any of the bedrooms and falls asleep out around the pool.

Miss. Amanda do you know his mother? Someone needs to call his mother, maybe she can pull him back together."

Amanda gave the woman a soft hug around the shoulder.

Don’t worry, he’s going to be fine I promise you.

Amanda walked directly down that hall toward the pool area.

When she passed the master bedroom she peeked in and noticed that his luggage was still in the middle of the floor, unpacked. As soon as she slid the doors to the pool area open she saw him laid out on a lounge chair and asleep. She quietly closed the doors behind her and tiptoed across the deck to where Marcus was. She pulled up a chair and put it as close to him as possible without waking him. Before she sat down she found a towel and gently spread it over him. As she looked around the pool she realized how much she missed being here.

She looked over his face and could see that he hadn’t shaved 4

The Scent of Lavender in some time. But to her he looked more beautiful than ever.

She sat next to him for over two hours before he woke up.

How long have you been here? I mean when did you get here?

Not long. I thought that you were still in Rome. When did you return?

I got back the day after you did.

You could have at least called me if only to let me know that you got back alright. Why didn’t you? Marcus pulled the towel around his body and sat up.

I thought that....maybe you didn’t want to.... He stopped talking and pulled the towel around him tighter. She knew him well enough to know that he wasn’t going to answer her question. She knelt in front of him and ran her hand down the side of his face. Amanda could see in his eyes that he hadn’t been able to get any sleep either.

Don’t ever think anything like that again! I want you to promise me that you won’t. He lowered his head toward the floor and nodded.

Are you hungry darling?

Yes I really am. I am sorry that I look such a mess I was meaning to.... His voice trailed off again. Amanda took a corner of the towel and wiped his face.

Don’t you know that you could never look like a mess to me?

Go get washed up and shave while I order us something from The Victoria Club."

When the delivery service from The Victory Club arrived the man recognized Amanda.

Glad to see you again Miss Wilcox. What are you guys trying to do, put me and my family out on the street? I haven’t been here in weeks and we have missed you and Mr. Peterson at the club. I have a wife and two kids and they are very fond of eating. Amanda followed the man into the kitchen and helped him set up the food. As he was leaving she tipped him with a fifty dollar bill and promised him.

Don’t worry we will be back very soon. She fixed Marcus a 5

The Scent of Lavender hefty plate of almost everything and called him to come and eat.

He started to devour his food as she just picked over hers because she was too happy to be hungry. Amanda realized that in all the times that the two of them had eaten breakfast. This was the very first time that she had waited on him. In silence they exchanged smiles and small talk about work. But she knew that sooner or later the topic of what they had argued about in Rome would have to be broached and that she would have to bring it up. She waited until he was almost done eating and began.

Marcus I have thought about what you asked me to do when we were last together in Rome. To be honest I haven’t been able to hardly think of anything else. I’ve decided that maybe I could give it a try. You have never lied to me before Marcus so what ever you tell me now I will believe no matter what.

He stopped eating because he wanted to answer her with every ounce of honesty that he could.

This thing that you are asking me to engage in with you. I want to know if you have ever done this with any other woman? He took a moment to answer her and the sternness in his face and eyes and the serious tone is his voice comforted and convinced her.

No never. She took another small bite out of her toast and used her fork to toy with her eggs.

Will you show me that room today?

Of course I will. She picked up her coffee and held it tightly in her hand. Outside she could hear the wind as it pushed hard against the building.

"Marcus I am sorry about how things turned out between us in Rome. I would be very happy if you will take me there again.

The next time that we go there we will come back together.

No matter what happens from now on between us I don’t ever want anything to change." He quickly answered.

It won’t

Marcus led her down the hallway and into the small alcove to where they were now facing the double French doors. He reached under one of the handles and found a secret latch and 6

The Scent of Lavender explained to her how to open it.

When you feel the latch pull it all the way to the left and then toward you. He then grabbed both handles and pushed one door to his left and the other to his right. The doors slid away from each other and created an opening of seven feet across.

A few lights clicked on as he took her hand and went inside but she still couldn’t see the room’s details. Amanda heard his hand as it felt along the wall and pressed a switch. She could hear the distinct sound of a motor as he put his arm around her.

Don’t be afraid, look up.

When she looked up she could see a chandelier slowly descending toward her. It was seven feet in diameter and had over two hundred red light bulbs. As the chandelier came closer it gave off enough light for her to see the entire room.

Suddenly the hum of the chandelier’s motor stopped and the fixture was suspended ten feet over a bed. The red glow from the chandelier softly bounced off of a smooth white marble floor that revealed the bed to be circular. Her eyes widened as she stepped closer to view it.

Marcus how big is this bed?

It’s twelve feet in diameter. The chandelier is controlled by that switch recessed into the wall. If you leave it in the on position it will turn on by itself whenever someone is within two feet of the bed. Amanda turned to her right and started to slowly walk around the room. Right next to the sliding French doors was a small kitchen. Just like in the other kitchen everything was new and so far unused. It even had the same bar that was tucked away in a corner. She moved past the kitchen and saw that the room suddenly started to take on a circular shape.

She passed a window then saw a strange set of lights that followed the circular pattern of the wall. They were designed like the flame that is used to symbolize the Olympics. Beneath each light was the sculptured heads of seven men.

Who are these men Marcus?

"These are the sculptured heads of the first seven Caesars that 7

The Scent of Lavender ruled Rome." Amanda walked past each one of them and ran her hand across their faces. When she passed the last face the wall now took on the shape of a square to match the two other sides. The next thing that she came upon was a door that was slightly ajar. Marcus pushed it open.

This is the bathroom. The bathroom was a little bigger than the one in the master bedroom. The floor as well as all the walls were covered in gleaming white marble with silver fixtures. It had an over sized sunken tub, a dual shower stall that could be used as a steam room, a small Jacuzzi, and a toilet. The vanity was also made out of white marble and ran fifteen feet from wall to wall. Running in unison above the vanity was a five by fifteen rectangular mirror that was surrounded by white studio lights. In front of the woman’s side of the vanity was a silver stool whose cushion was covered in a soft white leather. The shower curtain, the mat in front of the shower and two super fluffy towels that hung on the wall were all lavender. Amanda stepped inside and looked around in silence. Marcus passed his hand over the threshold and the lights went off. He then passed his hand over it again and the lights came back on and he advised her.

There are sensors on both sides of the door that turn the lights on and off. Let me show you something else. He walked to the back of the room and stood in front two doors that were closed. Marcus motioned toward her to open the doors. She opened the doors and was amazed to see a twenty foot square walk in closet. It was paneled entirely in shiny rosewood with floodlights that ran around the ceiling. There was one dresser for each of them that had been made into the rosewood panel-ing. Amanda ran her hand across the walls.

Where do you get this wood, it feels like butter?

Open the top drawer on your side. Her eyes opened as wide as the drawers when she saw what was inside.

These are the same kind of lingerie sets that Frantz made for me!

Yeah, I had him make you some more.

8

The Scent of Lavender

Marcus this place is fabulous, I don’t just mean the closet but everything is.

"I am glad that it meets with your approval. Let’s go and sit in the kitchen for awhile. I will go and get something special to drink from the wine cellar. Marcus left her in the kitchen as he hurried off into the wine cellar. He took a seat at the bar and begin thinking over what he was asking her to do. It was something that he had been planning for a few years.

During one summer while he was working for Blakely and Shade, Marcus was assigned a student by the name of Linda Morgan to be his intern. Her assignment was to help Marcus locate places to do photo shoots. She was fair skinned with a nice tight body and large brown eyes. Marcus was aware of the company policy that did not allow workers to have relationships with interns. Marcus took her out to lunch a few times and once to a movie. But other than that he kept everything on a business level. She dropped a few obvious hints about how she felt about him but, Marcus didn’t respond.

When her five weeks were up Blakely and Shade rented out a swank Park Avenue apartment to give all of their interns an end of summer party. As the night closed in Linda made her way over to him and whispered in his ear.

This party is the bomb, but I would remember it forever if tomorrow morning I woke up with you between my legs.

Marcus led her onto the dance floor and began to slowly move around.

You do know that today is your last day of working for the company. Next week it’s back to school in Iowa.

Yes I know that, that’s why I am being so bold now. You can ravish me as much as you like tonight, tomorrow morning I will be gone. You won’t have to worry about any questions, no phone calls, no guilt, nothing! That’s how bad I want to get you into bed.

Alright if that’s all it’s going to be. Linda was quick to pick up his soft reply.

Unless you want more? Marcus stopped moving around.

9

The Scent of Lavender

No, tonight is the beginning and the end of it. You have to understand that or else we have to forget about it.

Marcus was finishing up his beer in her small living room when she walked out of the bathroom and past him wrapped in a towel.

I hope that you don’t mind taking a bath because the shower is broken. I’ve already run your water.

No I don’t mind, I won’t be long. He quickly got undressed and stepped into the warm water. He sat down and felt the water surge around his body. In his hand he was holding a small black bottle and placed it on the floor. When he looked up he saw Linda standing naked in the doorway.

Do you have everything that you need? He allowed his eyes to slowly drag across her nude body as he stared at her vagina, then on to her breasts and onto her face. She could see that he was pleased by what he saw.

Yes I do have everything that I need. She bit into her lower lip in an erotic manner and lingered a little longer so that he got a better look.

You have teased me for five weeks Marcus, if you stay in that tub too long it will turn into torture. She made her way back into her bedroom and Marcus quickly washed up and stepped out of the tub. After drying off he picked up the small black bottle and removed the top. He took a sniff and it smelled sweet, upon taking another sniff it smelled like more of a pun-gent odor. He already had a total of over twenty colognes that he liked to wear. But this scent was something that was foreign in every way to the others. He took another whiff and it smelled like oranges, and then like fresh roses. Without further inspection he poured some into his hand and rubbed it on the on his neck and chest. As soon as he sat on the bed Linda began playing with his penis. Her prompt attention to it caused it to jump to it’s full girth and length. He could already see what effect Roger’s formula was having on him. Linda gave his penis a soft kiss and laid on her back. She took his hands and started rubbing them over her breasts and then placed his 10

The Scent of Lavender fingertips into her mouth and started sucking on them while talking at the same time.

"Do you know how hard it has been working next to you all these weeks and not being able touch you? Of all the things that you let me borrow from you like your, pen, or pencil, or a note book, what I really wanted was this. She reached down and wrapped her entire hand around his hot throbbing penis.

I want you to lay down on your back. As soon as he had done this she instantly moved her head down to his penis and used her tongue to gently flicker around it’s head.

Marcus I want you to put your hands on the back of my head so that you can direct me as to how fast you want me to go.

She took his entire member into her mouth and started to move. Marcus suddenly felt a surge of sexual excitement and intensity that seemed strange to him. He placed his hands firmer behind her head and found a moderate rhythm. He pressed his head deeper into the pillow and closed his eyes.

In no time he became aware that he was pushing his penis in and pulling it out of her mouth faster then he thought.

She removed her mouth for a minute to take a breath.

Oh my, I see that you like to speed.

She took another breath and then put him back into her mouth. Marcus now stopped thrusting upward and started using his powerful hands to force her head downward. After forcefully doing this a few times his penis burst forth like a fire hydrant with a furious torrent of warm sperm. Linda remained still until she was sure that he was finished. She then removed her mouth and started to massage it with her hands and gently used her tongue to lick around it’s head.

I knew that I would love giving you oral sex, you do it just the way that I like a man to respond. She then laid on top of him and started to rub his still wet member against her vagina.

Don’t move you beautiful, hot, sexy thing, just keep it right there. She positioned her lower body to where his penis was pressing firmly against her clitoris. Linda buried her face into his neck and continued to grind her clitoris against him. After 11

The Scent of Lavender a few minutes Marcus heard a slight moan and felt her body shudder and then relax. She pressed her mouth hard against his chest and sucked as hard as she could. Her body shuddered a little more and she removed her mouth from his chest leaving a slight reddish mark.

That was wonderful Marcus, I should strangle you for having deprived me of this pleasure for so long. Let’s rest for a few minutes, and I do mean just a few minutes! With the way that you make me feel I could eat you alive. As he laid back and waited for her he could feel a sexual awareness take over his mind and body that he had never felt before. His chest started to perspire more than usual, and his nostrils started to flare as his lungs demanded more air. It didn’t seem natural that his body was telling him that he was ready for her again, but it was. This new physical reaction and urgent desire could only mean one thing. It had to be Roger’s formula that was the cause of his instant sexual readiness. The chemical break-down by the chemist in Peru was correct. He found out that the formula did enhance a man’s sexual desire and stamina and out performed anything else that was on the market. Of course every man would be affected differently depending on the mans DNA, general health, and fitness. At the very least the formula would tweak a man’s sex drive. For others it would push that drive to the limit, and for some it would push their sex drive over the edge. Marcus figured that the formula’s effect on him would heighten his sexual desires by at least three fourths higher than what it was naturally.

Linda rolled off him but still kept her head laying on his chest.

"Now I know what it is about you that drives woman so crazy.

We have a special sexual sense that hones in on a mans sexual quality. He just can’t just have a pretty face and a killer body like you do. I knew that you were that sort of man the first time that I met you. Now I know that I wasn’t wrong." She moved her finger down his chest and across his stomach and into his pelvic area. She then started using her finger to play 12

The Scent of Lavender around in his pubic hair. Marcus was surprised by the speed that he was able to muster up and he flung his body on top of hers. He used one of his hands to massage her breasts and with the other he massaged her vagina. He heard her hot breath murmur excitedly into his ear.

Ahhh, ahhh, that feels so good. Just keep doing that for a little longer and I will be ready for you. He placed his finger directly onto her clitoris and started to massage it with firm circular motions. She started to move her head from side to side as she instantly felt her sexual tension rise. She pressed her lips hard against his ear.

"Ahh baby, I can feel that you have found it just like I knew that you would. I love the way that your hands touch me with just the right amount of tenderness. You move them like you have been down there before. Yes, yes, right there, just a little harder. That’s it just like that! She grabbed him around the shoulders and pulled herself up to where her nipples were even with his mouth. She put one of her hands behind his head while forcing one of her nipples into his mouth. She rested her chin on the top his shoulder as he began to move his fingers over her warm clitoris faster and faster. Within another minute she pushed her nipple as hard as possible into his mouth as her entire body delivered a final uncontrollable tremor before it went limp. Now he stopped using his fingers and used his palm to press softly against her clitoris and slowly massage it along with her entire vaginal area. She removed her chin from his shoulder and ran her hands thru his hair.

I can see that not only do you like to speed but, you are also a long distance runner as well. I like getting two for the price of one. Marcus felt her slowly open her legs wider.

I’m ready for you now. He started to push his penis into her but found the opening to her vagina to be a little resistant.

"Oh boy, I thought that I was ready for you. Just keep pushing it will be alright. He applied a little more force and that was just what was needed. The opening to her vagina slowly started to expand as he gradually pushed all of him deep inside 13

The Scent of Lavender of her. He could feel her warm inner moisture start to slowly submerge him as he explored more and more of her.

You see I am ready for you. I love that way that you take your time when you push into me. It makes the end result that more exciting. I hope that you like me at least a little.

Marcus didn’t hear a word that she said. His mind and body were now under the direction of the formula that was urging him to probe deeper and deeper. Linda opened her eyes and quickly closed them as she spread her fingers across his back and pressed them into his flesh. The sexual urgency inside of them was quickly heading for an eruption. She opened her eyes again and looked into his face.

Just look at me for a minute. Marcus did as she asked.

Marcus will you do something for me? I want you to kiss me. I know that you don’t want to because you don’t want me to think that this is more than what it is, and after tonight it won’t. But it’s important to me because tonight I am not some call girl, or a prostitute. I am a woman that cares about you and I hope that you like me and care about me a little too. Marcus stopped pushing into her and used one of his hands to softly move across her forehead as he looked at her. He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss. She closed her eyes and then opened them again.

Thank you. I am glad that you didn’t French kiss me because it would have been fake. I appreciate how you did it much more because it was real. As he started pushing inside her again he could once again feel the effect of the formula. It made him feel as if he wanted to get someplace in a hurry.

Yet at the same time wanting to cautiously slow down. Then he had the feeling of knocking on a door but on the other hand having an urge to break it down. He wanted to deliver one single giant push hard and deep into her. But at the same time lead her up a erotic staircase and they both reach the top together. He could hear his breathing getting out of control and feel his nostrils flaring wider and wider. For the first time during sex he felt small beads of sweat build up on 14

The Scent of Lavender his forehead and race down his face. He always knew that he was naturally strong and powerful. But the effect of the formula now made him feel like a sexual superman as he felt how effortlessly he moved her body beneath him with his hands like she was a feather. So that she could feel every bit of force that his penis was pushing into her. Linda could feel that after every powerful thrust inside of her he would shift her body ever so slightly from one position to another. The intensity of his penis as it moved in and out of her rendered her power-less. As all she could do was hold onto him tighter. She felt her vagina release it’s pleasing moisture as he joined his with hers. By now her sexual energy level was fraying at the edges as they clung to each other in a post sexual grip. As hard and fast as she breathed in and out there didn’t seem to be enough air in the room. She was just about to suggest that they stop to rest but before she could speak he started thrusting again with even more force and power than before. By the time that they stopped he had made love to her twice more with the same degree of sexual energy as the other times, and each time just as enjoyable. By the time that he had finished her sexual energy was beyond being frayed, it had been shattered.

When Marcus awoke the next morning he could hear the faint sound of water running in the bathroom. His clothes had been folded and placed neatly at the foot of the bed. His nakedness made him feel a little bashful so he put on his shorts and approached the bathroom door and politely knocked.

Linda I didn’t know that you were up. When he got no answer he knocked a little harder and tried the knob but the door was locked.

Linda can you hear me? Linda turned down the water.

I heard you the first time Marcus. I just don’t feel like seeing anyone or talking to anyone. My flight leaves in three hours, all I want to do is go home.

Well can you open the door so that I can say good bye?"

I don’t have time to explain it to you but will you just leave?

Marcus sat at the foot of the bed and put on his clothes. As he 15

The Scent of Lavender passed the bathroom door he paused for a few seconds trying to think of something to say. When he couldn’t think of anything he walked to the front door and opened it. He heard her voice travel thru the locked bathroom door.

"If you want to take something away from last night it’s this.

You didn’t do anything wrong, you did everything right. I just want you to leave that’s all." Marcus hesitated in the doorway for a few minutes but still couldn’t find anything to say. So just closed the door behind him and made his way down the stairs and into the morning sunshine.

On his drive back to his condo he was going over in his head what affect the formula would have on him in the future.

"I have to admit that I liked the way that it acts on me. Now I truly understand why Vision Industries wanted it so badly.

There isn’t a man in the world that wouldn’t use it. Not to mention that his wife or girlfriend would demand it." For the rest of the day he just stayed inside and found himself watching a beautiful red sun lingering on the horizon. He sat in front of his window trying to get interested in a warm beer that he had been holding in his hands for over an hour. The book that was laying in his lap was another thing that he couldn’t get interested in. He was bothered by how he was feeling about what had happened between him and Linda.

Yes the formula can make you feel as horny as hell and make you last for hours. But it can’t make you have feelings for the woman that you have just gone to bed with. It can’t make you like her any more than you do, and it sure can’t make you love her. But what it can do is make the guy feel miserable when he walks away the next morning. No feelings, no re-morse, no guilt, no anything. I hate feeling like this! From now on I am not going to use it unless it’s with a woman that I do have strong feelings for. I don’t ever want to walk away after having sex with a woman and feeling like I do now.

It was during this weekend that Marcus came up with what he called The Lavender Project. Lavender was the name he gave the formula because that was the color that Roger had 16

The Scent of Lavender written it in on the wall. On the night before Marcus had taken him up to Latham. When he first started working at Blakely and Shade, Marcus had made contact with an American chemist that lived in Peru. The man was afraid to return to the states because he was a suspect in an embezzlement case. This chemist was able to break the formula down and put it into a liquid form then ship it to Marcus whenever he needed it.

Marcus paid the man very well and made him sign a confiden-tially contract. But Marcus wanted to come up with something else to add to the formula that would make it more exciting.

The actual idea came to him when he ran into Frantz at a company meeting. He complimented Frantz on the beautiful embroidery that was on his tie. Frantz’s company was known to be the best in the world when it came to woman’s lingerie and any kind of embroidery. Marcus designed a three piece silk lingerie ensemble that he wanted his partner to wear when he used the formula. He also designed a butterfly that he also wanted Frantz to embroider to go with the ensemble. Marcus designed a small black bottle that a company in Oregon made for him. So that he could pour the liquid formula into. The last thing that he designed was a black box to hold the ensemble and the small black bottle. He was able to find the perfect company to make the box in San Antonio Texas. The four people who were working on all of these pieces had no idea about what the other person was doing. He wanted to keep The Lavender Project as secret as possible. He still remembered how determined and how far Vision Industries would go to find the formula. He always believed that it was a wise gazelle that stayed downwind of a pride of lions.

Amanda walked through the den and the library and then into the wine cellar and saw Marcus sitting at the bar.

Hey, did you get lost? Don’t tell me that you had too crush the grapes also!

No I didn’t get lost, I was just thinking. He got off the bar stool and removed a bottle wine out of the refrigerator.

"I just thought that I would let this chill for a minute. Look 17

The Scent of Lavender Kid, if there is anything that you are unsure about or have any questions about. Or if you would like to wait until another time, it’s alright with me." Amanda took his hand into hers and rested them on top of the bar.

No I don’t want to wait. I have heard about crazier things that men have asked women to do. But there are a few things that I must insist on.

What. She took her hand off of the bar and rested it on his knee.

I know that I really don’t have to ask this but whatever happens in this room is to remain strictly between us.

You are right, you didn’t have to ask that." Amanda placed one of her fingers over his lips.

I am sorry, I know you better than that. She took his hand and lead him back thru the library and the den.

Come on we’ve put this off long enough When they got back to the sliding doors she turned around to face him.

Let me open these doors I think that I can remember how and I want to be the first one in this time. Marcus stepped aside and was amazed to see how well she remembered the sequence.

When they crossed the threshold the circular Olympic lights came on and Marcus headed for the bathroom.

I will take my shower first, after you take yours I have a surprise for you that I hope you will like.

Another surprise! All of this that you have shown me is surprise enough. If you have more I can hardly wait. Marcus leaned his head out of the bathroom door.

There is a switch behind the headboard, switch it on. Amanda moved the switch into the on position and immediately the sound of soft jazz began to dance around the room. She allowed her ears to lead her eyes around the room until she located the speakers that were built into all four corners of the room. She wondered if this was part of the surprise that he had for her. As she swayed to the music she noticed that the room had no television.

18

The Scent of Lavender

"I would have thought that he would have a television that ran from one wall to