The Empire Builder

She was wearing a peasant blouse over her tight pair of jeans, and he was sure she was giving the counterman a treat as she leaned over the counter.

He appreciated the fact that Ellie was willing to do that. Bishop knew she was using her blazing sexuality to get him out of a jam. A really dandy shot down the front of her blouse would make the guy a lot more amenable to her wishes. But he still resented the fact that she was doing it.

She finally finished conducting her business and turned back toward Bishop. However, not before giving the counterman the sort of hot look that could be life threatening for a guy his age. She walked merrily up to him and said, "We can't get the car until morning. I had to give him a little peek at the goods to even get that out of him."

Surprisingly, Bishop found himself actually feeling jealous. So, he said only half-jokingly, "Maybe we'd have gotten forty cars if you'd showed him your tits." Ellie laughed and said, "I'll keep that in mind the next time we need forty cars."

She said, "We gotta stay here tonight, and I already have a place lined up." They walked out of the station through a little park and up a well-lit main street. The building they were headed toward might have been a bank in an earlier incarnation. Now it was some sort of rustic boutique hotel that reeked of rich tourist trap.

The lobby was more Jackson Hole than rural Montana. The girl on duty looked like she spent her days milking cows. "Sturdy" was the word that came to mind. Once she had gone through the usual homespun greeting, she found a room with a king bed and an excellent mountain view.

Bishop said nervously, "Do you have any twins?" She looked confused. These two were obviously married, and nobody under the age of 80 ever slept in a twin bed. She said, "I'm sorry, but all we have are kings. But you'll love the bed. It has memory foam."

Ellie said decisively, "We'll take it," and produced her Visa. She added unconcerned about the potential problem of the sleeping arrangements, "When's breakfast, we're getting an early start?"

Apparently, Whitefish Montana was some kind of wilderness destination for the rich. The room was pricey, but it was worth the cost. All the usual upscale amenities were there, including a big king bed and a couch, along with an incredible view of the mountains surrounding the town.

Bishop said, resignedly, "I'll sleep on the couch." Ellie said, "Nonsense!! We can both sleep in the same bed." Then she added teasingly, "I won't molest you too much in your sleep."

Bishop actually blushed. Ellie thought to herself, "This guy is really a very simple and modest man, no matter what the tabloids say about him." She fought back the urge to have feelings for him. The man was a currently married billionaire. She knew that falling in love with him could never lead to a happy ending.

Bishop still looked hesitant. So, Ellie walked to the closet and brought out the two spare pillows. There are always extra pillows in rooms like that. She walked vigorously over to the bed and arranged them down the middle, leaving a decent amount of sleeping space on each side.

She said, "THERE, these are the walls of Jericho. They'll keep both of us virtuous tonight." Bishop laughed out loud and added, "And they won't come tumbling down until I divest myself of a malignant growth named Elizabeth."

They took turns getting ready for bed, just as they had the night before. This time Ellie went first. There was the sound of a shower, and then she emerged in one of those plush white hotel robes drying her luxurious copper hair with a towel. It was clear that there was nothing but Ellie underneath.

She said, oozing contentment, "That felt good." She added informatively, "All the stuff you'll need is in there already." Then she sat down and began to comb out her long hair.

Her substantial breasts rose inside the robe as she reached back to gather her hair. The top slipped open a bit to reveal an outstanding cleavage. Bishop bolted for the bathroom and slammed the door. Ellie smiled a secret smile.

It was the middle of the night. Bishop woke from troubled dreams to find that the walls of Jericho had been breached.

Ellie was wearing the same yellow spaghetti top and running shorts combination that she'd slept in the night before. He was just in a pair of sweat pants. The pillows were nowhere to be seen, and he was now lying spooned against his bedmate's back, holding a firm round tit, which seemed to have escaped its flimsy confinement.

The nipple was rock hard. She was apparently still asleep. But she was also quietly moaning and gasping. Even worse, Bishop's giant hard-on was jammed between her magnificent round buns, and they were both subconsciously moving together in the age-old dance of love.

He was about to take his hand off her boob when she spun inside his arms and fastened a steamy open mouth kiss on him, moaning with need as she did it. Bishop responded with enthusiasm. Then his sanity kicked in. He spun away, jumped out of the bed and stood there chest heaving. Ellie's eyes were staring at him, wild with passion. She gasped, "What's wrong? Don't you want to fuck me?!!

Bishop said in a strained voice, "I'm dying to make love to you - not fuck you. But this isn't the time or place. The situation is still way too complicated. I am ready to talk about it once we get this all behind us. But now is not the time."

He added, "We're talking about billions here. The people who are looking for me are killers, and they have infinite resources. I can't let myself be distracted by getting involved with you."

She looked hurt. So, he quickly said, "That's no reflection on you or our relationship. You are a beautiful woman, and your help's made all the difference in the world. But I can't start thinking about what that means to me right now, or I'll take my eye off the ball."

She looked at him with dawning recognition and said, "You've never been unfaithful to her, have you?!!" Bishop gave her an uncomfortable smile and said. "Never..." Then he added musing, "I didn't even know you three days ago, and now we're traveling around like we're married. I've never connected with a woman like that before. So, it must mean something."

She smiled ruefully and said, "Well, you have no idea what you missed out on tonight.

*****

This was not the New York that Elizabeth Bishop had left in January. She had been fortunate to get on the Air France Jet to Kennedy International. It was crowded with returning Americans. The airport was a nightmare as homeland security agents were attempting to take every disembarking passenger's temperature. It was almost as if those fools were trying to make sure that anyone who wasn't infected would be.

Finally, she got out of the airport and into a cab where the taxi driver asked her for her destination and then went silent. The plexiglass divider never opened, and the driver never left his position behind the wheel. The monitor at the back was playing and replaying the health department instructions on social distancing and the requirements for staying inside. When they arrived at her place, she had to run her credit card through the reader for the fare, and the driver popped the trunk and sat there.

Her home in Carroll Gardens was on a street that was eerily silent. The house was dark as she entered and had the musty smell of a long empty building. It was just 2:00 p.m. She ordered pizza for dinner to be delivered late in the evening. She had assumed correctly that the delivery of New York's favorite food would go on despite the city being locked down.

Then she called her office. The main number had a message saying the office was closed due to the virus outbreak. It gave an emergency number, which she ignored. She hung up and called the direct line of the Partner who was in charge of matrimonial affairs. His secretary answered the phone.

Beth smiled to herself. The office was officially closed, but it was still functioning if only on a reduced basis.

"Janet, it's Beth Bishop. I need to speak to Jeff right away."

"No problem, Ms. Bishop, I'll put you right through."

"Hi, Liz. How's France in these interesting times?" Jeffrey Steingold asked.

"Jeff, I'm in New York, Brooklyn actually. I need to meet with you ASAP. My husband's taken off, and I believe he's on his way to Seattle to divorce me."

"You're in New York! Are you crazy this is a plague town? "

"This is important. If he can file in Washington State first, he will have a significant advantage in the divorce settlement."

"Really, It's pretty much fifty-fifty there, not much different than here."

"That's the problem. I need much better than an even split. I need the controlling interest."

Jeffrey suppressed a sigh. "Why are clients so greedy," he thought. But he said, "you better come in, and I will see what we can do on a rush basis."

She was sitting in Jeffrey's plush Manhattan offices by a quarter to three. By normal standards, the Firm was quiet, but they were not closed, and there were significant numbers of staff present. They weren't circulating, and they were keeping a personal distance as best they could.

However, this was in sharp contrast to the outer city. That area was amazingly empty. The ride service from Brooklyn took barely twenty minutes, amazing!

"Look," Jeffrey began "A case isn't commenced in New York until you have the defendant served. Out of state service will take a judge's approval. That will take some doing in the current circumstances."

"I take it he will not have the same problem?"

"No, I believe all your husband will need to do is file and mail you a copy under Washington law, but he can't complete it until he proves you are properly aware of the action. He'll follow up the mailing by having you served by a P.I. or the Sherriff at his first opportunity. Probably not right away because he thinks you're in France."

"So, what we need is a willing Judge," Beth said.

"And a good idea of his exact location."

Beth took a piece of paper from the desk and wrote a name and passed it to Jeff.

"Why him?" Jeff asked.

"Certain parties have a hook in him."

Jeff nodded. It all made sense now. His Junior partner had big connections, and she had a judge in her pocket. Her husband was seeking not just a more favorable distribution on the West Coast. He needed to get beyond the immediate influence of the Russian Mob.

Jeff said, "You still need your husband's location."

"I hear things are locked down in Seattle as well as here. There will be only a few places he could go," she said and paused before she added, "that is if he reaches Seattle at all."

The way she said the last part Jeff Steingold knew what she meant, and he wished he had followed the governor's instructions and stayed home.

*****

Bishop woke with an abundance of red curls tickling his nose, and a firm boob pressed against him. Ellie was sleeping, with her head on his chest body pressed against him. He had one arm around her, and the light of a gorgeous mountain spring day was peeping through the crack in the blackout curtains of the room.

She was stirring, just waking up, and the feeling of her lush, hard body moving against him gave him a case of morning wood that was more like a sequoia. Then he discovered that he was experiencing something he'd never felt before. He was at peace.

Bishop's life had always been a lonely struggle, made even more so by his wife and her family. This woman was a friend. She looked out for him. She was gorgeous, without all the sophisticated tricks that Elizabeth used. But more importantly, she was a competent and stalwart ally, a true companion in life.

It wasn't like Bishop feared anything that came his way. He had been dealing successfully with life's challenges since he had been nine. But this new woman gave him a comfortable sense of contentment and harmony. It was like he didn't have to impress her or fight for her. She was just there. They fit together, and that synergy would overcome anything that came their way.

Ellie was thinking the same thing as she lay with her head on Bishop's chest. This man could deal with any threat or hardship. She felt protected and secure. She wanted to be his. But she knew that would never happen. He was such a long way above her in any aspect of life with his wealth and style. So, instead, she dedicated herself, in her own mind, to helping him solve his current problems.

She noticed that his most obvious problem was sticking up right next to her hand. It looked like the Sears tower and she wanted it in her. But she understood why he didn't want that to happen. So instead, she seized its hot length and began a pumping motion.

He actually laughed and said fondly, "You never give up, do you." She gave him a kittenish smile and said, "Like that??" He said, "I love it. But I have to pee." It was only Bishop's iron will that permitted him to get off that bed and walk into the bathroom.

They were dressed in travel clothes as they ate the standard hotel breakfast, scrambled eggs in an unnatural shade of yellow, toast, and a couple of strips of burned bacon. Ellie in jeans and a blue chambray top and Bishop in an Orvis expedition shirt and jeans.

She said, "Wait in the lobby with my backpack and your gear while I get the car." Bishop nodded. It was wise for him to stay undercover, and none of the people chasing him knew who Ellie was. He marveled at how street smart she was.

Ellie had been gone twenty minutes when she came roaring up in a Ford Focus, It wasn't the kind of car either one of them would have hired. But beggars can't be choosers when it comes to one-way rentals. She said agitated, "Get in. There are a couple of them asking around the station. They must have figured out where you got off."

Bishop hastily threw the bags in the back of the little SUV and ducked down in the passenger seat. As she drove south on State Route-23, Ellie saw the two goons strolling up the street in her rearview mirror. The two of them were headed for the Hotel. They probably figured that Bishop had gone to ground there.

She handed Bishop her smartphone and said, "Use the Waze app to plot us a course to Seattle." He hunted around in it and finally said, bewildered, I don't know how to do that." Ellie sighed and pulled over to the side of the road. They traded places, and she got the map program fired up.

They were headed in the right direction, but there were two routes. One of them was via US 90, the interstate highway. The other was a more backwoods State route. She said, "If they're looking for you by car, then the long route through the mountains is probably better." Jason agreed, "Yeah, let's do that." He thought to himself, "What a woman!! Beautiful, sexy, and with the survival skills of a timber wolf."

US Route-2 took off into the wilds of the Rockies at a little place called Kalispell in Montana. Actually, it was the biggest place they encountered for the next four hours as they wove their away along two-lane blacktop through towns like Libby, Leona, and across the broad Kootenay River at Bonner's Ferry.

The two of them were both city folk, and the looming mountains surrounding them were giving them a bad case of claustrophobia. The good news was that they only encountered the occasional car, and none of them contained anything but potato farmers.

They began their descent out of the mountains into Spokane, Washington, which was the first significant city they had encountered on the trip. In fact, it was big enough that they had to navigate traffic as they worked their way downtown and onto I-90 westbound.

They were going to stop to get something to eat in Spokane itself, as it was close to one o'clock. But the city was confusing enough that they kept on going until they got to a stop south of the airport.

There was very little talk all the way through the mountains. Both of them were wrapped in their heads, trying to make sense out of the bizarre situation of being locked in a small car with a person who was both a total stranger and a potential love interest.

It wasn't as hard for Ellie as it was for Bishop. She hadn't been seriously betrayed by the person she loved. She had never had much respect for King. And she knew in her heart that it wasn't Bishop's money and power that attracted her. Instead, she could sense the person underneath the dangerous demeanor, and she found him absolutely fascinating.

Ellie was sure of nothing else about Bishop except that he was basically a decent man, and finding one of those was like discovering a unicorn.

Bishop was the nature-nurture paradox, a self-effacing and humble soul, forced by circumstance into the mindset and behavior of a Great White Shark. He had no reason to trust anybody, least of all a woman. But he had treated her with kindness and respect.

Last night, he didn't have to act like she was anything but a disposable hoo-ha. He could have fucked her and gone off on his merry way today without any strings. Most men would have. But he had actually wrestled himself out of the situation, and she could see that it had cost him a lot. That was a novel experience for Ellie, and as a result, she was willing to walk through the fires of hell with this man.

Bishop, on the other hand, was confused. Every beautiful woman he had ever known, starting with his whore wife, was a self-centered narcissist who would sell him out in a New York second, if it benefitted them. Ellie had all of the, beauty, brains, spirit, and mental toughness. But with her, Bishop innately trusted that she had his back and it was important to her to do it.

Admittedly, he was a story. But she had gone the extra mile when she stepped off that train with him. And by doing that, she had unhesitatingly cut her line of communication with her media outlet.

Now she was accompanying him in a car, in the middle of a godforsaken mountain wilderness, all the way to Seattle. And there isn't a lot of internet reception at fourteen-thousand feet in the Rockies. That simple truth alone convinced him that she had his best interest at heart.

Sadly, Bishop had never felt that way about any other human being, let alone somebody as gorgeous as Ellie Andrews. She was clearly the hottest woman he had ever met. She was utterly lost in passion last night. But at the same time, she was self-controlled and even reasonable when he chose to put a stop to things. Every other female he'd ever known would have had a nuclear meltdown if he'd left them hanging like that.

So, here he was fleeing for his life, in jeopardy of losing his business to his slimy relatives and married to a high-class whore, and yet he was falling deeply in love with a total stranger. Bishop knew he was smarter than that. But the heart knows what the heart wants. He had a lot of thinking to do.

*****

It was late afternoon as the two of them came down out of the Cascade mountains and entered the suburbs of Seattle beneath the looming presence of the spectacular Mount Rainier.

"Where to?" Ellie, who was driving, asked.

"Stay on Interstate 90 West until we reach Mercer Island," Jason replied. "Big Bob built his home on Lake Washington."

They followed the interstate through Bellevue, headed toward the center of that city. Ellie had the feeling they were being followed, but she couldn't make out any car tailing them.

"I'll drop you off and get a hotel room," she said.

"Not likely in the middle of a pandemic," he said. "You'll stay with me. The house has six bedrooms."

"Fine," she said, "giving him a smile, but we probably only need one."

She took his hand, and as she did, she glanced in the rear-view mirror. "How long had that black SUV been there," she thought. "Had she seen it before?"