His Surrogate For Hire

Chapter 6

Diana did not know what to expect from Clay. He had the financial ability to take her anywhere he wanted to, but the question was what would he decide to do. Her only instruction was to pack a cocktail dress as well as something comfortable and casual with a pair of sneakers.

She met him at the front door and they were off, the town car driving them to what looked like a tiny airport. Turns out, it was where the helicopters took off. Diana was nervous, having never been on a helicopter ride before.

Choppy at first, the ride smoothed out and she found the view beautiful. She did not want to miss a moment of any of it. Clay’s face lit up as they took a tour of the city, flying over downtown first, winding through the skyscrapers and then over the river to the more rural suburban section of town.

Clay squeezed Diana’s hand as she looked out over the land, taking in the view. She did not have to turn back and look at him to know his eyes were pinned on her. She could feel his gaze. Once they landed, they were at an actual airport.

He held his hand out to help her out of the helicopter. Then ducked, running away from the vehicle.

“Come this way.”

Diana quietly followed as Clay led her to the private airplane.

“Clay?”

“Just follow me.”

Diana hated the way he would not tell her what he was doing.

“Okay.” She ascended the stairs, boarding the plane. It was all such a special treat to be able to do some things she never dreamed of.

She settled in her seat, a flight attendant offered her a drink and a small blanket and pillow. Diana glanced at Clay, who on the other hand looked right at home in his surroundings.

The plane took off and Diana tried to relax.

“You know you are safe with me. No need to worry. We’re going to have fun.”

The look in Clay’s eyes let her know she could believe him. “Okay, Clay. I’m trusting you on this one.”

“Good. That’s the way it should be.”

He opened a magazine and put in his ear buds to watch the in flight movie. She took his cue and did the same. The flight was comfortable, and anything she could think of was offered to her.

The journey was about two hours. When they landed, she was not exactly sure where they were. The pilot did not come on and announce where they were and Diana was mostly sure that was because Clay made sure he maintained the surprise.

He offered to take her hand as they descended the stairs. The weather was a little cooler than when they left. And it was a bit damp like it had just rained.

Their bags were packed in a limo where a driver stood waiting for them.

“This is all so much,” Diana said. They were the words she was thinking and not necessarily something she meant to say out loud.

Clay poured her a glass of champagne. “There is never too much.”

They toasted, clinking their glasses. It was late afternoon when they pulled up to a palatial estate. There were acres of land and a grand looking mansion stood off in the distance. Clay just smiled as Diana looked over to him. The car took the winding road that was the entrance, traveling all the way back to the mansion.

Behind the mansion, as they approached, Diana could see that it was a vineyard. Endless rows of grapes and fields of green as far as the eye could see.

She looked to Clay. He smiled.

“Just a small surprise.”

That small surprise included full course dinner, a his and hers suite, and pampering at the spa. They started the evening out with a wine tasting in the vineyard and a tour of the grounds. After the ride around the city in the helicopter, she had not been expecting anything other than dinner and an evening out on the town.

She could not help but wonder why Clay was trying to wow her with such luxuries. The owner of the vineyard personally came out and took them on a guided tour of the grounds, sharing the history of the family business. They were then taken over to a table that sat by itself in the field of wildflowers that was set with cheese, fruit, chocolates, and various bottles of wine.

“Mr. Marshall, you two please enjoy the vineyard. We have our best wines here for you to sample.”

Clay and Diana nodded their appreciation.

Clay showed her how sampling the wine was an art. He showed her how to detect the wine’s bouquet and how to taste all of the flavors in the wine.

Diana tried to take it all in. The sounds of the birds chirping, the soft breeze against her smooth chocolate skin. The company of a man that seemed to want to pay attention to her and only her.

“This is all so beautiful, Clay.”

He smiled, raising his glass to her. “You deserve it.”

She stopped herself from asking him what made him feel that she deserved to live in this palatial home with him, and not to mention going off jet setting. But she did not ask him the question. Instead, she raised her glass to meet his and said thank you.

After sampling several wines and eating some of the snacks, they made their way back to the mansion. Inside was luxurious and intricately decorated. Diana just kept waiting for someone to pinch her and wake her up from the dream. They made their way back to the mansion. It was well into the evening and they were both looking to settle in for the night.

The his and hers suite was joined by a shared living space in the middle. It was the perfect set up for the weekend. Clay and Diana bid each other good evening. Although eventful, the day had been long and Diana wanted to get to bed and relax. They had appointments in the morning at the spa after breakfast.

Diana continued to marvel at the amenities; a shower with multiple shower heads, plush robes that felt like silky cotton against her skin, and a kitchenette filled with various drinks and food. She kept thinking if she blinked, it would all go away. It was hard not to fall asleep on the fluffy down comforter on the bed.

When Diana opened her eyes, she was not sure how long she had been asleep. She woke feeling refreshed and relaxed for the first time since she could remember. Stretching, she turned over and then realized she was still on her mini getaway with Clay. The thought brought a smile to her face. She made a pact with herself. Instead of sitting around feeling like she did not deserve to be in the position she was, she would make sure she enjoyed each and every moment while it was present. That was what Teresa would tell her to do. And it was true. She was chosen to be in this position and there was no reason why she should not enjoy it.