Red Eye, Book 1
Avery Phillips
Copyright © 2015 Avery Phillips
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This is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, actual events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters and names are products of the authors imagination and used fictitiously.
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One
I gazed at the curve of Miles’ back as he pulled his pants on in a hurry. All those early mornings in the gym were clearly working their magic, his muscles rippling as he moved. I didn’t think I’d ever get tired of seeing him naked.
“Are you sure we haven’t got time for more?” I asked, sitting up so that the sheet fell, exposing my breasts.
“Sorry, Rebecca,” Miles said, not even looking at me. “There’s too much that needs to be done this afternoon. I’ve got a big deal coming up and it’s all hands on deck.”
“You know, if you left Gina, we’d have more time together,” I pointed out. “And then we wouldn’t have to worry about rushing back for meetings.”
Miles sighed, finally turning round to face me. “We’ve been over this before,” he told me. “The time isn’t right, and if I were to leave Gina for one of the associates on my team, it wouldn’t do either of our careers any good. The last thing I want is to jeopardize my chances for partnership—and I don’t think you want that either, do you?”
Now it was my turn to sigh. “Of course not,” I replied. “It’s just that it’s getting really difficult trying to hide what’s going on between us. It would be so much easier if we could just be open and honest. Wouldn’t it be good to be able to walk into work hand in hand?”
“No,” came the curt response. “Even if we were together, there’s no way we could do anything at work to expose our relationship. It just wouldn’t be right. You know how conservative lawyers are. I’m not going to put up with the disapproving looks and the gossip behind our backs. I’m too professional—and you should be too.”
“Well, if we couldn’t hold hands, couldn’t I at least come and surprise you in your office?” I purred, edging closer to run my hand up his thigh. “I’m sure people would give us a little bit of privacy if we needed…”
“Enough, Rebecca.” Miles pushed me away and rose to his feet.
“What is with you today?” I sat back on the bed, feeling hurt and rejected. “You’ve been in a strange mood the whole time we’ve been together, almost as though you don’t want to be here. We have hardly enough time to ourselves as it is, without you being all weird and miserable. This is supposed to be fun.”
Miles ran his hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, Rebecca,” he said finally. “It’s just that we’ve got a major deal we’re going for. You know all about Douglas Leeson, the eccentric billionaire caught up in that industrial espionage case?”
I nodded. It was impossible to miss the story, which had been splashed all over the front pages for the past few weeks.
“Well, he’s just decided to sack his entire legal team, meaning there’s an opportunity for the right firm to get one of the most lucrative contracts around. If we get this, it could mean the difference between my making partner and having to find another firm. And if I make partner, well…” He gave me a meaningful look.
“You’ll be able to leave Gina and be with me.” Now I understood where he was going with all this. “Wow. No wonder you’ve been in such a strange mood. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Maybe.” Miles thought for a moment, taking his time to choose the right words. “See, the thing is, we’re up against a number of heavy hitters, most notably Caesar and Krause.”
“Ah, I see.” I looked away.
Caesar and Krause was an internationally acclaimed law firm based in New York, known for being highly aggressive in their pursuit of new clients. Although Miles was amazing in action when he needed to be, I could understand why he might be feeling nervous going up against the might of Caesar and Krause.
“So we’ve been coming up with a number of strategies to make sure that our presentation is as strong as possible so that Douglas comes to the conclusion that it makes sense to come to a slightly smaller firm for more personal attention. One of the ideas I’ve had is a little off the wall, but I think it could well tip the odds in our favor.”
“That sounds great.” I nodded. “I’m sure whatever it is you’ve got planned will be perfect. What do you need from me? I can do a bit of research or try and support you with some of your cases while you focus solely on this. Whatever you need, I can help.”
“Something a little more… specific.” Miles winked. “You see, Douglas is known for being something of a lady’s man. If we were to send one of our hotshot young associates who just so happens to be a wiz in relations, especially with the opposite sex, and extremely attractive to boot, then said associate might be able to, you know, nudge the door open a bit. In our business, personal relationships make all the difference in the world, so if you could build a… personal relationship with him…”
“You want me to sleep with him?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Oh my God, Miles. Is that what you’re saying? You want me to be some kind of perk to get them on board?” I got out of bed, making sure to cover myself with a sheet this time, gathered my clothes together, and walked toward the bathroom.
“No, no, no.” Miles was quick to placate me, coming over and taking me in his arms. “I wouldn’t ever want you to be with anyone else but me. You do believe that, don’t you?’
I looked up into Miles’ big brown eyes, so dark they were almost black, and some of my anger dissipated. He always knew exactly what to say to make me feel better. I sighed. “So what do you want from me?”
“Just flirt with him a little.” Miles placed soft little kisses down the length of my neck, peppering his sentences with more kisses, darting out his tongue to taste the salt of my skin. “You know, show him some of the charm that won me over. I’m sure your legal instincts combined with your devastating beauty will turn out to be a lethal combination he won’t be able to resist.”
“Can I have some time to think about it?” I asked. “You’re making it a little difficult to think straight.”
Miles’ hands started to caress my buttocks, gently squeezing and teasing, drawing little circles over my skin that left me tingling.
“Sorry, Rebecca,” he murmured as he nuzzled against me. “There’s no time. I need you to catch the red eye tonight. We just got wind this morning that Caesar and Krause are planning something major, and we want to pre-empt them. I’ve brought the files for you. You can read them on the plane to familiarize yourself with the pitch. It’s nothing too complicated. I’ll be taking over negotiations once you’ve primed him, so you don’t have to worry about closing or getting in over your head. So what do you say? Sound good? I’ll make it worth your while…”
“Damn it, Miles.” I moaned as Miles shifted his weight, pushing me back down on the bed,
spreading my legs, his mouth moving slowly down my body. “Yes, Miles, yes!”
“Yes what?” He stopped to look me in the eyes and then brushed his lips gently on the inside of my thigh.
“Yes, I’ll do it,” I wailed. “I’ll go and see him. I’ll make the trip. Just don’t stop what you’re doing. Please… Don’t stop touching me ever!”
“That’s my girl.” Miles smiled, as he pulled his pants down again. “Perhaps we have some time after all.”
Two
After we were done, Miles rushed to get dressed. “Got to go, babe. I’ve got a meeting to get to. I’ll make sure you get a copy of all the files this afternoon and you can review them on the flight. I already made the initial contact, so he’s familiar with our firm, but if you can follow up with the charm and your beauty, I think we’ve got it in the bag.” He gave me a quick peck on my forehead before leaving, then shuffled out the door and let it close without looking back.
I leaned on the headboard with a pillow behind my back. Although I knew I should get ready to go back to the office, I needed some time to get my thoughts together. It was all a bit much to take in. On the one hand, it was great that Miles thought highly enough about me to trust me with such an important pitch, but on the other hand, it sounded like the only reason I was involved in the deal was because of my looks and how they could help him. I knew that if word ever got out about our relationship there would be some who believed that I’d slept my way to the top, and whether it was true or not wouldn’t matter—I’d lose the respect of my peers.
I’d worked hard to get my degree, consistently coming in top of my class and voted “Most Likely to Succeed” in high school. I always thought that I’d earned my accolades on merit, based on my insight and knowledge of the law, not because of Miles’ whims and fantasies. Was that really how I wanted to move up the ladder? By being exploited for my body and looks? Or was it all part of the game and I was being naïve? Should I suck it up and soldier on as expected?
Although I knew that I should go back to the office, I needed some time to get my head around what Miles had presented. I grabbed my cell and called my best friend, Ellen.
“Hey, Becks. What’s up?” came Ellen’s ever-cheerful voice. “Shouldn’t you be at work?”
“I should.” I sighed. “But it’s Miles.”
“Of course it is.” I could hear Ellen’s disapproval without needing to see the frown on her face. “What’s the two-timing lowlife done this time?”
Usually, I would call Ellen out when she insulted Miles, but the more I thought about it, the more annoyed I was with him, so this time, rightfully, I let it slide.
“Oh not a lot, except he wants to send me to New York to try and seduce a potential client.”
“He what?”
I held the phone away from my ear. Ellen’s shriek was loud enough to pierce my eardrum.
“That asshole wants to pimp you out?”
“It’s not like that.” I said it but hardly believed it. “Well, okay, it kind of is, but it’s not quite as bad as it sounds. He doesn’t want me to sleep with him per se, but he does want me to go out, bat my eyelids, flash some cleavage, and try and win a major deal for the firm.”
“So of course you said no… right?”
“Not exactly.”
“This isn’t a situation where ‘not exactly’ works here, Becks.” Ellen paused for a second. “Either you said no or you didn’t.”
“Okay, well, I sort of agreed, but the more I think about it, the more uncomfortable I am with the idea.”
“I should think so. I’ve told you time and again that Miles doesn’t care about you. Surely you can see that now? If he loved you, he wouldn’t ask you to do this. If you had any sense, you’d tell him where could stick his proposal—and his job.”
“I can’t do that, Ellen.”
“Of course you can. It’s simple. You say to him, ‘Miles, I’ve had enough of you and your two-timing ass. I’m outta here.’ And then you go and find another position at another firm—and a boyfriend while you’re at it—who appreciates you for the wonderful person you are.”
“If only it was that simple.” I shook my head, even though Ellen couldn’t see me. “You know how long it took me to get this job, and if it comes off, this deal could be the making of my career. It’s not necessarily a bad thing for me to go out to New York. I just wish that Miles were sending me because he thought I was a good lawyer rather than a hot chick with a nice pair of tits.”
“Yeah, well, you and I both know that one of the main reasons he hired you was because he wanted to get you into bed.”
I opened my mouth to deny it, but couldn’t. “You could be right, but I didn’t know that at the time, and the interview went pretty well, despite what he might have wanted. It was more like a conversation between two old friends by the end of it, and I really thought he respected me as a lawyer. He offered me the job on the spot. And we do work really well together. We have fantastic communication and we laugh all the time. Besides, he’s only still with his wife because he’s waiting for his kids to get a bit older. He’s going to leave her as soon as he thinks they can cope.”
“That’s what they all say, Becca,” Ellen reminded me. “When does an affair ever lead to a long-term relationship? He’s never going to leave his wife, not while he knows he’s got you wrapped around his little finger. Why should he buy the cow when he can get the milk for free?”
“Hey! Enough of the cow shit already.” I tried to make a joke of it, but I was becoming more and more upset. “Look, Ellen, I know you’re my best friend and you always tell me the truth, but for once, could you lie to me, just to make me feel better? Can you tell me what I’m doing is right for once?”
“Okay, fine. Miles is head over heels in love with you and the fact that he goes home to his wife and he’s sending you to the other side of the country to seduce another man is just further proof of his undying affection,” Ellen deadpanned, and waited for a response.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“He really must be good in bed for you to be sticking with him after all this time. I can’t see any other reason why you’d be doing this.”
“He really is, actually.” I started to smile. “I lost count of how many times I came the first night we were together, and the fact that he’s hung like a donkey really helps.”
“Is it still worth it, though?” Ellen relaxed her tone. “I mean, it’s been six months now. I know you like your independence and all, but don’t you want to move things to the next level? You being with him seems like a step backwards. Kind of odd for the goal-setter type you are.”
I let out a breath, growing increasingly weary of the conversation. “I know. And recently I’ve been feeling that Miles has been distancing himself from me. It’s as though the more confident I get at work and the more I show that I’m a great lawyer, the less interested he is. It’s almost as though he was happy to be with me while I was the star-struck new associate, but now I’m an established part of the team, the novelty’s worn off. I know he’s stressed about this new job, but he’s been like this for a few weeks now. It’s been harder and harder to get him to find time for me, and the more I think about it, the more I wonder whether he hadn’t just agreed to meet up this afternoon because he wanted to talk to me about this pitch and thought he could soften me up by fucking me first.”
“And it looks like that’s what he did. Was the sex that great?”
“Pretty darned amazing, to be honest.” I shrugged.
“But was it amazing enough?”
That was the question. One I wasn’t prepared to answer.
“Look, Becks, I’ve got to go now, but if you want my advice, you’ll tell Miles where to go. You’re better than this and you always have been.”
“Thanks, Ellen.” I hung up the phone and headed off to the shower to freshen up before heading back to work. I examined my reflection in the mirror while I waited for the water to heat up. I had aubu
rn hair that fell to my shoulders in thick, natural waves. I had big green eyes that were offset by the few freckles on my face that had persisted since childhood. I’d always hated them, but it was something I was frequently complimented on, so I’d learned to tolerate them, despite my personal feelings.
I was naturally slim, had the kind of figure most women could only dream of. It was no wonder that Miles thought that I could seduce Douglas into signing a contract with the firm, but I found myself wishing that he had just relied on my skills with the law. I knew, if I was only given the chance, I’d have a great shot of winning him over, and that would be regardless of how I looked.
As I pulled on my shoes, I made up my mind. I was going to tell Miles he’d have to try a different approach. After all, as talented as he was, he should have no trouble wooing Douglas on his own—unless he wasn’t as confident as he portrayed himself to be.
#
“Can I have a few minutes with Miles, Cindy?” I was addressing Miles’ secretary back in the office. “I’ve got a few things to discuss if he has the time.”
“Sure,” Cindy said. “He’s got a meeting at four, but he should be free now. I’ll just check.”
Cindy picked up the phone and dialed through to Miles’ office. “Yes… okay, I’ll send her right in.” Cindy nodded and replaced the receiver on the cradle. “He said you can go straight in.” She smiled.
“Thank you.” I walked on.
Once I reached Miles’ door, I took a deep breath to steady myself before knocking and opening the door to walk in.
“My favorite lawyer!” Miles was sitting behind a dark wooden desk and gave me the once-over as I shut the door behind me. I was wearing an Armani jacket and skirt, all black, with a white lace neck top. “Here, take a seat. Are you good to go for tonight? The files should be on your desk and everything’s pretty straightforward. I’m glad you came, actually. I wanted to go over a few details with you, just to make sure you fully understood our proposal.”
The Red Eye (The Red Eye Romance Series Book 1) Page 1