Perfection #2

by Claire Adams

  Chapter Three

  Lilly

  I left the restaurant and immediately called Kate. Naturally, she wasn't available. That was happening more and more frequently now that Kate and Riley were planning their wedding.

  The clouds had burned away—the sun beat down on me and I felt hot and sweaty in my jacket. I slid it off my body and threw it in the car. I turned the key and backed out of the parking area. I had a lot to think about. I went to this lunch meeting prepared to tell Bullet off and make him feel as badly as I did but things didn't go quite as I planned. I did not want to admit how attracted I was to this man and how disappointed I was that he had lied to me. Well, it was mostly about the lie but it was also about the control. After all I had been through, I never wanted to relinquish control to someone else like I had with Evan. Honestly, I knew my issues were deeper than Evan or even Bullet but I refused to think about it. My controlling father was gone now. Wasn't it better to leave the dead in peace?

  I searched through my favorite satellite radio stations, finally settling on a throwback 80s station. Blondie sang her out heart out about "Rapture" and I tried to focus on the road. I was tired, it had been a long night — a long restless night. I had wondered what I would say to Bullet and what he would say to me. Of all the scenarios I imagined, what I heard today was not in that equation. Basically, he was blackmailing me. No, that was not it. He had made a proposal of sorts. He knew he was the best at what he did and so did I. In fact, so did just about everyone in the city that could afford to pay for the best. I had no idea how talented Dr. Amisha was but anyone I talked to always recommended Steinmann over anyone else. Now he wanted me to go away with him. The sad thing and the point that aggravated me the most was that I was considering it.

  It was time for some self-talk." Okay, Lilly. Think logically for a minute. He may be the best but he lied to you. You may be physically attracted to him but he lied to you. You might want something to happen but he will always want to control you. Are you so desperate for a date that you would be willing to give him a second look? Sure, he has a body that just will not quit. Yes, his face looks like it is chiseled out of granite. But what does that have to do with anything? Get a grip!" After a quick trip by the market, I went home to my safe spot where I could mull over Bullet's proposition. As I put my groceries away, I continued my discussion. "On the other hand, he seems to be honest about his attraction to me. I mean, why would he bother to try and come clean if he wasn't seriously interested in me?" I put away the soup cans in my tiny pantry and selected one for my evening meal. "Isn't it kind of nice that he likes my body just like it is? I mean, he is a professional. If anyone knows about body shapes it would be Bullet Steinmann."

  I heated up my soup and changed into more comfortable clothing. I was glad to ditch my heels and dress in favor of some clean socks, t-shirt and yoga pants. The rain had finally come in and slid against my window in sheets. I checked my phone again — nope, nothing. I guess Kate would call me when she could. As my soup heated up, I grabbed a bottle of water and flipped open my notebook. I felt like I had been talking to myself for half the day and was still no closer to having answers to my questions. What was I going to do? I only had a day to give him an answer- that is, if I wanted to see him again. Geez! Talk about giving someone an ultimatum. When all else failed I could rely on my blog to give me insight or at least clarity of mind.

  I had started this blog a couple of years ago and had quite a nice following. Of course I used a pseudonym and always made sure to use pseudonyms for the people that I wrote about. I decided to take my problem to the Internet. I was sure my fans would know what to do. Of course, ultimately, I would do what I wanted to do but it might be helpful to get someone else's opinion. I pulled up a new blog post and begin to type.

  I had an interesting proposition today and not one that I expected. Without giving too many details, (you know I like my privacy) I was asked to do something that I am not totally comfortable with. Of course, it involves a guy. I feel comfortable telling you that I am attracted to this guy, he is a doctor by the way, but I am not sure he is on the up and up.

  That made no sense. I deleted the whole thing and started over.

  You guys won't believe this but I was propositioned today! This guy I know, okay full disclosure I had a one-nighter with him, asked me to go away with him for the weekend. My first instinct was to say no — not because the sex was bad. Au contraire! But because he lied to me about something very important. There are extenuating circumstances that I cannot go into but I am confused about what I should do. Should I go and spend a lost weekend was this man that I'm obviously attracted to? Or should I tell him to get lost?

  I know by asking this question to you, Dear Audience, I will probably catch some heat. That is okay, I realize I'm being a little immature here. It is just that it has been such a long time since I have been attracted to anyone and now here I am practically drooling over this guy. (Did I mention he is a doctor?) You know the Plucky Heiress is not a desperate gal but I'm in a real dilemma here. What is your advice? To make matters more complicated, I have to give him my answer tomorrow.

  I hovered over the submit key—a practice I have learned to do over the years. Posting a heated blog post is not always a good idea. I really had no way of knowing how many people read my blog but according to my stats, I had 20,000 followers. I left the post hanging and got up to pour my soup into a bowl. Grabbing a spoon and a napkin, I hunkered down again at my table. Did my fans really care about my personal life? Honestly, I rarely posted about the details of my life. My followers were concerned more about style fashion and the latest beauty trends it seemed than my personal life. Maybe I shouldn't do this. I closed the computer for now and enjoyed the quiet meal.

  No, I need to say no. This is a horrible idea. As my mother used to say, "When people tell you who they are, believe them." Hadn't Bullet just revealed himself a liar? That is it. I will believe him. I reached for my phone to send him a text informing him of my decision, just as a courtesy, when it rang. It was Kate. About time!

  "Howdy, Lilly. How has your day been?" That was the opening I needed — I told her everything without pausing. When I was done, Kate laughed her soft, lilting laugh.

  "So why again does this upset you?"

  "Didn't you just hear what I told you, Kate? He propositioned me — he wants me to go away for the weekend and..."

  I heard her sigh on the other end of the phone. "Lilly I don't see what the problem is. It is not like you haven't already been intimate with him and I know for a fact that you enjoyed it. So what is the problem? Go have a good time and get him out of your system. "

  Was this really the best advice she could give me? "There is so much wrong with that idea I don’t even know where to start. You think it is okay to go away with this man who lied to me, for a weekend in a cabin in the woods? He said he wanted me to 'keep his interest.' You know what that means, right?"

  "Yes! I know exactly what he means and I wish it were me he invited. You could do much worse than being asked to go on a mini sex-cation with Bullet Steinmann. You are not a teenager anymore, Lilly. You are a grown woman with needs and desires. There is nothing wrong with wanting to explore some new ground." Uh-oh, I sensed that there was trouble in paradise. Could Kate be bored with Riley already? Was the wedding off? I wanted to ask but I also wanted to be clear on this point.

  "So you think I should go?" I flushed at the idea of taking Bullet up on his proposition.

  "Yes times a thousand. Even if you are not interested in him for a relationship, you have to know he is the best in his line of work. I mean, he says he will do the job; you want him to do the job so go have some fun. If you are looking for permission, I'm giving it to you. No one has to know where you're going or what you're doing."

  "Katie... What is going on? I can tell something isn't right in your world. Do you want to talk about it?"

  My friend sighed again and said, "It's nothing I can't handle. Thank you
for asking though."

  "Not a problem. I am here if you need me as you have always been for me. I'll be up late studying if you want to chat."

  "Thanks, Lilly. Later." Kate hung up and I mulled over her advice. Should I really take him up on his offer? I decided my decision could wait a little longer, I needed a shower and a little more time to consider Bullet's offer.

  Chapter Four

  Bullet

  I hit the snooze button on the nightstand. I had been traveling a lot recently and it was finally catching up with me. I slung myself out of bed and got ready for my day. I had a handful of appointments and a consultation with another doctor this afternoon but other than that, my day was pretty free. It was Thursday, the day when Lilly might call. At first, my proposition seemed like a good idea, although now I didn't give it much of a chance for success. She was an adventurous woman but I could tell she was also practical, more down to earth than I initially gave her credit for and she was severely pissed at me.

  Maybe she won’t call. Well, it was an off chance to begin with. I did not have anyone to blame but myself. What made me think that I could influence her or convince her not to have surgery? I should have just kept my mouth shut and enjoyed what I could get from her.

  I stepped in the shower and let the hot water beat down on my shoulders and neck. I may have overdone it at the gym yesterday; I was feeling it now. As I soaked, I thought of Lilly, her perky breasts, her warm, golden skin and her tight box. Man, this is not a good way to start the day. I took a few extra minutes in the shower, just to take the edge off. There was no way I could get through the rest of the day with a stiff leg. I had behaved myself recently, except with Lilly. I had refrained from dabbling with my patients including two very insistent women, Carmen Fuentes and Rhonda Milford. So far so good. I was no saint — not by a long shot — but I was managing to stay on top of things.

  As expected, my day schedule was the usual; reviewing files, meeting with clients and scheduling surgeries. The way it looked, I was almost booked up for the rest of the year. However, I kept a few slots open for my preferred clients — including, hopefully one Lilly Brightwood. In between measuring bodies and assuring patients that their cosmetic surgery dreams would come true, I checked my phone for missed messages. Nothing yet but I was not ready to give up hope.

  After lunch and my consultation with Dr. Campbell concerning Rhonda Milford's upcoming lipo surgery, I called my housekeeping service and my chef to verify the preparations. At four o'clock, I was happy to see Lilly's name appear on my cell phone. So how should I play this? Don't be a jerk, Bullet.

  "Good afternoon, Miss Brightwood."

  "Surely, we're on a first name basis now—right, Bullet?" I froze, could this be happening?

  "I'd like that Lilly. Have you made your decision?" I stared out the window and looked at the city below. I felt a thrilling surge of sexual excitement just by hearing her husky voice on the phone. Lilly sounded confident, even in control—I liked that.

  "I have cleared my calendar for the weekend. I will go with you on this trip but I expect you to stick to your word. No trying to get out of it. You'll give me what I want, the way I want it and you won't interfere, right?"

  "That's right. Anything you want, the way you want it."

  "Okay, I will agree to this but I want you to know that my friend Kate knows where I'm going and who I will be with."

  "I would not expect anything less, Lilly, but you have no reason to be afraid of me. I would never harm you or do anything that you did not want. Believe it or not, I just want to be with you."

  "That is good to hear. So what should I pack for this weekend?"

  "We will be staying by a lake and I have a hot tub so you may want to pack a bikini. Pack some hiking shorts, boots, casual clothing and a few dressy outfits. I have invited another couple to join us so expect to do a little socializing." I smiled to myself thinking of Rafe and his shenanigans. Amusedly, I wondered what Lilly would think about him. Some women find him irresistible with his Swedish good looks and unusually large endowment.

  "Thank you for the tips. So where shall I meet you?" She sounded relieved, a little more at ease. I guess the idea of another couple coming along made this decision easier for her. If she only knew...

  "I will pick you up tomorrow evening, say 6 o'clock? The plane leaves at seven but we need to arrive a few minutes early."

  "Alright then. I will see you at 6." Lilly's voice wavered a little. The confident woman that called me was gone, I could tell by her tone. I hoped I was wrong.

  "See you then. My chef will have dinner waiting for us when we get to the cabin. I expect to spoil you a little this weekend, if you will let me."

  "Sure, Bullet. I will see you at six." She hung up before I could respond. I felt both excited and apprehensive now.

  I went to a lot of trouble to arrange this weekend not to mention quite a bit of expense. I hoped it was not going to be spent with a pouty young woman. I wanted to be with the adventurous Lilly that I had spent one night with. Maybe that woman did not exist? Maybe she really was just "drunk Lilly" and the only way that I would see her again was to ply her with liquor. That idea did not appeal to me. I had slept with my share of drunken females so I knew that I did not have a thing for drunks. Dude, you are thinking way too much about this.

  The phone on my desk rang. "Dr. Steinmann, Mrs. Fuentes is in waiting Room Two."

  "Thank you. I will be right there." I stared out the window, daydreaming for a moment about my weekend with Lilly. I was not taking anything for granted. I called Page and asked her to manage a few extra details for me. I was going to make the most of this. I got what I wanted, a pretty toy to play with and play with her I would.

  Carmen was waiting but I liked making her wait. She embarrassed me in front of Lilly. I picked up my office phone and called Rafe to confirm that he would indeed be traveling with us.

  "Now my guest is a little shy so nothing freaky. No, of course you can have your usual fun. I do not think there is anything wrong with that but I am afraid you'll have to leave me out of it this time. You will definitely have to leave her out of it. Come on, Rafe. Do this for me... Sure, I'll be happy to meet Melissa when we return." Our talk turned to business and we said our goodbyes. I slid into my white coat and headed down the hall to Mrs. Fuentes’ room. I waved at my nurse asking her to attend with me. Carmen was less likely to try to manhandle me if the nurse was present. I hoped that the older woman would get the hint and lay off. It was against my nature to embarrass or humiliate a woman but I could only take so much.

  Armed with a buttoned coat and a protective nurse I walked into Carmen's room. "Mrs. Fuentes — how nice to see you." I extended my hand to her and smiled. Surely she would take the hint.

  Chapter Five

  Lilly

  I rode the swell of music, stroking the violin with my bow like a mad woman. This audition was for all of the chips—my future depended on taking home the win. I had to get this right or it might be months or even years before I had this opportunity again. I had dreamed of this day — of trying out for the Metro Symphony. Now here it was and things were going like a dream. A few more sweeps and the audition would be complete. I closed my eyes and leaned into my instrument. I had no worries because I knew every note and every measure of this score. Once the last note disappeared into the air, I opened my eyes and placed my violin in my lap. I resisted the urge to smile and do a "happy" dance. I kept my face like stone just like the judges that I auditioned for. The three judges whispered to one another and nodded. Their spokesperson, Audrey Williamson thanked me for my audition and assured me that they would be in contact soon.

  "Thank you, thank you so much." I felt good about the audition — I knew that I had nailed it but there were always things you could do better. The opening riff could have been stronger but I had been unsure of the acoustics in the rehearsal hall. I held back some of my usual forcefulness and regretted it now. Oh well, it was in the history books. I
left the rehearsal hall and smiled at the remaining musicians. Six of us were applying for this spot and only one of us would receive it. I definitely wanted to be the one.

  On my way to the car, I sent Kate a text letting her know that I was out of the rehearsal. She responded with a smiley face and wanted to come over. I messaged her back, "See you in 20." I slid the rehearsal CD into the CD player and jammed out to Vivaldi all the way home. Yep, I had nailed it. In a few minutes, I was home and bouncing happily up the stairs to my apartment, humming the notes, going over the audition again and again in my mind. Sitting on my doorstep in a shambled mess of runny mascara and wrinkled clothing was my friend Kate.

  "Katie, what happened? Are you okay?” She didn't answer me but nodded. Jangling the keys, I opened the apartment door hoping to get her inside before my nosy neighbors showed up. "Here, come sit here." I waved at the couch.

  I scampered to the kitchen and got a cup of water for Kate. On my way back, I brought with me a box of tissues. I took my place beside her, quickly glancing at the clock on the microwave. It was 4 o'clock. I still had time to pack. I knew I should have started on this last night. I cannot think about that right now — I had to take care of Kate. "You want to talk about it?"

  "I know you have better things to do than listen to me whine about Riley. You never said it but I knew it all along, I went way too fast with the whole Riley Patterson thing. I guess I was caught up in the excitement of dating a celebrity. You wouldn't believe how popular he is right now." She stopped talking and cried; I rubbed her back, trying my best to comfort her. I was not sure what to say yet because I was not sure what the problem was. I let her take her time; I knew that eventually Kate would tell me all about it.

  "Lilly, you know I have always been a bit of a playgirl. I have enjoyed my experiences — I have never been ashamed of who I was but for some reason when I met Riley, all I wanted was him. When I met Riley everything changed. I don’t understand it — I mean he is not even a good lover. Well, he is okay, I mean he’s trainable but he is not a natural or anything. To be honest, I don’t even think he’s a great musician. I think you are much better than he is. I have all of these reasons to not like him, to not...to not...love him but I do." Kate cried some more and I pulled tissues out of the box like an obedient friend.