by Penelope Sky
She was all natural.
I grabbed my notebook and walked over to her in front of the mirror. “You’re learning.” I stood behind her and stared at her shoulders. They were perfectly straight, the muscles on either side totally symmetrical. My fingers rested directly over her spine, and instantly, she took a deep breath in response.
My hand slowly slid down her spine, following it all the way to the top of her ass. She was so petite, I could feel my hand completely span across her body. I could reach both hips with my forefinger and thumb.
She breathed harder.
Last time I spoke to her, I told her I knew how I wanted to fuck her. Maybe that made her uncomfortable, made her a little afraid.
I certainly felt no shame.
My hands gripped her shoulders then I slowly moved around her, taking in her angles under the light.
Her eyes followed me. “What are you doing?”
My hands wrapped around her arms, and I looked down at her body, admiring her features. I was examining her skin tone, the way her white panties contrasted against her slightly olive skin. “Working.”
“Looks like you’re just staring.”
My eyes lifted to her face, her stunning blue eyes that resembled jewels. “Staring is part of my job.” If I stared at any of the other models this way, they’d be beaming with pride. But not this woman. She didn’t give a damn.
“I thought making clothes was part of your job.”
“Yes. And I want to make the perfect lingerie for the perfect woman.” When I stood this close to her, I could lean in and kiss her. I could feel those soft lips against my mouth, feel her warm breaths enter my lungs.
But I never kissed anyone—and I wouldn’t kiss her.
I went to the fabric table and grabbed the strip I’d set aside. I pressed it against her rosy skin and imagined the perfect bra pressing her tits together, the creamy flesh beautiful under the bright lights. If I added a hint of gold glitter underneath, it would add just a bit of texture. With gold heels, the ensemble would be a provocative piece.
I sat in the black armchair and opened my notebook. Then I began to sketch the seductive piece of lingerie while looking at the woman who inspired it. I glanced up at her body, determining how the provocative garment would be placed on her body. She had a long chest and a flattering torso, so the material could be a little longer than usual. I added a slit from underneath the bra that stretched to her stomach. When she walked the runway, the material would open and reveal her sexy belly button. I worked on the thong next.
“Do you want me to pose or something?”
“You are posing.” My fingers worked the pencil hard, etching the image into the thick parchment. I outlined her hips then worked on the thong. I wanted it to be the same material, but I wanted there to be a deeper splash of gold. I wanted her to look like a jewel, to highlight the sapphires in her eyes. With that dark hair and gorgeous skin, those colors would look wonderful on her.
Before I even finished, I got another idea.
Teal. She would be gorgeous in teal.
I turned the page and started another design.
* * *
My notebook was fatter than usual because I’d used so many pages. The constant touching and flipping had made the pages thicker than normal, so the notebook looked like it was stuffed with tissues. I’d created more designs in a few hours than I usually did in an entire month.
Ten knew how to inspire me.
“You can go.” I wrote down a list of fabrics I needed so I could get to work on constructing the lingerie with my bare hands. Once I had it perfect, I would send everything to the factory for it to be mass-produced. It was too late for the fall line, but lingerie wasn’t prey to the seasons. It could be constructed at any time of the year. It might be too late for the fashion show next week, but if I worked all night, I might make it in time.
Ten hadn’t said anything for a few hours. She stood there in her underwear, and when I didn’t speak to her for a long time, she practiced walking back and forth in her heels. She pulled her shoulders back and stuck out her chest, watching herself in the mirror at the same time.
Ordinarily, it would be distracting. But I was so focused on my new pieces, I managed not to stare at her bubbly ass. She’d improved significantly now that she was taking it seriously. Accepting the advance on her pay had straightened her out.
But that didn’t stop her smartass remarks.
She pulled on her shirt. “Are you done for the day?”
“No.” I grabbed the fabrics from the pile and laid them out on the table. “I’ve got a lot of work to do tonight.”
She pulled her jeans over her perky ass then buttoned them up. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No.” I situated the mannequin where I needed it to be then grabbed my pins.
She took a seat at the table, like she didn’t plan to go anywhere.
That made me look up. “What?”
“If there’s anything I can do, I’d like to help. You were generous enough to give me that money…I’d like to earn it.”
I grabbed the tape measure and the scissors. “You’ve been here all day.”
“I’m like a mule…I can go for a long time.”
It was a poor comparison, especially when she was far more beautiful than a mule. If she was any beast, she would be a majestic white horse.
“I can even clean if you’d like.”
“No. I have a much better use for you.” I directed her to my side of the table and had her hold the edges while I cut and sewed. Having another person there made the process a lot smoother. I usually had one of my assistants or Nicole help me out with things, but since it was after hours, everyone was already home for the day.
Once she got the hang of it, she was of better use.
Then we worked in comfortable silence. I got a waft of her hair when she moved sometimes. Every once in a while, her arm would brush against mine. Her hair was pulled over one shoulder, and her eyes began to narrow in fascination for what I was doing. Then she started to ask questions.
“Where did you learn all of this?”
“I’m self-taught.”
“You taught yourself how to design clothes?” When she was being herself, she had naturally perfect posture. Her shoulders were back, her stomach was in, and she had a phenomenal arch in her lower back. It made her ass stick out even more. She had an elegance to her that wasn’t fake like it was on the runway. But that beauty only came out when she was comfortable in her surroundings—comfortable with her clothes on.
“Yes.”
“You didn’t go to school?”
“School is a waste of time. If there’s something you want to learn, you can just teach yourself.”
She watched my hands work the fabric underneath the sewing machine. “What made you want to design lingerie?”
“I already told you.” I wasn’t much of a talker as it was, and I hated stupid questions even more.
She shifted her gaze to my face, watching me concentrate.
“I’ve been obsessed with sex since I hit puberty. I love women, and I love fucking them. I know how to make a woman feel sexy, to feel more desirable than she ever has before. And I know exactly what men want to see. I’ve turned my addiction into a living.”
She turned her gaze back to my hands, having no comment on what I had just admitted. “That means you’re a sex addict?”
“No. But I love sex.” I carried the fabric to the mannequin and pinned it in place so I could add the final touches.
She crossed her arms over her chest and slowly circled the figure. “That means you don’t have a girlfriend?”
“Never have. Never will.”
She took a seat and crossed her legs, watching me. “Do you get lonely?”
“I’m surrounded by a sea of people on a daily basis. And I’m surrounded by women on a nightly basis. No, I definitely don’t get lonely.”
Her blue eyes moved to my face, watchi
ng my expression as I worked.
“You’re asking me a lot of questions. How about I ask you some questions?”
“Depends on what you want to know.”
Once the two fabrics were perfectly placed together, I worked on the bottom piece. “Leave a boyfriend behind?”
I wasn’t sure if she would answer since it was a personal question. I went straight to the heavy stuff. “No.”
I shouldn’t care that she wasn’t in love with someone, but a jolt of energy surged through my veins. I didn’t like the idea of a faceless man fucking her. My possessiveness probably stemmed from the fact that she was one of my models, but I’d never been very protective of any of them. “What about your parents?”
“Dead.” She said it without a single sign of emotion. Heartless and cold, she seemed like she didn’t feel anything at all.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” My hands halted momentarily before I started working again.
“It was a long time ago. My dad has been gone ten years. My mom has been gone for five.”
“Siblings?”
“One brother…but he’s dead too.” She breathed in a deep sigh like she was trying to steady invisible tears.
“I’m sorry.” That time, my remorse was real.
“I’m all that’s left…”
Maybe she fled to a new country because she didn’t have any reason to stay behind. Maybe she wanted to start over while she was still young. Or maybe she murdered her entire family, and now she was on the run.
I hadn’t looked into her past, but I didn’t care.
But now I started to care. “Any friends?”
“I left a few people behind…but I didn’t tell them I was leaving.”
“Did you tell anyone?”
“No.”
I placed the thong on the mannequin and stared down at her. “Then what are you running from?”
She looked away, dismissing my question.
“You know, I might be able to help you.”
“No one can help me…” She ran her fingers through her hair then walked to the table. She grabbed a few pins before she returned and helped me with the bottoms. “I’m not your problem, and I don’t want to become your problem.”
The more she refused help, the more I wanted to give it to her. She reminded me of my sister in a lot of ways, fearless and stubborn. Sometimes it made me admire her. And other times, she was just being stupid. “What’s your name?”
“You know my name.”
“I’ve been taking care of you, but you can’t tell me your name?” If it weren’t for me, she’d still be on the street right now. There were a lot of men out there who would quickly take advantage of her. Rather than let that happen to her, I made sure she had what she needed. Not too many people would be so generous.
“I thought it didn’t matter what my name was?” She crossed her arms over her chest, closing herself off from me.
“What are you afraid of?”
She wouldn’t meet my gaze. “I don’t want you to know anything about me. I need a clean slate.”
“Did you kill someone or something?”
She scoffed, like the mere suggestion was ridiculous. “Do I look like a killer?”
“Just because you don’t look like a killer doesn’t mean you aren’t one.”
“I don’t know about that…”
“Well, do I look like a killer?”
She turned her eyes back to me, unsure whether she should answer me or not.
“It doesn’t matter if I do or not. Doesn’t mean anything.” I finished the bottom piece and put it together well enough to show Nicole. It would require more detailed sewing and elasticity before it was ready for completion. “Did you rob a bank?”
“No.”
“Did you piss someone off?”
Her eyes shifted away. “Enough with the questions.”
I pulled the lingerie off the mannequin. “Put this on.”
She didn’t hesitate before she removed her clothes and pulled the lingerie onto her body. She left her thong on underneath and turned the other way when she removed her bra and pulled the top on.
I enjoyed the view while she was turned away, seeing the way her hair reached halfway down her back. The slight curls at the end were sexy, and I imagined how those strands would feel wrapped around my fingertips.
She turned around slowly, her feet flat on the floor. But she didn’t need heels for her body to look marvelous. Just as I expected, the gold sparkle and the deep black looked perfect on her. The measurements of the material fit her body exactly as I planned. One of a kind and perfect, it made her ready for the runway without all the extra makeup and preparation.
She really was a natural.
I’d never made a piece of lingerie like this. It was simple but spectacular. I hadn’t drawn on the inspiration from a different piece or something from a dream. The idea formed in my mind just by looking at her gorgeous figure.
She was the one who did this.
“Perfect.” Now that she had it on, I never wanted her to take it off. I wanted her to lie back on the bed and open her legs to me, silently begging me to slide between her thighs. I wanted the fabric to part over her belly and show her bare skin. I wanted to see that sexy belly button and drag my tongue across it.
Instantly, I was hard.
And not just a little hard. So hard it actually hurt.
7
Conway
Nicole walked inside my office at nine in the evening. She was usually gone by five and never had to work late, but this was important. A quick text message got her down there in ten minutes.
She made an incredible living working for me, so she would do anything I asked. I could replace her with another eager employee in five minutes. Actually, in five seconds.
Nicole set her folder down and held her pen, ready to take my instructions. “What can I do for you, Conway?”
“I have to get these down to the factory tomorrow.” I placed the pile of lingerie on the counter, the seven different ensembles I’d created just from looking at Ten’s luscious body. “I want to have them ready by the show, if possible.”
She went through the pile, examining each piece with a designer’s scrutiny. She’d been working with me for ten years, and she saw every design that I created. Some she adored, others she didn’t care for. But she knew my work well and wasn’t afraid to critique it. “Wow…these are gorgeous.”
I organized everything on the counter because I’d made a mess when I was working with Ten. “Thank you.”
“There are seven here…did you do all these tonight?”
“Yes.”
She looked through them again before she stared at me through her round glasses. “That’s the most you’ve ever done in one sitting—by a landslide.”
Ten’s endless curves, bright blue eyes, and the sexy hollow in her throat got my imagination expanding. I wanted to show off every feature of her body, highlight all of her gorgeous attributes with the perfect fabric. I needed the right lingerie to accent the woman, but I also needed the right woman to accent the lingerie. “I guess I was inspired.”
“Conway, these are all incredible. It’s truly remarkable…your best work.”
I was passionate about my work, taking it seriously when others scoffed at it. Sex was the most beautiful and obsessive thing on the planet. We all thought about it every single day. We all meticulously picked out our outfits before we went to a bar with our friends. Why wouldn’t we do the same in the bedroom? Why shouldn’t a woman look her best before she gave herself to a man? It made fucking more sensual, more erotic. There wasn’t a single man on the planet who didn’t love lingerie—unless he didn’t know how to work a bra. “Thank you.”
“We have to get these into the show this weekend. I’ll do my best.”
“Thank you, Nicole.” I relied on her to do everything for me. She was a smart woman and a dedicated worker. I never needed to micromanage her because I trusted her to do
her best. Her best interests were my best interests.
“You haven’t made a decision about your grand finale.” She walked over to the silver halter dress hanging on the wall. It took me three weeks just to conceptualize the piece. I didn’t design it with a specific woman in mind. That wasn’t the way I designed anything. The women in my head were usually faceless, just naked women with gorgeous tits and a perky ass. “Are you going to have Lacey Lockwood feature it? She’s been asking me about it almost every day…”
Lacey was definitely impatient. “I’m not sure.”
“Do you have someone else in mind?”
Ten immediately popped into my mind, the most gorgeous woman I’d ever laid eyes on. Perfect in every way, she looked like someone put her together in a factory. She was too beautiful to be true.
“Shayla is another favorite. She’d be great.”
No, not Shayla.
“Meredith?”
I shook my head.
“Lacey definitely has the most experience, and she’s the most famous model of the brand. You can’t go wrong with her.”
Lacey was a veteran. She had perfect grace, a dazzling smile, and she knew how to smolder for the crowd. I’d used her in a lot of photographs and live performances. She was in three different pictures on my walls at that very instant.
But she didn’t feel right.
“I want to use the new girl.”
Nicole hardly ever questioned my decisions, but she gave me a skeptical look now. “The one who was in here this morning? The brunette?”
“Yes.”
She set her pen on her folder. “Conway, I’m not sure if that’s a good idea. She doesn’t have a lot of experience, and the grand finale is the part of the show everyone is anticipating. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a beautiful woman. But Lacey has a lot more experience. With her—”
“No. I want it to be her.”
Nicole slowly shut her mouth, accepting her defeat. “Alright. Would you like me to have someone work with her?”
I needed her to be flawless, and the only one who could make sure that happened was me. “No. I’ll handle it.”