by L. J. Dee
“Well you’re fucked then. Charlie can’t even put up a tent. He’s more your five star hotel kind of man,” he quipped as Chas grinned broadly.
“But I’m good with my hands in other ways,” Charlie grinned at her.
“I can live with that,” she laughed as I realised my so-called business meeting was nothing of the sort and it would be nigh on impossible to get this back on track.
“Anyway, I was just about to say that we could...” I started as Charlie put his hands up to stop me.
“Sold, Jess. Let’s do it,” he said as I stared at him. He’d barely let me get off the blocks. Other than sharing a wigwam with my sister he knew absolutely nothing about my plans. It was hardly the right way to go about gaining experience or demonstrating my professionalism to my business partner. Right now both him and my supposed client couldn’t be less interested as I pouted slightly, trying to hide my dejection.
It wasn’t successful.
“Great work, Jess,” Lucas winked, trying to appease me, but all it left me feeling was patronised. It might be a joke to him, but I wanted this to work. It was all so new to me and I needed the practice.
I took a few moments putting my file back in my bag and avoiding everyone’s gaze, once again wondering what this meeting was really about.
“Oh God, look who it is,” Chas scowled, pulling me from my thoughts as I turned around, watching the tall handsome figure of Brad Johnson striding towards our table and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Lucas, Charlie, Chas,” he said, holding her gaze as Charlie frowned. I watched in amusement as my sister took a long sip of her gin and tonic, looking up at him through her thick, curved lashes and holding what I knew to be an incredibly fake smile.
“You know Chas?” Charlie asked, looking between the two as Brad nodded, laughing.
“Yeah. It’s good to see you, baby,” he said as Charlie’s eyebrows knotted into a deep frown.
“The feeling is entire un-mutual,” Chas replied, holding her smile. From the predatory expression on Brad’s face, I guessed he’d missed the ‘un’.
“I need to take you on another date, Chas. As I remember you had an emergency last time,” he said seductively as my sister almost choked on her gin. She’d bailed, plain and simple.
“29th of February is good for me,” she smiled when a beautiful girl with long, raven black hair ambled over in a dress so tight it was like a second skin. She had an incredible body. There weren’t many people who could pull that off I thought, as Brad weaved his arm around her waist.
“See you on the 29th then,” he grinned as she nodded, looking up at him coyly before he disappeared with his date. Clearly she wasn’t as discerning as my sister and didn’t mind him hitting on other women when they were out together.
“He’s not interested in a relationship,” Charlie spat as soon as he was out of earshot. Chas just continued to sip coolly on her gin and tonic, much to Charlie’s irritation. “He isn’t the right guy for you,” he continued as she finally put down her drink and turned to face him.
“I know. He’s so self important that he makes Lucas look positively humble,” she laughed, glancing over at him as he quirked an eyebrow at her. Charlie was chuckling now, but his impatience was getting the better of him.
“So why the hell have you just agreed to a date with him?”
“It’s not a leap year, Charlie. She agreed to a date in two years time,” Lucas said flatly as Charlie suddenly relaxed, laughing gently and Chas flashed her eyebrows at him.
“And that’s why he’s the CEO and you have to spend weekends in forests building rafts with your engineers,” Chas quipped as Charlie’s face darkened momentarily.
“He’s the CEO because he was born first,” he snapped, clearly irritated by my sister’s comment. “That bird was a ten though,” he smiled at her, stunning Chas for a second, no doubt trying to piss her off, but she gathered herself quickly.
“And so is this one,” he muttered as I followed his gaze to a tall, slim auburn haired woman with stunning green eyes that were fixed firmly on Lucas as my stomach lurched.
He was watching her as she approached the table, a tight smile set on the soft full mouth that brought me so much pleasure and I knew instinctively they’d been intimate.
“Hi, Lucas,” she smiled, bending slightly to give him a better view of her ample bosom, before casting a quick glance around the table. “Marianne” he said coolly. I looked across to my sister who was driving a fierce stare into the side of Marianne’s face.
“Are you going to the opening of Bathsheba later?” she asked as my eyes shot to his.
“I’m not sure. I’m out with my friends tonight.” I swallowed hard and she gazed down at me for the first time and her distaste was instant.
It was the same look I’d endured from a restaurant full of jealous women when we’d had that awful business lunch, and the fact that I was sitting here in a crumpled suit that had spent most of the morning on the floor of Lucas’s office wasn’t helping. I couldn’t look up as she told him she might see him later, returning to her friends and leaving a strange air of tension in her wake.
“She wasn’t a ten, Charlie. I’d give her a seven at best. Her face is too plastic,” Chas smiled, casting me a supportive glance as I tried to smile.
“I wasn’t looking at her face. You looked like you wanted to punch her lights out, Chas,” Charlie laughed as she grinned broadly.
“I did. You might want to know I can be a scrappy little fucker when I want to be, but it’s her you really need to worry about,” she said, pointing at me as Charlie and Lucas looked on disbelievingly.
“You needn’t look like that. I’ve known her longer than you two. Don’t buy that Little Miss Compliant; butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth bullshit act. She’s got one hell of a temper,” Chas smirked as Lucas raised his eyebrows.
“I don’t believe you,” Charlie said, smiling at me as I smiled back.
“Believe it. You didn’t see what she did to Pippa Plant,” she laughed as I rolled my eyes.
“That was years ago,” I said, shaking my head.
“Who’s Pippa Plant?” Lucas grinned and I knew there was no point trying to stop her telling the story.
“She was the school bully. She was picking on my best mate and I was running my mouth off as usual. She was harder than me, but I wasn’t just going to stand there and take her shit. Anyway she decided she’d had enough of my backchat. I tried to put up a decent fight, but she was solid and built like a brick shit house,” she said as Charlie laughed.
“So, I’m on the floor in the middle of the playground, getting a good kicking with half of the school looking on, when I saw Jess pushing through the crowd with a determined glint in her eye. I didn’t know what she was planning on doing. She was really quiet and had never had a fight in her life. She marched straight up to Pippa Plant and swung an almighty right hook. The next thing I knew, Pippa was on the floor next to me. There was no screaming or hair pulling, scratching or biting. It was as if she’d saved up years of anger and channelled it into that fist. Even the lads were impressed, it was awesome.”
Charlie was laughing and Lucas was gazing at me curiously. “The quiet ones are the ones you need to worry about. When she loses it, she really fucking loses it,” Chas laughed as I sighed deeply. It was the last thing I wanted to be discussing when I was trying to be professional.
The truth was I just wanted to get out of there. If it had been a date I’d be mentally prepared and at least dressed the part, but it wasn’t. It was a business meeting that had spiralled out of control leaving me feeling uncomfortable and confused.
“Let’s get some more drinks, Charlie,” Lucas said, rising from the table as I watched him, irritated by the number of women who stopped him en route to the bar, my annoyance etched in every feature of my face.
“What the hell is the matter with you?” Chas asked, frowning deeply as I sipped the last of my wine and tried to hold it togethe
r.
“I don’t know what this is, Chas. I was meeting Charlie to discuss the engineering event. I didn’t know Lucas was coming and then you showed up. No one’s interested in the proposal I’ve spent ages working on, and the world and his wife are eye fucking the man I screwed all over his office this morning,” I sighed as she rolled her eyes.
“Of course they are, get used to it. But it’s not them he’s here with, it’s you,” she said as I shook my head.
“Yes, but why? We don’t date, it’s not what we do,” I said as she threw me a puzzled frown.
“Well he obviously wants to spend time with you. I should have thought you’d be happy about that,” she said, watching me closely. I was ecstatic about it, but I was also extremely concerned.
“You don’t understand, Chas. I am happy, but Lucas is intense. I’ve only just got my head around the relationship we have, and working together, but he’s throwing something else into the mix now, and I’m not sure I’m ready for it,” I said and I could tell from the bemused look on her face that she didn’t understand.
I knew she wouldn’t. Chas wanted the prize. She’d never have agreed to a sexual relationship without the dating part. She’d insist on everything. Most women would and the niggling fear griped away in the pit of my stomach. It was difficult to understand it myself, never mind explain it to my sister. She had no idea of the impact this incredible man had already had. If I gave him everything I’d lose all control, fall further under his spell and there would be nothing of me left. From then it would be a slow and certain journey to the heart crushing, excruciating agony of loss.
I had felt that once before and couldn’t bear to go through it again. If I wasn’t careful, Lucas Hunter would own my soul in the same powerful way he already owned my body. I was being sucked in by a force it was impossible to resist and I had to hold something back. The end was inevitable. He was my Dom, not my boyfriend; our relationship stipulated by the rules of a contract. This was not your run of the mill boy meets girl fairytale and I couldn’t allow myself to believe that it was.
He’d said it himself; he was out with his friends. Not his girlfriend or his partner. Christ, I wasn’t even allowed to contact him except in a professional capacity, suddenly seeing no reason why I should still be sitting here. My so-called business meeting had very obviously concluded.
“I’m heading off after this,” I said, forcing a smile as Lucas placed my wine in front of me, only to be hit by a fierce frown.
“I thought we might go to the club opening,” he said, holding my gaze and I could feel my sister’s eyes burning into me.
“Come on, Jess, it will be fun. We haven’t been out together in forever and it’s not like you couldn’t do with a social life. You never get the opportunity to let your hair down,” she smiled and I was suddenly incensed. Hadn’t she heard a damn word I’d just said?
“I’m not exactly dressed for it,” I snapped. It was far from the real reason I didn’t want to go, but it was true nevertheless.
“There are a few designer boutiques down this street and they’re still open. We’ll get you kitted out, Jess, and see just how much of a dent you can put in my credit card,” Lucas smiled as Chas laughed, clapping her hands excitedly.
I shook my head slowly. “Thank you, Lucas, but I really need to get home,” I said softly as he seared me with a fierce gaze and my skin bristled. I knew he wasn’t happy and that was precisely the reason I had to stick to my guns here.
“What do you need to get home for? Dex is staying away tonight, Jess. Come on, I’ll help you shop. I bet I could do some damage to Lucas’s extensive funds,” she grinned, winking at him as he chuckled softly.
“No,” I said, much more firmly than I intended as she sat back in her seat and I glanced away, knowing that Charlie and Lucas were exchanging looks. “My son is staying out, but that doesn’t mean I have a free pass to go gallivanting all over the city at a moment’s notice. I could get a call any second to say he’s homesick or poorly or needs his mum. If he does I will be ready for him, not inebriated in some nightclub.”
Chas was shaking her head as I risked a quick glance at Lucas. His face was just set in that unreadable expression and I had absolutely no idea what he was thinking. “Listen, it sounds great and with a bit more notice I might have been able to sort something out and come along, but I wouldn’t relax,” I said, hoping that might appease the three pairs of eyes that were currently burning into me.
“What happened to spontaneity?” Chas quipped and I couldn’t believe she wouldn’t leave it alone.
“It spontaneously vanished when I was left with the responsibility of nursing my mother through cancer and found myself with a child to care for at sixteen years old,” I snapped, taking a sip of wine and knowing that I’d overstepped the mark. Chas was trying to encourage me to have a little more fun. It was hardly the crime of the century, but I couldn’t understand why she kept pushing it.
“I’ll take you home,” Lucas said firmly, pushing his chair back and rounding the table quickly.
“I’m sorry, Chas,” I said as she shrugged, smiling at Charlie. It clearly hadn’t upset her as much as I thought it might. It seemed like I was the one reeling with confusion and doubt, and the six foot three muscular specimen guiding me out of the wine bar was much of the reason for it.
“I’ll make a point to avoid spontaneous ad-hoc business meetings in wine bars in the future if this is your reaction,” he said as I hit the pavement outside. I couldn’t even begin to try and explain my bizarre behaviour so I didn’t, climbing into the back of the car as he slid in beside me.
“Bathsheba?” the driver asked as Lucas shook his head, giving my address and I wondered if a date had been his plan all along. The silence was deathly, making the journey awkward and uncomfortable and I didn’t want to leave things like this.
“I’m sorry, Lucas. I’m not used to last minute changes of plan, I don’t have the freedom for that,” I said, turning to look at him, but he didn’t look back.
“I would have thought by now that you’d have learnt to expect the unexpected,” he said, finally turning to look at me with a gaze that knocked the breath from my lungs.
“Sexually yes, but I didn’t know you expected to see me tonight. It’s three afternoons at the club,” I said, trying to hold my ground under the intensity of that stare and swallowing hard.
“And I didn’t expect you to leave me with a raging fucking hard on all day after the most incredible morning I have ever had. I distinctly remember saying that our contract was fluid.”
I took a deep breath, remembering how close we’d felt only hours before and wanting to feel it again. I wanted intimacy and reassurance as he turned away, looking up at the apartment as the car pulled to a halt.
“Goodnight, Miss Evangelista,” he said suddenly in a tone that was bordering on cold and I knew what I wanted wasn’t on offer. If I invited him up, he probably wouldn’t come and it wasn’t my place to do so. Even if he did come, no doubt I’d be on my knees servicing him when all I needed right now was a cuddle.
“I was planning to read up on some events ideas,” I lied, desperate not to end this wonderful day in such a tense and difficult fashion. He was right, this morning had been incredible.
“I’d prefer you to re-read the contract. You can start with the section on attitude and my expectations. They are all there in black and white,” he said as I tried not to respond to the sudden chill in his voice. It would only make things worse.
But then again, why the hell should I keep silent? “I see little point in re-reading the contract if it’s so fluid. It would probably just be a waste of time. You may decide to change it tomorrow,” I said as his eyes blazed into mine. I felt certain he was about to chastise me, hoping it might actually take place inside my apartment and end the night in a blissful fashion. A little light spanking for my attitude wouldn’t be misplaced.
“Goodnight, Miss Evangelista,” he said before turning away
again, clearly trying to hide his anger. Well that had backfired.
“Goodnight,” I said softly, climbing out of the car and making my way dejectedly up the stone steps, hearing the Bentley pull away behind me. ‘Well you fucked that one up’ I muttered to myself, collapsing in a heap on the couch and sighing deeply, wondering just how many women would be offering to service him in Bathsheba.
I was still awake at three AM when Chas rolled in, looking extremely worse for wear. “You missed a great night, why the hell didn’t you come?” she asked, kicking off her heels and slumping into the chair.
“Because Lucas and I don’t date, Chas, it’s not what we do,” I said, trying to hide my immediate irritation.
“Well it looks to me like he wanted a date tonight,” she grinned as I shook my head. It would be pointless trying to explain myself further when she was in this state. Besides, she’d never remember and I’d have to go over it all again in the morning.
“Was that woman from the wine bar there?” I asked, desperate for an answer to the question that had been eating away at me all night. She nodded slowly.
“Yeah, her and about a hundred others, leaving no room for doubt what they wanted from your boyfriend,” she laughed and I had no idea why. I certainly didn’t find it funny and felt sick to my stomach.
“Oh, don’t look like that, Sis. I’ve told you before, the man in untouchable. Only Marianne got close enough to wiggle her tits in his face and he told her to jog on. He spent all night with the owner, they’re mates apparently,” she smiled. I was undeniably relieved but even the thought of it riled me. Feelings of jealousy and insecurity were new to me and difficult to handle. The more involved I was getting, the more frequently I was feeling them, intensifying in their ferocity as I tried to change the subject.
“What about you and Charlie?” I asked as her face fell.
“He went home with a ten,” she said as I stared at her in shock. They were only friends, but it surprised me anyway. After their earlier flirting in the wine bar, there was a small part of me that had thought they might spend the night together.