by Sky Corgan
“I know, but you know she's going to ask how the consultation went.”
“I'm going to tell her the truth, that we didn't finish it. The client got a phone call while I was showing him how we'd re-do the bedroom, and he had to leave. It happens when you're a surgeon. Without us doing a full consultation with him, I don't think she can be too pissed if he doesn't pick us,” Derrick's voice is full of uncertainty.
I place a hand on his shoulder and give him an earnest look. “It will be fine. I'm sure he won't be the only high-profile client we ever have.”
“I know, but this guy was like...the gateway to future bonuses. Besides, who knows if we'll get assigned to the next high-profile client, or if Tyra will think that we botched this up and pass them off to someone else. This was a really big deal...for all of us.”
I sigh, suddenly feeling guilty for dropping those cookies. Derrick is right. Gaining Lucian Reddick's business could have been a life changer. Perhaps I should have tried harder. It's too late for should have's though.
“I'm sorry, Derrick. I really am.” I rest my elbow on the window ledge, staring outside and watching all the other expensive houses pass us by.
“It's alright. You were stressed,” his voice softens with unmerited sympathy. “You were acting like you wanted to talk about something before we got to the house. Is there anything you want to get off your chest?”
“No.” Not anymore. I shake my head slightly. Everything that I was consumed with before we got to the house is behind me now. Lucian Reddick is in my past, and so is Flesh. The confusion is gone, and it's time to move on with the regularly scheduled programming of my life.
We spend the rest of the short commute in silence. When we pull up in front of Environ Designs, and Derrick kills the engine, we both just sit there for several seconds.
“Put on a happy face. Pretend like everything went just as we had planned.” Derrick takes a moment to drill me. “If Tyra thinks we did our best, then maybe she won't cross out the possibility of sending us to work with the next high-profile client.”
I nod curtly. Internally, I'm thankful for Derrick's guidance. Even though I'm kind of glad that things went the way they did, I still feel emotionally frazzled and out of focus.
“Better get this over with.” I take a deep breath and open my car door to get out.
Derrick and I walk back into the office side by side. As soon as we cross the threshold, I plaster on the best fake smile I can muster. My face hurts from all the fake smiling that I've done today. It feels like I'm trying even harder here than I was in front of the client. This is mostly for Derrick though. As soon as we get to Tyra's office, I plan to rave about him. He doesn't deserve my screwing this up for him.
“Knock, knock.” Derrick pokes his head into Tyra's office.
She's busy eating a sub sandwich, her mouth full from having just taken a bite. She gestures for us to come inside before quickly grabbing a napkin to wipe her mouth. The excited look on her face makes my heart sink. She's expecting good news, and we have none to deliver. Still, I have to pretend. Have to help amp her up, even though nothing good will come from it in the end.
“How'd it go?” she asks, her mouth still full of food, though she gulps it down immediately after the question.
Derrick takes a deep breath and glances over at me, silently telling me to let him do all the talking. “It went well, I thought. Well, it was going well until Doctor Reddick got a phone call.”
Tyra gestures wildly at him with her hand. She takes a drink from the bottle of water on her desk before setting it down, exhaling deeply, and quickly recomposing herself. “I know all about that. Doctor Reddick called me after the two of you left.”
“He did?” The smile on my face falters. I can't even imagine what he said to her. Did he mention my blunder with the cookies? I certainly hope not.
“Yes. He told me that he had an emergency and had to cut the consultation short.” She looks directly at me when she speaks. “He asked if you could come back tonight to finish taking pictures of the house.”
“Tonight?” I stutter.
“Of course, we can go back tonight. It will be no problem,” Derrick chimes in.
Tyra's happy expression dips for a moment, as if she's about to drop a bomb on us. “He just wants Amy to come back.”
“What?” My mouth falls agape, and I instantly begin to sweat. The last thing I want is to be alone with that guy. He didn't even pay attention to me when I was there the first time. I can't understand why he would want me to come back without Derrick.
“What?” Derrick mimics me with a hint of nastiness in his voice. I can tell what he's thinking. When we were at Lucian's house, Derrick did most of the work. I basically just stood around. He probably feels shafted.
Tyra begins wrapping up the rest of her sandwich. “He specifically requested that Amy come back to take pictures and finish the consultation.”
“Does that mean that I'm off of the job?” Derrick asks.
“No.” Tyra sets her sandwich aside and shakes her head, returning her attention to us. “Doctor Reddick hasn't committed to a contract yet. If he does, I will need both of you on the job. This is just a special request, and I want to accommodate him. I told him that you would be by his house at eight o'clock tonight. I know it's not the ideal time to take pictures, but do your best with what you have to work with. And please, please, please try to convince him to sign. Do whatever it takes, okay?”
The way she's looking at me makes me feel a little uncomfortable, as if the 'do whatever it takes' part has a very literal meaning. I'm a bit miffed that she agreed to Lucian's demands without consulting me about my afternoon plans first, not that I have any. He is a very important client though, and I shouldn't be surprised that Tyra would break the rules to get him to sign with us.
I look between her and Derrick and sigh, feeling like there's now an enormous weight on my shoulders. “Alright. I'll be there at eight.”
CHAPTER THREE
Since there's a good amount of time between when I get off work and when I have to go back to Lucian's house, I go home and change. And I change again. And I change again. It feels like I spend hours standing in front of the mirror, trying on different blouse and skirt combinations, wanting to find the perfect one to...what? This isn't a date. This is me going to meet with a client to finish up a consultation. And besides, I already decided that I don't like the guy, didn't I?
After about the sixth outfit, I sit down on my bed and sigh. Who am I kidding? I'm nervous as hell. Lucian is a complete hottie. Even though I think he's an asshole, I still want him to find me attractive. Maybe he didn't remember me the first time we met, but I'll make damn sure he remembers this time.
Eventually, I settle on a navy blue pencil skirt with a matching blouse. The blouse has a plunging neckline and a peplum waist. It shows off what little cleavage I do have but also hides my tummy. I accessorize it with nude hose and black stilettos. They're the tallest heels that I have in my closet, and this will only be the second time I've ever worn them. Usually, I prefer a smaller heel, somewhere around two inches. These are super sexy though, and they really make my calves pop.
Once I'm dressed, I spend what time I have left fidgeting in the bathroom mirror with my hair and makeup. I pull my long brown hair up into a sleek ponytail, put on some smokey eye shadow to make my green eyes stand out more, and wrap a teardrop necklace around my neck. When I'm done, I look the perfect mixture of professional and sexy, though definitely leaning more on the sexy side.
Finally, it's time to go. I grab Derrick's tablet and my purse and walk out the door, heading toward a night I'll never forget.
***
Standing in front of the door to Lucian's house is different this time. I know what to expect. I know who'll come to greet me. At least, I hope I do. If a woman opens the door, I'm going to feel awfully silly for spending so much time in front of the mirror putting myself together.
I ring the doorbell, st
raighten the front of my skirt, and stand there waiting. Lucian answers the door moments later wearing a black leather bomber jacket, looking every bit as delicious as he did earlier today. It takes everything in me to still the fluttering in my chest and concentrate on the task at hand.
“Good evening, Doctor Reddick. I'm Amy Underwood from Environ Designs. I'm here as you requested to continue our consultation from earlier. I hope that's alright.”
“I've been expecting you.” He smiles down at me, the type of smile that would make me drop my underwear right where I stood if I had even the slightest inkling he had sexual intentions. It's unnerving how handsome he is, how hard it is for me to focus on my job now that we're alone.
For a moment, we just stand there staring at each other. I expect him to invite me in, but since he doesn't, I have to change course. Trying not to move too awkwardly, I shift my weight to pull Derrick's tablet from my purse and press the button to bring it to life. “So, we should probably pick up where you and my partner left off.”
“Come in.” He nods into the house, stepping aside so I can enter. “Would you like something to drink?”
“No, thank you. I don't want to take up too much of your time.”
“Well then, I'm going to go make myself a drink, and how about you continue that picture taking you were doing earlier.” He doesn't even wait for my response. Instead, he simply closes the door and walks past me towards the kitchen, leaving me standing there alone and dumbstruck.
I want to growl and scream at him. The nerve of him being so dismissive.
Calm down, Amy. He's important. Landing him as a client is important. It will make both Tyra and Derrick very happy, and you could really use the bonus. Just do what he wants. Take the pictures. As long as he's pleased with you, maybe he'll sign a contract.
I stow the tablet away and pull out my camera instead, pressing the power button and taking long strides through the house to find where I left off. The sooner I finish taking pictures, the sooner I can get to finishing the consultation, the sooner I can get him to sign the contract, and the sooner I can leave. With that in mind, I continue past the home gym to the next room, which appears to be a small office. I stand inside and snap away, wondering why there's so much unnecessary furniture everywhere.
When I finish with the office, I walk back out into the hall to start on the next room. The door is closed, but that's never deterred me before. I remember Tyra telling us that there are two rooms that Lucian doesn't want us redecorating, but since he's made it a point to ignore me, I figure I'll just take pictures of all the rooms, and then he can tell me which ones he wants to omit later.
I wrap my hand around the handle and pull, but the door doesn't give. It must be locked. I sigh, giving the door a final look before I turn my attention back down the hall.
“That's one of the rooms I don't want redecorated,” Lucian's voice comes out of nowhere, startling me.
My hand flies up to my chest as I turn to find him standing a few feet away with a glass in his hand. The liquid inside is amber. Probably some type of expensive bourbon. That's what all the rich guys drink.
“Alright,” I reply before turning away from him to continue down the hall. I'm not sure if he's expecting me to talk to him or not, but the truth is that he makes me nervous, and I'd rather just do my job and get out of here.
The next room is a guest bedroom that might have also been used for storage. There are boxes and bags all over the place. Like the office, there are also several unnecessary pieces of furniture. It's like he's trying to fill all the space with stuff. One small step below hoarding. I feel sorry for the moving crew that's going to have to deal with this.
As I stand in the middle of the room and shoot pictures, Lucian leans against the doorway, staring at me. I can feel myself beginning to perspire knowing that his eyes are on me. This isn't the first time a client has watched me work. It's actually pretty normal for the client to follow me around. But it's never felt quite like this. While I'm trying my best to ignore him, I'm very much aware of everything he does. When he shifts his weight. The sound of ice clinking in the glass as he takes a drink.
“I feel like I've met you somewhere before,” he says finally, squinting at me.
“Nope. I've never seen you before.” I don't even bother looking at him, though I'm definitely watching him in my peripheral vision.
I just keep clicking away, more so than needed. Taking the same pictures repeatedly because I feel trapped with him standing in the doorway. The heat in the room is stifling. Or maybe it's just me. I can't tell. All I know is that it's starting to feel like I can't breathe.
“I'm pretty sure I have.” He pushes off of the doorjamb and sets his drink on top of one of the two chest of drawers in the room.
As he approaches me, I feel my heart speeding up. My mind is going wild with panicked questions. What if he remembers me from last night? What is he going to think? Is it going to ruin my chance to get him to sign a contract?
When Lucian gets to me, I stop snapping pictures and lower the camera, waiting for the memory to kick in of me lying beneath him with a blindfold over my eyes. He's standing close, invading my personal space, but I try not to let it bother me. If he recognizes me, I can't tell. His eyes scan over my face, and there's something incredibly sensual in his expression, though I could just be reading him wrong.
He reaches a hand up, and I feel every cell in my body freeze as his fingers graze over the nape of my neck. Instantly, my hormones light up like a Christmas tree, and his touch causes a shiver to roll down my spine.
He cups the back of my neck with one hand and reaches behind me with the other to remove my ponytail holder. I wince as my hair pulls, but I don't try to wiggle out of his grasp, even though I want to. When my hair is loose, he slides his fingers through it, causing it to cascade over my shoulders and frame my face.
“What are you—” I begin to ask before he leans in, grabs a fistful of my hair and brings it up to his nose to inhale deeply.
“Honeysuckle.” He lets me go, grinning as if he just solved the greatest mystery of the universe. “Didn't you go by something else last night?”
I'm absolutely horrified. Now, I'm not sure what to do. This is beyond awkward.
“This wasn't planned,” I tell him before bending down to search for my ponytail holder.
“And why should I believe you?” his voice takes a strange dark turn.
I look up, and he's glaring at me, his gorgeous blue eyes full of disapproval. My nerves are going haywire. Now that he knows who I am, I feel like an intruder in his house, like he thinks I deceived him, set up that appointment at Flesh with him so that I'd have a better chance of landing him as a client for my company. Nothing could be further from the truth though.
“I don't have a good reason. You just should.” I locate my ponytail holder and start pulling my hair up into a ponytail.
“Keep your hair down. I like it better that way.”
“Excuse me.” My hands freeze in my hair as I look at him with my eyebrow cocked.
“Did I stutter?”
A wave of rage rolls through me that I'm forced to bite back. The nerve of this guy. First, he ignores me. Then he basically accuses me of trying to lure him into a contract. And now he's bossing me around. Someone is going for the King Asshole Award.
“If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to continue with my job.” I try to step past him to leave the room, but he moves into my path, a hard wall of muscle and expensive smelling cologne. It invades my nostrils, confusing my senses.
“You called yourself something else last night. You should never lie to a Dom.”
“I was trying to remain anonymous...for professional reasons. I never got your name either, as I recall.” I stare straight forward, as if I can look through him. I can't though. All I see is the opening in his jacket where his skin-tight T-shirt is peeking through. My mind is stuck on what's underneath it. Smooth pale skin. Broad muscle. The body of a God.
<
br /> “My name is Sir. It will always be Sir to you.”
The feel of his fingers on my face causes electricity to shoot down my body, zapping at my clit with tiny contractions. His touch is pure pleasure, and my eyes almost instantly go hooded as I fall under his spell. The way he's speaking to me is so dominant, yet passionate at the same time. It's the same voice he used last night when we were together. The voice that melted me and molded me into something that wasn't me. Something that was completely his.
It can't be this way though. All he has been since I came here earlier today was rude. I can't let him win me over just because I find him attractive. We're not at Flesh anymore. We're in his house, and I'm trying to secure him as a client for my company. I can't allow him to seduce me and make me forget why I'm really here.
It takes every ounce of resolve that I have, but I manage to break free from him, taking his hand in mine and stepping away. “That's not what I'm here for. This is business. Not pleasure.” I shake my head, making sure I keep my eyes down. If I look at his face, I'll be lost. The thought that he might actually want me...
I expect him to let me go, but instead, he grabs my hand and pulls me closer, causing me to gasp as my body crashes into him, my breasts pressing hard against his chest as he holds me in place. He uses his other hand to cup my chin, drawing my gaze up to meet his. My legs feel weak below me, my entire body wanting to tremble from both anticipation and fear of what's about to happen.
His eyes dance over mine with a darkness that speaks of the most erotic intentions. “When you're inside my house, Amy, it's all about my pleasure.”
From the Author
I hope you've enjoyed Flesh: Part Two. Part Three will be available shortly.
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