by Kylie Walker
“Because of your relationship with the client,” she mused.
“Because of my friendship with Trevor, yes.” Chase and Trevor were best friends since prep school and Chase didn’t want to deal with Trevor’s father’s disappointment if the campaign fell flat. Not like one of the world’s top luxury car companies needed Louis Advertising’s help to grow, but they did need to rebrand. They wanted a fresh image. The board of directors was full of old men just a few years’ shy of having to wear adult diapers if they didn’t already. They had run out of fresh ideas, so they had turned to Chase. Louis Advertising had a great reputation thanks to eight years of his hard work but he still felt the need to prove he was up to this challenge.
“I’ll reschedule your eleven o’clock, then,” Brigitte said as she made a note on her calendar. Chase nodded in dismissal and got back to work. Or at least he tried. He couldn’t help but wonder why he still felt like he had anything to prove, to anyone. If he hadn’t proved himself already after eight years of taking over Louis Advertising and growing their revenue every year, what would it take? No matter what he did, no matter how many awards the company won or how many successful campaigns they launched he couldn’t shake the thought that he was still being judged somehow. All the old clients of his father’s generation that he had done business with for years looked at Chase and judged him. Most of them knew what a cold-hearted and brutal son of a bitch Charles Sr. was and still they judged Chase for what he had done. Or what they thought he did.
What he let them think he did.
Trevor’s dad was probably the worst of them all, which was why it was crucial for them to get the campaign right. Trevor wouldn’t admit it, but Chase had the feeling his best friend had done more than his share to get Louis Advertising that contract. He was always Chase’s cheerleader, his best friend, his brother from another mother. He had prodded his old man into submission as soon as he found out about the rebranding idea and for all Chase knew he had planted the idea in his father’s head.
He couldn’t let himself think about that right now. There was too much to be done and too many other clients to satisfy in the process. He didn’t normally take an active hand in the lower-level deals of the company like interviews for the artistic team, but sometimes as an astute businessman, he knew it was prudent to check in every once in a while. This was one of those times. The morning meeting was supposed to be a catch-up session in which the artistic team would bring him up to date on their latest work. He didn’t have the talent they had, but he could spot talent, and he had a knack for knowing whether an idea was good. All of their most successful campaigns had gotten his seal of approval in the early stages.
He read through contracts and signed documents Brigitte had left on his desk, and when he looked up at the clock, it was time for the interview. He slid his thick arms into his suit jacket and made sure the cuffs were just barely showing at the ends. They covered the last tattoos he had gotten while he was in prison. He straightened his tie and then ran a hand through his short, dark brown hair. The girl he was about to interview had come highly recommended. Her name was Jordan Price and Trevor had suggested her himself.
The door opened at just eleven, and Chase’s tall, blonde assistant led a young woman into the corner office. The breath caught in his throat when he took his first look at her. Was she the girl Trevor had recommended? He had told Chase she was talented and that she had an excellent work ethic. What he had failed to tell him was that she was the most gorgeous woman in Manhattan. He actually grabbed the edge of the desk to steady himself when she stepped into the room.
He cleared his throat and reminded himself to stay in professional mode. This was his business, not a pick-up bar. “Welcome,” he said, “I’m Chase Louis,” he extended his hand out for her to shake. She took it and her small hand disappeared into his massive one. She was a tall girl with legs about a mile long and her bone structure was so fine and delicate he couldn’t help but think he could easily crush her. He shook off that bizarre thought when she spoke.
“I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. Louis. I’m Jordan Price.” Her voice was feminine and husky and it seemed to go straight to his cock. He was always a sucker for a woman with a husky voice. It made him imagine what she would sound like screaming out his name in the throes of ecstasy.
“Can I get you anything to drink?” Brigitte asked her. Chase tried to get a grip on himself. What the fuck was wrong with him? He hadn’t turned into a drooling adolescent at the sight of a woman in years. Of course, it may have been years since he had been in the same room as a woman like this one.
“Just water, please,” Jordan told Brigitte with a smile. She sat down across from Chase and crossed her long, lean legs. He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat and tried to ignore the light, floral scent that assaulted his nostrils and drove him crazy. Every one of his senses were suddenly in overdrive.
“Miss Price, I understand you have a working relationship with Trevor Stilts,” he said.
She smiled and he couldn’t help but notice that her breaths were fast and short and her hands clutched at each other in her lap. She was nervous, or did she feel the electricity crackle in the air the way he did? “Yes, I did a little work for a mutual friend a year ago. I was freelancing at the time. You know Trevor?”
“Yes. It’s his company that we’re running a new campaign for, or rather, his father’s company. Luxury cars. That’s what you would be working on. He actually recommended you to me when we discussed putting a team together.”
Her smile widened. “So now I know why he made it sound so important that I apply for the position when he called me last week. It all comes together.”
“Why do you think he recommended you?” He sat back in his chair and looked her up and down. Thick, dark hair he could imagine sinking his hands into and tangling around his fingers. Full tits that he wanted to bury his face in. He could imagine them bouncing up and down while she rode him, her plump lips open as she moaned and those long legs and that tiny waist. He hadn’t gotten a look at her ass and found himself anticipating it when she left. He couldn’t help but wonder if she knew just how hot she was. He couldn’t see how she could not if she had ever possessed a mirror, but if she did, she probably wouldn’t look so nervous. She didn’t exude the same confidence or arrogance that women who looked like her usually did. Chase had known enough beautiful women to know when one was full of herself. This one was different somehow.
She shrugged and with a nervous little laugh she said, “He came into the studio one day while I was conducting a shoot. He was visiting the client who was a friend of his. We got to talking and I gave him my card. Once the photos were published he called to tell me how much he liked them. I guess he was impressed enough with my work to hope that I’d do a good job on his father’s campaign.”
Chase had no doubts why she had stuck with Trevor. Trevor knew his best friend’s tastes, and he knew that she was the kind of girl Chase would love to spend time with. I’ll have to send Trevor a box of cigars or a bottle of Scotch as a thank you gift.
“He must have been,” Chase said, trying not to smirk. She had no idea that his horny friend had been obviously impressed with the same assets he was lusting after at the moment. She was really clueless and he had to wonder how she could be so naïve. The air of innocence did make her sexier, though as if that was possible.
“I brought my portfolio if you would like to take a look.”
“Yes, please.” She lifted it over the desk and while he looked through the photographs his mind actually changed tracks from her insane sexiness and moved on to admire her work. Maybe he had been wrong about Trevor’s motives. She really was good. “This is a great shot,” he said, pointing to one she took of a reflection in a puddle. It looked like it had just rained, and there was a puddle in a pothole. In the puddle was the reflection of a deep blue sky and the top of the Empire State building. Most people would have just taken a photo of the building. Another Empire S
tate Building photo in a world of billions of them. She captured a completely different side of it.
“I love that one, too,” she admitted. “I was just walking down the street, and there it was. I had to stop what I was doing to get it before it went away.”
“So you didn’t actively go looking for this? You happened to stumble on it and saw its value?”
“That’s right.”
“Not everybody has an eye like that,” he smiled, looking at more of her work. A pair of nuns walking past the front of an old church. Two kids eating ice cream on a front stoop. A few professional shots—a headshot of a pretty redhead and an older couple beaming at each other with obvious affection.
“I take my camera everywhere,” she told him. “You never know when something interesting will happen. I admire the work of Vivian Maier. Have you ever heard of her?”
“Who hasn’t?” he asked. “She was one of the best street photographers of all time.” He glanced up at her in time to see the serene smile that she had on her face. He felt like he couldn’t breathe for a few seconds.
“I’m impressed,” she said. “Not many people I’ve spoken with know who she was.”
“I’m a Jack of all trades,” he grinned.
“And a master of none?” she countered with a playful smile. Then she must have thought she went over the line because her demeanor changed. She seemed to draw inward, closing in on herself like a clam. He wished she wouldn’t. She was intelligent, funny and clever. How rare it was to find a woman with all that and a body like a goddess too.
Then again, Chase had to remind himself to be professional. He cleared his throat, just as Brigitte came back in with a bottle of water for Jordan. He watched a little too closely as she uncapped the bottle and brought it to her full, glossy lips. He felt his pants tighten over his crotch as his cock filled with blood. He was relieved they sat down on opposite sides of the desk. He shifted a little in his chair and tried to refocus on the task at hand.
He liked what he saw, and not just of her. He wanted a fresh pair of eyes for the job, which was why he was going outside the agency in the first place. He explained this as she listened carefully with her eyes locked on his. He almost lost track of himself once or twice, as he stared into those blue-gray orbs. It was a shade he had never seen before and they were wide and innocent and framed by long dark lashes.
“I’m going to be working closely on this project. Does the thought bother you at all? Working closely with the CEO of the company?”
She smiled. “Why would it?”
“Some people would rather not feel the boss breathing down their neck,” he reasoned, his cock twitched at the thought.
She shifted and uncrossed her legs to cross them again in the opposite direction. He actually saw her pulse jump in her throat and a blush began to color her cheeks. “I don’t mind the idea.”
“No?”
“Not at all.” Did her eyes darken? Did she just flirt with him? It felt like the temperature in the room went up at least ten degrees and his cock nearly hit the underside of the desk. “I’ll be gentle, I promise.”
“Not too gentle, I hope. I don’t want to let you down.” She was still blushing, but she held his gaze firmly just the same.
“I don’t think you could do that if you tried. You’ve got the job.”
A look of shock and pure delight colored her pretty face. “I do? That easy?”
“It won’t be easy. I can assure you that. You’ll wish you’d never met me.” He grinned but he wasn’t exactly kidding. He wasn’t known for being easy on his employees.
“I don’t think that would be possible.” She beamed, clasping her hands together. “When can I start? Today?”
Chase laughed at her eagerness. She was all fresh-faced and happy, the teasing temptress forgot for a little while. He hoped that side of her would come out again, someday.
“How does tomorrow sound?”
“That sounds great. Thank you so much.” She stood and he did as well. She shook his hand again and this time he made a point of holding on just a second or two longer than he had to. He relished the softness of her skin. She averted her pretty eyes and it was like the spell between them had been broken and she was naive and innocence again. He hadn’t imagined the veil slipping a little though he was sure that it just did. He had gotten a glimpse of her sensual side and he had a painful hard-on to remind him. He stood behind his computer that was on his desk so she wouldn’t see the tent in his pants and watched her leave. Her ass was just as round and perfect as he had imagined it would be. He took a long, deep breath. Who was that woman, and where the hell had she been all his life? She was a breath of fresh air, somebody smart and savvy, but innocent at the same time. She was sweet and her smile could light up a room, but there was also a sadness, deep in her eyes. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he could see it. He could always see it. Maybe because he had already seen so much of it himself. He didn’t have a doubt in his mind that she was the right person for the job but even if she hadn’t been he wasn’t sure he could have resisted hiring her. He needed top talent on the campaign and she was obviously that.
“What do you think?” Brigitte stood in the doorway with an inquisitive look on her face. He gave her a short nod. She knew what to do from there. She had coordinate Jordan’s office and set up meetings for her with pertinent people throughout the company. He wanted to get started right away. Thank God for efficient assistants.
“I have Samantha on line one,” she added, ducking out of the room. He rolled his eyes and his good mood was suddenly irritated. Most of the time he wouldn’t be irritated to hear from her. She was his go-to girl, his favorite booty call. She didn’t ask for much in return and it had so far been the perfect arrangement. But today the only woman he wanted in his sexual fantasies was Jordan Price.
“Hi. What’s up?” He asked as he picked up the phone.
A pause. “What’s up? Are we frat brothers now?”
He rolled his eyes. Is she really going to play games with me like that? “No, of course not. Sorry. I’m a little busy at the moment.”
“Too busy for me?” He could almost see her pouting, her inflated lips sticking out. How many times had she had filler injected into them in the hopes of looking like Angelina Jolie?
“Never, but I do have to make it fast.” He looked at Jordan’s resume and wondered if she would find it strange if he called her to ask her to dinner. Could he come up with a decent excuse, one which wouldn’t have her suing for harassment? Did he want to take that chance?
“We’re still on for tonight, right?”
He groaned silently. They had plans. He knew well enough the wrath that would come down on him if he dared cancel. “Of course,” he said, injecting a smile into his voice the way she injected toxins into her lips. They did feel good around his cock, so he couldn’t complain.
She practically purred into the phone. “Do I get dinner this time, or will we get right down to business?”
The sound of her voice and the meaning behind her words were enough to stir him out of thoughts about Jordan for the moment. “What would you prefer?” he asked, his voice deeper with meaning.
“I didn’t think I had a choice,” she chuckled. “Don’t you like it better when you’re in control?”
“Yes. Yes, I do.” And he could think of a million ways to control Samantha. He tucked Jordan away into his ‘to do’ pocket of his brain. Samantha on the other hand was a warm and waiting body and he definitely needed some release.
Chapter 3
Jordan
“To Jordan!” Natalie raised her glass high, and they all toasted to the girl of the hour. Jordan wouldn’t normally have been one to raise a glass to toast in her honor, but today she felt like she deserved it. Knowing Chase Louis himself wanted her for an important campaign had her on a natural high that she didn’t think she would ever come down from.
“How does it feel to land your first really big job?” Her friend
Laurel threw an arm around her shoulders and squeezed tight. They had been neighbors for two years. She was the type who always came over armed with a bottle of wine and a funny story whenever Nat or Jordan was feeling down. Jordan had known she would be happy for her when she heard the good news.
“A relief,” Jordan laughed. “I’m still on cloud nine.”
“Understood. You deserve it, honey. My parents still rave about the photos you took of them.” It had been Laurel’s parents’ thirtieth wedding anniversary, and Jordan had given them a free portrait session as a gift. Not that she knew them very well, but they were such a lovely couple they had made her fingers practically itch to take photos of them. She had wanted to capture the clear, deep love they had for each other after so many years.
“I’m so glad they do,” she said with a smile. “They’re the kind of people I love taking pictures of.”
“And now you’ll be taking pics of cars. Big change,” Laurel laughed.
“I hope they don’t want a bunch of half-naked women stretched out on them,” Natalie chimed in, and poured more champagne for the three of them.
“I don’t think it’s that kind of campaign,” Jordan chuckled. “We’re not taking pictures for a calendar here.” It made her think of the sort of stuff Axel had been into. He used to love pictures of big-breasted women the bigger, the better, even if they were silicone induced. He had calendars with them stretched out naked on top of cars, or washing the cars, or astride a bike. He didn’t care that they made her feel like shit about herself. If she had one wish at the moment it would be that he would stop popping into her head at the most random times. There she was, in the middle of an uptown Manhattan club with two of her closest friends, drinking champagne to celebrate her new job and she could stop thinking about the man that almost killed her.
“What’s he like?” Laurel asked. For a brief moment, Jordan thought she meant Axel, and she shook herself.