CURVES ENVY
Book 2—Curvy Girls Do It Better
Scarlett Avery
Copyright © 2015 by Scarlett Avery
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission.
Scarlett Avery / Absolutely Naughty Publishing
Edited by RJ Locksley
Proofread by Chrissy Becker
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental. This book is for sale to adults over 18.
Curves Envy / Scarlett Avery
ISBN 978-1-987943-01-6
Foreword
I can't thank you enough for purchasing this sizzling read.
I’m absolutely passionate about what I do. Once I start writing, I just can't stop.
It's taking me a whole lifetime to get to the point where I’m able to live out my dream every single day.
The captivating stories and the enigmatic characters live with me throughout the writing process. I think you'll quickly notice how much care and attention I put into each one of my romance novels.
Another thing you’ll discover about me is how much I love my readers!
To thank you for buying this romance novel, I’d love for you to lose yourself in even more sultriness, sexiness and seduction!
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***
Curves Envy Series
Book 1—Alphas Love Curves
Book 2—Curvy Girls Do It Better
Book 3—Claimed by An Alpha
Book 4—Curvy Conquest
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BOOK 2—CURVY GIRLS DO IT BETTER
Chapter One
I’ve been up pacing my apartment for hours now, biting my nails, waiting for the cavalry to come over to rescue me—again. I couldn’t sleep last night, tossing and turning, reliving every moment of my interaction with Max inside the Fashion Archive room. How could he have known who I was all along and never dropped a hint?
I hate myself for having fallen so easily for another smooth talker right on the heels of my drama with Vince. Here I am one week later and I’m once again in turmoil over a guy. I can’t believe Max owns Sexy Curves—and he’s so much older than I am.
Lia, Devin and Lexi agreed to meet me at my place for breakfast at ten o’clock and I can’t wait to see them. I desperately need to confide in my friends.
“You’re so lucky,” I say to my cat. Leo DiCaprio opens one lazy eye and looks up at my worried face before rolling on his other side. “Yeah, you don’t have men troubles. No wonder you can sleep peacefully.”
I’ve been up for hours because I’ve been so preoccupied by the fact I agreed to have dinner with Max tonight to avoid Jennifer’s wrath. I mean what was I going to do? He left me no other choice.
I wanted to meet up with my friends last night after work to share the latest chapter in my soap-opera life, but the stupid meeting at the office dragged on for hours and by the time it was over, I was too exhausted to recount the last two days.
Thank God Jennifer invited Max to have dinner with two of the VPs after the meeting. I was able to escape a potentially uncomfortable situation. He texted me while he was at the restaurant letting me know how excited he was about seeing me again, but I’m not buying it. I’m sure he’s buttering me up so I’ll give his collection of plus-size lingerie and swimwear glowing reviews.
“They should be here any minute now,” I say aloud as I check the time on my iPhone. I’ve avoided every mirror and shiny object in my home, unable to look myself in the eyes. I’ve been conflicted about this whole story with Max since I found out he wasn’t a random stranger I happened to bump into over brunch with my best friend Lia seven days ago. Maximiliano Tomás Adrian Keller is now my number-one client and I’m to be at his beck and call because he’ll be injecting a ridiculous amount of money into Sassy magazine.
If I could erase all the mind-blowing things he did to my body on Thursday night, I would, but every time I close my eyes, I’m transported back to the forty-first floor of a luxury hotel where a drop-dead gorgeous successful executive was on his knees pleasuring me. This stuff only happens in movies and trashy romance books.
I’m so lost in my thoughts, I jump when I receive Devin’s text letting me know they’re on their way up. Thank God I can spill my guts to people who love me. A few minutes later, Devin knocks three times before sliding his emergency key into the lock.
“Hey, sweetie, we’re finally here,” he announces once he opens the door.
“I’m so happy you guys are here,” I say, running to the door to kiss him.
“I brought some fried-egg sandwiches from Wichcraft. When you texted me to let me know you made out with your secret admirer and he turned out to be your new VIP client, I figured only fried eggs layered between salty custom-cured pork bacon topped with gorgonzola cheese nestled in a springy ciabatta bun would do. “
“God, Dev, I’m salivating. I needed pork fat last week, but this week it’s an emergency.”
“Candy, how are you?” Lia walks in right after Devin with so much booze I wonder if she’s planning on having a party at my place I wasn’t aware of.
“Lia, why did you buy so much alcohol?”
“Honey, let’s be honest. We’ve had to rush back to your place two Saturdays in a row because you keep randomly meeting interesting men.”
“Point well taken. We might end up finishing all this by noon,” I joke.
“Candy, don’t listen to Lia. She’s jealous a hot guy finger-fucked you while she’s been celibate for a very, very long time.”
“As if you’ve been getting a lot of cock. Listen, Lexi, I’m not afraid of washing your mouth out with soap.” Lia and Lexi are at each other and Devin and I roll our eyes.
“Come on, ladies. We’re here to support Candy, not to start a catfight.”
“Devin is right. Candy, I bought some fresh Belgian waffles from Wafels & Dinges. They are divine reheated in the oven. I got us whipped cream, a huge basket of fresh raspberries and chocolate syrup as the toppings.”
“Bless your heart, Lexi,” I say, hugging my tall and lean friend. “I need sugar badly.”
“We would have been here earlier, but we can’t talk about such drama without great food and so many of your favorite places don’t open before eight on a Saturday morning.” Devin is already in my small kitchen opening cupboards, looking for plates and wine glasses.
“Did you sleep?” Lia hugs me and I dissolve.
“Not well. I got home last night an emotional wreck. You’re right, one week ago I was dealing with Vince’s baby-momma drama and now I find out my secret admirer is a billionaire stalker whose fingers are lethal. My life is a disaster,” I let out before bursting into tears against Lia’s shoulder.
Within a few seconds, Devin and Lexi run to me and all three of my best friends embrace me in a bear hug.
“Your life is not a disaster. Vince is a shithead for doing what he did, but this client of yours didn’t really do anything wrong.”
“Lia, how can you take his side?” I step back, surprised by my friend’s comment.
“Okay, first off, before anyone says anything else, am I the only one who picked up on the fact Candy got fingered by a billionaire?” We all turn around to face Devin and we all burst out l
aughing.
“Dev, you have the most comical expressions. Yes, the client is a billionaire.”
“Oooooh.” Both Lexi and Lia widen their eyes as if they totally missed that part of the conversation.
“I found out during the meeting yesterday afternoon at our office. I was sitting in a boardroom with eight other people—one of them was my bitchy boss.”
“What’s his name again?” Devin is scrolling through his text messages on his phone for an answer.
“Don’t bother. I didn’t include his name in the message I sent you guys last night. His full name is Maximiliano Tomás Adrian Keller.”
“You remember the man’s full name?”
“How can I not? I’ve never met anyone like him before. Here I was sitting in an upscale hotel with an elegant and eloquent man. It was a first for me and I soaked in every detail.”
“His name is quite sexy.”
“Yeah, Lia, but he insists on me calling him Max—like his close friends.”
“Wow,” Devin and Lia both say in unison.
“What’s the problem, Candy? Why are you so upset? Maximiliano sounds dreamy. Is he married?”
“Lexi, he’s not. He’s very single, so he says, but what are the odds a twenty-four-year-old plus-size woman would magically bump into a hot billionaire who happens to love women with wide hips?”
“Honey, you tell us, because from your long text, there’s not a whole lot to complain about.” She winks.
It wouldn’t have surprised me one bit if Lia had responded this way, but Lexi is the conservative among us. She’s not a virgin, but she’s not sexually active either. She keeps everything to herself and none of us have ever had the courage to pry. She’s very reserved about her love life and since she’s been through hell as a child, we don’t have the heart to push her. She’s always given off the impression she’s not very interested in men—or women.
“Okay, let’s get the food on the table, let’s fill those glasses to the brim with wine and I’ll start talking. Does anyone want coffee?”
“Yes, please.” My three best friends respond in unison and we get ourselves ready for another Saturday morning heart-to-heart.
* * *
For the next ninety minutes, as we devour our succulent fried-egg sandwich from Wichcraft, I recount every single detail to my best friends. I bare it all from the second I stepped out of the elevator on the fourteenth floor of the Bymark hotel up to the point I nearly passed out in the boardroom when he revealed he wanted me to travel to Miami and Brazil with him.
“Shit, Candy, that’s a pretty steamy encounter. The sexy stranger gave off a cocky flair, but who knew he was downright dirty?” Lia fans herself and we all laugh.
“I have to agree with Lia. Your hookup could win an award in the gay world.” Devin is grinning at me from over his coffee cup and I can’t help but roll my eyes at him. “I’m so thankful for the freak storm in Nashville. If Trish had showed up and laid eyes on your mystery man, she would have unleashed her slutty self all over him. Trust me, if the bitch had tried anything, I would have been on the first flight to LA to bitchslap her.”
“Dev, you’re so protective of me when it comes to my cousin. I’m also secretly happy she never made it.”
“Trish has no shame.”
Devin is right. Trish would have ruined it for me.
“Who knew a guy we met one week ago at brunch could turn out to be so delicious?” Lia is licking her lips so suggestively, I’m not sure if she’s scooping up the drizzle of sauce at the corner of her mouth or reliving the story I shared.
“Doesn’t it bother either of you he never mentioned he already knew me when he invited me for drinks?”
“Maybe he didn’t want to kill the mood. God knows, I’m all work and no play. Hearing your story makes me want to run to your bathroom to take a cold shower.”
Devin nearly spits out his coffee at Lexi’s remark and Lia is so shocked she’s looking at our friend up and down with her jaw dropped.
“Wow. Lexi, you’re living vicariously through my story of shame.”
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of. You hooked up with a guy who obviously was interested in you. He had been following you via Sassy magazine and maybe he fell for your wittiness and when he recognized you at brunch a week ago, he thought, ‘Damn!’”
“Okay, hearing those words come out of her mouth seems unnatural, but I have to agree with Lexi, this naughty encounter is pretty hot.”
“But, Lia, he’s most likely using me to ensure I give his product glowing reviews.”
“You’re assuming things, honey.”
“Candy, once again I have to side with Lexi here. You have no idea why this guy couldn’t keep his hands off of you.”
“None of this makes sense. Max is drop-dead gorgeous, he’s extremely successful, insanely rich and he has a phenomenal sense of humor. Why in the world would he be remotely interested in someone like me when there are so many other skinny options in a city like New York?”
“I thought you said he liked curvy women?”
“Vince said the same thing and his wife is a stick figure with a swollen belly. What if this guy is pulling my leg and taking me for a ride? What if every woman he’s ever dated is a freaking size-zero supermodel and he’s only buttering me up because my position at Sassy could help him expand his empire?” Is Max more interested in what I can do for him than in who I am? “I’m sorry, but handsome and rich men go for slim bombshells, not average plus-size women like me.”
“You infuriate me when you talk like this,” Devin shouts from the kitchen where he went to fetch another cup of coffee. He looks at me in such a disapproving way, I lower my gaze, feeling slightly guilty for what I said.
“Name me one powerful man dating a plus-size woman,” I say, tapping my nails against the stem of my wine glass.
“You’re blind.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean,” he responds in a clipped tone.
“If I did, I wouldn’t ask,” I say, ticked off. “Listen, if you’re going to give me a pep talk, don’t.”
“I won’t. I’m going to answer your question because right now the only thing you see is how seemingly huge your ass is as opposed to how phenomenal you are as a person. Pierce Brosnan, Ben Falcone and Simon Konecki. Sexy Irish actor Pierce is married to plus-size babe Keely Shaye Smith. Italian-American actor Ben is the father to your idol Melissa McCarthy’s two kids and yes, they are married, as you well know. Finally there’s CEO Simon who is Adele’s baby-daddy. If you need me to name a few other men who think meat on a woman is sexy, let me know. I’ll be happy to oblige.”
My apartment goes dead silent as Devin stares down at me from where he’s still standing with scornful eyes while Lia and Lexi exchange side glances.
Jeez, no need to gang up on me. I want to believe him, but there’s a part of me still struggling to accept I could be as lucky as Kelly, Melissa or Adele.
“Just because you’ve dated assholes, cheats and scumbags with small dicks doesn’t mean all men fall in those categories. Maybe this half-Brazilian billionaire really finds you attractive.”
“Dev’s right, Candice.” Lia squeezes my hand gently.
“Ditto, hun. I’m totally siding with Dev and Lia on this one. I’d kill for your luscious tatas.” Lexi is desperately trying to push her breasts together to give the illusion of fullness and we all burst out laughing.
“Well, he does want to meet me for dinner tonight to explain why he didn’t reveal who he was from the get-go,” I say, biting my lower lip.
“What?” my three friends scream so loudly it sends Leo DiCaprio running to the bathroom to hide.
“Yeah. I might have forgotten to mention that part of the story,” I say shyly.
“Fuck you for holding the best part to yourself. Let me pour some more wine in your glass. Start talking.” Before I can respond, Devin is already marching to the fridge to pull out another bottle of Cali
fornia Sauvignon Blanc wine. “Don’t wait for me to uncork the bottle, spill your guts, sister,” he commands.
“At some point during the meeting, I felt nauseated at the idea I’d made out with one of our biggest clients. I excused myself pretending to have eaten something that made me sick. Once I burst out of the boardroom, my intention was to sprint to my desk and hide, but Max ran after me and he pushed me into the empty Fashion Archive room. To top it all off he had the audacity to threaten to blackmail me if I didn’t agree to have dinner with him tonight.”
“Oh, honey, this story is juicier by the second.” Devin is filling my glass and I grab it and take a big gulp, letting the alcohol calm my nervousness.
“Devin, it’s not. He’s manipulating me.”
“He can manipulate me any time if you don’t want him.”
“Amen.” Lia and Lexi are high-fiving each other while giggling over Lia’s comment.
“You two aren’t being supportive,” I scorn.
“You’ve accepted his invitation, right?”
“Dev, I didn’t feel I had any choice in the matter. It was either accept or he was going to pull the contract and award it to one of our competitors in the marketplace. This would make Jennifer look bad and I'd most likely get fired.”
“If Max didn’t want to see you again, he wouldn’t be playing hardball like he is.”
“Yeah.” Devin and Lia are both nodding at Lexi’s comment with a huge grin on their faces.
“Honey, I hope you said yes.”
“I did say yes. I didn’t want to jeopardize my position at Sassy.” I might not be willing to admit it openly to my friends, but I do want to see Max again.
“Great call,” Devin says before bringing his wine glass to his lips.
“Were you only thinking of holding on to your job when you agreed to have dinner with him or were you having flashbacks to his impatient fingers against your clit?”
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