by Vivien Vale
"Yeah, he was there all right. And he appears to be our biggest competition. His ideas are good, very good."
She looks at me pensively. "Well, he does own the biggest ad agency in town. Doubtless, he's good at his job. But it's okay because you're also good. And remember that we're a little agency for a reason, to fill that niche in the market.”
Charlotte has a point so I let her continue.
“Not everyone wants to be handled by a corporate agency. Most of our clients prefer the small size of this firm and how we cater to them creatively. Remember that."
She's right, I know. Sometimes it's hard to remember my mission in this world, which is to stay small and to do what I do best. Liam has me teetering on the edge of my morals and my direction.
My heart still races every time I think of the way he was looking at me, as though I were his already.
"Hello? Earth to Claire. Are you in, Claire?"
I realize I've just zoned out, lost in thought again about Liam.
"Sorry, my mind was somewhere else."
"And could have something to do with a certain someone, a certain handsome playboy?" she prods.
"Yes, okay? He's so fucking gorgeous and he was literally staring at me throughout the entire meeting. I thought maybe there could be something there, but I know he's a creep, a one-night stand kind of guy and you just reminded me of that, so thanks."
She looks at me knowingly, as though it all suddenly makes sense to her.
"You like him, Claire. You really like him, don't you?"
"Shut up!" I throw my pen at her. "Besides, I only kind of like him. And he's a player so what does it matter?"
"It matters," she says, "because you never like anyone. The fact that he's even on your radar is a big deal."
"Yeah, well, I'm not about to get hurt by a guy like that. So, I'm gonna push him out of my mind and just focus on winning this campaign. Then, I can prove to him and all the others that we're a company to contend with."
"Sounds like a plan," Charlotte says with a smile. "Why don't we go out to celebrate tonight? You've very nearly landed the campaign and that in itself is a big success. Let's go to a club or something."
That actually sounds like music to my ears. I could use a night out to forget about work, and to forget about him. I can't believe I've only just met the guy and already he's occupying my thoughts like this. I need to shut it down and a night out will help.
"Definitely. Let's go out. There's that new club uptown called Embassy. We should go there."
"Sounds like a plan. Let's wrap up the day and then we can change here and go."
"Okay, Charlotte. I'll just finish some stuff and we can leave in a few hours."
She leaves me to it and I go about making changes to the Velvet Luxe campaign. Now that I see what I'm up against, I also see more clearly where I can make changes to my ideas and make them stronger.
I love working. Designing is basically my entire life. I do it for fun, I do it for work, and everything in between. I guess you could say I'm an artist at heart. I was always doodling as a child and now I've somehow turned that into a career.
I try to lose myself in the work, but somehow, I still see Liam in my head. I can't help thinking that this is dangerous territory.
I cannot allow myself to fall for a playboy, much less my professional competition. It's just not a good look.
I spin around in my chair and look at the view. Storm clouds are threatening the city and I think that tonight I might need an umbrella.
His handsome, rugged face is on my mind again, but I attempt to shake it off, telling myself that it's just because he's so hot. I'm in lust not love, and I need to keep a firm distance between Liam and myself.
I work some more and put all my energy into creating the most fabulous ad campaign the lingerie world has ever seen. I decide to take it up a notch in terms of sexiness, sure that this will win them over.
At last, night falls and it's time to take off. Charlotte wheels a clothing rack into my office. We always keep an array of extra outfits on hand so we don't have to go home to change before hitting the town.
"What'll it be tonight?" She's perusing several of my new purchases. "You know, if you spent less money on Gucci, maybe the company wouldn't be in such dire straits."
I laugh. I do have a penchant for shopping.
"Hey, why do you care? You wear all of my stuff anyway."
She runs her hands over my new Chanel dress. "It's so lucky that we're the same size."
"You should wear that," I say. "It's super cute on you."
She pulls it off the rack and we both strip and change after we pick our desired outfits.
Then, I pull out my vanity mirror and we do our makeup.
"I say we look pretty good," Charlotte says.
"No babe, we look hot."
I'm wearing a very small, black lace dress with six-inch heels. It almost feels like I'm wearing nothing and that's how I like it tonight. Tonight, I plan on flirting with so many guys and I will forget all about Liam what's-his-name.
Liam
What the fuck was that?
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I just met the most beautiful girl in the world.
What I thought would be a boring meeting with executives from Velvet Luxe turned into a mesmerizing experience.
My cock hardens at the thought of the angel I just saw.
The way her curly blonde hair fell just so over her delicate shoulders is haunting me. And those blue eyes, cold as the Arctic sea, reveal layers of character and strength.
She doesn't seem like the type of woman I can fuck and be done with, and that intrigues me. She's complicated, I can tell. I should know. I watched her throughout the entire meeting.
I watched the way her garter stuck out slightly from underneath her skirt when she crossed her slim legs. I watched the way her breasts pressed through the little camisole she was wearing under her suit. And most of all, I watched the way she squirmed under my gaze.
The thought of that, of making her flush with lust for me, is what's making my cock hard even now, as I drive away in the limo.
"Trish, I need you to figure something out for me. There was a woman there. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and I need to find out her name," I say to my assistant.
She looks slightly annoyed at my interest in another woman. What can I say? My focus is on this mystery girl now.
Trish is on the phone, trying to find out who she is. Once I discover her name, I'll make it my mission to bed this girl. She really is that fucking gorgeous.
"Okay, Liam I got her name. It's Claire Peirce and she owns Epica."
"Hmm, Epica. Where have I heard that name before?" I wonder aloud.
"Well," Trish begins, "I've heard about it. It's a little company that's making waves in the advertising world. They're on the brink of a financial collapse, but that doesn't erase all the clients she’s had. The company is not very business-oriented; hence, the money problems. Apparently, this Claire girl built it from scratch."
Trish is jealous I know, but I couldn’t really care less. Now that I know her name...Claire...I can make it my mission to conquer her.
The fact that she built her company from scratch is endearing. I built Dignity Creative from the ground up. Granted, I have amassed a billion-dollar fortune in the process, but who's counting?
Claire has smarts and a tight body who sharp curves could cut glass. It's the perfect combination and the perfect thing to jolt me out of my recent boredom.
I spend the rest of the ride back to my office thinking about how I'm going to win her over. Flowers? Candy? What would be the perfect scenario for our first introduction?
The limo makes its way through New York City traffic. I people-watch and think about Claire. Rarely does an infatuation overcome me like this. The rush is intoxicating and it reminds me of a time when I wasn't so jaded and when I had a sense of idealism and still believed in people.
We arrive back
at my building and I abandon Trish. I head straight up to the penthouse so I can brood over what to do with this new girl.
I pace around my penthouse office, determined to handle the situation. I need to meet her again, and it needs to look like a coincidence—or fate.
I haven't been this excited about a woman for so long. I wonder what it is about her that's stirring something in me. My lust is starting to awaken and it can't be contained.
I make myself whiskey on the rocks and sit in my favorite leather chair in the corner of the room. It overlooks the city from an almost 360-degree angle.
The view calms my heightened state. NYC never fails to enchant me, especially from my place at the top. I have an empire. I have everything I want, except for one thing and that will change soon.
Little does Claire know I'm about to make her mine.
My vice president, Evan, comes in without knocking.
“Hey Liam, how’d the meeting go?”
I look at him and decide to divulge my new obsession.
“The meeting was fine,” I say. “The presentation was okay. But the real thrill was when I found the girl of my dreams.”
He looks unfazed. “Oh yeah, who’s that?”
“Her name is Claire and she owns Epica.”
Evan helps himself to some whiskey and sits opposite me.
“That’s funny,” he says, “because I was just coming in here to discuss Epica. You see, it’s a small company. No more than a dozen people work there, and they’re on the brink of ruin. But I think we could acquire the company and take the people as part of our own, Dignity Creative.”
I look at him with interest. “And why would we want to do that?”
“Because this Claire girl may not know a scrap about business, not even enough to keep her company afloat, but she is a genius in terms of creativity. Her company is known for fostering the artistic spirit. I’ve heard she has the best people on board.”
“Hmm, that’s a good idea then.”
“Yes, she needs this Velvet Luxe campaign or her company will go under. Once that happens, we can make her and everyone who works for her an offer they can’t refuse. They can work here and we’ll have eliminated some of the competition.”
Evan’s plan is devious, but he’s part of the reason we are the biggest ad agency in New York. He thinks ahead and he knows how to undermine the competition.
“I like it,” I say. “But then, we have to make sure she doesn’t win this big client.”
“That’s where you come in. You have a way with women and if you can seduce her, then maybe she’ll reveal some of her ideas for the campaign or maybe you can find them on your own or something.”
“So, essentially, you’re asking me to spy on her?”
He looks unfazed by the disregard of morals his plan requires. Evan is a good businessman, but his code of ethics is all wrong. I don’t necessarily mind because he brings in a lot of business.
“If you want to call it spying you can. But come on, man, I’ve seen Claire. I know she’s hot and that it won’t be asking a lot from you to sleep with her and to do a little digging.”
I laugh. He’s right, of course. I’m already intending to fuck her. I guess it won’t hurt to see if I can steal some of her ideas for the campaign or at least get an idea of the direction she’s heading in.
“Fine, I’ll do it,” I say swigging back my whiskey.
He grants me an ignoble smile and, again, I wonder at his lack of ethics. As long as I have Evan here to do my dirty work, I don’t have to be the bad guy.
“That’s good, Liam. Now, what do you say we go out tonight and celebrate?”
“What’d you have in mind?”
“There’s this new club called Embassy. Everyone who’s anyone will be there and they have a nice VIP section.”
“I’ll meet you there later,” I say and he takes that as a dismissal.
He finishes his drink and leaves.
I think about how to uncover Claire’s plans. Maybe I can get her to tell me the direction she’s planning on going in.
The only thing better than fucking Claire would be stealing this client from her. Hey, she hasn't won yet and it's every man for himself.
She might have a little boutique ad agency, but I’m a giant among men. My company dominates the rest and I have every intention of getting this client.
I pour myself into work for the rest of the afternoon and, as evening falls, I order dinner and relax for a minute before getting ready to go out.
I eat pretty clean and tonight is no different. I have salmon and vegetables on the terrace. Menacing storm clouds threaten to outshine my evening, but I like this weather. I hope it rains and pours and proves to be a wild night.
I go inside and take a long, hot shower. It's rare that I have a night out on the town but maybe being with my boys and stalking new women—new prey—will shift me back to my old self.
I wear my finest slacks and a shirt with an open collar. I slap on some cologne and aftershave and run my fingers through my hair.
Then, I meet the limousine downstairs. I warn the driver that I'll need him later tonight when I bring home my latest conquest.
"Just be sure you're ready at a moment's notice."
"Of course, Mr. Alton."
I never leave a club without a gorgeous girl on my arm. Tonight will be no different. Of that I'm sure.
Claire
The line looks long and menacing and I don't know how we'll ever get through.
In truth, this is not my scene. I go out to the clubs sometimes, but usually, I'm more of an intimate bar kind of gal. I like to hang at the lounge of an upscale hotel, like the Ritz and be able to relax with a martini.
I prefer to hear the conversation and not have to scream over the noise in order to be heard.
Nonetheless, we're here. And noise is exactly what I need to get my mind off Liam. I'm determined to drown him out no matter what it takes, even if that means dancing at the hottest club in town and standing in line for an hour.
Luckily for me, Charlotte darts to the head of the line, whispers something in the bouncer's ear, and he pulls back the velvet rope and lets us right in.
"How'd you do that?" I ask.
"Are you kidding me? I know every bouncer in town. I make it my mission to get on their good side so that I can always get into whatever club I want."
"You are unbelievable."
"Yeah well, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. I don't want to miss out on any of the action. It's all about who you know," she says.
I knew there was a reason I'm best friends with Charlotte. She's very crafty. And she's also known around town as somewhat of an ‘It’ girl. It makes me look good to be with her.
Even though I feel out of my element, I'm determined to make the most of it. I slip off my little shawl and put it in my purse so that I expose as much skin as possible. Tonight, I want to attract a guy—a guy who is not Liam.
He just gets under my skin and I can't pinpoint why. Maybe it's his arrogance or the way he was staring at me with reckless abandon, not even trying to hide it. Something about him simultaneously attracts and infuriates me. It's a dangerous combination.
Charlotte takes my hand and leads me to the bar.
"What will you have?" the bartender asks.
"Two shots of Patron and two Coronas please," Charlotte says.
She always knows exactly what to order in order to loosen things up. She's like a connoisseur of cocktails.
The tequila shots arrive and we toast to our friendship before gulping down the harsh liquid. I immediately chase it with my beer and am feeling better already. It's gonna be a good night.
More and more people are starting to filter into the club and it's becoming pretty packed.
I guzzle down my beer and Charlotte looks at me in surprise.
"Wow, you're really going for it tonight, huh?"
"Go big or go home," I say as I pull her away from the bar and onto the danc
e floor.
Dancing in a club is such a dizzying experience. With the DJ's vibrating music and so many people around, I feel like I can finally let loose. I feel like my real life doesn't exist and the only thing that matters is this moment and my ability to let go.
I pull her to the center of the dance floor and, before long, there are various guys surrounding us. None of them attract me, of course. Like I said, I have high standards.
But tonight, it's not about that. Tonight, it's about escapism. I'm trying to escape the memory of one hot guy. I'm trying to escape my feelings for someone that I know I shouldn't be with. And because of that, I'll dance with anyone who's offering.
One guy comes up close and he seems good enough.
"You look nice tonight," he says over the loud thumping of the music.
"What?" I say to him over the heavy music.
"I said you look nice tonight."
"Oh, thank you."
Charlotte is eyeing our exchange and I can tell she knows exactly what I'm thinking. This guy is not worth my time. But I don't care. I just need to dance with someone.
There are so many people around us that he presses up against me. The encounter makes me uncomfortable. I don't like to be touched by strangers. But I try to dance with him and I try to make it fun.
We stay on the floor for a few songs and I have to admit the DJ's really good. New York has the best nightlife in the country. That's for sure.
Charlotte has found her own guy to dance with and for a while, it's really fun to just forget about real life.
My concerns about the precarious financial position of my company and about needing to land the Velvet Luxe campaign all go on the back burner. For now it's just me and her, these random guys, and the dance floor. That's all I need.
After a while I feel exhausted. Charlotte and I are both hot and sweaty. I decide it's time to break away from these guys.
"Want to get a drink?" I yell to her over the music.
"Yes, let's get out of here," she says.
I follow her through the crowd and, at last, we break free and get to the bar. I definitely need a drink and a breather.
We find a couple of seats in the corner.
