by L. P. Dover
“Yes, sir. Understood.” She hangs up without allowing me to elaborate on my statement.
I don’t want this woman to feel ordinary. She’s special and she’s mine. I don’t care if I don’t know her name, or what she looks like . . . she took care of me the other night. She came back to me.
The elevator doors open on my floor, but I don’t get off, choosing instead to ride all the way back down to the bottom floor. I won’t waste time with this necklace. The next time I’m with her, I want to trace the chain with my tongue while it lies against her skin. I dial Mrs. Jones and wait for her to answer.
“Ward Enterprises, Mr. Ward’s office.”
“Good morning, Mrs. Jones. I’m going to be late this morning. I have an errand to run.”
“Yes, Mr. Ward. There’s a Mr. Zac Haggart waiting in the lobby for you. What shall I tell him?”
What the actual fuck? What the hell could that douchebag want? “Tell Mr. Haggart I’m booked and he needs to make an appointment to see me.”
“Of course, Mr. Ward,” she says as she hangs up. Mrs. Jones is the most dutiful secretary I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.
As I exit the building, I stop and look up at the sky, silently thanking my grandfather for having the foresight to leave his company to me. My father didn’t want to switch careers and chose to continue practicing criminal law, leaving me to run the family business.
I pass by a couple of colleagues who are happy to give a passing greeting and not stop to talk. I need to make it to the jewelers and back to the office so I can prepare for my lunch meeting today. It’s been a few days since my last run-in with Mia and I really need to get her off my mind. Not that lunch is going to accomplish that, but seeing her in a professional setting should help. I’ve never had impure thoughts about a colleague before and I’m not about to start now.
The jeweler is just over three blocks from my office, an easy and refreshing walk. When I step in, the door chimes and the owner looks up and greets me with a smile.
“Parker, to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Hello, Lucy,” I say, as I give her a hug. Two years ago, I came in and had her custom design a bracelet for my mom’s birthday. I like the idea of having one of a kind pieces adorn the women I regard. That thought causes me to pause. How is it possible to adore a woman I only have carnal knowledge of?
“I need a custom necklace.”
“What’s the occasion?” she asks, as she opens her note pad.
How do I put into words the woman I’m paying to fuck has to wear a necklace without making her sound like a whore, or me a john? “A dear friend’s birthday,” I lie easily. “What I’m looking for needs to be unique and standout, but it has to be an X.”
“Why?” she asks, as she starts drawing.
Because it’s the rules?
“It’s her name,” I blurt out, scrambling for an answer. “Her name is Xena.” Fucking Princess Warrior. Jesus, I’m a moron.
“Xena is such a beautiful name.”
I’ll take your word for it, Lucy. I nod, sliding my credit card over. “How long will you need?”
Lucy taps on her tablet, letting out a slight grimace. “I’m at least two months out.”
“That won’t do,” I state, bluntly. “I’ll pay double to have it next week, or triple to have it by the end of this week.”
Her eyes go wide and her mouth drops open. “This week just opened up.” Of course it did. Money has a funny way of clearing busy schedules. “Anything aside from the X?”
“It needs be platinum, with diamonds, up to four carats.”
“She’s one lucky lady.”
I smile, leaving her to her own assumptions. I don’t know what she is and probably will never be able to define it. I don’t even want to think about what happens next month. Do I pay her fee again? At what point do we stop doing this and go our separate ways? Or will I break down and demand Bryce tell me who she is?
Lucy hands me my card and tells me it’ll be ready at the end of the week. I feel good about this purchase, but regret I’ll never visibly see the necklace hanging from her neck.
On the way back to my office, I fall in step behind a couple clearly in love. They’re holding hands, and every few steps, they stop to kiss. It makes sense for me to walk around them, but I’m a glutton for punishment and watch them interact. A slight pang of jealousy hits me as they stop in front of a corner florist and he hands her a flower. Sometimes, I think I want this type of relationship, but they’re messy when they end. Too many feelings are involved. It’s better to keep relationships sterile.
I pull out my cell phone and text Mia, reminding her the car will be there to pick her up at eleven-thirty. I refrain from asking her to wear something professional. I should know better than to assume she’d embarrass me by showing up in those cock rising, tiny-ass shorts she likes to wear at the gym.
The thought of her in those makes me want to hit the john to rub one out before lunch. The only thing holding me back is that I need to see her face to come, not to mention the mess. I was already chastised by my maid for forgetting to clean the shower the other morning. I gave her a bonus. It was the least I could do for being a pig.
“Hello, Mr. Ward,” Mrs. Jones says as I step into the office. She hands me my messages and I notice Zac’s is on top.
“Was Mr. Haggart rude to you?” Please say yes. I need an excuse to beat the shit out of him.
“Of course not,” she says, bursting my fantasy.
I read over his message as I walk to my office. I’ll catch up with you later. We need to talk. I crumple up the pink piece of paper and toss it into my wastebasket. Zac and I have nothing to talk about. I’ve despised the man ever since Mia brought him around, but mostly for the way he treated her - like she was a piece of property. A woman like Mia doesn’t need anyone telling her what to do. She needs a man who is her equal. One who is going to help her strive to be her best, not bring her down.
She deserves a man who is going to put her first, over everything he deems worthy, and who treats her with the respect her father expects. Mia needs someone who is going to worship her body and memorize every perfectly placed curve. She needs a man who is going to appreciate her apricot skin contrasted against her red panties.
Red panties . . . like the pair I took from the dark room the other night. When I felt she had clothes on, I almost came on the spot. I could only imagine how fucking sexy she looked in lingerie and the feel of the lace tickling the tip of my cock made me harder than I’ve been in a long time. When I took them from her body, I dropped them close to where I was so I could easily pick them up. So I could take home a souvenir from our time together.
The buzzing of the intercom breaks me out of my daydream. I need to stop thinking about Mia like this. It’s not right. Her father and brother would slice off my dick if they knew I was thinking about her in this way.
“Mr. Ward?”
“Yes, Mrs. Jones.”
“The car is outside. I’ve also confirmed Ms. Hudson has been picked up.”
I look at my watch and wonder where the last two hours went. I feel like I’ve just sat down and now it’s time to leave. “Thank you. Please let the driver know I’ll be right down.”
Standing, I steady myself against my desk, willing my erection away. I’ve never had these thoughts about Mia before, and I don’t know why they’re starting now. I’ve known her for years and I’ve never imagined her on her knees, sucking my dick in front of my office window, until now.
The drive to Gracie’s should only take ten minutes from my office, but with an accident up ahead, it’s taking longer. I should walk the rest of the way, but it’s unprofessional to show up on foot. When the driver pulls up, Mia is standing outside, waiting for me. I groan when I see that she did dress up for this meeting. I know I should be happy, but given the current tent in my pants, I’m not.
This woman is dressed to kill and putting all the other corporate women to shame. Her cha
rcoal pencil skirt stops well before her knees and her tailored jacket highlights those curves I was fantasizing about earlier. Her black heels accentuate her toned legs, causing every guy who walks by to take a double and triple look.
“I’ll kill them all,” I mumble under my breath as I get out of the car. Her eyes widen in surprise when she sees me, making me feel ten feet tall.
“Mia,” I say, as I kiss her on the cheek. I linger longer than acceptable, but I can’t help it. She smells of flowers, sunshine, and fucking sex. I step away before she can feel my dick rubbing on her leg, trying to get under her skirt. “Shall we?” I motion for the door, nodding to the maître d' after he opens it for us.
Even with my hand on her lower back, my body hums. I’ve never felt this before and I’m going to chalk it up to being horny as fuck.
The hostess shows us to our table, letting us know our guests are waiting. I’m expecting Mr. Wainright to have his CEO or legal counsel with him. He’d be foolish to come alone.
“Wait,” Mia says, stopping us short. “What am I doing here?”
“Simple. You have the knowledge of the fashion industry, and I need someone to tell me if this is a good buy or not.”
“Am I able to speak freely and ask questions?”
I look at her with an eyebrow cocked before I remember her douchebag ex. “Of course. I value and respect your opinion, Mia. I always have. If you have questions, by all means, ask away.”
The smile on her face is bright enough to light up Manhattan during a power outage. I can’t help but smile in return and nod for her to continue following the hostess. As soon as we round the corner, Mia freezes mid-step and I stumble into her, barely catching her before she face plants into a gentleman’s marinara sauce.
“Are you okay?”
She shakes her head and turns to face me. Her face is red and she’s seething. “No. You didn’t tell me Zac would be here.”
I look over her shoulder, and sure enough, he’s sitting at the table. The same table our hostess is waiting at for us to join. “Motherfucker. I swear I didn’t know. Should we leave?”
She blanches. “You’d give up a deal for me?”
I didn’t need to think about it, but my answer surprises me. “Yes, I would.”
Mia takes a deep breath and squares her shoulders. “No, I don’t want to leave. I want to go over there and get this company for dirt cheap.”
“Damn, I should bring you with me more often,” I mumble to myself as she walks toward the table.
Mia and I sit across from Mr. Wainright and an incensed Zac. I introduce Mia as my associate, much to Zac’s displeasure. It’s comical really, how pissed off he is. The pleasure I get from his red face should be illegal.
“Mr. Wainright, let’s get down to business. Tell me why Ward Enterprises should buy Les Belle.”
Mr. Wainright is an older man and if I had to guess, he’s pushing seventy. He’d probably thought he would hit the market boom, then retire in the lap of luxury. Clearly things haven’t gone as he likely predicted.
“We haven’t decided to sell yet,” Zac says with bite.
I turn my gaze to him and smile. “Of course you have, or I wouldn’t be here.”
“If I had known my client was thinking of contacting you, I wouldn’t have allowed it.”
“And why is that, Zac?” I lean back in my chair, closer to Mia than what is deemed professional. Her hand brushes against my thigh, causing me to clamp down on the inside of my cheek.
“There are other options,” Zac hisses through clenched teeth.
Mia must feel my temper rise because her hand rests on my thigh, fingers drawing lazy circles. I want to grab her wrist and tell her to stop, or to grab her hand and hold it against my raging hard on . . . either way, I can’t decide. Lucky for everyone involved, the heat flooding through my core prevents either from happening.
I jump slightly when Mia pinches me, breaking my reverie. Zac is glaring at her and it takes me only seconds to remember what he said. I nod in agreement. “There are, but none as good as me.” I wink at him for good measure, before turning my attention back to Mr. Wainright.
“I’ve looked over your profile and brought my associate along to help make the best decision for Ward Enterprises. It’s clear your counsel doesn’t approve of you moving forward with a sale, so let me sell you on my company.
“Ward Enterprises is different from the rest. I’m not going to come in and fire everyone. I am, however, going to strip titles from your CEO, COO, and whoever else you have in place, because they’re not doing their jobs. I’ll find them other positions, with fair positional pay, if they choose to stay. Most often they do, because I’m a great guy to work for.
“Operations continue to run, but under my guise. I will bring in staff to oversee production and make the necessary changes to best suit my needs. I give the company sixteen to eighteen months to start producing a viable income. If it can’t, I peel off the departments and sell.”
“How do you propose to turn around sales, if I can’t do that myself?” he asks.
That’s where Mia comes in. I look at her and she meets my gaze, silently asking for the floor. I nod and she takes over. “First off, Mr. Wainright, your store is amazing,” she gushes. “With what I can tell from the outside, you have the product but no solid marketing plan. I know of at least a dozen contacts in the fashion world who would love to help. Plus, several of them owe me favors.” She smiles, then winks at me quickly. “If we can just get your brand known throughout the world, I know we can turn this around. I have no doubt.”
She then starts in on the market, trends, and meeting the demand of wholesale suppliers while running front-end shops. All the shit I had no clue about. Who the hell is this woman?
Mia only pauses to order lunch and once the waitress leaves, she’s back at it. I’m tempted to cover her mouth so she stops giving away trade secrets, but watching her in action is a huge turn on. There is nothing sexier than a powerful businesswoman.
Zac interrupts at one point. “Charles, let me remind you, Ms. Hudson works at a gym teaching Zumba classes and is hardly a source for the fashion industry.” He picks up his drink to avoid eye contact with anyone at the table.
I freeze, digesting what he just said. My hands ball into fists and my breathing deepens. Mia, on the other hand, has been stunned into silence. When she looks at me, I know I have to do something.
“Let me assure everyone at the table, Mia is over qualified to work for you. She works at the gym her brother owns to help him out, but has recently taken a job at Ward Enterprises as a consultant. What Mr. Haggart failed to mention is, her previous boyfriend was holding her back from pursuing her dreams. I can assure that is no longer the case.
“I’m sorry to cut our lunch short, however, I have no room in my company profile to add anyone who keeps such a pigheaded counsel on his payroll. It was nice meeting you.” I set my napkin on my plate and push my chair away. Mia’s watching my every move with her mouth open. When I tug on her chair, she helps me move it back, and stands to follow me out of the restaurant.
“Holy shit,” she says when we get outside. “Did you really just throw that deal away?”
I shrug and call for a cab. I’m trying not to think of my actions, but apparently that’s exactly what I did. “Zac’s a douche, Mia. He’s unprofessional and Les Belle needs me, or it folds. Any other company is going to come in and fire everyone on board. I’m the safest option.”
When a yellow cab stops in front of me, I open the door and motion for her to get in. As soon as she does, I shut the door. She rolls down her window and sticks her head out. “Thanks, Parker. It was nice to have someone stick up for me like that.”
“Anything for you, Mia.”
I walk away before I can say anything stupid. The next time I see her, I’m going to offer her a job at Ward Enterprises. This move will guarantee I’ll never have her in my bed.
“I can’t believe he did that,” Rachel
shrieks through the phone. “What did you do when Parker got up from the table?”
I grab my gym bag and head for the door. “I sat there like a gaping idiot, of course. What I really wanted to do was jump across the table and beat the shit out of Zac’s smug face. I can’t believe I put up with him for all those years. If he so much as tries to sweet talk his way into my life, I’ll lose my goddamn mind.”
His words had hit my gut hard. I’m not just a girl who works at a fucking gym. I have talents and goals. Soon he’ll see exactly what I can do.
“What’s Parker gonna do now, just let the deal go?” she asks.
I get in my car and sit there. Parker shouldn’t have to miss out on a deal because of my issues with Zac. I need to think of something to help him. Out of nowhere, it comes to me. “No. I’m going to talk to Mr. Wainright myself. His company will go down the shitter if Zac gets his way.”
“Are you sure you’re allowed to do that? What are you going to do, show up at Les Belle and talk to him?”
Grinning from ear to ear, I hop out of my car and rush inside. I can’t show up at Les Belle wearing gym shorts and a tank top. “I believe that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
“Wait, you never told me what happened with you and Hottie McHotpants in the dark room. I want details.”
Laughing, I search for the perfect outfit to wear and pull it out of my closet. It happens to be a Mia original. “I’ll tell you all about it later. Right now, I have to go. Wish me luck.”
Les Belle is in downtown Portland, but there’s so many other shops around that are more inviting. I park my car across the street and stroll inside the shop. It’s gorgeous and bright inside, with ceiling to floor windows. It gives the shop a vibrant, open feel to go along with the amazing clothes. One day, I’ll have my own designs displayed in a place like this, with my name on the front of the building. I can dream, right?
“Ma’am, is there anything I can help you with?” a young lady asks as I venture further into the store. She’s a petite brunette with a kind smile.
