Flesh: Part Four Read online

  Flesh

  Part Four

  SKY CORGAN

  Text copyright 2015 by Sky Corgan.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the author.

  CHAPTER ONE

  “Let's get started.” Derrick pats me on the shoulder before returning to his desk to work on creating a digital model of Lucian's house.

  I sit there staring at my computer for several minutes, reading the email that Tyra sent me over and over in disbelief. After all the embarrassing things I've done: dropping the cookies, breaking my heel, crying during sex...Lucian still accepted the contract. Maybe it means he wants to see me again. Or perhaps he just feels sorry for me. I don't know. And I honestly don't know if I'm happy or sad that I'm going to get to continue working with him.

  I try to separate my personal interest in him from business. Right now, I'm the star employee of Environ Design, but I'll only stay that way if I do my job and make the client happy.

  I take a deep breath and start typing out an email to Lucian, asking about any particular color choices he might like. I make the email as professional as possible, but as I type it, all I can think about are the non-professional things we've done together. He was inside of me just last night. His gorgeous muscular body on top of me. His thick cock, claiming me. His amazing blue eyes looking down at me with lust. And I cried. I got what I had secretly been hoping for, and I cried like a child, too immature to handle such an intense sexual situation.

  It's over, Amy. You need to put thoughts of having him behind you. You ruined it last night. For whatever reason, he still signed the contract. You need to take advantage of this and be the best that you can be from now on. Strictly business. Professional. Not an obsessed, hormonal wreck.

  I hit send on the email and plug my camera into the computer to upload the few pictures I took of Lucian's house. When they're finished uploading, I email them to Derrick. Then I get online to start shopping for furniture that I think would look good in the different rooms of Lucian's house.

  A little before noon, I receive a reply from Lucian. It simply says:

  Miss Underwood,

  Pick what you think would look good. I trust your judgment.

  Regards,

  Lucian Reddick, M.D.

  Reddick Plastic Surgery

  I sulk a bit, wishing he had more of an opinion on the matter. It is my job to know what looks good though, and I've already made a few selections. I spend the rest of my time before lunch putting together furniture combinations for the rooms that I have pictures for. I'm so engrossed in my work that I don't even notice Derrick making his way towards my desk.

  “Lunch time.” He taps the top of my monitor, drawing my attention up to his face. “Let's go out today. My treat.”

  “Give me a minute. I want to send these furniture pics to Lucian to see what he thinks.”

  “Lucian?” Derrick quirks an eyebrow. “Already on a first-name basis with the good doctor, huh?”

  My shoulders sink, and I give him a sarcastic look, even though he's spot-on with what he's insinuating. A few clicks of my mouse later, and the photos are sent. I lock my computer, grab my purse, and follow Derrick to his car, hobbling all the way.

  “This is annoying,” I growl down at my ankle.

  “How did that happen anyway?” He smirks, and I know he's thinking about the cookies—about how clumsy I am.

  “Boy, do I have a story for you.”

  ***

  Derrick stares at me from across the table with his mouth agape and a sweet potato french fry pinched between his fingers. The shock on his face when I told him I knew Lucian was apparent. This is just dramatic. You'd think that Armani decided to start merchandising at Walmart or something.

  “You fucked him.” The words have a bite of anger to them, causing the stupid grin I've been wearing to wane a bit.

  “I didn't plan it or anything.” I shrug, averting my eyes and stabbing at my salad. It's not what I want to be eating, but the thought of seeing Lucian again has put me into diet mode. The last thing I need is to get fatter than I already am.

  “Amy, he's a client.” He tosses the fry back down onto his plate and rests his forehead on his palm.

  “You guys wanted me to land him as a client. Tyra said do whatever it takes.” I cock my head back in disbelief that he's actually angry with me. Half of the reason I slept with Lucian was to secure the contract. At least, that's what I keep telling myself, even though I know it isn't true. “You made that bonus sound really important.”

  “I know,” he sighs before pushing his plate aside.

  “Look, it's no big deal. Everything worked out. He signed the contract. We're going to be strictly professional from now on.”

  “Oh really now?”

  “Really.”

  Derrick shakes his head and rolls his eyes. “You're so so clueless and naive, Amy.”

  “What's that supposed to mean?” I do my best not to be offended, but it's kind of hard when he basically just called me stupid.

  “Men don't work that way. Especially men like him.” He traces a fingertip around one of the pictures embedded in the table.

  “Men like him,” I huff. “You make it sound like you actually know him.”

  “I know his type,” he insists.

  “Enlighten me then.” I set my fork down and glare at him.

  He seems to deflate a little, and his expression softens. “I know you don't want to hear this, but guys like him...they're entitled. They take what they want. They use who they want. And then they move on to the next.

  “You're not the type of girl to sleep around. I've known you for five years. Know you well enough to know that.

  “Deep down inside, you expect something from him. Something you're not going to get.”

  Way to ruin my good mood.

  I wrinkle my nose, suddenly losing my appetite. In gentle words, he's telling me that Lucian used me for sex. While I'd like to believe otherwise, I know it's true. My payment was landing the contract, even if sex with me was sub-par, which it was.

  “That's why it's not going to happen again,” I say.

  “I hope it doesn't. I hope he's already lost interest. If he hasn't though, he'll break the contract if you refuse him. You've put yourself in a very bad position. You put the company in a bad position.

  “If he reneges, it's going to look really bad on both of us. Like we screwed up or did something he didn't like. Worse than that, it's going to make Tyra think that he's going to go around telling all of his celebrity buddies that we're a shitty company to work with. You and I will probably never get to work with another high-profile client again.”

  “So do you want me to keep sleeping with him or not?” I press my fingertips against my temple, feeling incredibly confused.

  “I wish you never would have slept with him to begin with.” He shakes his head. “When I told you that I wished you would have tossed your cookies at him, I was just joking. I didn't think you'd actually do it.” A small smile crosses his lips, but it does little to make me feel better.

  Stress is building inside of me. Not just the trivial stress of worrying about whether Lucian likes me or not. It feels like my entire job is on the line now. Like I made one huge mistake by giving in to my desires.

  “I don't know what to do.” I exhale sharply.

  Derrick slides a hand across the table and places it on top of mine. “Hey, don't worry about it. We're a team, remember? This is our project, not just yours. From now on, you don't have to go over there alone. I'll be with you.”

&nb
sp; It's a comforting thought. He's right. There's no reason for me to go to Lucian's place by myself again. And it would be better if I didn't. I really don't want to face what happened between us.

  “Thanks, Derrick. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking.” I turn my hand over and squeeze his.

  “It's fine. You're only human. Hell, the guy is so pretty, I probably would have jumped into bed with him too.”

  “Oh man, those eyes.” My body relaxes, and I feel infinitely better knowing that I now have a game plan and that Derrick isn't mad at me anymore.

  “Oh, I know. I thought they were contacts at first. I've never seen eyes that pale blue before.”

  “Nope. They're real. I got a really good look at them when we were...” I blush, catching myself before I say something inappropriate.

  “They're real. I get it.” He bobs his head as if the subject makes him uncomfortable, so we move on to talk about other things.

  After lunch, we head back to the office. As soon as I open up my email, the first thing I see is a message from Lucian. My stomach churns as I read it, and it's not from all the roughage I ate. The email says:

  Miss Underwood,

  I like some of the selections you've made; however, I'd like to schedule an appointment with you this evening to go over some of them. Would 7PM be alright?

  Regards,

  Lucian Reddick, M.D.

  Reddick Plastic Surgery

  My lips instantly dip into a frown and my heart begins to speed up. Didn't he say he wanted this project to be as hands-off as possible? For as much as he wants us over at his house, it sure doesn't seem like it.

  I take a deep breath and begin typing out my response.

  Doctor Reddick,

  Derrick and I would be happy to come to your house this evening and help you make furniture selections. We'll be there at 7PM.

  Regards,

  Amy Underwood

  Interior Designer

  Environ Designs

  For the next few hours, I check my email obsessively, waiting for a response from him. Nothing comes through though. On my last break, I go to Derrick's desk to tell him about our upcoming appointment. He seems pleased with my resolve to stick to the plan. A little less pleased that Lucian hasn't bothered to contact him at all.

  “We'll get through this,” he tells me with a sigh, as if me going over to Lucian's place without jumping on his dick will be some monumental feat. I want to roll my eyes, but I don't, knowing that he just has my best interests at heart.

  The hours tick down towards the end of the day, and I'm already thinking about what I'm going to wear. Definitely nothing as sexy as last time. Derrick will know if I'm dressing to please Lucian. He has an eye for things like that. Then again, perhaps wearing something a little revealing wouldn't be the worst idea. I do want to keep Lucian interested, don't I?

  No, I don't. That's a terrible idea. What's wrong with me?

  I sigh, realizing it's just going to be another boring blouse and pencil skirt. To keep things simple, I should probably wear what I wore to work today. That way, I only have to freshen up my hair and makeup when I get home.

  I look down at my outfit and frown. I'm wearing beige slacks with a white button-down shirt and an orange cardigan. Not sexy at all. And hard for him to take off. At least, my hair is down. He'll like that. Ugh, why does it matter? You ruined your chance with him anyway.

  My work is done for now, so I sit and play solitaire on my computer. Every passing thought is of what I'm going to say and do when I see Lucian again.

  “Earth to Amy.” Tyra waves a manicured hand in front of my face, causing me to look up.

  “Oh.” I hadn't noticed her standing there.

  “You must be really engulfed in the Reddick project. I like to see my employees working hard.” She points at me and beams.

  I close the solitaire program as quickly as I can, thanking God that she didn't approach me from behind. Otherwise, she might not be so happy.

  “Working hard,” I let out a nervous laugh.

  She leans across my desk, which means she wants to say something that she doesn't want anyone else to hear. Of course, that only draws Derrick's attention away from what he was doing. He glances at us every few seconds, trying to make it seem like he's working, when he's obviously really straining to hear what she's about to tell me.

  “Listen.” She licks her lips, instantly going into serious mode. “Doctor Reddick sent me an email a little while ago. It looks like plans have changed a bit.”

  My heart sinks to my feet, and I feel a hard knot forming in my throat. He reneged on the contract. Perhaps he realized that the sex wasn't good enough for him to owe me the favor of signing with the company. Maybe one of our competitors got to him. All I know is that whatever she says next won't be good.

  “Yeah?” I try not to seem nervous. Already, perspiration is starting to gather on my forehead though, and my palms are getting clammy. For the first time, I realize that I really don't want to lose the contract. I don't want to miss the chance to get to see Lucian again. It doesn't make sense to me, but it's what I want. What I truly want.

  “He has decided that he wants to take a more hands-on approach to the process. I'm honestly not sure why, but I'd like us to accommodate him the best that we can. It's important that we keep him happy, even if it's kind of a pain in the ass.” She gives me a look that suggests the idea displeases her. “Having said that, he wants to be involved in everything. The shopping, the selecting, the placing. Basically, everything except the moving crew.”

  “That's kind of good, isn't it?” My body begins to relax as I realize the worst of my fears didn't come to fruition. “It means he's really interested in what we're doing.”

  “It is good, but...” she hesitates.

  “But?” My eyes widen as I bite back annoyance from her stalling. There's a bomb about to drop, and I wish she'd just let it hit me already. Judging by the way that she's acting, Lucian probably wants me off of his project. The thought hurts, but I'm at least glad that we didn't lose him as a client.

  “But he wants you by his side through the whole thing.”

  My mouth falls open for a split second, but I quickly recover. “No worries, Mrs. Rollins, Derrick and I already told Lucian that we'll be at his house at seven o'clock tonight to go over all the furniture selections I've made so far.” I can't help but smile.

  She leans in a bit closer, casting a glance at Derrick, who quickly shifts his eyes away and continues working. Then she whispers, “He doesn't want Derrick involved. Just you. Only you. He specifically requested it.”

  The shock I was trying to conceal earlier comes out in full force. This is completely unexpected. And while inside I'm jumping for joy, I know it's bad. Bad for me. Bad for Derrick.

  “I told Derrick we'd go together.” It's the only thing I can think of to say.

  “Don't worry about that.” She straightens herself. “I still want him on the project. He's just going to be a background man, doing the blueprint, working on furniture placement choices, and scheduling the moving guys. You'll be Doctor Reddick's direct contact, from now on.”

  Tyra gives me a sympathetic look. “I know this is making you go above and beyond. I'm not exactly sure how much he's going to want you around, and I know it's probably going to be incredibly stressful. Do a good job though, and I promise this will pay off for you.”

  “Sure. Thanks.” It's not the most grateful response, but it's all I can come up with in light of how much this is going to tick Derrick off. Everything rests on my shoulders now. It's not just about furniture and color choices anymore, it's about how Lucian and I interact together, and whether or not I can keep things professional.

  Tyra walks over to Derrick's desk, and I feel the knot in my throat double. Thank God, there's only five minutes before the end of my shift. Hopefully, she can keep him occupied for that long. I'd really like to get out of here without having to deal with his disdainful looks and another lecture. Despit
e what he thinks, I'm a big girl, and I do know what's at stake.

  I count down the seconds until I can leave my desk, glancing between the clock and Tyra and Derrick. He's obviously not pleased by the news, but at least he's not pitching a fit. Every time he looks in my direction, I lower my gaze, the same way he did when Tyra and I were talking. It's kind of funny, when I think about it, pretending like we're not watching and listening, when we both know we really were. What's the point of hiding it when it's so obvious? That's just human nature, I suppose.

  By the grace of God, Tyra lingers at Derrick's desk until the shift is over. I shove my camera into my purse and hobble toward the door like the building is on fire. There's no sign of Derrick as I pull out of the parking lot, and I sigh in relief. It will be better to talk to him about this tomorrow, after he's cooled off.

  By the time I get home though, he's already sent me a text. It simply says, “Don't sleep with him.”

  I quickly reply, “I won't.”

  There's not a whole lot of time between the end of my shift and my appointment with Lucian, but I still decide to change. The womanly part of me has won over—the part that wants to be easily accessible. This time though, I don't go for slutty. I pair a beige pencil skirt with a pink and white floral blouse, a light pink sweater, and beige flats with beading on them. It looks a lot more wholesome than what I wore yesterday. Perhaps it will clue Lucian in to the fact that I'm there strictly for business.

  CHAPTER TWO

  I can feel my pulse pounding in my skull as I make my way to Lucian's front door. Without even seeing him, my hormones are on overdrive. All I can think about is what we did last night, the feeling of having him inside of me. My nerves have never been this on edge from meeting with a client before. He's not just a client to me though. He's something else. And I don't know what that something else is.