“Oh, so it’s a two-way mercy mission now, is it? Get us both laid at the same time? You’re really serious, aren’t you? I can’t believe you’re doing this to me!” I removed myself from her arms, leaving the sofa to check myself out in the full-length mirror. “And what about this?” I pointed at my battered body. “How the hell would I even begin to explain this, if I ever even got that far?”
“Be inventive. Lights out... panties off only... Use your imagination.”
“When I fail at this, and lose my job in the process, you’re giving me another shot at Masque, Bex, as well as free rent until my life is sorted again. This is totally unfair.” I marched away to the sound of her cackling.
“You won’t fail, Lyds, I have every faith in you.”
I shot her the finger before I slammed my bedroom door, and only just caught sight of her poking her tongue out at me.
***
Chapter Nine
James
Trevor White wasn’t listening to a fucking word I was saying. He nodded in all the right places, but his beady little eyes were fixed well and truly on Lydia, and Lydia alone. She stared ahead oblivious, hanging on every word I said. I was relieved. A two-way street and I’d have struggled to hold myself back from throat-punching the sonofabitch. This Lydia Marsh shit was becoming unbearable to the point that I’d been checking out employment ads. A decent management position, far away from London and far away from my cat-eyed temptress. I don’t think she even realised the effect she was having. The girl had no fucking idea how sweet her perky little ass was, or how one watery flash of her eyes could drive a man to insanity. Her humble oblivion made her even more fuckable. I had to get out of this. Calm down, James, keep it together.
I took a sip of water and continued my presentation, making every effort to ignore Trevor and his grubby little advances. Lydia was better than him, out of his league, even if he did own a shiny gold Jaguar and a part share in a racehorse. Wanker.
I was about to break for lunch when a mobile started bleeping in someone’s handbag. I gritted my teeth in annoyance, and gritted them harder still as I realised it was Lydia’s phone that was going off. She blushed, and shot me a look of apology, scrabbling to put the thing on silent. Trevor leant in close to catch a glimpse of her message, and I found myself thumping the projector screen behind me with a falsely-elaborate point. It got his attention and for a moment I stared him out with eyes of death. He raised his eyebrows in surprise before I yanked myself down enough to shoot him a smile. He lapped it up, moment forgotten.
Finally we broke for lunch and I virtually marched Lydia down the corridor for a ‘five-minute-co-worker-catch-up’. Trevor hovered, keeping a shifty eye on us from the meeting room doorway.
“I’m really sorry about my phone,” she gushed. “I was sure I’d turned it off.”
“Clearly not,” I snapped. “Is he bothering you?” I tilted my head in Trevor’s direction.
Her eyes widened, naive and oblivious. “Who, Trevor? No, why?”
“He’s practically slavering over you. It’s an embarrassment.”
She burnt up, the perfect amount of rouge flooding her cheeks. “He just seems friendly.”
“He’s more than friendly. He’s like a dog sniffing a bitch on heat. He’ll start humping your leg if you’re not careful.”
“It’s ok, honestly. I’m fine. I can handle it.”
I sighed, forcing a lighter tone. “I think it’s going well in there.”
“You’re doing great,” she smiled. “Really great. You’ve covered everything from our end perfectly.”
“The phase two section was all from your project plan, Lydia. It’s your success too.”
“Wow, thanks.” Her eyes glowed with life. “I’m really glad you liked it.”
“Shall we grab a sandwich? Get out of here?”
She grimaced, knotting her hands together. “I already agreed we’d eat with them, I’m sorry. I didn’t know not to. Trevor told me they were putting on a buffet the minute we stepped through the door.”
It didn’t surprise me. I forced a smile. “No problem, Lydia. They are the client after all.”
I led the way back up the corridor, dying inside as Trevor took my Cat’s-eyes by the arm and schmoozed her on into the dining hall. I should have been grateful to him, relieved at the possibility of her disappearance from the open market, but all I felt was hate.
***
Finally, we were out of there. I sank a double-scotch at the bar and ordered in a bottle of red. The afternoon had dragged like a bitch, every second leading up to the inevitable moment that Trevor White would make his move to hijack our evening. I’d stepped in before Lydia could even blink.