“Sorry Gabriella, this pushy female is Paulette Deveraux and she is head of advertising for our design house.” Callan made the introductions but I still wasn’t clear on what was going on. I looked to aunt Marion who was trying hard not to look displeased since the other two were also looking at her.
“If it’s okay with aunt Marion, but what exactly would I have to do? I have work from…”
“Nonsense girl, don’t you understand? I’m about to make you bigger than any star. I’ll have your face plastered on every billboard between here and Paris, not to mention the magazines and the TV commercials.” She grabbed my elbow and started walking me out of the room, talking a mile a minute.
I looked back once for Callan, I couldn’t help it; even with all that was beginning to sink in he was still the only thing I was interested in. I saw now from the warm look that passed between us before he masked it once again, that he hadn’t forgotten me after all. As Ms. Deveraux prattled on and on about my face and my amazing hair, the only thought in my head was of him.
CALLAN
Ah yes, that had gone well, I knew all I had to do was get my old friend Paulette on board and she would do the rest. It wasn’t hard to sell, since Gabriella really was exceptionally beautiful, but I was more interested in her beauty for my own selfish reasons.
Paulette on the other hand, was looking for the new face of La Femme, so that worked out beautifully, more so than even I could’ve imagined. And I’d handled it in a way that Marion would never know that I was behind the whole thing. Genius.
My work wasn’t done yet though, I had to get her locked in before Marion was able to talk her out of it. After Paulette had squired her away I’d left a less than happy Marion in her office fuming and headed back up to my office to add the finishing touches. I had the contracts all drawn up and ready to sign, but there was one more touch.
I put a call in to Nebraska. After the night we’d met I’d made it my business to find out all I could about her and her family. I knew then as I do now, where I wanted this thing that was riding me to go.
I hadn’t wasted anytime, though it had killed me to be away from her all this time and before I’d had a chance to make my intentions known. But I was glad I’d done things this way, I could just see everything falling into place.
There was just one more thing after my talk with her parents and then all systems were a go. The last part was going to take lots of cunning and maneuvering though to ensure that things went smoothly. I had no doubt that I was up to the task. To have her in my bed under me, there wasn’t much I wouldn’t risk.
Her dad was very personable on the phone, and when I explained to him that although I knew she was of age to make her own decisions, I knew how stressful it must be for him to send his little girl all this way on her own, and that I just wanted to reassure him that she was in good hands, he was more than happy to hear of her good fortune.
So what if I took a little liberty with the truth? I can’t very well tell the man that I planned to fuck his little girl to within an inch of her life in the very near future could I?
No, better keep that little tidbit well hidden until I had her wrapped up tight and tucked away in my lair.
By the time Paulette brought her back to my office I was waiting. “Well Gabriella looks like you’ve caught your big break sooner than you thought.”
“Oh Cal you were right she’s perfect, I can’t wait to get started.”
“So Gabriella what do you think?” I could feast my eyes on her now, here away from the prying gaze of Marion who I was sure would pick up on my feelings like a vulture on carrion.
She looked a little lost, like she still hadn’t found her bearings as yet; Paulette can have that affect on people. She was one of gramps’ best-kept secrets, a real shark in the world of high fashion and a stone bitch, but she was a bitch for all the right reasons.
She had clawed and kicked her way up the ladder in what was once considered a man’s world, and now at fifty-five she commanded respect in her field and not many would say no to her.
I knew if anyone could ride roughshod over Marion it would be her. I could’ve done it myself, but I didn’t want to show my hand too soon. Not while she was still living with Marion, which if I had my way, wouldn’t be for much longer.
“I still don’t know what’s going on. Mrs. Deveraux tried explaining it to me but I’m still in shock. Is it for real?” she turned those wide innocent eyes my way and my cock reacted the way he had been every time I even thought of her in the past week.
“First of all I told you it’s Paulette, and what’s to understand? You’re going to be the new face of our clothing line. Cal we have to get started soon. How does next Tuesday sound? That will give me time to get things set up here before we have to get to L.A. and then oh merciful heavens there’s the Paris shoot. I have to go, make sure she’s ready.” She threw that last at me before heading out the door in a rush.