InvitingTheDevil Read Free

no to the man. Trouble was, he intimidated me. So much, that I become unglued and a bumbling idiot.
    I bought the tights and tops then hurried home. I kicked off the uncomfortable shoes, took off the jacket and stripped off the skirt and panties. Naked, I rifled through my dresser until I found some clean underwear and slipped them on. I made myself a cup of tea before calling Shannon. I was sure she’d be chomping at the bit for news on how the meeting with Kalem had gone.
    “How did it go?”
    “He wants to use my designs, girlfriend. Not only that, he wants me on his team of designers.”
    “Wow. I bet that’s a nice raise in pay. You can get out of your shitty little apartment now.”
    “Know something? I forgot to ask about the pay.”
    “Don’t tell me your shy little mouse surfaced when you were in his office.”
    “My God, Shannon, he turns me into a fumbling idiot. When he asked me to walk to the door and back—”
    “Why, in God’s name, would he ask you to do that?”
    “He wants me to model for him as well.” I carefully left out the part of having to undo the buttons on my blouse and pulling it out of my skirt.
    “Cool! You accepted, of course?”
    “I never said yes or no, just that I’ll meet him for lunch and I’ll be on time in the morning. The ogre said I have to sign a one year contract for both jobs.”
    “You’re meeting him for lunch? Where?”
    “At the bistro around the corner from the office.”
    “What did you wear today? Not that prissy gray suit, I hope?”
    “Yes. With my white silk blouse.” I heard Shannon’s deep sigh.
    “Wear your blue pants and that sexy blue and white top. What was he wearing?”
    I almost drooled as I pictured him in my mind. “Tight leather pants and a white poet shirt.”
    “And I bet he looked sexy as hell.”
    “He did.”
    “Wear what I told you, let your hair hang loose and don’t go crazy with the hairspray. You’ve got such a lovely natural wave. I have to go. Work beckons. My boss is giving me dirty looks.”
    Shannon worked as a secretary for a travel agency. She and I had grown up together and after we graduated, we moved to the city. We shared my shitty little apartment for a while, as she liked to call it. It was small, but it was the best and the most affordable we could find when we first arrived in New York. When Shannon had found a better job, she’d moved to her own place and at the same time, I began working for Ostarizo, so I could afford the rent on my own. Maybe now I could find a better apartment. Surely, the wages would be higher than what I had been making. Kalem had said he would buy some of my designs outright. What do I charge for a drawing ?
    I decided to shower and wash my hair before meeting him. Usually, I wore my hair tightly drawn back from my face, either in a ponytail, sometimes in a bun. My hair was springy, fluffy, with the occasional curly wisps escaping which I always plastered down with hairspray.
    After drying my hair, I brushed it until stayed put. I reached for the hairspray, but stopped. Maybe I should listen to Shannon, for a change. I dressed and put on the light blue designer pants I hadn’t worn since Jake. I had to search for the blue and white blouse. The outfit brought back some bad memories, but right then I was too excited and nervous about going out for lunch with Kalem to worry about the past.
    I stood before the full-length mirror and examined my reflection. I still felt plain, mousy, but the outfit did make me look sexier and complimented my figure. A touch of lipstick and I was done. The bus ride to the office took half an hour. If I left then, I’d be fifteen minutes early. Was it a good idea to be early, or would it be better to meet him right at noon? He wasn’t a man to toy with. I decided to catch the next bus.
    Traffic was heavy and the bus arrived near my office building ten minutes late. I hurried to the front entrance. Of course, he wasn’t there yet. Should I have