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She shook her head. “James Clarke, Lyds, that’s your challenge.”
“He won’t fuck me!” I wailed. “Seriously, Rebecca, it’s not possible. You’re setting me up to fail!”
“I’m setting you up to test your resolve, there’s a difference. Seducing James Clarke will be an easier bag than seducing Masque, believe me.”
“It will be impossible!”
“No, it will bedifficult. That’s the point. He’s a tough cookie, you’ll have to be persuasive. Succeed and you’ll get your time with Masque, that’s a promise. Cross my heart and hope to die.”
I weighed it up. Whichever way I looked at it felt completely unobtainable. James would blow me out again and I’d look a fool, and then I’d lose my shot with Masque altogether. All bad. I sighed. “You’re such a bitch, Rebecca. You know I’ll fail.”
“If you want Masque enough you’ll make sure you don’t.”
“Have any date rape drugs lying around I could borrow?”
Her eyes twinkled, and she pulled me in for a kiss. I resisted at first, mouth fixed in a stubborn little line, but she won me over. She pulled away, smiling. “You won’t need date rape drugs, Lyds. He’s tough, but he’s not that tough. Just be yourself, and don’t let him escape before he’s given you his cock.”
“I’m myself every day, he hasn’t offered it so far.”
“I’ll give you some advice. James likes to be confided in, he likes vulnerability. Open up to him, as sweet little Lydia Marsh on a night out in the big bad world, and you’ll get your guy.”
“I can’t open up, Bex, you know I can’t.”
“And there’s your challenge.”
“Like I need any more hurdles on this ridiculously impossible quest of yours.” I rolled my eyes. “He won’t want me.”
“That’s up to you. It’s your future with Masque at stake, take it or leave it.”
“Why do you even want me to fuck James Clarke anyway? Does the idea get you off or something? Mr corporate screwing your new little pain slut?”
“You’ve got me there. Yes, it does,” she laughed. “I think you’d be good for each other, you both need to let off some steam.”
“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.”
