The Unblocked Collection (21 page)

“Will,” I said into my intercom.

“I’m here. What’s up?”

“Can you have one of the assistants send Julia a bouquet with a handwritten note to let her know the choice has been made?”

“No problem. I’ll make sure the rejection doesn’t gain us an enemy.”

I laughed. “Good man.”

I glanced back at my screen. Frankie had replied.

FROM:
Jordan, Frankie

TO:
Block, Derek

SENT:
April 22, 11:55am

SUBJECT:
Handwashing…

I wish I could say the same.

FROM:
Block, Derek

TO:
Jordan, Frankie

SENT:
April 22, 11:56am

SUBJECT:
Soon, baby.

I’ll make sure you’re covered in me.

FROM:
Jordan, Frankie

TO:
Block, Derek

SENT:
April 22, 11:57am

SUBJECT:
Covered?

You’re turning me into quite the student, Mr. Block. New experiences every day.

“Hey, Derek,” Will said through my intercom. “Frankie’s in the office. I’ll make sure the package is delivered in the next hour.”

I smiled as I looked at my screen. “Thanks for letting me know.”

FROM:
Block, Derek

TO:
Jordan, Frankie

SENT:
April 22, 11:58am

SUBJECT:
Yes. Covered.

Keep calling me Mr. Block, and I’ll come to your office right now and lick your pussy from underneath your desk. We’ll see then how well the student can keep it together in front of all her peers.

FROM:
Jordan, Frankie

TO:
Block, Derek

SENT:
April 22, 11:59am

SUBJECT:
Your tongue.

How do you know I’m at my desk?

FROM:
Block, Derek

TO:
Jordan, Frankie

SENT:
April 22, 12:01pm

SUBJECT:
Yes. My tongue.

I’m a good guesser.

FRANKIE

I WAS STARING
at Derek’s email when Brea walked into my office, accompanied by a messenger with a box in his hands. I didn’t know how long I’d been staring at those words, but I was far more turned on than I should have been. There were so many things I needed to do today, starting with planning the broker’s open and chatting with my stager and checking the status on my other clients. But all I could do was think about Derek. His eyes, his mouth, his body…his fingers.

I was losing focus.

“It’s for you,” Brea said, pointing at the package. “And only
you
can sign for it.”

I scribbled my name across his tablet and took the box out of his hands. It was twice the size of a shipping envelope. Much thicker, too. I checked for a return address and lettering on the box. There was none, just the standard cardboard and packaging tape.

“Who’s it from?” she asked, as he left, taking a seat in one of the chairs on the other side of my desk.

“I don’t know.”

“Oh, I think you do…”

I looked away from her know-all grin, cut through the tape and opened the side flap. Inside was a folder, along with a smaller box wrapped in shiny paper with a lace and satin bow. I placed both on my desk. Then I slowly lifted the top of the folder.

Brea leaned forward to get a better look at the stack of papers inside. “Just when I thought Derek Block couldn’t be any more perfect, he proves me wrong again.”

I had thought the same last night when I was coming on his hand.

Remembering it made me blush.

Lying on my desk was my contract, signed and initialed by Derek. He had agreed to all my terms and hadn’t tried to negotiate. I was surprised. What I had asked for wasn’t unreasonable; I’d kept my percentages conservative because I wanted him as a long-term client, but he was in business to negotiate. In addition to my rates, he’d also committed to a one-year exclusive agreement.

“He gave you everything you asked for, didn’t he?”

I scanned my list of terms once again to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. His black ink initials were next to each one. I looked up and met Brea’s misty blue eyes. “Yes…he did.”

“Why do you think he did that?”

I shrugged. “My requests were practical. I usually ask for at least a point more.”

“I think he has an ulterior motive.”

“You do?”

“Yes. But before I explain it to you, I want to see what’s inside the box.”

So did I.

I untied the bow and lifted the sides of the wrapping paper. The box was larger than something that would hold jewelry, but too small to accommodate a whole outfit. I gripped the cardboard and wiggled the top off. “Oh God…” I whispered. Lying in a mound of light pink tissue paper was a pair of panties—black lace and satin, similar to the decorative bow and full of ornate detail. Thin straps connected the sides with minimal coverage in the back.

“Just like I thought,” she said. I slowly glanced at her, knowing my face had turned even redder. “That bearded beauty has got some excellent taste.”

“I’m…” I took a breath. “I’m not even sure what to say.”

She chuckled. “That’s a way better present than what we usually get.”

“Brea…”

“Aren’t you tired of those restaurant gift cards? I am. My ass is, too.”

There was a note on the bottom of the tissue paper. I covered it with the panties and placed the box on the side of my desk, far away from Brea. She’d seen enough; she didn’t need to see what was on the note, too. “I’m tired of gift cards, sure, but—”

“What girl doesn’t want something sexy that a stunner like Derek Block picked out? He was thinking of your hot ass when he chose those. You should feel flattered.”

I pointed at the box. “You think he agreed to my terms because he wants to get inside my panties?”

“Guys like Derek start with a physical attraction because it’s easy for them. Everything about them is sexy—their bodies, their words, their thoughts. And no offense, Frankie, but you need some sexy in your life.”

Derek had said he wanted things to be physical, and nothing more. Maybe Brea had a point.

“His building is my priority,” I said, for her benefit and mine.

“For now it is. But I promise, once you get a taste of
that
, your priorities are going to change.” She stood from her chair, a confident grin on her face. “And I’m all for it.”

“You’re a bad influence.”

“Absolutely.” She laughed. “I’m also the voice you need to hear in your head the next time you’re having dinner with him.”

She didn’t know what had actually happened between us. I had called after my bath to appease her, but I kept the details to myself and only admitted to some heavy flirting.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said.

“Frankie, it’s going to move past the physical. This is only the beginning. So get ready.”

I shook my head. “No, I don’t think it will.”

“He didn’t sign your contract just because he wants to get in your pants. He’s gorgeous; he could get in
any
woman’s pants. He’s giving you his entire building—exclusively. That’s way too much of an investment for a quick bag and bail. He wants more.”

“I…”

“I know this is a lot for you to take in,” she moved to the doorway. “But just think about it…because I’m right.” She was smiling as she left the room.

Once I heard her on the phone and knew she was too occupied to pop back in, I quietly opened the box again and took out the note.

Since you soaked through your last pair…

Don’t wear them today or tomorrow. Wear them when I tell you to.

—
D

A familiar pulsing began to throb between my legs again, reminding me of the way Derek’s fingers had curved inside me, the way he had rubbed my clit, and how the combination of the two had caused me to shudder.

I had to stop.

I couldn’t let his thought-provoking lingerie prevent me from functioning all day, or allow it to send me home and into the shower where I could enjoy the sensation of my fingers under a hot stream. I had a full schedule with no room to cancel any of my appointments, especially the one with my friend Anna.

I had forty-five minutes until I was due at her apartment. With traffic and a stop at my favorite bakery, it meant I had to leave now. It also meant I would have to thank Derek from the car.

I locked the panties inside one of the drawers and grabbed my coat and purse on the way out. I reached Brea’s desk and saw that her grin hadn’t faded at all. I ignored it. I wasn’t going there again. “I’m headed to Anna’s if you need me.”

“This early?”

“There’s going to be traffic.”

“Mmmhmm.”

I tied the belt of my jacket around my waist and readjusted my purse. “What does that mean?”

“Leaving so early gives you time to properly thank your admirer. Well…maybe not all the way properly. But enough to remind him why he sent you those panties.”

“Does your mind always go there?”

“Yes. And yours really should, too.”

I rolled my eyes, although it wasn’t needed. Brea could see right through me. “Text me if any more packages come in.”

“Will do, boss lady.”

***

Once I was in the backseat of the SUV with Norm driving toward The Carrot Cake, I took out my phone to send Derek a text. Our exchanges had only taken place through email. I hoped he wouldn’t mind the change.

Me:
I’m wet just looking at them…

Not more than a few seconds had passed before he replied. Apparently, he was as quick with text messages as he was with email.

Derek:
That was the point.

Me:
I was talking about your signature and initials on my contract.

Derek:
No you weren’t.

Me:
Thank you for the panties. I should have said that first.

Derek:
Hearing how wet you are took care of that.

Me:
Too bad you didn’t send them in the evening, because now I’ll be wet all day.

Derek:
That was the point too.

***

“Cookies?” Anna asked, as I walked through the door to her apartment.

I held up the clear plastic container for her to observe. “Chocolate fudge-covered brownies.”

“Even better.”

As I moved through the kitchen, I noticed the table was covered in skeins of yarn, all in different pastel colors. “A baby blanket?”

“It’s for my neighbor’s daughter. She’s due in a few weeks.”

In the thirteen years I’d known her, she was always knitting something. She made clothes, mittens, hats, and blankets. I’d never tried it myself and knew little about it, but I could tell the quantity of yarn she had on the table was enough to make more than one blanket.

“Is she having triplets?”

“Oh good lord, no.” She waved me closer. “Stop dilly-dallying and get your tush over here.” I smiled as I approached her. She wrapped her arms around me, and I took a deep breath of her cherry blossom scent. “Missed you, doll.”

“Missed you, too.” I squeezed, not too hard to hurt her fragile frame, but enough to show her the sincerity of my words. I rested my chin on the top of her head, her white hive of hair tickling my skin.

She finally released me, and I walked over to the coffee table where two plates, forks, and napkins awaited. I set one brownie on her plate and two on mine.

“Your dad’s trip to Croatia went well, I assume?” she asked as she sat on the chair across from me.

“You know how he is…” I took a seat on the couch, immediately feeling the springs as they poked into the cushion. “When I asked him, he said it was fine. He did come back with a nice tan, though.”

“Did he come back with the same girlfriend?”

I laughed out loud. My father’s philandering was a constant joke between us. “I believe so, but I hardly doubt she’ll last through the end of the week.”