I know you folks think I've abandoned this story, but I promise I haven't. In fact I got caught up in it and took it in a different direction... at least in my own mind. But now I'm back to satisfy *your* lusts. Let me know what you think, and as always... thanks for reading. Be well - Suzi
*****
The view from the patio was nothing short of incredible. Though she hadn't been able to tell from the front, Lily was pleasantly shocked to find that they were actually up on a rise from the shore. It would be a little grandiose to call it a cliff, but the elevation was just enough to give an expansive view of the white sand beach below. The sun was close to setting and due to a few low hanging clouds, it was really putting on a show.
Lily leaned against the railing and sipped her drink. It was her second strong drink and she was just about calm enough to not crawl out of her skin. As long as she stood still... and didn't look at either Lucas or Doc... she was fine. She had been prepared to make small talk with the guests, but somewhat to her relief, they were almost all entirely entranced with either Lucas or Doc.
A couple of the male guests had come over to her, introduced themselves and started to chat a bit. But Lily was none too surprised that their wives quite quickly tore themselves away from Lucas...or Doc... when they noticed where their hubbies had wandered off to. She supposed she couldn't blame them. But it would have been nice if they would have joined the conversation, rather than acting like they were rescuing their men from the clutches of some succubus.
Two strong drinks had left Lily with just enough liquid courage to walk across the patio by herself, and with a motivation. Desperate to find the ladies' room, she walked slowly and deliberately toward the building. She found if she swiveled her hips more than she usually would, the sensation that shot through her was more pleasurable than painful...except that the wiggle caused her breasts to sway in a way that she knew must look obscene. But dammit... it felt incredible. With the drinks, the sunset and all the stimulation, she sort of felt like she would burst into flames at any moment.
Reaching the door to the facilities, she heard the announcement from the maître de that dinner would be served in ten minutes. She was torn between relief that this torturous event was moving closer to being over and terror that Doc and Lucas hadn't been just joking with her earlier.
The announcement caused a flurry of activity amongst the party goers and she watched as people began to pull themselves away from Lucas in order to make their way to the dining room.
"I really wish one of those Lucas groupies was single," she said to herself. Maybe he would find another "pet" for the evening. Then again, the men seemed almost as enthralled with him, maybe they'd send one of their wives home with him? That brought an actual smile to her face.
The bathroom was a true "ladies room" in the vintage style. Rather than just a big room with sinks and stalls, there was both a "powder room" and what Lily supposed someone might call the lavatory. Lily didn't even really know what one was supposed to do in a powder room, though it was a lovely space. Her two drinks however ensured that she would need to breeze past the lovely flowers and chaise lounges into the more utilitarian room.
For just a few minutes, Lily contemplated removing the plug. Would that be so bad? How angry would that actually make Lucas? Her evening was already headed in a terrifying direction, would it really make it so much worse? The deciding factor for Lily though really wasn't how angry Lucas would or wouldn't be... it was the fact that she had no idea what she would do with that thing. No way was she just going to leave it lying around in here for some poor unsuspecting cleaning person to stumble across.
It was while she was contemplating her next move - as if she really had one - that she heard a group of women enter the powder room. None of them came any further in, so Lily assumed they must all be freshening their make-up... or whatever else you did in there. At first she could only tell that there were people in the room. Then their voices became louder and clearer.
"Can you believe that dress? If I ever tried to leave the house like that, Dave would have a fit," she heard Elaine say.
"I don't know Elaine, by the way he was ogling her I don't think he minded so much seeing her dressed that way," someone else said.
"Oh shut up, Jules," Elaine retorted. "I guess there's little doubt what she did in order to land this internship. I just wonder how many more qualified, brighter young people were passed over because she was willing to accentuate her 'assets.'"
"Well, she definitely looks like a whore... but maybe it is appropriate. I'm guessing she's trying really hard to snag her boss," one of Elaine's companions gossiped. "Lucas Charles would be quite a catch for a girl her age."
"Hell, he'd be quite a catch for any woman," someone else said and they all laughed. "I know I'd like to catch him... preferably out of that suit."
"But give me a break, she can't really think that's going to work? The man could have just about any woman he wants, what makes her think dressing like a slut is going to land her Lucas Charles? I would think he'd be more interested in a woman with some brains."
Lily lost track of who was saying what... and really... what did it matter anyway? Tears filled her eyes as she stood in the stall but she forced herself to stand completely still and quiet; she couldn't bear the thought that these women might hear her. She stayed in the stall until she was sure they were gone and then a little while longer to make sure they didn't see her coming out behind them.
Why should she be so upset? They were right, of course. Hadn't she just decided earlier today that she was in fact a whore? How could she blame them for merely stating the obvious? Of course they were operating under a completely false idea that she was actually here for an internship but nonetheless, Lucas really didn't give a shit about whether or not she was intelligent... he'd been very clear about what it was about her that appealed to him.
Lily realized she had gotten really used to the idea of people respecting her for her intellectual abilities. It stung pretty hard that these women decided simply by what she was wearing that she was not capable.
She knew if she stayed in there crying she was going to look horrible. Not that she really cared what she looked like, after all she was just a play thing for him to dress up and strut around. It would serve Lucas right if she went to the table looking like a raccoon. But she wouldn't give those women the satisfaction of knowing they had hurt her.
"I really thought I left the mean girls behind in high school," Lily thought with a sniffle that sounded pathetic even to her.
Exiting the lavatory, she stood in the powder room staring at herself in the mirrors. She took a moment to clean up her face a little, then said "fuck it" and headed back out to dinner. The upside to listening to the women bash her was that it had pretty much killed her formerly raging libido. Yes, she was still squirming uncomfortably against the foreign object inside her but now she refused to let it distract her.
As she opened the ladies' room door, she came face-to-face with Lucas.
"Ms. Samms, I was getting a little worried about you," he said calmly. "Thought you might have taken a better offer." While at first his face clearly displayed a sense of annoyance, probably that he had had to come looking for her, that quickly changed to one of confusion. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong. Everything is just peachy," she replied wearily.
"Lily," his voice turning stern and demanding. "What is wrong? And don't you dare say 'nothing'. I will not abide you lying to me."
"You will not abide me lying to you?" she said, her hurt turning to fury and causing fresh tears. "Who the hell do you think you ... ah... just go to hell, Mr. Charles. There's no point in this."
Lucas grabbed Lily by the arm and yanked her around the corner, preventing any of the guests from seeing them. "What has gotten into you? Who do you think you are?" he snarled at her.
"Who I think I am is Lily Samms. Nice person, hard worker, good friend, passably smart, pretty well under control!" she spat at him. "Who do the people at this "party" think I am? I am a whore; a slut whose too dumb to qualify for an internship with your oh-so-fucking prestigious company. And what's it matter how smart I am anyway, since clearly the only reason I'm here is to try and 'land' the world's most fucking eligible bachelor."
Lily knew she was out of control and way out of bounds... but she was done now. Much to her disgust, she found she had to swallow a sob and tried to twist out of his grasp.
Lucas just stared at her for a few moments. Then he pulled his handkerchief out of his inside jacket pocket and handed it to her. He said to her gently, "Here, clean yourself up. What kind of a good whore goes around with snot running down her face?"
His words caught Lily so off guard that she laughed out loud through the tears. He smiled at her with what was the first non-terrifying smile she'd seen on his face.
"I don't need any more details, Ms. Samms," he said quietly. "I can guess what that was all about. We're not going to stand here and talk about this because there is a roomful of people in there who are so far up my ass they won't eat until I get to the table. But we will talk about it later. Now come with me and let's get this over with."
She took his arm and he escorted her into the dining room.
####
Lily was more than a little surprised when Lucas walked her to an empty seat next to Doc at the far end of the table, then walked to the other end to take his own seat. She didn't know why exactly she thought she would be sitting with him, but she supposed it made sense. She was after all there as an intern. It wouldn't have seemed proper to his guests if the mighty Lucas Charles was seated next to the company lackey.
"Once again, I am the luckiest man in the room," Doc said as he stood to pull her chair out for her. "A fine dinner can only be made better by the company of an intelligent and beautiful dinner companion.
Lily just shook her head and smiled. Where did this guy come from? But she had to admit, it boosted her spirits a couple of notches to hear him call her intelligent in front of everyone.
"It is my pleasure," she returned his compliment. "Your kindness is - dare I say it? - just what the doctor ordered."
Doc rolled his eyes and mock groaned. "That was simply awful, Ms. Samms," he retorted as he grinned at her. "I may have to move now."
The table was large enough that she and Doc were seated next to one another at one end, while Lucas sat by himself at the head of the table. Lily's frazzled nerves were eased somewhat by not having anyone sitting directly next to her, other than Doc. It was a testament to how shaken up she'd been by the unkind words in the ladies' room that she was seeking salvation in the company of a man to whom less than an hour prior, she had professed her hatred.
Doc leaned toward her and lowered his voice, "Should I ask about the puffy red eyes? Did our host upset you in some way that would require I challenge him to a duel or some other ridiculous male ritual?
"No. Just allergies, doctor," she said without looking at him. "Though if you wish to take him out and shoot him, I won't stop you."
At that moment the waiter came by with wine. Lily accepted a glass; Doc took two.
