Chapter Four
Acacia
The more I sit on it, the more I realize Malissa is right. What else do I have to lose? Besides my job… for sexual harassment.
I groan, slumping in my chair. Kicking at my purse, I see the book sitting on top like a beacon of hopelessness. The sudden urge to burn it rises inside me at the same moment Callum walks down from his office.
Sitting up straighter, I smile as he walks up to the desk. His eyes drift to the side, probably looking for my partner in crime.
“Good morning, Acacia. I have a client coming in early for a private consultation. Can you direct them to me when they arrive?”
I try to put on a sexy smirk, drumming up my courage. “Aren’t you tired from your jog overnight?” I pause, glancing down at the paper hidden under the lip of the counter. I don’t think I said that right, but I can’t double check till he leaves.
His brows knit together. “I didn’t go for a run last night.”
My shoulders drop, and I let out a nervous laugh. “Right, sorry. Confused you with someone else. I’ll let the client know.”
He stares at me for a few more seconds, as if trying to figure out who I could have confused him with.
I move my attention to my computer, turning it on and pulling out the event calendar from my desk as Callum finally walks away. Exhaling loudly, I lean back in my chair and watch him out of the corner of my eye as he sets up.
I’m hopeless. This is hopeless. I don’t know how I thought that I could seduce a man like him.
A throat clears, and I blink up at the smiling face staring down at me. The guy is leaning on the counter, nearly half his body on the wood.
I jerk back in surprise. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in.”
His smile brightens. “It’s early. Probably haven’t had your coffee yet, huh?”
Laughing, I point to the mug on the boxes behind me. “Thank whoever invented Thermos.”
His eyebrows rise. “I would have pegged you as an iced coffee kind of girl.”
I scrunch my nose as I giggle. “They can keep liquids cold or hot.”
He sucks in a quick breath between his teeth. “Ouch, you’re right. Pretty and smart. How ever will I convince you to go out with me?”
My body stiffens and my mouth drops. I’m stunned. He’s cute. His dusty blonde hair is styled in a mop on top of his head. His dark brown eyes twinkle as he flexes his muscles in his tank top in response to my obvious gawking. A small dimple appears to the left of his mouth every time he smiles.
“Dean! Malissa will kick your ass for flirting with her best friend,” Callum calls across the gym.
The man in front of me pales, looking around as if he expects Malissa to pop up. He stands up, grimacing. “Please don’t mention this to her.” Dean doesn’t wait for me to respond as he scurries to the corner where Callum waits with crossed arms and a scowl.
Disappointment weighs in my stomach. I’m not sure if it is the robbed chance of potentially agreeing to a date, or the fact that Callum doesn’t seem to care about a man flirting with me.
“Who’s Dean?” I ask later when Malissa brings us lunch.
She drops the sandwich onto the desk with a loud thud. “What? Why?”
I look up at her with curiosity and she has a pinched expression on her face. “He came in earlier and Callum used your name to scare him.”
Malissa relaxes, plopping down into her chair with a smirk. “Good. He should be scared.”
Taking a bite of my food, I raise my eyebrows. “So who is he?”
“The love of my life,” she sighs and shakes her head. “And my biggest heartbreak.”
Focusing back on my sandwich, I grimace, unsure what to say. “Oh.”
Malissa shrugs, unrolling her food from the plastic wrap. “It’s one of those things. Right person, never the right time.”
“Do you want to borrow my book? Seduce him into the right time right now,” I tease, trying to lighten the mood.
Her lips twist in a grimace. “No, believe me seducing that man was never the problem. It’s getting him to stick around for more than just sharing my bed.”
My heart aches at her confession, my sunshine best friend is never this glum. “Then f-f-uck him.”
Her eyes widen as she jerks back, blinking at me in shock. My face is hot as I squeeze my eyes tight for a few seconds, shaking my head. “No, nope. I didn’t like that.”
Malissa snorts, and her hand pats my thigh. “It’s the sentiment that counts and I appreciate it.”
Crinkling my nose, I turn back to my food. “Do you think Callum only wants to share my bed? Or do you think he’ll want more? I’ve never had a boyfriend or even a guy interested in me.”
She rolls her eyes, but it’s not malicious as she huffs out a single bark of a laugh. “I’d bet my favorite vibrator that there have been plenty of guys interested in you, and you just don’t pick up the hints.”
“You have more than one vibrator?” I ask curiously. “Aren’t they all the same?”
Malissa’s mouth drops open. “Oh honey, no. And don’t even get me started on the clit suckers, they are a godsend.”
Then my best friend straightens in her seat, determination lining her face. “Actually, this may be exactly what you need.”
“What?”
She nods, snapping her fingers once and then pointing at me. “Yes, if you’re comfortable in your own body, then your overall confidence will improve. We need to get you a vibrator immediately.”
I balk at her. “What are you talking about?”
Malissa stands, rolling her sandwich up as if she’s in a hurry to leave. “I’ve had an epiphany, Acacia. A revelation on masturbation.”
A clear understanding as to what I think is going to happen has me standing with her. “No! I don’t want one of those things .”
She shakes her hair off her shoulders and holds up her hands, a millimeter from touching. “I’m gonna start pulling my hands away from each other, give me a shout when you think I’m in the range of Cal’s size.”
My mouth drops. “How would I know that?” I hiss out, astonished.
She rolls her eyes, already moving her palms apart. “Please, you could probably draw from memory.”
The never-ending curse of my unwanted blush flushes my cheeks when she nears his size, and she winks with a laugh. “I know just what to get you.”
Grabbing her purse, Malissa starts to walk around the desk.
“I will throw it in the trash if you bring back a vibrating artificial phallus!” I shout, just as Callum rounds the corner from the back. My best friend waves at him with a grin and slips out the front door.
His eyebrows are twisted in confusion and his gaze lifts to mine.
I grimace. “Any chance you could forget about this entire day?”
A smile twitches on his lips and he strides to the counter. “No need to be embarrassed, Acacia. We’re like a family here.” He taps the wood with his knuckles and heads up the stairs to his office.
Slumping into my chair with defeat, I tuck my food away. “A family… right.”
Men love a good stroke… of the ego. What else did you think I meant, darling? If your honey is a man of authority, remind him of it. Take the power into your hands and train him to respond to his title like a Pavlovian dog. Because that’s all men are, good obedient animals looking for a treat.
My eyes go wide at the last sentence, and I shut the book with a quick flip of the cover.
Malissa looks over, curiously. “What?”
“The author compared men to dogs.”
She snorts, turning back to her phone. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”
“She said they can be trained,” I say, my mind whirling. It makes sense the more I think about it. I could associate something, I’m not sure what yet, that Callum will respond to… with extreme arousal.
Malissa laughs loudly this time. “Like potty trained? Lemme read.”
“No,” I blurt out, pushing the book away from her. “A trained response. You know like you give treats for rolling over.”
“Hmm, yeah. Put him on his knees and have him bark for you.”
I glare at her. “You’re insufferable.”
She smirks. “Someone has to loosen you up. For a woman who dreams about dicks all the time, you’re a bit prudish.”
My mouth falls open. “I do not dream about dicks all the time.”
“I bet if we took a pottery class, you could mold a perfect replica of Callum’s—”
“Stop,” I hiss at her, looking up the stairs at his office. “You’ve looked before too.”
Malissa shrugs. “Yeah and he’s packing, for sure. But I kind of view him as the older brother I didn’t ask for.”
My shoulders slump and I glance at her curiously. “Do you think I stare too much? I’m just curious—I’ve never…”
She frowns, leaning forward to pat my knee. “Hey, I’m poking fun. I think we all stare a bit at attractive men. We all have fantasies in our heads. Too bad the reality rarely matches.”
“Really?”
With a sigh, she faces me fully. “All I meant is… keep your expectations low. Don’t build your first time into this magical experience and be let down when it’s not. It can still be very good, just maybe not perfect.”
The office door swings out, and Callum slowly descends down the stairs. He smiles when he catches us watching him. “Morning, ladies.”
“Morning, boss,” I say immediately.
Malissa snickers, unable to hold it back.
Callum’s eyebrows raise, then he glances at my best friend. “Don’t laugh, at least someone around here shows me respect.”
She stands, her hand thwacking against her forehead. “Sir, yes sir. Reporting for duty, boss.”
I purse my lips to stop from smiling and Callum rolls his eyes.
“This is why I like you better,” he says to me with a wink.
My heart sputters and my breath catches in my throat. I think he’s teasing or joking, but I can’t register anything other than he likes me. When I don’t respond fast enough, he scratches the back of his neck. “I’m gonna walk down the street to try that coffee cart. Did you guys want any?”
Malissa lets out a squeal. “Oh my god! Georgie’s coffee is the best.”
“I’ve never had it. What do you suggest?”
Callum looks at Malissa, who leans back in her chair with a smirk. Then she looks at me. “You’re gonna love this.”
I frown. “I suddenly feel like I’m not going to, actually.”
“Ask for a Nutty Two Pump. Extra pumps of hazelnut syrup in a delicious frappuccino,” she explains gleefully.
Callum clears his throat, and shakes his head. “That’s—something alright.”
“I’d love a Nutty Two Pump,” I say. Hazelnut is my favorite. I could spread Nutella on everything.
Malissa lets out a cackle, and the top of Callum’s ears turn red. My shoulders slump, and I look at her with disdain. “It means something else, doesn’t it?”
“Two Pump chump. A minute man, someone quick to the draw—”
Callum interrupts her. “I think she gets it, and that’s an unfortunate name, but I’m sure the drink is good.”
I give him a grateful smile. “Thanks, boss.”
His throat bobs as he nods. “Of course. I’ll grab our drinks and be right back.”