Haze(7)

I tuck my hands into the front pockets of my pants, intrigued by the exchange taking place right in front of me. I know I should step in and save Cicely from the lesson in lingerie but I'm too immersed in watching Isla to interfere.

"The fasteners are awkward and hard to reach." Isla flips the garment over. "You'd have to ask someone to help you put it on. That defeats the purpose."

"What purpose?" Cicely asks with what sounds like innocent ease.

Isla dips her chin as a sly smile flows over her lips. "A lot of our customer base comes in to the boutique to buy something for a special occasion."

Cicely shrugs her shoulder. "I don't get it."

"When I put on something like this," Isla begins as holds the garter slip against the front of her dress. "The last time I put on something like this, I did it myself so the first time my boyfriend saw it was at the end of our date, at the exact moment I wanted him to."

Boyfriend.

The word catches my breath in my throat as a tight knot forms in my gut. Naturally she'd have a boyfriend. Any man with a brain in his head would claim her for his own the first chance he had. It's more than likely some college kid with a perpetual hard-on, who doesn't give a shit about anything other than blowing his own load. Whoever he is, I doubt like hell he is giving her everything she needs or wants. If he was, she wouldn't have offered to come to my office this afternoon.

Jesus. What am I doing to myself? She works for me. She has a f*cking boyfriend.

"You know that you're entitled to three hundred dollars of free lingerie a month, right?" Isla pushes the slip into Cicely's hands. "You should be wearing the products if you're selling them."

"We're not allowed to just take merchandise off the shelf." Cicely sighs. "Isla have you been taking things? Are you wearing Liore lingerie now?"

"I'm wearing a push up bra. It's that one from the Charming collection, in nude lace, and I have on the matching V-string panty."

I turn in an effort to hide my body's response to that. I feel a rush of heat race through me when my pulse quickens. My cock is aching, literally aching, inside the restraint of my pants.

I've headed this division for months now. I've seen some of the world's most beautiful women in the lingerie brand that I helped launch and yet, I've never had a reaction like this. It's visceral, intense and wholly unwelcome in this moment.

"It's in the employee handbook," Isla says quietly. "I asked Wallis when I started at the boutique and she showed me the paperwork that I have to fill out each month."

It's just another reason why I asked Wallis Clarkson to take the reins at the boutique. I'd brought her up from another division to oversee the opening of the store. She was insistent that Cicely was perfect for the manager position. It's why she stepped in as a consultant temporarily. Cicely's strength is in keeping the store organized, beyond that I'm seriously beginning to doubt how much value she's bringing.

"She's correct, Cicely," I interrupt, needing this meeting to end soon. In fact, now would not be fast enough. "Part of your benefit package is free merchandise. You should be taking advantage of that."

Her eyes dash from Isla's face back to mine. "I'll do that, sir. I'll start wearing Liore lingerie every day."





CHAPTER FIVE


Isla




At least I converted Cicely into a lingerie wearing, not-so-hot, Liore employee today. If I had the patience, and any interest at all, I'd also suggest that she stop raiding her grandmother's closet when she's getting dressed for work each day.

Who am I to judge? She's obviously going to walk out of here with a job and I'm going to be headed straight for…well, to my apartment most likely. I'm too exhausted to even think about looking for a new job tonight.

I tried to make a lasting impression with my knowledge of Cicely's underwear. She may believe that I can tell that she wears plain white panties and bras because it's obvious in the way she carries herself.

Truth be told, I caught a glimpse of her in the staff room after work one day trading out the hideous yellow pants and matching blouse she had on for her work-out clothes. That's when I saw that she wasn't wearing anything sold at the boutique. It's actually an image that will be burned into the farthest back reaches of my mind forever.

"Isla is right." Mr. Foster rubs his fingers over the lace of one of the garter slips. "This isn't what I expected at all. I didn't approve this."

Cicely steps into place right next to him, her hands greedily reaching down to scoop up a black slip. "I have to agree. Our customers wouldn't find them acceptable at all."

For f*ck's sake, Cicely. Really? Now, you agree with me?

"Pack them up and ship them back." He tosses the slip onto the sofa. "I'll make the necessary calls tomorrow and have a new sample sent with the materials I approved."

"I can bring that to your office as soon as it arrives," Cicely mutters under her breath as she pushes the garter slips back into the bags.

"No." He leans against the corner of his desk. "That's not necessary. I'll have it delivered here. Your attention should be on the boutique and the staff."

"Of course," she says while she nods her head. "I'm in charge there, after all."