Havoc

@ honeysucklelips

Derek was a bit relieved to see that Charlotte was at least willing to speak about the matter, allowing him to correct his mistake. Taking a place at the foot of the bed, he was sure to keep an appropriate distance between them. "Okay, Charlie, then," He corrected, readjusting to the foreign name. It was evident from the redness of her eyes to the sniffling of her nose that she was deeply affected by his words. That only made him feel more regretful.

Clearing his throat, he glanced over in her direction, searching for her eyes. "Charlie, I want to sincerely apologize for saying those words. This place was created to be a safe haven for women. A place where they feel cherished and safe," He started off, holding her gaze. "I lost my temper, and I should not have, especially with you. My father asked me to maintain the positive relationship we have with this family friend, and I feel the pressure of that. This business with the family friend is important to me, and I became to engrossed in it. If you're not comfortable with continuing on with this training, I can find another girl," Derek continued on, wondering if she would ever forgive him.

"Honestly, I did not mean to belittle you. It was immature of me to lose my temper as I had. I am still learning how to appropriately handle situations, but I know that I was at fault in this. Is there anything I could do to make it up to you?" He requested as his eyes softened on her. Derek wanted to reach out and wipe away the tears that he had created. Somehow make this all better.

@ Dandy Darling;
Charlie let her knees fall down and sat criss-crossed applesauce instead, nervously holding his gaze as he talked. She wanted to tell him to sound more like a person and less like a business robot, but she figured that this was the most sincerity he could muster. She figured that he was working his hardest. She wondered, of course, who this family friend was that caused Mr. Langton so much pressure and why he had chosen Charlie to be the one to do all the learning.

She realized her eyes had fallen to her lap and she looked up at his eyes, which seemed to be waiting for something. She didn't know what to say, she was bad at apologies and emotions, especially at articulation; she was good at sex. See that was the thing about sex, it made sense. It was her own robotic business, she understood it and she went through the motions. All this talking and now apologizing and crying seemed like a lot for one night. She looked up at him again, but instead got caught in the way his lips turned down with his concern.

She figured at this point, she had been quiet too long and mustered up the best way she could to settle the situation. "I accept your apology, but only if it concludes with chocolate chip waffles tomorrow," she said, offering a small smile. She tugged on her sweater, again aware of how close and alone they were. She sort of wanted to kiss him, but didn't want to lose her job. Plus, she figured her emotions were just going crazy and she was being completely irrational.

@ honeysucklelips

Derek silently prayed that she would accept his apology as the moment passed between them. Cracking the a smile, he reached over to place a light hand on her calf without thinking about the interaction thoroughly. Her skin was smooth underneath his calloused hand. "Yes, you can have all the chocolate chip waffles you want tomorrow," He chuckled, relieved that she was still willing to train. Charlotte was one of the best, even the numbers would back that up. Most of the men loved her didactic personality, especially since it made her more than merely a pretty face. Not to mention that it was unanimous that Charlotte had skills in the bedroom.

"It's been a rough night for the both of us. I'll leave you to rest," He stated, squeezing his hand gently before removing it. The sensation of her skin lingered in his memory. With a small sigh, Derek stood from her bed, hearing numerous voices coming from down the hall. It seemed that some of the girls were back from their jobs. "Good night, Charlie," Derek said, turning just in time for her roommate to return.

@ Dandy Darling;
Charlie couldn't help but get goosebumps underneath Mr. Langton's touch and when he finally removed his hand from her leg, she retracted them back into the fetal position she was in before. She replied with a lightly spoken goodnight of her own, letting the feeling of his rough fingers play over in her head. She ducked her smirk into her the crook of her elbow, but peaked just enough to watch him walk away and see Martiza lingering at the door, with her head peaking around the curtain.

She turned to Charlie finally, "Okay, he's gone. What happened?" Martiza asked, chucking her heels into the pile of shoes on the floor. "Did you get a seriously hot fuck on his desk or what?" She asked again, hopping onto her bed and propping herself up facing Charlie. Charlie only laughed and shook her head.

"As if," she muttered in response. "We just talked. I guess some client wants to take me to some fancy business thing so I have to be 'trained,' she said with an exasperated expression. "He isn't as nice as his dad, you know," she added, despite accepting his apology. She knew from that moment on that comparing the two would always pop up in her head and she felt a pang of guilt in her stomach. He was trying to apologize, but first impressions are powerful and Charlie knew hers was going to linger for awhile.

---

Charlie woke the next morning to her alarm at 6:45 exactly, with grumbled responses from Maritza. She walked to the bathroom, wiped the sleep (and leftover mascara) from her eyes, splashed some water on her face and grabbed a bra that was hanging on the door knob. She slipped it on underneath her sweater before sleepily stumbling down to Mr. Langton's room. She wondered how they would act with each other based off last night's explosion and what they were going to be doing this early. She hadn't gotten a chance to watch the news, but she figured he wouldn't yell at her again, not so soon. She knocked lightly, hoping that coffee and waffles were waiting on the other side.

@ honeysucklelips

After settling back at his desk, Derek replayed the scene that had occurred not long ago. Him attempting to hold back his seething anger, deteriorating her self-confidence in the process. Charlie attempting to hold back the tears that threatened to fall from his harsh words. Her touch was not the only moment that lingered in the back of his mind. Derek loudly sighed while pinching the bridge of his nose, knowing that it had been a douche move. Other than waffles, Derek would have to figure out how make this up to her. Perhaps let her off the hook for a few things here and there.

A sudden ring of the telephone startled him from his thoughts, making him jump slightly. Derek gave a quick shake of the head, remembering that he was still at the office. "Langston speaking," He announced to hear a gruff voice at the other end of the phone line. Anderson. "I just wanted to check to see how my girl is doing," Anderson explained. Derek could practically hear Anderson smirking on the other end of the phone, automatically irking him. This man rubbed Derek the wrong way, especially from the first meeting. "Charlie is doing well. Don't worry, Anderson, she'll be ready for you," Derek reassured the other man, forcing himself to remain professional. "Good, good," Anderson mumbled then spoke something inaudible to another person. "See you next Friday, Langston," He stated before there was a prompt click followed by a dead tone. "Next Friday," Derek repeated.

---

Arriving at the office at the crack of dawn, Derek was wide awake dressed in his usual attire - a classic black suit. His shoes practically sparkled underneath the small stream of sunlight that invaded his office. His hair was slicked back with some gel to keep up with his pristine appearance. It was a miracle what that gel could do, especially with Derek's bed hair. All in all, Derek wore what any traditional Langston would wear during business hours.

He settled at his desk, hands folded neatly on top. Derek silently hoped that Charlie heeded to his request of watching an hour of the news a day, at least. The less resistance that she gave to this training, the better it would be for the both of them. As per her request, there was a fresh, warm plate of chocolate chip waffles made from the finest ingredients waiting for Charlie. He even made sure that there was a fresh dollop of whipped cream on top. Unsure of whether she preferred tea or coffee, he had an array for her choosing. Taking advantage of the situation, Derek figured that he might as well eat breakfast at the same time, so he ordered an omelette with various vegetables. "Come in," He responded to the knock on her door. "Good morning, Charlie," He greeted, gesturing for her to take the leather seat.

@ Dandy Darling;
Charlie opened the door, greeted by the fresh scent of eggs, waffles and rich coffee and she almost squealed. She couldn't remember the last time she had a breakfast like this looking at her and she hopped gently into the chair with a smile on her face. "Good morning, sir," she said joyfully. She looked at all the teas and coffees in front of her, but hesitated before grabbing. She wondered for a moment if this was another test, as if his apology was also some form of assessing her manners. She glanced up at him, admiring his jawline for a second before speaking. "Which one is for me?" She asked, gesturing towards all the coffee and lightly picking up a fork.

Charlie having taken in how put together Mr. Langston looked almost regretted literally rolling out of bed. She had remnants of last nights makeup on, she hadn't brushed her teeth (a decision she was now regretting) and the only thing she had bothered doing was putting a bra on. Her hair was in a tangle of blonde curls piled on the top of her head and she decided then that tomorrow morning, she would be a much better sight for him. Not that she needed to please him with her appearance, she reminded herself, as this was strictly professional. At least, that's what she told herself all last night until it became a humming that put her to sleep.

@ honeysucklelips

"Anyone that you want. I wasn't sure which brew you preferred," He responded, sipping on his own cup of coffee. Derek was pleased to see her face light up from the simplest of breakfasts. Of course, it was nothing compared to what the girls were served for breakfast. The girls received a calorie controlled diet with only the most essential of nutrients. It kept all of the girls fit and slim, prepped for their jobs. Once in a while, they would be given whole wheat pancakes just to spice up the menu. Setting down his cup of coffee, Derek picked up his fork and cut into the fluffy eggs.

Assessing her with his eyes, he noted that her hair was in a complete tangle. Derek wanted to reach out and run his fingertips through the blonde waves to smooth it out. There even was still a shimmer on her cheekbones from the makeup she wore last night. Despite all of that, he was still silently in awe of her beauty. Derek would even make the argument that she was more stunning underneath the layers of makeup. That would definitely not fall under what could be considered professional though, so all of that would remain inside of his head. "I want you to be honest with me now. Did you watch the news this morning like I had asked?" Derek questioned after swallowing his first bite of the omelette.

@ Dandy Darling;
Charlie poured any pot of coffee (she wasn't exactly particular and usually had instant coffee or whatever crappy coffee was brewed) and added her creamer, mixing it as he ate his eggs. She caught him staring at her, but made no reaction evident on her face though the urge to smirk was incredibly strong. She cut into her waffles and took a big bite before answering his question. While a myriad of different excuses ran across her head, she had learned her lesson from last night and instead grinned sheepishly as a string of syrup fell over her chin.

"Well, no. But only cause I'm not used to getting up so early. Can't we meet at like ten? You know, after the sun has risen," she said, hoping he'd appreciate her humor instead of yelling at her again. He really needed to loosen his tie (metaphorically and literally). "What if we talk about like not current events in the same sense as last night, but more like a philosophical basis of my beliefs? It's more important to have support and understanding than it is to rattle off whatever Fox News reports," she said, matter of factly, shoveling another mouthful. She hadn't had waffles in such a long time that she was practically making love to these waffles, especially the melted chocolate. She could have cried from the monotony of fruit and oatmeal for breakfast. She wondered if they got close enough she'd be able to suggest better breakfast and buying a treadmill instead, but doubted that would ever happen.

@ honeysucklelips

A small chuckle bubbled in his throat as the thin string of syrup fell from the waffle onto her chin. "You have a little..." He trailed off, leaning across the desk to wipe the sticky mess away. It had been an automatic gesture. One that Derek would automatically categorize as unprofessional and would never do again. He could have informed her of the leftover syrup, but something drew him to removing it himself. Swiping his thumb against the napkin, it clung to his finger. "Sorry, I shouldn't have," He mumbled the apology. A part of him was not even apologetic in the slightest for the physical contact while the other part of him silently scolded him for stepping over a boundary.

"No, sorry, Charlie," He shook his head, reaching out for the coffee. "In order to get this done properly, we are going to need as much time as possible, which means meeting me at seven every morning," Derek stated, not budging on the argument. This would be one of the matters that he could never change. "That would not satisfy him. He wants a girl who is more than a pretty face. Intellectual. Poised. Well-mannered," He explained then took a sip of the black mixture. Watching her devour the waffles, Derek wondered if the breakfast food was that horrid. Perhaps he would have to figure out a way to change the menu around more often. "Charlie, I know that you can do this," He tacked on at the end, leveling his eyes to meet her own.

@ honeysucklelips

@ Dandy Darling;
Charlie smiled as he wiped her chin, enjoying the break in his stone-cold exterior and showing some true emotion. She blushed sheepishly before continuing to eat waffles like they were better than sex, which she would argue they were. Though she didn't know what sex was like exactly, the rest of it was nothing compared to these golden little waffles. She listened distractedly, sipping coffee and flopping back in the chair. She felt her stomach extended from the food baby and was glad that her large sweater covered it substantially; she would do her best to look better for him, that included eating less. When he complimented her, she looked up from her tired and full state and offered him another smile.

"Well, thank you, I guess," she muttered, pulling the rubber band out of her hair and letting her locks tumble down, remaining almost perfectly curled like they were last night. She tucked one piece behind her ear before parting her lips in the most seductive manner possible and faking a pause, as if she was thinking. "Also, you don't need to apologize. Lots of people touch me, though not as sweetly" she muttered, half joking and forced out a small giggle. Though she meant it as a joke, it came out sort of twisted and she wanted to kick herself. 1) She shouldn't be trying to seduce her boss in the first place and 2) reminding him that she's a whore is certainly not the way to do it. She suddenly couldn't wait for their lesson to begin, lest the room grow quieter as the unsettling nature of her joke became apparent.

@ honeysucklelips

At least Charlie had not taken offense to the gesture, noticing the light blush spread across her face. The small reaction even made him feel a little embarrassed as well. His heart reluctantly fluttered, and he mentally scolded himself. He finished up with eating his omelette and slid the plate off to the side, placing his knife and fork on top. Derek could barely keep his eyes from Charlie devouring her waffles though. It amused him and was even something he could categorize as adorable, but Anderson would not find it to be either. She probably did not even notice how ravenous she appeared to be. Being in one of his better moods, Derek let it slide until the next time it occurred.

"No need to thank me since it's the truth," He refuted, watching as her hair cascaded down her shoulders. Derek wanted to reach out and wrap a finger around one of the curls and do many things he probably should not even have admitted to himself, especially when she parted her lips. There seemed to be no way to get her out of his head. "Oh," He merely stated, as she reminded him of her place within the company. What was wrong with him? Wanting to move away from that thought, Derek cleared his throat and wiped his mouth with the napkin. "Today, I was planning on finding a dress for the event," He stated since the original plan had been to work more on posture, but she excelled at it. "The car is already waiting for us," He continued on while standing up, holding out his arm for her to take.

Escorting her to the car, he opened the door for her before sliding in behind. He placed his hand onto the empty space between them and felt a light brush of her skin against his, but Derek made no effort to move it, deciding to play the ignorant card. The driver soon took off to head into the city, emerging from the parking garage. The light was almost blinding for a moment before his eyes readjusted. It only took twenty minutes for them to reach their destination, repeating the same process of holding the door for her to exit the car.

It was a lavish space with floor to ceiling windows that showcased the extravagant yet elegant dresses. The floor was tiled with marble, and the least expensive item in the store had at least five zeroes behind the first number. That was not a problem for the Langston family though. Derek had rented out the entire store for the morning and hired personal assistants to help with their mission. "Good morning, Mr. Langston," One of the assistants greeted, giggling at how handsome he was. "Good morning. We are looking for a formal dress to a red carpet event," He explained as his eyes slid of to Charlie before roaming around the store. Derek was sure that any one of the dresses would compliment her body, but they knew best.

@ Dandy Darling;
Charlie was slightly astonished when he mentioned going shopping and truly wondered if she had been thrown into a Pretty Woman spin off. She glanced down at her outfit, embarrassed to still be in her pajamas as Mr. Langston whisked her from the room and into the car. She spent most of the walk to the car completely cursing herself for her attire and her hair and her makeup. She was completely mortified and wondered if the embarrassment was totally readable on her face. When Mr. Langston opened the door for her, she was greeted with a gentleman act which in her line of work didn't happen too often. She slid into the car, slightly gasping at how nice a car could be.

When they took off towards, Charlie was sort of astonished by how big the city was and she suddenly realized how much of her life she lived in a cage. She looked out the window almost like a child before glancing at Mr. Langston who was scrolling on his phone, business as usual. When he rested his hand between them, Charlie took her a small chance at letting her hand flutter over his. She was lucky that her face was already red with excitement and embarrassment.

When he opened the door for her this time, she took another advantage of his constantly distracted demeanor and slid uncomfortably close to his body, muttering a thank you as she passed. Her small moment of sex appeal was overshadowed by another wave of shame as they walked into an expensive store and she was wearing her pajamas. She looked at Mr. Langston with hopes that if they were going to be out all day, he would spare some money for a normal outfit for her to wear, but she would never ask.

Before Charlie could utter a good morning, she was whisked away again by the store clerks who offered her a glass of champagne. She had never been in a store nicer than Forever 21 and knew that Mr. Langston must have a lot more money than she thought to be given complimentary champagne. She searched for him, but he must have left to do business. In the whirl of dresses and champagne, Charlie wasn't even sure what she was putting on anymore until she caught herself in a silver floor-leith gown. She looked in the mirror, her usually pouting lips opened in surprise. The gown was silver with Swarovski crystal encrusting the bodice and falling down the sleek skirt like raindrops. She knew this dress was more expensive than her and maybe it was that she was a little drunk, but she felt beautiful instead of sexy. She couldn't remember not feeling like this. "We should show him this one," she muttered to the sales lady.

@ honeysucklelips

It seemed to be a complete blur as Charlie was swept away by several assistants, leaving Derek buried in the numerous emails on his phone. Some were requests to buy specific girls permanently, but none of the women were for sale, unless they willingly wanted to leave the company to be with the buyer. That was something he could not prevent. He would have Sam notify each girl of the offer, forwarding the emails. Others were reminders that business meetings were rescheduled because of the precedents of his training with Charlie. The rest were spam about girls wanting to have some fun, which was ironic within itself. Derek blocked out the hustle and bustle around him and did not realize that someone had called for him multiple times to the point where she had placed a hand onto his shoulder. "Oh, I apologize," He sighed, rubbing his temple lightly. Work had taken over his attention once more. "Follow me, Mr. Langston. Ms. Martizo requested that we show you her gown."

A small pang in his chest hit once again, leaving anticipation in its wake. He tucked his phone back into his jacket pocket, and he followed a few steps shy of the woman. Derek's steps started to slow as he laid eyes on Charlie and grit his jaw to prevent it from slacking. They had placed her on top of a white pedestal with a four-sided mirror that allowed her to view the dress at all angles. The chandelier that hung above reflected off of the crystals, leaving a radiating glow on her skin. The bodice hugged every curve of her body before disappearing beneath the skirt. Finding his mouth to be dry, he coughed once or two and hoped that his initial reaction was not too revealing. "I think it's lovely. We'll take that one," He nodded, tearing his eyes away from her magnificent silhouette to the sales woman. It was starting to become difficult for Derek to fathom the possibility of Charlie going anywhere in that dress without him, let alone having any other person be the one to take it off of her delectable body.

"Thank you, sir. We will wrap it up and deliver it once the alterations are made. What card would like to charge that, too?" She questioned as she helped Charlie down from the platform. "The company card is fine," Derek replied, taking in the last few glimpses of her before she disappeared behind the curtain. "Oh, and, please, give Charlie a dress to wear for the remainder of the day," He requested since there were more places to visit. Pajamas would not do, especially when they went out for dinner later tonight. Needing some fresh air, he exited the store and leaned against the marble pillar. Inhale. Exhale. Derek continuously repeated the motions until Charlie reappeared from the store and pretended as though everything was fine. Offering a tight smile, he held out his arm for her once more to escort her back to the car. Next stop was hair and makeup.

@ Dandy Darling;
Charlie slipped out of the dress, wondering if (aside from the next time) she'd ever wear something so exquisite again. They came back with tight but comfort red dress and nude heels which most would find uncomfortable, but they were just right for the Charlie or at least much smaller than shoes she wore for work. She smiled as she they clipped the tags off, almost feeling like the clothes belonged to her. Of course, they didn't. They belonged to the business and she doubted she'd ever hang them in her own closet. Before she walked out to see Mr. Langston, she pinked her cheeks to allow for a soft blush and ran her fingers quickly through her hair. Dammit, she would do this outfit justice. She peeked at herself, wishing she had some make-up on, but was otherwise satisfied.

When she walked out and slid her arm slowly around Mr. Langston's bicep, she felt as if she looked appropriate enough to be holding onto him. She smiled and muttered thanks as they both exited and again, allowed herself to slid past Mr. Langston with very little room between them. It was almost electrifying to tantalize him, he did seem to enjoy it in some ways or rather, he seemed to enjoy her. She wondered the kind of perks she'd get even if she was lucky enough to just hit second or third base, but tried to shun that thought from her brain. He was so professional, it would never happen.

"Why are we doing all this?" Charlie asked, as they began winding through the streets yet again. She didn't get why she needed an outfit for them to go back to their house. She didn't get why she needed to look nice, lest there was more to the day than she had anticipated. She looked at him, taking in his sort go bored expression. He clearly needed to have some kind of fun, whatever that meant. She wasn't exactly sure either, she couldn't remember the last time she did something normal, like see a movie, without it relating to work. For a second, she wondered what it'd be like to be 'normal.'

@ honeysucklelips

Derek's eyes slid over to Charlie, addressing her question. "All of this?" He repeated as his brain attempted to formulate an answer. "The dress was, of course, is for your red carpet event with your future client," He started off, wondering if that was an adequate enough answer. Then, his eyes slid down to the red dress paired with classy pair of nude heels. "And that is for something that I plan on keeping a secret," Derek settled on, wanting her to ponder it. For once, he wanted to be the one to tease her, to keep her guessing. "For now, I'll let you know that we're on the way to a studio where you'll be getting your hair and make-up done. It is just a demo for the event," He informed her before letting his gaze wander outside of the window. If he allowed his eyes to linger any longer, his mind would start to follow. Not allowing her to ask anymore questions, he busied himself with his phone.

Arriving at the next place, they exited the car and wandered into the white building that was named after a famous hairstylist. "Mr. Langston, pleasure to see you here again," The receptionist greeted the pair, standing up to retrieve drinks for them. She handed out the two glasses of champagne before disappearing into the back to inform the hairstylist that the customer was here. "Mr. Langston," The man named Frederic greeted with the high-pitched, flamboyant tone, "To what do we owe this pleasure this time?" Derek's gaze moved over to Charlie as he explained the situation to Frederic. "Ah, yes, of course! I know exactly what to do. We will have her dolled up before you know it," He grinned, whisking Charlie away once more.

Once again, Derek was forced to wait for a reveal and was seated in the waiting room. It was already quarter to one, and there were still many things to be done. He sipped his champagne and leaned back against the leather white couch. It was quite uncomfortable and clearly just for design. He wondered what Frederic was going to do with Charlie. How could he possibly make her any more beautiful? The layers of make-up only seemed to detract from her natural beauty. He tapped his foot impatiently as the second started to slowly tick by. At this point, he had settled every and all business on his phone for the day, leaving him with no way to pass time.

A small sigh passed through his lips as his mind started to wander, deploring the idea of giving Charlie away to Anderson. He grit his teeth at the thought of that man even touching her, getting the chance to feel her soft skin. The thought of any man touching her send a pang of jealousy throughout his system, and Derek hated himself for it. This should have been an easy training. His emotions should never have been given the chance to come into play, but the soft smile that spread across her lips, the way her hips swayed as she walked, even the way that the red dress hugged her curves made his mind go haywire. He was already in way too deep.

Charlie sighed when Mr. Langston very clearly ended the conversation and since she didn't have a phone, she sat in the silence and felt it completely coat her. She watched the city go by, glancing every once and awhile at Mr. Langston, watching the way he grit his jaw and run his fingers through his hair. He was clearly frustrated and she couldn't make it worse by jabbering so she stayed quiet until they finally arrived.

The building was beautiful for a salon and a lot nicer than the place she went, though not too much. If there was one thing someone like her had to spend money on, it was her appearance. Of course, when they walked in Mr. Langston was treated like an old friend and they were given champagne again. She again had the impression that Mr. Langston had an immense amount of money and she began to wonder how it felt to make your money this way. Before Charlie could utter a word, she was whisked away again. It seemed that Mr. Langston would also prefer she was just a pretty face with no words.

She didn't get to look in the mirror as the worked, but sipped champagne and exchanged pleasantries as if she belonged in a place like this. They obviously didn't know what she or Mr. Langston did or perhaps they didn't care; money rules the world. She wasn't interested in having a conversation with these people as they picked at her face and curled her already curly hair. She missed the comfort of her hairdresser, Mary Lou, who knew every facet of her life. She wasn't so sure money would ever rule her.

It seemed like forever, but they spun her around and she tried not to act surprised with how little they had done. Frederic leaned into her ear and said, "Mr. Langston's likes the natural look, but you look beautiful." He squeezed her shoulder before leaving to wash his hands and let Charlie reflect. They somehow made her eyes look big and bright, but without layers of eyeshadow and mascara. They had, at least, made her lips pop with a nice sultry matte red and her hair tumbled down her back in soft waves. She felt like she was an Hollywood movie star and knew that she would (or Mary Lou) would never be able to replicate this. "Can we see him now?" She asked, smiling a little.

When she walked from behind the curtain, she made no noise except for her heels clicking on the floor. She wanted to see his face, that dumb look he gets when he's trying to pretend that he feels and thinks nothing. She felt elegant, something she had truly never felt before, and she was really excited for the rest of the day. Frederic came in behind her and nervously cleared his throat, "I hope we have exceeded expectations," he said, breaking the silence.

@ honeysucklelips

Hearing the sound of heels clicking against the white ceramic tile, Derek's eyes shot up to meet Charlie's gaze. Ah, that was more like it. Federic had done it once again. He was firm believer in the idea that make up should only highlight her features the woman as opposed to hide her flaws. "Yes, more so than I have ever expected," He mused, crossing the room to meet her. "Perfect job, Federic, but next time I think you should make it a little more dramatic for the red carpet event. She is not attending it with me, but with a family friend. I think he would prefer something slightly different," Derek explained, not wanting to go further on the matter. It was quite obvious to him that Federic had kept Derek's ideals in the back of his mind as opposed to doing his usual magic. "Not your girlfriend?" Federic questioned, confused by the appointment. "First time you bring a girl here, and it is for another man? I thought it was quite obvious the way you look at each other..." Derek sighed, running a hand through his hair, completely embarrassed. "We're not.. I mean.. Thank you again, Federic. Charge it to the business card," He thanked once more, rushing out of the salon with his hand pressed against the small of her back.

"You do look stunning, Charlie. I mean it," He admitted, escorting her back to the car. From head to toe, Charlie had been made over to appeal to his tastes completely, only making it more difficult to be around her. "Oh, the dress is yours to keep, by the way," Derek added on since it practically seemed made for her. Several hours had passed since their first excursion and the sun was beginning to set, illuminating the streets with an orange tone. Sliding back into the car behind her, he leaned through the partition to whisper an address to the drive, not wanting her to hear. "Now, you'll find out your surprise," He winked, relaxing back into the seat.

He really wondered if Charlie looked at him that way. Federic had called them both out on it, but he was not sure. Even if for a moment, Derek merely wanted to enjoy her company without having to worry about his role in the company. This professional facade had worn him down, and he wanted to loosen up for a bit. Well, physically and metaphorically, as he took of his tie and tossed it onto the ground along with unbuttoning his collar. He needed to forget their positions within the ring for just the slightest moment. This was something that he needed. He needed to take himself out of the business state of mind.

@ Dandy Darling;
When Derek began making corrections to her makeup, she sighed. She understood, of course, that her job was to be desirable but was it necessary to remind her just how tailored she had to be, just how perfect. She'd never even met this man, but she was changing the way she acted, walked, talked and now looked just to please him and it wasn't even what she liked. Charlie almost blushed when Federic spoke, feeling a strange sort of fluttering in her stomach, contrary to the negative twist she had felt before. His girlfriend, more like business associate or something along those lines. She was going back and forth today, from some considerably beautiful highs to some cheap lows. She was in constant state of wonder with what was happening to her and a crushing reminder of who she was. The business card, she thought, of course. All of this is business, she reminded herself.

But, was it? When he pushed her outside, letting his hands linger on her skin and complementing her. Now he was surprising her of all things. She was again torn between feeling really exquisite and spitefully wondering if this was her uniform for now. She looked over at his as he shed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt and she smirked. While he thought she looked beautiful all dolled up like this, she felt he looked much nicer and more natural with that top button undone. She would kill to slide her hands down his shirt and unbutton them all, but this was business. Was it not?

She turned towards him then, a little playful spark in her eye. She grabbed the tie off the ground and wrapped it around her fingers. "Federic was wrong, you know. If we were a couple, your tie would have matched my dress," she said, catching his eye with another smirk. It was a mockery of the socialite little girl he was trying to turn her into or this buttoned-up tight business men he was trying to be. They were a fallacy and a cliche all at once: a rich man and his whore, a businessman and his worker, but boyfriend and girlfriend, never.

@ honeysucklelips

Flickering his eyes to meet the devilish sparkle in her own, his gaze shifted down to the tie wrapped around her fingers. His palms started to itch at the mere fantasies that came to mind, which made his mind swim with desire. "I suppose, but the black compliments the red," Derek thoughtfully noted. He purposely placed his hand close enough to graze the skin of her upper thigh, leaning across the empty space to slid the fabric from her fingertips. "But I'll make sure that we match next time," He grinned while settling back into his seat. Folding the tie into a neat rectangle, he placed it off to the side of the car in one of the pockets. Maybe it would become useful later, after a few drinks.

Derek could feel a weight lifting from his shoulders, as if he could finally breathe. All filters were turned off, and he allowed himself to say the thoughts he always wanted to. Usually, at most, he let them linger in the back of his mind, but, now, they were all bubbling to the surface. There was no use in attempting to convince himself that these emotions were detached, string-less. Perhaps it was the sheer chemistry between them, but, for once, Derek was enjoying his time together with Charlie. In this moment, he was no longer Derek Langston the current head of the prostitution ring 'Nightly', no longer John Langston's son, no longer living up to expectations of making the company thrive. He was just Derek, a twenty-one year old man with a beautiful woman. A woman that he wanted to impress, to seduce, and to have.

"Sir, we are here," The driver announced, pulling over into the valet area. He barely noticed that they arrived at the venue, getting out to open Charlie's side of the car. "My lady," He smiled as he reached out his arm for her once more. The restaurant was easily the most extravagant of them all, placed at the top of a building that was several stories high. Derek had rented out a small private room where they would be able to talk freely without worrying about a person from the company eavesdropping on their progress. Taking an elevator to the top, their surroundings were completely lined in gold and crystals. "I have a reservation under Langston," He explained to the hostess whose finger skimmed down to the list until it bounced off of his name. "Yes, of course, Mr. and Mrs. Langston. Please, follow me," She smiled over at the pair before heading off in the direction. Derek glanced down in Charlie's direction, not bothering to correct the hostess. In this moment, they were whatever people thought.