Devilish: Chapter I

I walked down the crowded street, my thighs chaffing as my shorts rode up the apex. I'd constantly been leaning over, adjusting with various strange looks and a few looks of odd interest from men as they passed me. I straightened my posture, picking up the pace so I can just get my coffee and go back home to semi-messy apartment and my calico, Marbles.

Someone held the door for me as I breezed in from the early autumn heat and took my place in the short line. When it was finally my turn, I paid and stepped back, watching as the barista busied themselves with making it. Another barista called out, "Lucifer," and I felt a hand grazed my lower back and hipbone.

I jumped back in surprise and my eyes burned into the back of this man's head. "Hey!" I shouted, my shoulders tensing up. "You could just say excuse me next time, you know."

The man turned casting a disarming smile my way, his teeth a brilliant white, and the ashen eyes bored into mine. "So there'll be a next time?" He asked, running his free hand through his darkened locks.

I felt a wave of heat wash crash over my face and I stared back at him, the words dying on my tongue. "I'm sorry, but what?" I replied, forcing myself to stand taller as I tried to appear less caught off-guard. "I was saying the next time you pass a person, you should say excuse me. It's rude not too." This man, this Lucifer, rolled his eyes and smirked back at me teasingly.

"Darling, perhaps it was I that was attempting to pursue you. What with those delicious hips and all, a man would be foolish not too," he replied, the end of his voice seeming to drop to a purr.

I furrowed my brows at him, taken aback by his audacity when the barista calls my name, "Gwyn!" I snatched my coffee from the counter and hurry for the door, Lucifer hot on my heels.

"Oh come on, Gwynevere, what's a harmless joke between friends, eh?" he called after me and I turned on my heel at him, glaring back fiercely.

"We just met and don't call me that. It's Gwyn," I replied, my voice as solid and cool as stone. Lucifer sauntered over to me, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Forgive me," he replied, his voice silky smooth. "I just see a beautiful woman and I just can't help myself sometimes. How about I make it up to you? Say at seven o'clock? Luigi's? My treat, of course." I raised an unamused brow and rolled my eyes.

"And just how many women has that line worked on?" I countered snottily. Lucifer chuckled, his teeth shining at me.

"All of them, and a few men if we're being honest." He stood a mere foot from me now and takes a sip from his coffee. "So, what do you say?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "No," I said sternly, turning back towards home. "Now piss off."

"I hate to see you go, Gwynevere, darling, but me almighty how I love to watch you leave. I'll still be there if you change your mind." I raised my middle finger in the air in a silent response and continued on my walk home. I was sure to lock the door behind me before greeting Marbles with her pets and a quick peck on her nose. I loosened my hair from the ponytail, letting it dangle below my breasts.

I stripped off the sweaty clothes and lazily tossed them towards the hamper before stepping into my shower, the frosted glass stall barely big enough for two people. The hot water felt wondrous on my neck and I found my mind drifting away on a daydream. A daydream about the strange man I'd met in the coffee house. Charming, sharply dressed in a three piece suit, well groomed, but horribly ignorant.

I shampooed and conditioned my hair, and squeezed body wash onto my loofah. I scrubbed down my body, suds dripping down my slender frame as the water washed it away. Once I was clean, I stepped from the steamy shower, the sudden temperature change causing my nipples to harden. I wrap myself in a plush burgundy robe and dry my hair with a towel as I walk to my bedroom.

I don a green blouse and work slacks. I toss the towel to the hamper, missing it by just an inch and take my robe back to the bathroom, where I began to apply minimal makeup. I checked the clock, breathing a sigh of relief seeing that I'd make it to work twenty minutes before my first client if I left right finishing up.

I wrapped up the makeup, being sure to not overdo the "natural look" my work was always wanting us females to strive for, grabbed a light jacket, my purse, and my coffee, slipping on shoes as I walked out the door again. I hurried down to my car, a beat up Ford Focus, and set my coffee in a cup holder while the rest of my things were simply discarded to the passenger seat.

I drove the short ten minutes to work, still beating my client with half the original time to spare. I stepped into my office and had barely draped my jacket over the back of my swivel chair before there was a knock at my door. I glanced at the wall clock. I still had about five minutes to prepare for this meeting. I internally groaned and hurried to the door at the sight of the secretary, Diana, waving to me from outside.

She was a beaming beauty with her blonde hair all pinned up and her makeup done to the borderline of unnatural. "Your appointment is here and oh my gosh, is he hot!" she exclaimed. I held back my unimpressed eye roll. Diana was basically a youngling around the office, but from what the office gossip mill said about her track record she'd banged about the equivalent of a football team around our office during her short three months with us.

"Is he now?" I asked, forcing myself to sound intrigued. She bobbled her head up and down excitedly and I contemplated just slamming the door in her face. After the way my morning started, I could care less about my potential new client being hot.

"Girl, if you don't tap that, can you give me his number?" she asked slyly, wiggling her brows at me. I chuckled, but mostly at her stupidity.

"If I wouldn't get canned for it, I would," I lied as I forced a smile. "but rules are rules and I have to protect client information." She gave me a pout which I would have gladly smacked off her face.

"Poo okay. Do you want me to send him in or?" I glanced back at my computer and the few files I had stacked on my desk.

"Um...sure why not. I'm sure his file is right here on my desk." She turned on her heels and practically skipped back to the waiting area of our office.

I left my office door open as I approached my desk, sorting through the few files I had left the night before. I found my desired folder and had just opened it when there was a soft knock at my door. I turned and my face faltered.

Standing in the doorway, staring back at me with that coy smile, was Lucifer. "You?" I asked in surprise. "What are you doing here? I'm at work and I have a meeting."

Lucifer's smile only grew and he chuckled softly, almost to himself. "I know," he said, the purr returning. "I'm the co-founder of Solstice Incorporated. My co-founder sadly could not join us today, she's ill." I nodded my head, biting my cheek.

"Okay," I said, dropping his file onto my desk. I gestured to the chair across from it. "Please sit then." I walked passed him to close the door, when his hand grazed my hip again. I closed the door a little harder than I meant to and came back around my desk, eyeing him. "You can't do that here."

Lucifer sat across from me, crossing one leg over the other, and folding his hands on his stomach, his grin unfaltering. "So, I can do it in other places then?" I pursed my lips and sat down, opening the file again.

"I mean anywhere, sir. It's not very appropriate for a potential client to be touching their potential investment managers during a meeting." Lucifer put his hands up in surrender and chuckled again.

"My apologies, Gwynevere, I meant no disrespect. As I said earlier, I see a beautiful woman and...my inhibitions simply go out the window." While his apology sounded genuine, his eyes said otherwise. He seemed to enjoy getting under my skin.

"It's Miss Ire in the work place, Mister...?" Lucifer straightened his posture, appearing to tune in his business side.

"Hellstine. Mr. Hellstine." I nodded my head.

"Pleasure to meet you."

"I'd love to show you pleasure." My eyes shot up in shock.

"Look if you can't contain your advances for even a minute during this meeting than you can find somewhere else to take your business, Mr. Hellstine. We have a zero tolerance policy for sexual harassment." My tone was firm and pure business, but my cheeks were turning red.

"I will stop...if you agree to meet me for dinner as previously discussed." I rolled my eyes and let out a low growl.

"I doubt my bosses would appreciate my having dinner with you."

"Not if you tell them it's to obtain my account," he said slyly, his smirk turned cunning. I raised a brow and picked up a pen, tapping it against the desk.

"Are you saying you won't give the account to us if I don't have dinner with you?" Lucifer chuckled and waved his hand as if brushing off my question.

"No, no. I like you. You're spirited and you know how to stand your ground. I like that in the people I do business with. The account will be yours no matter what. I simply want to see what's passed that before signing the paperwork that's all." I bit the inside of my cheek and continued to tap the pen. "Plus, this way perhaps you won't think of me as such an arrogant ass while we are working together."

I smirked back at him and leaned against the desk, my breasts resting against the cool wood. "I'll still think that," I replied matter of factly. "but if you are seriously going to give me your account perhaps it is best for there to be some meeting outside of the work place. I take it the arrangements haven't changed?"

Lucifer nodded his head and rose from his seat, buttoning his suit jacket. "It's a date," he said as he sauntered to the door.

"It's not a date," I muttered bitterly under my lips as the door closed behind him. I groaned inwardly, resting my head on my folded arms. A jolted at the knock at my door, tossing the file into the in pile. "Come in!" In swept Diana smacking down on a piece of chewing gum with a cunning grin on her face.

"So...how did it go? You look rather...flustered," she said, struggling to find the right word to use. I rolled my eyes and shrugged my shoulders.

"The man would not stop hitting on me. He isn't even willing to sign anything until after I've gone to dinner with him tonight," I said exasperatedly. Diana squealed with delight as she clapped her hands together with bouncing heels.

"You got asked out on a date!" she screamed and I shuddered at the thought of one of the partners hearing. I raised my hand in the stop motion and her excitement was quickly contained.

"It is not a date. It's a business dinner. I refuse to be swayed and wooed by some rich asshole." Diana rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Why do you have to be so negative all the time? He's cute, he seems smart, and he's willing to take you on a date. Just have some fun. Enjoy yourself for once, Gwyn. Don't be such a man hater." I leaned back in my chair, tipping my nose to the ceiling.

"Fine, Diana. I'll go "have fun," but there is no way in hell I'm sleeping with him." Diana smirked and opened my door.

"Never say never," she chimed before slipping out.

Later that evening, I was primed and ready for the not date with Lucifer Hellstine. I patted Marbles on her head as she rested comfortably in her cat condo as I made my way for the door. As I exited my building, I froze at the sight of the limousine parked outside with a chauffeur waiting by the door. A cool breeze caressed my bare legs and I shivered.

"Lady Ire?" he asked politely as he placed his hand on the handle. I closed my gaping mouth and slowly approached the car.

"Yes?" I asked with a small voice. The man extended his hand towards me.

"My name is Philip. I'm Mr. Hellstine's driver. He sent me to bring you to the restaurant this evening," he said with a weakened British accent. I couldn't help but smile back as I shook his hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, but this really isn't necessary. I'm perfectly-"

"Capable of driving yourself," Philip finished, his smile unfaltering. "Mr. Hellstine said you'd protest, but I'm afraid I must insist on his behalf." He released my hand and opened the door, his other hand doing a sweeping motion. My cheeks turned a soft pink and I slowly slipped into the limo. I sat back against the plush seats and Philip whisked me off towards the restaurant.

I withdrew a compact from my purse and check over my makeup and hair. The soft curls I had done were thankfully staying as well as the neutral colored makeup. The restaurant was a few miles from my house and as we approached, I awed at its beauty in the sun's dying light. The neon lights looked like glitter through the car's windows.

Philip rushed to my door and frowned as I began to push it open. I bashfully smirked at him as he held his hand out to help me onto the pavement. I stepped carefully onto the sidewalk and he turned to the doors, a smile already on his face. "Evening, Mr. Hellstine," he said kindly.

I turned and Lucifer simply stared at me with that smirk plastered on his face as he said, "Evening, Philip. Thank you for bringing my date." I felt my breath get caught in my throat and his smirk seemed to grow. He stepped closer to me and he took my hand in his, the warmth of it practically shocking me as he brought it to his lips. He pecked each knuckle with a gentle kiss and looked back up into my eyes, sending a shiver down my back. "Thank you for coming."

I batted my eyes and cleared my throat, "Thank you for the invite, but once again, this isn't a date, Mr. Hellstine." Lucifer chuckled as he released my hand, draping his arm behind me as he guided me into the restaurant.

"Please," he said, practically purring. "Call me Lucifer. We aren't in your office and if this is to be an informal meeting, we should treat it as such." He glanced at the host, raising two fingers in the air. The host seemed to ignore everyone waiting as he snatched up two menus and began to lead us back to a private table.

Lucifer pulled my chair out for me and pushed it in with surprising ease once I was seated. He sat across from me and glanced through the menu. "If you like pasta, I highly recommend the lobster ravioli. It is exquisite this time of year," he said, his eyes glued to the menu. I casually picked mine up, trying to ignore the ever growing prices as each item seemed more expensive than the last. "So tell me, Gwynevere, what is it about you?"

I looked over my menu at him, a questioning eyebrow raised. "I'm sorry what?" He chuckled and held up a finger as our waiter approached.

"I'd like a bottle of your nicest white sweet wine if you'd please. We will need more time with the menu." The waiter nodded without another word and hurried back towards the kitchen. He turned back to me, dropped his hand, and continued. "I've done my research. You have a pretty substantial job, yet you practically live in squalor."

I closed the menu abruptly, a twinge of irritation building. "I'd hardly call my lifestyle squalor. I live within my means. There's nothing wrong with that. Doing a background check on someone however is a tad creepy."

He leaned forward, resting his chin in his hands. "I like to know who I'm working with. Who I am entrusting my business to." I raised a brow at him, waiting for him to continue. "You drive a car that's nearly eight years old. Fully paid off. You live in an apartment when you're more than able to pay a mortgage on your own. I'm just curious why you don't live more elegantly when you can afford it."

I bit the inside of my cheek and took a deep breathe before saying, "I like the way I live for your information. I wasn't raised with a silver spoon in my mouth unlike some. So, I tend to live the way I was raised. Like money won't always be there to catch you if you fall. Yes, I drive an older car. It's paid off. Why pay a few hundred dollars a month when my car runs perfectly fine? As far as my apartment goes, it's just me and my cat so we don't need much space."

The waiter set the wine down along with two glasses and went away again, not bothering to ask if we were ready to order. "So, what do you do with the money you don't spend on lavish things?"

"Help pay the bills on my parents' farm back home," I stated coldly. "My mom has been doing everything she can to keep the place up and running since my dad had his stroke. My sister is off in Paris with some guy she barely knows last I heard so it's just me to help." Lucifer's gaze seemed to soften and he sat back in his chair.

"So you are quite adequate with managing your own money," he said quietly. "Instead of using it for yourself, you use it for those you love." I nodded my head.

"So it would seem." He blinked and clicked his tongue as he turned his attention back to the menu.

"I was afraid of that," he said softly and my spine straightened almost immediately.

"Excuse me?" Lucifer never looked up from his menu.

"You're lackadaisical," he stated curtly. I scoffed at him.

"That's not even a word," I replied.

"It means boring. I'm afraid you're...simply sub par compared to what I was thinking of you." My jaw dropped and for a split second, I contemplated slapping the smug bastard.

"Boring? Just this morning you were calling me beautiful. You couldn't keep your hands off me at my work and you hardly know me." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Perhaps I should learn to keep myself in check with pretty strangers. They'll just simply disappoint you in the end." I glared at him.

"Because I take care of my family and don't choose to throw my money away on stupid shit I'm boring?! You're the one who pursued me, sir, and quite frankly, I must say you're a disappointment as well." Lucifer glanced up at me and then back at the menu.

"How's that?"

"I thought you were a gentleman," I said as I rose from the table. "but you know what? You're nothing more than a rat." I picked up my water glass and tossed it at him, soaking his hair and shirt. "There. Now the outside matches the inside." I slammed the glass on the table and snatched up my purse before stalking out of the restaurant. I walked home in the chilling wind, my arms wrapped around me to keep myself as warm as possible.

When I arrived home, my heels had left blisters on my feet and the few tears I had shed smeared my makeup. I locked the door behind and scooped Marbles up, cuddling with her on my bed as I drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, I was up a little later than normal. Given the fact it was a Saturday, I was less concerned with getting up. I took a lazy shower and relaxed in some flannel pajamas and my fluffy robe I'd gotten from my mom for Christmas a few years back. I vegged out on the couch with my feet up when the door bell rang.

I groaned as I paused my show on Netflix, tying the robe around myself to hide the fact I wasn't wearing a bra. When I opened my door, I froze. Standing in my door way, holding at least a dozen red roses was Lucifer, his face ashen. "Hello, Miss Ire," he said softly.