Red Hourglass : Dark Coming Of Age Romance Thriller

Invitation

Conan arrived an hour later than usual on Monday morning. He stopped to talk to Kelvin before heading to his office.

"I'm impressed with you Scarlet," said Conan as he approached my desk.

"How so?" He seemed to be cheerful, but that didn't mean much given his mood swings.

"You're efficient, you keep me organized, and you schedule my days the way I like them ... important meetings in the morning and other engagements in the afternoon. You could turn out to be the best secretary I've ever had."

"Thank you. Does that mean I'll be getting a raise?"

"Perhaps in a few months, as long as you keep those tomatoes off my sandwiches and don't screw anything else up."

"I'll do my best." I smiled. Why did the jerk have to say that?

"What's on the agenda for today?"

"Kelvin dropped these off earlier," I said, pointing to a stack of files on my desk. "He needs you to get back to him by the end of business.

"Yes, he just told me. What else?"

"You have that meeting in Brooklyn in an hour and you better get going. The guys are waiting for you in the garage. The driver wants to leave as soon as you're ready ... traffic's bad."

"Do you have the file I need?"

"Right here." I handed him the file. "See you later."

"Oh, you have to accompany me to a new building on Friday night."

"Okay."

"Make sure you're dressed appropriately this time," he said smugly as he left.

"I'll be dressed to the nines." On your dime you creep. I bit my lip as anger simmered in my chest. I wanted to stomp him with my stilettos.

Conan passed Christophe on his way out. They glared at each other for a moment before Christophe turned and scrambled away.

* * *

I took a cab to the Lawrence Boutique on Madison Avenue during lunch. It was the type of place rich girls with huge trust finds shopped—the sort of place I couldn't even look in when I was living penniless in the subway. I walked through the glass door and was met with the lovely fragrance of a fig-scented candle.

"May I help you find something?" asked the elegant saleswoman.

"I'm looking for an evening dress ... something sexy and stylish."

"Certainly, come this way."

She took me to fitting room and brought five beautiful dresses for me to try on. They were made of the finest materials and fit me like handmade kid gloves.

"They're all absolutely gorgeous on you. Which one will you take?" asked the saleswoman.

"These three," I said, pointing to a red leather cocktail dress, a black velvet halter top gown, and a pale-pink silk chiffon gown with Swarovski crystals on the bodice.

"All three? Are you sure?"

"I am." I handed her Conan's charge card.

"Splendid," said the saleswoman as her face lit up.

I knew the commission would probably pay her rent this month. She put the dresses in a white garment bag with a silk bow and placed the receipt in the pocket.

"Thank you very much, miss," she said as I walked out the door.

* * *

After work on Friday I put on my skin-tight red leather cocktail dress and matching six-inch stilettos. The strapless dress accentuated my hourglass figure and showed off my cleavage. It was sexy, but not too short or revealing enough to be slutty. This should make him happy.