Chapter 10: Lucas: Smut and book boyfriends

THE MAGAZINE JUST DROPPED IN SALES!

Unfortunately, the bestsellers list gets updated every first Saturday of every month—which is tomorrow.

I ruffle my hair, pulling out February's issue and checking for any errors or articles that could be boring - but nothing seems out of the ordinary.

What the fuck am I doing wrong?

Laughs echo in the office and I turn to glare at my team. I should be happy the environment is friendly, but after the news I just received, I'm going to be annoyed with everything today.

Especially since I know they slacked off last week.

" We need to have fun too," Clara calls out after they dissed me about overworking them, which I'll do to them if they don't finish all their tasks today.

My office is soundproof and my team knows it, hence the betrayal session going on right now. Leaving my door slightly open was a very bad idea.

"What are you even saying? Last week we kept skipping work to go on team dinners," Dion cuts the unified humming they all do after Clara's remark. "We deserve to be punished."

" That's true," Iris adds in a sarcastic voice, " you guys brought this up on yourselves. Don't blame it all on Lucas. "

Even though her defending me feels like a sip of wine after a long day, I still can't rub off Iris' actions from earlier. Her smart mouth might be sexy when we're alone and horny, but when I need to be in control of my team and she frees them, it's not.

We might need to set guidelines for this dating thing sooner than I had anticipated before it's too late.

Without hesitating any further, I head over to her chat on the company message board and send her a message to come to my office. Pulling out a notepad and pen, I watch through the glass wall as she drags herself to my office, before knocking on my door a few minutes later.

"Come in," I call out firmly.

Iris walks in, dressed in cozy white loose-fitting pants with a custom-knitted lavender sweater that matches the scent emitting from my diffuser. Her hair is tied into a messy bun that accentuates her cuteness, and for a moment there I watch in awe as the woman I almost devoured last night walks into my office.

I crossed a line I shouldn't have last night, but I don't regret it. Kissing Iris made me feel rebellious and alive. Like I finally had a life aside from work and running away from Lynn. It made me the hormonal teenager I was before, like I was gasoline trapped in an underground tunnel and she's the spark I was waiting for all along to finally burst to life once again.

I loved it, although I need to suppress those feelings now.

Closing the door behind her back, Iris fidgets with her hands nervously - a first ever since the two of us met. "Is this because of what I said earlier?" She asks, gripping her sweater by the collar. I'm pretty sure the others watching from outside think I'm bullying her.

I place my hands on my desk, leaning towards her as I put on a serious expression." Yes and no. Yes because I need us to have boundaries that won't disturb our work. You can use me all you want, but not when it comes to work."

I give her a pointed glare, and she slowly nods. "Good. As for the no, I want us to have a set plan to convince everyone we're dating. We can't just barge in and announce that we're dating without making them believe it first."

Iris nods again, " I get it. But shouldn't you be checking the file I sent you for any errors?" She asks in a low restrained voice, making me ease my glare on her.

Slouching back in my seat, I gesture for her to sit, and she obeys. If only she were this tamed every day, then I wouldn't need to be counseling her like this.

" I should. But I don't think I can focus well if we haven't settled this."

" You and your perfectionist ass," she whispers, but I hear it nonetheless. " Where are we holding the meeting? Here, or in the personal boardroom you told me about?"

I could recognize that sarcastic tone even in my sleep. Iris should receive an award for being able to regain her composure so quickly.

A smirk forms on my lips," You'll see. Go get ready, we leave in five minutes."

She immediately leaves my office, and I scoop all the stationary I might need from my desk before following her outside. Soon, both of us head over to the 13th floor, for what is going to be the most bizarre, yet most necessary meeting I've ever held in my life.

Ask me why I feel hot and bothered by it.

★★★★★

"You're what?" Iris screams, gesturing everywhere like an anime character. I just told her that the board members want me to be the Vice president, and that's why I have access to this office. Little did I know that would freak her out this much.

"What are you doing in the editorial department? Holy fuck. Can I take back my words and accept the offer you made before about taking your money?"

She's unstoppable, pacing around the office like a Porsche with no brakes, until I can't take it anymore.

"Sit down for a moment Iris," I mumble, smiling smugly at how excited she is.

"Yes, sir...Lucas. Damn, I can't control myself. I'm standing in the presence of my favorite magazines fuckin Vice prez."

Way to toot my horn, Iris.

" And you're going to be fake dating him soon."

" Scratch that, how about we make it official," she laughs gleefully and I find it cute. This is the first time she's ever let loose this much around me. Even when we were intimate last night, she seemed a bit more rigid than she is now.

" That's what this meeting is about Baby," I mumble, surprising the both of us.

"Did you just...?"

"Yes, I did."

A pause follows before she springs into action again. "Please let's get this meeting started before I get some more crazy ideas and ruin the mood."

I let out an exasperated laugh, "you're right about that. Your mind is like an AI generator."

"It's only natural for an author and editor to be like that," she replies, placing her notepad on my desk.

Now it's my turn to be baffled. " You're an author?"

Iris tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, making the slight blush on her caramel skin show. "I can't say I am one yet, but I do have an entire hundred-page folder of book ideas I've thought over the years."

" Hundred?!"

" Yes."

" Damn. Can I read one of the books you've written?

There's a slight pause and awkward silence that follows my question, where Iris gnaws at her lip. Any other moment, I would have found it sexy, but there's an edge of something untold to the lip bite that makes me keep my composure.

" I don't have any written books yet." Her voice is barely audible and a crease shows on her forehead, but disappears the next moment as she smiles at me, " But I think I'll try writing soon."

I decide to not pry on the topic any further. " Send me the book when you're done with it."

Iris laughs mockingly. " Okay, but I can't picture you reading smut."

"What's smut?" I ask, furrowing my brows.

" Book porn." She replies, shamelessly grinning at me, " No, I think it's even better than porn. My book boyfriends always know where to touch and how to do it."

I arch a brow, " book boyfriends?"

Iris swats a hand at me, "You'll never understand the language if you're not a romance reader, so stop running your brains, and let's get planning."

Rubbing my palms on my lap, I clear my throat trying to gain my composure. It should be a crime to get turned on just by listening to Iris talk about book porn, but the way she says it could make any other man react the same way given the history between us.

" Okay, first, we need a few rules and guidelines on how to behave around each other at work, and outside."

Iris nods and takes her pen out, and for the next hour, we discuss how we're going to be playing our parts in this deal. We could have been done with our meeting in fifteen minutes, but after Iris came up with a scenario where we might need to be intimate to make the others believe we're dating, an entire list of possibilities began flooding that smart brain of hers, and before we knew it, an hour had passed.

We ended up opting for a professional but couple vibe atmosphere, and getting slightly intimate if the need arises.

"That marks the end of this meeting," I announce once we have the entire plan jotted on paper. This deal is going to be over once Lynn stops following me around, and I get to agree to Iris' reasonable requests during that period.

Cracking her neck and collecting her items, Iris pushes her chair away from my desk. " I can't believe I just had this kind of discussion with my boss," she pauses, assessing my face for whatever reason makes sense to her. " Now I feel like a pent-up slut."

The way I tense at her words could qualify me for a role in the Transformers cast. I almost growl, but I manage to keep my cool, although I can't say the same about my tensed jaw and closed eyes.

Why would she say something so...

" Never say that in my presence again, unless you want me to fuck your brains out, Iris," I say through gritted teeth.

Iris tips her chin back, " And what if I do? Are you sure you want your million-dollar office to smell like sex first thing in the morning?" She says in a nasally induced voice, opening the door and stepping outside before adding, " I chose using you over your money for a reason, Lucas."

The door closes with a bang and I hit the table, cursing at myself for being such a simp. Now I'm certain this isn't just a pact to help ward Lynn off. No. It has upgraded to something way more sexy - a hookup pact; and I hate how I seem to be the one without control.

Iris already has me on her leash, she just doesn't know it yet, or maybe she does and that's why she's teasing me a lot.

I sit up straight but immediately bend, groaning when my erection rubs on my boxers.

Damnit.

Now I'm horny too.

★★★★★

"How is a party going to help the magazine sales go up?"

"It's a charity event Lucas, not a party. Get that part right," Dad corrects me, caressing his nose bridge like he always does when dealing with my constant questions.

For the past hour, we have been discussing about the drop in magazine sales. I'm fuckin annoyed by it because this could be my last year to convince Dad I need time fulfilling the promise I made to Mom. He and the board members have been pestering me to become Adder's new Vice president because "the younger generation is innovative," but I've been too busy to take up the offer.

Marcus being Marcus decided to take on both roles because he "can't seem to find someone as qualified as me". Anyone can see how he's using his power to manipulate the others decision, which is good because I know there's a prestigious position waiting for me once I accomplish my goal - but it's pressuring the fuck out of me.

"How is a charity event going to up the magazine sales?" I repeat the question, making sure to correct myself this time.

"Don't play dumb boy. You've done this a hundred times now."

"I know, but it wasn't for the magazine's sake."

Dad lets out a heavy sigh full of frustration and a little something I can't quite decipher. "I'll explain the details to you once we have finalized the plan, but trust me, it will enhance the sales once done properly."

" Can't you just tell me now?"

A small devilish smile appears on Dad's lips as he leans in till our eyes a level. " For that to happen you'll need to hold a prestigious position in this company, which you don't have right now. Wait until the higher-ups have decided on it, then we will update you small fries."

Shit. Why is everyone being so unbelievably tough today? First, it was Iris and her saucy commentaries, now it's Dad using my love for the magazine as a manipulation tool.

" Be quick with it then. If we want to do a perfect job, we need to plan ahead of time."

" A good job will suffice too."

"No," I affirmatively reply, " that won't suffice if we want to save the magazine."

Dad lets out a small laugh that comes out more like a snort. " Has anyone ever told you you're a fuckin perfectionist?"

Iris comes to mind when he asks the question, and I smile, consciously counting the times I've heard her tell me that. Has it been three or four times now?

" More times than I can count," I blurt out.

" Marry her," Dad exclaims pulling his laptop towards him and swatting his hand at me. " You may leave now, I've got an event to plan."

How does he know it's a girl?

Sometimes I wonder if he has telekinesis and can read my inner thoughts because Dad usually says them out loud and clear. It's a bit creepy if you ask me.

"I'll leave you to it," I say, walking out of the office and leaving him alone.

I'm still reeling in my head, wondering what I'm doing wrong when the elevator lands on our floor, and the first thing I see is Lynn entering my department with a box in both hands.

What does she want?

" Lucas!" Mary's voice cuts my internal monologue as she pops up from the stairs a few meters away from the elevator.

"Yes?"

She wipes her forehead, breathing heavily like someone who has been running for long hours. "I have a favor to ask from you."

I squint my eyes at her, " what is it?"

"Please drive Iris home today. I can't take her with me where I want to go, and it's not close to home. So can you drive her instead, pleaseee," she whines.

After our last conversation, I'm not sure if I want to be alone with Iris. She just gave me the keys to her heavenly delights, and I don't think I'll be able to resist if my urges knock again once we're alone together.

"Okay," I mumble whilst opening the French door to my department, but does Iris know about this?"

" Yes, I told her this afternoon and she's okay with you driving her back home."

" And this has nothing to do with the silent treatment you've been giving her last night?"

Mary shakes her head , "No. We already talked about that."

" Then it's settled, I'll drive her home. Anything else?"

Mary gives me a strong hug before patting my chest and saying, " Thank me later." After giving me a knowing smirk, she sprints towards the stairs and makes her way below.

Ignoring the voice in my head asking why she's using the stairs, I enter the department's office. It's 5:30 PM now, and everyone has gone home. Everyone but Iris, and Lynn.

They're standing by my office and giving each other the cold shoulder. My phone vibrates in my pocket and I take it out, to see a message from Iris.

IRIS: Lynn is here. Level up your acting skills, Daddy *winking emoji*

Putting my phone in my pocket, I make up my mind to teach Iris a lesson on never teasing me later in the day. Right now, I have an Oscar-winning session to showcase with her, and I can't fuck it up with my stupid urges!

★★★★★

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read