Chapter 2
Soft and pink
Four weeks and one-and-half books later, Clemi was thrust into her final week of sophomore year. Her college exams were coming up right around the corner. The stranger had completely left her mind.
She was reading in the front garden under her old friend, a lush green willow. It's weeping branches grazed her skin softly and it's leaves protected her from the glimmering sun. She was in the midst of a suspenseful scene in the third book of her new favorite series. So far, this book was her favorite. She hardly ever put it down, not even for bubble baths or meals.
She didn't even notice the black van that pulled into the driveway. It wasn't until black, shiny boots came into view that she looked up with big eyes to see her parent's business partner from the other night.
He admired the way her flower patterned dress hugged her soft body. He eyed the way her dress rode up to expose her thighs in the light shade of the tree. She looked angelic under the hanging leaves.
"Mike!" Clementine's fathers booming voice sounded from across the grass, causing Mr. Mueller to look up in surprise. "What a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting you." Clemi tuned out their voices and took the cue to turn back to the book.
"I was in the area with some good news. I wanted to invite your family to the yearly fundraiser the Dimitrou family is having."
Clementine burst out laughing at some witty dialogue. The two men turned towards her.
"Avid reader?"
Her father sighed, "Among other things."
The whole while, Clementine didn't listen one bit, too focused to even bare a glance.
———
"The Dimitrous!" Her mother's voice screeched as a brush ripped harshly through Clementine's hair. "What do you mean we we're invited?"
"That's what Mike told me." Her father said, "If I play my cards right, this could change everything for our business."
Clementine whined as her mother continued to absent-mindedly pill the tangles and weeds out of her hair.
"Do I have to go?" Clementine asked in the middle of their conversation.
"Yes," they both said sternly in unison.
She pouted as her mother continued, "It's important for you to learn how to deal with formal meetings like these. It will be a good lesson for you. You'll need to be prepared to take over the business one day. You need to start acting responsible." she ran the brush through again before adding, "Like your brother."
Clemi rolled her eyes and mock-mouthed her silently. Yeah right, that boring weirdo didn't do anything but please their parents.
Clementine pouted and thought about what she'd write in her diary later with vengeance.
—-
Clementine was in a sour mood.
She was forced to take two showers. After the first, her mother scolded her about the grass and dirt stains that still remained on her skin. Then she sat through another half an hour of brushing and tugging until her hair was tucked away into a braided style. Then there was the makeup.
At least she was allowed to choose her dress. She preferred no shoes and sundresses but that wasn't appropriate. Well, her outfit could still be defineed as a wee too casual but it was one of her nicest comfy ones.
And even after begging to stay home, her mother and father paraded her into the car's leather seats.
She knew how boring it was going to be even before they pulled up to a lavish building with women in expensive dresses and men in luxurious suits. She tried to compromise but before she could her mother was forcing her out of the backseat she tried hiding in.
"Clementine, I swear to god if you don't stop with the whining." She warned menacingly, "This is a very important auction and you better act like the young lady you are."
Walking in, she was welcomed by the warm lighting, the smell of food and the soft sounds of elegant jazz. Everywhere she looked stood skinny women in shiny dresses. Tall men in suits decorated the women's arms.
She felt embarrassed that she wasn't skinny like them, that her stomach and thighs weren't straight and slim, but full of curves and soft lines. Her body was soft, yet their's looked hard and thin, like they were molded from plastic. She sighed and played with her hands.
They were seated and the auction began. She floated through it, playing with her long black curls and chewing off her nails, a nasty habit she did when she was nervous. Her mother always yelled at her when she caught her doing it, but she never could break it.
Clementine finally got excited when it was time for the banquet. Her mother and father drifted away to go speak to others at the party and she was left alone to admire the garlic roasted potatoes and creamy pastas.
She was sitting down at a single table, working on a big scoop of a very yummy pasta when she heard a familiar voice, "The pappardelle is my favorite as well."
She nearly jumped three feet in the air as she snapped her head toward the voice. It was the man from the dinner weeks ago. Where did she see him again? Noodle halfway down her chin she slurped it up and coughed.
"Sorry?"
He chuckled a bit, amused. He pointed down to the plate. "The pasta you're so keen on."
"Oh" The material of her dress suddenly became very interesting as she felt blood rushing to her cheeks. She remembered him now, he was the tall man she bumped into. She could see his actual face now, and he was very handsome.
Black curls and brown sinful eyes. In his black suit, he looked like he could eat her up.
She looked up at him shyly but didn't speak to him. And last time he had scared her. Plus, he was a stranger and she wasn't supposed to talk to strangers. Though, she wasnt not NOT allowed to look at him. She was secretly excited to see him again, she loved an adventure and he seemed like a shiny new toy.
Plus, she liked the way he made her feel. She had always wished that something magical would happen to her, like in all her bedtime stories.
Sensing she was standoffish, he ground his teeth. He was used to women dropping to his feet. Having to work for it frustrated him.
He then remembered that this girl was different. He took a deep breath and pretended to be like his other brothers, disgustingly charming. "My name is Lucian Dimitrou. You don't know me yet, but I'm a good friend of your father."
He decided to substitute 'very far up superior' with 'friend' in an attempt to warm up to her.
She slowly looked up at him through her curtain of hair. If he was a friend of her dad then she would get in trouble for being rude to him. She cocked her head and widened her eyes.
Lucian tensed at how much he wanted to take her at that moment. He ground his teeth harder.
"You know my daddy?"
His heart lurched at a certain word that fell from her lips. A word that set off a stream of emotions that he hadn't felt in years. After all, Lucian was an especially dominant man, and an aggressive one at that, but never like this.
But now, he felt it surge in a different way. In a way that made him want to force that little word out of her again. He hadn't felt like this in years, not since Aurora.
Since then, his life had been full of one night stands and pretty girls whose names he didn't remember.
But now, seeing this little girl and hearing her say that, he wanted her in a different way.
He wanted her as his.
He shook his head, writing it off as her innocent behavior making him confused.
She wasn't even his normal type he went after. Thin and skinny. Now, looking at her now, he couldn't believe he had desired that over the slopes of her figure. Like the old greek portraits that decorated his home.
Her curvy body was shaped in a way that made him dumbfounded of how he had gone without it. She reminded her of the Greek sculptures of Aphrodite that he would stare at in his childhood.
With her large thighs, the soft lines of her stomach and chest, he felt himself harden at the mere thought of how her peachy skin would look as he slowly stripped off those two little straps...
He snapped out of his thoughts in shock. Lucian Dimitrou did not get this lost in the mere thoughts of a woman, but here he was, contradicting himself with a girl whose name he didn't even fucking know.
Well, first name at least. If she had her fathers last name, he at least knew that. His information of her father gave him that much.
He decided a quick fuck would solve the situation and get this sickness out of his system. Then he could go back to fucking blonde barbies.
"Yes," he said, pouncing on the opportunity of her opening up. "We know each other very well."
She nodded, deciding her mother couldn't get mad since they were friends.
"Can you tell me your name?" His patience was wearing down. He wanted to get her over with and get back to thinking about his business. He couldn't believe his luck seeing her here. The past few weeks were muddled with daydreaming about this sweet girl. He needed to control himself. Get back on track. Still the more he heard her voice, the more he started slipping from his reins.
"Oh right!" She was a completely new personality towards him now, one that was desperate for attention she was constantly denied. She didn't even understand it herself, how lonley she truly was. "My name is Clementine Jane. How do you know my dad?"
"I'm the boss of him."
"No way!"
He nodded and her surprise quickly flashed a naughty smile. She giggled as she imagined her father getting bossed around like he did to her.
"Wait so do you get to boss him around?" She leaned on her tippy toes in anticipation.
"Yes," He started slowly and stared down to her smugly, "And that means I can boss you around too."
Her smile instantly faded and she produced a pout. She didn't need to be bossed around any more than she did already.
His smile grew. "But don't worry I'm not too bossy." She still didn't look very convinced. Lucian sighed and scratched his head before snapping back to her with an idea, "Hey, do you want to see something really cool?"
Her eyes brightened back up at the promise of something new "Yeah!" But then she became wary, was it cool like, 'Mike' cool? "What is it?"
"It's a surprise." She looked at her fingers as she decided.
Her curiosity won, "Okay..."
"Here follow me," he got up and started walking quickly, she had to run to catch up. She grabbed at his hand so she wouldn't get left behind but she quickly blushed and tried to pull away. Her mom always told her that she was being annoying when she did that.
He gave her a surprised face at the contact but didn't make a move. He slowed down to her pace as she looked down and blushed even brighter.
He thought she was so adorable he had to look away. She was like the sun. And he knew she would blind him.