The Earl's Exception (BWWM)

Smoke breaks

I close my eyes again, because there was nothing he could do to me that was worse than what he'd already done this morning, vexxing up my babe like that for no reason. Well, for his reasons, his rivalry, his unnecessarily competitive way of life. I feel a gentle pull on my coat pocket, looks like Mr. You should quit smoking was also about to have a smoke! Standard! 

I open my eyes so I can watch him be a level hundred hypocrite as he pulls a ciggie out of the pack and then waits until I put my smoke back in my mouth and leans in to light his against mine. He was looking into my eyes as he took a drag from my cigarette to his, and there was something there. I don't know if it was the jetlag or what but mate was looking pretty run over, clapped! I hadn't seen him in a few hours, what the hell happened!

This is what I meant when I said I was a joke to Earl Whitlam. If he saw me as someone even slightly desirable, as someone he would fuck for any reason other than to get back at my girlfriend for rivalry's sake, he wouldn't be leaned over me like this looking into my eyes while he lit his cigarette. He'd at least be trying to pin me against this wall, but all there was in his eyes was mischief and sorrow. The Earl was a sad boi, and I was curious, mostly because he didn't have anything to be sad about, not with the money and the successful architecture firm and the bevy of caucasian women who were nostalgic about segregation and white's only drinking fountains. I study him closely, forgetting for a second that he was a proper dickhead. 

"You've had a rough day." I state, wondering if I simply hadn't noticed it before

It isn't a question, it's an acknowledgement, an open-ended invitation to something intangible. I wasn't completely heartless. I felt a little guilty about... everything. He'd been a much better boss to me than Luna. 

"I had a spat with my best friend about old secrets, my car broke down, unprovoked, in traffic on my way to a sixteen hour flight which made me late to pitch a concept to my brother-in-law. I finally make it, late, to that meeting only to discover that my secret competition, the firm that has steadily been stealing my clients from me is none other than my employee, and to top it all off I'm being forced to work with...you... so yeah, my day could have been better." Lucas reveals, shaking with frustration as he speaks though his voice remains calm and somewhat detached

He takes in a deep drag of his cigarette, watching me closely for something. I mean, I thought I was hexed but he had to have won the competition! I remember hearing something about his best friend, he was a prince or something, had been in an accident, had lost his memory. Again, my innocence is solely hinged on the fact that I didn't ask him to get on the flight, to show up unannounced at the meeting! He had plenty of commissions he could concentrate on! He was just being greedy with this one!

"You've got some nerve complaining about having to work with me when it's clear that I deserve that commission and your nepotist brother-in-law is only letting you along for the ride to keep your sister wet." I shrug, my words soft and lush

The fact, that he was leaned into me, cornering me between his fit body and the ivy covered wall and that we were whispering viciously at each other, seemed utterly natural to both of us, so don't get any ideas about it. This was standard, of Lucas especially. He was just one of those guys that was so incredibly unaware of personal space I'd gotten over it quick! 

"I've got plenty of nerve and yet you talk to me like I won't do anything about this mouth of yours." He hisses back

I really wanted to let him have it! There was nothing wrong with my mouth! This was the mouth all of his racism nostalgia baes were trying to get with their lip fillers and botox injections! 

"Are you going to get to it or should I light another cigarette?" I softly wonder up at him, lifting an eyebrow defiantly so I don't have to kick him in the gonads