The entire room gasped in disbelief while I sucked in my lips.
Dr. Kean Bennett was a well known plastic surgeon whose practice was located here in Dallas. His top notch surgical jobs were greatly in demand. However, it was his brutish and rude behavior towards journalists that catapulted him into mainstream notoriety.
Many magazine and newspaper reporters, online bloggers, and television personalities had tried to interview him, but he refused to cooperate. More than once he had lost his temper in front of the camera. Most recently, an encounter between Dr. Bennett and a member of the media resulted in a reporter landing in the local pond with a black eye.
Instead of his violent behavior putting a stop to media departments from sending in their troops, it only piqued their interest. I was alarmed by how many agencies were willing to sacrifice their writers and photographers for the sake of making money.
My stomach knotted as I stared at my delusional boss, who apparently was no different. The smirk on her face clearly stated Shawna was more than happy to sacrifice me for the sake of a hot storyline. I made a mental note to write my name in permanent marker on the tags of my clothes so they could at least identify my body when it was pulled from an area lake.
Hannah Wilkins, the staff golden child, weighed in. “Wait, Shawna. Dr. Bennett hates journalists. He gave the last reporter a black eye. Don’t you think you should give the job to someone more capable than Ciaran? I volunteer. I’m sure I can get him to agree to answering some questions.”
“Back down, bitch. We all know why you want the assignment. You’re only interested in discovering if the rumor about the super large joystick in his pants is true,” Brenda muttered loud enough for Hannah and a handful of our peers to overhear. She was fortunate our boss was out of range. Hannah responded with a look that was cold enough to give the entire room frostbite but Brenda rolled her eyes unaffected.
I was sure everyone, including our boss, was aware why Hannah wanted a shot at Dr. Bennett. The man was hot enough to melt glass. And thanks to a daring photographer who had captured several photos of Dr. Kean Bennett while on the beach and posted them online, the entire world knew it. Those photos caused a Dr. Bennett crazed mania. It was only a matter of hours before everyone was talking about them.
When Brenda and I first looked them up, I had convinced myself I was only doing it because I owed it to the photographer who had risked his life to capture them. Yet, as my eyes traced over the fantastic detail of every ridge of his muscular chest down to the deep V carved at his hips that led straight to a package that promised something very large and wonderful, I almost hyperventilated. The man was too hot to be my type, but even I could deeply appreciate those shots.
“Hannah, I am the senior editor in this room, not you. The assignments stand as given. Ciaran will interview the doctor. Each of you have exactly two weeks to complete your articles. I expect first drafts next Monday. Now, get a move on it. Those pieces are not going to write themselves.”
Everyone began gathering their notes and rushing out of the room while Brenda and I hung back. I was suddenly having issues moving my arms and legs.
Brenda, on the other hand, was borderline ecstatic. “You. Lucky. Duck. Dr. Kean fucking Bennett. I swear every time I see a picture of that man my ovaries impregnate themselves.”
“Lucky,” I scoffed. “You think I want to end up in a body of water with a black eye?”
“Please. The man wouldn’t punch you. You’re female. Flash him some of that leg you own and make him your bitch.”
I seriously doubted anyone could make a man like Dr. Bennett their bitch.
I slowly followed Brenda out of the room, only to find Stuart waiting for us just outside the doorway. “Congratulations Ciaran. That’s quite an assignment Shawna handed you.”
“Yeah. Thanks, Stuart. It’s great.” At least I hoped it would be once I tossed my cookies in the nearest toilet.
Stuart flashed a confident grin. “Why don’t you let me take you to dinner tonight? We can celebrate.”
“Tonight’s not good. Maybe another time.”
“Fine, I’ll take a raincheck but promise you’ll call me if you need any help with your interview. I would hate for that pretty face to end up in a lake.”
Brenda shot him an annoyed look but it was too late. His warning added to the mountain of stress sitting heavily on my shoulders.
Stuart took no notice of my discomfort. “I’m serious. I’ll go with you to interview him. I wouldn’t want my girl to go it alone. Just let me know.”
By flinging the title “my girl” in my direction, Stuart had added another pound of worry to my load. The last thing I wanted was for him to get the wrong idea about us and become clingy.
“I’ll think about,” I mumbled.
“That is the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen,” Brenda said watching Stuart walk away. “When are you going to put poor Stuart out of his misery?”
“Uh, not anytime in the near future. I’ve made it extremely clear to him our dates are nothing serious.”
“Oh honey, I’m not sure Stuart gets it. See what happens when you wish for a harmless guy to settle down with?” She laughed.
I smacked her on the arm. “I said nice, not harmless. I prefer a little backbone on a nice guy and not a lot of drool. After he kissed me, I get the feeling Stuart may not be the one.”
Brenda’s grin widened. “Well, he seems sickeningly nice to me. It’s almost annoying. But forget about Stuart. I want to discuss your smoking hot assignment, Dr. Bennett. Did I ever mention a little birdie once confirmed there is truth to the size of his hidden anaconda?”
“Brenda, please don’t call it an anaconda. It makes it sound gross. Besides snakes eat birds.”
“I can promise you that pretty much sums up what happened. Sammy, that friend of mine who is an underwear model, went out with the doc once and shared all the dirty deets. Not only is the man extremely gifted and fixed her breasts but he is also a beast in bed. She told me she came so many times she almost blacked out.”
My eyes shot sideways, towards Brenda. I didn’t know what to make of how her statement made me feel. I was both floored and turned on at the same time. “Wait, she was his patient? Isn’t it against the code of ethics to go out with a patient?”
“Only if Sammy reports him and trust me, there is no way in hell any woman is going to file a complaint against a man who drives her to multiple orgasms. Hell, for every guy who grants me multiples I want to put him on a freaking pedestal and dance naked around his feet.”
I was mystified.
I didn’t have a ton of experience with men. And the few times I’d had sex, I’d never encountered these coveted multiple orgasms I had read and heard about. I seriously thought they were an urban legend.
Brenda returned to her cubicle next to mine, leaving me to wallow in my troubled thoughts. I loosely gathered my long auburn hair at the top of my head as I looked out the window.
Shawna had finally presented me with the perfect opportunity to prove myself as a serious writer. An opportunity I’ve wanted and been waiting years for. If—No—when I succeed, it could mean huge things for my career.
Except I wasn’t sure how I was going to get Dr. Bennett to agree to an interview.
If it was Hannah, she would more than likely seduce the man then, as he supplied her with a night of orgasms, she would pelt him with questions. It was so conniving, it reminded me of Melany.
But I was no Hannah, nor was I Melany. I would never use someone just to get what I wanted, which meant I had to find another way.
Chapter Three
Ciaran
Carefully maneuvering my blue Hyundai Genesis, I backed into an empty parking space furthest from the building and turned off the ignition. I had a perfect view of the front door of Dr. Bennett’s office from where I was situated.