Taurus_Mr. Persistent_The 12 Signs of Love Read online

  “Keep your voice down!” He glanced around at their open, industrial style workplace. Their seven employees busied themselves with their work, even if they were eavesdropping, too. He imagined they weren’t the least bit moved by her pleas.

  “Go on before you miss your plane, Bev,” he stated dryly. “But when you get back in town, we’re having a meeting, and Gary will be present.” He punched the desk with his finger, driving his point home.

  “Scary Gary, huh?” She cackled. “He’s our financial advisor, not Satan himself. Just make sure you make it to my 4:30 P.M. appointment I had scheduled today, Tristan. It’s important.” She huffed as she sashayed away from him. “This is a big deal. I’ve already secured everything; we just need to look at her space and then do some drafts. If she approves, which from my consultation with her, I think she will, then we’ve got the contract in the bag.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Grunting, he leaned over his desk and retrieved his favorite pen, feeling sorry he’d tossed it in a sudden bit of rage. He examined it for dings and possible chipped paint. “I’ll take care of it. We’re renegotiating this contract between you and me though, you best believe that. I want my money,” he stated sternly.

  “Thank you, but you’re being unreasonable, as usual. I’m not going to argue with you, but I appreciate you all the same.” She winked, getting under his skin.

  “Appreciation is not a fucking term of endearment. It’s an action word, Bev,” he mumbled, but loud enough for her to hear.

  “I do appreciate you!” she stated, her lips upturned in a kitschy smile. “Hey, speaking of appreciation, when are you going to go RSVP for that big fundraising event and dinner? I’ve been asking you for months. We really need to rub elbows with some new potential clients and get in the mix. A more physical presence is key.”

  “Don’t try to change the topic and I already said I didn’t want to go, so drop it. You are more than capable of attending without me. I don’t like that sort of bullshit. I’m not attending and you can’t make me.”

  “What a childish reply!” She chortled. Leaning low, she kissed his cheek. “You’re an obstinate asshole, Tristan!” Bev laughed as she scurried away, hurrying out the door before he could give a well-deserved, cutting reply.

  On a huff, he turned back to his desk and began to draft a koi pond on gridline printed paper for the new atrium of one of his favorite clients.

  Looks like today is going to be another all-nighter…

  Tristan snatched off his sunglasses and glanced down at his Tudor Grantour wrist watch as he sat in the parking lot of “Kinley Group for Women.” Clicking his tongue against his inner jaw and shaking his head in disbelief, he had a right mind to call up his sister and give her a piece of his mind.

  No wonder she only left the address and no mention of the name of the place…

  He’d been hoodwinked, bamboozled, and sailed down the river with no damn paddle in a canoe with a hole in the bottom.

  What good would calling her do? She won’t answer and it’s all said and done now… probably on the plane by now anyway. Besides, she’d only say that I’m being silly if I complain about this.

  He glanced at the signage letters written across the front of the place in bright pink and sage green letters. The two-story brick structure was decorated with a yellow flower that resembled a large, pulsating vulva.

  Just when I thought this couldn’t get any worse. It may as well be neon…

  He squinted and leaned forward in his bright red Mercedes, the leather seats a dark charcoal gray with black trimming.

  “For God’s sake… it is a bearded taco! Just fucking great!” He huffed at the realization that Beverly’s four-thirty appointment was with a bona fide pussy doctor, a little detail she conveniently didn’t mention before prancing away and setting him up for the kill. Stepping out of the car with his briefcase, he tugged at his dark suit jacket, straightened his cream and steel gray striped tie, then made his way to the front door. Swinging the thing open, he heard a pleasant chiming sound before entering another set of doors. He found himself in a small patient waiting area with a large flat screen television mounted on the wall and a glass-enclosed front desk welcome area. He looked from the eyes of two very pregnant women to the front desk, around the room then back at the front desk, making several assessments along the way…

  Poor visibility… distracting colors… furniture is dated… cluttered pathways… the wires for the television are exposed…

  The outside landscaping is a wreck… the front desk looks unorganized and chaotic… the music is too loud for a doctor’s office…

  “Sir? May I help you?”

  “Yes.” He went to stand in front of the glass as the woman behind the partition slid the small entry to the left. Wearing long cotton-candy-pink wavy hair that flowed down her back, she had heavily detailed shoulder tattoos of soaring eagles and bright red hearts on display. Her makeup he found a bit peculiar but interesting all the same. The lady’s eyelids were painted in shades of blue and gold, her mouth colored a deep purple hue, and a silver hoop ring pierced her lower lip.

  “Hey, hi,” he said. “I’m here to see Dr. Kinley. My business partner, Beverly Bellmore, had an appointment regarding some building and construction alterations to your site with the doctor today. I have come in her place. My name is Tristan Bellmore.”

  “Okay, yes, I remember her saying something about that. Hold on.” The woman began to rummage through a pile of yellow and white wrinkled papers.

  Did she just pull that shit out of the trashcan? It’s written down? Why aren’t these schedules kept in the computer? What in the hell is going on here? I think I’ve got my work cut out for me and we haven’t even officially begun the meeting.

  Tristan’s nose begun to tickle and itch when he picked up a strange odor. He sniffed the air, looking about the place trying to find the inexplicable source. In the far-left corner of the room sat a large, half dead plant strung with Christmas lights and a burning stick partly buried in the soil.

  Incense?! You’ve got to be kidding me.

  He turned back towards the woman who was still rummaging through the pile of sheets, looking fiercely determined, with black chipped fingernails.

  “Okay, here it is. Dr. Kinley has you written down here. I will page her. Feel free to have a seat.” She pointed to the waiting area.

  “Thank you.” Tristan shoved his hands in his pockets, knowing damn well he was not going to plop his behind on the strange, sunken-in chairs, the oversized, stained 1970’s style pillows that flooded the floor area, or the tilted papasan with the faded, torn black fabric. The walls were covered with framed photos of what he presumed were placentas, happy mothers holding their bloody, freshly born spawn, and more artistic renderings of vaginas.

  Pussies everywhere! Jesus! Now normally, I wouldn’t scoff at such a thing, but not here… not in this setting. I cannot believe I allowed myself to get wrapped up in this shit… Tyler and Darryl will never let me live this down once they hear what happened. Bev, I am never taking one of your gigs again without a total rundown first.

  Taking a deep breath, he forced himself back into a professional state of mind.

  It doesn’t matter; just focus on what’s going on. This could be quite lucrative… he rubbed his hands together and smiled. I mean, shit, from what I can tell, they need to throw this whole damn place away and start from scratch. If they follow my suggestions, then we’re in.

  With a renewed sense of motivation and hope, he perused his odd surroundings, making mental notes of spacing and window placement, and looking beyond the décor, going deep into the potential. Then, on the sly, he took a few photos on his phone.

  “You can come on back.” He veered to his left and took note of a slender, short woman wearing blue and white polka dot and zig zag printed scrubs. She looked friendly enough, standing there with twinkling blue eyes and platinum blond hair that was cropped in a buzz cut. Large, gold hoop earrings hung from her
lobes and swayed as he walked behind her. “My name is Glenda … like the good witch.” She giggled before she glanced over her shoulder and winked. “I’m one of the nurses here.”

  “Nice to meet you, Glenda.” Someone needs to do a Wizard of Oz voodoo Wiccan spell on this damn building to probably even get up to code! He kept his concerns to himself though, putting on a forced smile.

  “Dr. Kinley’s in here. I—”

  “Glllenda!” someone screamed out. “Room 7! Hawthorne is in labor!”

  “Oh shit! I’m so sorry, Mr. Bellmore! I have a water birth to—”

  “No, go on, please. It’s fine.”

  The woman raced down the hall she’d just walked him down, leaving him to his own devices. He stood staring at the closed door.

  “Well, she just kinda left me here…” he mumbled. Not wishing to go back to the lobby and view the gallery of clits or inhale the dragon breath incense, frankincense, and myrrh of poor baby Jesus in a foliage manger, he lightly rapped on the door.

  “Dr. Kinley?”

  “Come in!” came a chipper, female voice.

  His palm surrounded the knob and he pushed it forward and stepped inside.

  “Uhhhh!” Frozen in his spot, Tristan swallowed hard, barely able to close the door as he was now face to face with a plump woman in stirrups, her thick thighs far apart revealing a swollen, angry reddened pussy with something that reminded him of a small metal shoehorn shoved inside of it.

  SHIT!

  Dr. Kinley was standing off to the side, saying things to the patient, things he couldn’t hear as his mind turned into instant mush. Taking a few steps back, he pressed his back flush against the wall to steady himself. Suddenly, his hands felt clammy and his face bloomed with heat.

  I don’t like surprises… and this is a BIG one!

  “Dr. Piot, I’ll be right with you… the exam is almost over,” the woman called out, treating him like a colleague. His briefcase slipped from his hand and plopped against the floor. He tried to look away, but he simply could not. The fleshy woman with reddened knees and a scowl on her face lay on the table, grunted once again, then sighed with relief as the doctor removed the contraption he now was pretty certain had to be a speculum.

  After the fleshy lady’s face relaxed, he realized she was rather pretty.

  I don’t mind women with a bit of meat on their bones. She’s still attractive. We’d go to the gym together…

  At that moment, he wished he weren’t such a pervert, but he could never recall not being one. He smiled to himself, then quickly wiped away his smirk.

  “Okay, biopsy all over. We’ll send this to the lab. Have you been taking your medication?” The doctor snapped off her gloves and tossed them in a nearby bin.

  Biopsy? Lab? Medication? Never mind! She has some shit, maybe the gift that keeps on giving!

  “Mmm hmmm,” the woman stated as she slowly sat up, her curly light brown hair in disarray. Flinging the lint-covered clinic gown off her body, she exposed large breasts that flopped against her stomach. Tristan held his head higher and gritted through it, as if he was under examination, too.

  This isn’t right. I shouldn’t be here. But I don’t want to make her more uncomfortable by leaving. Besides, this doctor thinks I’m a doctor, too. I better stay put.

  His feet began to itch. This clearly felt like an invasion of privacy. He wasn’t embarrassed for himself, but for having been a part of something that wasn’t his business. His conscience began to get the better of him.

  I could have stepped back out into the hall and waited before it even got this far…

  He grew hotter at the realization that his addiction to shock value, especially when involving the female naked form, had kept him planted in place. Shameful indeed. And it was pussy after all; what red blooded man would miss a chance to see one in its full glory? Moments later, the patient was clothed and gone and he was still looking at the back of Dr. Kinley as she washed her hands and tidied up. It was rather odd peering at the back of the woman’s head for such an extended period of time.

  The small examination room smelled quite sterile, like rubbing alcohol. The place reminded him of a hospital, were it not for the frills, gaudiness, and whimsy of the waiting area. However, that troubled him. The inconsistency alone was enough to warrant alarm.

  “I know that you’re not Dr. Piot,” she finally stated without looking directly at him.

  “Yeah, I imagine you realized that as soon as I entered the room.” He retrieved his briefcase and dusted it off. The woman grabbed her iPad and turned towards him, and he swallowed at the sight…

  Damn… she’s stunning. Shit, wasn’t expecting that.

  The doctor slowly looked up from her electronic device and looked him in the eye. When she extended her freshly washed hand, he shook it.

  “I was anticipating him, but once I told you to come in and realized he wasn’t you, I didn’t want to alarm the patient. Thanks for playing it cool.” He nodded in understanding, barely hearing the words that poured out of her perfect mouth. There she stood in her crisp, white doctor’s coat that hung open, revealing a statuesque woman in a fitted knee length black dress and low heels. Her rich, mahogany skin had a healthy sheen, her dark deep-set eyes were alluring and her lashes incredibly long, reminding him of an angelic doll. A sparkling diamond stud was embedded in her nose.

  A doctor wearing a nose ring to work… interesting. I like it. It looks damn good on her, actually.

  Thick black hair was pulled taut in a ponytail, showcasing amazing cheekbones, full pink lips, and features meant only for a goddess.

  “You’re beautiful. Uh, I’m sorry if that came off as too forward.” He laughed lightly and shook his head, causing her to smile. “It’s just, I wasn’t expecting… well, anyway,” He glanced at his watch. “I’m your 4:30 appointment. My name is Tristan Bellmore, landscape architect.” He picked up his suitcase from the floor.

  “Well, first, thank you for the compliment. Second, I was expecting Beverly.” She cocked her head to the side. “Unless Beverly has grown an albeit attractive and well tapered beard and I presume shot up five or six inches in height, you’re obviously not her. I had video chatted with her last week to ensure we had a good vibe.”

  “I’m her brother.” He chuckled. “I started the company and she’s my partner.”

  Yeah, make it clear to the lady that this is MY shit… I’m the brains behind this operation.

  “I see the resemblance.” She tossed him a smile. Opening a drawer, she threw in some gauze and cotton balls, then slammed it shut with a shove of her hip. “Okay.” She clasped her hands together. “So, what I want is a total re-haul of this place.” Tristan nodded in understanding.

  YES! CHA-CHING!

  “Outside has no curb appeal,” she continued.

  “It definitely doesn’t. It’s a wreck.”

  The woman paused and glared at him. She didn’t seem to know what to make of his declaration.

  “Look, Dr. Kinley,” He set his briefcase down. “I know you could choose any number of firms to take care of this for you. Some would be ‘yes men’, despite any issues your ideas may cause. I’m not that person. We’re the best locally for a reason. We’re also the most expensive land architectural firm in the city. Not because we’re trying to price gouge, but because we are experts and we deliver, and the results stand the test of time. In this field,” he said, tossing up his hands, “you get what you pay for.”

  “I see.” The woman appeared a bit perturbed at his bluntness, but perhaps he was reading her wrong. He wasn’t quite certain yet. “Would you say you and your sister have a similar approach? Perhaps, if I’m having a sensitive moment, I should wait until she returns.” She chuckled, teasing him.

  “Now Bev,” He shrugged. “My sister is extremely talented, I’m not going to knock her. She and I wouldn’t be partners if she wasn’t good at what she does but she isn’t as, I guess you could say, upfront as I am if she notices a conflict rega
rding aesthetics, horticultural strategies, and layout. I’m going to tell you what works and doesn’t work right out of the gate and I’m going to try to fit your ideas and desires into a blueprint and make it into a thing of functionality and beauty. I have a good eye…”

  He paused, looking her up and down, enjoying every inch of what stood before him.

  Now THAT’S some pussy I’d like to see…

  “Your dreams for this place can become a reality, but I sugarcoat nothing. Some people can’t take my upfront nature but the ones that can end up very satisfied. I aim to please.” A web of silence weaved between them. The lady sank her teeth into her lower lip and angled her head to regard him curiously. His dick throbbed in his damn pants at her perusal. “Your mission is to retain the patients you have and attract new ones, and if you keep that focus in mind, this means you will have to try new things and trust the process. I hope that sounds reasonable.”

  She nodded in understanding.

  “Yes, that’s reasonable.”

  “Now tell me, what is it you are trying to convey to your patients when they step foot onto your property then walk through these doors? What is Kinley Women’s Group supposed to look like in your dreams?”

  “I want my patients to feel at home, welcome, relaxed.” The woman was soon on the move with him hot on her heels. They began to travel down the hall. “I want these women to come here and feel as if they are getting A-1 treatment. I imagine a spa retreat, Lamaze, yoga, exercise equipment, and an area for birth coaching classes. The entire second floor is empty, filled with storage right now.”

  He quickly hit record on his phone.

  “Is the floor above us equal in length and width as this first floor and do you have full access to it?”

  “Yes, to both questions and it runs the entire length. The floorplans are almost identical. Over here are all of our patient rooms along this corridor.” She pointed to various doors, some open with people inside. “Bev said you all do interior design too, is that correct?” Her heels kept clicking along the floor and he hurried, chasing her until they were side by side, but not before he got a damn good look at her nice bubble ass swaying beneath that coat.