Curvy.

Alexa Riley.

Dedicated to the people who hate to have their picture taken. Dont be scared to show the world how beautiful you are. you never know whos watching.

The first time Flynn Long sees her, she's lying on a bed in lingerie. The picture is soft, just like her curves, and instantly he's obsessed.

Cali Carr is at the end of her full-figure modeling career when she's hired for a new campaign. But when the owner of the company steps out of the shadows and starts calling the shots, a job is the last thing it feels like.

Love at first sight isn't supposed to be real. One touch isn't supposed to ignite so much. A single picture isn't supposed to drive a man insane. But luckily for us it's happening in Curvy!

Warning: Over the top isn't strong enough for what this short story is. It's velvety sweetness coated in insta-love cheese, and it's waiting for you to take a bite..

Chapter 1.

Flynn.

You told me you had this under control. That was the only reason I agreed to invest in a womens lingerie line.

I look down at the sales charts of Curved Intimates, a company we invested in over six months ago. Its bleeding money, and Im close to just sc.r.a.pping the whole project and being done with the headache. I have enough on my plate as it is.

When you invest in as many things as Breakstone Corp does, you cant be surprised when not all of them work out. But I had agreed with Mark when he brought this proposal to me. It was supposed to be the next Victorias Secret. The pitch was good and the womens market wasnt one we had worked our way into yet. Mark said it was something he really wanted to take on, so we went for it.

I know s.h.i.t about fashion. I pay someone to shop for me and pick out my clothes. I know even less about womens undergarments. f.u.c.k, I cant even remember the last time I saw a real woman in her underwear.

I run my hands over my face, trying to relieve some of the tension headache thats starting to build. Its already six oclock and it looks like Im going to be here another four hours at least.

Lynn from marketing is waiting outside. She seems to think shes come up with something. Mark shifts uncomfortably, probably scared Im going to fire him. But this is the first time hes ever missed the mark like this before. Hes eager and good at his job, but if I had a wife and three kids, Id probably worry if I f.u.c.ked up, too. You cant win them all, and I cant fault him for wanting to try to branch us out to something new. It showed enthusiasm, and its the very reason Id hired him I flip through the last marketing ads in the folder again. They look standard, but theres nothing special about the pictures, nothing that draws attention. They look like every other ad for womens underwear youve ever seen. Theres no clear branding and nothing that stands out about this line.

I hope its better than this s.h.i.t. I toss the folder back across the desk at him.

Ive been working with marketing. They have a few ideas I really like and"

I cut him off. I want to get this show on the road. Mark, calm down. Im not going to fire you over this. Well hear marketings ideas, and we either do them or we drop the whole f.u.c.king thing.

Mark nods before heading over towards the door, letting Lynn into my office. She shuffles over to my desk clutching a pile of binders so high I cant even see her face. The stack almost looks bigger than her. Im not sure how shes made it all the way up here with them.

Sir, can I get you or anyone else a drink? Sally, my a.s.sistant, asks as she stands in the doorway to my office. I know the only reason shes offering is because other people are in here. She stopped getting me my coffee years ago, telling me she didnt have a degree in business so she could waste it on fetching coffee. Shes an expensive pain in the a.s.s I couldnt live without. Luckily for me, her kids are off in college and her husband doesnt seem to mind the long hours I often need her to work. I have a feeling shes made me dependent on her on purpose. Theres no way I could fire her or her smart mouth.

Im good, Sally. I look to Lynn and Mark, who both say, No, thanks, before Lynn goes back to trying to get her binders in the order she likes. One falls off the top, landing open, making my whole body go still at the image.

The woman in the photo is lying on a bed, her legs in the air and crossed at the ankles. She has on fishnet stockings that lead up her legs to her thick thighs. Shes wearing high-waisted black underwear that shows off her wide hips, giving her an old-school pinup feel, and a s.e.xy bra that barely contains her full b.r.e.a.s.t.s, the material just covering the essentials. Every part of her is thick and luscious. All the blood in my body flows to my d.i.c.k. Ive never had a reaction like this to a woman. Im too old to get a f.u.c.king hard-on from seeing a woman in a picture. Shes not even naked. Just the sight of her in her underwear has me nearly bursting in my slacks.

I see Mark out of the corner of my eye as he takes a step towards my desk to see whats caught my attention. I slam the binder closed, not wanting him to see her. Possessiveness flows through me, and I look at Lynn, whos still going through the binders. When I look at Mark, he has his eyebrows raised in question.

I pick the binder up and open it to show Lynn. When Mark takes another step to see what Im showing her, I cant hold back.

Dont, I bite out, making him pause, the confusion on his face growing. Who is this? I demand, needing more information on her. Anything.

Oh. Just an idea I was thinking about. Going a little old school with some of the looks and appealing to all body types.

Her name? I push, and she reaches for the binder. I pull it back, not wanting it taken from me. Almost like a toddler with his favorite toy.

If you flip a few pages, it should be in the front. Before her pictures start, she says, seeing that Im not going to give her back the binder.

I turn the book around to me and hurriedly flip through the pages until I get to the front.

Cali Carr.

Measurements: 40/32/48 (Bust/Waist/Hips) Dress size: 14 Shoe Size: 8 I turn the page, hoping theres another picture of her. The one on the bed made it hard to see her face. I flip to the next page, and I literally have to sit down in my chair. Shes smirking in the picture. Her full lips are just as lush as the rest of her. Her skin is flawless, a creamy white making the little freckles that sprinkle her upturned b.u.t.ton nose even more noticeable.

But what really gets me are her stunning eyes. Theyre a deep green like nothing Ive never seen before. In contrast with her red hair, they are unmissable.

Sir, I hear Lynn say, and I look up at her. I have no idea how long Ive been staring at the picture.

I want her.

Okay. Ill put her on the list. I have a few more for you to look at.

She tries to hand me another binder, but I have no desire to look at pictures of other women. What would be the point? Theyd all pale in comparison. Ive just seen perfection and I know nothing could beat it.

No. Ill leave it to you and Mark to handpick the rest of the girls for the shoot. I stand up from my chair.

Or course, sir. Well get it all worked out.

The shoot will be next week, I tell them. I want to see her as soon as possible.

I dont think"

It will be next weekend. If the models photographer or something cant make it, book someone else. But she, I hold up the binder with her picture in it, better be there. I dont care what it costs.

Standing up, I hold the binder in front of my crotch to hide my erection. I click the intercom.

Sally, can you call my driver? Im going down, I inform her.

Leaving already? I can hear the shock in her voice.

Yes. I release the b.u.t.ton. Feel free to use my office until youre done. Ill see you tomorrow, Mark. I head for the door with the binder still in front of me, hiding my very prominent arousal. I stop before I exit. Send me any and all information you have on her, Lynn.

Youll have it this evening, she says, looking at me with big eyes.

I nod before exiting my office. I had better things to do tonight than spend it in my office. I have a binder half-full of pictures of my Cali.

Chapter 2.

Cali

Tomorrow? I can hardly keep the shock out of my voice.

Ive been in the mountains with my family on a ski trip for the past three days, and Ive been away from all communication. We were in a cabin in the mountains, and n.o.body got cell reception up there. It was actually kind of nice to unplug with them for a few days while we all played in the snow.

But when we got down the mountain, my phone came to life, and I had a slew of missed calls and texts telling me to call immediately. I thought someone had died, but no. It was actually Rita, the chick in charge of me, running around like crazy.

Normally I dont have a problem with a booking because when I get called for a shoot, theyre scheduled months in advance. Now my agency is telling me that I have to get my b.u.t.t on a plane right now, so that I can be in Los Angeles tomorrow.

Yes. The marketing director was very specific. I hear Rita let out a sigh. If I could have gotten ahold of you when I found out, this wouldnt all be so last minute.

I can hear the annoyance in her voice, but I just let it go. We both want me to work. I want to do my thing and make some money, and so does she. This is business, so I pull out my positive att.i.tude and get things moving.

I can be ready in fifteen. Just tell me which gate my plane is leaving from.

As Rita gives me the details, I run around my apartment, throwing s.h.i.t in a bag. I know theyll have everything I need at the photo shoot, so I just bring essentials. I have a girlfriend who lives in LA, so I toss in a couple of fun outfits in case we feel like going out after Im finished with the shoot.

After a tornado of packing and getting to the airport, I text my friend Sasha to tell her Im coming into town for a few days. My agency booked me a hotel room near the airport and then emailed me the info on the photo shoot.

Once Im to my gate, I sit down and look over the details of the contract while I wait for my flight to be called. Its a lingerie campaign for a company called Curved Intimates. Ive heard a little about them, but Im not too familiar with their company. Theyre owned by a parent company called Breakstone Corporation, but Ive never heard of them. I Google Curved Intimates and thumb through their website. Its all pretty basic, some department store looks, generic styles. Nothing really stands out to me, and Im a tad disappointed. Maybe this shoot will be different. I try to pump myself up about it because if I have to do one more spread for mom jeans, Im gonna die.

My lookbook is small because most of the photos Id had professionally done for campaigns werent ones I loved. Thankfully, I have a friend who lives close to me who does photography, and Id lucked out by getting a few sessions with her. She does a lot of boudoir work for couples, and the ones she took of me are my favorite ones to date.

Its hard being a plus-size model. I love s.e.xy pictures, and modeling is fun to me. But the thinner girls tend to get the good clothes. Everything is always made for smaller sizes, which is okay, but big girls want to be stylish, too. I see comments sometimes where people say Ive got the body of a real woman. I think every size is beautiful. Every woman is a real woman: tall, short, thin, and big. Beauty comes in different shapes. Id just prefer it if the s.e.xy stuff came in my size more often.

Flicking through my social media, I check in and say h.e.l.lo to everyone. As Im typing away, my name is called over the intercom, and I get nervous. When someone calls my name like that, it feels like Im being called to the princ.i.p.als office.

I grab my bag and walk up to the gate check to speak to the man behind the counter.

Ms. Carr, we just wanted to inform you that youve been upgraded to first cla.s.s. If I could see your boarding pa.s.s, Ill exchange it for you.

I must have a look of shock on my face. After a pause, I pull out the paper and hand it to him, getting the new first cla.s.s one in return.

Going back over to the seat I was in moments ago, I try to think about why Id been b.u.mped up. Maybe the cabin is full or something. h.e.l.l, maybe they saw I was a big girl and thought I needed the room. Shrugging my shoulders, I let it go and go back to playing on my phone until they call me.

The flight from Atlanta to LA is long, but being in first cla.s.s is nice. The extra legroom and snacks are the way to go. I just have a small carry on, so once Im off the plane, I make my way through the airport and towards the exit. I have my hotel reservation saved on my phone, so Ill just cab it there.

But before I can exit, I see a man in a suit holding up a sign with CALI CARR printed on it. I stop, thinking there must be someone else with that name, but he looks straight at me and smiles. He walks over to me and I stand still, waiting on the punch line.

Ms. Carr, Im Donald, your driver. Ill be taking you to your hotel.

I try to play it cool as he takes my bag. You know, act like this happens to me all the time, when really inside Im freaking out at how exciting this is. This company must be rolling out the red carpet for this shoot. So far, Im down with Curved Intimates.

Donald leads me out to a Mercedes SUV and opens the back door for me. I get in, and he puts my bag in beside me. He shuts the door briskly and goes around to the front. Once he gets behind the wheel, I tell him which hotel Im staying at.

Oh. You must have gotten a different itinerary. Ive got instructions to take you to the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills.

I lean back in my seat, feeling really confused. Are you sure? I check my phone but dont see an updated email, so I sent a quick text to Rita asking her about the change.

Yes, Ms. Carr. My instructions were clear. He says it like he takes people there every day.

Well, hes a driver, so maybe he does.

And youre sure youre supposed to pick up Cali Carr? From Atlanta? I just want to make sure Im not in the wrong vehicle.

Donald laughs and shakes his head. Ive been employed by Breakstone Corp, specifically Mr. Flynn Long, to take you to the Waldorf.

Okay, I say hesitantly, refreshing my phone for news from Rita.

I guess their marketing director is the Flynn Long guy. Maybe it isnt a mistake. After a few moments, my phone vibrates in my hands, and I see a text from her.

Rita: Looks like you got upgraded. Enjoy!

I smile as I put my phone in my bag and slide on my sungla.s.ses. I guess Ill just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Chapter 3.