“Okay, Mal I’ll see you in a few hours — oh remember, the cake pops,” I heard my uncle yell as he crossed the street to head to the firm.

I looked into the coffee house and it wasn’t as crowded as I thought it would be, which was good. Everyone inside was young, my age, maybe a few years older, but they were determined to get their work done. I had a hard time focusing at home so maybe this was a good thing.

Leo was the reason why it was so damn hard to concentrate. I mean, every time I opened my phone I mindlessly went into my gallery to see Leo, well, to see Leo’s cock. I should have deleted them, but every time my phone asks “Are you sure?” I slam my thumb on the “No” button like the world depended on those pictures staying firmly put on my phone. Maybe in a public space I could control myself.

I waited in line to order my coffee while I scanned the coffee shop for the perfect spot to sit when the guy behind me accidentally bumped into me. I ignored it. But then he bumped into me again, this time harder and almost knocking me off my feet.

“Excuse you —” I snapped my head back, but I backed down when I looked at him.

He didn’t say or do anything, except give me a shy smile. The boy had straight dark red hair, dark brown eyes and a few freckles on his cheeks. He was kind of handsome in his own odd way.

“Next!” I heard a woman yell.

“Ohh, hello …” I greeted the cashier, giving the guy behind me one more smile. “Um — can I get a chocolate iced mocha with whipped cream?”

“We only have strawberry whipped cream, is that fine?”

I nodded and looked in the glass window, staring at a pink cake pop swirled with white chocolate. I was going to buy one until I saw the calories I couldn't afford. I told the cashier that was all and paid for my drink.

I headed in the back where no one was and faced the wall. I didn’t want to see or talk to anyone if I wanted to get all my work done. I opened my laptop when I heard someone from behind address me.

“Is that seat taken?” a man with a thick Irish accent asked.

I looked over my shoulder and it was the red haired man. I had almost forgotten about him.

“Hmm — no go ahead,” I felt my cheeks turn red as he took a seat in front of me with his coffee.

“I’m really sorry I bumped into you, twice. My cousin was playing around with me and they must have forget where we were.”

He pointed behind me. There was a group of college boys playing around and being a little too loud for the morning.

“That’s all right,” I said sipping my mocha nervously.

He smiled to reveal a chipped tooth that made him almost more attractive. It gave him character, like his accent and red hair.

“I’m Finn, by the way,” he stuck out his hand.

“Mallory,” I shook it.

He tapped his coffee like he had something on his mind.

“I didn’t come over here to just say sorry. I am still sorry for the second bump, but the first time was to get your attention,” Finn admitted in a confident voice. “I was wondering, would you like to go out? I’m only here for another week, but I would love to go for dinner or grab another cup of coffee,” he lifted his full cup and chuckled.

I looked at him blankly, trying to register his question. Was he for real? Never have I had two guys hit on me less than a week. I mean, fuck, I rarely had guys hit on me. I guess this wasn’t a bad thing if I wanted to cross off some things off the list. Maybe he could be my phone sex guy, or even my public sex guy.

“Yeah, I would like that.”

Finn’s smile was cut off when he took a sip of his coffee. He reached for his phone, “Great, what’s your number —” Finn was abruptly interrupted by a sharp whistle from behind me.

“Seat’s taken,” I heard a familiar cold voice run a chill down my spine.

I saw Finn’s expression drop like a bomb and without hesitation he got out of his seat and speed-walked to his friends, phone in one hand and coffee in the other. I looked up at Leo who was following Finn with a faint smile of satisfaction. He scoffed and headed over to assume Finn’s spot. Leo had a brown bag in one hand and black coffee in the other. Of course he drank his fucking coffee black.

“Like the dog he is, he listens to my whistle,” he smirked and sipped his coffee.

I slammed my laptop shut, grabbed my coffee and leaned into the small table.

“What’s your problem? Why did you — why are you even here?” I whisper-yelled at him, trying my best not to throw my coffee in his face.

Leo ignored my questions and grabbed my wrist, prying it away from my cup. He rubbed his thumb over my tattoo, which felt like his kiss on my cheek, safe and warm. It was unexpected. I had almost forgotten why I was mad at him in the first place. Leo freed my wrist and opened the brown paper bag.

“Do you want a cake pop? You seem like the kind of girl that likes sweet things,” he looked at the coffee and then to my body, obviously checking out my tits then my stomach.

“No,” I crossed my arms to hide my stomach while insecurity flooded my body. “I’m good.”

“Bruce loves these. He always eats them in the kitchen and I figured I would try one. But I think I can spare this one,” he pulled out a pink cake pop and waved it in front of me like it was also his little way of saying sorry for being rude but not really. I knew he was never going to apologize for kicking Finn out.

I looked past the cake pop to better examine Leo. He was wearing a custom tailored pinstriped suit that looked ... painful, like he was being tortured inside a beautiful freshly pressed cage. My eyes trailed up a pinstripe to his red tie, his tight white collar, his well-groomed beard and finally to his eyes that made it seem like I was walking in a forest filled with dark browns and bright greens.

He drank his strong coffee, eyes glued to me until I caved in and nabbed the cake pop out of his fingers. I twisted the pop and watched the white chocolate stripes spin. It did look delicious and sweet, and I loved sweet things. It would be rude to take it and not eat it. I brought the pop to my lip and struggled to take half a bite. I was so big.

The corner of Leo’s lips curled up while one of his eyebrows got caught in a fish hook. I knew what he was thinking and he wasn't hiding his intentions. He made it clear what was on his mind while he watched me struggle. His attention was dissolved when I finished the cake pop, and he reached for his wallet to pull out my pink list. He unfolded it in a strategic way and slowly pushed it toward me.

“Wha-what did you do to it?” I snatched the list from the table, distressed from the things he had crossed out and changed. “Leo’s List?”

1. Send nudes and get nudes.

2. Get a lap dance

3. Have phone sex

4. Fuck a man 15 years older than you

5. Have sex in a public place

6. Let him do whatever he wants to you

7. Call the person you are fucking Daddy. Big Dad D if he has the biggest cock you’ve seen (did you see what I did there Mal. I’m punny :))

8. Have your first orgasm from a cock (It’s about time baby)

9. Have sex naked (No shirt Mallory)

10. Use any sex toy of your his choice during sex

- You can’t kiss the guys. No Kissing

- You have to go commando with any skirt or dress you wear.

- No hitting two birds with one stone. This means you have to do each number with different men. Ten men total.

- If you don’t finish the list within 30 days you have to restart. No roll overs.

- Do NOT lose this list!!!

- Once you are done with the list, start dating again :* you can go back to the original list

“Yes. Leo’s list and since you like playing by the rules, you're going to play by these rules. You won’t say no and won't fight me,” his voice was business like. “For now on, this is list is your power source, your ten commandments, your life until we’re done or have to reset,” he poked at the list to make sure I understood what he was talking about even though he made it clear. “Do you understand?”

Crystal clear.

I wanted to fight him and tell him you’re crazy or shake my head no, but without even another second to spare I respond with a nod. My body had betrayed me and just signed a contract with the devil. A dark, handsome I-would-secretly-let-him-do-whatever-he-wants-to-me devil. I felt like I was going to be controlled all over again, but this time — this time it felt good. Leonardo scoffed with disbelief and tried to hide his smile by drinking his coffee. We drank our coffee in silence until something clenched my stomach.

“Are you paying me to do this?” I felt the claws tearing me open from the inside out when I asked this very important and very inappropriate question. But I needed to know.

His stopped like someone pressed the pause button on him as a cruel joke. The only thing that moved in slow motion was his large, wide forest. He was shocked, actually shocked, that I asked him about a payment like I was some sort of escort. Our eyes connected for a painfully long time until I finally followed my question.

“My aunt told me that you wanted to hire me for a personal project?” My eyes were still linked to his as I wiggled the list in my hand. “A personal project.”

He swirled his coffee in his hand, which captured all this attention. He was bewildered with his coffee, like it was the only thing in the room that interested him.

“So you want to get paid?” he finally asked in a grim voice that could rip out my soul.

I leaned in, furious with that question, grabbing my half-filled mocha coffee that chilled my hand.

“I am NOT a harlot. This is sex but this is for pleasure, only pleasure. This is NOT for business or money or anything. If you think for one second I want money from you for sex, you are dead wrong. Do you understand?” I spoke though my teeth, trying to be as quiet and serious as I could in a public place.

He looked up with a pleased smile. A smile that actually made me believe he had a sweet side to him.

“I have a personal project for you, yes, but it involves your degree, not body.”

“How did you know I was a graphic designer?”

“Your uncle, of course. I know a little bit more about you than you think, Mallory Scarner.”

My heart jolted to a complete stop like a first-time driver stopping at stop sign.

There it was again.

My name. My full name, like my father used to say when he told me he loved me. He sounded just like him too, but only when he said my name. Mallory Scarner. It lingered in my head until it faded away to bring me back to the present.

“So, the personal project is an actual graphic design job ... that pays? Pays well?”

I dropped the list on the table, more curious about this new potential job. Even though I knew it was wrong to work for my uncle’s boss, my new fuck toy, but I needed the money, and morals at this point had been chucked out the window over two thousand miles ago.

“Not so fast. The project is very private and very dear to me, so I have to see if you’re right for the job. I’ve rejected dozens upon dozens of designers, so don’t expect any special treatment because we fuck. In the meantime, let's focus on something we can finish,” Leo tapped the list. “We’re only at three and a half out of ten. Hopefully, we can make it four soon.”

Leo was pointing at number one, only half crossed off. He finished the rest of his coffee and stood up, duly slapping the creases out of his suit. I kept one eye on the list and the other on him, knowing he wasn't just going to leave without doing or saying something to me. I noticed at the party that Leo liked to have the last word, the upper hand, if he could help it.

He hovered behind me and lowered his lips to my ear, his hot, heavy breath thawing my flesh. My lungs overflowed with his natural scent and cologne, the scent of Giorgio Armani cologne, nature and ... ink?

“Remember, the list is mine which means you’re mine. You’re not some fucking ginger’s toy, you are mine. All mine. That is, until I’m done with you,” his growl was intense and demanding, making my panties drip with my arousal. Thank God, I decided to wear shorts today. I don’t think I could have hidden my wetness if I were going commando.

“I’m going to work now, Kitten,” his bottom lip grazed my earlobe, spending me into a twisted dimension. “Don’t you want to say bye to Daddy?”

My veins froze when he addressed himself as Daddy. He stood up tall, waiting for my “goodbye” but I wasn’t going to give it, not because I didn’t want to, but because I couldn’t. I knew Leo left when I couldn't feel his heat behind me. I turned around and watched him head for the door where he jogged across the street in the same direction my uncle went. He did a two-second turn back at the building, looking in my direction even though I was positive he couldn’t see me from the sun setting on the window.

Wait.

I grabbed the list, looking at number six and nine. That was what he wanted to do to me ... I understood number six because what guy wouldn’t want to Let him do whatever he wants to you, but number nine ... really?

9. Have sex naked (No shirt Mallory)

* * *

I packed my things and headed toward the front of the coffee shop. I didn’t want to head to the firm. I knew I wasn't welcome with my looks and it was obvious. The firm was filled with conservative greedy assholes with empty hearts and full bank accounts. And my uncle used to be one of them. He used to care only about money, power, and status, but after his brother died, he changed.

He grew a heart again. He started spending more time with his wife and me, and enjoyed the little things in life with an open mind. It was hard for him in the beginning but he did it for my parents and for me, so I could have the life he knew his brother wanted me to have. He always told me I saved him and his marriage. But I didn’t know how I should feel about that — gloomy, joyful, saintly — because I didn't do anything. My parents just died and I was dropped into their lives without warning. But Bruce looked on the positive side, in a selfish way, since it benefited his life. I would have rather have my parents alive then save his life and marriage, but that was my selfish side coming out.

I saw my uncle walking down the street with a strange look on his face. I couldn't tell what his face was trying to express. His eyebrows, shocked, his eyes, confused, and his lips, happy. It made me uncomfortable looking at him.

“Hey, Mal,” he greeted me but at the same time didn’t.

“You okay? You look ... you look ...”

“I think I got another promotion?” he walked a few feet ahead of me, mindlessly walking toward the burger joint I knew he wanted to go to.

“What?”

He shook his head and agreed on one emotion: shock.

“Well— I mean it’s not a promotion, but it feels like a damn promotion. Leo asked me to work with him on a case. This is a big deal because he never does this. He is known for working alone, regardless, on how much work he has to do. And this case is small like pro-bono-meant-for-the-scrubs-and-only-takes-a-week-to finish small. But he asked me. Me!”

“He offered to work with you from out of the blue?” I picked up my uncle’s confused expression that he had tossed away from his head shake.

Why would he do that? Why would he ask my Uncle to help him and on a small case? Was this his way of making sure I was going to do the list? A way of keeping me on track even though he told me he wasn't going to involve my Uncle? What was Leo up to?

“Not really. He called me into his office, no one goes in there, and started having small talk. Asking question about my new position, which then trailed off to Sara and then to you —”

“Me?”

He nodded.

“He needed a reference, to see if you were right for the graphic design job he has in mind. But I told him I would be biased since you’re my niece and all.”

“Is that all you said? All he said?”

“He asked me some question about your personality and interests.”

It felt like there was more to the story but Bruce shut down to kick a broken piece of cement like a little kid avoiding his parents.

“And? W-what did you say?” I felt like my new job was relying on my uncle right now.

He shrugged. “I might have not been as biased as I could have been.”

“O-okay?” I was pulling teeth at this point.

“I told him you very passionate about your opinion, you are colorfully vocal and that you are confident in your ability to generate a design he’ll love on the first try. As for interested, I just told him about your love for music, typography, and reading.”

You've got to me shitting me. I would never hire me, let alone want to be in my general area.

“So, you told him I am stubborn, outspoken and inflexible girl who loves old people hobbies.”

“In a nice way, yes. He said he’ll think about it then he offered me the job. Maybe if you send him your portfolio and call him you can get the job. It’s like Sara said, ‘He would be a really good client, Mallory.’”

I sighed heavily and copied my uncle by kicking a cement stone. I didn’t want to beg for the job, so it depended on the next time I see or talk to him. Within a blink of my eyes, Billy’s Burgers grabbed my uncle’s attention and he didn't say another word about the subject.

At this point, I let the cards fall in place with this job, but in the meantime I would focus on something else that could bring me pleasure. Leo’s List.