Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 44746 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44746 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
“How about this?” I reach out and cup her chin, tilting her beautiful full lips up toward mine. “I’ll quadruple your salary, but you’ll work just as long and as hard as I fucking tell you to. And when this is all over and I have my hotel built, I’ll give you half a million bonus.”
She blinks and stares into my eyes, but she doesn’t pull away. I’m surprised by that but I think she likes my touch. Either way, she puts herself in my hands… she gives herself to me.
“Deal,” she says finally. “But this is just pretend. I’m not actually going to…”
“Like I said. I’m not a whore and I don’t expect you to be one, either. That fake orgasm is as far as we’ll go.” I lean forward, lips brushing past hers, to stop at her ear. “Unless you beg me to go further.”
She turns her head away and stumbles backward. She’s bright red again, flushed and breathing fast, just like she was back in the bathroom.
“Asshole,” she says. “Don’t do that, okay?”
“You’d better get used to it if we’re going to make this work.”
She shakes her head and glares at me again. “I wasn’t prepared, okay?”
“Cerise and Maxime might seems ridiculous, but they’re rich, smart, and very well-connected. If we’re going to fool them, we can’t do this halfway.”
She takes a breath, steadies herself, and nods. “Okay. Okay. We have a deal. I’ll play along.”
“Good girl.” I smile again, cocking my head. “Now, please straighten up. I’ll be in my office.”
She glares at me again. “Oh, of course. Right back to being your assistant.”
“You are my assistant. Don’t forget it.”
She makes a face then gathers herself and nods once. “Yes, sir.”
I smile at that. She’s called me “sir” hundreds of times and it never once really reached my ears… but hearing it now sends a shiver of pleasure down my spine.
“Good girl,” I say, almost purring the words, and I swear she blushes again.
I leave the room, a smile on my face.
This is a crazy scheme and I’m offering Paige a lot of money. She may actually end up with her million at the end of this, depending on how long it drags out.
But I suspect she’s going to be worth every single penny.
3
Paige
The next morning when I wake up at the ass-crack of dawn and roll out of bed, a strange thought hits me:
I’m working for way more than I was just yesterday.
I’ve been getting up at five in the morning every weekday since I started this job, and every morning I’ve found it harder and harder to justify feeling so tired for a job I hate. I think that’s why I finally decided to quit, just sheer exhaustion finally overtook me.
But this morning, it feels like an entirely new world.
Sure, this little arrangement is absolutely bonkers. We’re tricking some foreign couple that’s related to some tiny monarchy in a tiny European country so my boss can build some ludicrously expensive luxury hotel and make millions of dollars. It’s the kind of situation people roll their eyes at.
But that ten-thousand-dollar check didn’t bounce when I deposited it through my mobile app and I know Leon’s good for the rest.
I shower, get dressed in simple black slacks and a navy blouse, grab a quick breakfast, pour some coffee into a to-go mug, and run out the door. It’s my usual morning hustle, but…
Well, it’s a glorious morning hustle now.
I’m making money, baby.
I hurry to Leon’s office. He works out of the same building he lives in, just a few floors down. I get there before him, right around six, and I get everything ready for him. He wants three newspapers laid out, plus a cup of steaming hot coffee with just the right amount of cream prepped to go. I have his messages set up and his computer logged in with his email already open. I do the coffee last, just before he walks in the door.
I could set my watch by Leon Price. Heck, I probably should. He comes in through the door at 6:30 sharp, sits down at his desk, surveys everything in front of him, and finally looks up at me.
“Good morning,” he says flatly.
There’s no knowing wink, no smile of recognition. It’s like last night didn’t happen. I bristle a little bit but I don’t let it show.
“Good morning, sir,” I say.
Maybe I’m dreaming but I think I see a little flash of something in his expression. But as quickly as it appears, he’s already turning to look at his computer.
“Busy day today,” he says. “I need you to take a stack of contracts across town and be back in an hour for a meeting I want transcribed.”
I clear my throat. “I can’t get across town and back in an hour.”
He arches an eyebrow. “You can’t or you won’t?”