“Her name is Desiree Sharpe.”
Cortez sat up straight in his seat. “Sharpe? Is she Richard Sharpe’s granddaughter?”
“Yes.”
A frown appeared on Cortez’s face, and he leaned back in the chair. “Shit. Then that’s definitely a game changer.”
Cobra raised a brow. “What are you talking about?”
“She’s beautiful, and you’re attracted to her. That much is obvious. I was hoping she would be the one who made you fall into temptation. But that won’t be happening.”
Tez was right. It wouldn’t be happening. But he was curious as to why his brother was so sure of it. “And you’re certain of that because…?”
Tez rolled his eyes. “You’re an intelligent man, Cobra. Sometimes too intelligent for your own good. You’re Sharpe’s wealth and asset manager. Most of the man’s portfolio is now being handled by Colt at Masters Unlimited. There’s no way you would risk Richard Sharpe’s ire by messing around with his granddaughter. His business is way too valuable for you or Colt to lose.”
“I have no intentions of messing around with Desiree.”At least until his year of celibacy was over.
“Thank goodness. I guess Colt and I will have to send more beautiful women your way to remind you of what you’re missing.”
“Don’t waste your time. But I have to ask, why were you and Grant heading Desiree’s way earlier, when she was talking to Monica? Was he vying for an introduction?”
“For your information, Grant and I were headed over to where Sherelle Telfair was talking to Brandy. Grant recalled meeting Sherelle at a party Lake gave in Orlando a couple of years ago, and I think he’s interested in her.”
Cobra nodded. Brandy Bennett Masters was married to their cousin Grey, and Sherelle Telfair had worked as a junior executive at Masters Unlimited, a marketing firm owned by their cousin Lake, with Colton as second-in-command. When Sherelleresigned last year, she was hired by the now Kelly Perkins Masters to manage one of Kelly’s three consulting agencies.
“And where is Grant tonight?” Cobra asked.
“He caught a flight out after the reception for Memphis. He has a court case next week.”
Because Cortez and Grant were best friends, most of the Masters knew the Corbains of Memphis. Grant’s father was a judge, and his mother, Grant, and his three older siblings -Adam, Lincoln, and Sydney -were all successful attorneys in their family’s law firm.
Cortez stood after checking his watch. “I’m to meet up with Quinn, Lake, and Grey for drinks at the bar. You’re welcome to join us, if you want.”
Cobra stood as well. “I’ll pass. After the game, I’m going to bed—alone. I have an early flight home in the morning. But you and Victoria can expect a visit from me in a few weeks. It’s been too long since I saw my nephew.” He knew that Victoria’s mom had flown to LA to keep her grandson while Tez and Victoria attended the wedding.
“Cornell is always glad to see his Uncle Cobra,” Cortez said, giving his brother a bear hug. “Have a safe flight back to New York.”
CHAPTER 4
Desiree walked into the office that would be hers and stopped in the doorway, a little stunned. She glanced around, certain that there had to be some mistake. Karlie Atworth, a Human Resources assistant, had taken her up to her own office, where Desiree had completed all the new-hire paperwork, and then the woman had given her a tour of the thirty-floor Sharpe Building. When they stopped at this office, Desiree didn’t know what to say.
“Is something wrong, Miss Sharpe?”
She turned to Karlie, who looked like a high school student but had told Desiree she had graduated from NYU last year, and had been hired as an HR Assistant. Before answering, Desiree glanced around the office again and, this time, she noticed the nameplate on her desk. Allison D. Sharpe.
Legally, that was her name, so she shouldn’t be too put out at seeing it. Besides, her best friend in the world, Camille LeGraff -a student by day and actress by night, would often ask her, in a Shakespearian accent, of course,“Honestly, Rae, what’s in a name?”
And Desiree’s answer would always be a quick, “Everything.” She missed Camille already, although she’d only been back in the States for a week.
“Miss Sharpe?”
She then realized she hadn’t answered Karlie’s question. “No, nothing is wrong. I just wasn’t expecting this.”
Her office was just as spacious as her apartment in Paris. And the view of Manhattan was amazing. In her twenty-six years, she had only been to the Sharpe Building a couple of times, and she never recalled coming up to the fortieth floor.
“And why not?” Karlie asked her. “You are Richard Sharpe’s granddaughter, right.”
Richard Sharpe’s granddaughter. She was certainly that, although she couldn’t help thinking he forgot that at times. She nodded. “I am.” There was no sense in telling Karlie that she was surprised because she’d told her grandfather that she’d be happy starting at the bottom and working her way up. So she’d been expecting a cubicle, not this spacious office.
