“I already told you, we don’t have anything to hide. I would rather for you to do it than someone I don’t know from a hole in the ground.”
“Or are you just trying to manage public perception of Cashville?”
“I’m trying to be transparent, my love.”
“No, I’m pretty sure you’re just trying to show everyone the picture you want them to see. You’re masterful at that.”
“So why not come on the inside and see for yourself? I’m giving you an invitation to come stand behind the scenes so you can see how things actually run. While you’re here, you can ask me anything.”
The shift in the atmosphere and the uncoiling of the tension in her shoulders gave me the feeling that she was considering my offer.
“What happens when I find something you didn’t mean for me to find? We already know how Nicholas operates. I don’t want to end up missing.”
“Why are you determined to think that we’re hiding something?”
“It was just a question. I need to know what I’m getting myself into.”
“If you find something that I didn’t want to be found, then I will have to charge that to my own foolishness for letting you in just to have you back in my life in some way.”
She tilted her head and studied my face for any sign of deception. I was an open book. Mostly because I wanted to put my dick in her open mouth, but I digressed.
“I’m trying to decide if you’re confident or just as arrogant as ever.”
“Wow, that’s what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours? All the while I was thinking you were trying to figure out how to ask me out on a date.”
She burst out laughing, and it was the most beautiful sound I had heard in years. Suddenly, I was transported to a time when this beautiful soul had me considering buying a ring instead of letting her run away. My chest burned as a million micro explosions went off in my heart. It was like I’d gotten a major hit of dopamine. I needed more.
“Have drinks with me later, and we’ll discuss how it’ll work,” I requested.
She scoffed and shook her head. “Here I was thinking that you might actually have some integrity after all, when this whole thing was just a ploy to ask me out.”
“I said it was an opportunity for us both. You get the opportunity to come snoop behind the scenes. I get the opportunity to spend more time with you.”
“I don’t date corny guys anymore. There is literally no reason for me to ask a bullshitter any questions. Is Nicholas available, or is he still hidden out in his lair?”
“Are you dating anyone?” I asked, ignoring all the insignificant parts of her statement. Her relationship status wasn’t important either. I just thought I would ask.
“I’m sure you could get any woman in this room to give you a chance.”
“Thank you for the compliment. I want you.” I filled her in.
“I’m pretty sure I told you that I was working, Mr. Fuller.”
“Reed.”
“I know your name. Thank you, but no thank you. Unless you want to sit with me and answer some of the questions that your company’s team already said were off-limits, then I don’t have much else to talk about right now.”
“The only way I’ll answer any of those questions is if you have lunch with me.”
She jerked her head back as if I had offended her. “What happened to drinks?”
“Drinks were just to give us a chance to hash out the details of your exclusive. If I have to answer some of those scathing questions about Cashville’s history, then you have to have lunch with me.”
“And you’ll be completely transparent?”
“Of course. I’m offended,” I lied, putting my hand over my heart to push my point.
She rolled her eyes but couldn’t bite back that breathtaking smile. I was officially hooked all over again. It took a long time for me to be able to say I was over Faith. Now I could admit that I was still addicted.
