Page 7 of Nothing to Win

He nodded once.“Do as you’re told, Gianna.For eight weeks.That’s it.”

Resolved, she marched over, arm extended.“Deal.”

“Good,” he said, wrapping his hand around hers.“I’ll pick you up at eight on Sunday.”

“Sunday?”

“Yes,” he said.“Leave your measurements with my assistant, she’ll send you something appropriate to wear.”

Given her mother kept her wardrobe under lock and key.He’d been paying attention.She almost gave him points for not highlighting the fact, that was until his expression loosened.So easily amused.It couldn’t be any plainer.

“You’re enjoying this already.”

“You’ll be given a credit card and an expense account as any of my serious girlfriends would.”

“Serious?”she said, unsticking her thoughts to ask.“How many girlfriends do you have?”

“For the next eight weeks?One.You.And you will be equally faithful to me.”

“You don’t know everything.”Man was cocky in his confidence.“I could have a boyfriend right now.”

He opened his laptop.“You do.Me.Now get out of here; I have work to do.Be ready on time.Don’t keep me waiting.”

“I waited two hours for you today,” she said, putting her glass on the desk.“If you do it again, I’ll respond in kind.”

Spinning around to stride away, she could feel his eyes burrowing into her.As she opened the door and glanced back, that suspicion was confirmed.

They shared a split second of eye contact, just long enough for both to know the other had seen it and then she carried on out to tell Shanna the good news… such as it was.

THREE

“YOU DID WHAT?”

Julius McAlm, his deceased father’s number two, was like an uncle.In business, the older man deferred to him when others were around.In private, Julius would nudge here and there.The personal was a whole other ballgame.Less nudging and more full force advancing.

“It makes sense,” Brogan said to Julius, slipping his phone back into his pocket.

Seated in the guest chair on the opposite side of Brogan’s desk, Julius appeared baffled.

“Why would you want to date the Sear girl?”

“Have you seen her?”

Julius blinked.“Yes, but there are far flashier girls out there if beauty’s your requirement… and far less complicated ones.Her father won’t let this happen.He despises you.”

“Conway Sear is exactly why this has to happen,” he said, powering down his laptop and linking his fingers to look at his mentor.“You wanted to know how we’d get the edge at the Gault pitch?She’s it.”

“When you were a kid, you’d fall out with your father when he was ruthless like this.”

“Yeah, and he’d tell me to toughen up,” he said, glaring across the desk.“Toughen up, Julius.”

“I don’t have a problem with you seducing her for the good of the company.Just watch yourself with this one.”

“Meaning?”

Sinking deeper into his seat, Julius pondered for a moment.“You could be thinking too small.”

“Too small?”