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The curvy brunette looks at me with wide eyes, her bosom heaving. But like a good girl she enters, ready to meet the hungry sharks within.
4
Sam
* * *
“What’s up with that Oglesby chick?” I ask Vance as we lounge on a couch in the penthouse apartment. It’s a lavish space upstairs from the ballroom Burke rented for his company’s tenth anniversary party.
To be honest, I didn’t even really want to come when he invited me because I thought it’d be a corporate event and as boring as shit. But when Burke described his plan, then I was all in. Sam too. We both wanted to avoid the Carhart shindig, but after Burke described his secretary, then we were ready to go.
Vance merely shrugs.
“I needed to get that chick out of the picture because it looked like she was going to talk his ear off,” I say. “No harm, no foul. I managed to pass her off to Dickie Gordon, and now she’s probably sizing him up for the night.”
I howl with laughter.
“Yeah, but Dickie Gordon has no testicles.” It’s true because we used to play pick-up basketball with him, and Dickie got stabbed in the nuts by a pen in another player’s pocket. It was painful, and we’re all glad to not be him.
“Yeah, but Sherry doesn’t know that, so she’s on Dickie’s scent.”
I merely chuckle while looking around, already starting to get bored. Where the fuck is Burke and his prize?
“Do you think it’s weird that we’re at a celebration for a competitor?” Vance asks idly while yawning like a dog.
I shrug. “You mean because you and I have companies that are Carhart rivals? Absolutely. But who cares? No one needs to know our shit but us.”
Vance nods, his handsome face lean and planed in the shadowy light of the lamp.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Who the fuck cares?”
Then, there’s a snick at the door, and it swings open to reveal our friend. Carhart’s always been a handsome bastard, if I say so myself, and he looks especially dashing tonight in a dark suit with a snow white shirt.
“Gentlemen,” he growls. “Meet my secretary, Jessica Arroyo.”
Vance and I stand while surveying the pretty brunette. We saw her from across the room at the party earlier, but she’s even more breathtaking now. Her curvaceous figure is encased in a red velvet cocktail dress which emphasizes her generous décolletage and wide hips. Her skin is creamy and those brown curls lustrous in the dim light. Jessica smiles, making my heart race.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she murmurs, her eyes cast down shyly. “My boss tells me that he lost a bet to you? I’m here to help organize the payment.”
Vance lets out a low chuckle at that.
“Are you now?” he growls.
Her eyes go up as surprise flashes on her face. But just as quickly, it’s gone and she nods, her expression demure and professional once more.
“Yes of course. I’m Mr. Carhart’s assistant, so I’m very familiar with any banking or legal procedures that need to be undertaken. Please, how can I help you?”
Burke chuckles.
“Not so fast, honey. Like I told you, no money will be exchanged because it’s not that kind of bet.”
“Yes of course,” Jessica says quickly, a blush staining her cheeks pink. “Will there be a transfer of assets then? A barter of sorts? I can organize that as well.”
I look at Burke laughing. “Dude, how come she knows all this? What’s going on?”
He shrugs, his broad shoulders rising.
“It’s just how I roll. But honey,” he says turning back to Jessica. “Not so fast, okay? Let’s just get to know each other first,” he invites, gesturing for her to take a seat on the couch. Clearly, Jessica wasn’t expecting this because she looks around hesitantly before sitting primly on the edge of the white sofa.
“Get comfortable, sweetheart,” I growl.
“Don’t be afraid,” adds Vance. “Nothing bad is going to happen and we’re glad to have you here. You know who we are, don’t you?”
Jessica nods, her cheeks going pink again.
“You’re Sam Ryder of Ryder Corp. and you’re Vance Prince of Prince Holdings. You’re both CEOs of enormously successful real estate companies.”’
I nod.
“Yes, and I owe some of my success to this asshole here,” I say, nodding at Burke. “Without his help, I never would have gotten my firm off the ground.”
Jessica nods.
“All three of you were featured in last month’s Portland Magazine, weren’t you?”
Vance laughs.
“Yeah, but not for our business exploits. It was that damned Top Ten Bachelors list again, wasn’t it? Goddamit, I’ve been on that list for five years already. Don’t they ever give up?”
“More likely they don’t have enough eligible men in Portland so they keep coming back to us,” Burke growls, his eyes never leaving Jessica’s curvy figure. “But yes, we were featured in last month’s issue, against our wishes of course. We don’t need that kind of exposure, but hey, it finds us and not the other way around.”
