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Chapter 1
Liam
I smiledas I replayed the evening in my head. Everything with Jeremy Sanders and his wife had gone well. In the end, the deal would come together, I could feel it.
My smile faded as I recalled seeing that redhead looking my way once again. It had been momentary, but her appearances in my life weren’t random.What the hell was her game?
Melinda snuggled closer and made her delightful little purring noise as she slid a leg over mine. “I had a good time tonight.”
“Me too.” Stroking her long blond hair, I was comfortable here, almost too comfortable.
She deserved the cuddle session after helping this evening, but the time would be shorter than she liked.
“I thought it went well,” she said as her finger traced a circle on my chest.
“Thanks to you.” It was an honest compliment, and it earned me a nibble on the ear.
Mrs. Sanders had been quite taken with Melinda’s knowledge of Arabian mythology.
This evening Melinda Nixon and I had entertained Sanders and his wife at the Boston Opera. It had been tolerable as such things went. Sunday nights were always less crowded. And thankfully tonight’s performance ofAladdinhad been in English.
I wanted to add an outdoor footwear line to the company and hoped to persuade the Sanders family to divest theirs. Buying their business would go a long way toward meeting our growth goals for this quarter.
A year ago I had thought it was merely a matter of spreadsheets and check-writing to acquire a business. Three consecutive failures had taught me how wrong-headed I’d been. Since coming to Boston, I’d learned evenings like this were a necessary part of the company courtship dance before making a formal offer——a sort of corporate foreplay.
The dim red numerals of the clock read one-twelve in the morning. I untangled myself from Melinda.
“Do you have to go so soon?” she asked as I climbed out of bed.
I searched for my underwear. “Sorry, I have to meet Josh at six for squash.” I quickly pulled on my clothes, not bothering with the cummerbund or my cufflinks. I kissed her on the forehead. “You did great tonight.”
Melinda held my hand momentarily. “Thank you. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for your deal.” She didn’t beg me to stay; she understood. The rules were simple: I didn’t spend the night. Not ever.
Reaching the door, I pulled a red velvet Cartier pouch from my pocket and left it on the front table for her: earrings with black pearls on white gold hoops, understated elegance. Flicking off her hall light, I closed the door behind me and latched the deadbolt.
Melinda served as intelligent and stunningly attractive arm candy when I needed a date for an event like tonight. In return, I accompanied her to a social event of her choosing every few months. She had looks, class, and also wicked smarts.
We fit well together, but we weren’t exclusive or attached. I slept with other women when I found an appropriate target, and I didn’t care if Melinda had other men. She understood our arrangement: no commitments, no entanglements, no expectations, and no relationship.
On my way downstairs, the appearance of that redhead again nagged at me. She hadn’t been close enough to overhear anything, yet I still couldn’t shake the feeling that she had to be tied to Winterbourne in some way.
Once inside my car, I punched the key fob in and the V-12 roared to life.
Eat your heart out, Daniel Craig. You get to drive an Aston Martin in the movies. I drive one every day.
I rubbed my ring finger. I had dared to love once, and lost.
The scar weighed on me every day.
* * *
Amy
The purpleand orange FedEx envelope dominated my desktop. Why did they always arrive on a Tuesday?
I hung up my jacket before closing the door to my office. I needed quiet time to finish my presentation for Friday's investor meeting.
My phone vibrated with a text message.
