Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 91767 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91767 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
“He’s a professional well-educated man who would escort you to all of the social things and pretend to other people that you are together and then at the end of the night, he goes back to his room. No sex involved, it’s a business transaction…and a pricey one at that.”
“How much does he cost?”
“Fifty thousand dollars for a weekend.”
“What?” I explode. “Are you fucking crazy?”
“He keeps his prices high because he only caters for a certain level of professional business women. He doesn’t want to waste his time on lower paying jobs.”
“Well…we are not paying for any kind of….” I widen my eyes. “Expert.”
“So, you have to apply for his company through his manager,” she continues.
I roll my eyes. “Does he think he’s Fabio or something? For fifty thousand dollars he should take what he’s fucking given. No dick is that good.”
“He accepted our job so I paid fifty percent this morning,” she blurts out in a rush.
“What?” I explode.
“You gave me management of the accounts.”
“To spend wisely.”
“This is an investment,” she fires back. “It’s tax deductible because he has a legitimate consulting business he works out of.”
“What does he consult on…?” I gasp. “Vagina waxing?”
“Probably…who cares anyway? Listen here, you are going to suck it up and go to this thing with Thomas Stone and play nice and wow the conference with your sparkle and bring home the fucking Reynolds account.”
I stare at her; my mind is officially blown.
She opens a manilla folder and passes me a photo. “This is him.”
I stare at the photo for a beat and frown. The man is wearing a black dinner suit and smiling. He has dark wavy hair and big dimples on a square jaw, he looks very distinguished and cultured, my eyebrows rise by themselves. “He’s ….”
“Gorgeous.” Kerry smiles. “And if all you achieve by doing this is to make Graham realize that he made the biggest mistake of his life by cheating on you…then I’m happy.”
My eyes linger on the photo.
“Fuck Graham. Don’t let him win,” Kerry whispers. “Nobody will ever know and if this helps us get what we need…then why not? We both know that Graham would do anything in his power to get that account…stop being the nice guy and do the same. Fuck Graham and Melody, wipe their faces in it.”
She does have a point.
“Success is the best revenge.”
My eyes rise to meet hers. “No sex?”
“None.”
“Separate rooms?”
“Uh-huh, his only prerequisite is that you privately meet the day before to set out a game plan and strategize. He doesn’t want this to fuck up either, he’s a professional and wants it to stay that way.”
“It’s tax deductible?”
“He’s an expert.” She widens her eyes. “And you could sure use some expertise.”
I smirk. “I’m going to kill you, you know that, right?”
“Absolutely.”
Three Months Later.
The cab pulls into the hotel in Paris and I want to crawl into the trunk and never come out.
What in god’s name was I ever thinking agreeing to this?
I’m here to meet Thomas Stone ahead of the Christmas work conference that starts tomorrow. Who goes to a conference two weeks before Christmas? This is just stupid.
He wants to strategize…strategize what?
Help!
I’m shaved, primped and primed and to be honest I think I’m more nervous to meet Thomas than I am to go to this stupid conference alone.
My car door opens and the doorman smiles at me “Bonjour.”
“Bonjour,” I timidly reply as I climb out of the car.
“Your bags will be taken into reception for you.”
“Merci.”
Thump.
Thump.
Thump goes my heart.
I take a deep steadying breath. It’s fine…this is all going to be fine, I try to tell myself, but I’m quite positive that it won’t, someone is going to realize this is all fake and it’s going to blow up and come out that I had to hire a date and then I’m going to have to move to Mars to escape the retribution of embarrassment.
I walk into the foyer and without looking around I walk straight to the desk; a man is in front of me checking in so I have to wait.
I know Thomas is here somewhere and I really, really don’t want to see him.
Fuck this ridiculous plan, I’m calling it off.
I text Kerry.
Cancel Thomas Stone.
I’m not doing this.
I wait for her reply….
Fuck, where is she? I text again.
Are you there?
Cancel!
This is an emergency.
I begin to sweat.
Oh my god, she’s asleep or reading her stupid book or something and isn’t going to get the message and then the whole conference is going to find out I had to hire a date and my life will be officially over.
I dial her number. Ring, ring…ring, ring…ring, ring….
Please pick up.
“Elizabeth….”
I turn to see a tall man in a suit. He has dark hair, a chiseled jaw and big blue eyes. “Hello, I’m Thomas Stone.” He gives me a big breathtaking smile as his aftershave enslaves my senses…good fucking god.