by Kira Archer
His face hardened further, if possible, at the mention of Cass’s name. “I don’t see how my dating life is at all relevant.”
Charley squirmed a little under his gaze, more than a little uncomfortable at this particular line of conversation. But she pressed on. “Well, according to available sources, you once dated a suspected cartel princess, another woman who was a known jewel thief, and another one who was arrested for espionage.”
He waved that away. “Svetlana isn’t a spy. That was just a misunderstanding. And nothing bad has ever happened during my travels or because of the women I date. Everything always works out just fine.”
She nodded. He wasn’t wrong. He hadn’t earned the nickname Golden Boy for nothing. Still…
“Sure. So far. But my job is to assess future risk and I’m afraid—”
“I don’t know what you think you know about me, but scrolling through a bunch of pictures doesn’t tell you a damn thing about who I really am.”
She put her own fork down and sat back. “It does tell me about the life you live, but I agree, it doesn’t tell me anything about who you are as a person. Which is why I like to meet my clients face to face. Though, to be honest, it’s not necessary. My job is to assess the risk to an insurance company should they choose to insure you. You’re worth quite a bit, Mr. Lachlan. Should something happen to you, an insurance company would have to pay out quite a large sum of money. And in order to assess that risk, all most companies want to know is what the likelihood is that they’ll have to write out a fat check. Most of them would have seen the pictures of you surrounded by sharks in Bora Bora and would have stamped a big red DENY on your folder and moved on. I like to take a closer look.”
His eyebrows went up at that. “And what is that closer look telling you so far?”
She glanced at the heart attack on a plate in front of him and debated whether or not to tell him the truth. Most men in his position didn’t like to be told they were in the wrong, no matter the situation. But she’d never let that stop her before, and she wasn’t going to start now. “It’s not helping much, I’m afraid.”
To her surprise, he grinned. But before he could say anything, someone interrupted.
“Well, this is a surprise!”
Charley looked up to see Izzy standing by their table. Chris stood and gave her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek.
“What are you guys doing here?” she asked. She grabbed a chair from the next table and sat down with them. “I thought your big meeting was at your office.”
“I thought this would be more comfortable and personal. And I was hungry,” he said.
Izzy snorted. “As always. So,” she said, glancing between them. “How’s it going?”
“I believe she was about to tell me I’m too big a risk to recommend,” he said, pinning Charley with an accusing gaze.
Izzy looked over at her, obviously surprised. “But you’ve only just met him.”
“Yes, but apparently I’ve been damned by Instagram,” he said. “But at least she got it over with quickly instead of dragging it out for months. So,” he stood up, “as we seem to be finished, I believe I’ll excuse myself. I’ve got a trip to pack for.”
Charley sucked in a breath and made a slight gasping sound that she immediately clamped her lips on. After all, it wasn’t surprising he was upset. Explaining she hadn’t totally finished her assessment wouldn’t help matters, though, since it was likely she wouldn’t recommend him as he rightly assumed. So, she just kept her mouth shut and ignored the sinking feeling in her gut.
Izzy, however, didn’t seem to share her fatalistic attitude. “Wait a second,” she said. “Come on, Chris. Sit down.”
He sighed but did as requested. “Now come on you two, I’m sure something can be worked out. Charley, I’ve known him for years. He’s a good man. Yes, he has some questionable habits,” she said, giving him the side-eye when he snorted. “But he’s worked his ass off to get where he is. Surely you could take a deeper look.”
Charley opened her mouth to say that it would be a waste of time, but the glimmering bit of hope in his eyes stopped her. Good God. The man could get away with murder with puppy dog eyes like those.
“I suppose…”
“Excellent,” Izzy said, not letting her finish. “I’ve just had an amazing idea. You’re getting ready to go on another trip to check on some of your properties, right?” she asked him.
He frowned. “Yes. There are a few I haven’t been to in quite a while. There have been an unusual number of repairs on some lately, and nothing but glowing reports on others. I need to see what’s going on.”
“Glowing reports are bad?” Charley asked.
“If that’s all I ever get, sure. Properties need maintenance. If I have a property that never needs anything fixed, it usually means my property manager isn’t doing his job.”
“And too many reports means…”
“That the property manager might be inflating reports to pocket the money I’m shelling out for repairs.”
Charley nodded. She hadn’t thought about any of that stuff. Intriguing.
Izzy ignored that little exchange and pressed on with her own questions. “Okay. And you think these trips are unnecessary and risky, correct?” she asked, looking at Charley.
“Yes,” Charley answered, drawing the word out. Both because she wasn’t sure she still believed that based on what Chris had just said. And because she had a feeling she knew where this was going, and she didn’t like it. Neither did Chris, who was focusing that intense gaze of his at Izzy.
“So, why don’t you go on the trip with him?”
He and Charley both started to protest, but Izzy waved all that away. “It’s the perfect solution. Chris can check on his properties, and you can see what really happens on these trips of his and see that there’s no unusual risk that should keep you from recommending him.”
She glanced back and forth between them. Chris scowled, but he finally sighed. “I guess it’s better than you judging me based on a bunch of pictures.”
Izzy nodded. “There. It’s all settled.”
“I’m not sure this is appropriate,” Charley said. “Going on an extravagant trip with a client could be seen as bribery.” She glanced at him and the enticing temptation he was lounging in his perfectly tailored suit that made long-dormant parts of her want to sit up and scream hello. “Or worse.”
Izzy waved that away. “It’s a perfectly legit business trip. Nobody’ll think anything.”
“I’m not so sure…” Charley tried to protest, but Izzy totally ignored her.
“Lighten up, Chuckles. It’ll be fun.” Then she turned to Chris. “Just give me a date and time and I’ll make sure she’s there.”
“Fine. But pack light,” he said, standing up again. He turned to leave but then glanced back at her over his shoulder. “And don’t forget your chocolate milk.”
Chapter Three
Chris threw down another winning hand, and his fellow poker players groaned. He grinned and dragged the large pile of chips toward him.
“We really need to stop letting him play,” Brooks said. “Or give him a handicap or something.”
Chris snorted. “Not my fault you play like shit. Gotta get your head back in the game.”
“Easier said than done when there’s so much to distract me,” he said, giving his wife a look that was probably melting the panties right off her. Leah blushed but gave Brooks a smile that made Chris’s heart ache with a twinge of jealousy for a second.
He pushed the feeling away. He was happy for his friends. Thrilled. And it wasn’t that he wanted to join them in wedded bliss or anything. He was quite happy being the confirmed bachelor of the group. But he did feel like the lonely third wheel more often than not lately. Or…seventh wheel, as the case might be.
Harrison chuckled. “Don’t blame Chris. You’re the one who suggested we let the wives play.”
Brooks scowled at him but picked up Leah’s hand to g
ive it a kiss. “Sure, but I didn’t think anyone would agree.”
Leah rolled her eyes and pushed him away. “We don’t join you often. Believe it or not, we girls like our nights out without you, too.”
Brooks clapped his hand over his heart like he’d been shot and mock gasped. Leah rolled her eyes while the rest of the group laughed.
Harrison gathered up the cards and started shuffling them. “What do you ladies do when you’re off without us, anyway? Nicole didn’t make it home until sunrise the last time you went out.”
Kiersten, Leah, and Nikki all looked at one another, then everywhere but at one another, which made all the men sit back with interest. Chris watched, silently chuckling at his friends’ reactions to their wives’ guilty faces. Until those guilty faces glanced his way.
“What?” he asked.
Kiersten cleared her throat. “It’s nothing much. We had dinner and then headed to the theater, and while we were there, we ran into Izzy and…Cass…” Again, her gaze darted to him and then quickly away. She shrugged. “She’s getting ready to open a new art gallery and offered to show it to us, so we went with her afterward, and some other friends were invited along the way, and it sort of turned into a thing.”
“A thing?” Cole asked, eyebrow cocked. “And were there handsome men at this thing?” His face was stern, but his tone was teasing. He knew he had nothing to worry about. Kiersten was head over heels for him and had been since the day she’d won the lottery and started torturing him as payback for being such a crappy boss.
Kiersten smiled at her husband. “Just a few friends of Cass’s boyfriend. But none near so handsome as you,” she said, leaning over to give him a kiss before realizing what she’d let slip.
She looked over at Chris, her mouth slightly open, but he waved her off.
“It’s okay. We’ve been broken up for over a year. She’s entitled to date who she wants.”
“Well, if helps, I don’t think they’re dating anymore.”
Chris shrugged. “Not my business.”
Cole took a drink of his beer and then nodded at Chris. “You ever going to tell us why you two broke up? You were good together.”
Chris shrugged again, not wanting to have this conversation. Then again, with as involved as his friends were in his life, it was a miracle he’d been able to put it off this long.
He picked up the cards Harrison had dealt him and shuffled them back and forth. “There’s nothing much to tell. We wanted different things.”
“Like what?” Brooks asked.
Chris sighed. “I don’t think either of us knew. We just knew the other person wasn’t it.”
His friends sat silent, obviously not sure how to respond.
“It’s not a big deal, guys,” he said, trying to lighten the mood. “Cass is great. I cared about her a lot. Still do. But at the end of the day, I think we were looking for something the other person didn’t have. It was a mutual breakup, no hard feelings. You guys don’t have to walk on eggshells around the subject or avoid mentioning her. I know you’re still friends,” he said, nodding at Kiersten and the other women.
Kiersten gave him a maternal smile, which amused him considering he was older than her. “Well,” she said, patting his hand, “I hope you find whatever it is you’re looking for.”
He took her hand and gave it a quick kiss. “Me too,” he said with a rush of warm affection. “I promise, I’m good.” And he was happy to realize he meant it. Cass had been great. But they hadn’t been right for each other, and he was good with how things ended. “Now, are we going to play or what? I’ve got a trip to pack for.”
Cole and Harrison folded while the rest of the group threw in their chips and traded in cards.
“Yeah, Izzy mentioned you were headed out again,” Kiersten said, not bothering to hide her grin.
He scowled. “Izzy and I are going to have to have a serious talk next time I see her.”
Brooks leaned forward like a bloodhound who’d just caught a whiff of steak. “Well, this sounds juicy. Spill it, bro.”
Chris glared at him. “She’s saddled me with the risk assessor who’s about to flunk me right out of my business.”
The ladies all had varying degrees of guilty and amused smirks on their faces and were obviously avoiding looking at him.
“Uh huh, and what’s the rest of the story?” Harrison asked. When no one answered, he grabbed his wife and pulled her to his lap. “Spill it, Nikki,” he said, rubbing the scruff of his new beard on her neck until she squealed.
“Okay, okay!”
He stopped long enough for her to catch her breath.
“The risk assessor is a gorgeous woman named Charley. She’s sweet, funny, wicked smart, and Izzy said Chris couldn’t take his eyes off her during their meeting.”
Chris frowned at her. “How would Izzy know? And who told you?”
Leah chimed in again. “Izzy filled us in. And Charley was at the gallery opening, so we’ve already met her.” She turned to her husband. “She’s adorable. I can totally see what Chris sees in her.”
Brooks turned a delighted grin his way, but Chris held his hand up. “I don’t see anything in her. She’s a pain in my ass, and she’s only coming with me because of Izzy.”
“Maybe, but those pains in the ass tend to grow on you,” Cole said, winking at Kiersten. She swatted at him, but the love shining from her face gave Chris another slight jealous twinge he didn’t want to examine too closely.
“You’re all a pain in my ass,” he grumbled. “And Ms. Claybourne is off-limits, no matter how ‘adorable’ she may be.”
“Why?” Harrison asked.
“Because the last thing in the world I need is to give the insurance company any more reasons to deny coverage. If there’s even a rumor that something may have happened between me and the assessor, that’s all the reason they’ll need to decide her assessment was coerced or bribed and I’m screwed. Even if I was interested in her, and I’m not, she’s so far off-limits she might as well be on a different planet.”
His friends exchanged disappointed looks that still held an unhealthy amount of smug speculation. They were impossible. Hell, even if what he was saying wasn’t true, she’d probably never believe he was interested in her because he genuinely liked her. He’d certainly had his fair share of women throwing themselves at him because they wanted something from him. He’d never been in the position to return the favor, but he had no trouble seeing how the intriguing Charley Claybourne might assume he was only interested in her in order to get a good assessment out of her. True or not, it would be an understandable assumption on her part. And not one he could easily refute. He’d never use her like that, but he did want a good assessment.
Which made the entire situation impossible and pointless to keep thinking about.
He dropped his cards and pushed away from the table. “I fold. And I’ve got to go. Leaving early in the morning.”
He downed the rest of his whisky and ignored the good-natured jokes his friends lobbed at him as he left Cole and Kiersten’s apartment.
He normally enjoyed his business trips. Traveling all over the world, enjoying everything each new place had to offer. What wasn’t to like? Only this time he’d be second-guessing every move he made. It kind of felt like being at a chaperoned dance. Who could have fun with someone always looking over their shoulder?
Then again, Charley was nothing like the chaperones at his grade schools. She might look like she was all business, but there was a fire behind her eyes begging to be stoked.
He just wouldn’t be able to do the stoking.
Still, he caught a smile playing on his lips in his reflection on the shiny elevator doors and looked up to avoid seeing himself. Thankfully, none of his friends were there to see it. Because like it or not, he was almost looking forward to this trip.
Almost.
Chapter Four
Charley climbed out of the taxi Izzy had shoved her into and stared into the plane han
gar.
Three planes occupied the huge space. One of those little prop engine planes, one that looked like what she’d always envisioned a billionaire’s private plane to look like—smooth, sleek, and big enough to carry an entourage. But the one with the engines revving and all the people scurrying around it was a much smaller version.
A man in a suit hurried over to her, his hand out to take her bag. “Ms. Claybourne?”
She nodded, still staring at the plane where she was pretty sure Chris had just taken a seat.
“I’m Lucas, Mr. Lachlan’s head of security. He asked me to get you aboard and settled.”
“And where is Mr. Lachlan?” she asked, afraid she already knew the answer.
“In the cockpit getting the plane ready.”
“But…” she started, but Lucas put a firm hand on her back and led her toward the plane.
The interior was gorgeous, of course. All pale leather and wood. The cushy-looking seats looked more like expensive leather recliners than airline seats. There was only space for about seven passengers. Up front on the left were two plush seats facing each other opposite a couch on the right, which would comfortably seat three. Behind them were two more seats, one on either side of a narrow doorway she assumed led to the bathroom. It looked more like a lux SUV than a friggin’ plane.
“You decided to come after all,” Chris said.
He was in the pilot’s seat, looking over his shoulder at her. She could only glance at him, back at the rest of the plane, then back at him again.
He laughed. “Come on. You can sit up here with me if you want.”
Uh, no. That wasn’t what she wanted. What she wanted was to be in a nice big plane that had enough space that she could at least pretend she was on a train or something. Not this little sardine can of a flying machine.
Then again, if she had to fly on this thing, she’d rather not do it sitting all by herself. Maybe being able to watch out the front window would help.
