by Rye Hart
“You know I don’t believe in that stuff, Lindy. It’s not easy being a dreamer when reality sucks.” I dealt with the ugly side of life on a daily basis with my father’s illness, and it was hard to see sunshine and rainbows, much less the cloud’s silver lining.
“Did you miss how incredibly hot and well-dressed they are? I bet those shoes on the tall, dark, and handsome one cost more than my freaking car. And lucky you, he’s still staring.”
I glanced over my shoulder and found that she wasn’t kidding around. He was still watching me through the window of the order station. I turned away quickly, but he didn’t seem so easily deterred.
I nudged Lindy who was still watching him as he watched us. “Stop it. You’ll encourage him. Besides, what’s a man like him going to want with a girl like me?”
“We’ve talked about what men want, and you’re a knockout, honey.”
“I’m a waitress who is barely making ends meet, with nothing going on in her life but watching her father grow sicker. So, let me bring this guy his coffee so he can get on with his life. I’m sure he needs plenty of time to buy more expensive shoes.”
I walked around and fixed my tray with their drink order and brought it over. I placed napkins on the table and then the juice, but each took the coffee cups straight from my hand. “You must be in serious need of a caffeine fix.” I placed the creamer service in front of them, but Dark Prince pushed it away.
“Thank you, Carrie,” he said, reading my name tag. “That’s a beautiful name.” Though he was paying compliments, his eyes were narrowed, and I couldn’t tell if he was trying to be seductive, or sizing me up.
I tucked my chin and fidgeted with my collar looking away. “Thank you.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, but I assumed a beautiful woman as yourself gets many compliments.” He sipped his coffee, and his friend turned his head to stare out the window. I wasn’t sure if he were genuine or not.
“Most people just order their food, eat it, and go.” I gave him a pointed look to let him know it was a suggestion, and his friend chuckled.
“Noted. Lucky for you I’ve never been like most people.” He returned a challenging stare along with a smile that lit his entire face. It made him appear much gentler than his previous look had.
“Lucky for me?” I gave a little laugh and was about to come back at him when the bell rang and the cook hollered.
“Order up!”
I glanced over my shoulder to see Joe shaking his head. “I’ll be right back.”
I turned and went to get their order. As I served it, a bus with about twenty blue-haired old ladies came in on their way to a convention, and things got so busy it was all I could do to keep his coffee filled.
I brought them their check, and before I could say goodbye, one of the blue hairs called me over to tell me she needed extra napkins.
The bells sounded over the door, and I looked up to see them leaving. When I went to clear their table, I found a crisp hundred-dollar bill and a message scrawled on a napkin.
I’ll see you tomorrow.
CHAPTER THREE - CHANCE
I stared out the window of my hotel suite and could see the top of Angelo’s sign. It was a tiny speck in the distance, and I couldn’t help staring. The girl at the diner had been the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen; and I’d seen a lot of beautiful women.
Carrie had a wholesome beauty that was refreshing compared to most of the women I’d taken back home with me. I hoped that she wasn’t so pure that she wouldn’t go for my offer, but then, with the money attached, it would be hard for anyone to refuse.
“Hey, when you’re down there, bring me back some of those waffles with the maple bacon.” Nate had appreciated the diner’s food after all and hadn’t stopped talking about it since we’d left.
“I’ll try and remember.” I gave him a teasing grin.
“You’re really going to choose her? She didn’t seem like the freaky type.”
“Most of them aren’t.” I didn’t choose all my companions by how freaky they might be in the bedroom. I didn’t even choose them by their looks, though, admittedly, all of them were beautiful. It took something much more than that: a gut instinct.
“I bet they are when you get through with them?” He grinned and looked up to give me a wink.
Being my best friend, I’d shared with him the details of some of the trips and the women I’d share my time with, the same as he’d share with me about his. He was the only person aside from my intermediary that knew any details about my hobby.
I didn’t dignify his remark with a response, and instead got the call that my car had arrived, so I went down after a casual goodbye and headed to the diner.
The bells on the door announced my arrival as I walked in and spotted Carrie across the room.
She wasn’t wearing her uniform, and instead had on casual jeans and a top which hung off her shoulders to reveal blue tank straps beneath it. Her hair was the only thing about her that was the same, and she wore it pulled up in a high ponytail.
As I walked over, I could think of a few things to do with that hair of hers, and imagined myself holding those gorgeous locks from behind, and her panting beneath me.
“Hey there, big tipper.” She gave me a warm smile, but I could tell she was leery of me as she took a step back when I approached.
“Hello, Carrie. I was hoping I could talk to you on your break.”
“Oh? I’m not working. I’m only here to get my check. But I guess I can make a minute for that hundred you dropped.” She waved me along with her to a booth, and as we situated, another waitress stepped up with a big smile.
“Can I get you two anything?” She had a grin on her face, and a look in her eye that told me she knew about the tip, and I recognized her from the day before.
“No, thanks, Lindy. I’m good.”
Carrie glanced up at me, and I decided I better order something.
“Coffee, please. Black.” Lindy hurried away, and Carrie propped her elbows on the table and folded her arms casually.
“I would have introduced you, but since I don’t know your name—”
“I’m Chance.” I wouldn’t tell her my last name, and I didn’t want to know hers.
“I bet you are,” she quipped. She glanced over her shoulder as Lindy returned to the table and placed my coffee down in front of me and hurried away. “What do you want to talk about, Chance? I’ve got a busy day of catching up on life before I have to come back to this shithole.”
“I have a proposition for you.” I figured we might as well get down to business.
She stared at me for a moment, her eyes becoming suspicious. “A ‘proposition’? I think you have the wrong girl,” she said as she shook her head. She started to stand to go, but I reached out and touched her hand. “It’s not illegal, and it pays one hundred thousand dollars, so maybe you’d like to hear me out.” She stared at me like I’d lost my mind as I continued. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but you don’t make anywhere close to that, do you?”
“Is this a joke? Did Lindy put you up to this?” She turned and stared at the other waitress who was busy waiting on another table.
“I’m quite serious. Are you interested?”
She shrugged. “I’ll hear you out.” She lifted her shoulder and held up her hand, waving Lindy over. “Bring me a root beer with a splash of vanilla and cherry, please. And put it on Chance’s ticket.”
“Root beer? I haven’t had one of those since I was a kid.”
“It’s a house specialty. You should try one sometime. So, about this proposition?” She made an impatient gesture, waving me on.
“I’d like you to come stay with me for two weeks. Everything would be arranged through a contract, and I don’t need to know anything more about your personal life than your first name. I use a mediator, so they would ensure your safety and make sure the money is paid on time per the contract.”
“Wait, you’re ta
lking about sex?” I nodded, and she shook her head and laughed. “I’m not what you want. I’m not experienced for that kind of job, so maybe you should hire yourself a professional.” She pulled her lips into a tight line as Lindy dropped off her root beer and left.
“You’re exactly what I want. I’m intrigued by you, and I think we’d have a good time. My estate is gorgeous, so you could consider it a paid vacation if you like, and I’m sure that kind of money could change your life.”
“You have no idea.” She seemed as if she could cry, and I hated that she felt pressured. The fact that she hadn’t thrown the root beer in my face and slapped me, told me that she needed the money; badly. “Could I tell someone where I’m going?”
“Yes, and they could know how to contact the mediator if there’s any type of emergency.”
“Two weeks? Not a day longer?” She seemed to be really considering my offer, which made my dick twitch in my pants.
“Not an hour longer.”
She leaned in across the table. “I’ve got people who count on me, so if you’re dicking me around—”
“I’m not dicking you around. I’m a wealthy man, and I like to have what I want, but I also know that means paying handsomely for it. The rules are in place to ensure you’ll be safe, but there are also rules that protect me.”
“Protect you? From what?”
“From breaking the agreement, from going to the press and splashing my face and name all over the tabloids, etcetera.””
“In other words, if I take this deal—”
“I’m going to have you, anytime and anyway I want,” I finished.
Her mouth popped open, and she bit her bottom lip and met my eyes.
“It’s a lot to consider.” She wrung her hands on the table. “My father is sick, and I’m all he has.”
I placed my hands over hers and stroked them with my thumb. “Then I assume you aren’t in any position to say no.”
I gave her a moment to mull it over. “Should I have my man contact you?”
“As you said; what choice do I have?” I hated that her misfortune worked in my favor, but it wasn’t the first time, and in the end, the other women had been pleased with their time. Most jumped at the opportunity, but there were a few who were timid.
“It’s a yes or a no, Carrie. I can walk out that door and never see you again, but that would be a shame, don’t you think? Think of this as an adventure.” I gave her my warmest smile, and though she seemed reluctant, she gave me one in return.
“Then my answer is yes, so what do I need to do?”
I reached into my pocket and handed her a phone. It was the same one I used for all my women, and I had it wiped clean each time, and the number changed. “Take this, and a man named Rick Herring will contact you. He’ll make all the arrangements, and I’ll see you when you get there.”
“That’s it? I won’t see or talk to you until then?”
“No, but trust me, Carrie: we’re going to have a wonderful time.”
End of Sneak Peak. Would you like to know how this continues?
Click Here: Two Weeks of Sin: A Billionaire & Virgin Romance
What would you do...
If the man of your wet dreams made you an offer?
One that made you blush.
But accepting would mean total and complete submission.
It's sort of my thing...
I see a woman I want and I go all in.
One-hundred thousand dollars.
My private estate.
Non-stop orgasms.
No strings attached.
But there's one catch...
I own her for those fourteen glorious days.
Every delicious morsel.
It's how I feed the beast at night.
So I can conquer the world by day.
It's my equilibrium.
At least it was, until two weeks stopped being enough. How will I convince the woman of my dreams to stay after she's had a taste of the beast?
Two Weeks of Sin: A Billionaire & Virgin Romance
Rock Hard Boss: Sneak Peak
CHAPTER ONE - LUKE HARRISON
The dinner rush was in full swing and I felt that old, familiar thrill surge through me. I’d been running my own restaurant for the last few years, but that excitement never faded. Orders flew in and food went sailing out, my line cooks bustled around the kitchen, following my every command. The air was filled with the exotic scent of menu items designed personally by me.
It was barely controlled chaos, and it was my job to hold it all together somehow. Everything had to be perfect. Every dish. Every night. Every day.
Danny, my second-in-command, slid a plate of sizzling steak onto the counter in front of me, signifying it was ready to go out into the dining room. I could tell it was overcooked just by looking at it. A quick probe with my finger confirmed my thoughts.
I yanked the plate off the counter, barely suppressing the urge to smash it on the floor. I kept my kitchen spotless, and I wasn’t going to fuck up the floor because of one less-than-stellar plate. Instead, I thrust the charred steak in Danny’s face.
“Are you seriously expecting me to serve this?”
Danny eyed the steak warily, as if it might come to life and bite him.
“Is it undercooked?” he asked, not meeting my gaze.
“Undercooked? Are you fucking insane? It’s burned all to hell like a piece of old shoe leather. I wouldn’t feed this shit to my dog!” I growled loudly as the rest of the kitchen seemed to stop around us.
Good. They could learn a lesson too; cook the best food possible, or get the fuck out.
“I’m sorry, Chef Harrison,” he said, not meeting my gaze. “I’ll make a new one.”
I tossed the plate on the counter next to him. “I don’t want your apologies, I want you to do it right the first time.”
“Yes, Chef,” he mumbled. I turned to leave when he spoke again. “It’s just that we’re understaffed. I’m working two stations, Chef.”
Anger boiled up inside me and I got in his face. “Look at me. I don’t want to hear excuses. You’ve got two hands, two eyes, and you can handle two goddamn stations.”
“Boss, please. Ever since Gloria left, we’ve been short-handed.”
He was right, of course, but there was nothing I could do about it tonight. I’d already chosen a new chef to join the team, but I hadn’t shared the news with the rest of the brigade yet. I didn’t want them slacking off in the meantime.
A new chef tomorrow wouldn’t help them today.
“You’re right,” I said. “Gloria’s not here, but you are. Now, we’ve got a packed dining room out there, and none of them give a damn that we’re down a chef. They expect the same high-quality food we serve every night. So, I need you to focus and get the job done. Can you handle that?”
He nodded. “I think so.”
“You think? If you can’t do it, tell me right now. Tell me right the fuck now. I’ll take over your stations, and you can give Sergio a hand washing dishes. I’ll ask you again, can you handle it?”
The threat of busting him down to dishwasher lit a fire in Danny’s eyes. He glared at me like I’d just run over his mother. “Absolutely, Chef. I can handle it.” His voice was strong and steady, a complete reversal of the way he’d been just seconds ago.
“Don’t let me down. Period.”
He turned back to his stations with a renewed energy. The pan sizzled as he dropped a fresh steak in. Danny was back. And this was why I was so hard on my crew.
Sure, he was beyond pissed at me. He was probably cursing my name under his breath and wishing all kinds of terrible things on me, but that was good. It meant he’d work three times as hard tonight just to prove me wrong and throw it back in my face.
If I were a betting man, I’d wager he wouldn’t mess up another meal for the rest of the dinner service.
A few minutes later, Danny brought a freshly cooked steak over. He stood watching me, waiting for
my assessment. I took my time looking it over, not because I wasn’t sure if it was done correctly, but because I wanted him to sweat a little.
I could tell immediately that it was cooked to perfection.. I couldn’t let him off the hook so quickly, not if I wanted the fire in him to keep burning for the rest of the dinner shift.
When I finally turned to him, his jaw was clenched so tightly the muscles in his neck stood out in thick cords.
“All night, Danny,” I said, pointing at the steak. “Like this. All night.”
He nodded curtly and hustled back to his stations.
***
I slumped into the sagging leather chair in my office at the back of the restaurant. Dinner was over, the kitchen had been cleaned, and the staff had gone home for the night.
Danny hadn’t spoken to me for the rest of the evening, but that was fine. I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it. He might, but I wouldn’t. I’d done what I had to do for the good of the restaurant.
Things had been going well for me. The reviews had been great and the dining room was booked solid for the next few months. That didn’t mean I could sit back and relax, it meant that I had to work even harder to maintain the restaurant’s reputation. As part of that, I had to bring on a new chef to replace the one I’d lost.
I hated to let the old one go, but the woman was delusional. There was a lot of shit I would put up with, but someone in my kitchen batting her eyes at me and whispering my name seductively during a dinner rush was fucking out as far as I was concerned.
I’d given love a try in the past, and the bitch had stabbed me in the heart and kicked me in the balls. I was done with it. Period.
Now, I would have been more than happy to bend the cute blonde over a kitchen counter and work her silly, but she didn’t want that. She wanted a relationship. That shit wasn’t happening on my watch.
I leaned forward and grabbed the new chef’s application off my desk. Amber Foster. She was the one. With the restaurant’s success, I’d gotten an avalanche of applications; more than I could properly review without pulling my eyelids out. But for some reason, Amber’s stood out among the rest.
