by Gardner, A.
Kat was way too serious when it came to guys, telling me I shouldn't bother if the guy didn't own a neck tie. My philosophy was simpler. Hot guy equals good times. And better sex. My philosophy sucked though. I'd never admit it out loud but for some reason I was attracted to losers. Guys that would blow through like a freakin' hurricane and leave me with the cleanup. The past couple days I'd learned something else too.
Rich guys are insane.
"Miss!" I turn my head, seeing a bell boy trying to catch my attention. What now? I keep walking towards the elevators. "Miss!"
"Fine," I sigh. "What?"
"You come with me please," he replies.
"Why?" I shake my head, remembering Leron's sudden ambush. Something I never wanted to experience again. My only solution at the moment was get the hell out of Nice, France and hope LeRoux's men didn't follow me back to San Francisco.
"Please, miss." He keeps nodding with a lame smile on his face.
"If this is about the broken glasses from last night we-"
"No no," he interrupts. "You have visitor, miss." My heart starts to pound. Not LeRoux himself. Please, no. My head starts virtually packing my bags.
"A visitor? Me? You must have the wrong person."
"No," he insists. "Miss Artino from California?" I nod. "A Mr. Kinlan waits for you."
"Kinlan?" I respond. "As in the family that owns this hotel?"
"Yes Miss." His smile grows wider and I agree to follow him past the lobby to a quiet table in the hotel cafe.
"Uh." I glance around at the empty tables. "I thought this place was only open for brunch or whatever?"
"Not for me," a voice replies. A pearly smile sits behind attractive facial features and a sexy British accent. Rex grins, standing up as I approach his private table. His lean torso looks tempting in his fancy suit.
"Of course," I say in a low voice. "My sister won't talk to you so you're spying on me now?"
"You two are a lot alike," he chuckles, sitting down to a cup of coffee.
"Whatever weird fantasies are running through your head right now, I'm not into that."
"Have a seat," he laughs. Rex takes a sip of his steaming coffee, still with a smile on his face. I reluctantly sit down. Rex had to know that Kat would kill me if she knew the two of us were talking. Naturally, that intrigued me.
"Is there something I can do for you?" I ask. "Sneak you a pair of my big sister's underwear or something?" Rex looks amused.
"This visit has nothing to do with your sister."
"Really?"
"Might I remind you that you are at my hotel." He pauses. I guess I was supposed to think through my questions. Whatevs.
"Okay," I reply. "Let me rephrase that. Rex, so nice to see you."
"Thank you," answers. "I hope you're enjoying your stay." I bite the corner of my lips. I was having a good stay up until recently. Now I was stuck trying to figure out how to survive the next few days. "Is something wrong?"
"Nope," I lie. I play with my fingers underneath the table, wondering when he would finally cut to the chase.
"You want anything? Perhaps a coffee?"
A waiter rushes over and waits for my word. I shake my head. How about an explanation?
"I see you're a bit antsy," he comments.
"Very observant." I feel the heat of his glare on my face. "Sorry. The sarcasm just slips out. It's habit."
"I'm going to cut to the chase then. You're just the girl I've been looking for."
"Oh," I say, raising my eyebrows. What the-
"I mean I need a favor from you," he continues.
"Right," I mutter. "Of course that's what you meant." He sips his coffee and takes a moment to admire the lights of the city out the window. I smell the sea as a breeze blows through the room. It was fall back in the states - windy and cool. But here it was still gorgeous. The sun still brightened up the sky, making it possible to hang at the beach.
"You see Leah, I'm in a bit of a situation. My father had originally planned on passing the family business down to me-"
"Until your engagement fiasco," I mutter. Rex glares at me again. The flecks of gold in his cocoa eyes glimmer in the light. "Sorry."
"But," he clears his throat. "In light of recent events that had to be publicized all over the world, my father has changed his mind."
"Ouch," I mumble.
"Yes indeed." Rex nods, taking a calming breath. "My father is now considering passing the business to my cousin Warren. He's been mentoring him for quite some time."
"That sucks," I respond. Rex does a double take, unsure if I was being sarcastic or serious. I shrug. "What? It does."
"In fact once Warren secures the company's future by finding a wife, I'm convinced that'll be it. He will be handed what's rightfully mine." I nod like I actually care. But the truth was I didn't give a crap about his problems. I was just being polite. I had more important things to worry about . . . like getting home in one piece. My stomach churns as I anxiously think about packing up my room and catching the next available flight to the U.S. "This is why I need you."
"Me? What can I do?"
"It's simple," he chuckles. "I want you to date him." I hold back a laugh.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" I ask.
"I trust you," he replies.
"No, you trust my sister. I'm not Kat."
"I still trust you," he insists. "I want you to date Warren. Keep him occupied, and most importantly distract him from his work."
"Look," I sigh. "I'm sorry this is happening to you right now but-"
"I'll pay you." His comment makes me sit up straighter in my chair.
"How much?"
"Listen Leah," he begins. "I won't pretend that I haven't done my homework. I know what's going on. I know you need the money."
"How do you-"
"I will pay off your debts," he goes on. "But in return I need this favor." My heart leaps as I imagine myself shopping without wondering if I was being stalked by Leron and his posse.
"You want me to date him," I repeat. "That's it, right? And if by some twist in the universe he's not into me? Then what?"
"Trust me," Rex smiles. "You're exactly his type. But I'll keep my word. You do the best you can and I'll do the best I can."
"Let's say I agree to this nonsense." I lean closer, tossing a strand of hair over my shoulder. I couldn't afford to say no, but I didn't want to seem desperate. I was already hiding a lifetime of embarrassment behind my perfectly lined eyes. How the hell did Rex know about LeRoux? "Please tell me Warren isn't a hairy forty-year-old with a foot fetish." Rex quietly laughs.
"See you're perfect for this," he answers. "Warren was raised in New York and he's twenty-nine." My heart leaps. The icing on the cupcake would be knowing that Warren looked just like Rex, maybe even hotter.
"And you want me to bump into him? Buy him a drink? Get him to buy me a drink? What?"
"Alright," Rex says in a lower voice. "Here are the specifics. I will give you all the information you need - everything there is to know about him. I want you to play hard to get. Let him fall for you. And when he's smitten there are two important meetings he must be late for."
"So you want to pay me to keep your rich cousin out of a conference room?"
"Essentially . . . yes."
"Um . . ."
"It's not like I'm paying you to sleep with him," he adds. My eyes go wide. I try to avoid blushing. "I just want the two of you to date for a while." He takes another sip of coffee and stares at the frown on my face. "Leah, be honest with yourself for a minute. You don't have much of a choice here." I sigh, glancing down at my worn sneakers. Rex was right, but I'd always had a hard time doing anything if it was something I was being told to do. Even if it was a decision I was about to make on my own anyway.
I didn't have the option to say no. Not if I wanted to live to my twenty-second birthday.
"Fine," I nod. "I'll do it. But no one can know about this. I mean no one."
"I wouldn't
have it any other way." Rex pulls out a silver money clip and sets down a wad of hundred dollar bills. "Here. Buy yourself a sexy cocktail dress."
"Thanks," I mutter. It feels weird to take the money but Rex had a point. I couldn't meet an up-and-coming billionaire looking like this. Jeans and half a t-shirt. I needed something designer. Rex grins and stands up to leave.
"Oh," he says, slightly twisting his mouth. "One more thing." Here it comes. The "but". "You might have a bit of competition."
"What do you mean competition?"
"I mean Warren has been seeing someone. A girl called Brooklyn."
I roll my eyes, dumping the ball of cash back on the table.
"I may be a serial dater," I respond, standing up too. "But I'm not a homewrecker."
"They're not exclusive," Rex says. "They've just been seeing each other off and on."
"And you're scared he'll propose once he realizes what could happen if he marries her," I finish. I shake my head and bolt for the door. "I'm out!"
"Stop," Rex calmly commands. "You know what will happen if you walk out that door?" I freeze. "Since your little incident at the casino, your every move has been watched. They will find you, and they will make you pay somehow. Do you understand that?" It was all I could do not to burst into tears. I thought about Leron pinning me against the wall. The hate in his eyes and the fire behind his sinister laugh. This was the only way I could escape a repeat. You have to. It's the opportunity you've been hoping for. Don't throw it away! I slowly turn to face him, eyeing the cash on the table. My ticket to a hot night of clubbing, all expenses paid. Not to mention . . . freedom.
"You can help me?" I whisper. Rex nods with surety. "I'll never have to . . . face those bastards again?"
"You made a mistake," he answers. "And I'll make sure it stays in the past where it belongs. You have my word."
"Okay," I say quietly. "It's a deal. . . Warren better be hot or I'll charge you extra."
