I sat perfectly still while my best friend and makeup artist, Cassie, did a complete makeover on my face. My mind was reeling with how I would handle this night—the night that Mitchell and Associates celebrated the merge of two highly-acclaimed architectural firms.
I wanted to chew my dad’s ass out for being charmed by Alex Grayson—letting the perks of Grayson’s investment company seduce him into allowing this merge—but that would be impossible since Dad’s Alzheimer’s took a turn for the worst two years ago. Dad had set up this merge without telling me, just like he waited until the last minute to tell me about his diagnosis. I supposed he was trying to protect me, but his lack of faith in me was a tad bit soul-crushing. Why couldn’t he trust that I’d keep Stone Architects Group moving forward and expanding globally without the help of Mitchell and Associates?
It didn’t matter anymore because Mr. Alex Grayson no longer worked as the vice president for that company anymore, anyway. Now, Alex would be my partner because he’d recently become the owner of the architectural firm that was intended to merge with mine. My partner. God help me. I should’ve taken more time to research this man, but I was too busy losing my London deal instead. Another story for a different day.
“All right,” Cassie said, stepping back and taking in her artwork. “The highlights in your hair were needed big time.” She tapped the back of her makeup brush to her glossy lips. “The eyeliner works,” she paused and arched her eyebrow in some kind of warning, “only because it’s an evening party. This shade of eyeshadow makes your green eyes pop too.”
“You’re acting like I’m walking a red carpet, Cass,” I laughed.
“You are. The fact that this celebratory event is being held at the Beverly Wilshire makes it so,” she said, grabbing my silk gown. “All right, then. The pale color of this strapless dress sets off the hints of red in your auburn hair.” She helped me into the gown and stepped back after ensuring it fit as if I were one of her models that she was prepping for their photoshoot. “Yeah, you’re lucky your boobs don’t sag because you’re not wearing a bra with this dress. We can’t have lines.”
“Hold up,” I sighed. “What if the spotlight falls on me while I’m on that stage? Have you thought of that? This dress could be see-through, and I don’t need my high beams becoming Mitchell and Associates’ newest headline because they’re throwing this unnecessary merge party for Brooks Architectural Firm and us.”
“James Mitchell would never allow that,” she said, more worried about ensuring the dress hugged every curve in my body. “Perfection.” She smiled. “Now, you’re ready to show your new partner how lucky he is to help run your company.”
I arched an eyebrow at her. “I think you have that one backwards. I’ll be helping him run his company.”
“You’ll both be running the company together,” my assistant, Nicole, spoke up with a sigh. She sat cross-legged on the sofa in my dressing room, scrolling through her phone. She pulled her reading glasses off and eyed me. “Sheesh, if you can’t accept this merge by now, all you’re going to do is make the man hate you, and then neither of you will be getting anywhere with two great companies merging.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I exhaled. “I’m the artistic one, and he’s the businessman.”
“Exactly,” Nicole said while she shot me her usual smug grin. “Keep that in mind tonight, please.”
“Hard to do when Theo and I have been the ones running my family’s company since Dad left,” I answered, grabbing my clutch. “But I’ll be a good girl and do my best to accept Alex Grayson as my new business partner.”
I left my best friend and assistant in a rush, knowing I was pressed for time already, and I headed straight to the elevators that led out of the luxurious apartments that my dad helped design years ago.
I loved my home. It would’ve been nice to have a place near the beach, but that wasn’t in the cards since I didn’t want that crazy of a commute to work. I would rather stay close to my business and fully immerse myself into the company—that I suddenly felt I was losing in this merge.
Shit, don’t think like this, I had to remind myself, knowing I was already missing the first part of this event, and showing up late was not what I’d planned on for first impressions while meeting my new business partner.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
I glanced at my phone, knowing I was minutes away from the Beverly Wilshire where the party was taking place. “Hey, Theo,” I answered my vice president and the man who was as close to me as a brother. “I’m almost there. An accident jammed-up traffic, and now I’m seriously late, I know.”
“For God’s sake, Bree,” he said. “Why would you choose tonight—of all nights in history—to be late to something? Why?”
“No shit. I’m sorry, but I don’t control the traffic. Also, I had a client go over this evening, and I wasn’t about to drop them because of a company merge that would happen whether or not I was at this stupid party. Besides, we both know this is just a bragging event for Mitchell and Associates. The official merge is when we start collaborating on Monday.”
“Damn it, Breanne,” he practically growled. “I know you’re deliberately avoiding this, but you’ve screwed yourself by not getting your ass here when the press was snapping pictures of us all walking in. You also missed the official announcement that Mr. Mitchell made to all those cameras for business insiders. The best part came when I had to stand in your place alongside Mr. Grayson while the man was forced to make a speech in his new partner’s absence tonight. Well done, you’ve officially dodged all the important reasons for this event.”
I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. Theo had every reason to be pissed at me after all the work that’d gone into this. “All of what you just said is the reason I hate this. It feels like they slipped this all under my nose. It’s like every other thing that’s happened with this freaking merge.”
“Listen up,” Theo said. “I know the personal reasons why you’re not mentally on board with this, but you need to snap your ass out of this fast. You’re never late to anything. Ever. You’re the face of Stone Architects Group, and it was sort of a slap in everyone’s face that you weren’t here for the kick-off of this merge.”
I felt tears of frustration start to surface, and I never cried. This was the last thing I needed. “Well, I didn’t realize they’d make the official announcement tonight,” I said, trying to defend myself and keep the tears back.
“That’s because you’re in denial,” he said. “You’ve been avoiding this all month. Now, you missed your time to show them they are fortunate that Stone is merging with Brooks. And let me reiterate the fact that you’re not just a little bit late. Dinner has come to an end, and the dancing has commenced.” He exhaled. “You know what? I’m done lecturing. I’m exhausted. Just get here, Bree. I think Mr. Mitchell already took off, and Grayson with him too.”
I sensed his frustration, but what was I supposed to do? Did he expect me to get out of the car on the gridlocked freeway and run there? I had to defend myself and lack of professionalism. “It looks like the traffic has forced me to meet Mr. Grayson on Monday, which was when I genuinely believed this would all be considered official.”
“I want you to listen to me when I tell you something. Okay?”
“Okay,” I sighed, pinching the bridge between my nose.
“This merge is a good thing for you, us, and our company. Primarily, it’s a blessing for you. You’re our imaginative and overly creative dreamer; you always have been. That part of your happiness in this field was stolen when your dad was diagnosed, and we lost him soon after that. You not only had to grieve his death, but you also had to ditch your dreams of designing amazing shit when you had to take over the business side of everything. Mr. Grayson will take over in those areas, and you will be free to go back to your first love of creating, imagining, and engineering again. It’s a gift, and you keep kicking it in the balls.”
After tipping my driver, I stepped out of the car, and I glanced up at the magnificence of the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. “You’re right,” I said. “I’m sorry I let you and everyone down tonight. I am Theo.”
“Just get your ass in there and mingle a little bit. The big guys are gone, but that’s not who you are anyway. You’re the one who sees eye-to-eye with the employees who are the core of our company. Enjoy being with them and show them that you are just as thrilled about this merge as they are.”
“Get my ass in there?” I questioned. “That sounds a lot like you’re not in there as I speak to you. Don’t tell me you left, too?”
“I handled all of your important business. You know, making excuses as to why you weren’t here for the ceremony and shit like that? My part is done, and I’m leaving now that you’re here to take over. I have a headache, and I told Stanton it’s his turn to rub my feet after the night I’ve had. He’s already drawing my bubble bath, waiting for me at home.”
“God, I feel like I wasted Cass’s time with this whole dress-up stuff.”
“There are still some suits here with eyes on everyone. Flash that pretty smile of yours at them, and do your part.”
“Go enjoy Stanton and your bath. I’ll do my part.” I rolled my eyes, looking for the signs that led me to the ballroom. “I’ll see what I can salvage after being Mr. Grayson’s flaky new business partner tonight.”
“That’s my girl.” Theo laughed. “Owning up like she always does. See you tomorrow at lunch.”
“See you tomorrow,” I said, ending the call.
I walked in, music playing loudly. For the first time since Dad passed, I felt almost anonymous in a room full of peers. At least, it didn’t appear as if I were running one of the best architect firms in Southern California, and I didn’t feel like the woman who ran the company. I was a—
Nope. Get out of your head. You’re Breanne Mother-Fucking Stone, and even though you’re late, you’re still one of the executives. Time to woman-up, I thought, hating that I’d put myself in a position to look bad at this event.
Instead of cowering, I raised my chin and smiled. I wasn’t going to allow being late to break me down in front of mixed company—Brooks Architectural Firm employees and my very own employees. I was a tenacious woman who ran a badass firm, and I was late because I wasn’t about to tell a client they were interfering with my party time.
Sphere Company was expanding on the coast, and I needed them as my clients. They would be my gift and show of strength that my company carried with them into this merge. I worked overtime, showing them my plans and visions for the hotel resort they were planning to build in Malibu. I was their girl, and I landed the deal—I just needed to seal it. That’s why I was walking in late.
It was a shame that Alexander Grayson couldn’t be bothered to hang around a little longer to meet his new partner. That was on him, and I’d question his priorities with this partner stuff when I met the man on Monday. The fact that he left early tonight was a slap in my face, actually. Would he have treated a man with the same lack of respect? Doubtful. But that was the price of being a woman in a man’s world. Unfortunately for him, the patriarchy could kiss my ass. I deserved my spot at this table.
Theo was right. These employees were my people, the ones who were the core of the company. I wasn’t a stuck up suit, and I didn’t act like one either. Now, it was time to interact with these new faces and enjoy mingling with the employees who kept these two firms running. You know, the important ones behind the curtain that business executives never gave too much credit. People like Alexander Grayson, my new partner, who left early, would differ from me in this merge. He’d be the stuck-up jerk in a suit, and I would be the down-to-earth boss they all could relate to.
After an hour of laughter, new faces, and meeting the lively group who’d received the exclusive invites to the event tonight, I felt quite satisfied that I’d done my part. Everyone enjoyed themselves, and after the room started to empty, I felt the need for a stiff drink. I remained at the party with the small group who’d stayed behind for the free drinks and dancing, and I found myself at the bar.
I ordered a gin and tonic, with no desire for my usual martini. After the stress of this night, I downed my cocktail faster than I expected and called for another.
Damn, I needed this drink like a month ago. I felt my nerves unwind with the first cocktail down the hatch, and it was the most relaxed I’d been since finding out about this merge.
A slight buzz washed over me just as I spotted my ex-fiancé with an animated, leggy blonde hanging on his arm.
Of all the times and places. What the hell is he doing here? I thought, knowing I wasn’t ready to see this man again. I would never be ready to see this man again.
I squinted my eyes to be sure. Yep, it was Max.
Oh, hell no. He was not seeing me sitting at a bar and drinking alone. I had the upper hand on this jerk since our split, and I wasn’t about to lose that.
Yet, here I was. And there he was with some beauty on his arm—it was as if the devil himself had sent my ex to ensure this night was a complete failure.
Maybe I was getting payback for the way I called it off with Max? I did ditch the bastard at the altar on our wedding day, but it was after I saw a video of him cheating on me, so I figured I wasn’t the monster in the situation, but it’s not like blaming him made me feel any better.
Now, here he was with a perfect-looking broad? She was stunning and dressed in a tight black dress, complete with bouncing boobs nearly spilling out of it. Seeing them together made me feel sick to my stomach.
Why the hell do I suddenly care about what this miserable prick does and who he does it with? It was a year ago, Bree. You’re over this loser, I reminded myself when I saw him beaming, and then they turned and moved toward my direction.
Goddammit. He can’t see me drinking alone. That asshole would just fucking love that. No way. Think of something, Breanne. You’re creative. It’s what you do, create shit.
When Max smirked like a cocky asshole when our eyes met, I reflexively turned to my left and saw a young man. I sized him up quickly. He was about my age and dressed sharply in a crisp white shirt, suspenders, and a bowtie.
This could work, I thought as he ordered a bourbon sour.
I was running with enough liquid courage that I did something that my sober mind would have never considered. This wasn’t creative; this was beyond being desperate to hold my own against my ex, who was currently heading my way.
I grabbed the man’s sleeve. When he turned to me, my eyes widened when I saw how out-of-this-world beautiful this guy was.
“Oh, Jesus. You are quite handsome,” I spoke the truth out loud like a crazy woman.
He smiled at my bluntness, thank God.
“Breanne Stone,” the striking man said with a grin that made the liquor in my system fuel this insane idea even more. “Lovely to meet you.”
His assertive voice carried a deep scratch to it that was as hot as he was.
The liquid in my system told me I didn’t have time to gawk.
My proper mindset told me just to walk away.
Buzzed Bree didn’t listen to her practical mind, so I accepted the man’s gesture and pressed on.
“I’m happy you feel that way,” I answered with a rushed smile. “Listen, I don’t have time to explain, but I need you to do me a huge favor and go along with me on something,” I begged, turning to see that Max and the blonde’s pursuit to the bar had been interrupted by a brief, passing conversation. Max’s eyes moved over to where I was again, and I was not letting this asshole have the upper hand of happiness on me.
I turned back to the guy who seemed pleased to meet one of the new partners in this company merge. “Okay. Question. Do you know that man over there? The one in the burgundy button-down and gray slacks with that blonde woman on his arm?” I asked.
My victim’s humored green eyes peered around me as he took a casual sip of his drink. “I’m not sure about the gentleman, but the blonde woman he’s with works for Mitchell and Associates.”
“So I assume you work for them as well?” I asked. “Please tell me she doesn’t know who you are.”
“No,” he chuckled. “At least not that I’m aware of.” He eyed them, playing along with whatever in the hell I was doing to his poor, handsome self at the moment. “I just know that she’s new to the company.”
“Good, then you’re my boyfriend.” I locked eyes with his wide and playful ones. “Can you go along with that lie for me? I promise I will make this up to you somehow, but that’s my ex, and it’s quite a long story.” I cringed at what I just asked of the guy.
As I took the time to reflect on the fact that I was obliterating any chance of this divine man ever thinking I was a normal human being, his lips turned up into the most deliciously devilish grin. I had to admit that I loved the fact that he might play along with my immature, liquor-driven idea.
The shadow along his cheek and jaw created a razor-sharp chiseled face that I couldn’t help but stare at. His face was well defined, and his hair was cut longer on the top than the back and sides. He must’ve been a model, hired to be a seat-filler at this party. Mitchell and Associates had models that covered their magazines, and I knew for sure this guy wasn’t one of my employees.
“Bree?” I heard a familiar laugh come from behind me.
Max.
“Hey,” I said as I turned around. “Why are you here?” I thought I’d play it cooler than cutting right to the chase, but apparently not.
“My girlfriend. Bree, this is Haley. Haley’s company invited her to attend this event,” Max said, smiling at the woman. He looked at me smugly, like the fucker he was. “Drinking alone, I see. It looks like you’ve turned into the lonely CEO I’d always knew you’d become, huh? As they all say, must be pretty lonely at the top.”
I sucked in a ragged breath, but I suddenly calmed down when I felt the dreamboat of a man beside me pull me into his sturdy side. “My lady, a lonely CEO? Hell no,” the man I’d pleaded to roleplay with me scoffed at my dumb-ass ex. “I would hardly call what we have going lonely, would you, Breanne?” The man’s voice was authoritative, mature, and confident.
He was perfect for this, and I owed him big time.
“Hardly lonely…” I looked back at my savior. “What’s your name?” I mouthed, and he smiled some cheeky grin in return to me.
“I’m Logan,” he announced to Max as he pulled me closer to him and extended his hand to shake my ex-douchebag’s hand. “I worked at Mitchell for a time,” he said, looking at the blonde who was just as taken by this stone-cold fox as I was. “You’ve been pretty high-spirited tonight that you work for them. I’ve heard you talking about it.”
“Oh,” she snickered as she blushed. “I love it there. Do you still work for the company too?”
Dreamy eyes looked at me. “Not anymore.” He arched an eyebrow that would make any woman melt and smiled at me. “Now, I’m Breanne’s number one man, and soon to be…” He stopped. “Should we tell them, darling?”
Darling? I smiled, then turned back to my ex and his arm ornament. “Why not?” I ran my hand down the center of dreamy eyes’ shirt. Damn! All muscle. I pulled it together and smiled and Logan’s sexy grin. “Logan and I are going to be tying the knot?” I looked back at Max. “Poor Logan had to deal with me turning him down a couple of times—you know, due to all the past traumas and insecurities I have from being cheated on—but in the end, I said, yes.” I smiled sweetly at Logan, who was watching me ramble.
“You’re still not over that?” Max asked defensively. “Three years ago and—”
“She is now,” Logan spoke for me.
Max eyed Mr. Hotness. “How long have you two been…” he stopped watching me with some cowardly look.
“God,” Logan said with a dramatic sigh and a shit-eating grin. “It certainly has been in the works for a while. Call me a sappy romantic…” He locked eyes with me. “Nonetheless, since the moment we announced the engagement, the time has practically flown by.” He took a sip of his amber drink and looked at Max. “Now, it feels as though this festive event is pretty much celebrating us,” he said and clinked his glass of bourbon to mine. “Cheers to us, Breanne.”
“Cheers.” I grinned at his excellent response.
I turned fully to him, my eyes thanking him for the fact that he was going along with this charade for my benefit.
I certainly didn’t expect a demon from my past to join me in my night of fuckery after showing up late to this important event, and I didn’t expect for it to have this effect on me either. Max was a worm, and I knew my sober self would’ve walked the hell out of here without a word. But here we all were. Thanks a lot, gin.
“I heard you are working with the former VP of Mitchell,” the blonde said, cutting through the silence of my locked-up thoughts and the tangled mess I’d pulled myself into. I looked back at her. “Sounds like you’re the lucky one,” she said. “From what I understand, Mr. Grayson is pretty hot.” She wiggled her eyebrows, making me furrow my brows in response before I looked at Max.
I hope she cheats on your ass, too, slimeball.
“What?” Max questioned, stepping up to the bar and guiding the blonde to sit next to him.
I almost answered, but instead, I looked back at the poor guy I’d roped into my drama. I hoped I never saw him again. This scenario couldn’t have been any more humiliating. What happened to the bold woman I was? Where the hell did she go? I was so out of character that I couldn’t think straight, and my buzz was propelling me further into this flaming pile of garbage. So, naturally, I downed the last of my third cocktail.
Bad idea? Meh. Fuck it.
“Hello? Are you still on the planet with us? God, you still space out like a weirdo, Bees,” Max insulted me with the name I hated most. “Are you jealous of my new girl?”
“You have seen the man she’s spending the rest of her life with, right?” Logan said about our fake engagement. “I hardly believe jealousy is what is on my girl’s mind.”
“Then why are you acting so fucking weird?” Max asked.
“It’s been a long night with the company merge…” I started.
“Rumor has it that you weren’t even here and that Grayson dude had to do your job too,” Max clicked his tongue after he cut me off. “Bad timing on that unprofessional slip-up.”
All of my witty comebacks, which were usually at the tip of my tongue, were frozen by the fact that this was getting messier and uglier and more mortifying by the second.
“I’m sure Mr. Grayson will forgive me for working late tonight.” I smiled. “You wouldn’t know the first thing about working, much less working late, though, would you, Max?”
Max rolled his eyes. “We weren’t here for Mr. Grayson’s announcement, but word is floating around that he expected nothing less from a woman like you.”
I felt my fists ball up in response. “I was certain Mr. Grayson was especially happy Bree was late,” Logan said. “In fact, after seeing him tonight and listening to him speak, I’m going to worry about that man working so closely with you.” He looked at me and pursed his perfect lips. “Alexander Grayson is quite the catch, and I can’t lose you completely to that appealing businessman.”
I smiled, somehow my nerves chilling under this man’s steady gaze. “Kiss me,” I softly said.
Did I just ask him to kiss me? Was my drink spiked? What the hell am I doing? Self-sabotaging?
“Kiss you?” Logan softly questioned, capturing me with his daring smile and perplexed expression.
Max and Beach Barbie were distracted by her cosmopolitan not being made to her liking, and I was in awe of the perfection and beauty bottled up in this man in front of me. I was confident I must’ve been possessed earlier and didn’t realize it until now—possessed by the old, wild and daring side of me that’d been stifled since my parents died and I had to become the responsible CEO.
Between losing my parents and Max’s final nail in my coffin, I’d turned into a stiff businesswoman with blinders on, but at this moment, I felt like my old self. The fun, friendly, silly, goofball. The alcohol was the culprit for taking it to extremes with a stranger, but there was no turning back now. The guy seemed like he might actually kiss me, so I pressed for more, not even remembering the point I wanted to make with the gesture.
“Yes. I said, kiss me.” I arched an eyebrow at him, my eyes playfully drifting back to my idiot ex.
He took a sip of his bourbon sour and nodded. “Do you want a peck or a show-stopper that’ll rid you of the douche bag who’s starting to piss me off with all of his derogatory comments at your expense?”
My eyebrows rose with my smile. “I mean, when you need to make a point, it seems like you have to go with a show-stopper. Like it or not, I guess.”
His laughter was infectious, and I couldn’t help but join in happily. I hadn’t been silly and laughed about something so frivolous in…well, way too long.
“The sacrifices we have to make sometimes, right?” he said, sliding the corner of his mouth in between his teeth and eyeing Max and Beach Barbie.
“So, when’s the big day for you and Logan?” Max asked snottily, obviously seeing right through my stupid little game. Then he laughed, “You can stop acting like you both are together now. You look like an idiot, Bree.” He looked at Logan. “Sorry, dude. She’s sort of an odd one.”
“Listen,” Logan said, taking my hand in his, “your insults prove that you’re the one having difficulty losing this beauty on my arm.”
“You can’t be serious?” he questioned Logan while I felt the need to run the hell out of here after asking him to kiss me, and now Max saw right through my game.
“I am,” Logan said, steadying me on my feet, one arm gracefully sliding on my back and the other holding my hand. “I’m also serious when I say that you’re a dick too.”
“Bree, you’re really marrying this asshole?”
I couldn’t answer. My brain was mush, I was livid, and I was embarrassed.
“We’re taking off,” Logan answered for me. “I think my lady has had enough of her asshole ex questioning her. Hey, I know you don’t work for either company present tonight, but it’s a known fact that no one questions Breanne Stone. Goodnight.”
“What the hell did I just do?” I said, feeling more clearheaded as we walked outside into the fresh night air. I looked at Logan’s tall frame as he followed me out. “I swear to God that I’m not that immature in real life. I don’t do shit like this ever. And—oh, my God—if you work for me? Totally unacceptable behavior to ask you to kiss me.” I walked away from the front doors of the exquisite hotel.
“It was hard to resist, but if you caught my eye when you first walked in tonight, I’m quite sure all eyes were on you at that bar tonight too. It was for the best that nothing happened,” he said, trying to make me feel more comfortable about my pathetic idea.
“Well, I’m sorry anyway,” I answered. “If you work for me, that could—”
“Technically, I work for Mr. Mitchell,” he said.
“Great. You’re one of his models, aren’t you? I knew it. This is right up there with the lamest way I’ve ever behaved in my life,” I said, finding a bench and sitting on it.
“Well, I must say that finding Breanne Stone nearly fall victim to a complete douche bag tonight was not something I imagined her doing when I had the privilege of first meeting her.”
I was so spun out. I was pissed at my lack of professionalism, the weakness I didn’t realize I still had concerning Max, and this entire fuck-up of a night. There was no backing out of this and nothing to excuse my behavior.
“Listen, Logan, I don’t know what article you may have read about me or what that man, Mr. Grayson, said about me tonight to put that in your head, but I’m human too. Human’s crack sometimes.” I leaned back, pressing my fingers against my forehead. “My God, what possessed me to fall apart like this? I’m so humiliated.” I kept my eyes closed, willing this other-worldly, gorgeous model to leave and never see me again. “Please, God, can you keep this between us?”
I gained the courage to look over at him as he sat at my side. “I’m not the one you should worry about. It seems like your ex might have something to say about you wanting to kiss your handsome fiancé.”
I grimaced. “I’m sorry I brought you into that and my demons from the past. There’s nothing I can say to get you to respect the woman I really am, but hell, this has most certainly been a night I wish I could restart.”
“Nothing wrong with wanting to kiss your future life-long partner,” he smirked. “I’ll keep it between us.” He rose. “Hey, will you be okay? That man was a bit off-color in the way he should treat a lady.”
I laughed. “I was a bit off-color the last time I saw him.” I looked up and took in the man’s muscular figure and what must’ve been all six-foot-four or so inches of him.
“Strange, but I can’t imagine that from you.”
“Neither could any of our wedding guests.”
“That sounds like a story I want to hear,” he chuckled, and it must have been because of my expression.
“Yeah, and I wish it was a story I could forget,” I said, shaking my head and not wanting to get into it any further.
“Then I hope, for your sake, one day you will.” He stepped back with a smile. “It was lovely to meet you, Ms. Stone.”
“Hey,” I called out as he strode away like the runway model he was. “It was nice to meet you too. Thanks again for roleplaying with me tonight.”
He stopped and turned back. “You’re going to be a damn fine partner for Mr. Grayson.”
I stared at him as he walked off like he owned the world, and I couldn’t muster the courage to chase him down. I could’ve used a night of letting that god kiss away all of this shit, but it was for the best to let him walk on. God only knew what the rumors would be on Monday if that man talked about what I had done.
Sneak Peek: Part II
Bree
“The suits are here,” Nicole, my assistant, proclaimed while I sat in our conference room, waiting impatiently. “Five minutes early, unlike you, who—”
“Nicole,” I snapped, pulling my blazer down. “Thank you. I understand I was late for the gala. The entire room is aware of it, as well. We don’t need reminders.”
“Got it,” she cringed. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize, just lead them in.”
All right. Moment of truth. Time to meet my new business partner, who I needed to start appreciating for allowing me to go back to my focus on design and engineering.
“Are you ready to start the beginning of something new and exciting?” Theo asked, taking his seat next to me.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” I smiled at my right-hand man. “Are you?”
“After I saw the smile that was plastered on your face at brunch on Sunday,” Theo chuckled, “I’d think you’d finally—”
“Met her life-long partner?” a familiar voice rang out as a group of crisp suits walked into the room.
I looked up to see Logan. His smile was as radiant as mine must have been after telling Theo my dark secret of how I handled Max’s unexpected cameo at the conference.
I observed Logan in his three-piece business suit and stared in confusion as to who the hell this man really was who was sitting across from me—because he sure as shit wasn’t a model if he was in this meeting.
Mr. Mitchell remained standing and announced himself, but I couldn’t peel my eyes away from Logan.
“Logan?” I finally questioned, lost in his dazzling smile highlighted by his gray suit and black tie.
I looked at Mr. Mitchell after he softly coughed out a laugh. He was as handsome as Logan was. For a brief moment I had to wonder where the hell these impossibly gorgeous men came from.
“Did I miss something?” I asked, seeing Mr. Mitchell was suddenly amused after I greeted Logan.
“And that’s my cue.” Logan rose, buttoned his suit jacket, and I didn’t miss the humored eye contact he gave Mr. Mitchell.
I felt ice-cold panic shoot up my spine at the thought that the man I’d roped into an elaborate roleplay, ending with forced sexual advances, was a goddamn executive. What had I done? This couldn’t have possibly gotten any worse.
“Good afternoon,” Logan greeted us, his voice still that sexy deep rasp. “Most of you already met me when I introduced myself at the gala.” He looked at me. “But for those of you who were late, allow me to introduce myself.” His face was commanding, and I suddenly felt played. “I’m Alexander Grayson…”
That’s all I heard after the ringing in my ears made me fucking deaf. Seriously. For the next hour of him talking, I couldn’t focus on one single word. I felt like my head was in a barrel, and everything was muffled. How—of all people on the planet—was this man Alexander Grayson?
