Corporate Assets Read online

  “You look relieved,” Lauren pointed out. “Your body’s relaxed considerably within the past ten seconds.”

  My cheeks turned red. “I had wondered if this were some kind of weird setup.” My thoughts flashed to the thought of the crazy couples role-play scenario, and I suppressed the urge to skitter laughter. I’d sound like a hyena, nervous and unhinged, if this came to be.

  Lauren’s countenance remained jest-like; she had the kind of energy that let you know she picked up on everything, even if she never said anything. Thank god people couldn’t read minds.

  “Will you use Sage Bush as the name you want on your contract? And would you prefer a direct wire, or cash?”

  “I love cash,” I replied instantly. “Direct wires are nice also. Either way, they go to the same place: my hands.”

  “That being said, I’m curious. What made you answer the ad? From what your resume says, you have a background in corporate marketing.”

  I sipped my pretty pink drink slowly before responding. “I honestly thought this was a joke. You know online websites have all kinds of people on there. I didn’t take this seriously, but I figured, hey, what were my chances?”

  “What did you think you would find when you came here?” Case inquired. His eyes glittered, the same level of intrigue in his expression as Lauren’s.

  “To be frank, I had every scenario you could think of in my head. I assumed I’d be tricked into coming by a dirty old man looking for a sugar baby. I imagined the possibility that this was just a catfish setup. I even thought this was just some bored guy’s way of looking for women.”

  “Yet you still came?”

  I shrugged. “Everyone needs a little excitement in their life.”

  “Are you working?”

  I bristled. I knew I should have been prepared to answer this question, but I told myself I would handle it when the time came.

  Honesty was everything, sometimes, but being honest now just didn’t have an automatic affirmation of approval.

  “I’m… between jobs at the moment.” I admitted. “The company I worked for folded recently.”

  Case’s expression softened, and Lauren clammed up. His tone was reticent, and he apologized for bringing it up. Lauren gave an understanding look, but remained silent.

  “It’s okay,” I assured them. “You didn’t know. I should have been prepared to address this, but I wasn’t.”

  “Well, should questions arise when you’re around my father and our associates, we’ll have a game plan of what to say, how to say it, and when,” Case assured. “I won’t leave you to the sharks on this one.”

  Lauren’s wry smile appeared. “Even then, who knows? You’re already a few weeks away from finishing your second Master’s degree.”

  “You know, that’s true. But where will it even lead? School is important, but only to an extent. Finding work has been tough for me.”

  “They’re definitely not handing out as many jobs as they have been to match those degrees.” Her tone of voice held empathy that let me know she wasn’t just talking to talk, but truly understood my struggle.

  “Exactly my point. I’m on the hook for student loans, but there’s no guarantee of job security. Nothing to secure my future, but I’ll always secure Uncle Sam’s.”

  Lauren and I shared a scoff and shook our heads. I decided I liked her. She was one of the prettiest women I’d ever seen, yet she was so relatable, fun, and down to Earth. If I were selected to become Case’s fiancée for hire, she would be very cool to befriend, and a good source for acclimation to his culture.

  “If I were to be considered for this role, what can I expect?” I twirled my fork around my appetizer, wondering if I’d built enough rapport to shove that delicious forkful in my mouth. My tummy said yes, but the desire to leave a lasting impression said wait.

  “First of all, you can expect to be yourself,” Case answered. “Be only yourself, pretend you’re in love with me, and let it really seem as if you’re ready to get married. My father wants nothing more than to see me settled with an intelligent, beautiful woman who actually cares about me.”

  “Will we actually get married?” My top lip curled up on the right side, and my heart fluttered. I was attracted to Case, and he was acutely attracted to me, it seemed. But pretending to marry was different from actually tying the knot.

  “No, not in the legal sense anyway.” His tone was assured and smooth. “I think the image of us moving toward the aisle is much more important than actually getting there. My father’s probably just going to need to see us together from time to time, so we’ll have to attend family events. And the wedding to complete the show, if that’s okay with you?”

  “It is,” I beamed. “I love a good wedding. Great drinks, delicious food. Happy people.”

  Lauren’s grin lit up the booth. “I think we have a strong candidate here. Gorgeous, relaxed, intelligent.”

  “Can hold a conversation,” Case added. “And definitely worth the wait.”

  I blushed at his mild jab, a reference to making him wait while I was in the bathroom, trying to get my nerves together.

  “Thank you.” I replied. “I’m sorry I made you wait. I was extremely nervous.”

  “She was,” Lauren chimed in. “She was nearly hyperventilating in the bathroom.”

  “Oh hush!” I replied, my cheeks staining pink with horror.

  “I’m just kidding, I’m just kidding,” she laughed. She nodded, “But you did look very nervous.”

  “I’m definitely glad you stuck it out.” Case said. His eyes intensified, and I felt a delirious tingle cover my body. It was the same intense feeling I got when he looked me directly in the eyes and waved.

  It was the look that told me, You’re not getting away from me.

  The waitress approached the table with the check. Before she could set it down, Case held up his hand, and pulled a card from his wallet. “All on me. Here you go.”

  The evening was wrapping to an end, and I still had about half my drink left. I sipped slowly, fighting the urge to finish as we continued our conversation. I was comfortable, yes, but I still didn’t want to look like a lush in front of them.

  “Here’s our offer.” Lauren scribbled on a napkin. “This would be the estimate of how much you’d be paid, of course for your work. Take a look at this, and let us know if this will do.”

  She slid the soft paper over and I peeked down. The number was insane. $75,000. It was a salary. A salary I hadn’t yet approached in my career. Not by a long shot.

  “How long would this be for?” I played it cool, not wanting to betray the wild heartbeat in my chest. My body was going crazy at the thought of $75,000. I wouldn’t be a millionaire, but I could definitely sit pretty while I weighed my options and got my life together.

  “Assuming a relationship of six months to a year, I believe this should suffice.”

  I felt wetness between my legs, and stiffened. I got such a thrill from his presence and attention, to the point that my body reacted without my awareness. I felt its desire to bow in delicious submission, and the fantasy of him spreading me open and tasting me on the dinner table entrenched itself as tonight’s bedtime fantasy.

  Something told me each stroke he dealt would shatter me, destroy me with a pleasure my body hadn’t felt in a long time.

  Being selective while single meant I didn’t find dating opportunities as often as others. Quality over quantity was the motto for me, all the way, and that was tough when you were 24 years old in a big city. Tinder was the name of the game for most guys, and the ones who were serious? Sooo not my type.

  “Of course, this is just the base compensation,” Case added. “Your outfits, our dates, and other gifts are part of your benefits package. You can also access a personal trainer, if that’s something you think you need.”

  “I probably will take advantage of that,” I joked. “Lord knows I love good food.”

  Case’s eyes brightened. “Do you have a passport?�
�

  I tapped my purse. “I’m always ready to fly out. I’ve been thinking of Cabo recently.”

  “My father will more than likely do a destination wedding. It’s good to know you’re ready. I have no idea what he’s got planned, but I’ll cover your costs for that too.”

  He spoke as if the decision were made. In my head, I hoped so. In my heart, I desired this to be the case.

  Between my legs, I begged for him to be the one. Because I wanted to know if those benefits extended to a good dicking now and again.

  I felt like a savage, ready to be taken and fucked by a man who simply wanted to hire me. But it was clear in our conversation, between the lines, that he wanted to fuck me just as badly, if not even more desperately than I could ever imagine.

  “I’ll have Lauren send over the paperwork tonight. Feel free to review it with your lawyer before signing.” My nipples hardened when he added, “Read every line with explicit detail.”

  Case

  "So you're going all in on the first girl you've met with?" Lauren carried her tablet behind me, hammering out the details of the agreement. "Don't want to play the field? See if there are greener pastures out there?"

  I stopped, and turned around to face her. We had returned to the office to get the last bits of work done around the office before I could properly fuck off and get ready for this date. "Are you saying Sage isn't suitable for the position?"

  "No. It's not that. I just think, well, this seems like something you want to be absolutely sure of."

  "It's all a show, Lauren. We just need to get my father to believe it. If he sees me happily married, he won't care about the details." I smirked. "He isn't going to grill me on the details of her curves and the how she feels around me."

  "I don't even want to hear that, Case." She halted what she was doing. "Are you seriously fantasizing about her? You just told me it's a show."

  "She's an attractive woman. I'm an insatiable playboy. Can you blame me?"

  We reached my office. I sat down behind my desk, and her across from me. She was standing nearby just in case she wanted me to clarify any details I wanted in the contract. This was hardly a typical position I was filling, of course. Even in her years of experience, she probably hadn't dealt with anything like it.

  "You need to keep this professional, Case."

  "I'm hiring a woman to be my wife. I don't think this is how professionalism works."

  "I'm serious. The last thing you need is to get emotionally involved with this girl you're paying."

  "Again, do you disapprove of Sage?"

  "No. She seems like a fine woman. But this isn't about playing matchmaker."

  "Why shouldn't it be? Wouldn't it make this more authentic?" I raised my eyebrows playfully. Sage definitely tickled something about me that I hadn't had with a girl in quite a long time.

  If ever.

  "You ever hear the phrase that you don't shit where you eat, Case?"

  "I usually use piss, as it's slightly less vulgar, but yes, I've heard of the saying."

  "It's common when you're not born into money to worry about your longtime career prospects and not doing things that endanger job security. The saying means you shouldn't get in romantic relationships with your co-workers. Guess what? Sage is now your co-worker."

  "She is my employee if you want to go with those technicalities."

  "That makes it even worse. There's the ethics of power differentials and all that."

  "I never heard you throw this proposition at me when we were planning this."

  "Case, that was before I saw you making puppy dog eyes at this girl." She leaned forward. "Trust me on this. I've experienced the highs and lows of heartbreak. You're just going to end up with a broken heart if you do anything except being professional about this."

  "And what if we are actually meant for one another? We're soulmates or however they put it? A relationship can't go sour if you can't let it get good."

  She groaned. "I'm serious. You want your father's company right?"

  "It's the primary reason I'm going through all this, isn't it?"

  "You need to project that aura. If you're in a lover's spat, if it looks like it's not going to last, your father is going to lose faith in you."

  I groaned this time. "I highly doubt he expects me to have a perfect relationship."

  "Yeah, well, he cares about the company he helped build. I wouldn't be taking chances." Lauren turned to look outside of my office's window.

  Mike was down there. He had two little girls with him. "What's with the kids?"

  "It's take your daughter to work day. You think he's going to miss a chance to advertise he's a well refined family man? That he's stable and the one to be trusted with the company?"

  "My father isn't going to give Mike the company."

  "If you're so sure, Case, then why the show?"

  Grumbling, I turned from her. I hated when she was right. He was going to march those girls around. Right in front of my father too.

  Play with that urge to be a grandfather that I know he has. He always wanted more kids than me, but life didn't go his way. Those little girls are going to be pressing all of those paternal buttons inside of Dad.

  There was no way I was going to be able to deliver that feeling to him. Not in such a short notice. A fling? Yes. That was something I longed for. A child, though?

  Everything Lauren was saying about it being difficult would be made tenfold if their were a child involved.

  "If you go full bore with this girl, Case, you don't know what's going to happen. You might break her heart. Or she might break yours. Keep it professional. Keep it real. The only time your lips should be on hers are when your father is watching."

  "You make it sound so icky."

  "I'm serious. She seems like a good kid. If you can keep it in your pants, I'm sure she can avoid dropping hers."

  Why was it so hard to agree to what Lauren was saying? It shouldn't have been difficult. I valued her counsel so highly.

  I had struggled to find something more than a one night stand, yes. I didn't put an ad out there though because I was looking for my legitimate wife.

  When the ink was dry on me getting the company, I'd 'divorce' Sage. In a way that made me look smart to keep my father at ease. The company would be mine, and I could then focus on finding my true love.

  Yet I couldn't shake the idea that maybe I wouldn't be doing that. God, Sage gave me butterflies within.

  That never happened. Ever. I was calm, collected, and cold as ice.

  "Fine, fine. I'll keep the act going only when necessary. But only because I love you." I winked her way.

  "Please stop that."

  "I mean as a sister or a mother, or aunt, or something like that."

  "Sure you do."

  I leaned back. I could control myself. I was a man, and I was master of myself.

  Just because she was drop dead sexy and absolutely gorgeous didn't mean I have to bend her over a table and take her.

  It was just something I really wanted to do regardless of everything else.

  The way she looked at me though told me that I wasn't alone in this wrongful attraction.

  My willpower was sure as hell going to be tested.

  Sage

  I still couldn't believe I was going through with all of this.

  Standing in front of a five-star restaurant, I felt like such an outsider. I dressed as nicely as I could, but nice for me and nice for Case Williams were entirely different things.

  People walked passed me with dresses that shimmered, suits that looked like they were made in Italy and of the finest fabric imaginable.

  Me? I got this dress from the clearance rack at Wal-Mart.

  He wanted me to meet him here tonight. Apparently our one meeting wasn't enough for him. Instead having the papers sent to me, he was going to hand them to me in person, and take it back when I signed them.

  Like I needed the pressure of him watching me as I read the agr
eement to be his fake wife.

  I can't help but feel like I'm selling myself short too much. He said he chose me for my degree, but I wasn't terribly convinced that I was in need of education to do the job I was hired to do.

  A guy like him wanted someone to be his trophy wife, and trophy wives aren't exactly known for their keen academic minds.

  I half expected to be picked up in some sparkling limousine or something similar, but I hadn't signed anything yet. Maybe I'd be getting one of those home.

  "Ah, Sage," that low, growl of a voice of his called out. "You're looking absolutely stunning as you always do."

  "As I always do? You've seen me twice."

  "Well that's one hundred percent of the time I've seen you and you've been stunning. That you'll be stunning the next time I see you as well is just basic pattern recognition."

  I should have been annoyed by this, but all I really could do was smile his way. I've told other guys to back off when they went too heavy and cheesy with the sweet talk.

  All I wanted to hear from him was more of it though.

  "Come along then," he said, throwing his arm over my shoulder and urging me toward the restaurant. I was oddly enjoying his touch even though it was clearly not sexual in any way.

  In his other hand was one of those brown file folders. I assumed the documents were in there.

  "Table for two please."

  "Reservation?"

  He took his hand off my shoulder and took money out of his pocket. "Yes, it should be under Franklin and Franklin?"

  The waiter nodded.

  Me? I looked Cases' way with surprise. "That actually works?"

  We walked behind the waiter as he showed us to a table we clearly didn't have reservations for. "Well, yeah. Money is magic if you know how to apply it right."

  Together we sat down. "I'll fetch your menus right away."

  "It was short notice. I decided I couldn't wait to see you again, so hence I organized this get together. Francisco's is very exclusive, and I figured it'd play into our narrative better if I'm spoiling you."