N4

My stomach throbbed like when Dark and Dangerous had touched me. In my mind, I remembered his breathtaking face with crystal clarity. He should be illegal for a man to be this stunning. I was still recovering of the frying of my brain cells.

Cary rested his elbow on the counter and leaned forward, his long bangs covering one green eye.

lively. “So, what happened after he helped you up?”

I shrugged my shoulders. "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"I'm gone."

"What? You didn't flirt with him?

I took another bite. Really, the meal wasn't bad. Or was I just hungry. "He wasn't the kind of guy you flirt with, Cary."

“There’s no guy you can’t flirt with. Even people

Happily married couples enjoy a little harmless flirting from time to time.

“There was nothing harmless about that guy,” I said dryly. “Ah, one of those.” Cary nodded sagely. "Bad boys can be fun, if you don't get too close."

Of course he would know; men and women of all ages fell at his feet. However, he always managed to choose the wrong partner. He had gone out with stalkers, cheaters, lovers who threatened to kill themselves because of him, and lovers with loved ones they didn't talk to him about... You name it, he had experienced it.

“I don’t see this guy being any fun,” I said. “He was way too intense. Still, I bet

that he would be great in the sack with all that intensity. “Now you speak. Forget the real guy. Just use his face in your fantasies and make it perfect there.

Preferring to get this guy out of my head completely, I changed the subject.

“You have visits tomorrow? »"Of course." Cary launched into the details of his schedule, mentioning a advertising for jeans, self-tanner, underwear and cologne.

I pushed everything else out of my mind and focused on him and his success growing. The demand for Cary Taylor was growing day by day and he was building a reputation among photographers and accounts for its professionalism and speed. I was delighted for him and so proud. He had come a long way and crossed so many things.

It wasn't until after dinner that I noticed the two large gift boxes propped up against the side of the sectional sofa.

“What are these?”

“These,” Cary said as he joined me in the living room, “are the ultimate.” I immediately knew they were from Stanton and my mother. The money was some something my mother needed to be happy and I was happy that Stanton, her husband number 3, is not only able to fill this need for her, but also for everyone his other needs. I often wished it was the end, but my mother found it difficult to accept that I didn't view money the same way she did. "And now?"

He put his arm around my shoulders, quite easily for him since he was taller.

five inches. “Don’t be ungrateful. He loves your mother. He loves to spoil your mother and your mother loves spoil you. Even if you don't like it, it doesn't do it for you. He does it for her.

Sighing, I conceded his point of view. “What are they?”

“Glamorous Topics for Defense Center Fundraising Dinner Saturday.” A dress bomb for you and a Brioni tuxedo for me, because buying gifts for me is what what he does for you. You're more tolerant if you have me there to listen to you, bitch.

“Fucking right. Thank goodness he knows that.

“Of course he knows that. Stanton wouldn't be a billionaire if he didn't know everything. Cary told me grabbed the hand and pulled me. "Come on. Look."

I pushed the revolving door of the Crossfire into the lobby at ten to nine on

next morning. Wanting to make the best impression on my first day, I opted for a simple sheath dress paired with black pumps that I wore as a replacement of my walking shoes when going up in the elevator. My blonde hair was twisted into an artful bun that resembled a figure eight, courtesy of Cary. I was incompetent at hairstyling, but he could create styles that were masterpieces of glamorous work. I wore the little pearl studs my father gave me as a gift graduation and the Rolex of Stanton and my mother.

I had started to think that I had been paying too much attention to my appearance, but then

As I walked into the lobby, I remembered being sprawled out on the floor in my workout clothes and I was grateful that I was nothing like that graceless girl. The two agents of security didn't seem to make the connection when I showed them my ID directing towards the turnstiles.

Twenty floors later, I walked out into the lobby of Waters Field & Leaman.

In front of me

There was a wall of bulletproof glass that framed the double-door entrance to the training area.

reception. The receptionist at the crescent-shaped office saw the badge I was holdingin front of the window. She pressed the button that unlocked the doors while I was putting away my identity card.

“Hi, Megumi,” I greeted her as I walked in, admiring her cranberry colored blouse. She was mixed race, a little Asian certainly, and very pretty. His hair was dark and thick, and cut into a sleek bob, shorter in the back and razor sharp in the front. His sloe eyes were brown and warm, and her lips were full and naturally pink.

“Eva, hi. Mark isn't here yet, but you know where you're going, right? "Absolutely." With a wave, I walked down the hallway to the left of reception until the end, where I made another turn to the left and found myself in a space formerly open, now divided into cabins. One was mine and I went straight to it.

I dropped my purse and the bag containing my flats in the drawer from the bottom of my metal utility desk; then I started my computer. I had brought a few items to personalize my space and I took them out. One was a collage

framed by three photos: me and Cary on the beach in Coronado, my mother and Stanton on his yacht on the French Riviera, and my father on duty in his city police car from Oceanside, California. The other object was a colorful arrangement of glass flowers that

Cary had given it to me that morning as a “first day” gift. I placed it next to the little one group of photos and sat back to enjoy the effect.

“Hello, Eva.”

I stood up to face my boss. “Hello, Mr. Garrity.” “Call me Mark, please. Come to my office.

I followed him down the hall, thinking once again that my new boss was very easy on the eyes with his dark, shiny skin, well-trimmed goatee and brown eyes laughing. Mark had a square jaw and a charming, crooked smile. He was thin and form, and he carried himself with an assurance that inspired confidence and respect.