Idolized (Hollywood Stardust Book 3) by Kim Carmichael Page B

drawl.
    “So, let’s get down to business.” She never faltered from her hard facade.
    Here it came. He waited. At last his tough chick would crack her shell.
    “Tell me exactly how it works.” Rather than the letter opener she picked up a pen.
    He opened his mouth to tell her he wanted to be with her too, calm her and soothe her, then realized he had no idea how to respond because she didn’t follow the script. Was this her way of saying she wanted an afternoon delight? “I have to tell you that you’re a master of how it works, but if you need a little refresher I’m happy to demonstrate.” Grinning, he stood. Pushing her right over her desk should do the trick.
    She held up her hand, stopping him. “I already know how well you do in that arena, and while you’re phenomenal, I don’t need a reminder at the moment. What I need to know is how this works. Is it a formal arrangement with a contract, or do we do the civil thing, discuss what we want and go on the honor code?”
    Was she asking him to marry her? He looked up at the ceiling. Her text did say proposal, and he considered the possibilities. Gorgeous home, gorgeous girl, great sex, lots of money. He already wanted to date her and be with her, so they might as well go for it. At last he found a match. “What do you think?”
    “I would rather not go into contract negotiations, that smacks too much of a job. However, I do need a man and the public loves us together. On my end, I want you to take me to my events…satisfy me.” She stood and paced along the back of her office. “What do you want on your end? Clothes, credit cards, country clubs?”
    And now he understood. A sick calm overtook him. Apparently his reputation preceded him. Before reacting, he weighed his options, whether to walk out, jump like a kid a Christmas as he had done so many other times, or take advantage as he had done more times than jump.
    First, he took a moment to mourn the woman he wanted to ask on a date and actually pay for the meal. The one he almost considered taking a walk on the beach with, and doing those things simply because he wanted to. In fact, she did him a favor because he would get to do what he wanted and benefit as well.
    “How much time do you need?” He chose his path, the most obvious route. Why did everyone always make it so incredibly easy?
    She stopped her trek back and forth across her office, blinked, took a breath and returned to her desk. “Do you have a menu of services?”
    “You’re a special woman, so why don’t we create a deluxe package for you?” He put his hands behind his head and his legs up on her desk.
    “All right.” Once more she got up, this time coming around her desk, sitting at the edge and pushing his feet off. “I want it all, with two major rules.”
    He kept his eyes on her, waiting to hear her conditions.
    “First.” She held up one finger. “No philandering, flirting, or anything else with anyone else. The second I suspect or prove a suspicion, all bets are off.”
    If she only knew what he thought he was coming here for. If she only knew that yesterday he walked away from a pretty sweet deal all because it felt wrong to sleep with Ms. Tuttle and her at the same time. If she only knew… Rather than speak, he lifted his chin.
    “Second.” A second finger joined her first. “You will do nothing that will hurt my chances of becoming CEO of Ultracom. Don’t think I won’t know. I’m a technology goddess with thousands of people, the best of the best, at my command. You are duly warned.”
    Her words sent a slight shiver down his spine, but he preferred to call it a tingle of excitement, a challenge. “I thought my job was to help you get your job.”
    A smile lit her face up. Dare he say she looked gorgeous?
    “I have no problem with everything you want.” Though he wondered how good her technology really worked. Good thing for him people like Glen lived beyond technology. “Especially, since I’ll be so