I looked up to see a very pretty blonde with perfectly straight hair that fell halfway down her back. Her blue eyes were locked on mine like a heat-seeking missile. I knew what she wanted. A month ago, I would have invited her to have a seat.
“Hello,” I said back because I didn’t want to be rude.
“You look like you could use some company.”
“My assistant is on the way.”
“Is she a beautiful, limber woman?”
The image almost made me laugh. “No, he’s not and I don’t think he would appreciate it being suggested he is.”
“Well, after your assistant leaves, maybe we could keep each other company.”
I let out a sigh. I was broken. The normal me would have been slipping her my number. “Thank you, but my fiancée prefers it if I only keep her company.”
The woman laughed. “Women can be so territorial. Fine, I’ll leave you alone, but when it ends, maybe I’ll happen to run into you again.”
Ashton chose that moment to come in. He shot me a dirty look and then sneered at the poor, innocent woman who was only flirting a little. “Nice,” he muttered. “Is that why you called me here?”
“For what?”
“To help you figure out how you can take another woman back to your place without anyone finding out?”
I sipped my drink again. I wasn’t upset or offended. “Ashton, I can do that all by myself. You are the last person I would call to help me sneak a girl into my room.”
“Oh good, I’m so glad you called me here to insult me. This should be lots of fun.”
“Why are you so grumpy?” I asked him. “You’re more uptight than usual.”
“I saw Paislee leaving your office. She looked flustered.”
I licked my lips. Flustered was one word to describe the look she had after leaving my office. “I’m not sure why that has you uptight.”
“What did you say to her?”
“Nothing.”
“You did something. I asked her if she was okay and she told me to ask you. So, what did you do?”
I slowly shook my head. “Nothing. Not a damn thing.”
“She’s a good girl, Jay. You need to leave her alone. Don’t toy with her.”
“I’m not. This business arrangement is very cut and dry. She knows what it is, and she accepts it.”
He scoffed. “Like she had a choice.”
“She absolutely had a choice. Now, order a damn drink and quit bitching at me for something you know nothing about.”
He ordered a Moscow Mule. It was all he ever drank. I ordered his appetizer in the hopes it would appease him. My conscience was glaring at me from across the table. He still did not approve. If he knew the whole story, he would probably try and kick my ass. Then I would have to fire him and that would be a whole other thing.
“We have two more events,” I said after his cheese sticks arrived.
“And?”
“You did a good job getting her ready for the Jamaica trip. I need you to help her get ready for the hotel reopening in London.”
He groaned and rolled his eyes. “I am not a babysitter.”
“She doesn’t need babysitting. I just need you to wave your little magic wand and make her excited to go.”
“You don’t think she’ll be excited?”
He was splitting hairs. He was trying to find the reason for her anger at me. “She will be once I tell her.”
He threw up his hands. “This situation is never going to work. She has a real job and a real life. You can’t just keep dragging her around the world to suit your whims.”
“I cleared it with her boss last time and I know damn well he was okay with how things worked out. He came out very much better off for it.”
“Ask her,” he said.
“Ask her what?”
“Ask her if she would like to go to London.”
I pulled out my phone. “I don’t have to ask her because she knows it’s part of the deal. She already said she would follow through and be on my arm for two more events. The next event is in London.”
“She had no idea she was going to be galivanting around the world. You would know that if you stopped to talk to her about it.”
He did have a point there. “I’ll clear it with her boss.”
“Ask her,” he said again.
I rolled my eyes and quickly typed out a text letting her know we were going to be in London next. I put the phone on the table and waited to see if she would even respond. I never really knew which way she was going to swing. She ran hot and cold all the damn time.
The phone vibrated on the table. I looked down to see what her response was and had to chuckle.
“What did she say?” Ashton asked.
“She said she doesn’t have anything to wear and will need your help.”
A smile tugged at his lips. “Good girl.”
“I suppose you’ll be using my credit card to get her ready?”
He laughed. “Well, I’m not paying for it.”
“Can you lay off on the sexy shit?” I asked him. “She’s supposed to be my fiancée, not my hooker.”
He narrowed his gaze at me. “You better not have said that to her.”
“I didn’t but I don’t need her tits spilling out all over the place.”
“I didn’t realize tits spilled.”
“You know what I mean,” I snapped.
“Oh, I know exactly what you mean,” he said with a slow smile. “Someone likes her and someone doesn’t like to be tempted. Someone is jealous.”
“I’m not sure why you don’t just say me. I’m someone.”
“Yes, you are. Her dresses were perfectly appropriate and I saw her in every single one. There was no spilling.”
I felt a twinge of jealousy. “I’d prefer you not ogle my fiancée.”
“First of all, she’s not really your fiancée. Second of all, I don’t ogle. You ogle. You’re the caveman, not me. I admire a beautiful woman and help her feel beautiful.”
I rolled my eyes. “I think you missed your true calling.”
“Maybe so. Trust me, I didn’t sit around as a child and hope I would grow up to be the assistant to a man who runs through women like most people run through socks.”
“I think you should eat your snack,” I told him.
“I think you should—” He stopped before he finished his sentence. “She’s a good girl, Jay. A really good girl. Remember that when you are thinking of how you will use her next. She’s not a toy. She’s not a plaything sitting around for your amusement. She’s a beautiful woman who deserves to be treated with respect.”
“I know that. Don’t assume you know how she feels about our arrangement.”
“I don’t have to assume. It’s obvious to anyone that actually listens to her.”
I finished my glass. “As much fun as this has been, I think I’ll go home and drink alone. I’ll send over an itinerary for London. You can use that killer fashion sense of yours to take her shopping.”
“Or you could be a man and just let this thing go.”
I got up from the table and patted his shoulder. “Not a chance in hell.”
I left the bar. Ashton meant well, but I didn’t need to be reminded about how great Paislee was. I knew that.
I wasn’t out to hurt her. She was giving just as good as she got. She’d changed in the short time that I knew her. She wasn’t afraid to tell me what she wanted. I bet Ashton wouldn’t see the positive impact I was having on her life. He was negative and always looking at the bad.
I walked out and hailed a cab. I didn’t want to wait around for a car and driver. I wanted to get home to my empty house and mull over what was going to happen in London. I would drag her all around the world if it meant we got to shack up again.
Chapter 32
Paislee
“You’re sure it’s okay I tag along,” Bella said again as we walked down the sidewalk in the upscale shopping district.
�
�I’m sure. Ashton is a fun guy. He’ll be happy to have another opinion. He certainly doesn’t think I know much about fashion.”
She laughed and gently pushed my arm. “You tend to be fashion stilted. If this is the guy that picked out those gorgeous dresses, then I am thrilled to be a part of his makeover of you.”
“It’s not a makeover. I just need to make sure I look the part. I can’t wear sundresses in London.”
“Sure, you can. You might freeze your ass off, but you can wear whatever you want, whenever you want.”
“Thanks, I’ll be sure to keep that in mind.”
I looked up at the name of the store and verified we were in the right place.
“Damn,” Bella whispered under her breath as we walked in. “I don’t think I could even afford a scarf in this place.”
“Me either, which is why Jay is buying.”
Ashton called my name. I looked over and saw him waving his hand.
I smiled and walked over to find he had already commandeered a dressing room and a saleswoman. I gave him a quick hug. “It’s good to see you,” I told him.
“Likewise.”
“This is my friend, Bella,” I said and made the introductions.
“It’s nice to meet you, Bella. I hope you are ready to help me spend some money and get this lady looking like the perfect princess to marry into the Harrow kingdom.”
We all laughed. I knew Ashton was aware of the arrangement. It made it a little easier to be around him. I didn’t feel guilty for lying to yet another person. “All right, Ashton, what do you have up your sleeve this time?” I asked him.
He opened the dressing room door. “I’ve picked a few things, but I want you to browse the store and see what appeals to you.”
“No, no, I trust your judgment.”
“These are things you are going to be wearing, not me. You need to feel comfortable. You need to feel confident.”
“Come on, I’ll help,” Bella said.
“But what should I be shopping for?” I asked.
“Whatever you want.” Ashton grinned. “He isn’t going to know any different.”
I wasn’t going on a shopping spree with his money. I would get the few outfits I needed to fit in with his social group but that was it.
“What about this?” I asked as I pulled a dress from the rack.
“Try it on,” Bella said without hesitation.
That was how it went for the next several hours. Bella and Ashton were expert shoppers. I tried on so many different outfits I couldn’t remember them all. By the time we finished in the store, I was ready for just about anything. Ashton had all the packages sent to my apartment so we wouldn’t have to drag them around.
Now, it was time to get dinner and drinks. “You have a great eye for style,” Bella told Ashton.
“I’m not gay,” he blurted out.
She laughed. “I didn’t suggest you were. I don’t think it matters either way.”
“Most people see a man shopping with two women and they assume I’m gay.”
“I didn’t,” I told him. “You’re just one of those people who knows how to dress someone. Do you pick out Jay’s clothes?”
He shrugged as he sucked down his beer. “Not all the time. I usually order a few suits and he will order a stack of shirts to go with it. Jay doesn’t put a lot of effort into dressing. He’s one of those lucky men who looks good in anything.”
“Very true,” I muttered.
“How long have you worked for him?” Bella asked.
“Five years. Five long years.”
We all laughed at his sentiment. “You guys get along though,” I said.
Ashton nodded. “He’s like a little brother to me. We clash and we make up. He’s stubborn. I’m stubborn. He’s like a bull in a china shop when he wants something or when he’s on a project. I tend to be the slower, more finessed one.”
“You balance each other out,” I said.
“I suppose you can say that.”
“Are you going to London with them?” Bella asked.
“No. I don’t travel with him nearly as much as I used to. I can’t keep up. That man flies more than a bird. He is always skipping over oceans. I found it is much easier to keep on top of things if I stay put. Very rarely do I go with him anymore.”
“Don’t you want to visit all these cool places?” I asked him. “It’s like a free vacation.”
“Trust me, when I travel with him, I’m not on vacation. Plus, I’ve seen it all. I spent the first two years jet-setting with him. I couldn’t keep up. The man is a machine. He can run on five hours of sleep and look none the worse for wear. I come out looking like a zombie. I hold things down while he is away. It works for us.”
“Why does he travel so much?”
Ashton shrugged. “Because he demands perfection and his idea of what is perfect is not always the same as one of his managers. He feels it is better if he is visible and there to see the operation. He hates hearing about problems over the phone. He’s hands-on and I think he genuinely cares about every property. He isn’t sitting in a high tower counting his money. He likes to feel he earns it.”
“You admire him,” I said.
“I do. I don’t always agree with him, but he is a good businessman and he does take care of his people. I’m paid well to put up with him.”
It was clear he was joking. He did like Jay. I could admit that when Jay wasn’t being an asshole, he was likeable. It was unfortunate he spent so much time being an asshole.
“I think he has some redeeming qualities,” I agreed.
“I know this thing between you guys is strange. For the record, I do not approve. I think there could have been a better way to handle the situation.”
“It’s fine,” I assured him. “I went into this with eyes wide open.”
“I told her to do it,” Bella said. “Not the sex thing. I told her not to do that.”
Ashton choked. His face turned bright red and I couldn’t tell if he was embarrassed or pissed. “I’m sorry,” he said and used a napkin to wipe his mouth. “I didn’t realize the relationship had, um, evolved.”
“Oh, it evolved all right.” Bella snickered. “It evolved to quickies in the office when no one was looking.”
Poor Ashton looked like he wanted to crawl under the table. I slapped her arm. “Will you please shut up? I don’t think Ashton wants to hear this.”
He held up a hand. “No, it’s fine. I suppose this was the night he told you about London?”
I nodded, finding it strange that he knew that. “Yes, why?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. It just makes a little more sense now.”
“What makes sense?”
“Nothing. I like Jay. I respect him and he is a good man when he wants to be. Unfortunately, he can also be a selfish jerk. I don’t think it’s intentional. He just gets caught up in his own world. He doesn’t have a lot of friends or the time to make friends. His social skills are lacking just a little, but he is a loyal man. I trust him with my life, and I know that if I ever needed anything, I could call him. He would not hesitate to help me out. He might give me shit about it later, but in that moment, he would be there for me.”
“I think he’s a dick,” Bella said matter-of-factly.
“Bella, what is wrong with you?” I groaned.
“He took your virginity after you told him not to.”
Ashton’s face paled. He looked at me. “He did what?”
“It isn’t like that. Bella has obviously had too much to drink and doesn’t know what she is talking about.”
“I haven’t even had one drink,” she said.
“I’ll kill him,” Ashton said.
“No!” I said and slapped Bella’s arm again. “You are such an idiot. She is exaggerating. Jay did nothing wrong.”
“Paislee, walk away right now,” he said. “You don’t need this in your life.”
I reached over and patted his hand. “I’m okay. Really, I am.
Jay didn’t do anything I didn’t want and encourage.”
“Jay is a lot of things, but I have never known him to hurt a woman,” Ashton said.
“Again, he didn’t hurt me. I went to him. I initiated it. Please don’t think less of him.”
“If you’re certain…”
“I’m certain. Now, you should probably say goodbye to Bella because you will never see her again. She is going to be bound and gagged and stuffed in my closet for the rest of her days.”
Ashton laughed. “Your friend is looking out for you.”
“My friend has a big mouth.”
“Your friend is sitting right here,” she muttered. “I just need Jay to understand this is not a game. Paislee is a good girl and isn’t nearly as world-wise as he is. This isn’t normal for her.”
“I don’t think it’s normal for anyone,” Ashton said. “I’ll talk to him.”
“No! You can’t!”
“She likes him,” Bella said with a sigh. “It’s one of those love-hate things.”
Ashton was still smiling. “I picked up on that. I’ll keep an eye on things on my side. You’ll watch her on your side?”
Now they were talking about me like I wasn’t sitting right there. “Hello? I can look out for myself. Despite popular belief, I can take care of myself. I am a big girl.”
“And he’s a bigger man,” Ashton said.
“Well now that you have completely embarrassed me, is there anything else you would like to get off your chest, Bella?”
She batted her lashes at me. “I’m good.”
“Then we need to go. I have to get ready for work tomorrow.”
“It was nice to meet you, Ashton,” Bella said and extended her hand. “If you ever need a shopping buddy, give me a call.”
His face lit up. “I will do that. I find myself needing a new look in my apartment. How are you with interior design?”
“I’m your girl,” Bella answered.
I couldn’t believe she was flirting with him. Ashton was a good-looking guy, but he was quite a bit older than her. But that was Bella. She never restricted herself. If she saw someone she liked, she went after them. She lived her life like every man she met could be her prince. I admired her for her willingness to put herself out there.
Pay Up Hot Stuff: A Billionaire Fake Fiancée Romance Page 20