Best Friend's Sister (Slade Brothers Book 5)
Page 21
I lean forward, running my finger around the rim of my glass. “How are you still single?”
He chuckles. “I could ask you the same thing.”
I sit back with a shrug. “I think a lot of guys I meet are intimidated by me. I mean, I’m a lawyer for one. Most guys just think that I’m snobby and uptight—just some rich bitch.” I say it like I’m indifferent. I’ve heard these things all my life. I wasn’t raised poor. I went to prep school and understand that I have privilege—more than most. “Most powerful men want a woman they can make a stay-at-home wife—someone they can break out for corporate parties and in front of cameras to prove they’re not sleeping around with their assistants.”
He laughs loud and hard. “Lucky for you, I’m not that type of guy.” He shakes his head. “I don’t want marriage and kids. I’m far too selfish for that. I just want someone who’s okay with keeping our lives separate—someone who wants the same things out of life.”
“And what’s that?” I ask, taking another sip of wine.
“Fun. Experiences. I want to work my job, putting in 70+ hours a week without someone expecting me home for dinner at the same time every night. I want to take lavish vacations and not worry about kids. I want to do what I want to do, when I want to do it. I work hard. I play hard.”
Our eyes lock from across the table. “It sounds like we’re made for each other.”
We eat the rest of our lunch while talking about whatever comes up. I discover that Gavin is an only child who also went to prep school. His mother and father are still happily together, but can usually be found spending their retirement on beaches around the world or on their private yacht. He’s mostly on his own, just like I am. While I have family, they’re usually doing their own thing. We only ever come together on holidays or special occasions like my parents’ anniversary, when they have a massive party only the best people are invited to. It’s always the biggest and most lavish event of the season.
Gavin and I talk all the way back to the office. When he pulls into the parking garage, he opens my door and takes my hand, helping me out. The moment I have both feet planted on the concrete, he pulls me against his chest where his lips press against mine. The kiss is soft and slow, gaining intensity. My heart pounds in my chest and butterflies tickle my stomach when his hand squeezes my hip. His tongue is sweet like wine and his rich scent washes over me, causing my eyes to flutter closed. The way he kisses, it’s strong, but not too strong. It’s enough to let me know he means the emotion behind the kiss, but not so intense that he’ll be trying to press me against the hood of his sports car.
The kiss slows and breaks away. Our eyes lock and he lets out a long breath. “I can’t believe I’m going to have to wait a whole year to do that again.”
A silent laugh escapes my lips in a puff of air. “Weren’t we supposed to find the things we hated about each other?”
He chuckles. “I tried, but I couldn’t find anything. You were put here just to keep me humble.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just a reminder that I can’t have everything I want, no matter how much money I have,” he says, pulling away.
Gavin walks me back up to the office and we promise to keep in touch over the next year. I finish packing up my office and decide to leave early for the day to get a jump-start on packing my belongings at home. But before I leave, I find the contract on my desk as Mr. Mason promised, along with a set of keys. I pick them up and smile before signing the document and handing it off to Mary.
I find the car that’s been provided for me just outside the building. It’s a shiny silver Tesla and I can’t wait to have it packed up so I can get on the road, driving toward a better life. I place my box of office supplies in the passenger seat and climb behind the wheel, heading for my apartment.
The weekend passes quickly and by Monday morning, the car is packed up and I’m dropping off a check to pay my rent for the next year. I have the trunk of the car crammed full of clothes, shoes, makeup, and jewelry. My little box of office supplies has been moved to the back. The passenger seat holds my purse, a tote bag full of snacks and drinks for the drive, and an envelope containing the paid rent receipt and keys for the place that’s been rented for me for the next year.
I program the GPS with my destination, fill up with gas, and hit the highway, ready to meet this Mr. Drake Slade and conquer Colorado so I can get back to the new fancy life waiting for me in Los Angeles at the end of the next 12 months.
Everything is looking up. There’s no doubt in my mind that I can do this job. Sure, Colorado isn’t the place of my dreams, but I can do it for a year in order to get to where I really want to be: the top of the Mason, Lawrence, and Howe Law Firm, looking down on California from my big office in the sky—maybe even with Gavin on my arm—while stepping on all the little Jeremys of the world. Life has never looked so promising.
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Grab Billionaire’s Unexpected Bride HERE!
READ THE REST OF THE SLADE BROTHERS HERE
Billionaire’s Unexpected Bride
Off Limits Daddy
Baby Secret
Loves Me NOT
Also by Alexis Winter
Love You Forever Series (Pre-order NOW!)
The WRONG Brother
How to Marry Your Best Friend’s BFF
Rocking His Fake World
How to Break-up with your Boss
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Castille Hotel Series
Hate That I Love You
Business & Pleasure
Baby Mistake
Fake It
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South Side Boys Series
Bad Boy Protector-Book 1
Fake Boyfriend-Book 2
Brother-in-law’s Baby-Book 3
Bad Boy’s Baby-Book 4
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Mountain Ridge Series
Just Friends: Mountain Ridge Book 1
Protect Me: Mountain Ridge Book 2
Baby Shock: Mountain Ridge Book 3
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Make Her Mine Series
My Best Friend’s Brother
Billionaire With Benefits
My Boss’s Sister
My Best Friend’s Ex
Best Friend’s Baby
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**ALL BOOKS CAN BE READ AS STAND-ALONE READS WITHIN THESE SERIES**
About the Author
Alexis Winter is a contemporary romance author who loves to share her steamy stories with the world. She specializes in billionaires, alpha males and the women they love.
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If you love to curl up with a good romance book you will certainly enjoy her work. Whether it's a story about an innocent young woman learning about the world or a sassy and fierce heroin who knows what she wants you,'re sure to enjoy the happily ever afters she provides.
When Alexis isn't writing away furiously, you can find her exploring the Rocky Mountains, traveling, enjoying a glass of wine or petting a cat.
You can find her books on Amazon or here: https://www.alexiswinterauthor.com/