Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
“Breathe,” Ryder says. “She knows the score and will be compensated well for it. Just take it one day at a time. Get to know her, and once you guys are comfortable around each other, introduce her to Samuel to get the ball rolling. Once he sees you’re in a committed relationship, he’ll have no choice but to take you into consideration for the CEO position. You were already his best candidate before he went soft.”
“True,” I agree, taking a deep breath.
“Hey, we should go on a double date,” Ryder suggests, making me laugh. “I bet the women would hit it off.”
I think back to the way Stacey presented herself. On the phone, she sounded a lot like Nora, Ryder’s fiancée, and I was mentally prepared to have to deal with a woman like that for the next year. But then she got out of the car, and it was as if she was a completely different person. She was sweet and witty and not the least bit annoying, like I’d expected her to be. I laugh to myself, remembering her comment about skinny-dipping. I don’t know why, but something is telling me there’s more to her than what meets the eye.
“Yeah, maybe,” I say noncommittally, needing to spend some time with Stacey to get a better grasp on the type of woman she is.
I could be wrong, but from our brief interaction today, she didn’t come across like the typical trophy wife. But maybe she was just nervous, and her true personality will come out the more time we spend together.
I spend the next couple of hours getting a few things done and then head upstairs to shower and get dressed for dinner. I didn’t tell Stacey where we were going or the dress code, so I’m about to walk across the hall to let her know that it’s an upscale restaurant so she can dress accordingly, but then she steps out of the room.
Unlike earlier, where her hair was up in a loose ponytail, it’s down and straight, framing her beautifully done-up face. She’s donning a maroon dress that’s short in the front and longer in the back, accentuating her creamy thighs. It dips low up top, showing off the swells of her breasts. And when my eyes land on her black stilettos with the red soles that match the color of her lips, my first thought is that I want to say fuck it to dinner and take her against the wall while she digs her heels into my back.
“I wasn’t sure where we were going or how to dress,” she says.
“You look perfect,” I tell her, closing the gap between us. “I was going to wait until dinner to give you this, but I would love it if you wore it now.”
I reach into my suit pocket and pull out a black box. “I know what’s between us isn’t real,” I say, snapping the box open. “But while you’re living here, I have every intention of treating you like I would my fiancée—with respect and loyalty.”
I take the engagement ring out of the box that I picked out earlier this week. I wasn’t sure what to go with since Nora has a huge rock on her finger, and I imagined most trophy wives would prefer something similar, but when I got to the store, I ended up going with something I would want my fiancée to wear. It’s not big or flashy, but …
“It’s beautiful,” Stacey breathes as I take her delicate left hand in mine and slide the ring onto her finger. “I’ll take good care of it.” She admires the ring for several moments and then glances up at me. “I know this isn’t real, but you can expect the same from me.”
I nod. “Thank you.”
Taking her arm in mine, I guide her down the stairs and out to the garage. Since this is Texas, I have two vehicles—a truck and a sports car. Tonight calls for the sports car.
“May I?” she asks when my phone connects to the Bluetooth and my playlist pops up.
“Sure.”
She takes my phone and scrolls through the playlist, stopping on “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift, and clicks play.
“So, you’re a Swiftie, huh?” she says with a laugh that goes straight to my cock.
“Nah.” I shake my head. “That would be my little sister, Jessika. I swear she listened to this shit on repeat when it first came out.”
“I did too,” she admits, reminding me that she’s a good ten years younger than me. “Are you guys close?”
“Yeah, we are. Despite the fourteen-year age difference and her being a pain in the ass most days, she’s one of my best friends.”
I notice in my peripheral vision that Stacey’s eyes go wide. “Wow, that’s a huge age gap.”
“Mom had me at sixteen, and my sperm donor wanted nothing to do with us. So, for years, it was just the two of us. When I was twelve, she met my stepdad, Frank. They fell in love and got married, and a couple of years later, Jessika came along.”