Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
But it wasn’t. She looked amazing and could wear whatever the fuck she wanted as far as I was concerned. Hell, I wouldn’t object if she wanted to wear nothing at all—
Wait, no. That’d be a very bad idea.
And since I was already thinking about a bad idea, I let another take shape.
“This is Emery Mendenhall,” I announced. “My girlfriend.”
FIVE
VANCE
Emery was masterful at hiding her reaction and didn’t miss a beat, thrusting her hand out toward Sophia. “Nice to meet you.”
Sophia stared back in disbelief. It was unfathomable to her how this stranger had made it deep into her circle without being discovered, and for a moment she looked completely lost. But then her shoulders relaxed, she pressed on a smile and accepted the handshake. “Sophia Alby.”
As always, I could sense my father’s focus on me, but I pretended to be oblivious. If I looked at him, he’d deliver his scathing judgement without uttering a word, and I didn’t care to see it.
When the women were done with their greeting, Sophia tilted her head toward him. “This is my boyfriend, Macalister Hale.”
Their age gap was nearly thirty years, but Emery didn’t bat an eye. She simply accepted the information and offered another handshake. “You must be Vance’s father. I see the resemblance.”
He looked like he expected her to spring a subpoena on him. His calculating eyes narrowed on her extended hand, but otherwise he didn’t move. When it was clear he wasn’t going to take her offered handshake, rather than be offended, she seemed to let the slight roll right off her. Emery moved closer and slipped her hand beneath my arm.
I drew in a breath.
It was stupid, this immediate urge to flex my bicep and remind her there was muscle beneath the black wool of my suit sleeve. I shouldn’t care about trying to impress her; not to mention, she’d already seen me shirtless. And I definitely shouldn’t like the way it felt to have her at my side, holding on to me. We barely knew each other.
Sophia attempted to sound casual, but it was stilted. “Where’d you two meet?”
Emery’s smile was wide. “In his bedroom.”
My father’s voice was sharp and demanding. “Excuse me?”
I couldn’t stop the grin that peeled back my lips. He valued efficient and direct conversation . . . but only on his terms. Also, he was old fashioned and did not like discussing anything inappropriate in public.
“Emery works for Sovereign,” I said, “the security company we use for the house. She fixed a faulty sensor in my room, and I took her out for lunch afterward.” Technically, all of that was true, even if dating her were a lie.
She turned to look up at me, and goddamn, her soft smile was so convincing, I nearly believed her feelings for me were real. She looked hopelessly enamored, and I swallowed hard. It was appealing, this idea I could make a woman fall under my spell. And it was especially appealing with this woman.
But my father had never been a trusting man, and he peered at us with such intensity, I instinctively pulled her closer and shifted my shoulders to put myself between them, like I could somehow protect her from his scrutiny.
Sophia visibly struggled to figure out how this relationship had happened under her nose, and I felt weirdly compelled to help her out.
“It’s new,” I said.
Like, only ninety seconds new.
Emery exchanged a playful look with me, and it was seriously hot. It set off alarms in my head. I was only twenty-two days into my bet. It was fucking ridiculous to feel like I was starving, and yet . . . here I was, craving her. If I was going to make it to the other side of this bet, I needed to think of Emery as a business partner and nothing more.
My father’s scowl abruptly evaporated, and it caused my pulse to kick. He was plotting something, and whatever it was, I was sure I wouldn’t like it.
He sprung his trap in a cool voice. “I assume you’ll be taking this new girlfriend with you to Monaco?”
“Monaco?” Emery repeated.
“The Formula One Grand Prix in two weeks,” I said.
“Vance is a sponsor ambassador for HBHC,” my father added.
While our family didn’t own a team, our bank was one of Mercedes’s top sponsors, and the week-long event was one I looked forward to all year.
Irritation wound around me like a tight band. I understood what he was doing. I hadn’t sought his approval on dating Emery, so he thought this ‘relationship’ wasn’t anything serious. Bringing up Monaco was his way to call my bluff. Escalation was my only option.
“Taking Emery is a great idea.” My smile matched the one he gave when presented with a challenge. “I’m supposed to leave next weekend, though, so that’s not much notice for her employer.”