do.
* * *
Brandon was having a hell of a time concentrating on anything other than Alexa. From the corner of his eye he had been watching her drink champagne on the couch by the fireplace and wished it was him sitting next to her instead of Brigit.
The next thing he knew, she stood abruptly and tossed back her champagne in one lusty gulp. He couldn’t keep from grinning. Now that was the girl he had fallen for so quickly. If he knew anything about her, she was probably starving right now. Too bad all of this schmoozing had completely destroyed his appetite.
Not that the women were all bad. One was a physicist from Chicago, another was a pediatrician from Miami, and yet another was a college professor from southern California. A week ago, he would have been salivating over the abundance of choices he had been given.
But now, all he wanted was one intriguing, unique, and incredibly sexy brunette in a red dress.
He was about to go check on her when Joe strode arrogantly into the room, announcing to the contestants that he was going to take Brandon into the study to give him some time alone to make his decision. Brandon couldn’t wait to get the night over with.
Once in the overly masculine room, Joe pounced. “How’s it going out there, buddy? A little overwhelming, isn’t it?”
Brandon nodded. But far more overwhelming than having to pick ten women out of the bunch, were his feelings for Alexa. Every time he saw her or thought about her he felt like he had been punched straight in the gut.
Joe cut into his musings. “How about a little inside scoop on this incredible bunch of women? Who has caught your eye already?”
Brandon rattled off the names of three or four of the more intelligent women. “Oh, and Brigit,” he added with a smile. She was like the sister he never had.
Giving an inward sigh of relief that he had managed to remember some names, he thought he was off the hook. Unfortunately, the producer refused to make it easy for him. With a cunning look, Joe said, “You left one name off of your list that I expected to hear.”
“Who’s that?” Brandon asked, rising to the bait, knowing he should have included Alexa onto the list.
“Alexa. She's quite a looker, isn't she?”
Now was the time for Brandon to pull off his act. “How could I have forgotten her?” he said, pretending to laugh at himself. “With a body like that, of course she’s on the list, Joe.”
He hoped Alexa never saw this interview aired. If she ever got wind of the garbage he was spouting, he’d be in the doghouse, for sure.
But the worst was yet to come. Joe motioned for the cameras to be shut off. “Your wild card is Shelby,” he said in a distinctly feral way.
Brandon couldn’t keep the grimace off of his face. “The frosty redhead?”
Smirking, Joe added. “That’s right. She’s not getting along very well with some of the other girls — Alexa in particular — which will be extremely good for ratings.”
“I would never choose her in a million years.”
“It’s all in the contract, Brandon.” Motioning for the cameramen to start shooting again, Joe smiled falsely. “I wish you the best of luck with your difficult choice tonight.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Alexa was amazed by how nervous she felt as she waited with the other twenty-nine contestants for Brandon’s decision. She told herself it was nothing more than wanting to get to the next step so that she could write her expose, but somewhere deep within her heart she suspected she might be lying to herself.
Shelby, the redheaded contestant who had angrily shushed her and Brigit that first day when they were filling out their applications, walked up to her and said, “Nice stunt.”
Alexa didn’t know what the polished, mean-looking woman was talking about, but she couldn’t miss her menacing, aggressive tone.
“What stunt?”
“Oh come on!” Shelby snorted, her face screwed up with jealousy. Gesturing to the women she had been talking to,
* * *
Brandon was having a hell of a time concentrating on anything other than Alexa. From the corner of his eye he had been watching her drink champagne on the couch by the fireplace and wished it was him sitting next to her instead of Brigit.
The next thing he knew, she stood abruptly and tossed back her champagne in one lusty gulp. He couldn’t keep from grinning. Now that was the girl he had fallen for so quickly. If he knew anything about her, she was probably starving right now. Too bad all of this schmoozing had completely destroyed his appetite.
Not that the women were all bad. One was a physicist from Chicago, another was a pediatrician from Miami, and yet another was a college professor from southern California. A week ago, he would have been salivating over the abundance of choices he had been given.
But now, all he wanted was one intriguing, unique, and incredibly sexy brunette in a red dress.
He was about to go check on her when Joe strode arrogantly into the room, announcing to the contestants that he was going to take Brandon into the study to give him some time alone to make his decision. Brandon couldn’t wait to get the night over with.
Once in the overly masculine room, Joe pounced. “How’s it going out there, buddy? A little overwhelming, isn’t it?”
Brandon nodded. But far more overwhelming than having to pick ten women out of the bunch, were his feelings for Alexa. Every time he saw her or thought about her he felt like he had been punched straight in the gut.
Joe cut into his musings. “How about a little inside scoop on this incredible bunch of women? Who has caught your eye already?”
Brandon rattled off the names of three or four of the more intelligent women. “Oh, and Brigit,” he added with a smile. She was like the sister he never had.
Giving an inward sigh of relief that he had managed to remember some names, he thought he was off the hook. Unfortunately, the producer refused to make it easy for him. With a cunning look, Joe said, “You left one name off of your list that I expected to hear.”
“Who’s that?” Brandon asked, rising to the bait, knowing he should have included Alexa onto the list.
“Alexa. She's quite a looker, isn't she?”
Now was the time for Brandon to pull off his act. “How could I have forgotten her?” he said, pretending to laugh at himself. “With a body like that, of course she’s on the list, Joe.”
He hoped Alexa never saw this interview aired. If she ever got wind of the garbage he was spouting, he’d be in the doghouse, for sure.
But the worst was yet to come. Joe motioned for the cameras to be shut off. “Your wild card is Shelby,” he said in a distinctly feral way.
Brandon couldn’t keep the grimace off of his face. “The frosty redhead?”
Smirking, Joe added. “That’s right. She’s not getting along very well with some of the other girls — Alexa in particular — which will be extremely good for ratings.”
“I would never choose her in a million years.”
“It’s all in the contract, Brandon.” Motioning for the cameramen to start shooting again, Joe smiled falsely. “I wish you the best of luck with your difficult choice tonight.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Alexa was amazed by how nervous she felt as she waited with the other twenty-nine contestants for Brandon’s decision. She told herself it was nothing more than wanting to get to the next step so that she could write her expose, but somewhere deep within her heart she suspected she might be lying to herself.
Shelby, the redheaded contestant who had angrily shushed her and Brigit that first day when they were filling out their applications, walked up to her and said, “Nice stunt.”
Alexa didn’t know what the polished, mean-looking woman was talking about, but she couldn’t miss her menacing, aggressive tone.
“What stunt?”
“Oh come on!” Shelby snorted, her face screwed up with jealousy. Gesturing to the women she had been talking to,
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