Read Online Romance: Edge of Desire by Kelli Sloan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kelli Sloan
Ads: Link
from my desk and rub my hands through my hair. “I just don’t see why this is such a big deal to them. Having a woman isn’t going to solve all of this company’s problems.”
“No, but it will solve the problem that you have with investors. I know that you see what goes on with these other billionaire bachelors. They’re all running crazy and with a different woman every night. You can’t blame the investors for wanting to be cautious,” Tanya argues. “They want to give their money to a stable person – not to some playboy billionaire without a care in the world.”
“But I’m nothing like that!” I yell as I slam my hand on the desk. “I’m getting tired of being stereotyped for what these playboys are doing. I am not a player!”
“You look like a player, Carter. You have the looks, the swagger, the cars and the body. Everything about you says ‘player’.”
“That is so frustrating.”
“You know how it is, Carter. All of the men that sit at the top of the investment firms are married, stable and calm. Like your father - he was married to your mother.”
“Yeah, and he divorced her too.”
“Carter, I know that this business means a lot to you. Since we lost your father five years ago, this business has been your life.”
I nod. “I’ll do anything for this business.”
Tanya knows this business like nobody else. She is in her early sixties and she was my father’s personal assistant, and since he passed away, she has been by my side, helping me guide this business to success. But we are having a bad year, which is normal for a business in the stock-market, and the investors are getting nervous.
“The question as to be - are you ready to lose this business?”
I sigh. “No, but I’m not ready to get into a relationship to keep it either. I don’t even know anyone I would be interested in.”
“Why don’t you date one of the other personal assistants?”
“Other than you, I don’t even know any of the personal assistants. I don’t even think I can remember their names. Why would they want to date a guy who can’t even remember their name?”
“Every girl on the planet would love to date you. But this doesn’t have to be a real relationship, Carter. Just a fake one until you get what you need out of the investors.”
“Go on. I’m listening…”
“The investors want stability… and real relationships are too fragile and unpredictable… And what could be more stable than a person paid to do a job?”
“Did you have someone in mind?”
“Ella.”
“Ella?” I ask.
“I think she is the obvious candidate. She’s level-headed, shy and pretty, and I think that she is just the woman you need to pull this off.”
“There are three other female personal assistants, right? Why not the others?”
“Because the others are a little flighty, and you would have to put too much energy into trying to calm them down when your main focus should be the investors. You need someone who will compliment you and not take away from what you’re doing. It has to be Ella.”
“You’re really a fan of this Ella girl. Are you sure you’re not trying to play matchmaker?”
Tanya laughs. “Ella and I rarely have any conversation, but I know from by the way that she carries herself at work that she won’t be a problem for you. And I’m more concerned with keeping my job than playing matchmaker for you.”
“So how do you know that this Ella girl doesn’t have a boyfriend?”
“I don’t know, but you can find out when you ask her to do this for you.”
“And what if she says no?” I ask her.
She laughs. “I doubt that she will say no. Do you know who you are? Any woman in the world would want to be your girlfriend, and if she does say no, then we will just have to find someone else for the position.”
“You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?”
“Absolutely.”
“Interesting… A fake girlfriend…”
I’ve done a lot of things for the lure of
“No, but it will solve the problem that you have with investors. I know that you see what goes on with these other billionaire bachelors. They’re all running crazy and with a different woman every night. You can’t blame the investors for wanting to be cautious,” Tanya argues. “They want to give their money to a stable person – not to some playboy billionaire without a care in the world.”
“But I’m nothing like that!” I yell as I slam my hand on the desk. “I’m getting tired of being stereotyped for what these playboys are doing. I am not a player!”
“You look like a player, Carter. You have the looks, the swagger, the cars and the body. Everything about you says ‘player’.”
“That is so frustrating.”
“You know how it is, Carter. All of the men that sit at the top of the investment firms are married, stable and calm. Like your father - he was married to your mother.”
“Yeah, and he divorced her too.”
“Carter, I know that this business means a lot to you. Since we lost your father five years ago, this business has been your life.”
I nod. “I’ll do anything for this business.”
Tanya knows this business like nobody else. She is in her early sixties and she was my father’s personal assistant, and since he passed away, she has been by my side, helping me guide this business to success. But we are having a bad year, which is normal for a business in the stock-market, and the investors are getting nervous.
“The question as to be - are you ready to lose this business?”
I sigh. “No, but I’m not ready to get into a relationship to keep it either. I don’t even know anyone I would be interested in.”
“Why don’t you date one of the other personal assistants?”
“Other than you, I don’t even know any of the personal assistants. I don’t even think I can remember their names. Why would they want to date a guy who can’t even remember their name?”
“Every girl on the planet would love to date you. But this doesn’t have to be a real relationship, Carter. Just a fake one until you get what you need out of the investors.”
“Go on. I’m listening…”
“The investors want stability… and real relationships are too fragile and unpredictable… And what could be more stable than a person paid to do a job?”
“Did you have someone in mind?”
“Ella.”
“Ella?” I ask.
“I think she is the obvious candidate. She’s level-headed, shy and pretty, and I think that she is just the woman you need to pull this off.”
“There are three other female personal assistants, right? Why not the others?”
“Because the others are a little flighty, and you would have to put too much energy into trying to calm them down when your main focus should be the investors. You need someone who will compliment you and not take away from what you’re doing. It has to be Ella.”
“You’re really a fan of this Ella girl. Are you sure you’re not trying to play matchmaker?”
Tanya laughs. “Ella and I rarely have any conversation, but I know from by the way that she carries herself at work that she won’t be a problem for you. And I’m more concerned with keeping my job than playing matchmaker for you.”
“So how do you know that this Ella girl doesn’t have a boyfriend?”
“I don’t know, but you can find out when you ask her to do this for you.”
“And what if she says no?” I ask her.
She laughs. “I doubt that she will say no. Do you know who you are? Any woman in the world would want to be your girlfriend, and if she does say no, then we will just have to find someone else for the position.”
“You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?”
“Absolutely.”
“Interesting… A fake girlfriend…”
I’ve done a lot of things for the lure of
Similar Books
