Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 96404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
And for that, I need another way to make her pay other than involving him.
Aspen digs her nails into my arm and paints a bright smile on her face as she leans in to whisper in hissed words, “Did you leave your brains somewhere today?”
Probably on the wood floor of my apartment.
“Relax.” I whisk two glasses of champagne from the tray of a passing waiter and give her one. “If we pretend we’re having fun on our own, the others will flock to us.”
She flips her fiery hair over her bare shoulder, showcasing her golden dress. “Let me guess. Nate taught you that?”
“Nope. The senator himself did.” I lift my glass in Grandpa’s direction and smile.
He’s in the midst of his high-profile friends and has no choice but to lift his glass back and give me his political bullshit smile.
“There.” I focus back on Aspen. “That will give us the attention you’re here for. You don’t have to try so hard at these types of events, Aspen. It’s not the courthouse.”
“Yeah, sure thing, rich boy.”
“Watch and learn.”
Sure enough, some of Grandpa’s associates start toward us. I plaster on a smile and pull her hand in mine. “It’s showtime. Give it your all.”
“You, too.” She jabs me.
“I don’t need to. I’m the senator’s grandson.”
She laughs as a few businessmen join us. We put on our show, talking about nonsensical things that only serve to help us play the social game.
Being the Weaver’s good grandson isn’t exactly what I’d rather be doing, but it’s better than being lost in my own mind loop.
Aspen gives the performance of the century, laughing and flirting, even when she’s grabbing my arm.
“Why do you do that?” I ask when we leave the group of people we were with. “We both know you’re not interested in relationships.”
She fixes my already impeccable collar, running her red-painted nails down the lapel of my jacket. “Maybe I’m interested in baiting. Men covet what’s not theirs, call it a primitive type of characteristic. Seeing me on your arm is a sure way to pique their interest.”
I pause at her words.
Is that what this is all about with Naomi? The fact that she belongs to someone else?
“How would they differentiate between genuine interest and a need to conquer?”
“Simple. They can’t. At least not until it’s over.”
“The flirting or the fucking?”
“Neither. They wouldn’t know it’s genuine interest until whatever I have with you is over. They’ll most likely lose interest if they find out I’m single and theirs for the taking. That’s why I always come to these things escorted.”
“So I’m your victim of the night?”
“You could say that.” She tips her head in the opposite direction. “Isn’t that Asher?”
I smile when my eyes meet my childhood friend. He’s in a sharp suit like mine, but his body has become way leaner than mine, probably because he quit football three years before me.
“Well, if it isn’t Carson & Carson.” I approach him with Aspen in tow and he smiles as we greet each other in a bro hug.
I move in to kiss his wife, Reina, on the cheek, but he pushes me back with a calm yet firm hand on my chest.
“Back off if you don’t want a brawl tonight,” he whispers so only I can hear.
I laugh. “I see some things never change.”
“And never will.” He gives me a warning stare as he pulls Reina to his side by an arm around her waist.
“You’re lucky Owen isn’t here. He’d be demanding things from Rei.” I waggle my brows.
“Not if he wants to keep his football career, he wouldn’t.” Asher draws circles on Reina’s side with his finger.
She rolls her eyes. “You’re over the top, Ash.”
“But you already knew that, prom queen.” He kisses her forehead.
“Do I need to go?” I taunt. “Get you a key to a room, maybe?”
Asher gives me his signature blank look while Reina laughs. Then her smile turns mechanical when she directs it at Aspen.
I can tell she’s measuring her up and probably weighing her in that critical way she used to be famous for in the past. “And…you are?”
“Aspen Le Blanc.” She offers her hand. “Senior partner at Weaver & Shaw.”
Reina seems impressed, but her lips twist as she struggles to keep up her façade. “Aren’t you too young to be a partner?”
“So is Sebastian, but because of his gender, no one asks him that.”
“I didn’t mean it that way.” Reina sighs. “I’m just…surprised is all.”
“Don’t be. We’re unicorns, but we exist.” Aspen smiles at Asher. “Isn’t that right, Mr. Carson?”
Asher makes an absentminded sound, but doesn’t confirm or deny.
“I’ll be right back,” Aspen leans in to whisper, then kisses my cheek. “I’ll go steal their clients. Stall for me or I’ll be naughty when I come back.”
Great. Now she’s taking what Reina said as a serious offense. And since she noticed Reina was bothered by our closeness, she’s taking advantage of it.