Dirty Games Duet

DIRTY SEXY PLAYEROne“Nice rock,” I said, admiring the diamond ring Donovan placed on the tabletop. I picked it up and examined the stone in the dimly lit lounge of the The Grand Havana Room, the member’s-only cigar lounge we often frequented when we were together. The diamond was a big one, in a platinum setting with at least four carats between the large center jewel and the scattering of smaller diamonds surrounding it. A serious engagement ring. I wouldn’t expect anything less from one of the world’s most successful young billionaires.I just had no idea Donovan was even dating anyone.Of course, we weren’t as close as we used to be. Physically, anyway. He’d been managing the Tokyo office with Cade since we’d expanded our advertising firm into that market. He rarely made it stateside, and it had been nearly a year since I’d last seen Donovan in person. When he’d shown up tonight unexpectedly asking Nate and me to meet him at the club, we’d guessed he had serious news but that it

So if this was that important to him, then I really needed to be listening. Because I would give Donovan the shirt off my back too.“Number one in Europe, Weston,” he said with a gleam in his eye. “We’ve only been open five years, and it would take a long time to get that title any other way. It’s been far more difficult than I’d hoped to crack that market the way we have here.”I always knew the guy was competitive, but this really took the cake.“And it’s just a fake marriage then? Just a sham?”Dammit. I couldn’t believe I was actually considering this.“A complete farce. You’d start right away, fake a whirlwind romance and engagement. Have the whole thing done in four, five months tops. But the benefits to Reach would last a lifetime. Think of it as your legacy, Weston.”I drummed my fingers on the tabletop. “This is fucking insane.”“You like insane,” he said, leaning in close, knowing exactly which words would push my buttons.How did he do this every time? He really was a maste

Donovan shrugged as if to say, what did you expect?“This is bullshit. I shouldn’t be the one condemned to—” Once again, I was interrupted by the opening of the lounge doors. This time, Roxie, my amazing and faithful assistant, stood there, gesturing for the woman behind her to come inside.I moved my gaze to the stranger as she entered the room. She was sharply dressed in heels and a designer pantsuit. The royal blue color showcased her creamy skin and long red hair, which bounced with a natural wave. The tailored pants were business and attitude while the satin cowl neck softened her and gave just a hint of cleavage, so the outfit managed to make her appear both professional and feminine at the same time.She was a knockout. Put together and made of money. She held her shoulders back and her neck high. She knew how to carry herself.She was the kind of woman who could carry the world.“Here you are,” Roxie said in her Hungarian accent. “Gentlemen, Elizabeth Dyson here to see you.”D

FourI hurried out of the lounge so quickly that I got myself turned around in the offices of Reach, Inc. The open floor space brought lots of outside light in and all the glass front offices looked the same. I passed several people sitting at desks who looked up at me as I walked by, but I was so near to tears that I didn’t want any of them to ask if I needed help. I wouldn’t have been able to hold it together.So I threw my shoulders back and put my chin up and walked past, even though that just made me even more lost. Weston’s statement, this is ridiculous, kept replaying in my mind, but I heard it in my father’s voice. This is ridiculous. You can’t do this. Who do you think you are?He never said it to my face, my father, but he hadn’t needed to. He’d said it by never letting me into his life. He’d said it by giving his company to his nephew instead of his own daughter. He’d said it loudest by thinking that whatever man I married would be more worthy of running his empire than me

“Stop giggling,” he said, practically laughing himself. “We have to be serious about this. This is a real serious moment between us.”“I can’t help it! I’m a giggler.”“First rule of business,” he said, “if you want people to take you seriously, you can’t giggle.”I sucked in my cheeks, making probably the silliest expression I’d ever made. Weston tamped down his smile as well, though not all the way. I kind of wondered if that half-smile was permanently on his lips, wondered if he even noticed it. It was fitting for the occasion, the tiny upturn of his lips as he opened the black velvet box and pulled out the gorgeous platinum ring with tiny diamonds surrounding a large one that had to be at least four carats.I could almost believe he meant this. Could almost believe he was enjoying it.“Give me your hand,” he said, taking it before I’d actually given it to him. Goosebumps sprouted up my arm at his touch, or maybe just because I was so thrilled that this was finally happening, I was