Billionaire Bad Boys of Romance 1(11)

“He did,” I said. “He bought me, remember?”

“I think Arthur was hoping more for something in the area of fifty thousand dollars. Nine thousand is still pretty good, though.”

“So that's it? Nothing about what he likes or doesn’t like or is famous for?”

“Other than being crazy and rich? No. I'm under the impression that up until last year he was extremely bland. I don't even know if he had much of a personality, to be honest.” At my curious look she blushed. “I spent some time last night researching him on the internet for you.”

I wanted to smack myself in the head, but I didn't because I was afraid I might cause myself to be sick. Looking shit up and handling things like that was usually my job. I'd been too drunk from my vodka chaser's chaser's chaser to even drunk-text an ex, much less actually do something useful, like research. “Anything interesting at all?”

She shook her head. “Not that I could see. Mostly it seemed like he was a workaholic for ages and now he's gone a little loopy in the head. Or so they say.”

“Yeah, I bet,” I muttered. He hadn't struck me as particularly nuts when I was talking to him, except for the ferret bit, but he was... well, definitely a little off. I sipped my coffee. “You don't think he'll, like, try to skin me and wear me as a hat, do you?”

Felicia laughed. “No. I totally don't. I met the guy last night after he talked to you at the bar. He was really... outgoing.”

“Hmph,” I said. I've known plenty of outgoing guys. They were all jerks.

“So what kind of date is he taking you on?” she asked.

“It's not a date. I don't think. He wants me to pose for him.”

Felicia blinked. “Pose?”

“Like for pictures.”

A horrified look crossed her face. “Oh, Sadie—” she began.

I made an irritated noise at her. “It's nothing illicit. He said he's an amateur artist and he wants to use me as a subject.”

Felicia looked puzzled. “I'd never heard anything about him being an artist.”

“I only know what he told me.”

“Huh.” She thought for a moment. “What kind of artist?”

We both knew what she meant, but unfortunately I had no idea what to tell her. “He sort of implied... everything?” I thought back on what he'd said. “Photography, sculpture, painting...”

Felicia frowned. Like me, she knew a lot of artists. There certainly were people who did all sorts of different things in different mediums, but in our experience people tended to find a focus and hone in on it. Yeah, it was great to take classes in other stuff and see what you liked, but usually something called to you. You didn't end up doing more than two things, and usually the two things were related if you did. Photography and design, for instance.

We both sat there and puzzled this out for a few minutes before Felicia heaved a sigh. “Well,” she said, “don't do anything I wouldn't do, I guess,” which was really funny, considering.

“Yeah,” I said. “I'll get right on that.”

“Take a long bath and just try to be a little less surly than you usually are,” she advised me. “I think Anton was wanting to do some business with Ward at some point in the future.”

“Oh no,” I groaned.

“You don't have to put out or anything like that,” she said. “Just don't... you know.” She gave me a little smile.

Don't try to shock him or scare him off, is what she was saying. Well, shit. There went my escape plan.

She pinned me with pleading eyes until I finally gave in. “Fine!” I said. “I'll try to be an adult.”

“Thank you, Sadie. And try to have fun. I worry about you. This job seems to be stressing you out.”

What? That was totally not true. I was, if anything, bored, and I opened my mouth to tell her so, but just then a heavy thump came from above us and Felicia looked up.

“Oh,” she said. “It sounds like Anton might have gotten out of his restraints. Can you see yourse—?”

“Yes!” I snapped. Of course they were in the middle of some weird sex thing. Of course. “I will see myself out, please don't bother yourself on my account.”

“Well, who else will?” Felicia asked, giving me a grin.

Ouch, I thought. Felicia and I have known each other for years. We're best friends. We can say shit like that to each other. But sometimes, I wonder if we really should.

It was time for me to go in any case. Felicia crossed the room and hugged me and I tried not to think about how naked she was under her robe, and then she skipped out of the kitchen and up the stairs. I sighed, drained the last of my coffee, and let myself out of the house.