The Billionaire's Kiss(107)

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If you haven’t read the first book in the Scandal, Inc series, I’ve included an excerpt below. Charlotte’s story is next, and will be out in Spring, 2014.





An excerpt from:





The Billionaire's Marriage Contract (Scandal, Inc)





Ethan Cole sat at the bar and looked at his reflection in the mirror as he reached into his briefcase. He studied the lines on his face. He wasn’t getting any younger, he thought. He wondered if the stress of his job was starting to get to him. For over a decade, he had been the toast of the tech world, but he wondered if the world was finally catching up with him. By the time he fished the small box out of the bottom of the leather briefcase, he had gone from looking at his forehead to inspecting the small lines that were starting to form next to his eyes. As he spun the box around in his fingers, he turned to look toward the door. No sign of Amy yet. He let out a little sigh of relief and turned back around. He motioned to the bartender.

“Ready for a drink?” the bartender asked.

“Just let me know when the attractive brunette comes in through the front door.”

Ethan opened the box and gazed down at the ring inside. “This is just a business deal,” he whispered to himself. “Don’t try to make it anything more than that.” He pulled the ring out of the box and inspected it in the dim light. It had been in his family for two generations and was the only keepsake he had left of the grandmother who had raised him. He looked at the sapphire set in the center of the ring. It was barely half a carat, but it was worth more to him than almost anything in the world.

As Ethan began to think back, the bartender pointed to the door. “I think your friend is here,” he said.

Ethan put the ring back in the box and slid it into the bottom of his briefcase. He gazed back toward the door to catch a glimpse of Amy as she looked around the dining room. She was as stunning as ever, and Ethan felt his pulse jump as he looked at her. Here goes, he thought. He turned back to the bartender. “I’m ready for that drink.” He reached into his wallet and pulled out a hundred dollar bill. “Her drinks are on me, too.”

***

It took Amy almost a minute to spot Ethan at the back corner of the bar. She was surprised it had taken her so long. Even across a dimly lit room, he had a brightness to him, an inner light that had a tendency to make him the center of attention. By the way he had positioned himself at the bar, Amy could tell he wasn’t interested in gaining anyone’s attention but hers. She watched him as he said something to the bartender. Then she waved off the hostess and began to make her way over to him.

Crossing the room, she felt excitement rising up inside her stomach, a nervousness that tied itself in knots. She was a consultant to movie stars, to moguls and kings, and yet she felt nervous even being in the same room as Ethan. Amy shook her head as she approached him. Buck up, she thought. Just find out what he wants and then head out. He was probably just trying to get a rise out of her. How sensitive could this proposal be? When she reached his side, she cleared her throat.

Amy was used to men like Ethan. They always had to win, and getting her to agree to meet him for a drink was just another form of winning. Whatever proposal he’d have would be some other game for him to win. She had wanted to be the one in the seat as he arrived, but he had denied her that, too. As annoyed as she was with him for that, she couldn’t deny the waves of nervousness that rushed through her body as he stood up to face her. He reached over and pulled out the chair for her. Amy laughed. “Really?” she asked. “I can get my own seat, Ethan.”#p#分页标题#e#

“I know,” he replied. “Doesn’t mean I shouldn’t make the effort.”

“This is a meeting, not a date.” Not that I can remember what it’s like to be on a date, Amy thought.

“Well, agree to disagree,” Ethan replied with a smile. He looked her over again as he waited for her response.

“No,” Amy replied. She pursed her lips and opened her eyes wide as she tried to express just how little patience she had for Ethan’s games. He was doing it again, getting under her skin. “I don’t date clients. I don’t get personally involved with clients.”

“And why is that again?” Ethan asked. Amy watched his grin grow wider as he waited for her response. She’s going to kill me when she hears what I have to say, he thought.

“I know my clients. You’re all the same. You all want one thing, and I’m not about to let you make me the center of a scandal myself.”