“I don’t know.. I just wanted to be the one running the meetings, instead of taking notes at them, or grabbing the bosses’ coffee. I think I could do more than just answer phones and type, you know? Or actually, you probably don’t. You’ve never been a secretary. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to complain to you. I should be thankful I have any job at all, and you just wanted to have a fun night.”
Xander put a finger to her lips in a playful way, and Mia was surprised at the intimacy of the gesture. “It’s all right,” he said. “Just dance with me. I know how it feels to be constantly working, never feeling like you’re getting where you want to go… I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I’ve had to work very hard to get where I am, and to stay there. Just relax and enjoy being the most beautiful girl in the room.”
The party was starting to clear out, but Mia and Xander were still dancing. A friend of Xander’s came over and gently tapped him on the shoulder. “Just so you know, it’s almost one in the morning,” he said. “I think they are going to want everyone to clear out of here soon.”
“I guess that’s my cue to leave,” Mia said.
“Wait,” Xander replied. “Can I at least get your phone number? I love talking to you. You’re… easy to be around. I don’t have many people like that in my life.”
The pair pulled out their smartphones and quickly traded numbers. “Where do you live?” Xander asked.
“Downtown, about twenty blocks south of here.”
“Damn, I’m headed in the opposite direction, otherwise I’d offer to take you home. I’ll call you a car, though.”
Mia watched as the city lights flew by outside the window of her town car. She was feeling tired from all the dancing, and had to force herself to keep her eyes open. No matter how long she lived here, she would never get used to the beauty of the twinkling skyline at night, and she always tried to absorb it all.
Lillian had been right, it had been incredibly easy to get Xander interested in her. She’d barely even had to do anything, other than make eye contact and respond when he talked to her. She was surprised, though; he’d been nicer to her than she’d anticipated. She still thought he was a horrible womanizer, after all, he’d just barely broken up with Lillian and he was already trying to flirt with her. But she was starting to understand why women were so charmed by him.
Her phone buzzed, and she looked down to see that Xander was calling her.
“Already?” she thought.
But she figured she might as well answer, the sooner she truly seduced him, the sooner she could break his heart and be done with this case.
She picked up the phone. “Hello?”
“Hi, Sarah,” he said. “I know this may seem… soon. And very impulsive. But I have a request for you.”
“What is it?” Mia asked, slightly bewildered.
“Would you want to come out of town with me this weekend? My girl--- er, the person I planned the trip with, uh, she canceled on me. And I would really like to get to know you better. Please say yes.”
“That sounds wonderful, Xander. Yes, I would love to spend the weekend with you.”
***
Chapter 5
Xander had decided to take her out to the Hamptons for a weekend, and a car pulled up in front of her apartment around nine in the morning. The chauffer stepped out and opened the door for her, and Mia stepped in, not totally sure what to expect.
Xander was sitting in the back, looking much more relaxed than usual in chinos and a polo instead of his usual work suit. He held out a piping hot coffee and a bag containing a blueberry scone. “I got you some breakfast for the road,” he said. “I hope you like caramel macchiatos. I didn’t know what coffee you usually drink so I figured that was a safe bet.”
“Thank you,” Mia said. She decided that there were definitely worse things in the world than seducing beautiful, rich men who brought her breakfast. “So what are we doing today?”
“I thought I would take you to my favorite beach in Southampton. It has one of the most beautiful ocean views you’ve ever seen. I know you’re from California and everything, but we have some pretty incredible coastline here, too.”
Mia laughed. “I’ll believe that when I see it,” she said. “I grew up going to Newport Beach on the weekends. That will be pretty hard to beat. But that does sounds fun.”
Xander had been right, the beach was amazing. There were miles of beautiful white sand, and lucky for them, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. “I stand corrected,” Mia said. “This is really wonderful.”