Time to Play(16)

“Why? He’s very good at his job.”

“I don’t give a crap. You’re both awful.” She poured her beer into a glass, ignoring both men. Simone stayed in the kitchen, sipping her brew.

“It’s a bit early in the day to be drinking, don’t you think?” Callum asked.

“I’ve just been plastered all over the daily news. My walk of shame has been broadcast for everyone to see. I think I deserve a drink or ten.”

She sipped more of her drink even though she knew she needed to keep a clear head. The phone began ringing once again. “Will you stop them calling? I can’t handle this.”

Cole moved toward the phone then disconnected the cord. Next he turned off the television.

“My mother refuses to come to me because of this. She can’t stand the cameras because of what my father did to her. Thanks for nothing. I can’t even lie low with her because they’d drum up all the crap from the past.”

Simone didn’t know why she was telling them her problems, she couldn’t help it. They were staring at her, and she needed to say something.

“Someone has been stealing money out the accounts and are trying to blame you for it,” Cole said.

Her head shot up. “What?”

****

Callum looked at his friend surprised at what Cole had admitted to. “Why would someone steal from the company?” Simone asked.

“We don’t know. This is why we’ve taken over the company, and we intend to investigate,” Cole said.

“Why don’t you suspect me?” she asked.

“Look where you live and who your parent is. You don’t need the money. Also, you put your figures in correctly. Even your boss goes over them to make sure you haven’t missed anything. Someone inside your sector is doctoring the figures and taking out thousands of dollars into an alternative account.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

Callum sighed, moving closer. They all stood in the tiny kitchen staring at each other. She looked shook up and nothing like the sensual woman he remembered from earlier. He’d never given a thought to the exposure bothering her.

“Because we need your help,” Cole said.

“I don’t know how I can help.”

“You can find the errors. We look at them and see a load of numbers that do not look out of place. You took down the original figures.”

He heard the soft way Cole was talking to her. “Why did you have to do this? There is nothing going on between Callum and me.”

“Because the person didn’t know who you were. This will shock them, and we hope they, he or she, will make a mistake,” Callum said.

She brushed past them to go and sit on the couch. “This is insane. I can’t go back to work for you. Working in that office will be a nightmare with all this,” she said.

This is where Callum came into the arrangement. “We’re setting everything up in my condo. You’ll be free to come and go as you please,” Callum said.

“That will also give the media the frenzy of you two spending time together.”

“What happens when all this dies down?” she asked.

“When the person is caught, you and Callum can go your separate ways with a mutual agreement not to kiss and tell to the press,” Cole said.

“I can’t live with you. I want my own place and my own space.”

“We’re not asking you to. You’ll be collected from here every morning and brought to the condo. There you’ll work to figure out the problem,” Callum said.

“Why do I feel that is not where this is going to end?”

Cole laughed. Callum watched her as she stared at his friend. His need for her had grown the moment he walked through the door.

“Callum is a public figure around the city. He needs to be seen. You’ll be expected to be on his arm.”

“Eye-candy. Great, just what I need. Tell me, why should I do this again?” she asked.

“Because we can make sure you’re never bothered with again,” Cole said.

She dropped her head in her hands. He saw the moment she gave in with the slump to the shoulders and the pursing of the lips. “Fine, I’ll help.”

“Great, I think it will be best if you two are seen leaving the building together,” Cole said, standing up.

“Wait, what? Why can’t we start work tomorrow?” Simone stood. Callum stayed close. He inhaled her musky scent. The temptation inside him was rising. He wanted her. No other woman had tempted him the way she was, and she wasn’t even trying to capture his attention.

“This will give you an opportunity to see where you’re going to work, Simone. I thought you’d like that,” his friend said.