Chapter Three
Hudson
S carlett Meriweather—Colton—is not what I expected.
I’m tempted to say she’s from the poorer side of the Meriweather clan, except Bixby wouldn’t bother with what he calls commoners. Even if they’re family. Especially if they’re family. Besides, his mother’s family is Mayflower stock and blood so blue they probably can’t spell poor. Scarlett might be the quirky one. Who knows? I don’t, and I don’t care, as long as she can do it.
And she doesn’t come across as flighty. Which is a plus. Even if she’s on the mouthy side. And probably hungry for more when it comes down to the dollar.
Still, Scarlett’s like a breath of fresh air. One I’m not sure I want, but I’ve got.
For a moment, I wonder if I’m being a complete fucking moron. But it’s too late for that. The idea is in my head, I’ve got the bull by the horns, and I’m not about to let go.
I want this.
I want what’s mine, and this woman is the one who’s going to help me achieve that.
I look her over again, and since now she’s changed, I can definitely see our fake whirlwind relationship and engagement working.
Sure, I’m more than aware I’m cheating the system my father put in place, but he taught each and every one of us that only losers take the hardest path by rote. Instead, he was about finding ways around things, working smarter, being devious.
That’s not about screwing people over. It’s about finding the best way, and sometimes the best way is the hardest. Other times, it’s finding the hidden door and for me, this is it.
I’ve no intention of finding a bride for real, as I know my father. The four weeks mean from now.
It might be worded in a way where I might be fooled into thinking there’s a way to push it back, and I’m going to play hardball in checking that out, but the four weeks are four weeks and if Jenson turns up in three weeks, I’ll guarantee the official documentation will have today’s date on it.
But I’ve got Scarlett.
A secret weapon.
She’s a little rough edged, but that might work in my favor. I’m no Pygmalion, but I don’t want to be. I just want someone who might fit in, and a little unexpected will work.
Listening in at the door and working it all out shows smarts and initiative, which I like. And she’s easy on the eye.
“I’m not a horse.” She narrows her eyes a little.
My mouth twitches. “I didn’t think you were.”
“You’re looking at me like one.”
“A thoroughbred.”
She presses her lips together and folds her hands in front of her. She’s got a lithe body with a delightful swell of slender hips and small but perfect tits. Normally, I like something a little more…visual as I’m not planning on deep conversation or follow-ups unless the sex proves sensational. And even those encounters wane after the fourth or fifth time. Maybe if I was looking for a relationship I’d be interested in taking things further, but then again, apart from me not wanting that, I wouldn’t pick the women I do.
They’re sexy under a layer of class, but most of them I’m not interested in talking to. I don’t have the time.
Scarlett’s definitely not like anything I’ve seen. She doesn’t have the air of entitlement like her brother. And she doesn’t come across a snob or a name dropper or spoiled. I mean, she rides a damn bike in Manhattan for crying out loud. And not a Citi Bike from the outfit she wore, either. She owns the bike.
“Well,” she says, with a nervous laugh, “what do we do now?” She looked at me, an uncertain light in her hazel eyes.
The combination of dark honey hair and warm eyes are a killer, and she has a mouth made for kissing.
“Unless you want to get right to the destruction of me,” she adds.
I probably took things a bit far with the ultimation. I meant every word. But I could have softened it. Just a little.
“If you pull this off and don’t lie to me, then I won’t have to.” I can still feel the heat of her fingers, the soft silk of her skin as I held her hand, something I didn’t mean to do. The attraction is there, unexpected, a small flare of light I can use in this.
Because I want to win.
The letter only mentioned the jewels, but there’s more, and I’ll tell my brothers later. Right now, I need to get our ground rules down between me and Scarlett.
I motion to the leather sofa and she perches on it, while I take the seat next to her, crossing my legs as she tucks her feet below her on the floor, her knees pressed together. “I wish I could say I didn’t mean to come on strong, but that’s not true. I don’t do things like this and I’m private. I’m not on page six or whichever damn page it is, and I want to keep it that way. So if you’re into getting your five minutes, this won’t work.”
“I’m not going to Warhol you. Although in that case, it would be fifteen minutes.” She stops, pink blooming in her cheeks. “I’m good with that.”
“Good, because this is my reputation on the line, and I don’t screw things up. I make level headed, intelligent decisions, so don’t make me regret this one.”
“I got that with the retribution thing.”
I laugh, unable to help myself. Even though the situation isn’t funny, she is. She has a self-deprecating streak that’s likable.
Thing is, I don’t need to like her. I need her to make this happen for me.
The jewels, or jewel that’s got my name on it, isn’t the only thing up for grabs according to Jenson. It’s a slice of the pie. A stake—a real one—in the family company. We all have shares but we have no power and that’s how dear old Dad set it up. That’s been fine, but to have a piece of my namesake in the form of a real say, and if I’m reading Jenson right, it will keep the balance private and not public. And that means Sinclair, the flagship company, remains in family hands…or the board of directors. But if I fail, then more shares will be sold and that could tip things into the public realm.
It’s a pride thing, and I’m probably making more of it than I need to. But these are some of the shares held in my father’s name and they go to me or to be sold to the public, and I don’t want that. At all.
“It’s a big job, which is why I’m not only paying well, along with the payout. I gave your brother a ballpark figure, told him I needed someone to fill a particular role. That’s it. And I’m going to expect you to do that job.”
Her eyes go big and the pink turns red in her cheeks.
I smooth a hand down along my thigh. Christ, you’d think I’m asking her to fuck me. Business is business, and this is business. I don’t ever mix that with pleasure.
“That job is as my assistant. And I’m officially hiring you. So you’ll need to do it well. If you’re good enough, we’ll talk about continuing the job when the engagement contract is fulfilled.”
“Okay.” She leans in a little and the subtle scent of flowers teases my senses. Not sweet, but fresh, just picked, with an earthiness to it, a greenness that’s refreshing. “You get the bonus of help and we can use it to speed this up in a natural seeming way.”
“Exactly.”
It sounds like we’re discussing the driest of dry business deals. Which, I guess we are.
But it has to be this way. Four weeks might seem like nothing, but they could change everything. And I want that change in my favor. Completely.
“I guess we should get to know each other? Or wait until you have a contract—”
“I’ll have that stuff for you bright and early tomorrow.” I let my gaze slide over her again, lingering a little too long on that soft looking mouth of hers.
When I realize what I’m doing, I drag my eyes away and check my Rolex. It used to be my grandfather’s on my mother’s side. I have work to do, both in my own business and with this.
“You can sign that contract and NDA and then—”
“In four weeks, we part ways.”
“I need you to work starting tomorrow. It’ll be light, a day to settle in. I’m fair, but I expect…” I try to think of the right word when she speaks.
“Blood?”
“More or less.” I shoot her an assessing look. “Nervous?”
“No.”
I smile and stand. “In four weeks we’re going to have to convince those who matter that we’re in love. And the moment the dotted line is signed between us, we’ll get down into that.”
“Blood, guts, hard work, whirlwind fake romance. I’m hoping there’s a Hallmark card I can get you at the end of this.”
She’s definitely an unexpected breath of fresh air and she can make me smile, even laugh. I think I’m going to enjoy getting to know her. But… “Scarlett, this thing, it really does depend on total honesty.”
Scarlett glances at her hands and takes a breath, and then she looks at at me. “Of course. I don’t want this out there, either.”
“People will know of the engagement when it happens, and then we’ll let things end when I say so.” I sit down again, a nervous energy whispering in my veins and I cross my legs once more. “A fight? I’ll think of something.”
She nods. “We can do this.” And then she leans over and places her hand on mine. Awareness shoots through me, right down to my cock, and I’m thankful I’ve got my legs crossed. “So, do we swap birthdays, all of that?”
“Just getting to know each other to start is good.” If I know Jenson, he’ll be looking for that ease, that familiarity. “Everything else will come.”
She blows out a breath and laughs. “This is going to be interesting.” Then she looks down, and I can see the moment the realization hits her that she’s got her hand on mine and she’s suddenly a deer in headlights for a second before she pulls away.
“And the honesty,” I say.
“Honesty.” She flashes a smile that hits hard. It’s a mix of minx and sweetness and nerves all bundled together and it’s intoxicating.
I’m hungry, that’s all. I missed my dinner meeting, and in the back of my head I’m doing mental Tetris with all the other things I need to get done. Dinner is now meant to be late night drinks that I’m going to have to make happen as it’s an important business meet. But I want—need—to spend time with Scarlett.
“When do we get started?” she asks brightly. “In the morning?”
“Hell no,” I say. “We start now.”