Page 3 of Heated Takeover

“Yeah,” he points at it and says, “that one.”

“Right. Um…you want to ride with me?” I ask.

“I do,” he says and then after an awkwardly long second, he smiles.

I open my mouth to answer, to maybe say yes; I don’t really know. This whole thing is odd. But before any sound comes out of my mouth, Reese and Garrett burst into a cacophony of laughter and snorts.

I stand there confused…until…I’m not.

Cal turns around and glares at them. “Thanks a lot, Reese, you ruined the bet,” he says.

“I’m sorry, I just…that was priceless. She almost said yes!”

My heart drops into my stomach, and tears sting my eyes against my will.

“You know what?” I say with as much gusto as I can manage. “Screw all of you. I’m going to ride the Ferris wheel anyway. By myself.”

I whip around to march off. I need to get the hell out of here before I actually start crying, but immediately slam into someone.

Someone tall.

Someone tall and toned.

Someone tall and toned and tan, and incredibly good-looking.

“You know, for being the daughter of a man as prestigious as Jim Blythe, you have a lot to learn about business etiquette,” the stranger says in a tone so low and gritty I can practically feel it pricking the skin on the back of my neck. I shudder, looking up at him again.

Attractive is an understatement. His hair is raven black, other than a few silver flecks the color of moonlight at his temples. His jawline is sharp enough to cut glass; his lips, though slack, look like they could curl into a devilish smirk if he were enticed. His eyes are darker than the Atlantic Ocean.

“I’m sorry, who are you?” Reese asks.

“Too important to waste words on you,” he says to Reese, and she scoffs. “I was about to go on the Ferris wheel. Would you like some company?” His glare turns into a gaze when he looks at me in question.

Suddenly, I forget how to talk or blink, or breathe.

“You want to go on the Ferris wheel with her?” Reese asks.

“Well. I certainly don’t feel like going alone,” he says without looking at her. He’s still staring at me. “The crowd around here is getting a little…obnoxious. I hear the view from up there is second to none, and I’d prefer my co-rider to be just as beautiful as that view.”

Did I hear that right? I’m dreaming, aren’t I?

But when he holds his hand out and waits for me to accept like some kind of Disney Princess, I decide that even if this is a dream, I’m not ready to wake up. Not yet, anyway.

So I take his hand and he whisks me away.

I don’t look back.

Chapter 2

Marcus

I knew she would accept.

I could tell the moment she looked up at me that this girl would probably do anything I ask. I’m used to having that effect on women. It comes with the confidence in my stance and my status.

I didn’t persuade her as a power trip. I hate these events; not because I have an issue with charity. This year’s cause is fighting breast cancer and you better believe I dropped an enormous amount of cash in the bucket. No, I hate these events because of the people who attend them. Everyone is fake, from their smiles to their words to their laughs. The only thing about these people that’s not fake is the name brands they’re wearing. It might as well be the fucking Met. Personally I am wearing a simple suit. High-end, but not flashy. I don’t do flashy. And from the looks of it, neither does the girl who is taking my hand.

“Right this way,” I say as I lead her towards the Ferris wheel.