Page 67 of A Billion Dollar Romance

“Sure, sir,” he said… for the hundredth time, I was positive.

I’d have to tell Edie she’d picked the right nickname for me.

I amherprofessor,I thought as I settled back in my chair, half listening to Lyle, half wondering how soon I could get Edie on my lap in my desk chair, riding me; underneath my desk, my cock in her sweet mouth; up against the plate-glass window, her breath fogging the glass as I fucked her from behind…

Hers, and hers alone.

* * *

“I’m surprised you’re here, and not canoodling with your girlfriend,” Barrett said from his usual seat at the club, and I was in mine–a spot I’d been sadly neglecting recently, I thought, taking a sip of my Old Fashioned. It tasted good.Not as good as Edie.I smiled.

“She knows it’s boys’ night,” I said. “She’s with a friend.”Flora. I hadn’t met the woman, but I felt like I knew her. “And I told her I could pick her up on the way home if her bed’s too cold.” It had been a long time since I’d been introduced to a woman’s friends–would Edie offer to introduce us if I picked her up?

“Damn, James. A woman who has you looking likethat, andlets you off the hook for Bankworth night?” Barrett whistled low. “Put a ring on it.”

“I already did,” I said, feeling rather satisfied with myself.

“Sure,” he laughed. “A real ring for a fake fiancée.” My stomach hollowed out. What he was saying was technically true, of course, but the way he brushed off any real potential for a relationship stung. I expected as much from acquaintances, colleagues, but Barrett was one of the inner circle. My best friends. But–

“You didn’t see them together at the birthday party,” Ryan said, one eyebrow lifted. “She sure as hell didn’t look like a fake fiancée.”

“Charlie,” Barrett said, eyebrows raised. “Is this true?”

Charlie took a long drink of his beer, drawing out the tension unnecessarily.

“It’s true,” I confirmed, and Charlie flipped me off. “Thanks a lot for that. Flipping me off when I’m trying to have a serious discussion.”

“Forgive me, I was under the apparently misguided idea that your fake fiancée-real girlfriend-student-teacherthingwas pretty fucking funny–”

“I get it,” I snapped, frowning. “Hilarious.”

“Okay,” Barrett said. “Wow. You’re serious.”

I rubbed the bridge of my nose with thumb and forefinger. “Yes, I’m serious.”

“Have you told her?” Barrett asked.

“Of course I have,” I said. “What kind of asshole just lets his employee go on fake dating him when he’s developing…” I cringed, “feelingsfor her. That shit gets messy, fast. Of course I told her.”

“And?” Barrett asked, leaning forward to fiddle with the toothpick and olive in his martini.

“And what?”

“And what’d she say?”

Charlie failed to stifle a laugh.

“What do you mean,what did she say?She said,take me home, James–”

“Gross, bro,” Charlie interrupted, but I just shrugged.

“I don’t know what you want to hear. I told her how I feel, she told me how she feels–thesame, by the way, assholes–and now we’re dating. Boyfriend, girlfriend.”

“Boyfriend, girlfriend,” Ryan sighed. “Cute.”

“Don’t ‘cute’ me. You’re next,” I said, pointing at him.

Ryan laughed. “Yeah, right. I thinkMaddie’smore likely to find herself a date next.Ten years old…” He cringed, taking a swig from his bottle of beer.