Page 9 of Play for Power (Central Sparks #3)

If ryan gosling and aaron taylor-johnson had a baby

Rosie

“ H ow many did you get?”

“Fourteen. You?” Caleb pulls his tall frame into the booth opposite me and my jaw hits the table.

“No way. You liar.” I throw my hand out, demanding evidence. He chuckles and pulls out his phone.

“Go for it. Last fourteen messages.” He unlocks his phone and slides it across. I snatch it and immediately start searching.

This motherfucker, he added each number using a descriptor and sent them a wink face with, It’s Caleb .

“Bouncy Brunette?” I query, and the smug bastard grins and tilts his beer bottle in the direction behind me. When I look over my shoulder there is a brunette jumping around on the dance floor.

“I would have said, woo girl, but whatever,” I mumble, turning my attention back to him. He just leans back, casually shaking his head.

“Already used that one for number four.” I scroll and sure enough there it is.

I toss the phone back.

“Ugh. You win.” That gets his attention.

Leaning forward, he fixates all his judgment on me with a wide smile. “No way. How many?”

“Ten,” I mumble.

“Ten! HA! I win. Obviously. I am not surprised at all.” His stupid, pretty-boy smile is firmly in place and going nowhere fast.

“This is fun. I like hanging with you.”

“Yeah, well, don’t get used to it. We aren?—”

“Fucking. I know.” He shifts uncomfortably on his booth seating. “I get it, Rosebud. Can’t we just enjoy each other’s company like normal friends?” My eyes narrow and work to assess the authenticity of his words. Finally, I slouch back into my seat.

“Are you going to stop trying to get into my pants?”

“Never.”

“So why would I want to hang out with you then?”

“Because you think I’m charming, hilarious, and pretty to look at.” Dammit.

“Stop asking me to fuck you and we can be friends,” I relent, only because—and I hate admitting this—he is kind of fun to be around.

I don’t think about work. I don’t think about my family.

I don’t think about the fact I now live alone after being codependent on my friends since college.

Instead, I just have a really great time.

And fine, he is super pretty to look at.

“Fine.”

“Great.”

“Amazing.” He rolls his eyes at me before taking a swig of his drink and relaxes back into his seat. After a beat, he breaks the comfortable silence. “Tell me something only a friend would know.”

“You know all the things my friends know.”

“I highly doubt that.” He relaxes further, draping an arm on the back of the seat next to him. I don’t know if it is the easygoing charm or the way he seems to be able to get me out of my head, but I find myself not caring about what he knows.

“My legal name isn’t Rosie.”

“What?” He gasps, leaning forward on the table and smiling like a kid in a candy shop. “What is it then?”

“Oh, I’m not telling you.” I laugh, taking a lazy drink, and his jaw drops.

“Really?”

“Yep.”

“Well, maybe I’ll ask Addison, or Casey.”

“They wouldn’t break girl code.”

“They are the easiest to break because I know both their weaknesses.”

“Is that right?”

“Of course.” He uses his fingers to count out the two reasons.

“One is six foot five and bosses me around nine to five. The other one looks like he hunts bears in his sleep and his first word was a grunt.” I can’t help the laugh that tumbles out, but I quickly stifle it when I see the way his eyes lock onto my lips.

“Hate to break it to you, pretty boy, but even Addy and Case don’t know. They don’t even know Rosie isn’t my legal name.”

His head jerks back, his smile fading to a grin. “Really? And you told me?” I shrug, because I don’t really know why I did tell him. Only that it kind of feels nice that someone knows. I don’t feel as distant.

“Who knows your real name?”

“My ninera and my parents.”

“Your what?”

“Ninera, my nanny. Her name is Carmela. She raised me.” Oh shit, that was another fact. He blinks a few times, probably also realizing it’s unusual for me to give up two facts about myself.

His smile fades more as his consideration of me becomes intense. I shift slightly under it, not used to the scrutiny. “A nanny raised you?”

“Well, duh. You do know who my parents are, yes?” I laugh, trying to shake the intensity of his eyes. It doesn’t work, he just stares through me like he’s understanding what my childhood must have been like.

“Right,” he replies quietly.

“Right,” I say, rather curt, but I’m officially over this “playing friends” thing and not ready to dive into the emptiness that lies in not being connected to my own family.

My family is Chilean, despite them moving between Monaco, Great Falls, and New York, but my father and grandfathers were all so worried about money and legacy they forewent all things involved in our heritage.

How do you explain anything about your culture to a shallow fuckboy you barely know?

That you’re disconnected and only know Spanish words thanks to the woman paid to raise you.

You don’t explain it. Because that’s being vulnerable. Showing weakness.

And I am not weak.

I hit him with a smile. “This has been nice. But momma’s got to work.” I blow him a dramatic kiss before grabbing my jacket and scooting out of the booth to go find tonight’s lucky winner.

“Wait, you’re leaving?”

“Obviously.”

“But we were having a good time.” I don’t think he means to let his tone drop into something so serious, but it’s there. I choose to ignore it and the way my stomach tightens because of it.

“So fun.” I pat his shoulder. “Let’s do it again sometime.” He goes to open his mouth and I just know he is going to ask again. “Caleb.” I level him with a look, and he heaves a sigh.

“Ugh, fine. Pick better this time.” He rolls his eyes and stalks for the bouncy brunette. A giggle works its way up my throat and I turn my attention back to the bar, mumbling to myself.

“Okay, who’s it going to be.” I scan the bar and try to find the least annoying, most capable bachelor out there. My eyes snag on a guy with a neat mop of blond hair, a clean, pressed suit with his sleeves rolled up, and a wide, blooming smile.

Perfect.

I knew it was a bad decision to stay out later than I planned.

But Tom Ford—not the real Tom Ford but the guy from last night whose name I forget—was the first non-Caleb induced orgasm I’d had in a really long time.

So much so that I let him go for round two.

It doesn’t count as repeating if it is the same night.

Only, that meant I didn’t get back to my apartment until 2 a.m. and I am exhausted. My usual early morning was toast, and I had to skip breakfast and my first coffee, instead picking up a double from JJ’s Café on the way into the office.

Add to that, I’m knee deep in another edit, a slush pile that never stops growing, and I still haven’t worked out how I’m going to tell Chris about Jessie’s second manuscript.

Oh, and Padré is blowing up my phone. I know why.

It’s Thursday and he’s making sure I’m not only coming but turning up ready to be a good, compliant, quiet little girl.

Just as he had “ raised” me to be. I’ve been in denial and trying to pretend there is no dinner I need to attend tonight. I’m dreading it.

The lift doors open to the Andersen Schulz and Meyers floor, and I nearly spill my coffee all down the front of me.

“What are you doing here?”

“Morning, Rosebud.” Caleb beams at me from where he leans against the reception desk, looking crisp, well rested, and so annoyingly attractive.

“Stop calling me that.”

“Never.”

“Why are you here? Are you following me? This is a new level of desperate, pretty boy, even for you.” I storm past him. To absolutely no one’s surprise, he follows me.

“I like that you think I’m pretty. But also, I’m not here for you.” I scoff. Yeah, and I’m the pope.

“Mr. Smith, this is a nice surprise.” No one is surprised, Chris . “I see you’ve met one of our top editors.” I rear my head back and see Chris walking toward me.

Caleb winks at me before directing his attention back to Chris.

Caleb shakes Chris’s outstretched hand.

Caleb smiles at Chris.

What the fuck?

“Well acquainted. Rosie has been quite hospitable. I know our meeting isn’t until tomorrow, but I wanted to drop off the prospectus for you.

” Caleb slides into business mode as easy as pulling on socks, and if I wasn’t still recovering from the shock of him being at my workplace, I’d be impressed.

I refuse to make eye contact though, feeling my cheeks heat.

He really wasn’t here for me. That certainly does not make me annoyed because that is a good thing.

In fact, it’s amazing that he isn’t here for me because that would be totally annoying.

“Well, I’ll leave you both to it. I’d hate to waste your time.” I give them both a polite smile and steer myself around the corner to my cubicle, where Jas and Halle stare at me with their mouths agape.

“What? Shut your jaws or you’ll drool all over my Jimmys,” I scold them under my breath, aware that Caleb and Chris are still in hearing distance.

When I sit down at my desk, I raise my head slightly to peer over the divider and find Chris’s back to me and Caleb facing my direction.

He’s agreeing with whatever Chris is saying, a charming salesman smile on his face, but when his eyes dart to me, his grin deepens and I have to duck.

“ Shit. ”

“Well?” Jasper practically crawls to my desk to avoid being seen, but Halle-hoe has no shame. She kneels on her office chair and pretty much stares Chris and Caleb down.

“Well, what?” I whisper-shout, trying to set up my desk from my crouching position and yanking on Halle’s sweater to get her to stop fucking staring at them.

“Spill the beans, sis. There is obviously a story about you and sex-on-legs.”

“I don’t know him, and he’s hardly ‘sex-on-legs , ’” I scold Halle.

“He is basically the love child of Ryan Gosling and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the most sittable of all faces.” Halle was living up to her nickname of being a hoe.

“Pfft. Don’t be giving him those compliments, his head is big enough,” I say, and Halle gasps.

“So, you do know him?”

“ Yes ,” I relent. “We’re friends with the same friends.”

“And you totally fucked him,” Jasper states with confidence.

“I—”

“She totally did,” Caleb whispers as he quickly leans over the divider, following Chris to his office. My neck snaps in his direction, and I deliver him a salty look. He has the audacity to wink at me.

“I knew it.” Jasper giggles and Halle joins him. “Great work, by the way. That man is fine. ” Jas grunts like he just ate a delicious treat.

“ Nay, boy,” I correct him while turning toward my computer screen.

“What’s his business with Chris?” Halle asks. My eyes flick in the direction of Caleb and Chris as they enter his office and close the door.

“I don’t know,” I say quietly, more to myself because, really, why is he talking to my boss? “He works at a marketing firm, maybe they are rebranding because of the merger?” I ponder aloud, and they both hum in agreement but are quickly bored and change the subject.

“So, was he good?” Halle asks with excitement in her voice, her big brown eyes bulge, and Jas hoists himself up on my desk to give me the same look.

“Details, Garcia. We need details.”

Keeping my face bored as I ignore them both, I open up a manuscript for a recent edit.

“Rosie. Rosie. Rosie. Rosie,” Halle chants while poking me in the arm. I try my best to ignore and block her out. Like you would with any insolent child; ignore and they’ll shut up. Except she knows that’s what I’m doing, and so does Jas.

So he joins her.

“Rosie.”

“Rosie.”

Jab.

Jab.

“Ugh, fine! Mr. Magic Penis is the best I’ve ever had and is the sole reason for the string of dull dick. Happy?” I turn to glare at them and find Jasper with sparkles in his eyes and mouth agape. Halle giggles and covers her mouth with her hand to smother a full laugh.

“I knew it,” Jasper whispers.

“You’re both insufferable.”

“So, did you break your rule? Are you repeating?” Halle asks through her excitement, and Jasper scoots closer.

“Absolutely not.”

Jasper gasps. “A sin,” he whisper-shouts at me, “truly a sin. That fine ass deserves a spanking. I bet he’d crawl if you asked him too.” I can’t help the giggle that leaves my mouth because the image that paints is truly amusing…and also arousing.

Caleb on his knees for me. Oh, what a pretty picture that is.

“Why not just make an exception. He doesn’t really look like the kind who’d catch feelings—man screams fuckboy. Why don’t you just use him for his delicious body.”

“And twelve orgasms,” I mumble, turning back to my computer screen.

“TWELVE!?” Halle shouts, and I have to leap to cover her mouth, but I’m too late.

“Don’t sell me short, Rosebud. I remember counting thirteen.” Goddamnit.

“Successful meeting, pest ?”

“You’re going to have to be nicer to me, Rosie.

Especially if you want the pleasure of a repeat.

” He stares through me, longer than normal, a subtle challenge in his eyes as he strolls for the elevators.

Smug bastard. I am going to kill Halle. I deliver her and Jas a look that tells them as much, and they both shrink away, hiding their giggles.

“I hate you both.”

“You love us.” Jasper pouts and I giggle, turning back to my computer screen. The idea of repeating with Caleb is getting closer and closer to the front of my brain, but I need to be strong. He’s like that after one night. Imagine how annoying he’d be after a second. I shiver at the thought.

“I don’t repeat. Pretty boy is just going to have to accept that.

” I nod with firmness. Jasper and Halle both make eyes, but I’m the only one who knows how strong I really am.

I can do this. I can hold out. Maybe…if we hang out as friends , he’ll get the idea.

Like thoroughly stuff him in the friend zone and move past all the blurred lines.

That could work, right?