Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 77452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
I thought I could handle this.
Turns out I can’t.
I turn around, sniffling and dislodging his hand from my shoulder. “You have nothing to apologize for. If you’ll excuse me…”
“You’re clearly upset, so yes, I need to apologize.”
“I’m not upset, Mr. Dawson.”
“Brett. My name is Brett.”
“Whatever. I’m not upset. I brought this all on myself. You haven’t done anything wrong. I just can’t participate in this. I thought I could, but I can’t.”
“Ariel—”
“I’m not who you think I am.” I draw in a breath, gather my wits. “I won’t spread my legs for just anyone, not even a billionaire. I’m not that girl. I don’t belong here. You’ll have to find someone else to tend to your needs tonight.”
EPISODE 6
FASCINATING
River
Twenty Years Earlier…
“Come on, Riv.” Brett yanks my arm.
We’ve all just completed our freshman year of high school. Brett’s the oldest of our group, and I’m the youngest. He’s always been our makeshift leader, but he and I have known each other the longest—since we were three years old and our mothers brought us to their book club in our small Montana town.
Since kindergarten, the five of us—Brett, Alex, Seb, Jake, and me—have been buddies, starting with ruling the playground. We weren’t bullies or anything. We were leaders. Still are.
But we also like to pull pranks and have fun, like the time we threw a flaming sack of shit onto Old Man Larson’s porch. The guy deserved it after taking a shot at my dog two years ago. Ernie’s some mixture of German Shepherd and Pitbull, but he wouldn’t hurt a flea even if the sucker was making him itch up a storm. Larson’s a terrible shot and he missed my mutt by a mile, but now he’s public enemy number one. What kind of man fires at an innocent dog? Ernie was only trespassing. He didn’t go after the chickens or anything.
I hate the old bastard, and though I’d love to see him rot, I’m feeling off about what Brett is suggesting.
“We could get in a lot of trouble,” I warn.
“Only if we’re caught, but we won’t be.”
Present Day
My longtime housekeeper thinks we’re nuts trying to meet wives like this, and part of me agrees with her. On the other hand, though, matchmaking sure beats online dating, and none of us has the time to go out and meet women the old-fashioned way.
Evangeline Livingston is an elite matchmaker who’s trying to redeem herself after botching a match for a high-profile client, so she jumped at the chance to put together this event. When we approached her with this idea to create an immersive experience as an over-the-top mixer with the goal of matching all four of us, she couldn’t wait to get started. She’s spent the last six weeks screening and searching, and now that we’re here, I’m impressed. She’s found us some beauties.
Brett, Alex, and Seb are already mingling. Me? I’m not a sprinter. I had my eye on the reddish brunette, Ariel, but Brett got to her first.
I’m a patient man, though. I can wait. We have time. The idea is to get to know all of them, see if sparks fly. Brett’s always been a front runner—in our friendship and in life. I bide my time and then strike when the iron is scorching.
The more things change…
Damn.
Twenty years have passed, and we all have amazing lives. Yet lately the past haunts me in ways I thought I’d sealed up for good.
“River”—Evangeline’s voice cuts into my thoughts—“have you met Juniper Loring and Rachel Cooper?”
I take a sip of my drink, set it down on the table, and rise. “I haven’t yet had the pleasure.”
“Ladies,” Evangeline says, “meet River Barrett.”
Juniper holds out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you. Call me June.”
“Nice to meet you, June.” Her hand is soft as silk. I turn to Rachel. “Hello.”
She gives me her hand as well. “Hello, Mr. Barrett.”
“Please, it’s River. Would you ladies care to sit down?”
June and Rachel take chairs on opposite sides of me, making it impossible to focus on both at once.
Okay, then.
Which will it be?
June’s features are nearly perfect—oval face, rosy high cheekbones, deep-set blue eyes, and flowing mahogany hair that caresses her creamy shoulders like a silky curtain. Not to mention her body… The woman models lingerie, so there’s that.
Rachel is a physicist. That should turn me off right away. I love the sciences…except for physics. She’s got these irresistible dimples, though, and the one on her left cheek is slightly larger than the one on the right, which for some reason makes my dick ache. Her face is rounder than June’s, and her jawline more pronounced, but she has eyes to die for—deep brown with long black lashes. She’s gorgeous in her own way, and her hair, though not as long as June’s, is a prettier color in my opinion. Dark brown to match her eyes.