“You know, you had me worried you weren’t interested.”

My eyes clouded with sexual haze, and the smoky feel of his dark gaze on my skin made my heart flutter.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized. “I caught a case of the nerves, and ran to the bathroom.”

He held me in his gaze, completely

I fashioned myself a woman ready for anything, but I was insufficiently prepared for this.

On the way over, I imagined every possible scenario:

•Hideous man looking for a sugar baby, smiling with stained teeth, and smarmy appearance.

•An older executive seeking arm candy to play a role.

•Middle age nut job looking for a cheap thrill on the basis of boredom.

I’d even considered that this was a complete social experiment. I’d walk in, confident and proud, but there’d be an investigative reporter waiting at the table, camera crews on hand. I’d be invited to take a seat, and get interrogated on why a qualified woman such as myself would involve herself in such a questionable proposition.

My mind was rich with possibilities — and yet none of them led me to this, seeing the sexiest man I’d ever seen in my life.

I would have thought I was high, that it would have been too good to be true if he hadn’t taken my hand and shaken it.

He hadn’t let go after we’d shaken either. The heat of his skin against mine sent pleasurable waves pulsing from my hand up my arm. The sensations reverberated through my body, and I could feel telltale goosebumps pop up and over my arms.

How dare my body betray me so?

“I assure you this is very real,” he mused. He raised my hand to his lips, and they caressed me. His kiss was equal parts scintillating and soothing.

But can I tell you how he looked?

God. When I say fine, I mean fine.

This man was taller than any other man I’d dated in my life. 6’2”, with dark eyes, and dark close cut hair just long enough to create delicious curls. He was striking, with a close cut beard and strong, masculine jawline.

My nipples hardened, and my clit pulsed. Attraction was important to me, but I could see me playing this role really well — if this were indeed the real thing. If I played fiancée, could I be a fiancée with benefits?

“Oooh. Our guest is here.”

I turned to put a face to the sultry voice. The woman was indeed as sultry as she sounded. With black hair, pouty lips, and smokey grey eyes, she returned my curious look with a sensual smile.

Dear God, I wondered; was this some sick ploy to get me involved in some kinky couples’ role-play fantasy?

“Hello, Sage. I’m Lauren, the woman you spoke to on the phone?” She extended her hand, and tipped her eyebrows to the sky with a friendly grin. I relaxed enough to smile back and return the gesture.

“Hello. It’s nice to meet you.” My heartbeat relaxed when she slid next to the tall, handsome gentleman, but I still feared the worst.

I wasn’t sure I was ready for the couples’ experience.

He smiled at me, and Lauren called the waitress over. When she arrived, she ordered appetizers.

“And whatever the lady would like to drink,” the man inserted, gesturing toward me.

Caught by his chivalry, I blushed. “Whatever your current signature Happy Hour special is, is fine with me.”

The waitress pointed out four drinks on a mini menu. I picked the drink that sounded pretty and sweet. I was too fraught with looking perfect in front of this handsome man – and his adoring… uh, wife/girlfriend/plaything? - to even consider anything closely.

“Thank you,” I smiled at him. And her. You never want to upset a man’s woman, even if she knows why you’re there.

Once the orders were in, the handsome god of a man wasted no time getting focused.

“One thing’s for sure. You’re everything your pictures promised, and more.”

Heat rose from my core and spread over my body. Even if he weren’t in a well-tailored suit, with impeccable shoes and a fine watch, I could tell he was a C-suite executive just by the way he expressed himself.

Self-assured. Dauntless. Direct and to the point — complete with eye contact.

“Thank you,” I managed to utter through the haze in my head. Sexual tension was ripe between us, and I hadn’t even taken a sip of the pretty pink and purple drink the waitress sat down in front of me.

“You think you can stop drooling over her enough to tell her what’s going on?” Lauren interjected. She shot me a teasing wink as she looked at him. “Has he even told you his name?”

I snapped out of it, just a bit. “Actually, no.” I shook my head. “No he hasn’t.”

His eyes bore into me as he declared himself. “Case Williams.”

“Sage Bush.” Lauren gave me a cheeky expression. I shrugged lightly. “I know. Real creative on my mother’s part.”

“Lauren Michaels.” She chimed in. “Now that we’re all introduced, can you explain what’s going on?”

I gave an approving nod, echoing her sentiments. He nodded as he finished a bite of his chicken appetizer. Lauren and I helped ourselves to some of the rest, which were placed in the middle of the table for us to enjoy.

“Essentially, my father owns a large corporation here in the city. Just a couple of blocks away. He’s getting ready to retire, and I’m in the prime position to take over, but his rule is that I need to be married.”

Lauren nodded as he spoke, confirming every word.

“My plan is to find a smart, suitable fiancée to present him, so he has the confidence to hand the company over to me, as opposed to someone else.”

“Why would he give anyone else your position?” My brow furrowed.

“The company is an ‘old money’ brand. The last thing he wants to do is tarnish it by leaving it in the hands of his single, handsome, and eligible bachelor of a son, despite my qualifications.”

“He’s really about image,” Lauren added. They shared an insider’s scoff, but I noticed their body language was peculiar. They had a tangible, yet indefinable closeness that inferred they were really close, but not in a sexual manner. "How it looks is the second thing shareholders care about after profits."

“May I ask a question?”

“Sure.”

“Are you two related in any way?”

They shared an amused look. “Do we look related?”

“No, but you seem really close to one another.”

“How so?” Lauren’s tone was inquisitive, and her eyes sparkled in anticipation.

Case’s expression was highly interested also, but his eyes remained intense, as if he would spread me on the table and eat me in front of the entire restaurant. I was both scared and aroused by the vision.

“I don’t know if this is something I can clearly define,” I started.

I scrutinized them for a moment. The way they sat very close, but not in direct physical contact. How her shoulders were relaxed. Her bra was doing a great job supporting her, because she wasn’t sticking her chest up and out the way a woman who desired sexual attention would. And they had a comfortable rapport, but they weren’t sharing food directly or double dipping.

“Be honest.” Case asserted.

“Honestly? It’s as if you two are either siblings or prior friends with benefits.”

Case tossed his head back, releasing a manly, comfortable roar. Lauren cracked up, her breasts jiggling heartily beneath her top. They looked at each other and I saw tears in the corners of their eyes.

“Heavens no.” Lauren finally replied. She wiped the corners of her eyes with a manicured finger, and then followed up with a free napkin on the table. “Case and I could never be lovers.”

“Why not?”

“He’s my boss.”

“We’re close. Like brother and sister. But Lauren’s well past her dating years,” Case butted in.

Lauren jabbed him with an elbow. “I’m 33, sir. I’m not past my dating years.”

“You certainly aren’t,” I added, feeling relief that she wasn’t his wife or lover. “Women blossom in their 30s. At least that’s what I’ve been told.”

Lauren pointed her finger at me and nodded in assertion. “You’ve got that right, girlfriend.” She took a sip of her drink and eyed Case with a teasing glare as she spoke.

“I’m recently divorced, and a mother of two. I’m just not interested in dating, and Case teases me for it. I’m also older than him, so he likes to poke fun at that also.”

“Lauren knows me better than any woman on this planet,” Case added. I raised a brow to that statement. He clarified.

“My mother passed away several years ago. Lauren and I have worked together since I first joined the company after graduating.”

I nodded, and I completely understood. They were close because they worked together. She probably knew all of his secrets, and not biblically, as I’d assumed.

“You look relieved,” Lauren pointed out. “Your body’s relaxed considerably within the past ten seconds.”

My cheeks turned red. “I had wondered if this were some kind of weird setup.” My thoughts flashed to the thought of the crazy couples role-play scenario, and I suppressed the urge to skitter laughter. I’d sound like a hyena, nervous and unhinged, if this came to be.

Lauren’s countenance remained jest-like; she had the kind of energy that let you know she picked up on everything, even if she never said anything. Thank god people couldn’t read minds.

“Will you use Sage Bush as the name you want on your contract? And would you prefer a direct wire, or cash?”

“I love cash,” I replied instantly. “Direct wires are nice also. Either way, they go to the same place: my hands.”

“That being said, I’m curious. What made you answer the ad? From what your resume says, you have a background in corporate marketing.”

I sipped my pretty pink drink slowly before responding. “I honestly thought this was a joke. You know online websites have all kinds of people on there. I didn’t take this seriously, but I figured, hey, what were my chances?”

“What did you think you would find when you came here?” Case inquired. His eyes glittered, the same level of intrigue in his expression as Lauren’s.

“To be frank, I had every scenario you could think of in my head. I assumed I’d be tricked into coming by a dirty old man looking for a sugar baby. I imagined the possibility that this was just a catfish setup. I even thought this was just some bored guy’s way of looking for women.”

“Yet you still came?”

I shrugged. “Everyone needs a little excitement in their life.”

“Are you working?”

I bristled. I knew I should have been prepared to answer this question, but I told myself I would handle it when the time came.

Honesty was everything, sometimes, but being honest now just didn’t have an automatic affirmation of approval.

“I’m… between jobs at the moment.” I admitted. “The company I worked for folded recently.”

Case’s expression softened, and Lauren clammed up. His tone was reticent, and he apologized for bringing it up. Lauren gave an understanding look, but remained silent.

“It’s okay,” I assured them. “You didn’t know. I should have been prepared to address this, but I wasn’t.”

“Well, should questions arise when you’re around my father and our associates, we’ll have a game plan of what to say, how to say it, and when,” Case assured. “I won’t leave you to the sharks on this one.”

Lauren’s wry smile appeared. “Even then, who knows? You’re already a few weeks away from finishing your second Master’s degree.”

“You know, that’s true. But where will it even lead? School is important, but only to an extent. Finding work has been tough for me.”

“They’re definitely not handing out as many jobs as they have been to match those degrees.” Her tone of voice held empathy that let me know she wasn’t just talking to talk, but truly understood my struggle.

“Exactly my point. I’m on the hook for student loans, but there’s no guarantee of job security. Nothing to secure my future, but I’ll always secure Uncle Sam’s.”

Lauren and I shared a scoff and shook our heads. I decided I liked her. She was one of the prettiest women I’d ever seen, yet she was so relatable, fun, and down to Earth. If I were selected to become Case’s fiancée for hire, she would be very cool to befriend, and a good source for acclimation to his culture.

“If I were to be considered for this role, what can I expect?” I twirled my fork around my appetizer, wondering if I’d built enough rapport to shove that delicious forkful in my mouth. My tummy said yes, but the desire to leave a lasting impression said wait.

“First of all, you can expect to be yourself,” Case answered. “Be only yourself, pretend you’re in love with me, and let it really seem as if you’re ready to get married. My father wants nothing more than to see me settled with an intelligent, beautiful woman who actually cares about me.”

“Will we actually get married?” My top lip curled up on the right side, and my heart fluttered. I was attracted to Case, and he was acutely attracted to me, it seemed. But pretending to marry was different from actually tying the knot.

“No, not in the legal sense anyway.” His tone was assured and smooth. “I think the image of us moving toward the aisle is much more important than actually getting there. My father’s probably just going to need to see us together from time to time, so we’ll have to attend family events. And the wedding to complete the show, if that’s okay with you?”

“It is,” I beamed. “I love a good wedding. Great drinks, delicious food. Happy people.”

Lauren’s grin lit up the booth. “I think we have a strong candidate here. Gorgeous, relaxed, intelligent.”

“Can hold a conversation,” Case added. “And definitely worth the wait.”

I blushed at his mild jab, a reference to making him wait while I was in the bathroom, trying to get my nerves together.

“Thank you.” I replied. “I’m sorry I made you wait. I was extremely nervous.”

“She was,” Lauren chimed in. “She was nearly hyperventilating in the bathroom.”

“Oh hush!” I replied, my cheeks staining pink with horror.

“I’m just kidding, I’m just kidding,” she laughed. She nodded, “But you did look very nervous.”

“I’m definitely glad you stuck it out.” Case said. His eyes intensified, and I felt a delirious tingle cover my body. It was the same intense feeling I got when he looked me directly in the eyes and waved.

It was the look that told me, You’re not getting away from me.

The waitress approached the table with the check. Before she could set it down, Case held up his hand, and pulled a card from his wallet. “All on me. Here you go.”

The evening was wrapping to an end, and I still had about half my drink left. I sipped slowly, fighting the urge to finish as we continued our conversation. I was comfortable, yes, but I still didn’t want to look like a lush in front of them.

“Here’s our offer.” Lauren scribbled on a napkin. “This would be the estimate of how much you’d be paid, of course for your work. Take a look at this, and let us know if this will do.”

She slid the soft paper over and I peeked down. The number was insane. $75,000. It was a salary. A salary I hadn’t yet approached in my career. Not by a long shot.

“How long would this be for?” I played it cool, not wanting to betray the wild heartbeat in my chest. My body was going crazy at the thought of $75,000. I wouldn’t be a millionaire, but I could definitely sit pretty while I weighed my options and got my life together.

“Assuming a relationship of six months to a year, I believe this should suffice.”

I felt wetness between my legs, and stiffened. I got such a thrill from his presence and attention, to the point that my body reacted without my awareness. I felt its desire to bow in delicious submission, and the fantasy of him spreading me open and tasting me on the dinner table entrenched itself as tonight’s bedtime fantasy.

Something told me each stroke he dealt would shatter me, destroy me with a pleasure my body hadn’t felt in a long time.

Being selective while single meant I didn’t find dating opportunities as often as others. Quality over quantity was the motto for me, all the way, and that was tough when you were 24 years old in a big city. Tinder was the name of the game for most guys, and the ones who were serious? Sooo not my type.

“Of course, this is just the base compensation,” Case added. “Your outfits, our dates, and other gifts are part of your benefits package. You can also access a personal trainer, if that’s something you think you need.”

“I probably will take advantage of that,” I joked. “Lord knows I love good food.”

Case’s eyes brightened. “Do you have a passport?”

I tapped my purse. “I’m always ready to fly out. I’ve been thinking of Cabo recently.”

“My father will more than likely do a destination wedding. It’s good to know you’re ready. I have no idea what he’s got planned, but I’ll cover your costs for that too.”

He spoke as if the decision were made. In my head, I hoped so. In my heart, I desired this to be the case.

Between my legs, I begged for him to be the one. Because I wanted to know if those benefits extended to a good dicking now and again.

I felt like a savage, ready to be taken and fucked by a man who simply wanted to hire me. But it was clear in our conversation, between the lines, that he wanted to fuck me just as badly, if not even more desperately than I could ever imagine.

“I’ll have Lauren send over the paperwork tonight. Feel free to review it with your lawyer before signing.” My nipples hardened when he added, “Read every line with explicit detail.”