Luke

---

I stopped in the entry way because there was no way I could escape Mrs. Blake and Felicia.

It was ridiculous that I couldn't avoid her, given I was a full-fledged adult with my own business startup that was going to make me and my partner a cool billion each if the deal went through.

I had to be nice — as nice as possible without being rude — because everyone and everything in Manhattan was tied in some way to the Blakes. They practically ran Wall Street through their influence. They had tentacles into banking and investment. Harrison was one of the execs of the investment firm that wanted to buy Chatter.

It would be hard, but I'd have to finesse my way with Mrs. B if I didn’t want to risk the deal.

When Felicia saw me with someone, her face fell. It wasn't that Felicia was unattractive or unpleasant. She'd be a good catch for someone who wanted to get married but I was no longer the marrying type and she was just not my type anyway. I knew men who would be very pleased to be matched up with her. But she was everything that Alexa was not. Her dress was ostentatious. Something that looked like it belonged on a bridesmaid instead of at a family function. She was lean while Alexa was petite and curvaceous. She was quiet and shy, while Alexa was smart and witty, even sarcastic.

Felicia was sweet but she wasn't for me.

I couldn't resist sarcastic for some reason, perhaps because it felt truthful and I was through with nice if deceitful.

As for Mrs. Blake, she wore a suit, looking every inch the matron of the family. She and my mother were tight, and probably planned on marrying me to Felicia after things fell through with Jenna. I told my mother to stop with the matchmaking, but Felicia seemed passive in the face of our parental machinations.

"Lucas," Mrs. Blake called out when she saw us. "There you are. Felicia and I are sorry we're so late."

She scowled when she saw me pull Alexa closer and plant a quick kiss on her lips. Luckily, Alexa was just fast enough that she got my intent and smiled at me when I pulled away, wiping lipstick off my lips like we were an old familiar couple.

"You're a tease," she whispered, winking at me very surreptitiously.

"Thanks for playing along," I whispered back.

Mrs. Blake reached us, and gave Alexa the once over.

"Who's this?" she asked, her hands on her hips.

"Mrs. Blake, may I introduce my girlfriend Alexa Dixon."

"What?" Mrs. Blake gave Alexa the twice-over, her face shocked. "We never heard that you had a girlfriend, and especially so soon after, well," she said and her eyes widened. "After. When did you get a girlfriend?"

"She's a friend from Columbia. We've been seeing each other for a while."

She made a sour face. "Your mother never said anything…"

"Mother didn't know," I said. "But I was able to introduce Alexa to her a few moments ago." I turned to Felicia. "Nice to see you again, Felicia."

"Nice to see you as well, Luke."

Felicia looked shy and awkward, as usual.

I turned back to Mrs. Blake. "Sorry to run, but we've got other plans."

"Going so soon?" Mrs. Blake said, glancing at John like she was already thinking he might be a good second-choice for Felicia. "We haven't even had a chance to talk to you. This must be John."

"Yes," I said and turned to him. "This is John, my partner and CTO at Chatter."

"Nice to meet you," John said and smiled winningly at Felicia.

"Nice to meet you as well. It's good to see you again, Luke." Felicia smiled politely but she looked as if she felt completely awkward. "I hear good things about Chatter's future. Good luck with the deal."

"Thanks," I said and then pulled Alexa with me. "We really have to go…"

Felicia nodded, and I could see in her face that she was mortified as usual with her mother's behavior.

The three of us left and I felt incredible relief.

"If you need me to take her off your hands, you can encourage her mother to try to marry me off," John said, turning around and walking backwards so he could catch another glimpse of Felicia. "Her family's the Blake family of the Blake Fortune. I could get into marrying money."

"You're going to be money, bro. You don't need to marry it."

"Then we'd both be money, and she wouldn't be after me for mine."

"Well, whatever. My adoptive mother's been itching to get us together and was really excited when we started dating. She must be crushed that I'm with someone else."

John laughed. "You'd think we were back in Victorian times."

I didn't blame Felicia for her mother's and my adoptive mother's follies. She was probably expecting to find me alone at the event and would spend time with me – maybe to satisfy her mother – maybe because she really did hope we ended up together, although I never gave her the idea I'd go along with it.

Sure, I humored my adoptive mother, and although I had taken Felicia out to a few events, I had never once given Felicia any idea that I was interested beyond being polite in social situations and going out a couple of times for dinner and to see a movie.

Only a few weeks ago, Felicia pulled me aside and apologized for her mother's behavior.

"I'm sorry," she'd said, looking really mortified at how gleeful her mother had been at the prospect of us eating our dinner side by side. "She's a bit delusional and doesn't understand that you were really hurt by what happened. It's not like you want to just jump right up in the saddle again."

"It's okay," I said, glad that Felicia wasn't going along with the whole plan to get us married in place of Jenna. "I just don't want to give anyone the wrong impression. You should tell your mother I plan on being a permanent bachelor and living in sin my entire life."

She smiled at that, and it endeared her a bit to me, but only because it meant I didn’t have to worry about her getting the wrong idea. She understood how I felt and was just going along with her mother to avoid conflict. Mrs. Blake had a very big personality to match her stature and size.

That night, I imagined Felicia merely felt even more mortified than usual because I had an actual date with me, which was something I never did – not since Jenna and I split. I hadn't brought along a date to these functions since we broke up.

So, when I watched Felicia walk away with her mother, I felt sure that Mrs. Blake would finally get a clue that I wasn't into her daughter and leave the poor girl – and me – alone for once.

I held out hope that my own meddling adoptive mother would get the same clue, but she'd shown no evidence of it and even now, I felt her eyes on me and Alexa, no doubt watching as I turned down yet another attempt to match make me with Felicia.

---

The three of us left Cipriani's and made our way down the street to the venue, glad to be free of my family with its craziness.

The club was crowded and the electronic dance music was at full blast. All the tables were taken so we found a spot at the bar and ordered drinks.

"Come on, have something," I said to Alexa, who ordered a soda. "Live a little. It's Sunday tomorrow. Can't you take Sunday off?"

"No rest for the wicked," she said and shook her head sadly. "I have to meet my friends for brunch and then it's time to hit the books."

"All work and no play makes for a dull girl," John said and held up his beer.

"All play and no work will keep me from getting my scholarship renewed and that would mean no Columbia for me," Alexa replied and held up her bottle of soda.

The three of us clinked bottles once more and I took a long draw on mine. Then, I turned to the dance floor and watched the people move. I was glad to have left Cipriani's and felt like having fun, and pretty, vivacious Alexa was just the right company. I turned to her.

"Care to dance?"

She made a face. "Usually, I'd say yes, but I'm wearing these. They're like stilts. I'm not used to heels so high. I usually wear high tops or Blundstones."

"Take them off," I said. "I promise I won't step on your toes."

She watched the dance floor for a moment and then shrugged. "Oh, what the heck. If you promise to catch me if I fall, I'll give these a try. I don’t really want to walk on that floor in bare feet."

"I'm your man. Promise to catch you before you hit the floor." I grinned and took her hand.

"Later, bro," I said to John, who nodded and held up his beer graciously. It wouldn't take him long to find some pretty thing and ask her to dance.

The music blared and people danced around us on the small dance floor to the left of the bar as we crossed it and found a place in the middle of all the writhing bodies. We started to dance and I saw right away that she was uncomfortable in the heels, but she still looked sexy, moving her hips in a gentle sway that send my mind imagining what it would be like to have those hips riding me.

"I haven't been dancing in ages, " Alexa said. "Do you come here often?"

I couldn't help but smile at her lame line. "Do you always use that pick-up?"

She grimaced and then laughed. "Oh, God, I've been so focused on my comp, I think I've forgotten how to talk to people. I should ask you something else, more personal. Like, what the heck is going on in your family? So much intrigue…"

"Don't ask," I replied, making a face of disgust. "Suffice to say that my family is not really my family. My real parents died when my sister and I were very small. So, technically, we're orphans and they're our adoptive parents. They adopted us, because they were business partners with my parents. We don't like either of them."

"You don't like your adoptive parents? Either of them?"

"Nope." I shook my head. "Unfortunately, he's a blowhard cheater and she’s a meddler."

"I'm sorry to hear that. It must be really tense at family gatherings."

"It is. My sister and I tend to avoid them as much as possible. So, you can see why I wanted to send my brother-in-law a message about using an escort service. It's just my adoptive father all over again. I don’t want Dana to go through a divorce, especially with a baby on the way."

"You couldn’t just talk to Eric?”

I shook my head. "I'd be afraid I'd punch his lights out."

Alexa didn’t say anything for a moment, and the two of us danced for a while in silence. She couldn’t move much on those heels, but when she did, she was very sexy, wiggling her hips more than she could do many complicated steps. I glanced over her from head to toes. She was so damn sexy. Of course, my man brain wanted to take her home with me and try her on for size. I figured she’d be a great fit and I remembered her joking texts when I was trying to sound all alpha and mentioned bronc riding. She had a great sense of humor, which I highly valued.

"We should sit down," I said and pointed to her heels. "Your ankles look like they could collapse at any time and I don't want to be responsible for any long-term injuries."

She wiped her brow dramatically. "Whew," she said and smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that. These heels are killing my feet."

I took her arm and led her off the dance floor to the bar where John was busy talking up a pretty young thing. "We're going to find a table," I shouted to him over the blaring music.

"You go ahead," he said and gestured to the young woman beside him. "Mia and I are going to dance."

I nodded and then Alexa and I grabbed our drinks. I took Alexa’s hand and scanned the tables for a place to sit. I found one off in the corner that was a bit out of the way and then led her there. I pulled out her chair and then sat next to her, moving my chair closer so I could hear her speak.

"So, tell me about Alexa. I know your father was in the Air Force and that you're a military brat. You're a poli science MA student, and you're from the great state of Oregon. What else should I know?"

She shrugged. "I don't know… I have an older brother, John, who's also in the Air Force and is training to be a fighter pilot. My parents live in Oregon, in a bedroom community outside Portland. My father teaches at a local flight school. That's it, really."

"Your family sounds great. Sounds like a real family."

"It is. They are.”

I watched her face. "No boyfriend?"

She shook her head. "Not recently, no. I've," she said and lifted her shoulder. "I've been focusing on school instead of a social life, I guess."

"Any past serious relationships?"

She frowned. "Why do you ask?"

"I just wondered why you're single. You're hot. You're smart."

"Why are you single?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"I was almost married," I said finally. I didn’t really want to talk about my failed engagement but she should know. "Things didn’t work out."

"I'm sorry," she said and gave me a sympathetic look.

"Plus, I saw a bad marriage close up with my adoptive parents. Now with my sister's marriage to that slimy bastard of an Eric being in question, I've decided that relationships are not my thing. I like to have fun, but I have no plans for anything long-term."

She looked at me for a moment and shook her head. "It's sad that you've given up on a meaningful relationship. I think they're what really makes people happy. Not money or fame. Close personal relationships."

"If they make people happy, I haven’t seen it." I shrugged, not wanting to get into a big debate about it. "Maybe someday. You say you’ve been focused on school? I’ve been focused on building my business. Now that our deal looks like it'll go through, I'm planning a year off so I can sail around the world."

"You sail?" Her eyes widened in interest.

"I do," I said and held up my watch. "There's a reason I wear this. I did some diving and spent a few summers on a yacht. I'm having a catamaran built and John and I plan to sail to the South Pacific with a couple of college buddies. Go to the Galapagos and see the iguanas. Sail to Australia and then to Cape Town, South Africa and back. We'll see."

"You and John?"

I nodded. "The cat's almost done. We'll sail through the Panama Canal, and then make the crossing. When I come back, I want to start something new. Maybe join the space race."

"Wow," she said and took in a deep breath. "That's amazing. How wonderful to be able to take a year off and just sail around the world. Do anything you want."

"Money is freedom. I know a lot of men who work 12 hour days six days a week and have no life. They have big fancy apartments on Fifth Avenue but spend no time there or with their wives and children. They live at the office. I don't want that. I want a life and I want work to be part of that life. My dad died so young and never got to do what he really wanted, which was to sail around the world."

"That's sad," Alexa said. "My dad got to fly planes all his life. He loves it. He always told me that I should find my passion and pursue that and never settle for less. That I would eventually make a living doing it."

"So, your passion is politics?"

She nodded. "I want to get my PhD and teach somewhere in Europe. Maybe do some work for the UN. Who can say? Definitely in Europe, though."

"Not good old USA?"

"No." Then she laughed. "I was conceived in Alexandria and I think I have wanderlust. I want to go back there, and live outside of the US if I can. Life's too short not to go after what you want."

"I agree." I watched her face as she talked some more about her father and how he lived his dream, flying planes in the military. She was animated and really seemed passionate about what she was doing, envisioning a future teaching at a university somewhere in Europe or doing international relations.

I liked this woman. She wasn't your ordinary run-of-the-mill girl I would meet at a club dancing on Saturday night. She seemed smart and centered, despite doing something as crazy as agreeing to go out with me and masquerading as an escort.

I realized she did it first on a dare, never intending to follow through, but then when I had pleaded and begged, seemingly desperate, she agreed out of sympathy. She was the kind of woman that I would want to become involved with – if I was that kind of man.

But I wasn't.

Not anymore, at least. I had plans and they didn't include a woman – other than as a fuck buddy. Not for the next few years, at least, if ever.

Women, yes. I had my needs as much as any other red-blooded American guy. I liked sex, but with no strings.

Alexa was the type of woman men wanted to have to themselves. I could see that by the way other men at the club watched her when we were dancing and how they glanced her way now. She was beautiful. Voluptuous with a body that just wouldn't stop with all its curves.

"So, you want to be like all the other billionaires and go to Mars?"

I laughed. "Something like that. I want to do things with my money that will live after I'm gone. Chatter was just a way to make money. Mars? That's something real. It's the new frontier. The only thing big enough to satisfy me is a mission to Mars. Everything else will get swallowed up in history."

She rested her chin on a hand. "So, would you go?"

"To Mars?"

She nodded. "It would be a one-way trip, if I remember what I read about it."

"I'd go in a heartbeat."

"Really?" she said, wide eyed. "Leave everything behind? You feel so disconnected to everything here?"

I took a sip of my beer. "Once I do my round-the-world sailing trip, I’d go happily. It would be a once in a lifetime experience."

"It would be dangerous."

I shrugged. "Life is dangerous. Sailing around the world is dangerous. Hell, walking across the street in Manhattan is dangerous. It doesn't matter how you die. It matters how you live. I want to really live. That means taking risks."

"But you won't risk a relationship with someone?" she said, her eyes narrow. "You won't risk marriage?"

I stiffened. "Marriage is a trap," I said. "People get married, have kids and then their lives are over because of responsibility. Or, their partner cheats on them and leaves them for someone else. I want to really live my life and not be held back by a wife and children."

She glanced away and her expression suggested that she didn’t agree and thought I was being immature. I'd gotten that response before when I talked about my plans to leave the corporate world, sail across the oceans, and get involved in the space race. I couldn't expect other people to understand.

"There are already too many people on the planet," I said and sipped my beer. "I don't need to add any more. My line will end with me, I'm afraid."

She frowned. "But your children would have a real chance to do something with their lives. They'd be wealthy enough to go anywhere and do anything they wanted just like you're able to. It seems like a waste of your circumstances not to have children. What about your sister? Should she not have become pregnant?"

"No, that's not what I think. She wants kids more than anything. I'm glad she's going to have a child. But look at what happened to her – she finally gets pregnant but it's with a cheating bastard." I took another sip of my beer, trying to calm down. Just talking about Eric made me angry. "No, it's not for me."

I shrugged, because I knew she wouldn't understand. That's just the way I was. I'd seen enough of bad marriages and cheating partners in my life to want one myself. Maybe her parents were happy, but mine sure as hell weren't.

"You never know what's going on in someone else's mind. I used to like Eric, before I discovered he was a bastard."

"You can't let the bad people in your life make you think there aren't still good people," she said. "What kind of life will you have if you don't have a family? You'll be lonely when you get old if you don't have family."

"I'll have friends. I'll have people who choose to be with me, not those who are forced to be with me out of blood ties."

She glanced away and I could see this was one of those issues that we could not see eye to eye on. I could tell she was upset, and didn’t want her to start having second thoughts about going with me to my family retreat.

"I hope this doesn't put you off from being my plus-one at the beach house in two weeks…"

She glanced back at me. "You really can’t just say to Mrs. Blake that you're not the marrying type and you're not interested in Felicia? Why not be direct? That way, you can go on your own and not have to worry about bringing anyone along."

I shook my head. "I need a pretend girlfriend so that I can go without worrying about being pushed together all the time with Felicia."

"You don't need me," she said, drinking her soda. "I'm sure you have other women you could bring along just for the sake of appearances."

"I said I was bringing you. I concocted this whole story about how we met at Columbia and are now serious."

"Look," she said met my gaze. "I get that you're not the marrying type, especially after what happened. You're not into a relationship. Really, at this point in my life, neither am I, but I'm just not interested in spending time at your beach house with a bunch of strangers, so I'm probably better off just spending the weekend studying."

"I take it that's a firm no?" I said, feeling strangely let down that she was pulling out. "I can't convince you with tales of the great food and surfing, and of the fabulous company?"

She shook her head and smiled, but I could see it was forced. "Nah, let's just chalk this night up to a comedy of errors and leave it at that. And now," she said and glanced at her watch. "I really should get home. I'm meeting the girls for brunch and then I have all these journal articles to read…"

"I'll pay you what I said I would."

"What?" she said and made a face of disgust. "Are you kidding me? I'm not an escort. I'm not impressed by your money or your family. I did this because I thought you were truly in need of a date because you must be such a loser that you had no one who wanted to be with you. I did this to help a stranger – who, I might add – came off as a real jerk. I don't want your money."

"Ow," I said and winced. "Why don’t you tell me what you really think?"

She shrugged and I could see how angry she was.

"Let me take you home," I said, standing up when she did. "That's the least I can do if you don’t want my money."

"I know my way around the trains," she said and boy, what a change of atmosphere from earlier. I must have said something that bothered her.

"I'd feel better if I could at least pay for a cab so I know you got home safely, if you won't let me take you."

"I'm a big girl," she said and waved me off, not meeting my eyes. "I've been taking the trains for the past couple of years. You stay." She glanced around. "There are lots of girls around who would probably love a one-night stand with you. I have a life to live."

Then, she walked away on those heels and out of my life.

As I watched her leave, still appreciating the sway of her nicely rounded ass, and the way her long pale hair fell to her waist, I wished she had stayed. I wanted to be taking her home with me.

She was right – I could probably find someone and take them home tonight. There were a lot of attractive young women at the club, and I'd seen a few turn my way.

But I felt a deep sadness that I couldn't quite place.

No matter. I glanced over at the bar where John was still talking to his sweet thing and buttoned my jacket. When I went over to stand beside him, ordering another beer, he put his arm around my shoulder.

"Hey, there, Luke, meet Lena," John said, raising his eyebrows.

"Lena," I said and smiled. Then I turned to John. "Are you going to stay? I think I'll head home."

"Don’t go," John said and grabbed my arm. "Lena here has a best friend who's in the washroom right now. Stick around. You'll love her."

A young woman walked towards us and when she saw me, her eyes lit up.

"Hi, there," she said when she got to us. She came to my side and gave me the once over.

"Luke, meet Cherise," John said and gestured to the woman, who was attractive enough, with brown hair and eyes and a decent figure. On any other night, I might have found her attractive enough to consider hooking up. But I felt tired because of the whole business with Eric and Alexa and Felicia and forced a smile.

John pointed to me. "Cherise, this is Luke Marshall."

"The Lucas Marshall needs no introduction," Cherise said, smiling at me. "I've been reading about you and your deal to sell Chatter in the Journal."

"Nice to meet you," I said. "Sorry but I have to leave." I turned to John. "Catch you later."

"You're going?" John said and made a face. Cherise made a face as well. I guess the three of them had already put me with Cherise for the evening after Alexa left.

I was so damn sick of other people trying to arrange my love life.

"Yeah, I'm not really up to partying. We'll catch up tomorrow. Call me."

Then I left.

My evening had been a total flop.

Alexa was not Lexxi911 and so I'd been unable to teach Eric a lesson, although I think John and I laid down a big enough clue for him that we knew of his cheating ways. Hopefully, he'd wise up and be loyal to my sister, at least long enough for her to get used to the new parent thing before she sued his sorry ass for divorce.

Alexa was beautiful and smart and I wanted to fuck her brains out, but apparently, she didn’t feel the same. In fact, she thought I was a heartless jerk for not wanting a real relationship.

The night had not gone at all like I planned...