23. CARSON

“Not much, Drake,” Richard says, extending his right hand. I let go of the chair and take it firmly. “How about you?”

“You know me,” I say with a shrug. “Same old, same old.”

“Right,” he says with a grin. “Like jumping off a cliff in Trentino in a flying suit and landing on Lake Garda. Just another day at the office.”

I shrug. “What can I say? Some of us are still young enough to enjoy our money.”

He doubles over like he’s been punched. It’s an old routine between the two of us. Rich was on the board of the company that bought out Black Sword, and we hit it off during the price negotiations. He respected the fact that I did it myself rather than through lawyers. He’s old money, but he’s still a stand-up guy.

And suddenly I wonder if he’s also one of my competitors in the Chase.

He’s married, but I don’t know how happily. Besides, I know plenty of men in my circle of influence who live their lives almost completely apart from their wives, only getting together as needed for dinner parties and charity events.

It’s a lifestyle I can’t even imagine. If you’re lucky enough to find The One, why would you ever want to be apart? Why would you do anything to risk that kind of happiness?

Big talk, Carson. You haven’t talked to Cassie since the night at the restaurant, and when you run into her during your Chase, you act like she’s nothing more than an inconvenience.

Speaking of Cassie, she looks as uncomfortable as I’ve ever seen her, and I realize I’m being terribly rude. My face colors with an uncharacteristic blush.

“I beg your pardon,” I say, laying a hand on her shoulder. Her soft, freckled shoulder. “Cassandra Vincent, I’d like you to meet my friend Richard Linkletter.”

“My pleasure,” he says, the words dripping with old money charm. “How do you know Drake here?”

High school, I open my mouth to say. Before I can form the words, Cassie beats me to the punch.

“We’re dating!” she says loudly.

We are?

Her arm creeps around my waist in a sudden death grip, and she looks up at me with a fluorescent smile.

Richard’s eyebrows arch. “Carson Drake, dating? That’s a new one.”

I smile down at Cassie, trying to keep the confusion out of my expression. What’s going on here? Is this some sort of revenge for the games I played the other night?

“Well,” I say, “it’s early days. We just reconnected. Haven’t seen each other since high school.”

“So you knew Drake here before he was rich?” he says to Cassie. “I’d love to pick your brain about that.”

“He’s the same person he was back then,” she says. “Smart. Sweet. Honest. Just a few more dollars and a few more muscles, that’s all.”

She looks up at me. “Isn’t that right?”

Is it right? I spent a decade trying to turn myself into James Bond and George Clooney rolled into one. I thought I’d succeeded. Now, with a few words, Cassie has me wondering if I ever changed at all.

And whether I should have even tried to in the first place.

“You’d know,” I say. “I’m not a very good judge of character. I still think Richard here is a good man, despite all evidence to the contrary.”

“I can always count on you for a laugh, Carson,” he says with a chuckle. “Anyway, I have to run. I’ve got a board meeting in ten.”

He takes Cassie’s hand in his and kisses it, the old snake.

“Lovely to meet you, Ms. Vincent.”

“You, too,” she says. I can’t read the look on her face. Is it relief? I’d pay a million bucks to know what’s going on inside that head.

“Which board is it this time?” I ask.

“The Museum of Sex up the street. Call it a charity gig.”

“Seriously?” I grin. “Richard, there’s this thing called the Internet now. If you need, you know, release…”

“Laugh it up, Drake,” he says. His nod tells me he’s heard that one before. “It’s actually a fascinating place. You should come. If you’ll pardon the expression.”

He turns to Cassie. “Why don’t both of you join me? My treat.”

“Big spender,” I say.

Cassie looks as uncomfortable as I’ve ever seen her, and suddenly I’m thinking of ways to get out of this. To be honest, I really don’t need anything reminding me of the other night. Especially in shorts this tight.

“I’m sorry, but I really have to run,” she says. I can’t blame her. This is awkward as hell.

Especially the part about us dating. We obviously walked away from that encounter on two totally different pages. I can’t be distracted by anything during the Chase. I may have already missed the quarry during the time I’ve wasted standing here.

Cassie stands on her tiptoes and plants a delicious kiss on my lips. My cock begins to respond instantly, and I have to will it back down.

“See you later,” she says with a wave, then quickly trots off down Fifth and cuts through the park.

Richard flashes an indulgent smile at me.

“It’s about time, young man,” he says. “She’s a prize.”

He claps me on the shoulder and continues up the avenue toward his sex museum, leaving me standing there alone, wondering what the hell is happening – and what I’m supposed to do next.