were trying to get one woman to share. I was 99.9% sure of this now. One woman between the four of them. So close they couldn’t bear to let another woman part them like Rose had done. That’s why they’d pursued Leonie separately. It wasn’t a game to make her feel like crap. They were testing her individually to see if she was a fit for their group! But she’d come up short.
And that was why Smith and Jayden had both fucked Madelyn. It was another failed audition. And now he’d asked me out. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that they were testing me. They’d not made any moves on me before today. It wasn’t true to form but then it looked like their previous efforts had backfired. So why hadn’t they wanted to seduce me like the others? I thought back over my meetings with each one of them.
They were like interviews. They’d sounded me out, tried to find out who I was, my interests. Oh my God, this was a far bigger story than that they’d fucked over Leonie. The Filthy Rich Playboys were looking for one wife! My heart thudded in my neck, my excitement was so palpable. They were seeing if I was a fit, and now Jayden had asked me out, did that mean I’d been discussed as a possibility? In that case I could look forward to being pursued by the others too. My pants dampened, and I wasn’t sure which was getting me wetter. The thoughts of dates with the four of them, or my expose coming together perfectly.
***
I didn’t see any of them over the rest of the weekend which disappointed me a little after I’d got all fired up. Monday morning rolled around, and I had my appointment with Flynn. My cell buzzed, and I picked it up quickly. I’d yet to hear from Jayden about a date, which had surprised me.
Carter: When’s your next day off? You need to come meet the surf.
I texted him back.
Serena: Thursday. I agree. What time?
Carter: 10am at Waves on Surfrider Beach. If it’s mild, I’ll show you. If the waves are huge, you can watch.
Serena: Well it’s nice to watch, but I’d rather participate… ;)
I was determined to kick all of this up a notch now. I wanted my story and working as an Event Manager might be a great job for some, but it wasn’t enough for me. I was a thrill seeker, which made me think I’d love to ride those waves on Surfrider beach, and I’d enjoy my research with the playboys if it meant I had to ride them too—all four of them.
God, I could have done with going back to my room for a little one-on-one time but Flynn was due to arrive. Instead I visited the bathroom to freshen up and make sure I looked my best. The flush that had taken over my face and pinked up my lips had done me a favor. I looked ripe for the picking. Let’s see how Flynn took to a little flirting this morning.
I met him in the conference room again. He walked in dressed in gray slacks and a white shirt with one button open at the top, shirt sleeves rolled up revealing tanned forearms. He had elegant fingers, and I imagined them stroking up my body before paying attention to the fact that they were laying out photos across the expanse of the conference table.
I walked around looking at them. From my job as a journo I knew talent when I spotted it and these photos were impressive, focusing on the luxury aspect of the hotel. Every photograph revealed a sumptuousness of the surroundings. It would be difficult to choose the final pictures, they were just all that good.
“Are you going to say something?” Flynn’s gaze pierced through me again. There was a lilt to his voice, a resonance of amusement.
“I think you had me speechless there for a moment. These are incredible.” I continued to pace up and down the length of the table. “I honestly don’t know how I’m going to choose.” Then I stood stock still. There was a photo of me busy at my laptop.
“When did you take this?”
“Saturday. I called around, and you were so taken with your work you never even noticed I was there.”
How could he have stood at my office door without me hearing? I stared at the picture. There I was, lost in my work—writing my research notes on the four of them—not doing hotel work. I could see the flash of ambition in my eyes, the excitement of having made a breakthrough.
“Have to say, I love it. It shows your dedication to your job.” He said.
Indeed.
“You should have disturbed me. I wouldn’t have minded.” I smiled up at him, trying to look a little coy. A little flirty.
“No, you were enjoying your work. I know how that can be. It’s how I get when I’m in the moment photographing something. I’d feel resentment if I was interrupted. Anyhow I was seeing you today. It wasn’t that long to wait.”
It was if you were interested in a woman. So perhaps he wasn’t that interested in me?
“I usually hate having my photo taken but I actually like this one.” I picked it up. “It’s not going in the brochures or on the new website, but may I keep it?”
“Of course.”
“A photo taken by the very talented Flynn Kelly.”
He scoffed.
“Don’t do that.”
“Don’t do what?”