I dropped onto the couch in shock. “Um…hello.”
“Have you thought about our proposition?”
“I…”
“Don’t lie, Henley.”
I swallowed nervously. “I have,” I answered.
“And?”
I knew he’d know if I was lying. And then, he would probably lose interest. “I want to, but there are some things that concern me.”
“Every contract is negotiable,” he answered simply, as if this was simple. I could virtually hear the smile in his voice.
“So, there’s a contract?” I asked hopefully. The security of a contract would certainly make me feel better.
“Yes, of course. We wouldn’t want to leave you unprotected,” he said firmly.
“Okay. And how enforceable is it? What would you do to me if I denied you at any time?”
He chuckled. “You must be a good lawyer, Henley. It’s mostly null in all courts besides our company. We wouldn’t want you trading inside secrets with anyone.”
“I would never do that,” I said. I prided myself on my honestly and integrity, and always knew I couldn’t be bought. “But I do actually want to learn from the company.”
“You will, Henley. Let me know your decision soon. I promise there’s nothing you won’t like,” he said and then hung up.
I knew he would sound good over the phone, but that had been insane. He’d been even more convincing. I had half a mind to just sign the contract, but knew I needed to clear my head first. So I went to my closet and found a casual outfit. I was just going to the local bar, so jeans and a sweater would suffice with my old converse.
I didn’t need a cab because it was close by, so I took the brisk walk to the pub and sat at the end of the bar, hidden in the darkness.
“Scotch. Neat, please,” I told the bartender, who gave me a look. He was cute, but it didn’t affect me.
It was then that I started to notice other men looking at me as well. I had never given much thought to how men viewed me, probably because I hated my red hair. I normally wore it up, but tonight, it was down, flowing over my shoulders and swinging whenever I moved my head, drawing plenty of attention. Men’s eyes would linger on me until I looked back, resulting in them either smiling confidently or looking away.
But I remained unaffected, for there were only two sets of eyes that could have any impact on me at the moment, and they were brown and blue.
Thinking about them again, I knew Jude and Maverick would be no good for me personally. But as for my body—that was another thing entirely. Besides, I was tired of my hand and my little toys from the corner street store. I wanted to explore my pleasure as much as they wanted to show it to me.
“Another, please,” I said to the bartender.
He smirked. “Long day at work?”
I chuckled. “As soon as I find a job.”
He laughed and poured my drink before walking off.
I began scrolling through my phone, finding emails of employers telling me they’d chosen someone else, and notices from job sites removing my profile due to inactivity. It all just reminded me of why I needed this opportunity.
Plus, my body needed orgasms and the touch of a man. And here I was, being offered two.
I decided I had to shuck up my pride and take it as an opportunity I’d been granted for a reason. I knew my worth and would never do anything to compromise it, but I couldn’t pass this up.
Once I found Maverick’s contact from his last call, I drafted the text that would change the course of my life. Whether for better or worse, I had no idea yet.
8
Jude