Page 8 of Dirty Fortune

"And you have a history together?"

"Sort of. We had a one-night stand about nine years ago. I've always been infatuated with him, but when it happened, I thought for sure we would be in a relationship. Except, he dumped me the next day, saying that he couldn't hurt my brother like that. That we were not supposed to be together."

"So what happened last night?"

"Everything. We spent the night together. He just left my suite. The thing is, this time, he wants more, and I'm having a hard time dealing with that."

"Men are clueless." Meghan blurts out—something very unusual for her to do.

"Oh yeah? Who'd you see last night?"

"My mentor."

"Dr. Richards? The one you have the hots for?"

Meghan's cheeks turn red at my comment, and that makes me smile. I hope she went for it. Meghan's too reserved to tell me about any escapades she might have participated in, but I'm rooting for her. She works too hard and has no life of her own. It was a miracle she was able to come with us on this trip.

"Tell me more about the best friend."

"I thought that I had put him up on a pedestal and that my memories lied to me when I remembered that one night. Boy, was I wrong. That man is a god in bed. We had sex all night long, and he kept giving me orgasm after orgasm."

"And this is bad because?" Meghan asks.

"Expectations."

"His or yours?"

"Both, I think. I expected him to drop me like a hot potato today, but he did the exact opposite. He treated me to breakfast and wouldn't stop being nice to me or saying he wanted a future together. It's a little disconcerting."

"How did you leave it?"

"I told him to go, and he told me he'd see me in New York. I don't think he's lying."

"Maybe you could see this as a new opportunity. Get to know him better. I mean, you were very young back then and idolized him. You need time to find out who the real man is. Is he someone you could build a life with?"

"But, my brother…"

"Your brother doesn't own you, Julie. You can make your own decisions. Whether they are right or wrong, they are yours to make."

Meghan's words kept going round and round in my head throughout the day. We had a nice lunch, and we had to be at the airport by 6 pm, so we took it easy and kept each other company. When I got off the plane in New York, I had almost convinced myself that I would never see Keith Matthews again.

Boy, was I wrong.

Chapter 5

Keith

Iwatched Julie leave with one of her friends, and they both seemed distressed. When they came back, there was a lightness to Julie that eased my worries. Their time together had helped my princess, and I was glad for it. Now, I'm in my new office in New York. This is a small magazine, and it was easy to convince the owner to let it go. It had been a dream for her at one point, but now she wanted a more laid-back life.

So she sold me the magazine and never looked back. I think Julie will be disappointed that her friend sold the business, but I'll offer Julie a new position here as it’s all she's done for the past five years. Yes, I've kept tabs on her, even from afar. I know I'll have trouble convincing her that this is a legitimate move on my part. I own a lot of companies, and they are all much larger than this small magazine.

But it's no use. After that night in Vegas, I can't be apart from Julie anymore. I know it's pushing the envelope, but I feel my hands are tied. My thoughts start wondering when I ask myself if my princess would like me to tie her up. There's so much I want to experience with her, and not just sexually. Julie prides herself on being good. A good friend, sister, writer. Because of that, she never lets go.

My thoughts are interrupted when Johanna Murray, the previous owner, knocks on my door. I call out for her to come in and put a cordial smile on my face.

"Is this a good time, Mr. Matthews?"

"Hello, Johanna. I told you to call me Keith. This is a good time as any. What can I help you with?"

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