Page 8 of Forbidden Passion

She shrugged. “It helps my brand.”

It was his turn to be stunned. “What brand?” His ice cream was melting too, but not as quickly since he’d chosen strawberry syrup, which wasn’t warm like the hot fudge and caramel sauces.

She scooped up more hot fudge. “My business?” she prompted.

He sighed and put the ice cream down on the table, glaring at her. “What business?”

She continued eating. “I have a master’s degree in economics and business. I’ve created a business that advises corporations on economic trends, product launches, and various other business efforts.”

Chapter 6

Falk stared in stunned silence for a long moment. He thought he’d been turned on before, having Ciara in his “home” as she sat on a sofa and ate ice cream as if it were manna from heaven. But her announcement that she’d started a business in a very complicated, taciturn industry just…his mind was blown! Shifting, he fought to keep his body under control. The idea that this beautiful woman that had driven him wild for so long, was more than just intelligent, that she’d applied her knowledge to grow a business, was…beyond hot!

“How many businesses have you advised?” he asked, needing to know everything about her.

She considered that question, tapping the spoon against the melting ice cream a couple of times. “I don’t know the specific number off the top of my head.” She pursed her lips. “Perhaps a hundred? Maybe more?”

“That’s…impressive.”

She shrugged. “I enjoy the analysis aspect of the job. Not the speaking engagements though. Plus, my job as an ambassador for Ditra helps to get me in front of potential clients. My staff is efficient and tackle every client’s needs with a great deal of energy.”

She employed a staff? “How many people are on your staff now?”

“Fifteen,” she answered. “Although, some of them are actually palace employees who help me with my travel arrangements and aren’t necessarily part of my business.”

“How much do you charge?”

She grinned. “That’s where it gets interesting. For the bigger companies, or the corporations that I know are unethical, I charge a sky-high rate. However, for the companies that are just starting out, or if someone comes to me that seriously needs help so that they don’t go bankrupt and have to lay off their employees, I’ll charge a far more reasonable rate. Sometimes, I negotiate a percentage of the increased sales of their product line or maybe stocks in their business.”

“Fascinating,” he muttered, staring at her as he considered everything she was telling him. “How long have you been in business?”

“It actually started out as…,” she grimaced, “first, do you promise not to arrest me?”

He immediately pictured her nude, in handcuffs, her hair splayed out on his pillow. “I can’t promise anything right now,” he told her honestly. Especially since his mind had short-circuited from nearly overwhelming lust from the mental picture.

She giggled and Falk thought that it was the most erotic sound he’d ever heard. “Then I won’t admit that it started off as an illegal gambling ring in my college freshman dorm room.”

He stared at her, not sure he understood. “Can you elaborate on that?”

She scooped up more ice cream. “I heard a bunch of friends talking about going to a casino that was several hours away. I just thought, why should students, who don’t have much expendable income, travel so far just to have a bit of fun? So I figured out how to create a sort of underground gambling…” her eyes drifted up to the ceiling as she considered how to best describe her operation. “I don’t want to call it a gambling ring, because that sounds sketchy. But I suppose that’s whatit was. I moved the location around to the various basement rooms. Sometimes I set up in a supply closet, other times, I had a bit more space. I personally vetted each and every person who came. I hired on a couple of other students who could do background checks. If there was any reason to think someone might blab to the university authorities, they weren’t let into the secret. And if anyone started to lose too much, they weren’t allowed to gamble any longer.”

“Cheeky wench,” he muttered.

“Exactly!” she laughed. “But seriously, I wasn’t trying to encourage anyone to fall deeper into a gambling addiction. I just…” she shrugged and waved her spoon in the air, “wanted people to have fun without the expense of a formal gambling establishment. It was a profitable venture, and I learned a great deal about how to run a business in stealth mode, as well as how to observe people and their financial habits. It was a good way to step into the business world.”

“And here I thought you were just another pretty face.”

She rolled her eyes. “And I thought you were a misogynist!’

He threw back his head, laughing. When he recovered, Falk nodded. “Guilty as charged. Although, I try to fight the tendency.”

“Good for you. Not many men acknowledge the problem, which means they can’t really address their prejudices.”

He rolled his eyes in return, then took her empty bowl and set it down on the coffee table. “So, what would you suggest I do in my country with regards to business issues?”

For the next couple of hours, Ciara and Falk debated business strategies. Ciara enjoyed the conversation because she was challenged to think of business from a very high level. Normally, she reviewed business issues from a corporate point of view. And Falk enjoyed the debate because it was the first time that he actually saw Ciara smile. Normally, she frowned at him and tried to get away as quickly as possible. Plus, she was brilliant! Her suggestions were incredibly insightful. He was eager to get back to his office so that he could implement her suggestions in Itim.

He realized it was getting late when he saw Ciara trying to smother yet another yawn. He stood up and extended his hand. “It’s time for sleep,” he announced. “I’ll show you to your room.”

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