Page 4 of Dirty Filthy Billionaire: Part 1

“Well, um,” she begins, looking around the office as if a clue might appear. “Maybe I could do something on the dangerous number of young—”

“Stop,” I say. “Listen to me. The only way I want to hear the word danger in a story about sex is if it’s about spicing up a sex life. Doing naughty things agreed upon by the couple. Did I not just say that Blush is getting a sexier angle?”

“Ye-yes, sir,” she says. Sir. God, I love it. She’s squirming like crazy and probably can’t wait to leave. I give her three more minutes before she runs out of here.

“So?” I say, not letting her off the hook. “What else? Pitch me something else. Something sexy.”

I sit back in my chair and wait. Mia tugs on her dress again, shifting in the chair.

“Um, in college I did a lot of human interest stories? That focused on people?”

Oh, boy. I shake my head no. My eyes bore into her, waiting for something better.

“Maybe something on different types of condoms?” she says.

“Mia,” I say, leaning forward and resting my elbows on the desk. “Think sexier. Surely you can do that, right? No disrespect, but I’m looking at you and I know it’s in you.”

She furrows her brows and asks, “What is?”

I raise my palms up like it should be obvious. “You had experiences in college I assume?”

“I’m not sure you can assume much of anything about me, Mr. Bridges,” she says, and I’m taken aback—in a good way.

I can’t help the small grin crossing my face. “Is that so?” I ask. “Well, then. I apologize. But I do still need to hear some stronger ideas.”

“Of course,” she says. “But I’d like to hear more about the angle you’re taking the magazine. Surely there’s more to it than sex.”

“In my experience,” I say, “everything always comes back to sex.”

“That’s just not even possible,” she says. She’s clearly getting more comfortable—or braver, at least. I’m happy to hear her bat it back with me. The flush on her cheeks has faded and she’s finally making clear eye contact with me. Just her eyes alone are gorgeous, the way they look into mine. She licks her lips, waiting for me hit her back and now I’m the one shifting in my seat, looking at those plump wet lips.

“One thing I never want to hear another person say, Ms. Cassidy, is that something is impossible. We could do a makeup column, and that makeup column leads back to sex. Everything the magazine prints will have a sexy angle to it, even if it’s subtle.”

“Is that what you think women care about? I mean, only care about?” she asks.

“Sex? I think they care about it a fair amount. You don’t?”

She shrugs one shoulder. “I spent my college years being more concerned about grades and getting ahead, doing a good job.”

“And that’s what I want you to do here,” I say. “Get ahead. Do a good job.”

“But with sex,” she says.

“With a sex angle,” I clarify.

She’s quiet for a moment. She looks at me as if she’s waiting for me to tell her I’m just testing her, that of course I want her to write that story on hypertension. But I like keeping silent while she squirms. If she doesn’t leave, I’ll know she’s willing to do the work needed to take Blush to the next level. Not to mention it won’t be so bad having her around the office.

“I’ll be honest, Mia,” I say, acting like I’m placating her. “As I’m sure you’re aware, the magazine industry isn’t doing so well. It’s been in decline for years. Some would say it’s a dying industry, and to compete with online media we need to go sexier.”

“I understand,” she says.

“I’m not sure you do,” I say. “Your little hypertension story would only work if someone collapsed during sex. Do you get it now?”

Finally she says, “I mean, yeah. I can do that. I can keep the angles sexy.”

“Because if you’re uncomfortable with the direction I’m taking the magazine you need to say so now. It’s not going to get any easier.”

She rolls her lips in on each other. “No. It doesn’t bother me.”

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