Page 3 of Strictly Business

“Even if he doesn’t care,” I say, dragging her application into the trash, “he wouldn’t want the scandal that would come with it.”

A tap on my desk makes me glance up.

"Hey, ladies.” Ethan, a business mogul known for owning the most exclusive nightclubs in the state, and Nicholas’s childhood friend, flashes us a grin that could melt the panties off a room full of women. “Busy at work?”

“Unlike some people,” Jade shoots back, crossing her arms.

Ethan blows her a kiss. “Love it when you flirt with me, babe.”

“I’d rather set my hair on fire,” she replies dryly, and I swear I can hear the eye roll in her voice.

Ethan chuckles, turning his attention to me. “Is Nicholas in yet?”

“Not yet,” I reply.

He nods, gesturing behind him with his thumb. “I’ll wait for him.”

With that, he turns and heads toward Nicholas’s office—the only one in the building with a door. Guess the boss needs his privacy.

Jade and Sophie crowd around my desk, eyes glued to the screen as we go through the endless parade of applicants.

“Ooh, what about her?” Jade adds, pointing a manicured finger at a brunette who’s so stunning, it’s like she was plucked straight out of a magazine. “She’s a dancer. Think he’d appreciate the flexibility?” she teases.

A flush creeps on my skin as I swipe the application away, dragging it to the trash. I don’t let myself think too much about what happens after these dates. It’s not part of my jobdescription. My focus is finding someone who looks good next to him. What happens next?

Not my business.

Though, if I’m being honest, I’ve thought about it. A lot. Sometimes when I’m alone and in the mood for self-inflicted torture, I scroll through gossip blogs. Him with a new girl every other night, each one more stunning than the last.

“He likes blondes,” I say, moving to the next candidate. It’s a fact I’ve picked up from observing the very few women he actually gives the time of day.

“He does?” Jade raises an eyebrow, flicking her dark hair over her shoulder. “Damn. Should I dye my hair?”

Sophie snorts. “Please. Like you have a shot with him.”

Jade gasps, clutching her chest dramatically. “Rude.”

Sophie shrugs. “Just being honest. None of us could snag him, even in our wildest dreams. Well, notmywildest dreams, since I have a loving boyfriend who I adore more than anyone.”

My face drops at the reminder of the ‘loving boyfriend’ I thought I had.

Sophie swallows hard, an apologetic look crossing her face when she sees mine drop. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

I wave her off. “It’s fine. Just—Let’s move on.”

At least Jade’s single. She’d rather die than be in a relationship—her words, not mine—so I don’t have to worry about being reminded of my failed one.

Jade lets out a dreamy sigh, her legs crossed and her pleated skirt inching up. “I wonder what he’s hiding under those suits.”

My face goes red, and I immediately focus on my screen. “I’m officially out of this conversation.”

“Oh, come on!” Jade prods, leaning closer. “You’re single now. You can finally admit you have a crush on him.”

I press my lips together, narrowing my eyes at the screen. “I do not have a crush on him. Nicholas Blackwood is my boss. I get his coffee, I do his dirty work, and that’s it.”

At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.

But Jade’s slender finger taps lightly on my shoulder. “What does Nicholas look like without a shirt?”

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