Page 23 of Enticing the Fixer

I’m a fraud. The very thing I moved to Kansas City to avoid. But there’s no turning back. At least right now. I’m in over my head.

When she finds out who I am, she’ll hate me. The only choice I have is to forget about our night together.

“I don’t want to sell, and I don’t intend to screw up.” She straightens her back, and her confidence shines through. “I’ve worked for my dad since I was seventeen years old. I know everything there is to know about this business. And no one will care more about his legacy than me.”

“Good for you.” I grab her shoulders and rub my thumbs over her silken flesh. “What do you need to be successful?”

If she needs money, I have money. Connections? I’ve got those. Somebody to get rid of the bad actors? I can find anyone’s weakness and exploit it.

She lifts her hand and strokes her thumb across my cheek, causing my heart to skip a beat. “I need someone to believe in me.”

God, I want to be that man. But I can’t be. She’s the subject of my investigation.

When the door opens, she drops her hand, brushes past me, and steps into the hallway. She swivels her head over her shoulder. “Can you make it from here?”

“Yes.” My head spins like I just got off an amusement park ride. I can’t get involved with her, but what if it’s already too late?

Chapter Ten

Kinsley

I need someone to believe in me?

What was I thinking telling him I needed someone to believe in me? God, how embarrassing. He’s a random stranger that I encouraged to bang me. He’s not my number one cheerleader. Besides, he oozes charm. He’s slick. A con man. No one can be that charming and not be on the make 24-7.

“Ms. Monroe. What can I help you with?”

I freeze while standing in front of the receptionist. Oh, my God, the man has stolen all my brain cells. I don’t know why I’m at the front desk, and now I must devise a reasonable excuse.

Roseland smiles as if she’s looking at a small child who’s lost her family. “Is something wrong?”

I smooth my skirt to wipe the sweat off my palms. “I was checking to see if any board members have arrived.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” She glances down at the spiral notebook in front of her. “Samantha Darby arrived ten minutes ago, and Ethan Rossi got here four minutes ago.”

“Thank you.” I nod like I come to the lobby before every board meeting to greet the members. That’s a big fat never. “Well, I’ll get back to the boardroom. Send them up as they arrive.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” She nods. “I will.”

“Thank you.” I twirl around on my heel and march to the elevator. The lobby is empty. Thank God. The last thing I need is Leo realizing he’s messing with my head.

As it is, I’m about to crawl into a hole and cover myself with handfuls of dirt until I’ve disappeared.

My heels click on the tile flooring. He’s not the type of guy that settles down with one woman. He’s the kind of guy that takes home random women. A different one every night. He probably scans the bar in search of whichever one suits his needs for the night.

What need did I solve? I shudder and poke the up button on the elevator panel.

Once I’m safely inside, I fall against the wall. I don’t have enough space in my head to worry about Leo. I’ve got to prove to the board members that sticking it out with me at the helm is the only solution. No one else will support my dad’s hopes and dreams. This company was his baby.

These Acuity Pharmaceutical people don’t know anything about the company. Yeah, they can read white papers, but that’s not the heart of an organization. That’s a summary of words that may or may not reflect the solvency of a business.

The elevator dings.Here goes nothing.I straighten my shoulders and prepare for another battle of wills.

Five minutes later, I’m standing in front of the boardroom as sweat covers my armpits. I’ve learned my lesson with sleeves. Sleeveless is my only option when I’m going into a stressful meeting.

“Kinsley.” Ms. Graham wraps her arm around my shoulders, squeezing me to her. “You look fantastic, and you’re doing great.” Her hair is a whitish blonde and curled tight into little waves as if she washed it last night and set it in bobby pins.

She gives off grandma vibes. The kind of grandparent who serves plates of warm cookies to her swarm of cats. Are cats a swarm? No. That can’t be right. That’s bees. What are cats? A herd? No, that’s cows. Oh, who cares. Focus.

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