Sugar Daddy Wanted: Now Accepting Applications (4 page)

Intrigued by a woman more than ever in his life, he headed back to the office, a man on a new mission: to learn all he could about Ms. Kerry Roberts.

Since he’d cleared his schedule for the afternoon to meet with her, he set to work on the legal agreement outlining his duties as Kerry’s Sugar Daddy. Still uncertain as to her true intentions, he figured it would be fun to gage her reaction to his proposal.

When he completed the task, he made a call to a friend on the police force to dig up Intel on her. He didn’t feel bad in the least, considering his instinct told him she’d do the same thing to him as soon as possible.

An hour later, he mulled over the information his contact had provided.

Kerry Roberts: Thirty-nine years of age, homeowner in a  good suburb of Winnipeg, good credit, no criminal record, no outstanding warrants or tickets, two boys, legal clerk at a rival law firm Thompson, Wade and Macleod.

Not to mention she’s drop dead gorgeous.

He recalled their kiss and the electrical current it had sent through his body. He couldn’t remember the last time a simple brush of lips had given him such a lasting erection. A feral grin split his lips, determined, now, to win her over in his favor. If they struck up a bargain, sex would be a definite part of it.

Wait. What is it I want from her? What are my intentions here?
He definitely wanted sex, but could he use her that way for a time?
He’d been burned. It wasn’t fair to make her pay for someone else’s mistake. He had to find out what she wanted before he could make a move.

For a moment, he pictured Kerry living in his home.
Odd.
The more he thought about it, the more the idea of them living under the same roof appealed to him. He’d never imagined any woman sharing his personal space before.

Leaning back in his chair, he laced his fingers together behind his head, his eyes drifting closed as he listened to the printer spit out the pages. An image of Kerry wearing one of his dress shirts, sitting on the edge of his bed in a provocative pose, popped into his head.
Sexy...

His eyes popped open and he blinked away his lusty thoughts with a shake of his head.
Should I go through with this?
He’d begun this experiment determined to expose her as a fraud and teach her a lesson. But his interest in her now was more than a game.

He ran a hand over his jaw, poring over his options. He didn’t date regularly, and therefore had no better prospects. Spending the rest of his days or even the next ten years living under the same roof as the beautiful Ms. Roberts wouldn’t be a hardship. Even if she denied him sex, instinct told him they could become friends. Friendship often blossomed into romance. If he played his cards right, and he truly came to care for her, perhaps their relationship could turn into something more.

Grayson tapped his fingers on his desktop for a second before pushing back his chair. He paced the length of his office, nerves dancing in his system like a high school boy deciding to ask out a secret crush.

He strode to his printer, scooped up the documents, tapped the edges of the papers against the desk, and slid them into an envelope. With the push of the intercom button, he summoned his administrative assistant.

Sheila knocked before poking her auburn curls through the door. “What do you need, Mr. Nichols?”

Grayson smiled and handed her the envelope. “I need you to courier this over to Thompson, Wade and Macleod. Oh, wait,” he said, snatching up a pen from the holder on his desk, and addressing the envelope to Kerry. “There. See Ms. Roberts gets this ASAP.”

“Of course, sir.” Sheila nodded and retreated with the packet.

All right, what is my plan?
He paced his office again, wondering what in the hell he was doing.

First, he’d figure out if she truly wanted a Sugar Daddy. Her reaction to his proposal would clinch the deal. If she did, then he’d have to bow out. If not, he’d put the second part of his plan into motion—the one where he convinced her to date him for real. One way or the other, Kerry wouldn’t get away without him giving it his best shot.

Kerry nibbled a thumbnail while perusing the proposal Grayson had sent to her office. The legal document was straight and to the point: he’d take care of her and her family financially in return for providing him with companionship.

A knock on the door startled her, and she looked up to see her co-worker, Heather, standing in the doorway. “Whatcha reading? More on the Harper case?”

Kerry shook her head. “No. Something new crossed my desk.”

Heather walked into the office and shut the door behind her. “Need help?”

“Maybe,” Kerry mumbled. “Although, this is of a more personal nature.”

Heather appeared intrigued. “Tell me more.”

Kerry chuckled and shook her head, sighing. “I think I’m in over my head here.”

“This can’t be about Steve.” Heather sat in the chair opposite her. “You already told me what an asshole he was at coffee break. Sorry. I promise to never set you up again.”

“And I promise to listen to my instinct and not you next time.”

“Point taken.” Heather made a face. “Spill already.”

Kerry eyed her closest friend. They’d been tight ever since graduating from Technical College and getting jobs at the same firm eight years ago. “Well, after the date that never was, I placed an ad on a dating site.”

Heather’s brows shot upward. “You did? Which one?”

Kerry massaged her brow with the fingertips of one hand, and held out the document to Heather with the other.

“What’s this?” Heather asked, taking the manila folder from her.

“I may have had a bit of wine last night after the boys went to bed. I might have placed an ad on a site called sugar daddy wanted dot com.”

Heather’s eyebrows rose higher, and she laughed in disbelief. “You didn’t?”

“Yeah, I did.” A groan escaped. “I was only playing around, thought I’d yank a few chains, but someone took me seriously. I met him for coffee today.”

Heather leaned forward in her chair, peaked interest dancing in her eyes. “So, that’s where you were at lunch. And?”

“He showed me his financial statements to prove he could take care of me and the kids. This is the proposal he sent over for us to seal the deal.”

Heather sat back in her chair in surprise. “What?”

Gesturing at the folder in her friend’s hand, Kerry nodded. “The guy’s loaded. And it seems he’s serious about wanting to take care of me in exchange for companionship.”

Heather’s eyes narrowed as she flipped through the document. “Companionship? Of what kind?”

Kerry waved a hand in dismissal. “Not sexual unless I say otherwise.” She stood to pace in front of her desk. “I meant it to be a joke, but we’re meeting for dinner tonight to discuss…
this
,” she pointed to the document once more.

Heather scanned the papers, a frown crinkling her forehead. “If you sign, this is a legally binding agreement in which he takes care of all your financial worries and all you have to do is look good on his arm.”

“I know.” Kerry stopped pacing and faced her friend.

“What are you going to do?” Heather snapped the folder closed and tossed it onto Kerry’s desk.

“I have to tell him it was all a joke,” Kerry replied.

“Maybe you shouldn’t. How many women get offers like this?”

Kerry rolled her eyes. “I don’t care. I’m not most women. I don’t need a man to take care of me.”

“But still, if he’s legit, you’d be set for life,” Heather countered.

“And he could be a psychopath, posing as a decent man.” Kerry snorted in disgust. “You know, he seemed so serious and arrogant, like he could just buy what he wanted.”

 “You did put an ad on a site where countless men—exactly like him, by the way—place ads to pay for companionship.”

“Don’t remind me.” Kerry’s shoulders slumped, and she plopped down in a chair. “He got my back up, so I continued playing along. I wanted to teach him a lesson.”

“That being what exactly? You can’t buy love?”

“Precisely.”

“And who says the people on that site are out for love? That’s hardly the place people go to find their soul mate,” Heather pointed out.

Kerry leaned forward and held her head in her hands. “What am I doing?”

Heather patted her back. “I have no idea. But perhaps you ought to consider going to dinner to hear him out.”

Incredulity shot through Kerry. “You’re not serious?”

“Aren’t you always complaining that it’s the same old thing with the dating scene? Here’s your chance to try something new.” Heather gestured palms up. “Maybe he’s not such a bad guy, and this could work out.”

“You’re insane.” Kerry stood, walked a few steps away, and whipped around to face her friend. “I thought we agreed I wouldn’t take your advice anymore?”

Heather shrugged. “So, don’t listen to me. I give advice; you do what’s best for you.”

“Bitch.”

Heather laughed. “Yup. So, what are you going to do? You could run a background check on him, you know.”

Kerry blew her hangs upward. “I called in a favor. I’m waiting on it.” A ding from her computer signaled an incoming email. “Hang on. That might be the report now.” Holding up a finger to wait, she walked around to the other side of the desk and sat down.

Rolling her chair forward, she squinted at the computer screen, clicking the mouse to open up the new message from one of her police acquaintances who had agreed to check out Grayson Nichols on her behalf.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” she muttered.

“What is it?” Heather leaned her elbows on the front of Kerry’s desk, interest sparking in her eyes.

Kerry sat back in her office chair. “It appears one Grayson Nichols is a big fat liar.”

Heather cocked her head, confusion etching her features. “How so?”

Kerry met her gaze. “On the dating site, he lists his age as forty-five. His driver’s license says he’s thirty-five.”

Heather glanced heavenward and shrugged. “Maybe he typed it in by mistake and didn’t notice. It hardly makes him a liar, unless nothing else checks out. Does it?”

“Hmm.” Kerry nibbled her lower lip in thought. “Everything checks out but that. He works where he says he does, his address is legit, and there are no records of him being married or divorced. But really—what man lies about his age?”

“None I can think of,” Heather remarked. “Did he look young?”

Kerry shook her head. “No. In fact, he’s quite distinguished.”

“Distinguished? Let me see his picture.” Heather moved around and stood beside Kerry. Her eyes popped out in surprise. “Woman—you need your eyes checked. That man is sex personified. I say you go to dinner and sign the damn contract.”

“I’m not listening to you anymore, remember?” Kerry let out a weary sigh. “I’m too old to play games. I never should have put an ad on that site.”

“Shoudna, but didna. Suck it up buttercup,” Heather admonished. “You did and now you have a dinner date with a gorgeous guy. Come clean with him and see what happens. Worst case scenario—he’s only interested in a business arrangement and if you don’t want it, send him my way.”

“Screw off.” Kerry stuck her tongue out at her friend.

“Dinner won’t kill you, and if things don’t work out, you’ll be in the same boat as yesterday.”

Kerry faked a bright smile. “Alone and desperate?”

Heather nudged her with her elbow. “You’re hardly desperate. You date more than any single woman I know.”

Kerry ran a hand over her brow. “And I’m getting tired of it. I was thinking of giving it up for a while.”

Heather gestured at Grayson’s picture on the computer screen. “Then let this be your farewell date. Enjoy a good meal, some male company, suck his dick if that’s the direction the evening leads you both toward, and wake up with a smile on your face.”

“I’d wake up with a smile if I found him down between my legs,” Kerry murmured.

“Then demand that as part of the deal. Tell him you need to try him on for size, too. Let him get you off, say it wasn’t good enough to enter into this partnership and then be on your merry way.”

Kerry barked a laugh, and then stared up at the ceiling, a dreamy smile spreading across her face. “You know, I can see him between my legs. On top of me, pinning me to the bed with his weight…” Her voice trailed off, picturing Grayson’s dark gaze holding hers as his cock slid inside her, or the scrape of his goatee on her inner thigh. An involuntary shiver raced up her spine.

“I saw that.”

Heather’s remark shook Kerry from her reverie. She waved it away. “He
is
attractive. How could I not picture him going down on me?”

“Or fucking you. Damn, I’m even getting wet for the guy,” Heather mumbled. “So, go to dinner. It can’t hurt before you throw in the towel, right?”

Kerry pondered the idea for a moment. “I suppose not. He will be buying after all, and I requested the most expensive restaurant in town. What more could a girl ask for?”

“Great sex, financial security, and the chance at love?” Heather quipped.

“Maybe I should ask for the moon, too.” Kerry shoved her chair back and stood. “All right—get out. I’ve got to finish up for the day.”

“Make sure you call me later with details.”

“That makes it sound like I won’t be busy with him this evening. I’m fairly certain if I turned on the charm, I could seduce him. That is if he doesn’t turn out to be just another asshole.” They shared a hug. “Regardless, I’ll dish with you at the water cooler at tomorrow morning’s break.”

Heather grinned. “You go girl. Have fun!” she called out as she exited the office, shutting the door behind her.

With a smile, Kerry shook her head and returned to her chair behind the desk. She fired off an email to Grayson, letting him know she’d received the agreement and provided her address for him to pick her up later.

A minute later, he’d replied to her email, thanking her and said he’d be sending a car to pick her up at seven.

Sending a car?
“Well, well, well, Mr. Nichols,” she said. “Let’s see what the evening brings.”

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