Chapter One
Eva did not want to
like Malcolm West.
For one thing, her
partner, Cheryl Barrington, would kill her if she found out Eva had the hots
for their new investor. Cheryl would go crazy if anything even came close to
jeopardizing the financial backing they needed for their PR consulting firm.
Eva and Cheryl had
been the top consultants in the company they used to work for. Not just
associates but also good friends, the two women suddenly decided to break off
and try at it themselves. It was a big and bold step for the two of them, but
by working hard together and focusing all of their passions into the new
company, they had managed to make it work. In just months they’d already
started making waves, signing on bigger and bigger clients with every new
success. Now that they were expanding, they needed more capital than what
either of them was ready to bring to the table.
After another
stroke of fortune, they’d managed to catch the eye of the enigmatic and
mega-rich financier, Malcolm West. The meet was set up and with Cheryl manning
the proposal and Eva handling the paperwork, it seemed the deal was almost in
the bag.
Malcolm West
assured them, during the meeting, that he was impressed with their progress in
the past several months since they’d started up. He looked through their
portfolio and seemed convinced they were on to bigger and better things. He let
them know that he only backed winners – and he knew a winning team when
he saw one.
Eva couldn’t help
wondering what else he knew when he looked at them – her especially.
Eva Borgia had
never had any doubts about her charms. At age twenty seven, she believed she
was in her sexual prime. Her successful career and good looks gave her the
confidence to seek pleasures where she could. And when it came to men, she had
a special kind of taste that was hardly ever achieved in just the right
quantity and quality she preferred. The men she managed to fall for always seemed
to lack something. But when she met
Malcolm West, she suddenly realized that here was one man who might just be
able to tick all the boxes.
He had the looks,
no question. She was all for the silent hunk types, the brooding, Byronic
hotties whose actions spoke louder than words. A man who said little, but
conveyed plenty. A man with a glance could make her feel like her panties had
caught fire. She took one look at him and suddenly; life took on a whole new
perspective.
His hair was darkly
blonde, with eyes like midnight stars: navy blue and sparkling. Lips so curvy
they looked sinful, and they were just about the only soft or gentle looking thing
about his face. His square-cut features would fit just right on any of those
high-flying gents magazines. He’d totally make his fortune as a male model if
he ever decided to give up his day job, thought Eva admiringly. Every feature
seemed in perfect symmetry…Chiseled, bronzed, flawless and dangerously pure.
His gorgeousness should be a crime, Eva felt. And when she walked in with her
partner Cheryl and came face to face with him, she had to glance at her partner
to see if Cheryl was affected the same way she was.
Being the one
elected to handle the “pitch”, it was no surprise to Eva that Cheryl remained
ever professional, shaking Malcolm West’s hand like he was just any other rich,
handsome and eye-catching investor-to-be. Cheryl’s smile was winning, her
attitude alluring yet professional.
Eva was a quivery,
sweaty, internally mushed-up mess.
Coming up right
behind Cheryl, Eva shook his hand and prayed he wouldn’t notice how damp it had
become. His grip felt strong, firm and smooth; very masculine. Sent a volt of
awareness up her arm so strong it made her catch her breath for a second as she
looked into his piercing blue gaze. She could swear she read something there
for a second but later told herself it was her overactive imagination.
How she managed to
play her part during the hour-long meeting was beyond her. She
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