Playboy Bear

Chapter 3

Chapter Three

“Mr. Kent, we need to discuss some things that need your approval.”

He grunted, but didn’t look up from the documents he was reading. Seriously? Did he really just grunt? Ugh!

“Mr. Kent. Just a few moments of your time, please.” She tried to sound more commanding.

He made a big to-do of sighing and then looked up. “Yes, what?” As soon as his eyes locked with hers, she got nervous.

“I—I need to get your approval on these.”

“Fine. Sit down and quit standing there. It makes me uncomfortable.” His mind was wandering again. “No, come over here and straddle me in this chair.”

“Ok, um, well, there’s the proposed meeting with Stonegate Properties. They want to meet with you next week.

“Do I have room in my schedule?” and in his mind, “I want to rip that shirt off you.”

“Yes, sir.” Her cheeks turned slightly red and she looked down at the papers in her lap. Did she somehow sense what he was thinking? Was he showing it too much?

“Ok, well, let’s get that set up. It’s a big client.” – “I want to be buried deep inside you…hear you moan as you take all of me.”

“I will get right on that sir, and then, there’s the charity event tomorrow night. You still haven’t RSVP’d. Do you plan on attending? I can send the card back immediately.”

He grunted again. He really hated these types of events. They were supposed to be raising money for underprivileged kids or disabled veterans. Somehow, they always ended up being about who could one up who with their donations.

“Yes, fine. I will go.”

“Ok, sir. I…ummm…well, do I need to RSVP for you and a guest?”

A thought entered his head.

“Yeah. For two. Why don’t you go with me?”

“Umm, what? Me? I…”

“Have you ever been to a charity gala, Amy?”

“No sir. They don’t quite have those things in our city.” She laughed just a little. He had not yet heard her laugh. And, strangely, he found it very appealing. It was sweet, like a little silver bell ringing.

“Well, then you should be my guest. It will be an experience to say the least. Or, are you not free?”

“No, I’m free…”

“Well, then it’s settled. You are going. Do you have something to wear? If not, take the rest of the afternoon off and go shopping.” He reached in his pocket for his billfold. “Here.”

“Oh, sir, no I can’t take your money.”

It was his turn to laugh. “Company credit card. Company event. The company can pay for it. And, I would venture to guess you don’t have the funds to buy a nice dress right now?”

She reached across the desk and took the card from his outstretched hand. For a second, their fingers brushed and electricity shot through him so strongly that he almost flinched. She must have felt it too because she blushed again. Her porcelain skin showed even the slightest tinge of red in her cheeks. It was so attractive.

“Ok, sir. Thank you. I will see you tomorrow.” She got up and hurriedly left the room.

As soon as Amy was out of the room, Barrett leaned back in his chair, shifting uncomfortably. He was hard. Very hard. Throbbing hard. And obviously, he couldn’t just jump at his secretary. What if she wasn’t interested in him? Or, even worse, what if she was and she couldn’t handle his secret? He would have to tell her eventually. She would see eventually.

Was she worth it?

Yes. It would seem so.

Was this more than just animal attraction?

It most certainly was building into something else. He didn’t know what, but something. It was a new feeling for him. Everything had always been just physical with every woman he had taken to bed.

Did he want to f**k her?

Yeah, hard. Fast. But also sweet. He wanted to have her any way he could.

Oh god. Did he really just ask his secretary to go to a black tie event? This very much seemed like he was crossing a lot of lines. Not company lines – he wasn’t worried about that since he owned the place. More like his own lines.

He didn’t date women like that. He definitely didn’t date women that seemed like they may stand up to him. This was new territory for him. He wasn’t completely sure what he was thinking or even if this was a good idea at all.

She walked out of Barrett’s office.

Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. What am I doing? Why would I do this? He’s so damn hot, I can’t even think around him. Did I really just agree to go to a gala with him? Oh, god.

Her mind was running 90 to nothing. She couldn’t stop panicking. This incredibly hot man just asked her out. But he was the boss. What was she thinking? It really seemed like a bad idea. But that little voice in the back of her mind – the lustful one – had something else to say altogether.

Oh, honey, you know what you want to do with him. You know you would hop right into bed with him given half a chance. That body…well, you haven’t seen it all, but you can imagine.

As she rode the elevator down from the building, she chided herself. She really hated this man. He was snotty, rude, and inconsiderate. She didn’t want to sleep with him. No, not at all.

She whipped out her phone and speed dialed Carlie.

“Hey, meet me at…well I don’t know. Where can I get a dress for a black tie gala?”

“Wait, what?” Carlie was taken off guard…and she sort of sounded like she had been asleep…at two in the afternoon.

“I need a dress. Where do I go? And you have to go with me. I don’t know how to shop.”

“Ok, ok, The Department. It’s downtown on 59th. I will be there in 20 minutes. And YOU have a story to tell me!”

Amy hesitated. Did she want to tell Carlie this? She was still shocked she had even agreed. Good god, what had she gotten herself into. “I’m going with Barrett…Mr. Kent.”

“WHAT?” Carlie shouted so loudly in the phone Amy had to hold it away from her ear.

“I’ll tell you about it while we shop, ok?”

“AMELIA” Carlie was still shouting.

“I’ve got to hail a cab. See you there.” Amy didn’t give Carlie another chance to shout at her. Instead, she clicked the end call button.

Otherwise, the conversation would have went on and on and she would never be able to get a cab.

“What do you think?” She stepped out of the dressing room in a silky red dress. It hugged her curves and fell smoothly to the floor. It had a nice, plunging neckline but not so deep that she felt like she was showing too much. That was actually a big deal to Amy. With all of her curves, anything too low cut was nearly obscene.

“I like. Barrett will like too” Carlie snickered. It had taken Amy 15 minutes to tell Carlie the story and then to convince her that there wasn’t anything going on between her and her boss. Or was there?

Then, her friend went into full fashionista mode, helping Amy pick out a whole selection of dresses to try on. She was pretty sure that both were immediately in love with the red dress though.

“I don’t care what Barrett thinks, really!” Amy sighed. Oh, but she did.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. I think that one wins. Let me go find you some shoes!” Carlie sprung up and took off before Amy could say anything else.

At the same time, Amy heard her phone ping from the dressing room. She rifled around in her purse, pulled it out and found a text from none other than Barrett.

“Speak of the devil” she whispered to herself and then opened the text.

B: Did you find a dress?

A: Yes, sir. I did.

B: Picture.

A: You will see it Monday.

B: I need a picture. How can I know you picked something appropriate?

A: I’m offended Mr. Kent.

B: It’s Barrett.

A: Ok, sir.

B: Stop with the “sir.” We are the same age.

A: (picture) This works? Carlie’s looking for shoes.

B: Breathtaking.

A: Sarcasm doesn’t suit you.

B: I’m not being sarcastic.

“Ok I found these two. I think silver looks best, don’t you?” Carlie bounded up holding out two pairs of heels. And Amy dropped her phone quickly, blushing. Had she just been…flirting…with Barrett. Her friend, unfortunately, noticed it immediately. “What’s up Ames?”

“Nothing, nothing. Just a text from the boss. Something about…a meeting.”

“And you blush over meetings?”

“I’m not blushing!”

“The lady doth protest too much. I thought you hated him?”

“I do hate him! I told you that. He’s rude and condescending.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Which shoes?”

“The strappy ones.”

Amy gasped when the lady behind the counter gave her a total price.

“That will be $972.25, ma’am”

She turned to Carlie. “I can’t. That’s too much. I can’t pay that.”

“Good thing you aren’t. Now give the nice lady the credit card.”

“Carlie. I.”

“Amy, believe me. Barrett gave you that card for a reason. This is a very public event. He can’t be seen with someone wearing anything but the best. Frankly, I won’t be surprised if he says you went too cheap. Just buy the damn dress!”

Amy handed over the card feeling a little like a chastised child.

She supposed that Carlie was right, but wow, almost a thousand bucks just for a dress and shoes? Unreal. She never, ever would wear something that cost that much money back in her hometown. This felt bizarre or otherworldly. Definitely not something Amy had ever experienced in her life.

And, then, there was that text conversation. Was Barrett flirting with her? Why was he complimenting her? There wasn’t a hint of the arrogant, rude billionaire she was used too. As soon as she parted ways with Carlie, she checked her phone again, and sure enough, there was a text from him.

B: Did you run away with someone in the men’s department? In that dress, no one could turn you down. If so, I will need my CC back.

A: No, of course not!

B: It was a joke, Amy.

Did he seriously just type a smiley?

A: I had to pay. I feel as if I have taken advantage of you. It cost too much.

B: Haha, I am sure I will be ok. How much did you spend?

A: $972.25. I’m sorry!

B: That’s all?

A: That’s all? That’s almost $1K!

B: So?

A: You really don’t care do you?

B: Not at all! Hardly a drop in the bucket. You are fine…in more ways than one.

First bragging about being rich and then another flirty compliment? He really confused her.

A: Ok, then I have what I need to attend the gala.

B: Not quite. I will bring the rest tomorrow morning.

What the hell did that mean? What was “the rest?” While she was thinking about it, her phone pinged again.

B: Stop by La Perla too.

A: Excuse me?

B: I expect my dates to be dressed perfectly. That means the right undergarments too.

A: That’s a bit none of your business.

B: Wrong. It is my business. Besides. I want to spend all night imagining what’s under the red dress. ;)

Two can play this game, she thought.

A: How about if I wear nothing?

B: As appealing as that sounds, Miss Perry, the right light and others will see through that dress. I wouldn’t like that.

A: I have perfectly fine underwear, thanks.

B: An expensive dress deserves an expensive foundation. Go to La Perla and use the card.

She huffed. Fine! She would go buy fancy underwear too. Why not? He was insisting and she wasn’t paying.

A: You aren’t getting pictures.

B: Well, that’s unfair. If I am paying for them…

A: The Company is paying for them. Now, I have shopping to do. See you tomorrow.

B: See you tomorrow, Amy.

It’s the most the two had talked since she took the job, and it was very unprofessional to say the least. How did she feel about that? She should be offended, right? She wasn’t though. She liked it. But, that made no sense because she hated him. But…maybe not so much. Maybe he wasn’t as bad as she thought.

It’s all so confusing!