Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
“I would like inside information, sure. But that isn’t why I’m here.”
Her eyes narrow. “That may be true, but it isn’t the entire truth.”
“How can a man ever speak his entire truth?” I take a bite of my French toast. “Mm. You’re right. This is delicious.”
Her lips twitch up at the sides, as if she’s fighting the smile that eventually wins out. “I know. There’s something about the French toast. I don’t know what, but I could just sit here and eat it without syrup or anything.” She takes a big mouthful, as if proving her point.
I swallow my bite and take another as her cat swipes at the pile of cream I’ve pushed to the side of my plate for her. “I like your cat.”
“I noticed.” She rolls her eyes. “She’s such a little slut for whipped cream.” She leans down and whispers against the cat’s fur, “Don’t go trusting him too much, you furry hussy. He’s after something. Definitely nefarious.”
I laugh, taken off guard by her charm. She’s quite a bit more than I expected. When I realized she would play a part in this business deal, I thought it would be as nothing more than an observer. But that’s not the case at all. If I couldn’t already tell there was a sharp mind behind her beautiful face, the interesting tapping language at the meeting would’ve clued me in.
“You think I’m nefarious?”
“I know you are. My dad only does business with ruthless people just like him. It’s how he manages to stay on top, keeping the competition in check.” She pins me with a sober look. “And you’re part of the competition now.”
“I may be working with your father–or against him, depending on how you look at it–but I’ve no bad intentions when it comes to you.” I’m surprised I say it, but it’s the truth. For some reason, the last thing I want to do is hurt this interesting slip of a woman, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to get to the bottom of her involvement in her father’s dealings. All I’ve managed to discover is that she attends all his high-level meetings and has for the past few years or so and spottily before then. But now I have a keen interest in the precise reason why.
Her cat looks up, cream all over her whiskers. Cadence sighs and pats her on the side. “A total mess, little lady. You’re incorrigible.”
“Do you have plans today?”
Her gaze meets mine again. “You mean like, business plan stuff?”
“No, just plans.” I wipe my mouth and place my napkin on the table. “I’m heading to my family’s gallery to oversee some new acquisitions. Would you like to accompany me? I can’t promise any excitement, but I do have a Klimt coming in, one that I negotiated for years to acquire.”
Her eyes widen. “Klimt? As in The Kiss Klimt?”
I smile. “Yes, but I couldn’t get my hands on that masterpiece. This is a lesser-known work, not as–”
“Yes!” she yelps, then clears her throat and looks away. “I mean, um, sure. I could do that, I guess.”
I don’t even know what I’m doing. I didn’t plan on inviting her to spend the day with me, but I can’t seem to help myself.
“Come on, Sassy.” She looks up. “Oh, is it all right if we take her home first?”
“Of course.” I grab the pink backpack with the clear bubble, and Cadence loads the feline into it. The little minx doesn’t even complain, just stares at me through the plexiglass. “I can carry her.”
“Oh, no.” Cadence eases the pack onto her back. “I wouldn’t want to freak her out. You’re new to her and–”
Sassy meows and paws at the clear bubble, her eyes on me.
“What is it?” Cadence pulls the pack away and looks at Sassy. “Are you okay?”
Sassy keeps staring at me and pawing.
“May I?” I ask.
Cadence stands up and puts her hands on her hips as I grab the pack, loosen the straps, and put it on my back. Sassy stops crying.
“Are you serious right now?” she asks Sassy, and then I feel a purr vibrating through the fabric. “Little slut,” she grumbles and comes to my side. “Come on, it’s not far.”
“Which way?” I make a show of looking around as if I have no idea where she lives.
“Mm-hmm.” Her eyebrows draw together, but then she sets off down the sidewalk. “Come on. I may not trust you, but I won’t look a gift Klimt in the mouth.”
I smirk at her turn of phrase. She’s clever; a surprise–and a beautiful one at that. Winning her over won’t be easy, but I’ve never shied away from a challenge, and I certainly don’t intend to start now.
6
CADENCE
“My place is still kind of a mess,” I tell Vargas when I open the door. “It’s a bit shameful really. My dad has a full staff at home, and I might have gotten used to some things just being done.” I know I’m rambling, but I can’t seem to stop myself. It’s awkward but also exciting to have a visitor.