Free Because of His Heart (For His Pleasure, Book 27) by Kelly Favor Page B

Chloe. I feel like I already know you. And you definitely know me, after seeing the mess inside my purse.” Her laughter tinkled through the cell phone.
    Chloe relaxed just a little.
    Screw it , she thought, and decided to just tell the truth. So she told Grace Knowles, a wealthy powerful woman on her honeymoon, a woman that Chloe didn’t even really know at all—exactly what had happened that had led to her job being in peril.
    When she was finished telling the story, it felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
    There was a brief silence.
    “Did I lose you?” Chloe said, checking to see if the line was dead.
    “No,” Grace replied. “I was just so disgusted by how you were treated by your boss. That’s wrong. Very wrong.”
    Chloe thought maybe Grace was going to say she would get a fancy lawyer to call the hotel and tell them they had to start treating their employees better or they’d be getting a major lawsuit on their hands.
    Instead, she said something else entirely.
    “I want you to wait for my text,” Grace Knowles said. “I need to pull a few strings, Chloe.”
    “Oh, no, don’t do that. I’ve already taken way too much of your time,” Chloe said, feeling embarrassed now.
    “I want to. It might take a few minutes. Just wait for my text. It was so nice talking to you, Chloe. I’m glad we met. It’s hard to make new friends.”
    New friends?
    As she stared at the now silent cell phone in her hands, Chloe realized that Grace Knowles had just called her a friend.
    And she was going to text her.
    But what?
    What was happening here?
    For the next couple of hours, Chloe could hardly think straight. She was by turns anxious, humiliated and then excited beyond belief.
    She felt like maybe she had taken advantage of this strange woman’s kindness, but then again, Grace had asked if there was anything she could do.
    But asking for a job?
    Are you certifiable or what?
    Chloe didn’t know what had come over her, she only knew that she could hardly sit still.
    Finally, at about ten o’clock that night, her cell phone buzzed with a message from Grace Knowles.
    Possible job opportunity—no guarantees. But u will have an interview with Red Jameson. He is a great guy and I told him all about you. Just be yourself and bring a copy of your resume!!! Let me know how it goes, Chloe. Talk soon. XOXO
    And then the address.
    Chloe knew that general vicinity of Manhattan.
    It was prime real estate.
    Holy shit, she thought.
    Triple gulp.

----
    T he office was as intimidating as she’d feared it might be, and everyone who worked in the building looked exactly like the best and brightest.
    People were people, right? she told herself, trying to quell her rising nerves.
    But not these people, Chloe decided.
    Chloe took a seat in one of the plush black leather chairs in the waiting room, after telling the gorgeous receptionist that she had an interview with Red Jameson.
    Chloe had spent half her sleepless night reading about Red Jameson and his empire, and then she’d shaved every square inch of her body that might be visible, and waxed, and bathed and primped and primed herself for this meeting.
    She was wearing the best outfit she could find, and still she felt completely out of her league here.
    A big part of her wanted to flee, but another part said that she had nothing to lose at this point but her dignity.
    And there wasn’t much of that left, either.
    Once she settled into her chair, her eyes caught sight of a Sports Illustrated copy sitting on a nearby table with a few other magazines.
    Chloe picked up the magazine, holding it in her hands, somehow feeling calmed by the cool and collected stare of Brody Hawk on the front cover.
    She smiled a little, wondering how someone became as confident and self-assured as Brody Hawk.
    It probably helps to be handsome as all get out, have a great body, and be an incredible, world-class athlete.
    With nothing else to do, she sighed and flipped to the article about