up my neck and worked its way to my cheeks. "He swears he didn't know I worked here, and that this is just some insanely fucked up coincidence."
"Oh my God." Jessie pressed her hands to her mouth and shook her head, loosening a few more curls. "You can't make this shit up, right?"
"Exactly. It's beyond messed up, and honestly, you haven't heard the rest of it." I reached up and pulled the clip from my hair, allowing my long chestnut locks to spill down over my shoulders.
"Oh, please tell me it gets better." She giggled, and I thought about chunking the hair clip at her.
"Not sure better is the right word, but it gets... something." I shook my head. "He wants me to be available to him sexually until we find his perfect match."
Her smile faded and she dropped her hands. "Lila. That's not cool. You're not a warm body for hire. That's... disturbing."
"And hot, unfortunately." There was no reason to display any sort of shock. I was over it already and locked into an agreement with the hottest man I'd met in years, or maybe ever. Yes, it was bad, but oh was it ever a really good bad.
"Yeah, I guess it is. It's so freaking naughty, though." Her cheeks colored and I chuckled.
"He was the best sex I've ever had. Sleeping with him in exchange for him helping me with the Spa is perfect. Odd and unconventional, sure, but when have you known me to take the road most traveled?" My phone buzzed and I ignored it.
"You're crazy. This is wild and uncouth."
"Don't be a hater." I laughed.
"Hater? No hate here, but I am completely jealous." She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. "However... as your best friend I am totally obligated to remind you that you need to be careful. Asher is rich, good looking and obviously a firecracker in bed. You play with fire, you get burned."
“I know, mess with the bull, you get the horn, and all.” We looked at each other and erupted in a fit of giggles. But she was right. She was always right.
"Look Jess, I know. It's going to be hard to keep my feelings in check, but I think I can do it. I'm confident that I can keep it just about the sex and nothing else. James ripped my heart from my chest. I'll never let anyone close enough to hurt like that again. Ever."
"I believe you, but I don't know... I have a bad feeling about this." Jessie brushed her fingers over her lips as her worried hazel-colored eyes watched me with intensity.
"I'll keep you in the loop and I promise I'll be smart about this. He wanted my number last night at the club and I refused. I got out of the car, walked back into the club and waited until he was safely gone, then got a cab home. He wanted me to come spend the night with him and I refused him that, too." I smiled, quite proud of myself all of the sudden.
"Yeah, but if your part of the deal is to find him his perfect match, how are you going to feel comfortable doing that, when he's obviously not at all serious about marriage? We're about compatibility and commitment here. The last part is the biggie in this case. Clearly, he is not committed to finding his future wife."
"Judge not and be not judged. I can't speak for his actions, Jess. He's single for now and what he does with his life is his to deal with. I can only do what I'm comfortable doing."
"And you're comfortable doing this? Trading sex for business advice?"
"Jealousy is an ugly color on you."
She laughed and stood up. "Don't you let him take advantage of you, Lila. I'll have to kill him if he hurts you."
"Thanks, but don't worry. If he starts to, I'll just return the favor."
"By taking advantage of him or breaking his heart?"
"Both."
2 - Asher
"I'm going to be about ten minutes late," I barked into the phone at my secretary.
"Right, Sir. There is a young woman who says she's here to see you. What would you have me...?”
I cut her off, realizing suddenly that Lila was coming to spend the day with me. I hadn't necessarily forgotten, but with so many other things vying for my