Page 2 of Beguiled

“You could always bring a whip with you and tame him. Ooh-la-la. Plus, the starting pay is astronomical, the benefits sublime.”

“Great. Where do I apply?” Taming. Whips. I shuddered from hearing both words, a prickle of heat tickling the back of my neck.

Her giggle was followed by her line of sight falling on some hot guy. She was the flirty one of the two of us. I wouldn’t know how to successfully flirt if required. Doing so wasn’t in my gene pool.

“You’d need to kick the other girl to the curb first. However, I think the odds are your favor since he’s on number three and he only started working with the company a couple months ago. Oh, my God. Look at that hottie.”

“Ouch.”

Tawny sighed, and not as if our conversation was boring her, but a dramatic, breathless sound that carried several feet away. To the man in the tailored suit who’d had his eye on her all night.

“I think he’s coming this way,” she breathed, although barely. I was worried the girl would hyperventilate right here, passing out on the floor. At least I knew there’d be a ton of men clambering to come to her rescue.

“Why don’t you go talk to him?”

“Are you sure?” The way she looked at me with her dark eyes glistening in the perfectly ambient lighting was soul draining.

“Go. I’ll be fine. Maybe I’ll get some fresh air.”

Her ruby-stained lips curled in a saccharine-laced smile, one that she’d perfected. She proved the saying that you could attract more flies with honey, or in several cases with her, vermin rather than flies. She didn’t have the best taste in men.

Her squeal was too adorable. “Maybe you’ll find a tall, dark, and handsome stranger on the balcony and engage in hot sex.”

Bubbles from the sip of champagne floated up my nose. At least I managed to cough gracefully. Maybe she was dead wrong.

Tawny blew me a kiss and tossed her long, dark mane over her shoulders.

Cringing, I felt like a fish out of water. There had to be two hundred people in the ballroom. While the space was expansive, a tickling sensation of suffocation threatened to turn into a full-blown panic attack. I searched for an exit to the balcony for some fresh air.

Even though it was December in New York, I’d heard the outside area was fully enclosed with heating lamps. I hoped so since the scarlet dress I’d borrowed was barely there.

The twinkling lights covering the gorgeous fake trees drew my attention even before I slipped outside. Once I did, I was pulled into magical surroundings.

If the area was really called a balcony, then I couldn’t imagine what a terrace at one of the coveted hotels looked like. The setting was gorgeous with various seating areas, outdoor fireplaces, and warm glowing lights from flameless candles on every table.

Why wasn’t a single person outside? The space was gorgeous. Maybe because there wasn’t bar service.

Still the view of the city seen without interference, the fencing all thick glass, was spectacular. I moved toward it, already drinking in the fresh air. While I was a touch claustrophobic, heights didn’t bother me in the least. I was instantly mesmerized by the thousands of shimmering lights and noise, the Christmas music piped through unseen speakers adding to the festive atmosphere.

What would it be like to work for such a profitable company? At least working with a CFO of a major corporation would provide some experience that I needed. Three hundred resumes in the last four months and I couldn’t get a single financial advisory or wealth management firm to even call me for an interview. Forget about stepping onto the stock market exchange floor.

“Could you work for an arrogant asshole?” Maybe I was asking the universe that question. An answer was truly needed since I had a mouth on me.

“That’s an interesting question. But I’m curious. What constitutes arrogance in your mind?”

Tiny prickles shifted down my arms that had nothing to do with the light breeze. The man’s voice was a deep, smooth baritone, husky, a soft kiss of velvet dancing across my naked skin. What made his question so intriguing was his accent, Russian if I wasn’t mistaken.

I’d heard there were several Russians working at the company, which was another reason Tawny was enthralled with working for them. She had a thing for accents.

Ordinarily, I couldn’t care less, but the sound created vibrations in my heart, a flutter of butterfly wings in my stomach, and pool of wetness between my legs. I hadn’t experienced such a reaction to a man in a very long time.

As in forever.

“A man who doesn’t give compliments and expects his employees to work all weekend; a perfectionist who doesn’t budge an inch and a guy who doesn’t have a decent bone in his body. A real jerk.”

“He sounds deplorable.” He inched closer, enough that a wonderful whiff of his aftershave spiraled toward me. There was an unmistakable scent of cinnamon and cloves, perfectly fitting the season. There was also a hint of expensive leather and a touch of other spices that reminded me of exotic locations.

“Yes, he does. I have a friend who believes I could put him in his place.” I dared turn my head, praying his facial features were as attractive as his rugged scent. Wow. There was no other way to describe him. While his face remained partially in the shadows, his chiseled jaw immediately grabbed my attention.