Money Shot (55 page)

“Maybe you should give them away. Or sell them.”

Money-minded man, huh?
Of course he was. “That’s what the people I live with want. None of them were keen on a bunch of kittens taking over the place. Luckily, it’s a big place.”

“Oh? I didn’t know there were big places around here.”

“You’ve got it wrong. You have to live out of the city for a big place.”

“You live outside of the city?”

Calm down, Mr. Stalker.
“I share a place up in the Hills with some other folks.” The commute was rough when she wanted to get downtown, but she couldn’t say no to the cheaper living. Plus all that space for cats.
I’m a crazy cat lady. There. I said it.
She and Blackbeard would grow old together. The only man who could truly appreciate her skills in the kitchen—namely her fantastic ability to pull the top off a can.

Ethan leaned both elbows against the bar counter and took a long,
long
drink. When he put his glass back down it was nearly empty. “The Hills are expensive from what I hear. CEOs, celebrities, and politicians.” He glanced at her, taking the time to absorb what she wore that night: a body-hugging red dress. Simple, but glamorous, a style that showed off her assets without being vulgar.
My plans must come to fruition, and my wardrobe helps me with that.
If Ethan McDreamy wasn’t smitten with her fine hair and outfit, then there wasn’t much more Jasmine could do. She was under no delusion that a man she picked up in a bar would be into her personality and smashing long-term goals. Nope. Dude like him was going to judge her on every superficial thing there was. At least she did her best to look her, well,
best.

“That is some seriously nice jewelry you’re wearing there, Miss Jasmine.”

She touched her hand to her pendant, a simple ruby hanging from a gold chain. That same hand bore a ruby ring, and her ears, wrist, and even hair boasted more rubies than she could ever wear most days.
Today is special.
Today she wanted to feel special, and she hoped Ethan would help make that happen. “You like it? I took you for a guy who likes red.” No she didn’t.

“May I?” He held his hand up toward her chest, but did not proceed until Jasmine nodded in careful permission. Although she was up for this man grabbing her chest
eventually,
she preferred to take things slowly first. Seduce him, then fuck him senseless.

Ethan took the pendant between his fingertips, his brows furrowing and lips pursing as he concentrated on the cut and quality. Jasmine took the opportunity to stand up straight and jut her chest out. If she were male, she’d feel like a peacock out strutting his stuff, luring in those mates while feeling like the baddest bitch around. “It’s real,” she said.

His face did not let up. “You sure about that?”

Jasmine grimaced. “What are you talking about? The whole set is real!” She shook his hands away so she could show Ethan the other trinkets on her body. “Someone very important gave them to me. So don’t try telling me that they’re fake.”

“Sorry. I must not know what I’m talking about.” Ethan finished his drink with nary another look in Jasmine’s direction. “At least now I know for sure.”

“Know what?” Jasmine’s drink had been untouched throughout this conversation, and now she wondered if she should down it in one gulp.

Ethan snorted into his empty glass. “That you’re an expensive woman.”

“Well, now…” That was an odd thing to say about somebody.
I don’t think of myself as expensive.
Jasmine certainly didn’t have expensive tastes. If anything, her hippie parents raised her to eschew most material things in favor of living a plain, frugal life. Her parents also didn’t have ruby jewelry.

“A woman I can’t afford, I’m afraid. It was nice of you to keep me company, though.”

Jasmine was permanently stuck to her seat. “Can’t… afford…”

Ethan shrugged. “I may be too rich for my own good, but I’m afraid that I lost my wallet earlier today. No cards. No checks. And definitely no cash. Sorry. Unless you open up a tab for me, I can’t afford what you’re offering.”

He ordered another drink, and Jasmine had to wait for the bartender to go away again before she thought up something to reply with. “I’m not a prostitute!” she hissed.

“I wouldn’t dream of calling you one. I thought you lot went by ‘escorts’ these days.”

Words fumbled on Jasmine’s tongue as she attempted to spit them out. “I’m not… no… what the hell…”

“Oh! My apologies, then. It’s just the only single women who come through a lounge like this are usually looking to hit up a man for some… you know.”

He said it so casually, and yet Jasmine could only sit and stare at that striking profile and perfectly placed black hair. Ethan drank as if he had not insulted her honor. Okay, so Jasmine was out to score some from a hottie. A rich hottie was a bonus. Did that mean it was all right to imply that she was exchanging her body for money? The nerve!

Jasmine slipped off her seat. If she had a bag on the counter she would rip it right off for effect. “You, sir, are making things very difficult for me right now.”

Ethan held up his hand in an attempt to soothe her outburst. “I said I was sorry.”

“You’ve got me wrong!” The few remaining patrons in the hotel lounge glanced at them before going back to their business.
They probably think he’s my pimp!
What a night. “I’m not looking for money. I wasn’t even looking for a free drink.”

The way Ethan leaned against the counter almost made him look like he was bored. “Then what were you looking for?”

Jasmine took a leap of faith and poked him right in the chest.
Damn hard pecs!
Because of course he had them! “You know what I was looking for.” She cut him off before he could open his mouth again. “
Without
compensation.”

Ethan would see. She was far from expensive. Jasmine was quite the opposite of expensive. She was one cheap girl giving away everything for free. Surely, Mr. Lost Wallet could afford
that.

“Snazzy,” Jasmine said as she entered the executive suite behind Ethan. “So this is how a mega rich businessman stays in town.”

She stepped out of the entryway and surveyed the large room. It wasn’t massive, but it had a separate sitting room and master bedroom in the back. The centerpiece was a fake fireplace with a large flat screen TV hanging above it, as if rich guys passing through only cared about gas fires and football. Or Bloomberg.
Is it a split screen that can show both?
Not that Jasmine wanted to watch stock prices or football plays. She had other things on her mind.

“Mega rich?” Ethan tossed his room key onto a dresser and poured himself a drink from the complimentary bar. More scotch, from the looks of it. “I don’t know about that. I also don’t know how much money you seem to think I have. Either way, you’re probably a gold digger.”

Jasmine pretended she didn’t hear that. She sat on the edge of a plush beige chair and massaged her ankles, which were currently tied up in a pair of strappy red heels. Men liked heels. She had it on good authority.
They’re not super comfy though.
The price a woman paid for style and seduction. “How long you in town for?”

“What difference does it make?” Ethan stood in front of a mirror and watched himself drink his scotch. Or so Jasmine thought until she realized he was looking at her reflection. “I’m only going to see you tonight.”

The chair muffled as Jasmine sat up straight. “I get that this sort of thing is probably old hat for you, but…”

“Old hat?”

She huffed in his direction, exasperated. “Picking up women in random cities and bringing them to your room.”

“You came up to
me,
if I may remind you. My only intentions tonight were to get a drink and then retire for the evening. I also had a long day.”

“Doing billionaire business stuff, I’m sure.”

“I admit, I didn’t give a cat a bath, but I did sit through a three-hour board meeting about things that would terribly bore you.” Ethan poured another drink, handing the stout glass to Jasmine. “That’s my own personal version of hell. But enough about that.” After Jasmine took her drink Ethan poured himself another. He clinked it against Jasmine’s glass before drinking it in one swig. “You came up here for something else. You made that pretty clear.”

Jasmine sniffed the drink and immediately put it down on the coffee table. “I know what I want.” She sank back into the chair, crossing her legs and holding her braceleted hand up. She was sure her rubies twinkled in the soft lights. “Can’t fault me for that.”

“And I know what I want,” the man said a bit too quickly. There was a bite to his voice that Jasmine had not anticipated, and hearing it now made something stir inside her body.
That’s something .
She shivered, fighting back the arousal that had been creeping through her since early that morning when she decided to make a night like this happen. Just so happened Ethan was the lucky guy… or was she the lucky girl? “I’ve got… certain tastes… I suppose you could say.”

Jasmine plucked the glass off the table and took a gulp big enough to burn her throat. The liquor was not kind to her system, but that was the point. No wonder the man was ready to ply her with alcohol. “I know what that’s code for,” she said with a gasp.

“Then I don’t have to explain myself.” Ethan sat aside the empty glasses and removed his jacket.
Hello there.
White shirt and tie? Ethan could say he was into any sort of kinky thing and she’d likewise be into it now too. Especially if it meant getting to put her paws on this man covered in the most intoxicating cologne she ever smelled. Forget the liquor. She’d get drunk off that!

“A little explanation would be nice.” Jasmine always believed in being prepared.

Ethan tossed his jacket onto the couch and turned to her, arms lashing out and hands grabbing either side of Jasmine’s chair.
Holy!
His lips were mere inches away from hers, hovering with hot, easy breaths that pushed against her cheek while his eyes bore into hers. Jasmine slipped farther into the back of the chair.
This man is going to eat me alive.
God willing! “Any control you thought you had when you came up here is long gone. I’m in charge now. I’m always in charge. Got it?”

Jasmine nodded, eyes locked on that strong jaw looming over her face. If she were brave enough to touch him, she could easily rip open his top two buttons and take a look at what he kept beneath his clothes. Yet from the way he looked at her… Jasmine had a feeling she would be disrobing first.
As long as we’re on the same page—we’re doing it.

“Good.” Smiling—although there was nothing comforting about that smile—Ethan stood back, loosened his tie, and had a seat on the couch. “I’d rather not mince words. Let’s get right to it. Unless you’re not interested anymore.”

Jasmine pushed herself up, smoothed out her dress, and made sure her hair was presentable
.
What else was she supposed to do? Mr. Rich Guy she picked up in a bar had a power thing. That could definitely be hot. Suddenly Jasmine imagined this man throwing her onto the master bed and going at her like a roaring beast. Her eyes glazed over as she became lost in the fantasy of Ethan ripping her dress, her underwear, and God only knew which body parts she kept tucked away for such situations.