Page 5 of The Big Scoop

“I was waiting for you,” she replied.

“Well, I haven’t been in either,” he said, turning to me. “Want to help me christen the place, Gwen?”

Did he just say that!?

“Excuse me!?” I snapped. “What are you—?”

“Take it easy,” he laughed. “I just mean, let’s be the first ones to go into my new home.”

Uh huh, I nodded. I wasn’t buying any of his act. These accidental quips and innuendos were just a part of his playboy persona. Harrison was rich, powerful, and knew how to get all the girls he wanted, and if I wasn’t careful, he was going to try and pull that game on me.

But I was here for a story—nothing else.

And that’s what I kept repeating to myself as we made our way up the wide stone steps that led to a front door that could have been taken from Versailles.

“Kinda makes you feel like a princess though, right?” Harrison asked from beside me.

I wanted to smile and nod. I mean, it was impressive, and compared to the small studio I was renting down by the river, it was a whole different reality, but it was important for me to maintain my composure and professionalism and not give into his good looks or status symbols, so I twisted my lips and crossed my arms over my chest.

“Geez,” he replied, glancing at Audrey. “She’s a tough cookie.”

“She sure is,” Audrey agreed as Harrison grabbed the door handle.

“That’s all right,” he replied. “Who likes a soft, mushy cookie anyway?”

Harrison gave me another dashing smile that got my heart rate going even higher than it already was, and pulled. The doors swung open, and the view inside took my breath away.

3

Gwen

Oh my God, he has a Koi pond!?

He sure did. It was square and ringed with flat stones and had square slabs leading across it to the other side, where an enormous staircase led to the second floor.

The rest of the floor was marble, and an elaborate chandelier hung above us. The walls were tall and off-white, decorated with large canvases of modern art—I was pretty sure color-blocking was the style.

Harrison clapped his hands once and turned around to face us.

“Now is this a house?” he asked. “Or is this a house.”

Again, I wanted to nod or give him the thumbs up—the house really was spectacular and regal—but I simply nodded and motioned to a room to the right of us.

“If we could start the interview—”

“You trying to get me alone with you?” he asked, surprising me as he took a step forward. It took every bit of willpower I had not to let my eyes drift down to his crotch. His bulge was impossible to hide, and the fabric of his grey designer suit pants was doing nothing to conceal it.

Whatever he had down there was big.

“Yes,” I replied. “Alone for an interview.”

“Audrey,” he said. “Can you call Chris and ask him if there’s anything not finished with the house yet, make sure the TV and internet are working and setup, and—”

“Check the alarms, water, garage, and all the other rooms and make sure your suits have arrived?” Audrey interrupted. “Sure I can. I’ll leave you two…to it.”

With a flick of her eye to me, Audrey smiled, nodded, took the stones across the koi pond, and headed upstairs. Harrison turned back to me and just sort of looked at me for a moment—a moment longer than felt comfortable for a professional setting.

God, he’s handsome…I thought, but then immediately scolded myself. Stop that! This guy’s a playboy jerk here to ruin your town! Do your job and go home!

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