Page 46 of Rival Desires

I hustled to the truck and tucked myself in, pulling off a covert operation like a pro. As we cruised to the clubhouse, I casually hopped out with a box, acting like I belonged there. The security guard at the front door was more interested in his coffee than me, so he barely batted an eye as I swaggered by with my “package.” Once inside, things were eerily quiet. Where the heckwere all these golfers? And more pressingly, where was Bennett Seaworth hiding?

I weaved through the clubhouse, peeking out the windows for signs of life on the courses. Like a needle in a haystack, I finally spotted him in the club’s restaurant. There was Bennett Seaworth, all suave and smarmy, leaning on the bar and trying to charm a woman who looked like she’d prefer to be at a dental appointment.

I marched over, my annoyance bubbling below the surface. “We need to have a little chat,” I grumbled, doing my best Liam Neeson impression minus the Irish accent.

Bennett’s smirk was almost comical when he looked up and saw me standing there. “Well, if it isn’t one of the infamous Gracen & McCrae duo,” he chuckled, trying to brush me off like a pesky gnat. But I wasn’t about to be dismissed that easily.

I grabbed his arm and yanked him away from the bar, ignoring the woman who looked at us with wide eyes. “This is about Rylee,” I said, my voice low and serious. Bennett’s smirk faltered briefly before he recovered, trying to play it cool.

“Oh, Rylee,” he drawled, attempting to sound nonchalant. “What about her?”

I narrowed my eyes, not buying his act for a second. “I know the deal you two did.” The accusation was dripping from my voice. “I know she slept with you to try and get an edge in the business deal.”

Bennett let out a booming laugh, like I’d just shared the punchline to the greatest joke ever. “Oh, you poor fool,” he said, shaking his head in mock pity. “You think I’d lower myself to sleep with Rylee? Please, no disrespect intended, but I havestandards. But, you see, she’s not the only one playing fast and loose in that firm. It turns out her partner in crime, Sergio, has been getting cozy with my mom. Can you believe the audacity? Talk about crossing the line!”

Those words landed like a hammer to glass. I stared at Bennett, trying to process what he was saying. It couldn’t be true. Rylee wouldn’t make her employees do that. But then, I’d been the genius who thought she was banging this tool right here.

Bennett just shrugged, looking all smug and self-satisfied. “Believe it or not, buddy. I couldn’t care less. But if you’re feeling brave, ask Sergio about his little rendezvous with my mom. I’m sure he’ll gladly spill the beans.”

Well, that sucked. I didn’t knowwhatto believe anymore.

I stood there like a statue, watching Bennett stroll away, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I felt like a complete idiot. I had accused Rylee of something she hadn’t done, and now I wasn’t sure what was true. I needed to talk to her, to hear her side of the story. But first, I needed to find Sergio. And maybe a strong drink. Or five.

TWENTY-SIX

Rylee

I’d never been so thankful for a week to end in my life. Today had been the worst. Every Tom, Dick, and Harriet called, eager to get the scoop on Sergio’s drama. It had gotten so bad that I invited Mallory to join Nat and me for dinner. She deserved a hearty meal and some vino after the week she’d had juggling our client’s questions.

“I was this close to calling the cops,” Mallory confessed to Nat after I finished recounting my run-in with Sergio and his escort out of the building. “I mean, it was absolute pandemonium, and I’ve met my fair share of weirdness working customer service in a sex shop during college.”

Nat nearly choked on her wine. “Wait, you worked customer service for asexshop?”

Mallory gave a solemn nod. “Yep, it was a small call center, and we handled customer service from stores nationwide. Folks have some pretty out-there questions and complaints, believe me.”

Nat’s smile grew even wider. “Oh, you’ve got to share some of these gems. What was the most bizarre call you ever caught?”

Mallory paused for a second, then burst out laughing. “Okay, here’s a good one. It might not be totally bizarre, but it’s funny. So, this young guy called during my second week on the job, completely clueless. His girlfriend had bought a vibrator and wanted him to, well, you know, use it on her. But this poor guy was completely lost – he thought it was just for sore muscles! That’s what his mom had told him when he stumbled upon hers as a kid.”

Nat and I busted out in laughter.

“Well, at least he had the decency to ask,” Nat chimed in. “Better than those clueless guys who think they’re gods in bed when they’re really just causing friction.”

Mallory continued, “Oh, and then I had this dude who was absolutely fuming on the phone. He’d gotten an earful from his girlfriend because, apparently, he’d been telling her his ‘package’ was over nine inches. But when she ordered a nine-inch dildo to, you know, spice up the party between the sheets, she discovered he’d been stretching the truth by a good few inches. The dude tried to blame us, saying we had printed the wrong dimensions!”

Oh man, I was so ready for this after the rollercoaster I’d been on for the past few weeks. Just what the doctor ordered!

“Reminds me of this one guy I dated briefly. He insisted on using extra-large condoms. That was all he would buy. Only, he was about this big,” Nat said, holding up her thumb and index finger a mere two inches apart. “I mean, seriously?”

Mallory shrugged it off, not a care in the world. “I’ve got all sizes stashed in my bag, just in case,” she confessed. “Honestly,bigger doesn’t always mean better. Sometimes, those guys on the smaller side know a woman’s body way better than the ones who think they’re God’s gift just ‘cause they’re packing heat.”

Nat bobbed her head, a wistful smile playing on her lips. “Sure, but you can’t beat a big cock if the guy knows what he’s doing. Can I just mention Fury? Oh my god, that man is a freaking revelation, and he’s got the goods to back it up.”

Mallory’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “Wait, you don’t mean Fury Gracen from Gracen & McCrae, do you?” She swiveled her head between Nat and me, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Nat’s gaze swung to me; one eyebrow arched in suspense. “By the way, you still haven’t spilled the beans on how Cory measured up.”

Shit.

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