A Billionaire With Benefits

She groaned. She liked to lounge around in her underwear at that time. She only started moving, and was completely up and about by six. “Fine,” she huffed.

That meant she had to be completely fresh by at least five-fifteen. That left her with seven hours of sleep.

“I’ll see you,” he said.

“Yeah.” She sounded lame, but she ended the call and thought about what she had done. Regrets come last, don’t they? But she didn’t feel any regrets whatsoever. It was more of looking forward to adventures she hadn’t had yet. She told herself there was a reason they had met that night, a reason why he was interested in her. Maybe she was one of those rare black girls at the event, maybe it was her smi

le. Could be my smile, she thought, because people like my silly wide grin. Or maybe it was the dress, or those heels. Lynne was probably right about her looking good in those heels.

She could wear more heels, if the stipulation included being seen together. Wouldn’t they make a great-looking couple? She imagined it in her head and it immediately dissipated the moment her eyes landed on the contract once more. There were rules to follow, her head couldn’t be up in the clouds so often. But she rarely was this imaginative for someone who was chirpy most of the time.

She thought about the stipulations in the contract; these sounded simple enough, but she knew these weren’t easy to do. She had never been that adventurous. Her move to California from Washington filled her with much trepidation. This was her chance, right? Who knows which country she was going to go to?

She had never been out of the country. She had taken a few road trips with Lynne, and she enjoyed it a lot. They had promised to go on a trip abroad together but it hadn’t happened yet, not with Lynne’s workload and hers. That had been a two year promise in a making. With Justin in the picture, she figured she could fulfill half of that promise. Would he allow a trip abroad if she asked for it?

First Party agrees to pay for Second Party expenses, including, but not limited to: lodging, shopping expenses, and travel.

She could swing a few things into her favor. There was nothing in the contract that said she couldn’t request for certain things, like trips abroad. She didn’t know how rich he was, didn’t see the extent of it, but she had an inkling that his billionaire reputation wasn’t all made up.

Her phone rang. It was Lynne.

“Where are you?” Lynne asked.

“At home, of course.”

“Great. So I just have to tell you this, remember at the party, I said hi to this old man and his wife.”

“The old man whom you said had the hots for you?”

“Oh, he was just looking at me like I was the most desirable woman there. But yeah, that guy.”

“Please don’t tell me you slept with him,” Mikaela groaned.

“God no! He’s gross. I just needed that account. And it so happened, he has a nephew. A damned successful one.”

“Does the damned successful guy have a name?” Mikaela said with a laugh.

“Yes. He does. Does the name Henry Nichols ring a bell?”

“Do I look like I work in a bank or something? Of course I don’t know who that is.”

“He’s into stocks. Anyway, old guy, well, Mr. Harry, goes, I have someone I’d like to introduce you to. In my head, I think, oh great, it’s going to be another man old enough to be my dad. But in comes this man in a suit, with his dark wavy hair and five o’clock shadow.”

“And that would be Henry?”

“He’s the most gorgeous thing I’ve seen in my life.”

“You always say that to anyone you think is viable for you.”

“Oh my, deep words again,” Lynne laughed. “But yes, he’s gorgeous. And rich.”

“Which is more important?”

“Both of course! But if I really had to choose.”

“I’d go for a rich guy,” Mikaela finished for her and she heard Lynne laugh again. “So any updates with the guy?”

“We’re going on our first lunch date tomorrow.”