Forbidden Love

“Absolutely, I’d love to.”

“So tell me why you're here.”

I spun around. “What do you mean?”

“You don’t have to work, Lourde. Your family is up there with the Rockefellers. I hope you don’t mind me stating the obvious.”

I laughed. “No, you're right. I just wanted a different choice.”

“How so?”

“One where I wasn’t the prize. I want to contribute, maybe even excel at something.”

“Oh, I hear you. Why can’t we make something out of ourselves? And why are men threatened by a woman with a career?” She shook her head.

“Is that what you’ve found?” I asked, wanting to know more about Olivia.

Her hair was blonde in a long bob, her eyes puffy but still bright blue.

“Oh, I have shares in every dating app out there. For weeks at a time, I’d go on morning, lunch, and evening dates just to find the one. Some worked out. Most didn’t. And what it came down to was me, married to my job.”

“That’s rough.”

“They're just threatened, is all. Why would I leave all this? Not when I’ve helped Barrett create it.”

“Absolutely.”

“And for what? A lousy lay! Heck, I’m twenty-eight years old. I need a man who knows what he’s doing!”

I laughed. “Sorry, I shouldn’t laugh. I’ve just met all those men. They’re all douchebags.”

“So, are you dating now?”

I cleared my throat. “I just broke it off with my ex, so no.” I was a terrible liar.

“Oh, I saw that in the papers a few weeks ago. And I’m assuming you know Barrett through your brother, Connor, right?”

“Yes, they’ve been friends for years. Barrett actually sold our family one of our condos when he was working for another property developer in his first job in the city.”

“Well, he's certainly come a long way since then!”

“Speaking of Barrett, I better head off.”

“Sure thing. I’ll see you later. Good work today, Lourde.”

I smiled, and I knew she wasn’t blowing smoke up my skirt. “Thank you!”

“Now go on, you don’t want to leave the boss waiting.”

I blushed. “No, of course not.”

Not for what I have planned.