One Foolish Night
Page 24
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Paul had to admit that Holly did have a point. “And what kind of clientele do you expect for a business like that?”
“Professionals, mostly—well-educated people, people with money. After all, this service isn’t cheap.”
“Funny, I can actually see you doing something like that. You know, talking to clients, making them open up to you to tell you what they’re looking for. I think you’d be good at that.”
For the first time since she’d arrived, she gave him a broad smile that reached all the way to her eyes. “Thank you.” She sipped her water. “How about you? What do you do to afford a place like this in Manhattan? Or is it all family money?”
He stiffened instantly. “No. I never took a dime from my parents, though they did spring for my education. No student loans here.” He made a grimace. “I’m a broker.”
“You mean you sell real estate?”
Paul chuckled. “No. I broker business deals. Big mergers.”
Holly edged forward on the sofa as though she was truly interested in his answer. “How do you do that?”
“I figure out what kind of companies would benefit from being joined and then I draft proposals and go in and talk to them individually and explain why they should merge. I point out the advantages, and when there’s interest on both sides, I help set up the deal and work out the details.”
“Sound a little like matchmaking to me. I assume they pay you well for all that work?”
He smiled. “Extremely well.”
“So what deal are you working on right now, or is that a secret?”
“I just closed a deal a bit over a week ago, so I’m actually in a lull until something else starts up. I have some free time.” Time he wanted to spend with Holly.
“And what do you like to do in your free time, Paul?”
He noticed that she’d started to interview him, and he let it happen. After all, she needed to find out about his life, his likes and dislikes, and his quirks, so that their charade would be realistic.
“I like to try out good food, hang out with my buddies, or go to off-off-Broadway shows.”
“Theater?” she asked.
“Yes, particularly the small stages. You can find real gems there. Up-and-coming actors and great playwriting. It can teach you a lot about people and what drives them.”
“I hadn’t pegged you for a theater buff. I did a little theater in high school. I loved it, but I hated being typecast.”
Paul laughed. “Let me guess—the ditzy blonde.”
She stuck her tongue out at him, laughing. “No wonder I quit.” Then she settled back into the corner of the sofa. “Okay, back to you. What else do you like doing? Any sports?”
Was she trying to assess whether he was fit? Surely, she must remember his toned physique. After all, she’d seen him naked. “I lift weights, and when I’m in the Hamptons I run on the beach every morning. Other than that, I love sailing.”
“Do you have a boat?”
“My parents do. And they rarely ever use it, so there’s never been any need for me to buy my own. When I’m in the Hamptons, I take theirs out. Have you ever sailed?”
“Once or twice. But often it’s too cold on the San Francisco Bay to really enjoy it.”
“Well, when it’s windy, it gets cold on the Atlantic too, but when it’s hot everywhere, you’ll appreciate cooling down on a boat. Besides, you could get a great overall tan.”
Holly’s lids lifted when she seemed to figure out the meaning of his last words. He could vividly imagine Holly lying on the deck of his parents’ boat with only suntan lotion covering her body. The thought made him rock-hard, and he shifted in his armchair, crossing one leg over the other to hide his bulge.
Holly looked past him. “Tell me about your family. Do you have any siblings?”
He took her change of subject in stride. It was better to concentrate on something other than Holly’s luscious body. “One sister, Olivia. She’s married and has a three-year-old boy, and another one on the way.”
“Oh? How far along is she?”
“I think seven months. You’ll meet her. She and Quentin will be there for the anniversary party. As well as their little brat.”
“Brat?”
“Jonathan. He’s a handful.” A cute handful, though.
“You don’t like kids?”
She looked as though she was disappointed, but he could be wrong.
Paul shrugged. “Let’s just say, I’m indifferent to kids. And I’m certainly not keen when they behave like Jonathan.” Not because he didn’t love the child, but because he didn’t know what to do with him. He just didn’t have the kinds of skills that would get Jonathan to stop crying when he was upset about something. And it frustrated him to see his nephew upset all the time. A child should be happy.
“Professionals, mostly—well-educated people, people with money. After all, this service isn’t cheap.”
“Funny, I can actually see you doing something like that. You know, talking to clients, making them open up to you to tell you what they’re looking for. I think you’d be good at that.”
For the first time since she’d arrived, she gave him a broad smile that reached all the way to her eyes. “Thank you.” She sipped her water. “How about you? What do you do to afford a place like this in Manhattan? Or is it all family money?”
He stiffened instantly. “No. I never took a dime from my parents, though they did spring for my education. No student loans here.” He made a grimace. “I’m a broker.”
“You mean you sell real estate?”
Paul chuckled. “No. I broker business deals. Big mergers.”
Holly edged forward on the sofa as though she was truly interested in his answer. “How do you do that?”
“I figure out what kind of companies would benefit from being joined and then I draft proposals and go in and talk to them individually and explain why they should merge. I point out the advantages, and when there’s interest on both sides, I help set up the deal and work out the details.”
“Sound a little like matchmaking to me. I assume they pay you well for all that work?”
He smiled. “Extremely well.”
“So what deal are you working on right now, or is that a secret?”
“I just closed a deal a bit over a week ago, so I’m actually in a lull until something else starts up. I have some free time.” Time he wanted to spend with Holly.
“And what do you like to do in your free time, Paul?”
He noticed that she’d started to interview him, and he let it happen. After all, she needed to find out about his life, his likes and dislikes, and his quirks, so that their charade would be realistic.
“I like to try out good food, hang out with my buddies, or go to off-off-Broadway shows.”
“Theater?” she asked.
“Yes, particularly the small stages. You can find real gems there. Up-and-coming actors and great playwriting. It can teach you a lot about people and what drives them.”
“I hadn’t pegged you for a theater buff. I did a little theater in high school. I loved it, but I hated being typecast.”
Paul laughed. “Let me guess—the ditzy blonde.”
She stuck her tongue out at him, laughing. “No wonder I quit.” Then she settled back into the corner of the sofa. “Okay, back to you. What else do you like doing? Any sports?”
Was she trying to assess whether he was fit? Surely, she must remember his toned physique. After all, she’d seen him naked. “I lift weights, and when I’m in the Hamptons I run on the beach every morning. Other than that, I love sailing.”
“Do you have a boat?”
“My parents do. And they rarely ever use it, so there’s never been any need for me to buy my own. When I’m in the Hamptons, I take theirs out. Have you ever sailed?”
“Once or twice. But often it’s too cold on the San Francisco Bay to really enjoy it.”
“Well, when it’s windy, it gets cold on the Atlantic too, but when it’s hot everywhere, you’ll appreciate cooling down on a boat. Besides, you could get a great overall tan.”
Holly’s lids lifted when she seemed to figure out the meaning of his last words. He could vividly imagine Holly lying on the deck of his parents’ boat with only suntan lotion covering her body. The thought made him rock-hard, and he shifted in his armchair, crossing one leg over the other to hide his bulge.
Holly looked past him. “Tell me about your family. Do you have any siblings?”
He took her change of subject in stride. It was better to concentrate on something other than Holly’s luscious body. “One sister, Olivia. She’s married and has a three-year-old boy, and another one on the way.”
“Oh? How far along is she?”
“I think seven months. You’ll meet her. She and Quentin will be there for the anniversary party. As well as their little brat.”
“Brat?”
“Jonathan. He’s a handful.” A cute handful, though.
“You don’t like kids?”
She looked as though she was disappointed, but he could be wrong.
Paul shrugged. “Let’s just say, I’m indifferent to kids. And I’m certainly not keen when they behave like Jonathan.” Not because he didn’t love the child, but because he didn’t know what to do with him. He just didn’t have the kinds of skills that would get Jonathan to stop crying when he was upset about something. And it frustrated him to see his nephew upset all the time. A child should be happy.
