Very much aware of him following her, she had an odd sense that he was watching her butt in the tight pencil skirt, another thrift shop buy that had seen better days. She halted in front of Howler’s door and gave a cursory knock before turning the knob.
“You know the way.” Standing back, she inclined her head toward the office.
“Thanks, beautiful.” His tall frame filled the doorway and although he never touched her, she felt the heat of him seep through her blouse.
“Belle, my name is Belle,” she said, chin raised a notch. “Calling me beautiful, is a bit sexist, don’t you think?”
He studied her for a long moment, and she resisted the need to shift her feet. “Your name is Belle, French for beauty.”
If she were ice cream she would have melted at his feet. Nonsense, lack of sleep, and stress were doing strange things to her. “Yes, I guess you’re right. But I’d prefer Belle.”
“Thank you, Belle,” he said, emphasizing her name, his Arkansas drawl more pronounced.
She narrowed her eyes, sensing sarcasm but unable to read it in his closed expression. He walked past her and she wasn’t sure why but she lowered her gaze to his really nice ass.
Stop looking. She turned on her heel but not before he glanced back over his shoulder. A slow grin spread across his mouth as he winked.
Crap, she’d been caught.
Chapter Two
“Hey Erik. Good to see you.” Howler stood and indicated for him to take a seat. The glass-topped desk was cluttered with manila folders and a sleek laptop. A bank of windows lit the room with natural sunlight. Summer was fast approaching. Howler tilted his head, brown eyes curious.
“Thanks for seeing me on such short notice.” Erik plopped down in the comfortable chair, legs out. He scratched at the underside of his chin and caught a whiff of Belle’s perfume. It must have rubbed off on his hand when he’d gripped her wrists. He inhaled. One day, he’d wear her down. He’d had it bad for her since the first time he’d seen her behind the receptionist desk. Turning his mind back to the matter at hand, he cleared his throat. “I was asked to be the next bachelor on My Future Fiancé.”
Dark brow raised, he nodded. Erik narrowed his eyes at the spark of amusement crossing Howler’s face. “Really?”
“Really.” Erik cleared his throat and pushed past the embarrassment. Ultimately, it would be a strategic move on his part. The producer for the show also produced some quality programs with a more serious bent. While he’d dabbled in theater in high school, football had taken up most of his time. He’d chosen the professional football lane for the foreseeable future. It was lucrative and he’d ride that train until the next one came around. “I know it’s lame but it’s a great opportunity to get some exposure for my charity.”
“No, it’s not lame.”
“Isn’t it?” Erik challenged. The shit his teammates would throw his way almost made him want to back out. Almost. He wasn’t kid anymore and he’d never been easy to scare. He’d grown up in a rough town, drugs and poverty going hand in hand. He’d managed to avoid the pitfalls and came out on top. He had a great need to stay on top.
Howler pressed his lips tight until he seemed to make up his mind. “Perhaps a bit superficial but it’s a great opportunity.”
“Yes, it is. A friend of mine had to back out of the show and they asked me to fill in.” Jake, the Pioneers QB was supposed to be the bachelor but for personal reasons, he’d begged Erik to take his place. He couldn’t tell Howler why, even though the guy represented Jake.
“I see.” The words were spoken in an even voice but there was a hint of understanding in those two words.
Did he already know? And the reasons why? It wasn’t Erik’s place to tell him. “It’s a sweet gig. Two live shows and the rest of them pre-taped to work around preseason practice. Have you seen the show?”
“My wife watches it religiously. It’s a pretty popular show.” Howler tapped his fingers on the desktop, a smile in play. Although the man’s agency was small compared to some, Erik had been eager to sign on the dotted line.
“Yes, it is and I know I’m going to get a lot of shit from the team. But I get fifty grand for my charity. So, it’s a win/win for me.” Being dyslexic, he was an advocate for literacy. If it wasn’t for his grandmother, he would have never been diagnosed. It had changed the course of his life. It also helped people like his younger sister who’d been born with Down syndrome.
“This is an excellent opportunity. You’re going to need someone with you full time and I have the person in mind.” Howler typed something into his computer before he leaned back in his seat. “She’s on her way in.”
After his agent Walter had died, Howler had taken over. Erik’s contract was pretty solid but he wanted to branch out into more than football. At twenty-four, he had a long career ahead of him and although reality TV had never been a blip on his career radar, he’d jumped at the opportunity. When you came from nowhere, you wanted to go somewhere.
The door opened and he turned his head, his pulse picking up at the sight of Belle. Curly hair over her full breasts, a tight black skirt with a formfitting white shirt, she had the right curves in the right places.
“You wanted to see me?” Belle said, a curious smile on her full lips, a yellow pad and pen in her hand. She wore no ring, or any jewelry, except for a simple necklace with a heart pendant. He’d noticed everything about her over the past two years and she was understated. But damn, her smile could pack a punch.
“Come in, Belle,” Howler waved one hand in her direction. “Have a seat.”
Heels clicking on the marble floor, she sat next to Erik, confusion written on her face. He was equally curious on why Howler had called her in the office. Any time spent with Belle was time well spent.
“Erik is the new bachelor on My Future Fiancé. He needs someone with a marketing background who can milk this for all its worth.” Howler looked Erik in the eye and nodded. “Belle has been given a much-deserved promotion and she is the agency’s newest agent. I think she’d the perfect person to represent you.”
