I can do this.
Dutton and I can be friends.
We're both getting something out of it. He’s going to use me as much as I'm going to use him, so I'm going in there with confidence. By the time I leave, he'll say yes and agree to give me the money I need for a down payment on the bakery.
Oh my god, I’m going to ask someone for money.
Not a little bit either.
Alargeamountof money.
And I'm going to ask Dutton for it.
I turn my back to the door and put a hand on my chest.
Okay, no. Don't panic. We want this. Weneedthis.
I take a deep breath, and with my head held high, I turn the knob, pushing my way inside his office only to come to a stuttering stop. Dutton is sitting in front of his computer with no shirt on. His body is shining with a glisten, but it's not the said glisten that makes me pause.
Dutton Richford is ripped.
Holy shit.
This isn’t news to me, but this is different from seeing him at a distance on the beach. This is him half naked with me behind closed doors.
He turns in his seat slowly, as if he isn’t at all surprised by the way I burst through his door.
“Brooke, is there something I can help you with?”
Jumping right to it.
I can do that.
“Yes. I thought about what you said yesterday at the bakery.”
“Okay. So, you want to fake a friendship?”
I shake my head and walk closer to him, failing to keep my eyes on his face, because who even is this person?
Is his body real?
“I have a list of demands.”
He leans back, crossing his arms, which only leads to his biceps bulging even more.
Dear God, has this man always looked this tempting without his clothes on?
He clears his throat.
“You have a list of demands? Are you going to tell them to me?”
I nod.
“One. I don't fake anything. If we're going to do this, it's going to be a real friendship.”
He smirks.
“Two, I want to buy the bakery. I have currently run into a few hiccups financially that are keeping me from doing this. So, if I help you, I … need … money.”
