Any Man I Want Read Free Page A

crew?”
    â€œWe got everyone out on the first flight this morning. I’m sending someone to get you.”
    â€œWhat? No. That’s unnecessary. I can fly home on my own, Beau. My flight is in a few hours.”
    â€œWe already cancelled it,” he declared.
    â€œOh, come on. This will blow over in a day or so.”
    â€œI doubt it. He’s out for blood. Says he has proof that you’ve slept with half of your photographers, most of our clients. Says a lot of the BellaRich contracts were sex for signature transactions. He’s claiming your entire professional career has been based on you passing out the good-good on the regular.”
    â€œ What? I never—”
    â€œI know that. I’m the last one you have to convince. When you think about it, it’s actually kind of funny.”
    â€œIn what possible way is this humorous?” I screeched incredulously.
    â€œOut of the three of us—you, me, or Roman—which of us was more likely to be accused of using sex to get ahead?” Beau said ruefully.
    My brother Roman was a straight arrow. He was happily married for the second time to a great woman named Jewellen. Beau, however, had been a notorious hound dog in his day. Not even just in his day—in everybody else’s day as well. The trail of broken hearts and discarded panties he left behind was legend. He was bow-wowing right up until he met my friend Belle. We had modeled together. When she and I decided to go into design, I loaned her my condo. Beau had been kicked out of Roman’s house and was trying to figure out what to do with his life and decided to stay at my place. That’s how they met. After a few stumbles, they appeared to be on the path to happily-ever-after. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.
    â€œI would say this is more ironic than funny—but hey, it’s just my life imploding, laugh it up,” I snapped testily. I rubbed my temple. I could feel a headache coming on. I twisted the top off of a large bottle of water and drank deeply.
    â€œChill, sis. Look, we all know this is ego-driven crap, but Delancey is throwing enough dirt around that we need a solid game plan before the media gets hold of you. We’re releasing a statement today denying everything. In the meantime, you need to spend a few more days away from prying eyes and then come back to Dallas and stay somewhere the media can’t find you for a while.”
    I exhaled. “How bad can it really be? I can’t just step outside and laugh this off and it will go away?”
    â€œKatrina, you’re beautiful, you’re rich, you’re single, and you’re famous. As much as people love you, they love a messy scandal more. They smell blood in the water and they’re going for broke. This is going to take a little time and cleanup. But no worries, I’m on it. And I’m sending help.”
    I frowned down at the phone. “What kind of help?”
    â€œBig Sexy is on his way.”
    I exhaled shakily. Carter “Big Sexy” Parks, super-hot former football player, one of Beau’s oldest and dearest friends, currently a real estate mogul, was heading my direction. Did I mention that he’s super-hot? A man doesn’t get and keep the nickname of “Big Sexy” without earning it. And he really did. Even more telling, no one questioned the nickname. It fit. Everything about him oozed big and sexy. I’d thrown all sorts of “do me” hints over the years and though he never said no, he never said yes either. Never even looked all that tempted, much to my chagrin. I was a girl who was used to men wanting me and chasing me. The fact that he didn’t seem to care one way or the other? Quite frustrating in a “but I can respect it” super-hot way. “Carter thinks I’m a pain in the ass.”
    â€œWe all think you’re a pain the ass, but we love you anyway.”
    I sucked my teeth in