“No one,” Emma quickly lied.
“Ooh, I think Em’s on the prowl,” Therese said with a grin.
“I am not,” Emma protested.
“Yes, you are,” Casey said, her gaze scanning the room. “So who is the lucky guy?”
Emma sighed. “Fine. I literally ran into him a few minutes ago on the way back from the bathroom. He seemed really interested, but I was too mortified by getting my heel caught in that stupid rug to stay and chat.”
Casey grinned. “Ooh, sounds promising. Is he hot?”
Without glancing over, she could see the guy’s image in front of her as plain as day—the piercing blue eyes, the sandy blonde hair, and his tall, somewhat muscular form. “Yeah, he was really handsome.”
Casey’s dark eyes widened. “Oh shit it is on! Em just called a dude handsome.”
“Oh whatever.” She nibbled her lip for a minute before finally saying, “I really would like to know who he is. I-I’d like to talk to him again.”
“Talk to him? No baby girl, we’re so getting you a date at the least. I mean, I haven’t seen you this stoked about a guy in forever,” Casey said.
“So where is he?” Therese asked.
“Well, don’t make it obvious. But he’s leaning up against one of the marble columns.”
She didn’t dare look as the others turned their gazes on her mystery man. Casey gasped in horror. “What’s wrong? Who is he?” Emma asked.
“No, absolutely not. That’s Aidan Fitzgerald.”
“So?”
Casey shook her head wildly. He’s sex on a stick, Em, so you need to stay the hell away from him unless you wanna get used!” she had replied.
Therese nodded. “He has the worst reputation as a womanizer. I heard that he could only keep older secretaries because he slept with all the others.”
Emma’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”
Her other friend, Rachel, said, “He was caught at last year’s charity benefit with his pants around his ankles doing some donor’s wife.”
“There’s no telling how many women he’s banged in this building,” Casey said.
“Oh God,” Emma murmured as she fought the waves of nausea rolling over her. How in the world had she managed to bump into such an ass**le? When she glanced up at him again, he was still staring—or maybe it was more that he was leering at her.
“Shit, I think he’s coming over here,” Casey said.
When they started inching away, Emma’s mouth gaped open. “You’re leaving me alone with the notorious manwhore?”
Casey rolled her eyes. “You’ll be fine. Just tell him where to get off.”
“Thanks a lot,” Emma grumbled.
With a definite swagger in his walk, Aidan came striding up to her. “Hello again.”
“Hi,” she said shortly.
“I thought after our earlier meeting that we never got the chance to be formally introduced. I’m Aidan Fitzgerald.”
“Yes, I know.”
“You do?”
Emma smirked at him. “Yes, your reputation precedes you.”
Aidan cocked his brows at her. “Oh, so a pretty thing like you from Public Relations knows all about my exploits in Marketing?”
“How did you know I—”
He grinned at her. “I have my spies, especially those who happen to know all sexy as hell redheads named Emma in PR.”
Emma fought the urge to roll her eyes at him. God, he was so cocky. If there was one thing she couldn’t contend with in a man it was ego, and she wasn’t sure she had ever met a man who thought more of himself than Aidan did.
Lowering his voice, Aidan asked, “So what do you say we get out of here and maybe go back to your place? Somewhere we could get to know each other a little better.”
“Are you propositioning me, Mr. Fitzgerald?” she asked curtly.
His eyes widened in surprise. “You can call me Aidan, and all I want is to go somewhere a little less crowded. We can stop by a bar first if you would prefer.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Yes, I’m sure you would prefer getting me drunk off my ass so I would sleep with you more willingly, right? I mean, what are the odds that you actually want to hear my take on the economy or who is going to win this year’s Superbowl?”
At the bewildered expression on Aidan’s face, Emma had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.
“Excuse me?” he demanded.
“Oh, I think you heard me just fine. I would imagine you’re not used to getting turned down. But listen very carefully when I say that I do not appreciate being propositioned by the company manwhore.”
Undaunted, he pursed his lips. “Is that right?”
“Yes, it is.”
He leaned in closer to her, his fingertips feathering along her arm. “Babe, if you’re afraid of your friends thinking badly of you because you want to f**k me, then we don’t have to leave together. No one has to know but you and me.”
Emma jerked her arm away. “I do not want to sleep with you.”
Aidan grinned. “Oh yes, you do.” He lightly tapped her temple. “Your mind is telling you to be repulsed by me because of my womanizing reputation, but your body thinks otherwise.”
“I don’t think so,” Emma huffed, taking a step back. She didn’t like the fact that it appeared her body was reacting to him, especially the heat growing between her legs.
Leaning over, his breath scorched against her earlobe. “Then why are your ni**les suddenly hard?”
Emma gasped and shoved him back before crossing her arms over her chest. “Maybe because it’s December and it’s cold?” She shook her head. “Honestly, you are absolutely and positively disgusting.”
“Angry sex can be really hot, and if I had to wager, it’s been a while for you.” He winked as he pulled her to him. “So you can just take it all out on me.”
His triumphant smirk drove her over the edge. “I’m going to say this one last time. You are the last man on earth I would ever sleep with. It may be shocking to you, but I actually have principles and scruples, and they’re all saying that you are one of the most self-absorbed ass**les I have ever met. There are worse things than being single and going without sex, Mr. Fitzgerald. Leaving here with you and letting you touch one inch of my body would be the most degrading thing I would ever have to go through. So I will kindly ask that you remove yourself from my presence. Because one way or the other, you are leaving. Either I’m going to call security or knee you in the balls to get you to go.”