Watch Me (Phoenix #1) - Stacey Kennedy Page 0,19

the speakers, the loud, excited voices spreading out in the room as Zoey glanced between her friends. A long moment passed then they all burst out laughing.

Zoey wheezed along with them, grabbing her belly. “Ow, ow, okay, stop.”

Elise wiped the laughter tears from her eyes. “I can’t help it. As if Rhys Harrington needs to tempt you. The man is fucking hot!”

“I know.” Zoey breathed, leaning back in her seat. “This whole thing is absolutely ridiculous. I go from having no sex to having sex with one of the hottest men in New York City, who can have any woman he wants, but apparently, he wants more of me.”

Hazel’s smile died halfway through Zoey’s statement. “I actually don’t think that’s weird at all. I mean you’re entirely different than anyone he has probably met.”

“She’s not wrong,” Elise agreed after a moment of consideration. “He deals with people who live a passionate lifestyle and who are rich. They aren’t innocent dog-grooming virgins. Maybe he finds you refreshing.”

Zoey thought that over and finally shrugged. “I actually think he finds my pain refreshing.”

Hazel blinked. Then blinked again and frowned. “I don’t even understand what that means.”

“I don’t really know how to explain it,” Zoey countered, “but it’s a feeling I get from him. Like he wants to…I don’t know…take my pain away…” Elise grabbed her cell from the table and began typing as Zoey added, “In some weird way, I think he likes protecting women or bringing them happiness, or at least, that’s what it seemed he was saying to me. He wants to show me a life I don’t know exists, a life where a man doesn’t hurt a woman.”

“So, he’s a fixer?” Hazel asked.

“Yeah, a fixer. That’s a good way to put it,” Zoey agreed. “And, seriously, do I really want to be someone’s therapy project?”

Hazel gave a firm nod. “If that therapy includes hot sex with Rhys Harrington, then yes.”

Zoey laughed, but stopped when Elise slid the cell phone across the table. “Who is this?” she asked, staring at a beautiful brunette.

“Katherine Rothschild,” Elise said. “Rhys’ late girlfriend.”

Zoey looked up. “What happened to her?”

Elise took her cell back and began scrolling. “She had cervical cancer and lost her battle. She was only twenty-four years old.”

“Wow, that’s sad,” Hazel said.

Zoey agreed with a nod. “Which is a red flag, right? I mean, this guy owns a sex club and obviously has baggage. Probably best I stay away.” She couldn’t ignore red flags anymore. Those flags kept her safe.

“Maybe,” Elise said with a shrug. “Maybe not. I think, logically, anyone who has lost a loved one would do whatever they could to make sure the people around them were living their best life. If you ask me, I think it’s kind of sweet that his current goal in life is to make others happy and satisfied.”

“But he owns a sex club,” Zoey reminded her.

Hazel said dryly, “Which is probably why he’s such an incredible lay.”

“Seriously?” Zoey gawked.

Hazel giggled. “Well, it’s true, isn’t it? You came home last night with stars in your eyes. That guy has got mad skills. Why not enjoy that for a while? You deserve all this and so much more. Hell, he wants to give you hot sex, and then you move. What could go wrong?”

“Everything,” Zoey countered in haste. “Absolutely everything could go wrong.” Because it had.

Elise gave her a soft, supportive look and reached across the table again. “The difference here being that this is your choice. Your say. Your rules. Maybe what he’s offering is exactly what you need. Let him shake you out of your box, see the world with different eyes for a little bit then you can move back home, with the orgasmic glow that you deserve.”

Zoey considered, sipping her wine, smelling the oaky hints. “Can it be that simple, though? That good?”

Hazel’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully before she nodded. “If I can give my two cents, you’re at a crossroad now. You faced the one thing that terrified you. The two men who assaulted you. Now fate has tossed you a chance at something different, something new. Do you want to be that same scared woman you said you wanted to shed? Or are you this new Zoey who is doing life her way, on her terms, no matter how impossible it seems?”

It all made sense. But… “It’s really scary for me to let anyone in like that, even if this is sort of like an arrangement.” Though a new little voice