The Mogul Read online

  The waiter returned with bread and butter, and they ordered. He the rib eye steak and she half a turkey sandwich and soup. He watched Candy pick up the butter knife with long, graceful fingers and carve off a slab of butter. She smeared it over her bread and took a small bite.

  “Who’s your favorite actor or actress?”

  She thought about that for a moment. “I don’t really have any favorites. I haven’t been to the movies in quite some time.”

  He ran his index finger along his bottom lip. “Why not?”

  She shrugged. “Most of it is just remakes of old movies I saw years ago.” Suddenly she looked up, and there was concern in her eyes. “I hope that doesn’t offend you, being a movie producer.”

  “What would you do if it did?”

  Her gaze hardened. “I’d just have to apologize and hope you didn’t hold my comment against me.”

  The waiter brought their food and took one of Mark’s empty wineglasses. Candy still had barely touched hers.

  He wolfed down a few bites. “What do you think so far?”

  “About what?”

  “About me.”

  “I don’t know you well enough to have an opinion one way or the other.”

  Mark leaned back and laughed. She was a guarded one, that was for sure. He really liked her. He just hoped he didn’t like her too much. “I’m offering you the job, Candy. Do you want it?”

  “What will my pay be?”

  “Five thousand per week. But that means you’ll be working all kinds of hours and doing all kinds of things.”

  “I won’t do anything sexual or illegal.”

  “I’m not going to do that to you, Candy.”

  “I really mean that. I’m not a prostitute or a drug mule. I don’t give a shit about the money if there’s crooked stuff involved. I don’t want to end up in jail.”

  “Nothing like that, I promise. Do you want the job?”

  “What exactly will I be doing?”

  “Working with celebrities, making them happy, helping me do my job in any way you can. The job is about being smart, helpful, and proactive.”

  She played with her wineglass, then smiled. “Okay, I’ll take it.”

  * * * *

  Candace felt weird but really excited. She’d never had a man buy her clothes before. So when Mark insisted on getting her some clothes for a party they had to attend together tonight, she was more than a little reluctant.

  As if things weren’t strange enough, he seemed to know everyone in Bloomingdale’s. Staff rushed at them from every corner of the store to welcome them. They were ushered right to the women’s section, where a saleswoman with a thick Russian accent started sizing her up.

  The pushy Russian woman, who wore a name tag that said Olga, shoved some fancy dresses at her and gestured to the dressing rooms. Mark looked very amused as he settled into a plush chair near the mirrors.

  Candace caught a glance at one of the price tags and almost passed out. She came over, ignoring Helga’s impatient sigh. “Mark, did you look at the prices on these gowns?”

  He smiled at her, and there was everything sexual in it. Heat rushed to her cheeks. “I don’t need to look at the prices, Candy. You just go try them on.”

  Candace retreated to the dressing room. There she tried on the first dress, which also happened to be the cheapest. She hated the thought of someone spending thousands of dollars on a dress she might wear only once. She came out so Mark and Helga could see. His brown eyes looked hazel in the bright lights, and he scrutinized her with the intensity of a wolf. He leaned forward in his chair, making the leather squeak.

  “Go to the mirrors,” he said in a smoky voice.

  Candace walked up to the three mirrors. The gown was light silver with shiny sequins along the breasts and hips. She looked like a fairy princess in it.

  Mark moved up behind her. He was quite a bit taller and looked devilishly handsome in that dark suit. He moved his lips close to her ear. “Do you like it?”

  The sensation of his breath on her ear sent a shiver of delight down her neck. “Yes, but―”

  “I told you, don’t worry about the price. That’s not your job. Your job is to mingle and fit in with the other partygoers tonight. In order for them to accept you, you have to dress like them. These clothes are necessary. Just consider them a perk of the job.”

  He turned to Helga. “We’ll take this one. Candy, try on the next one.”

  Candace next tried on a flowing white gown. She came out and resumed her position in front of the mirrors. Mark moved up behind her, and this time he placed his hands on her upper arms. It was a possessive gesture that not only made her nervous but also confused her. She sure hoped he didn’t think he was going to get lucky tonight, or else this was going to be the shortest job she ever had.

  “Do you like this one too?” he asked.

  “Yes, but I don’t want to try on any more.”

  “Why, what’s wrong?”

  She glanced at Helga, who got the hint and wandered off. “I’m really not comfortable with you buying me all this expensive stuff. It makes me feel like you’re expecting something sexual in return.”

  He grinned and shook his head. “If you got a job at McDonald’s or Disneyland, they’d not only require you to wear a uniform but they’d give it to you, right?”

  “What’s that got to do with―”

  “Let me finish. You’re about to enter the world of the rich and famous. These are very shallow people. Money is king. If you don’t look like them, they won’t talk to you, and I need them to be comfortable with you. Consider these dresses to be your uniform for tonight and future parties. That’s all this is. Don’t get too freaked out over it.”

  “Well the way you’ve been looking at me is a little unnerving.”

  “I’m sorry. You’re a very beautiful woman, Candy. Surely men have told you that before. I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel uncomfortable.”

  “That’s okay. Are we done here?”

  “Yeah.” He gestured at Helga that they were going to take the two dresses.

  Candace still wasn’t sure if she should have taken this job. But she went into the dressing room and changed back into her normal clothes without saying another word.

  Chapter Four

  The party was held at a mega-mansion in the Hollywood Hills. Candace had seen houses like this on TV and the Internet, but nothing could have prepared her for the opulent display of money. Everything in the house, from the furniture to the wall decor, was designer and must have cost a fortune. She forced herself not to gape at the imported Italian marble floor as they walked in.

  A woman’s surprised scream startled her. The yeller was a middle-aged woman who looked like she’d had one plastic surgery too many. Her pretty face looked manufactured with the skin pulled a little too tight. She wore a gorgeous red gown and rushed toward her and Mark as if they’d come in holding gold bars from Fort Knox.

  She threw herself into Mark’s arms, and they hugged. He pulled back and smiled at Candace. “This is Judy McCormick. You might remember her from TV. She had a few recurring roles on a few popular series in the eighties.”

  Candace didn’t remember her at all, but she played along to be nice. She shook the woman’s hand. “Oh sure, I remember seeing you. You were very good.”

  “This is my new assistant, Candace Wilson,” Mark said. His hawkish gaze was already scanning the guests. She had no idea why.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Candace,” the woman said. Then she screamed again and rushed at the new arrivals.

  Mark took her arm and led her to a dark corner. “I’ve got a script for a new film, and I need to get some names to star in it. I’d like for you to mingle and make as many friends as you can. Do you think you can do that?”

  Candace blinked, trying to figure out how she was going to talk to people she didn’t know. I really need this job. I can do this. “Sure, no problem.”

  Mark wandered off and blende
d into the crowd.

  She scanned the room full of beautiful guests and felt very out of place. What was she going to say to these people? Taking this job now seemed like a colossal mistake. But then she remembered her rent was coming due in less than two weeks. The two hundred dollars in her bank account wasn’t going to come close to covering it. She had to make this work until she could find something else.

  Well, if I’m going to succeed at this, I certainly need a drink. She went to the bar, where no fewer than three bartenders were busy mixing expensive booze. She toyed with getting vodka, but then thought the better of it. Instead she ordered a glass of wine, downed it quickly, and then got a refill.

  A small group was standing nearby. One was an older black woman who Candace recognized immediately as the famous soul singer Esther Rose. The other three she vaguely knew as an up-and-coming rap star and two B-movie actresses. Might as well start here.

  She put on her warmest smile and approached them. “Hi, my name is Candace Wilson. I’m Mark Grant’s new assistant.”

  Everyone looked at her like she had just tracked poop in on the bottom of her shoe.

  “Mmm hmm,” Esther voiced as she eyed Candace up and down.

  Candace wasn’t about to be shut down this early in the game. “I recognized you right away. You’re Esther Rose, aren’t you? I have all of your records.”

  Esther looked skeptical. “You do, huh? Which one is your favorite?”

  “Probably Springtime Love in Atlanta, but I also loved Blues Woman Sings Gospel.”

  The rap star laughed. He was a very handsome African-American man in a dark gray suit that seemed to shimmer in the dim lights. It reminded her of a shark’s skin. “Springtime was my favorite too. My name’s Dynamite Cox.”

  They shook hands, and everyone seemed to relax except Esther. She glanced down her nose at Candace and walked off. The others in the group drifted off too.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Candace said to Dynamite. “Did I offend her?”

  “No, she just takes some time to warm up to people. It’s hard to find a friendly face in this town.”

  “Yeah, and I’m new to the entertainment scene.”

  “Well then, let me introduce you around.”

  Dynamite brought her around, introducing her to everyone he knew. Every chance she got, Candace did her best to make a good impression. She also handed out so many business cards for Mark she had to go to him twice to get more. He seemed pleased and started handing her a small stack every time they ran into each other.

  The party took a strange turn at three a.m., when a few of the female guests got naked and started skinny-dipping. She hadn’t had that much to drink. And even if she had, swimming naked at someone’s house she didn’t know was not her style.

  Candace was on the couch in the living room rubbing the ache out of her feet when Mark found her. “Ready to go?”

  “Whew, yeah.”

  They were walking out when Judy came running up behind them from the pool area. “Mark? Are you leaving already?”

  Candace and Mark turned around. Judy was naked and wet save for a white towel draped carelessly over her shoulders. She had the body of a thirty-year-old, which looked weird next to her late-forties face. Candace averted her gaze.

  Mark smiled. It was smooth, cool, detached. He was done with both Judy and her party. “It’s late, baby. I’ve got to get up early in the morning. Thanks for inviting Candy and me.”

  “Do you think you can find me a picture, Marky? I’d even settle for a TV spot. Maybe you could book me for a guest appearance on a talk show? It’s all good. You know me, honey. I’m not picky,” she said.

  “I’ll tell you what.” He handed her a card. “You give the office a call and talk to Candace. She’ll see if she can find you something, okay, sweetheart?”

  I will? Oh yeah, sure, I have all kinds of film connections.

  Judy nodded. She grabbed Candace’s hand and pumped it, and Candace almost lost her balance and fell to the floor. It was more than uncomfortable. She guessed Judy had a few too many.

  “I look forward to talking to you soon, Candace.”

  Candace forced a smile and focused on maintaining her equilibrium.

  In the car, she turned to Mark. “How am I going to find her a film role? I don’t have any connections like that.”

  “You’ll find her a spot the same way you worked the crowd tonight. You’re going to make friends and call in favors.” He took her hand and squeezed it. “By the way, you did great tonight, thank you.”

  Excitement filled her at their connection. She was tongue-tied for a moment. “You’re welcome.”

  “Do you mind if we just go back to my house to sleep? It’s late, and I have an outstanding spare bedroom for you.”

  Candace was so tired she didn’t care if she slept in a concrete drainpipe. “Sure, that will be fine.”

  Chapter Five

  Not surprisingly, Candy fell asleep in the car on the way home. Mark watched her as she slept, fascinated by the sensuousness of her full lips and the grace of her oval face. She reminded him of a sleeping princess from a fairy tale. Her dark skin was achingly beautiful and radiant. He longed to reach out and touch the buxom area around the top of her breasts. His lips and tongue could almost taste the sweetness of her mouth and the joy of roaming the landscape of her body.

  She stirred for a moment, then nestled back into the seat cushion with a private smile. She should be pleased, he mused. She had done a very good job tonight.

  They pulled into his circular driveway, and the driver came around to open the door. He reached down to wake Candy, but Mark shook his head. “I’ll carry her in.”

  Mark slipped his arms along Candy’s slim back and under her shapely legs. He lifted her out of the car as gently as he could so he wouldn’t wake her. The driver rushed ahead and punched the electronic code into the front door, and it opened on its own.

  “Thank you, Paul,” Mark whispered. “You have a nice evening. I’ll text you tomorrow if I plan to go out.”

  The driver nodded, waited for the front door to close, and drove off.

  They were finally alone.

  He carried her into his bedroom and laid her on the bed. Now he had a new dilemma. Did he dare get her out of that evening gown and into something more suited to sleeping? He decided to chance it.

  Mark dug out some loose-fitting boxer shorts with puppies on them and a T-shirt. He came over to Candy and stared at her. Every part of him wanted her. He imagined her waking up and slipping out of her dress, beckoning him to make love to her. Taking a deep breath, he pulled himself together. Then he began to strip her.

  He eased Candy onto her side and found the top of the zipper. As slowly as he could, he slid the zipper down her lovely back. Inch by inch he went until the zipper reached its end at the top of her buttocks. He slipped one arm around her, in between her dress and her flesh, and peeled it off her. Underneath she wore fuchsia bra and panties. They were made from silk and topped with delicate lace. She wasn’t wearing any pantyhose. The generous swell of her breasts made him stare a lot longer than he’d intended to.

  He hesitated before putting the T-shirt on her. It seemed a shame to cover up such a stunning woman. Then it occurred to him she might be even more comfortable if he took her bra off, but quickly dismissed it. Not only would he have a hell of a time explaining that, but he didn’t know if he could keep his hands off her if he did.

  Mark sat her up and slipped the T-shirt over her head. He pulled it down and was suddenly met by her stunning brown-eyed gaze.

  She gave him a drunken seductive grin. “Aren’t you supposed to be taking my clothes off instead of putting them on?”

  His heart thundered in his chest, and his cock hardened even more. “I’m just trying to make you more comfortable.”

  “I think I had a little too much to drink tonight.”

  “That’s okay, Candy. I wanted you to be relaxed and have a good time.”

>   She squirmed under him and lifted up her shirt. “Did you see my pink bra? Isn’t it pretty?”

  Mark grabbed the boxer shorts and worked to loop the legs over her feet. “It’s beautiful, Candy.”

  “What’s that?” she said with a frown. “I don’t want to wear that. I sleep in my underwear.”

  He nodded, sweating despite the cool AC. “You need to go to sleep now. It’s very late.”