Chapter 1
“There is something to be said about a fine bottle of scotch.” Gray said idly as he tilted the glass to look into the contents.
“Almost better than a fine-looking woman?” his uncle asked him teasingly as he sipped his own scotch and propped his booted feet upon the shiny mahogany desk.
“You are going to scar it,” Gray said dryly, looking pointedly at his dirty boots. “And no, nothing compares to a beautiful woman.”
“You would think that.” Benjamin Cox said dryly as he stared at his nephew and only living relative. He had never married, content to be a bachelor and had never regretted it. His brother, Gray’s dad had died of a stroke a few years ago and even though Gray had been old enough to fend for himself, he had taken on the role of a father because of his love and respect for his brother and for his nephew. “When are you going to settle down and start making some heirs?”
Gray shifted restlessly. “I am still young.”
“Boy, you are almost thirty years old and the CEO of a fortune500 company. You need someone to pass it on to.”
Gray tossed the liquor down, grimacing as it hit the lining of his stomach. “No need for reminders. I already know my age.” He got up from his chair and wandered over to the window. The penthouse suite offered a stunning view of the skyline of the city and overlooked a park that had been recently renovated by Cox Department stores in remembrance of Carlton Cox and his father who had made that part of town into the thriving metropolis that it is today. Cox Department store had started out as a dream of a man who had grown up in extreme poverty but had been determined to capture the American dream. He had managed to do that and then some; creating high end but affordable stores that had started out in a small warehouse before becoming the most successful stores worldwide!
“You are too much of a looker for your own good. Women flock you wherever you go and makes it hard for you to be with just one.”
“You should talk,” Gray said with a humorless smile. “When was the last time you stuck to one woman?”
Benjamin grinned, his hazel eyes twinkling. “We are cursed with the Cox’s amazing genes. It makes it hard to just stick to one woman. But all hope is lost for me and I am not the one with the billion-dollar company.” He pointed out. “My brother was the one-woman kind of guy. He really loved your mother.”
“My mother was one of those rare beauties and would never tolerate anything less than fidelity.” Gray said with a smile.
Benjamin laughed softly, lifting his glass in salute. “She sure was one heck of a woman. Both of us were in love with her and she chose Carlton. Her only foolish decision.”
Gray eyed him speculatively. The Cox men had strong genes which meant that it was hard not to realize that they were related upon first look at any of them. They had the same honey blond hair and tall, leanly muscular frame. But Gray had inherited his hazel eyes from his mother and her sculpted cheekbones. Benjamin was sixty years old but looked like he was ten years younger, the greys at the sides of his head adding to the distinguished handsome face.
“The way Dad told it was that you stepped away as soon as you realized where her affections lay.”
Benjamin shrugged broad shoulders and held out his empty glass. “Pour me another and hold the ice.”
“Something wrong with your legs?” Gray asked with a lift of his thick brows even as he moved to get the glass and go over to the cabinet to pour.
“Yours is younger than mine.” Benjamin swung his legs off the desk and came to meet him, taking the glass from him. “Family comes first and there is nothing that should ever come between us, least of all a woman.” He clasped his nephew on the shoulder and squeezed. “Not even for a beauty like Elizabeth.”
“I think it is time we get down to business,” Gray glanced at the Gessner on his wrist. “We have half hour before my date.”
“Who is she? That leggy blonde or the red-haired actress?”
“Neither,” Gray said with a grin. “A raven-haired beauty I met at the club a week ago. I promised her a spin in the yacht.”
“That will do it any time. Okay Gray let’s talk profit and loss. I must fly down to Texas to look at the stores there. There have been reports of shoplifting one too many times.”
Gray frowned as he went to sit behind his desk. “I thought we upped security the last time that happened.”
“Someone found an ingenious way to smuggle some clothing out without tripping off the sensor. I think it was an inside job.” Benjamin tossed back the rest of his drink before coming over to sit on the edge of Gray’s desk. “I need to go and find out for myself.”
“You don’t have to keep dealing with these things yourself, Benjamin.” His nephew pointed out. They were more like brothers and his uncle had told him since he was a teenager to drop the ‘uncle’ part because it made him feel like an old man and he was not there yet.
“I use every excuse to jump on that company jet. It feels like I am in a five-star hotel suite.” He picked up a paperweight and rolled it between his hand. “And the added bonus of picking up a beautiful woman whenever I go away.”
Gray sent him a dry look. “You are the V.P. of the company; you certainly do not need to be trailing all over the place to plug every leak.”
“I like trailing around, and I do not look good in a suit. I leave that to you.”
*****
Shelby smoothed her hands over her wide hips as she stared at herself in the full-length mirror. It was their latest design – a blue and gold outfit that was a part of the holiday selection that would be going on sale for the holidays. They had already gotten orders for all the major department stores including Cox’s and would have to deliver them in a couple of days. She stepped back from the mirror and dragged off the wig she had put on to see the effect of the outfit. Dragging her fingers through her short thick curls she sat on the edge of the bed and slipped out of the matching gold sandals she had paired the dress with and wriggled her toes. She had a decision to make and had been battling with a solution ever since she took the test, two as a matter of fact and had been putting it off since she had found out. It had been stupid to get in touch with someone she worked for, even if it was indirectly. But the minute she had laid eyes on him at the launch party for her African line, she had known that she had wanted to be with him. It had been mutual of course and they had gone into the brief affair with their eyes wide open. That had been six months ago, and those tempestuous months had made her experience passion like never before! But she knew it would not last. She was anything if not realistic and she knew that a man like Gray Cox would never settle down. He was too handsome, too rich to be with just one woman and he had told her that from the beginning. “I like my pick of women,” he told her in that deep voice that sent shivers down her spine, right after he made love to her. “I hope you understand.”
She had thought that she was okay with just a brief affair. He was gorgeous and wealthy, and he treated her like a queen the months she had been with him. But she discovered that she wanted more. She kid herself into thinking that she would be satisfied with just a fling with a handsome guy! She was not that type of girl. Like her two friends: Monica and Barbara had told her: “Honey, we tried to tell you, but it was Gray Cox and I guess being with him for a short period of time was worth it.”