A Good Little Girl Like You (A Sample)

poor person's home."

"So?" Kay shrugged. "Tell her it's someone else's place

and that they let you use it occasionally. I don't care how

you do it, but if she knows she's dating O.E. Orton, you lose

the bet. Stop talking about your Ferrari and your Mercedes

and your fancy jet. Be modest for a change, and leave the

bank book at home."

This is the sort of challenge I can really enjoy. "So all I

get to use is my charming personality and incredible good

looks?" He gave Kay a plastic smile. If this were a movie, a

gleam of light would have flashed from his teeth. "Easily

done. But what are your terms? What if I lose?"

"Well, I need to ask for something so valuable that

you'll be motivated to win the bet."

"You want me to win the bet?"

"Like I said, I think you might find someone good this

way. I'm not trying to punish you, I want to help."

"What then, a million dollars?"

Kay laughed. "You wouldn't even notice a million

dollars if it went missing, would you?"

Constance interceded. "He gives me a million dollars

every year for charity. And you're right-he doesn't even

notice it's gone."

"You give a million dollars to charity every year? Nice.

That should be your opening line when you pick up

women." Kay smiled, then raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Why do you give it to Constance?"

"I can't be bothered to decide what's the right thing to

do with that much money. But Constance is a pro. So I just

give it to her and let her deal with it. You happen to be

sitting next to the queen of charity."

Constance blushed.

Kay faced him with a crooked smile. "All right then. I'm

going to be wicked here and make you give even more

money to Constance if you lose. Let's make it something

you'll notice." She covered her mouth with her hand and

looked down for a second. "How about a hundred million

dollars-ten percent of your wealth?"

O.E. winced and Constance dropped her jaw. Dan had

to cover his mouth to keep the laughter in. Everyone stared

at Kay with disbelieving eyes. "That's an awful lot of money.

Why should I give away so much?"

Kay flipped her hand. "Like I said, it gives you a real

incentive to win the bet. I actually believe you could do

better without the attitude, and I figure that it takes a

serious amount of money to force you into this."

O.E. gaped at Kay, eyes wide. How could she so blithely