Crash into Me (Heart of Stone #1)

Jordan turned her head to look at me for a second and then turned back to face forward, wrinkling her nose a bit. "Actually, it was the way he acted. No man comes to pay a woman's rent for six months and arrange to take everything she owns to his house if he isn't sleeping with her, Nina. You're obviously making him happy."

Happy. Now that was the tricky part. I sighed and blew the air out of my lungs in a heavy breath. "That's the problem I need your help with."

"You aren't going to say he's not happy with you, are you? You've been dating for less than a week and already he's taking care of you like you're a kept woman. Seems pretty happy to me."

"I'm not sure he is happy. I'm not sure about much of anything where Tristan Stone's concerned, Jordan. He had me sign a contract that I thought was for the job as an assistant curator at his hotel downtown, but I haven't done any work in that area yet. He bought me a new wardrobe for the job that literally cost nearly ten thousand dollars, Jordan, but he picked out all the clothes himself."

Pressing her hands to above her heart, she said, "I think I'm in love."

I stopped her and grabbed her arm. "I'm serious. I think I'm being paid to be his sex slave."

Jordan's laugh was so loud the children playing nearby stopped to pay attention to us. I guess it sounded funny now that I'd said it out loud.

"Sex slave? Nina, you're his girlfriend. That's how he's supposed to act. Girlfriends of wealthy men always have honorary titles and things like that. You're not expected to actually work."

I leaned in close to her and whispered, "Then what am I getting paid for?"

Jordan laughed again. "Honey, this is how wealthy men are. Think of it as an allowance. Instead of the kind you got when you were a kid, when you had to clean your room and do the dishes, this is the kind where you make him happy and he makes you happy with his money."

"But that's the problem. I don't think I'm making him happy. He goes to events and never asks me. I seem to be only the woman he keeps around his house."

"Hmmm....well, I don't think you're getting a bad deal. His driver takes you places, he does nice things for you, and you like him, don't you?"

I more than liked him. What had begun as an infatuation quickly had blossomed into something much more for me and I hoped for him too. I wanted to believe he meant what he'd written in that note, but I wasn't sure.

"Jordan, he's not like anyone else I've ever dated. Sometimes I can barely get him to answer me with more than a yes or no. Then he's affectionate sometimes only to be distant at other times. I don't know what to think."

She stopped and grabbed me by the shoulders. "That's your problem, Nina. You're overthinking this. What's wrong with a man giving you everything you want and all you have to do is be what he wants in return? Isn't that what everyone wants?"

When she explained it that way, it all sounded so perfect. He made me happy. I made him happy. Everyone was happy.

Then why were those niggling doubts in my mind still sending up red flags?

"Here's the thing," she said as she began walking back toward the apartment. "The whole relationship is brand new. Give it a while and see what happens. I think you might be pleasantly surprised. Good things do happen to good people. I think you're proof of that."

"I can't just give it a while, Jordan. I signed a contract for the next six months."

"And for that what do you get paid?"

"Sixty."

Jordan smiled. "Honey, you're getting paid sixty grand and you get to live with Tristan Stone. I think you should be more concerned about convincing him to keep you for longer than just six months."

"Maybe that's it. What happens if I fall madly in love with him and he decides to get rid of me after the time is up?"

"If you fall madly in love? I can tell by your face now, Nina, that's already happened. And I wouldn't be surprised to find out that he's crazy about you too. Just enjoy this. It's not everyday that a girl like you or me gets a guy like that. Let it ride and when the time is up, who knows what might happen."

I blushed at her ability to see through my facade, but my talk with her had helped, even if just a little. Looking at her, I saw out of the corner of my eye Jenson standing at the car waiting for me. "I guess it's time to go."