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  “He’s incredible, how old is he?” He asked.

  Sitting upright, turning my whole body to face him, smiling

  heavily, I replied, “oh why thank you. Dukie, he’s five and an

  absolute sweetheart.”

  Feeling water splash all over my open toe, designer heels,

  cringing so hard, watching Dukie lashing up his bowl of

  water. While I sat there, wondering what on earth I had let

  myself in for, sure that the fee that I was being paid for this

  case, wouldn’t have even covered the cost of my shoes.

  A caramel skinny latte and a pair of soggy, designer heels

  later, standing to leave, watching Quinn stand also, I

  proceeded to walk towards the park. Feeling his eyes follow

  me closely, he called out, “I have to walk back through the

  park too, do you mind if I tag along?”

  Instantly fashioning an evil grin, with my back turned, knowing that Dukie and I had him exactly where we wanted

  him. Turning to face him, I hesitated, “huh… I’m not sure… I

  don’t think that we have been properly introduced.”

  Lowering his head, noticing his grin take over his entire face,

  he held out his hand to me, introducing himself, “I’m sorry, I

  was too busy falling for Dukie’s eloquent charms. I’m Quinn.”

  Coyly lowering my head, unable to look up, directly at him.

  Feeling my cheeks blush a little red, holding out my hand, I

  replied, “I’m Honey, it’s so great to meet you.”

  Watching him lift my hand to his lips, gazing deep into my

  eyes, without losing focus. Noticing a little glint appear in his

  sparkly hazel eyes, I thought to myself, ‘cor, this guy is good!

  He could charm the pants off of anyone.’

  Heading towards the park side by side, strolling along,

  catching him glance over, while I remained coy and

  conservative. When suddenly he stopped, turning to face me,

  he asked, almost stumbling over himself, “I know this is a

  little sudden, we’ve only just met… But…”

  Stopping instantly, anxiously waiting, I prompted him,

  fluttering my eyelashes, for him to continue.

  “Could I maybe get your number… maybe call you, to get a

  bite to eat sometime?” He continued.

  ‘Jackpot!’ I thought, remaining reserved, I hesitated,

  breathing deeply, I replied, “I don’t usually give my number

  to guys that I have just met in coffee houses, but it seems as

  though Dukie likes you… so… okay.”

  Reaching into my purse, to take out one of my decoy business

  cards, Honey Wade, food critic and dog walker. Unaware that

  Dukie had spotted a squirrel and then to my shock and

  horror, he spontaneously began charging towards it, taking me with him.

  Screaming and shouting, being dragged at a great speed by

  this great brute. Sure, that I was to land on my face at any

  second, in a flash, feeling Quinn’s hand reach for mine.

  Pulling Dukie to an almighty stop, steadying myself, realising

  that Quinn had me, held firmly in his arms. Looking up at

  him and sharing a moment, I stood back, creating a little

  distance between us, as he asked, “are you okay? Do you have

  him now?”

  Nodding and biting my bottom lip, trying with everything that

  I had left inside of me to hold back, I smiled. Sure, that this

  was goodbye, I had to get Dukie back to Ashlee before he

  killed me, I exited the park quickly and made my way back

  over to the office.

  Furiously handing Marcus the dog leash, as soon as I reached

  the front doors of our building. Rubbing my temples, trying to

  recover from my near-death experience. I asked, “why

  Marcus, was it meant to be some sort of a joke? I asked for

  something a little bigger than a chihuahua, not a damn pony!”

  Sure, that Marcus was finding this extremely amusing, I

  stormed up to my office. Throwing my things on to my desk,

  taking paper towels to clean up my shoes before my meeting.

  Happy that the meet and greet had gone well, but exhausted,

  at the thought of the prospect, of ever using Dukie as a prop

  ever again.

  Walking to the boardroom, feeling my business phone vibrate

  in my hand, glancing down to read the message, without fully

  opening it. It read:

  “Hey this is Quinn. We met briefly in the park earlier, chasing

  squirrels. Hope Dukie and yourself got home in one piece…”

  Opening the message to reveal the remainder of the text, it read:

  “…I am going to be out of town until Friday, but I was

  wondering if I could take you out to dinner on Friday night…

  Dukie can come too if you like, unless he has a previous

  arrangement with a group of possums? Anyway… hope to

  catch you soon. Quinn.”

  Feeling my grin widen, handing Marcus my phone, I

  whispered, “target is in position.”

  Chapter 3

  Friday night came around fast. Arriving at the pre-arranged

  restaurant of my choice, I could see Quinn in the distance,

  already seated. Looking devilishly handsome. Usually highly

  confident in even the toughest of situations, by rule, I never

  entered a honey-trap rendezvous nervous. Though tonight,

  unsure why, unable to come up with any sort of explanation,

  my anxiety was off the Richter scale. Reaching the table, I felt

  my eyes widen as Quinn stood up before me, to pull up my

  chair and help me get seated. Firstly, complimenting my

  dress, he then asked, “so how has your week been and how is

  the ever so delightful Dukie?”

  Astonished that he was showing an interest, something just

  didn’t feel quite right. This was not the way that these

  meetings usually played out.

  Confused, slightly hesitating, I replied, “great thanks, how

  was yours?”

  Sure, that I had never made small talk like this before, in my entire life.

  Wrapped up in delightful conversation, I came to the

  realisation that the normal flow was not going to go down

  tonight. Excusing myself, I made my way to the ladies’

  bathroom, calling Marcus, telling him to stand down.

  Tonight, was not going to be the night, if I had asked Quinn

  back to the hotel now, I was certain that he would have fled.

  Instantly feeling alarmed by just how unimpressed Marcus

  sounded, when he urged, “I think that you need to call this off

  completely. There is never a second date, you are getting too

  close.”

  Sure, that every word that he spoke was the truth, I took a

  deep breath and defending my actions I replied, “he’s

  different. I can’t explain it, but he’s nothing like the others.”

  Hearing Marcus get louder, sent a chill down through my

  spine, when he demanded, “and that is why I want you out of

  there.”

  Ending the call quickly, I assured him that I had everything

  under control, pleading for him to trust me, cutting him off, I

  hung up.

  Returning to the table, noticing Quinn follow me with his

  eyes, from the doorway of the restroom, all the way back to

  the table. Wondering if Marcus was in fact correct, was I

  g
etting too close? Seating myself back down, noticing that our

  meal had just arrived, suddenly realising that somehow,

  caught up in whatever this was that was happening, I had

  forgotten how to eat. Fumbling with my cutlery, noticing

  Quinn’s smile widen. Catching his wandering eyes, seemingly

  amused, glancing over at me. My knees began to feel weak,

  with my breaths becoming shallow.

  Of all of these situations, that I had ever found myself in, this was the first that I had been left a mumbling mess. Annoyed

  at myself for not holding my professionalism, fixing my focus,

  I quickly reminded myself that this was not a real date. I was

  here to do a job and nothing else.

  Thanking me, for what had been an incredible, unforgettable

  evening, in more ways than one. Almost certain that despite

  the time that we had spent together, he was finding it hard to

  call it a night. Walking me out to his car, he asked “can I give

  you a ride back to your place?”

  Sure, that I couldn’t, without even hesitating, I declined his

  offer. Instantly noticing the disappointment fill his face, when

  suddenly he leaned forward, gracing my cheek softly, he

  asked, “can I see you again?”

  Completely taken in by him and the moment, I nodded

  without answering, when to my surprise he leaned in,

  embracing me, feeling him squeeze me a little. Not too hard

  and not too soft, somehow, it felt just right. It didn’t scream I

  want you now, it was warming, slightly suggesting that he

  valued my presence. This wasn’t to be some sordid little

  encounter, this was something else. Was Marcus correct, was

  there more to this than what I originally thought?

  Escaping around the corner of the street, into a dark side

  alley, making my exit, I climbed into the back of Marcus’s car.

  Driving back with him constantly glaring at me in his rear-

  view mirror, I lay back, out of sight, just waiting for the

  silence to be broken.

  When suddenly, sounding both curious and annoyed, he

  asked, “Dom’, have you forgotten what we are doing? Have

  you forgotten that he is taken, by the very woman, who has

  hired you, to oust him as a cheat. Tonight, should have gone

  down as it always does. We should be over at the hotel right now, exposing his ass, for the lying cheat that he is.”

  Sighing heavily, sure that he was right, I replied, “but he

  hasn’t done anything yet to suggest that he has cheated, or

  that he even wants to. Yes, we’ve eaten together, but he’s only

  kissed my hand and my cheek, nothing more than I would do

  at a business meeting.”

  Watching Marcus roll his eyes at me, knowing just as he did,

  that this needed to end soon. Sure, that deep down, despite

  everything that I initially knew about Quinn, I really didn’t

  want it to.

  Reaching our penthouse apartment, Marcus spoke, sensing a

  heightened level of concern in the tone of his voice.

  “Dom’, this case is so much like yours, they are childhood

  sweethearts for Christ sake! I can see why it’s more personal

  to you, than all of the others. Just remember, you were in

  Cynthia’s position once, you know how it feels to be at the

  other end of all of this. To have planned your entire life

  around another person, only to left high and dry when the

  truth finally came out.”

  Taking his words to heart, I took myself to my room.

  Remembering every last detail of my heart-breaking

  betrayal…

  Days later drifting miles away, in a midweek board meeting.

  Watching my phone vibrate across the table before me,

  retrieving it quickly. Apologising to the speaker, I tossed the

  phone into my purse. When suddenly, my mind began to

  wander once more, feeling the knots in my stomach tighten,

  sure that it was another message from Quinn.

  He’d already text most days, periodically since our date. To

  Marcus’s disgust and annoyance, sure that all that I was

  doing, was building his trust. Knowing that the next time that we were to meet up, I was not going to falter. I was going to

  do what I should have done last time, put an end to this

  objective, ready to begin a new one.

  With nothing but closure on my mind, I headed over to the

  hotel for our second date. Making my way over to his table, I

  watched his whole face light up before me, in my presence.

  Reaching over, he kissed my cheek, hearing him almost

  whisper, “Honey, you look amazing tonight.”

  Displaying the behaviour of a perfect gentleman, he began

  pulling up my chair. Light conversation quickly filled the air,

  beginning to lose focus, I felt myself being taken in by him

  once more. Quickly resolving my unforgiving daze, snapping

  out of whatever spell this was, that he had me under,

  recollecting my thoughts. Finally, to my relief, regaining my

  focus, I felt that once again I was back in the game.

  Watching Quinn take my hand across the table, the anxiety

  and despair in the pit of my stomach reached an

  uncomfortable level. Trying to hide whatever this feeling was,

  consuming my entire body, I knew that I had to end this soon.

  Biting my bottom lip, not losing focus, I whispered, “my

  roommate’s family are in town right now. So, I’m staying

  here, at this hotel. What do you think about taking our drinks

  up to my suite?”

  Watching his face change, unsure how he had initially taken

  the suggestion. Seemingly shocked by my sudden advances,

  he began to grin heavily. Standing instantly, throwing money

  to cover the bill into the centre of the table, lifting our drinks,

  he casually replied, “sure.”

  Inside the hotel room, just the two of us behind closed doors,

  feeling him close. I made the first move, reaching up to him,

  gently placing my lips on his. Gasping at this intense feeling,

  shooting throughout my entire body. Almost certain, that it had been such a long time, since I had felt like this. Bound in

  his incredible kiss, I lead him into the bedroom, sure that he

  was confused by my haste. Feeling his hand gently trace my

  cheek bone, I climbed on to the bed. Where the kissing

  continued hot and heavy, with him only stopping to ask, “are

  you sure about this?”

  Nodding slowly, undecided whether I wanted this to stop, or

  to last an eternity. Leaning over his svelte, muscular body laid

  out before me, I climbed on to his lower torso. Feeling the

  pressure of his tight abdomen, pressing against mine, sending

  chills down through my spine.

  Untying my silk neck scarf, pinning his hands together, I

  began to bound his wrists. When his face suddenly filled with

  both excitement and mystery, gasping for words, he almost

  whispered, “oh kinky!”

  Sure, that this was the first time, that he had participated in

  this type of game. Kissing him hot and heavy once more,

  attaching his hands to the metal bed frame, his eyes locked on

  mine, he didn’t lose focus. Positive that I couldn’t hold on for

  a second longer, I called out to C
ynthia to enter from the door

  of the adjoining room.

  Watching Quinn’s whole face change, now consumed with

  pure toe-curling shock and horror, he yelled “holy shit! What

  on earth is that woman doing here?”

  Alarmed at the sight of him fretting and wriggling before me,

  trying to set himself free. I stood, confused, turning to

  Cynthia, wanting to know what on earth was going on. When

  to my amazement, Cynthia began demanding that I leave,

  explaining that she could take over from here. Instead I called

  Marcus to enter, sure that something just didn’t quite add up.

  Hearing Quinn call out with sheer desperation in his eyes,

  “Honey, I have no idea what is happening here, but if you

  leave me alone with this woman. I may never leave this hotel

  room alive.”

  Seeing the desperate need consume his face, yet the calm and

  calculating look on Cynthia’s. I asked, with strong

  condemnation, “I have only seen, what I can now assume is

  an old picture of you both. You obviously know each other,

  but Cynthia, can you prove that you are still a couple?”

  Hearing the room door fly open, and Marcus appear, ready

  and willing to destroy anything in his path.

  “Great, another participant in this little party game from hell.

  What am I supposed to be in a relationship with you too? Or

  is this the plot twist, are you Honey’s better half? Gasped

  Quinn.

  Astonished, I gazed down at him, admiring his strong

  attitude, considering his predicament.

  Watching Cynthia take her phone from her purse, she began

  to produce pictures, evidence, in the hope of proving their

  relationship. The only problem being, all of the pictures

  looked as though they had been manufactured. Quinn seemed

  to don the same pose in each, alarming me further, it was as if

  they had been taken from some distance.

  Realising quickly that Quinn was in fact telling the truth,

  Cynthia was not his bride to be, scorned by her childhood

  sweetheart. Cynthia was a cold, calculating stalker, preying on

  a handsome, suave businessman. Sure, that this had gone

  quite far enough, repositioning myself next to Quinn on the

  bed. Straddling him once more, hearing Cynthia yell, “you’ve

  done your job, it’s time for you to leave. Get off of my

  husband!”

  Ignoring Cynthia, looking deep into Quinn’s hazel eyes, reaching forward, taking hold of the silk scarf with my hands,