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I supposed it was tiean inner office from Ryan Media’s outer reception area opened, and The Man Himself walked out to meet me "How the hell are you?"

I stepped away fro Fifth Avenue and shook Bennett’s hand "Brilliant," I said, glancing around

The space itself was at least two stories high in the atriulea area was set off to the side, with leather couches and an enor from at least twenty feet up Behind the broad reception desk, a s over slate-blue stone A small cluster of employees hurried frolances

"Looks like you’re settling right in"

Hethings rolling New York is, after all, still New York"

He led me into his office, a corner suite with sea view of the park

"And the fiancée?" I asked, nodding to a fra she liked the Mediterranean Why else would she agree to hed "Chloe is perfect Thanks for letting ed "Just an elad it did the trick"

Gesturing for back chair, his back to a wall of s "It’s been a while How are things?"

"Fantastic"

"So I hear" He scratched his jaw, studying me "I’d love for you to come over sometime now that we’re moved in I’ve told Chloe all about you"

"I hope that’s a slight exaggeration" Of anyone in New York, Bennett Ryan probably had the most dirt from my wildest days

"Well," he conceded, "I’ve told her just enough to want to lanced at the buildings out thebehind hi Bennett wasn’t easy to read in these kinds of situations; it was one of the things that ood at what he did "But I’ll admit that I’ured"

I’d co people in the world, but Bennett Ryan never failed to make me take the ti about so thisdelicate

"I’ve been a bit preoccupied with a wo her nulunch with you and your lovely Chloe yesterday afternoon"

He consideredabout Sara?"

"Sara," I said, perhaps a bit too triu his head "Not a chance, Max"

"What?" But with Bennett I couldn’tThe man knew me only froood behavior

"Chloe will have my balls if she finds out I let you anywhere near Sara No way"

I pressed a hand to my chest "I’m wounded, hed and stood to walk over to the"Sara’s" He hesitated "She’s just come out of a bad breakup And you’re" He looked at me and raised an eyebrow "You’re not her type"

"Come on, Ben I’m not a nineteen-year-old wanker anymore"

He threwto the man who saw you successfully hook up with three wo about the others"

I grinned "You’ve got it all wrong They were all very well acquainted by the end of the night"

"Are you shitting ive me her nueous villa"

"You are such an asshole"

"I believe I’ve heard that before," I said, standing "Sara and I, we hadan interesting conversation"

"A conversation Sara had a conversation with you I’, that little one Unfortunately, ere interrupted before I could get her na into you lot and all" I raised , Bennett took his seat again, looking up at me "But I’m afraid you’ll have to find your luck somewhere else I’oing to smooth the way for you here"

"You alere a prick"

"So I’ve heard Lunch Thursday?"

"You bet"

I left Bennett’s office intent on having a look around the company’s new quarters They’d taken over three floors of the building and I’d heard they’d already had quite a bit of work done The spacious atriu, but the office areas were just as lush, ide hallways, travertine floors, and plenty of natural light cohts Each office see to match Bennett’s, but perfect for sit-downs that didn’t call for the formality of a conference roo: a wall of s looking out on midtown Manhattan, a wide polished walnut table that seated at least thirty, and state-of-the-art technology for presentations

"Not bad, Ben," Iup at a large Tiraphy installment "Good taste in art for a total wanker"

"What are you doing here?"

I looked up to find a very surprised Sara frozen halfway down the hall I couldn’t help breaking into a grin; this really was my lucky day

Ornot, if her expression was any indication

"Sara!" I sang "What a lovely surprise I was just at aI’m Max, by the way Pleasure to finally put a name to the"--I dropped my eyes and studied her chest, and then the rest of her, through her snug black dress--"face"

Christ, she was hot

When I looked back up, her eyes had grown to roughly the size of dinner plates Honestly, the woer, she’d be a leon the stone tiles

"Lovely to see you again so soon, Sara"