CALLIE (The Naughty Ones Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

him waiting to enter, and I thoroughly enjoy the twinkle in his eyes when he looks back at me.
    “Freddie Cage at your service, fair maid. And Althie is right, watch out for Basil. The man’s got a wandering eye and grabby hands.”
    He leaves with one more wink and I’m smiling through the next hour as I cross a good few names off my list. By the time I’m done, I’m down to a cool ten candidates and I feel like life’s definitely looking up.
    “Good God who was the looker who was flirting with you earlier?” Luci demands when I walk into the kitchen to check on the arrangement of mini cakes that Gill ordered on the sly for his wife.
    Gosh, to be loved enough that a man actually wants you to eat the things you like instead of calling you fat. My dream.
    “His name was Freddie Cage and he was, indeed, a looker. And a good personality, too.”
    Luci looks about ready to start panting with her tongue out of her mouth as we both peep through the kitchen door at the room that is officially over capacity.
    “I call dibs. I freaking call dibs on that one, Callie. I think I just about set my panties on fire when I saw him smile. Be still, my heart.”
    It feels good to giggle when her avaricious little eyes scan the room like a puma stalking prey and she finally gives up with a scowl and scrunched nose.
    “It’s okay, I’ll definitely find my prince later. Whew. He just about had me begging for his babies. Hey! Can I steal your method and get pregnant by him with a one-nighter?”
    “Oh, ha-ha.”
    ***
    Jack
    I hate parties and hobnobbing with “my peers,” as my parents like to term those vultures. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of good, honest people within my social set that I would consider donating a kidney to, but most of them are complete idiots.
    It’s ironic then that I happen to run my mom’s charities and that I not only have to make sure the parties are a hit, but I also have to attend each and every one of them as the face of the Levins’ charitable organizations.
    Like I don’t already have a full enough plate as Dad’s VP while also running my own brokerage firm that Freddie and Woody keep going, thank God.
    Many people would look at me, see a billionaire, and think I’m a lazy, silver-spooned little asshole, but the truth is that I work harder than anyone I know.
    I’ve always had to as the only child and heir to the Levin fortune, and I know that Mom, Dad and Gramps would never accept anything less than complete commitment from me.
    I’m tired, though—so fucking tired of the constant monotony. Every day is the same. I handle the stuff Dad’s too busy to get to, hand off what I can to my two executive assistants, and then do my part in Global, the firm I started with Woody and Freddie right out of college that has not only made me wealthy in my own right, but also does the one thing I could never sacrifice or compromise on. We use a huge chunk of our influence to help drought-ridden countries find a way to sustain agriculture and employ teams of experts to create sustainable programs and green initiatives.
    When that’s all done I’m at the damn parties.
    Have I said yet that I hate that my life has been reduced to rubbing elbows with these idiots? Well I do. That’s why I feel like shit for being in a foul mood when I finally get to Althea and Gill’s place an hour and a half late.
    “God, the almighty Jack actually made it? What brings all that sexy black hair and grey eyes to my humble little party?” she teases when I manage to squeeze through the crowd to kiss her and wish her happy birthday.
    “Now, Althie, you know I would never miss one of your shindigs, even if I am running on three hours’ worth of sleep and a late lunch that burned off hours ago.”
    The little blonde chuckles and looks not at all impressed with my hangdog expression as she kisses my cheek and shakes her head.
    “You rich boys are all so full of it. Gill was the same before I found him and gave his