Falling For My Neighbour (Guilty Pleasures)

Chapter 2

His eyes stare at Sloan. "I will, when I'm ready." "Carter, why screw around?" He shrugs. "To get a reaction from that bitch." That was it I fucking grab him and pin him to the wall. "Don't you ever call Sloan that. She's not your one-night stands Carter." He smirks. "Have you fucked my wife? Because if you had you wouldn't be having this conversation. She is lousy in bed." Shake my head. No, Sloan was far from lousy. Fuck, I wanted more of her. "Then divorce her, and let her live her life." But no matter what I said to this guy he was not going to listen to me.

***

Well, the drama ended with Hudson turning up and Carter coward like a fucking weasel he is.

Now I'm sitting by my pool with Hudson having a drink. "Thanks, Hunter." "What are friends for?" Gazed towards the house to notice a few girls lounging on the sofa by the huge double doors. "Just wish Sloan, would talk to me. There's a lot she's not telling me." "Like what?" I quizzed. "The job she had was stolen from her. Chad's going to find out why Shona, stole Sloan's ideas." This entire weekend was fucked up. "Is chad going to take her back?" "No. Sloan is on her way to France." I choked. "France?" I questioned. "Do you remember Silas Pinsky?" Hudson asks. "The guy who got famous from the sports app." I said, not really remembering much, or who we hung with.

Our college days were more of a blur. Getting drunk, sex, playing football, sex, having a video go viral of a girl giving me head. Yep, that was what our college days were like. "Yeah, the geek who bought out the sports magazine, too." Hudson tells me and it clicks. "Oh, the guy who was a geek but is now that billionaire on the show." Hudson rolls his eyes. "You really don't follow what I'm actually saying." "Mate, I can't even remember what I had for breakfast. But what I do remember is how to play football." We laughed and finish our drinks. "Well, I hope Sloan will get her life together soon. Mum is ranting and dad, is dad." I nodded. "Why didn't your sister work for your mum?" He stands placing the empty glass on the table. "They clash, and mum doesn't like to be shown up, or up staged. Sloan is good at what she does, when it comes to designing the front cover of a magazine. Just a pity someone else stole all her ideas. But one of the ideas needs a blueprint." Now that's got me thinking. "Sloan could have worked for me." Before I could think straight it just came out. "Now that would be something for you and her to chat about." We bro hug he gives me Sloan's number then leaves.

***

The rest of the day I sit gazing at Sloan's number and my nerves are gone to pot. But I tap away on my iPhone until I'm gazing at Sloan's number then slide the pad of my thumb over the green slider. "Sloan, speaking." She still sounded cheerful. "Hey, Sloan. Hudson gave me your number." She sighs. "And why would he do that?" She really hates me. "I have a job offer." Rested the glass on my knee waiting for Sloan to say something. "What's that? Being another one of your girls to tidy up after you?" "No, Sloan. A legitimate job offer." She sighs. "Doing what?" Sloan is finally listening to me. "I need your expertise on how my magazine should appeal to the readers." She laughs. "Hunter, your magazine is way over priced and lacks readers. Or should I say hot gossip." "Sloan, that hurts my feelings. But you could help and tell the team what needs to be changed to make it more readable. And get people invested in my magazine." I'm trying here. Grovelling, begging, because I know she knows her stuff.

The silence is a little too much. "Can you think about it?" I asked, and she laughs. "Hunter, you need to change the entire magazine. The cover. You need to write something personal about yourself, and tell the readers why you do what you do." Well, Sloan is certainly giving me tips. "Can we set up a meeting?" I asked. "Okay, when and where?" "At the studio, where the magazine is published, tomorrow at ten." Another long pause. "Sloan." "Okay, I will look over what you have to offer, and I'm not cheap." "Tomorrow at ten." I hang up and finish my drink.

I glanced over to Sloan's old house, and noticed Carter by the pool with some blond who glances at me. "Oh, Carter, if you see Sloan tell her, her tortoise is causing a problem to my flowers." I stride over to the low fence. "Where is Sylvester?" Carter picks him up and hands him to me. "I will pass him to her. When I see her or give him to her brother." I liked the way Carter squirmed when I mentioned Hudson. What a fucking weasel. His date stares at me. "Carter, be a man and sign the damn divorce papers. You got no reason to hold on to them." I so hate this guy. "Actually, I got them here. You can pass them to her." The girl smiles at Carter and he grins at her. "It'll be nice to get that bitch out of my life." He hands me the signed papers, too.

I smirked as I stepped into my house.

***

It's late afternoon when I head over to the magazine and get a low down on how things are. But to be honest the fucking magazine is more trouble than it's worth. And losing money. Sloan is right it's so overrated, and filled with crap. It's mainly advertising for unwanted companies. I make millions on other endorsements. Plus, I make shit loads when I play a game. Just showing up at a concert, or waving to the crowd I get paid. I get paid for my spare time too.

I even pose for other magazines and sports coverage. I'm a billionaire with the tendency to over indulge my appetite with sexy, beautiful women, and parties. Plus, I love fast cars and motorbikes. I love being Hunter Grady footballer, sexiest man on the planet. Yeah, it gives me an ego boost too.

And a certain young woman 'Sloan' sees right through my bullshit, and doesn't take my crap. Plus, that person hates me. But after tomorrow, I'm hoping she can turn this magazine into something worthwhile.

*****

Giving you a taster of both

characters