Paediatric nurses as sitters don’t come cheap, but God knows no one would begrudge them making a few extra quid on the side of their relentless and underpaid day job. Besides, a cool twenty-five grand from Brendan is currently sitting in Seraph’s corporate bank account and will become mine tomorrow, as long as I put out tonight. The first thing I’ll do with my leisure time—after calling Athena to give her a lengthy and probably graphic debrief—will be to contact Duke Children’s Hospital and request an initial consultation. The enormity of the sum sends actual shivers down my spine. Even without the challenge of the months that lie ahead if I land this job, that money represents the single biggest stride I’ve made in years towards securing Tabby’s health for the future. Years.

I already know that I won’t lie back and think of England tonight, when this sexy, scary man is doing untold things to my body.

I’ll lie back and think of that particular corner of North Carolina. I just hope he’s into it enough not to notice when I go into full dissociation mode. Guys are pretty basic when it comes to sex, aren’t they? I’m fully aware that my success in this role—and this “audition”—will come down to more than spreading my legs for him.

I’ll have to feign enthusiasm and arousal and all the other shit. I’ll have to feed his ego, persuade him that the power of his mighty dick has shattered me into a million pieces. The performance of a lifetime awaits, because I promised him in yesterday’s interview that I’d fulfil all his needs.

I really hope he buys it.

At least I won’t have to fake the whole inexperienced almost-virgin thing I know he likes so much.

‘High Class Hooker Barbie had better not be all talk and no trousers,’ I mutter, more to myself than to her. There’s a very large part of me that worries I’ll totally freeze when Brendan gets his hands on me later. That I won’t be able to come up with the goods, or worse, that I’ll completely freak out and run for the door.

‘She won’t be,’ Athena assures me, rising elegantly to her feet so she can shoot me what should be a trademarked Athena Davenport Glare. ‘I know you, Marls. You’ll do anything for that little girl. Besides.’ She drops the glare and winks. ‘Don’t underestimate the mind-melting power of a good fuck. God knows, you need it. And Brendan may be the billionaire equivalent of a basic bitch, but you can’t deny he’s attractive.’ She sighs. ‘Those Sullivan boys have seriously excellent Irish genes. If they were studs, Mairead would breed the hell out of them and make a fortune.’