Friends with Benefits by Melody Mayer Read Free Book Online

thought the best way to get rid of Platinum was to be curt but polite. “I think at the beach colony or something.”
    Platinum exploded in laughter. “A party at the Malibu Colony? No way you’re going in a bowling shirt!”
    Kiley flushed as she took her favorite pair of khakis out of the bottom drawer of her dresser. “Excuse me. I don’t own a lot of clothes.”
    â€œOh yeah, that’s right, you’re poor.” Platinum sat up. “That sucks. Sure you don’t want some? It’s the best.” She offered Kiley the champagne bottle.
    â€œNo, thanks.”
    Platinum shrugged and belted down some more.
    Kiley immediately thought of Serenity and Sid—she knew what it was like to be home with a drunken parent. “You might want to slow down on that, you know, since the kids are here.”
    Platinum’s eyes flashed. “I
know
you’re not telling me what to do.”
    â€œNo, I just meant—”
    â€œBecause you know what happens to people who tell me what to do? If they don’t work for me, they can go to hell. If they do work for me, they get canned and
then
they can go to hell.”
    Kiley’s heart thudded. It was true. She’d seen two employees come and go since she’d started as Platinum’s nanny. Three, counting Jeff Greenberg.
    â€œSorry,” she mumbled.
    Platinum nodded with satisfaction, then smiled. “I forgive you. Hey, it’s too damn quiet in here.” She reached across the bed and flicked on the Bose Wave clock radio. Mariah Carey at ear-splitting volume. Platinum listened to about three seconds before she snapped it off. “She’s such a diva. I hate that bitch, and I hate her ex more. You like her?”
    â€œNot really.”
    â€œGood. Hey, no hard feelings about before, right?” She set the champagne unsteadily on the floor, rose to her feet, and yanked her gauzy shirt over her head. The bra underneath was a gossamer wisp of white and pale pink lace. “Here.”
    â€œWhat?”
    Platinum held the shirt out to Kiley.
    â€œSorry?”
    â€œTake the shirt. Wear it on your date.”
    Kiley stepped backward. “Oh no, I couldn’t. I mean, thank you, that’s so thoughtful of you, but—”
    â€œIt’s Alberta Ferretti, for crying out loud. So take the goddamn shirt!” Platinum bellowed. “What kind of a person doesn’t let another person do something nice for them?”
    Oh God, this was terrible. What else could she do? Kiley took the shirt.
    â€œThanks. That’s . . . really sweet of you.”
    â€œHorseshit. I’m never sweet, don’t try to flatter me. Put it on, let’s see how you look.”
    â€œUh . . . it might be too small.”
    â€œNah. I bought it when I was gonna get my boobs done; I was thinking big at the time. Try it.”
    Kiley did. It fit perfectly. Not only that, it even looked fantastic with Kiley’s khakis—the contrast of expensive shirt and low-rent pants worked, somehow.
    â€œGood,” Platinum pronounced.
    It did look good. Really good, Kiley had to admit, as she appraised herself in the dresser mirror. The shimmery white silk cast a light on her face, and the scoop neckline made her look curvy. Maybe even sexy. She turned to thank Platinum, but what she saw in the doorway ensured that the words never left her lips. There stood Tom Chappelle in jeans and a sky blue shirt that matched his sky blue eyes. He wasn’t even looking at her. He was, however, staring at Platinum’s well-filled-out Wonderbra.

6
    Say something,
Kiley told herself.
Say
anything.
    Kiley had already gotten into Tom’s white Ford F-150 pickup truck—it still had Iowa plates on it. Tom explained that buying the latest BMW or Mercedes or whatever was considered the hip L.A. car of the moment was just not him, and anyway he’d always loved his truck. He’d already pulled out of