Fresh Temptation

Chapter One
     
     “May I take your coat, sir?”
    Victor forced a grin. “Sure.” He handed his Italian suede coat to the coat check attendant.
    Be a good sport , Victor told himself. He hated pretentious black tie dinners like these. This annual fundraiser was one of a handful of events he always attended in person instead of sending a colleague or simply issuing a large donation from his office. Tonight’s ten-grand-per-plate meal was hosted by the Whitt Foundation, a respected non-profit humanitarian organization.
    And since Victor’s ex-fiancee was Alexis Whitt, he would have rather been anywhere else.
    Their engagement had ended two months earlier—a year before their scheduled wedding date—when Victor caught Alexis in a compromising position with her personal trainer, Esteban. Such a cliche.
    He blamed himself for a while. Maybe he spent too much time working and didn’t lavish enough attention. He focused on maintaining the wealth he’d amassed at a young age as a successful investment banker. At thirty-one, Victor Barboza was one of the youngest billionaires in America. Quite a feat for a kid born on the wrong side of Guadalajara. Tonight he was here to support a worthy cause he believed in: one of the Whitt Foundation’s efforts was building orphanages and schools in third world countries.
    He had never told anyone the real cause for the break-up. Perhaps he should have, but he didn’t. He had too much respect for Alexis’s parents to subject the family to the frivolous gossip of Manhattan’s upper east side.
    Besides, petty snickering and sympathy weren’t a part of his lifestyle.
    Victor preferred to move on. Live and learn. No more spoiled little trust fund princesses for him.
    He adjusted his tie and scanned the main ballroom for the handful of people he actually wanted to see in this crowd. In seconds he was approached by one business acquaintance, then another, most of them asking Victor’s advice. Had he heard of some new hedge fund? What was the weakest growth stock to avoid this month?
    It was only a matter of minutes, though, before one conversation took an awkward turn.
    Tim Lundquist casually asked, “So the wedding’s in April, correct?”
    Bree Lundquist, in her green sequined gown, gave Tim a sharp elbow to the arm and cleared her throat. “The food smells divine, don’t you think? I hear they hired a famous chef.” She cackled and patted Victor’s arm. “I hope we eat soon. I starved all week so I could look good in this dress but I may have to indulge tonight. So tell me, how does a man like you work so much but still find time to stay in such good shape?”
    Victor chuckled. He was grateful for her swift change of subject. A good portion of this crowd was probably as oblivious to the latest upper east side gossip as Tim. He could tell by some random shy glances that there were surely rumors spreading, but he didn’t much care. When this semi-uncomfortable event was over, it was back to seeing most of these people two or three times per year. That was something he certainly didn’t miss about Alexis. She loved to find reasons for him to don a tux and mingle with “friends” of her family.
    Victor chatted with the Lundquists for several more minutes when he felt a hand against his back.
    “Barboza!” Douglas Whitt appeared at his side, jolly and boisterous as usual. “How’s life in the penthouse?”
    “Good.” Victor smiled. The “penthouse” was an inside joke. Both he and Douglas Whitt came from meager beginnings before working their way to the top of the business world. And even though Victor would never be Douglas’s son-in-law, he still considered Douglas a valued mentor and hoped to maintain a friendship.
    Victor could’ve kicked himself for thinking any of Douglas’s hard work and determination could have rubbed off on Alexis. Occasionally he thought about the day he met his former flame. She hooked him with, “My Daddy’s the son of a poor Kentucky coal miner.” Her intentions were so obvious now. Marry a rich, handsome bachelor who’d make Daddy proud, while elevating her social status. If there was anything else she cared about, Victor sure didn’t know what it was.
    Douglas handed Victor a glass. “Bourbon. Thought you could use it.”
    “It’s that obvious?” Victor took the drink and immediately brought it to his lips.
    The robust gray-haired man shrugged and inched closer, his voice quiet. “Listen, if it weren’t for my wife