*Any entries from Hugh's perspective are very fiction based some are also infused with conversations we have had and my interpretations*

"Mr Montgomery, Thank you so much for returning my call so quickly." She responded in a honey-sweet lullaby of a tone with a strict hint of professionalism. She was new at this game. She hadn't yet mastered the cold hard tone so many in this industry had or on the other hand, she had yet to learn the art of kissing ass and where it got you. As much as this may have been true for many of my competition, I was not the kind of person that fell weak at the knees for a woman that kissed my ass. I found them pathetic and prefer a woman who knows what she wants and has the balls (metaphorically speaking) to get it. I prefer women who are confident, strong-willed, passionate and are willing to challenge me. I had yet to find a woman who could even meet halfway up the scale.

In that split second, Simone crossed my mind as one of the unoriginal women with who I had recently been wasting my time with…

*** Before Ava - Simone ***

I have met every single type of woman there has ever been. I have met the attractive, the ditzy, the provocative, the spoiled, the rich, the famous, the shy and everything in between and not one has ever been able to pique my interest enough to keep me wanting more.

Two months before Ava came into my life I was tolerating a woman we will call Simone. Simone was a tall, curvaceous brunette with glacial blue-grey eyes, She was as plastic as they came and it was such a turn off for me. However, she eliminated the constant boredom I was experiencing since the departure of Lisa the month before, a wannabe "Katy Perry" with a penchant for getting on my nerves with her constant clingy behaviour, the young ones never can tell the difference between a bit of fun and a relationship…who needed the drama!

Simone had forced herself into the VIP section of a prominent gentleman's strip club I was at one night with a group of clients. The first thing I noticed was her tits. They had walked into the room 2 minutes before the rest of her body…and I wasn't the first person to notice her. She knew the attention she was getting and she relished in it. However, Simone was smelling out money and decided she would perch herself where the highest earner was situated. With less than two words spoken she pushed her way past the company I was with and sat down to my right, ensuring that I was able to see every single thing she had to offer and the slip of sparkling gold material I assumed was supposed to be a dress she was wearing left nothing to the imagination. She turned and looked at me, brushed her hair behind her shoulders and thrust her chest subtly towards me before actually saying anything to me.

"Simone," she said in an annoyingly fake American accent. I could tell she was turning it up for the attention and the present company I was keeping allowed their mouths to drop so far to the ground I could see their tonsils.

"Hugh" I responded, wondering why it was that I was even responding. This woman was the epitome of everything I despised.

To completely shock us all, she threw her extremely toned, fake tanned and shimmering golden legs across my lap, flashing the entire party of 6 her lack of underwear and hooked an arm around my shoulders.

"Let's Dance" she demanded. I knew straight away that she was not a stripper as the owner of the gentleman's club was sitting right across from me laughing with the boys.

"I don't dance" I responded as the heads around me began nodding towards the dance floor. They were doing what they always do. They were trying to get me out there. The problem was this was the same thing all the time, women throwing themselves in my direction and only caring about the size of my wallet. Where was the chase? Where was the passion that didn't exist solely between the sheets?. I was beginning to think I would never find it and because of that, I tolerated these women as a form of entertainment on a night when I couldn't stand the boredom or stress anymore. I could never feel any guilt as I always had a way of testing a woman to see where their interests lay if I couldn't determine it from the beginning…which wasn't very often.

"I do. How about you and I get out of here and I can show you skills that you will never see or get in a joint like this." Simone leant into me and whispered sexually in my ear before playfully biting my earlobe.

I hesitated for a moment contemplating if I was in the mood and if I could even be bothered. I must have waited a little too long as folded her arms across her chest, underneath her enhanced breasts and began pouting like a child…one of my pet peeves.

I looked straight at her and decided that spending the night with her was better than heading back to the apartment alone and working until early hours of the morning…but there was no way I was taking her back there, I had never taken anyone there before and she was no exception to the rule…. she was far from it. I concluded I would have to book into a hotel.

Before I had the chance to respond, she leant forward again and her leg slipped off me, she was flashing the entire crowd to my left and it didn't seem to faze her in the slightest….where was the class?…but what did I really expect.

"Come on baby…I will make it worth your while" she cooed in what she thought was a sexy baby talk but really just came across as pathetically begging. What the hell was I doing?.

"Fine, head downstairs and wait for me out the front. I will arrange the car service and meet you there in 15 minutes" I whispered and regretted it the moment I said it.

She looked offended that I would not be parading her out with me but one stern look from me told her it was not up for negotiation before she could argue.

She grabbed her clutch and stood up to leave, but before she did she bent down and kissed me in a fast, swift motion leaving her saliva on my lips. I looked straight at her as she pulled away, licking her own lips before placing a finger across me to smear off her vixen red lipstick. As she walked down the spiral staircase I knew I was making a mistake but I was bored and had nothing better to do.

While the boys around me high-fived each other and began woofing loudly, I rolled my head around my shoulders and closed my eyes as "Gold-Digger" by Kanye West echoed around me. That was exactly what she was, I knew it, she knew it, we all knew it but for some reason, I knew what I was about to do…I paused in my thoughts for a split second, exhaling and prayed that I would find one, just ONE that was different, this game was getting really old really fast and I am not as young as I once was. I wish that just one would be the difference I was looking for, someone who would challenge me, someone who wouldn't accept the first advance I threw at her and wouldn't make an advance or flirtatious remark the first time we meet. I wanted someone who knew how to play hard to get and wasn't afraid to respect herself….did such a girl exist anymore?

I pulled out my smartphone and booked a hotel before messaging my contact who arranged a car service outside in the promised 15 minutes.

I said goodnight to the boys and headed down the stairs. A few moments later, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and saw the owner of the club standing there.

"Hey Mate, what's up?" I said as he looked deadly serious with a flicker of concern in his eyes.

"Hugh, you did the right thing getting rid of her mate, you deserve better and if I can be honest, as your friend, I hate seeing all these women take advantage of you and you let it happen. Look mate it is your life but as one of your oldest friends let me tell you this, It looks pathetic. I can't count on one hand let alone both and all my toes, all the women I have seen you with over the last few years but you are obviously searching for something…how do you expect to find it when you are walking out to meet the likes of her!. No honest women would bother looking sideways at you when you have things like THAT hanging off you. Do yourself a favour. Stop searching because it will find you….and when she does…you will know…don't ever let her go!" he said. I couldn't argue with him. He knew where I was going and what I was going to be doing…he had a point…but the reality seemed so far out of sight that I couldn't even think about anything but the here and now. If I did find her then she would love me, skeletons and all….and I had a lot of them in my closet. I had found that once but my marriage had long since disintegrated and I knew Hayley and I would never have what we once had…but I wanted that feeling again….unconditional love.

"You're right mate. I will keep that in mind" I said before turning around and half running down the stairs. I could handle a few home truths…as long as I was telling them. Coming from anyone else, they scared the shit out of me.

Later that night, we arrived at the hotel and as usual, I ordered Champagne and Strawberries for a little conversation started but they went completely by the wayside. She wanted one thing and she wasn't backwards at coming forwards.

I went into the bathroom and emerged minutes later to find her dress on the floor and a naked Simone perched spread-eagled on the bed with her legs straight in the air, heels still on as she played with herself, all the while looking at the door waiting for me to enter the room.

I stood there for a moment and contemplated throwing this uncouth mess out but just couldn't muster the strength to spend another night alone.

"Come here baby, watch me come," she said in a more annoying fake American accent than at the club. The music had certainly improved the whininess but in a silent room, it was definitely more pronounced.

I reluctantly took a step towards the bed and she flipped herself over on all fours facing away from me, crawling backwards. As much as I didn't really feel like taking this any further I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind, unbuckled my belt blocked out every single thought that dared to enter my mind.

The sex was less than mediocre and as soon as it was over I knew I needed a shower. I had to wash it all off me and forget about the mistake I had just made.

I arranged a car service for her and she left pleased with herself. I ran myself a shower and jumped in without checking the temperature. As the hot water seared my skin I tried to block out the mental images of what I had just done. It had meant nothing to me. I had regretted every minute of it and even with the release, I still felt wound up tighter than a grandfather clock.

I left the hotel immediately and returned to the apartment. I was alone with my own thoughts and still couldn't sleep. I opened my laptop and buried myself in a mass of emails until the early hours of the morning.

*** Ava ***

"I'm sorry Ava, I didn't really get the full understanding of your call from your message. Could you please give me a brief rundown of what you are looking for?" I responded. I knew what she wanted but I wanted to hear her speak. I wanted to get a read on this woman.

She responded in full with what she was looking for. Each word, each breath was with an air of confidence and consistency that took me by surprise instantly. I did not want to end the call but I had no excuse to keep talking to her all night. She was captivating me with each sentence and I knew I had to meet her. I knew I had to be in her presence…even if it was just to stare at her and feel the vibrancy radiating in front of me…even if it was just for one night…but how did I approach her with that?

"Ava, I think we could do something really successful here. You have some innovative ideas and I have a number of projects coming up that I would really like to get your take on. If I send you an email tonight, would you be able to review it and meet with me tomorrow?. I will fly into town and meet with you and would love to get this started as soon as possible." I responded. As much as I wanted to meet her, I knew everything I was saying was true. I may have had selfish reasons behind what I was offering…however, for some reason I felt like it was the only way I would be able to get a woman like this in a room with me and keep myself from making any stupid mistakes. I thought, at last, I had found what I was looking for…and I hadn't even met her yet…so I wondered silently as to whether she would turn out to be exactly like the others…something in her voice told me my instincts were right…she was different.

"Absolutely, let me know when and where?" she responded with such silent excitement I could imagine she was almost bursting at the seems…she WAS different…she was untainted.