Friendship on Fire (9 page)

“Easy,” she said, and slithered down his body until she was facing his desire.

“Riley, you don’t have to,” he said.

“Shh.” She drew her tongue up the length of his erection, enjoying the low, throaty moan coming from Josh. She wrapped her hand around him and licked his balls while she stroked him, slow at first, tightening at the head, then quicker. His body stiffened against the wall with each teasing suck.

“Babe,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Shh.” She guided him to the edge of the bed and tapped his chest so he fell backward. His eyes grew wide, and she took her index finger and second finger and ran them from her eyes toward him. “Watch.” She knelt and took the full length of him in her mouth, squeezing with her hand as she drew up and down his erection.

Josh lay back on the bed and groaned again. “Jesus. You’re driving me crazy.”

She quickened her pace, cupping his balls with one hand and using her mouth to bring him to the edge.

“Riley, it’s not fair. You need to come,” he urged.

“Mm, a gracious lover. I like that.” She teased him until his shaft thickened even more and he clenched the bedspread in his fists. Then she pressed herself against him and moved up his body until they were eye to eye. “Condom?” she asked.

“You’re on the pill?”

“Yeah, but you better answer soon or I might lose interest,” she teased.

He closed his eyes again and smiled. She knew she wouldn’t get pregnant, but she did have a lingering thought about the other women he’d been with. This time, she’d take the safe route, at least until she knew a little more about his sexual history. He sure as hell knew just what he was doing last night, and that only comes with practice.

“I’ll be right back,” she whispered, and hurried down the hall to retrieve a condom. When she returned, he was still lying back on the bed; his erection hadn’t faltered. She tore open the package and helped him roll it on, then she dropped to her knees to give him one last thrill, with a few strokes of her tongue on his inner thighs.

He pulled her on top of him. “You’re a dirty girl,” he teased.

“I never have been before. I think you have some mental power over me.” She was enjoying the newfound sexual freedom he ignited in her. Back in her hometown, everyone knew one another. Rumors flew thick and constant. Riley should know; she was the eyes and ears of Weston. If there was a rumor to be spread, she knew who started it, and generally, whether or not it was true. She’d never take a chance of having a man talk about her bedroom habits, so she’d played it safe, and here, so many miles away from home, with a man she truly liked and respected, she didn’t have that fear.

“Then I’m a lucky man,” Josh said.

He rolled her onto her back and made love to her slowly, bringing her to the edge, then slowing even more, taunting her, until heart-quaking shocks racked her body.

“Faster,” she urged.

He buried her mouth in his and continued with his slow, frustrating pace. She rocked her hips, urging him to move faster, but he refused, and when he pulled his lips from hers, he said, “Paybacks are hell.”

She laughed, then locked her legs around his hips and stuffed a pillow beneath her butt. Every slow thrust stoked her in all the right places.

“Clever girl,” he said.

She heard the catch in his voice as he, too, rose to the edge of losing control. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight as he took her into the throes of ecstasy. Her insides tightened around him as he said her name over and over, each time laced with more emotion, until he dropped, panting and smiling, beside her.

“I think we’re in trouble,” he said.

“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.”

JOSH SAT IN his office looking over a portfolio and trying to stop thinking about Riley. When he’d seen her standing by her desk, it had taken all of his willpower not to wrap his arms around her, and his body had reacted in ways reminiscent of his teenage years—even back then the mere sight of Riley incited a rise within his pants. He’d had to retreat to the safety of his office to regain control.

Mia peered into his office. “Treat’s on line two for you.”

“Thanks.” He picked up the phone. “Treat, how are you?” He hadn’t seen Treat since he and Max announced their engagement a few weeks earlier.

“Great, and you?” Treat’s voice was comforting, familiar.

“Better than ever. What’s up?”

“Max and I are coming into town tomorrow. I’m sorry for the short notice, but I’ve got a business thing, and I thought if you’re free, you could meet with Max about her wedding gown.”

“Sure, whatever you need. When?”

Mia peeked into his office and he waved her in.

“I’ll be done with my meeting around four, and we can meet anytime after that,” Treat answered.

Josh covered the receiver. “What’s on my plate tomorrow evening?” he asked Mia.

“Nothing. I already cleared it for Treat.” She beamed.

Josh thought about Riley and wondered if Treat would mind if he brought her along. He turned his attention back to their call.

“You already cleared my schedule with Mia?”

“Hey, you’re a busy man, and so am I.” Treat laughed.

“It’s cool. Actually, it’s a big help. Do you mind if I bring Riley along? I’d love to hear her thoughts about Max’s dress.” Josh watched Mia raise her eyebrows. He covered the receiver again. “Did you need something else, Mia?”

“Just to let you know that Claudia is beyond evil today. I thought you might like to know.”

His nerves twitched just thinking about Claudia treating Riley badly. It was one thing to allow her to remain as an employee out of loyalty and another to allow her to abuse his sense of loyalty and do harm to others.
Is my relationship with Peter worth this?
If only it were that easy to decipher. In the fashion industry, someone like Peter could make or break a designer’s career, and vice versa.

 “Oh, and don’t forget,” Mia added, “you have a seven-o’clock conference call tonight. Do you need me to be here?”

Shit
. He made a mental note to have a stern talk with Claudia and to delay his date with Riley. “No, I can handle it. Thanks, Mia.” He watched her leave the office.

“How’s it going with Riley working for you?” Treat asked.

He knew his brother well enough to hear the silent question carefully wrapped within the verbal one, and he chose to ignore it. “She’s doing a great job.”

“And?”

“What makes you think there’s an
and
?”
Damn it
. He’d never been able to pull the wool over Treat’s eyes. He didn’t know why he expected to now.

“Josh, you brought her to Dad’s for lunch six weeks ago. You’ve never brought a single woman to Dad’s for anything. Am I to believe that you were just being nice by bringing her to lunch because she’s from our hometown?”

Josh leaned back in his chair. He’d spent years watching Treat in action. His brother owned resorts all over the world; he charmed some of the smartest businessmen into deals no one else would ever be able to secure. Josh had learned a lot about negotiations and manipulation from him, and now he couldn’t come up with a single sentence to waylay his brother’s inquiry.

“That would be nice, yeah,” Josh said with a smile.

“Yeah, okay, so we’ll pretend. You’re still young. You have time to figure these things out.”

Josh rolled his eyes. “Okay, fine. Let’s cut to the chase. Riley and I just started dating. Yesterday.”

“Yesterday? Wow, you did well. She’s been in New York for a week and you held back a whole six days.”

“Ha-ha,” Josh said. “It wasn’t my plan to date her when I brought her here. It just kind of happened. And I like her. A lot.”

“Wait a second. Josh, you just admitted to dating someone. You haven’t admitted to a single goddamned date in six years. Which takes this dating situation to a whole new level. You know that, don’t you?”

Shit
. He really was losing his grip when it came to all things Riley. Josh never talked about his personal life with Treat or anyone else. He’d been photographed with models and celebrities, and he’d never once opened his mouth to the media or to his family about the depth, or lack thereof, in his relationships with any of them. What the hell was he doing? And why did it feel so good to talk about her?

“Treat, can we keep this just between us?”

“You know Max will be there to discuss the dress, right?” Treat pointed out.

“Between the three of us, then? Seriously. Riley wants to keep it on the down low for professional reasons.”

“She does or you do?” Treat pried.

“She does. I was ready to tell everyone, but she doesn’t want to be seen as sleeping her way to a career, and I don’t blame her.”

“Wait. You were ready to go public after one date?” Treat asked.

Josh hadn’t thought of it that way. Had it really been just one date? He felt so close to her already. From the moment Rex had asked him to look at Riley’s portfolio, the feelings Josh had had for her all those years growing up came rushing back. He’d been drawn to her again, like he’d been waiting for her his whole life and never realized it. Everything about being with her was different—better—than with any other woman.
That’s why I was so ready to shout it from the rooftops after the play. Because it’s Riley
. “Yeah, I guess I was,” he admitted. “I don’t know what it is about her, Treat, but she makes me happy. Happier than I’ve been in years.”

Treat laughed. “I never thought I’d hear those words from your lips, bro. I’m happy for you. Who’da thought you’d end up with a girl from our little hometown? Wait till Dad hears this. He’ll be in hog heaven, making all sorts of plans for you to move back home again.”

“Not happening,” Josh said, and just in case, he added, “Promise me, Treat, not a word to Dad or anyone else. This is Riley’s choice to keep things hush-hush. I respect her wishes, and I’d like you to as well.”

“Josh.” Treat used his most serious tone, and Josh pictured his dark eyes narrowed, his brows pulled together, and his arms crossed over his broad chest. “Riley might be okay with this, but are you? Rex and Jade tried to keep their relationship a secret, and it was really stressful for both of them. Are you sure this is the best route for a relationship you might want to build a future on?”

Being seven years older, Treat had always stepped in with sound advice. Josh had been thinking about the same thing, and he didn’t know the answer.

“If we tell everyone, she could go through hell on the career front. She’ll get hurt more than I will. People expect me to date anyone I want. Hell, they’d probably applaud me for dating a newbie employee. People are so effed up. But Riley? They’ll tear her down and rip her to shreds.” His chest tightened. “She’ll be tagged as the girl who slept her way to the top, and she’ll run the risk of not being taken seriously. There is no easy answer, but I do think I’d rather be uncomfortable than have her being hurt from every angle.” He ran his hand through his hair, hoping Treat might see an avenue that he hadn’t. “Treat, what would you do?”

 “Whew, that’s a tough one. I guess you’re doing the right thing. Small-town girl in a new city, cutthroat business. There’s no easy way around this. Even if you date for a year, and she gets a promotion in that time period, she’s still going to be tagged as that girl.” Treat laughed. “Bro, you really know how to come out of the closet, don’t you? First you say nothing, and when you finally do come clean, you do it with the most difficult situation you could possibly get involved in.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Riley’s a nice girl. Jade speaks very highly of her, and Jade and Max have gotten really close since she and Rex got together. So, my best piece of advice is to be sure of whatever it is you want before taking it public. You’re a Braden. You can weather any storm. But women, they’re different. Even the tough ones are sensitive. They care about what people think far more than we do, and Riley’s bound to get caught in some crossfire that she’s unable to handle.”

“Yeah, I know. Thanks, Treat. Hey, does seven work for you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, seven’s fine. Should we meet you at your place?”

My place?
Josh realized that he was already thinking of wherever Riley was as where he would be. He really was moving fast. Hell, it was what it was, and he had no intention of changing it. But as long as Riley wanted to keep their relationship a secret, she wouldn’t be staying at his place, and they’d have to show up at the restaurant separately so they didn’t give the impression of being on a date. That meant no touching, no holding hands, no…Damn it. This was going to be hell.

“Do you care where we eat?” Josh asked.

“Never, why?” Treat answered.

“Riley is staying at Savannah’s until she finds an apartment. Why don’t we have dinner there? I can whip something up, or have something delivered, and then the stress of being seen together is out of the picture.”

“Works for me. Where’s Savannah?”

“She’s in LA for two weeks. She let Riley stay there until she found an apartment.”

“Sounds good. Does Savannah know you’re doin’ her roommate?” he teased.

“Jesus, Treat. That’s a little raunchy, don’t you think? And no, she doesn’t know. No one knows.”

“I’ll bet Jade does.”

“Maybe,” Josh said, wondering if she did.

“It’ll be nice to see you.”

“You too, Treat, and thanks for keeping this between us.”

“Do me a favor, Josh. Have a backup plan. Things like this don’t stay hidden for long. I think Rex and Jade lasted for less than two weeks before Rex lost it and had to tell everyone. Figure out your what-if plan, and make sure she doesn’t get hurt.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking. You taught me well.”

“TRADE SHOWS ARE one of the most important aspects of our jobs,” Claudia began. “We are a reflection of JBD, therefore”—she ran her eyes slowly down Riley’s cream blouse and black pencil skirt, both of which were not high-fashion pieces, but they were stylish and professional—“you need to represent JBD. Get something from the closet. If you can find something that fits.”

Riley clenched her jaw.
Let it go. Just let it go
. “I’ll do that.”

“You need to be there an hour early to set up the booth. Be sure the layout is perfect.”

“Aren’t you going to be there?” Riley asked. This was to be her first trade show. She had no idea how Josh liked things arranged.

“Yes, but I’ll have things to do. I’ll join you right before we open. And the show is trying something different this year. They’re doing an evening premier, not morning, so plan on sticking around until ten at least. This is their first pre-Christmas show, and if it goes poorly, it’ll be the last.”

“Are there guidelines for the booth arrangement?” Riley’s pulse sped up with the sneaking suspicion she was being set up to fail.

“Simone can fill you in on those details.” Claudia waved a dismissive hand in the air, and when Riley waited for further direction, she snapped, “What?”

Riley blinked several times.
Are you for real?
“You made such a big deal about the trade show, I figured there was much more to it. I feel like I have no information. What do I put up? What about accessories? What can I expect at the show? Is it okay to show buyers alternative clothing arrangements? Accessories?” She had a million questions, and by the pinched look on Claudia’s face, she knew she would walk away with all of them unanswered.

“Simone. Go see her.” Claudia spun on her heel and walked away.

Riley gritted her teeth and headed for Simone.
Simone. Go see her. What am I? A dog? A child?
Riley was by no means a wallflower, and if anyone back home had treated her that way, she’d have set them straight, but she couldn’t afford to piss off Claudia. She needed to learn the ranks.
Learn the ranks
. Riley stopped in her tracks. Maybe she’d been playing Claudia all wrong, acting strong, taking direction without question. She’d seen women like Claudia before. Claudia needed to be the queen bee, and luckily for Riley, she didn’t mind being the unwanted stepsister. At least for now.

Instead of seeing Simone, she headed back to Claudia and approached her with a furrowed brow.

“What?”

“I know you said to see Simone, but I really want to learn from the best.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “And Josh says there’s no one better than you. I really wish you’d show me around a little. It’s obvious that you know exactly what needs to get done, and according to Josh, no one does it better than you.” She opened her eyes wide and covered her mouth. “Oh goodness, please don’t tell anyone I told you that. Josh probably didn’t mean for it to be public knowledge.” She bit her lower lip, then turned, fidgeted with her hands. “Never mind. I’m sure I’m overstepping my bounds.” Riley took a step away.

“Stop,” Claudia said.

Riley bit the insides of her cheeks to ensure a smile wouldn’t suddenly appear and give her ruse away.

“Josh told you that, did he?” Claudia held Riley’s gaze.

Riley hurried to her side, feigning a worried glance around the room, then whispered, “Yes, and so I just thought…well…that it would be best to learn directly from you. You obviously know what you’re doing.”

“Of course I do.” Claudia lifted her chin. She tapped her pen on the desk, then shot to her feet. “Okay, but I don’t have much time, so pay close attention.”

Riley followed Claudia into another room, this one stocked with banners, brochures, and various racks and displays. Claudia pulled a binder from a shelf and leafed through it.

“These are photos of our previous displays. Results from each show are noted behind the images. Obviously, the designs must change from show to show, and the setup needs to be fresh as well, but I use this and pull ideas from each to create something new. Whatever you do, do not ever duplicate a display. Buyers are smart, and they have great memories for details. You have to be on top of your game. Memorize every item we bring to the show as well as our stock on hand.”

“How can I possibly do that in two weeks?” Riley asked.

“You’ll have to study the line sheets day and night until then. All of them. I always make sure to read through the tech packs, too, so I know what stitch is used on each garment.”

Of course you do
. “Oh, you are so smart. Okay, I’ll do my best.”

“Your best?” Claudia turned stern eyes on her. “You cannot
do
your best. You have to be perfect. There’s no room for flustered newbies at the trade shows.”

Then why am I going?
“Of course. I won’t let you down. I’ll stay late and study them.”

“Why don’t you take them home tonight? I always find it easier to concentrate at home,” Claudia offered.

“Really? I’m allowed to take them out of the office? I figured this stuff was proprietary.”

“Oh, don’t worry. If I say it’s okay, it’s okay.” Claudia smiled and touched Riley’s shoulder.

Riley tried not to bristle against her touch. “Thanks, Claudia. I really appreciate your help. I won’t let you down.” Why hadn’t she thought of being a kiss up before today? Worked like a charm. Unless…Was this a setup of some sort? Was she going to get in trouble for taking them out of the office? She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach and tried to will it away.

Riley studied the books for the next two hours, taking copious notes of the details she’d need to remember. As she headed back to her desk to review the line sheets, she saw Josh coming toward her, Mia by his side.

“Hey, Riley. How’s it going?” Mia asked with a wide smile.

“Great. I’m really excited about the trade show.” She tried not to make eye contact with Josh, but she felt his alluring eyes on her, drawing her in, and she couldn’t remain evasive. She lifted her eyes.
Oh great, now I want to kiss him
. “Good morning, Josh.”

He smiled, and she felt a rush of excitement all the way to her toes.

“Riley,” he said easily. “Have you found Claudia unusually wicked today?”

“Wicked? No. In fact, she’s been nothing but pleasant today. It’s been a nice surprise.”
And a shocking one. I don’t trust her
.

Mia’s eyes darted between the two of them, and Riley realized she was staring at Josh with a girl-crush smile on her lips. “I’ve got to get to work,” she said and rushed past them. Mia’s voice hung in the air behind her.

“A little skittish today?” Mia asked.

Riley slowed her pace to catch Josh’s response.

“Aren’t all new employees?” he answered.

Thank you, Lord
. She breathed a sigh of relief. Back at her desk, she sat down with the line sheets spread out before her for the Bliss line as well as the previous two seasons. She opened her desk drawer and reached for a pencil without looking. Something pricked her finger. She brought her bloody finger to her mouth and looked around before glancing in her desk.
Damn it
. She wished she knew what Claudia was up to now. She did flip on the
nice
switch awfully quick. Riley wanted to believe that Claudia was just being nice after her suck-up act, but could she change her tune that fast—or at all?
If she’s playing a prank after being so nice, I’ll
— She looked into the drawer, then quickly rolled her chair to block the view from her officemates. She reached into the drawer and withdrew an orange rose.
Josh
.  Her heart skipped a beat. She opened her purse and stuck the flower inside. As she was closing her purse, she found a note. She hid it in her fist and headed to the ladies’ room. She wasn’t going to be caught blushing at her desk.

After locking herself in a stall, she opened the note.

Beautiful Riley, please forgive me, but I have a conference call tonight. Can we move our date to 8? Can’t wait to see you. I’ll pick you up at Savannah’s. Wear something scruffy. Yes, scruffy, not nice, not designer, not pretty.

—J

Scruffy? What the hell does that mean? Do I even own anything scruffy?

FIVE O’CLOCK FOUND Riley hovering over line sheets. In her mind, she saw a blur of sizes, colors, and stock numbers running like a pattern on repeat.

“How’s it going?” Claudia asked.

Riley started at her pleasant tone. “Great. It’s a bit hard on the eyes, but it’s going well. I’ve got some great ideas, and with another two weeks of studying, I think I’ll have this information ingrained in my mind forever.”

“Good. Remember, it has to be perfect.”

“Perfect. Got it.” Riley saw Josh heading their way, and she trained her eyes on the paper once again.

“Claudia, how’s our newest employee coming along?” Josh asked.

“Oh, she’s coming along,” Claudia answered.

Claudia’s seductive tone caught Riley’s attention.  Claudia touched Josh’s arm and fluttered her lashes.

Oh no, you did not just do that
. Riley tightened her fist around her pencil.

“I’m giving her a few extra pointers,” Claudia said.

Riley clenched her jaw against the green-eyed monster that had snuck into her mind, but she could feel the heat creeping up her neck, the tightening of every muscle in her body. She dropped her eyes back to the line sheets and stewed.

“Thank you, Claudia. I knew you’d step up to the plate,” Josh said.

“Always,” she replied in that bedroom voice again.

I bet you do
. 

“Josh, I wanted to talk to you about a few things. I’m tied up for a bit, but will you still be here in an hour?” Claudia asked.

At that, Riley pushed from her chair, sending it skittering a few inches backward. In the most casual voice she could muster, she said, “Excuse me. Nature calls.” She brushed past Josh, sure she was leaving a trail of smoke in her wake, but she was too annoyed with Claudia to care.