True Loves (A Collection of Firsts) (3 page)

T
his is
the first time since the start of my internship a month ago that I hate being at work. Admitting I failed will be hard. Noel didn’t tell me jack crap about his charity. The only information I have is that it’s some type of children’s charity. I pinch the bridge of my nose. He knew what the job meant to me. He’s taking this away from me on purpose, and it pisses me off. Aubrey leads us into the conference room for our meeting with Diana and the rest of the executive staff at Center Stage. My stomach rolls as I sit and scoot closer to the table. I fold my hands on top of the notepad I brought and take a deep breath.

Ms. Swagger takes her seat and looks at me before slipping on her glasses. “Ms. Vance, would you care to fill us in on how your meeting with Mr. Falcon went?”

The fingernails of my left hand dig into the skin on the back of my right. Telling her I screwed up will be like nailing my coffin shut, but what other choice do I have? I readjust myself. “Actually, Ms. Swagger, I—”

She holds up a finger before she pushes a button on the intercom in front of her. “Jillian, dear, there isn’t any water in the conference room. Could you see that some is brought in immediately?”

“Right away, Ms. Swagger,” the secretary replies. I can tell by her response that Diana always gets what she wants.

Without skipping a beat, Diana returns her attention to me. “Ms. Vance, can I just say I’ve never received a call quite like the one I got from Mr. Falcon yesterday.”

My heart leaps into my throat. Oh God. Here comes the boot. I need to do everything I can to keep my internship. “I can explain about that.”

Diana leans back. “Please do. It seems some of my account executives could learn a thing or two about reeling in a client.”

My brow furrows, and I glance over at Aubrey. She just shrugs. “I’m sorry, but I’m a little confused. What exactly did Noel, er, Mr. Falcon say?”

“We had a lengthy conversation about the long-term goals of the marketing campaign for his children’s literacy program, and Mr. Falcon is adamant that you take the lead on this project. He seems to think you are the only person on my team who understands him and his goals. Of course, I explained that you’re only an intern and that I felt it best for someone with more experience head this up, but Mr. Falcon refused. He said he wants you, and you only, or he pulls the account.”

My eyes widen. “Are you offering me a job?”

Diana smiles and removes her glasses. “Yes, with the stipulation that you are successful with the Black Falcon project. If it fails, then I’ll have no choice but to let you go.”

All of the other marketing team members focus on my reaction. Children’s literacy hits home for Noel. He has dyslexia, and reading was always a struggle. He knows that I know that. It explains why he thinks I’m the best person for his job. I rub the back of my neck as I feel the pressure push down. Even though I’ve known him forever, I don’t understand why on earth Noel would make that kind of request. He hates me; he made that perfectly clear in Houston. Why would he want me around more? To torture me, probably.

Is a job really worth all of this?

Yes. I have to grab this opportunity with both hands and do my best to keep my relationship with Noel strictly professional. I swallow hard. Those are some hefty stakes, but I’m willing to take it on. “Understood.”

She nods. “Good. Welcome to the Center Stage family. Aubrey, see that Human Resources changes Ms. Vance’s employment status to full time.”

I watch my best friend make the note in her elegant script. “Yes, Ms. Swagger.”

“Oh, and Aubrey, find this young lady a desk so she can get to work.” Diana winks at me.

After the meeting ends and everyone clears out of the room, Aubrey yanks me into a tight hug. “Oh my God, Lanie! What the hell just happened? Instead of getting the boot, you got handed a job on a platter. I thought you said Noel didn’t tell you anything.”

My head spins. All of this doesn’t seem real. “He didn’t. He seemed like he couldn’t get away from me fast enough.”

She twists her ruby-red lips into a slight grin. “Sounds like he’s doing whatever he can to keep you close.”

I roll my eyes. “He wants to punish me for breaking up with him. You saw how he loved shoving those two naked skanks in my face.”

Aubrey sighs. “That was pretty gross, I’ll give you that, but it wasn’t like he meant to do that. He didn’t know we’d come busting through the door unannounced.”

“Yes, he did. He even invited us to join.” I growl in frustration. “Whose side are you on anyway?”

“Yours, always yours. You know that. All I’m saying is that he went out of his way to make sure you got this job. Would he really do that just to get back at you? Give him a chance. Maybe it was an off night. He might actually want to be friends again.”

I shrug. Damn her. Why does she have to be so rational?

Aubrey smiles. “When you meet up with him again, plaster on the biggest smile you can and win him over. He’s the key to keeping your job. Remember the old saying, ‘fake it ‘til you make it.’”

I nod. That’s exactly what I’ll do. “You’re right. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep this job.”

“Of course I am. Now let’s go pick out your shitty cubical.” Aubrey giggles and pulls me into the hallway.

An hour later, I sit at my new desk staring at Noel’s contact information. What am I going to say to him? Do I thank him for basically getting me a job, or do I play it cool and pretend his phone call didn’t pull any strings? Either way, I have to call him. Talking with Noel is the only way to get things rolling. The only thing I know about the charity he’s establishing is it’s for children’s literacy. I rub my forehead vigorously. It’s just a phone call. How hard can it be? The nerves in my hand twitch when I pick up the phone. Each number makes my stomach knot a little tighter, and when it rings, my skin grows cold and clammy.

Noel answers on the fourth ring. “Yeah?”

I tuck my hair behind my ear. “Noel? Hi. It’s Lanie Vance, and I’m—”

He chuckles. “Lane Vance, to what do I owe this pleasure?”

I squeeze the phone tighter. “Actually, I’m calling on behalf of Center Stage Marketing. I’ve been assigned to your account, and I wanted to touch base with you.”

“Touch base?” He laughs. “Listen to you sounding all professional. If you really want to touch
my
base, that can be arranged. All you have to do is ask.”

His nerve is unbelievable. “Ugh. You’re a real asshole, you know that?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do know that. Thanks to you. You made that quite clear in Houston.”

Play nice, Lanie. Remember?
This is harder than I thought. The sweet, sensitive guy I knew is long gone. The new Noel is self-centered and egotistical. It’s taking every bit of my self-control not to tell him to shove this job right up his leather-covered ass. I take a deep breath and remember what Aubrey said. “You’re right, and I’m…I’m sorry about that. I was out of line, even just a moment ago. There’s no reason two old friends can’t get along and work together.”

Noel’s silent for a moment. “Friend, huh? Ouch.”

I shake my head. There’s no way we’re going down that road. “You know what I mean.”

“You’re right. We should be friends, but there’s one problem with that scenario.”

“And what would that be?” I bite my lip, hating the fact that I’m thinking of how sexy he probably looks right now. I picture him spread out in bed, shirtless, still exhausted from the night before.

“I can’t be friends with someone who hates me.”

The sexy vision of him bursts, and I’m thrown back into reality. “Noel…I never said I hated you.”

“You didn’t have to. I saw it all over your face,” he says sharply.

“That wasn’t hate.”

“Then what was it?”

“Disgust,” I say instantly. “Don’t you have any self-respect? You’ll sleep with any slut who throws herself your way? That’s not the Noel I knew.”

“It’s not like that,” he growls. “Forget it. I don’t have to explain anything to you.”

“You know what? You’re right. You don’t owe me any explanations. Who you sleep with is none of my business.
My
business with you is professional, and I really need some details about this charity. My job is riding on how well it turns out, so you’ve got to give me something.”

“So you got the job?” He sounds surprised and even a little excited.

I debate on which tactic to use, but I decide to play it straight. Noel’s not stupid. “Yes, actually, thanks to you. That phone call you made to Diana Swagger made it possible.”

“Good.” I can hear a smile in his voice. “It’s the least I could do after blowing you off the way I did.”

“Well, thank you for that. This job means a lot to me.”

“I know it does. I felt like a total tool and had to make it right.”

I chew on the inside of my cheek. It’s kind of sweet that he cared enough about my feelings to make that phone call. Maybe he’s not a complete dirtball. This might work. A small glimmer of hope shines in my heart for a split second. “So about this charity…” I clear my throat. “What is your vision for the project?”

Noel yawns, and my feathers ruffle. I’m boring all of the sudden? Two minutes ago we were fighting. I shake my head. I’ll never get a good read on this guy with his crazy up and down signals.

“These business calls put me asleep. I’d much rather see you in person to discuss everything. Maybe you can wear something skimpy to keep me focused on you and what you’re saying.”

I roll my eyes. “Whatever.” Before I let my severely rude thoughts fly from my mouth, I take a deep breath and remind myself, yet again, that I need him to like me. I soften my voice. “That’s kind of impossible. It’s not like you’re right around the corner in New York.”

“Actually, I
am
in New York.”

My heart does a double thump. “You—you are?”

“Yep. Did some press last night for our next album, and I decided to stay a couple nights and check out the local scene. So, what do you say to dinner with me tonight?”

That’s a curve ball I’m not prepared to catch. “I don’t think a date is a very good idea. You’re my client, and that wouldn’t be very professional.”

“Don’t think of it as a date. Think of it as a business meeting.”

I look down at my notepad, and my hand freezes. Seven doodle hearts stare back at me. Is my subconscious trying to tell me something? I hope not. “A business dinner would be fine.” What’s the harm in meeting him for job-related reasons?

“Great. Give me your cell, and I’ll text you the time and place.”

We say our good-byes after I give him my cell phone number.
Dinner with Noel Falcon?
It’s been a long time since I’ve said that, and I wonder if it’s a good idea to trudge down old paths. I hope I can keep my head on straight and maintain a business relationship with him. God knows if he touches me the way he did in Houston, he’ll be pretty fucking hard to resist.

T
he cab stops
at the corner of 57
^th
street near the restaurant where I’m supposed to meet Noel. I pay the driver and give him a scathing look as he lifts his butt out of his seat to get a better look down the top of my dress.

Men? Are they all scumbags?

Nu Boo is one of the hottest restaurants in the city, which makes it very hard to get a reservation. Noel obviously managed to obtain one at the last minute, but I’m not surprised. He is Noel Falcon, and whether I want to admit it or not, he has magical connections.

I step up to the hostess and feel my face flush when she asks for the name my reservation is under. I say, “I’m actually meeting the other member of my party here. The name is under…” I hesitate and think about how absurd Noel’s pseudonym is. “Um, it’s under Dong, Long-Dick Dong.”

The young, blonde hostess snickers, and the flesh around my ears burns. I have no doubt my complexion is the same color as the slinky red dress Aubrey insisted I wear.

The girl regains her composure, and says, “Right this way, Ms. Dong.”

I want to crawl in a hole and die from sheer embarrassment. I spot Noel at a corner table talking on his cell. His laugh cuts through the dinner crowd chatter, and my stomach knots. He laughs the same way, and it takes me back to when we were in love. It’s only been four years and the memories of us together are still vivid. I bite my lip as I shake away those thoughts. Hopefully I can maintain a line between our business and personal relationship.

A hulking man steps in front of the hostess and me. He’s at least six feet five with a buzz cut and bulging forearms. He looks as though he can kill someone with his bare hands. “I’m sorry, ladies. Mr. Falcon isn’t available for pictures or autographs at this time.”

The hostess shrugs and turns to me. “You’re on your own from here. Good luck.”

I swallow hard and stare up at the big guy blocking my path. “I’m Lanie Vance?” The words sound more like a question than a statement. “He’s expecting me.”

The bodyguard’s eyes soften. His menacing look disappears as he stands aside. “My apologies, Ms. Vance. Please proceed.”

I tell him thank you then step around him. Noel glances up and notices me. His jaw drops a little as his eyes rake over my body. The surprise leaves his face, and a slow, sexy grin spreads across his devilishly kissable lips. He lays his phone on the table without telling the other person good-bye as he stands to greet me. Even in a simple white button-up shirt and jeans, Noel looks delicious. The sleeves of his white shirt are shoved up to his elbows, revealing tattoos covering every inch of his impressive forearms. The disheveled, sweaty hair I’d last seen is styled into a trendy fohawk, and his chin sports a trim goatee.

Damn. Why did he have to be so sexy? A girl can only resist so much.

“Wow.” He kisses my cheek and hugs me a little too tightly for a business greeting. He smells divine, like body wash and something entirely male. He trails his nose along my cheek and whispers in my ear, “You look good enough to eat.”

I pull away and place a hand on his chest to push him back. He drops his arms from around my waist. “Noel, you can’t say things like that to me.”

He tilts his head and studies me. “Why not? It’s true.”

My eyes flit to his mouth and stare at the way his lips move when he speaks. They are mesmerizing, and I take me a second to remember why I’m here. “Just because you can’t. Not anymore, okay? This is my job.”

I slide into my seat, and Noel pushes my chair in before sitting directly across from me at the tiny round table. He grins at me. “So no innocent flirting?”

I shake my head. “None.”

He rests his chin in his palm and stares at me with his big, blue eyes. “Is it because you have a boyfriend?”

I scrunch my eyebrows together. “What? Who said anything about me having a boyfriend?”

Thoughts of my last boyfriend, Cory, shoot through my mind. That relationship ended over two years ago. Since then, I’ve found school and work more fulfilling than dating college boys with one-nightstands on the brain.

He smiles. “If there’s no boyfriend in the picture, I don’t see why I can’t compliment you for looking downright sexy.”

I rub the back of my neck and toy with my hair. It shouldn’t matter that he thinks I’m sexy, but it does. Heat pools in my belly, and I fight the urge to trail my fingers over his skin. I can’t let him take control over this situation. I need him to like me, but I also need to keep him at a distance. We aren’t crazy, reckless teenagers anymore. The sweet talk that won me over in high school can’t go on now. We’re adults, and we need to act like it.

I readjust in my chair and cross my legs. “Well, thank you for the compliment, but I would appreciate keeping our relationship strictly professional. I have a lot riding on us getting along, so I would like you to refrain from those types of compliments.”

I cringe inwardly as I wait for Noel to tell me to get the hell out of the restaurant. I’m sure he’s used to getting his way nowadays. Putting him in his place probably won’t sit well with him. However, instead of harsh words, I hear Noel roar with laughter across from me.

A few heads at surrounding tables turn toward us. Does he attract attention everywhere he goes? I smooth the white linen tablecloth and try to pretend that his laugh isn’t kind of insulting. He finds it funny that I asked him to not sexually pursue me?

He wipes a tear away from his eye. “Lane, I never knew you had this little hard-ass business chick inside of you. I have to admit, your no-nonsense attitude is kind of hot. Plus, I didn’t know you thought about riding me. That’s one thing I know I can make happen for you.”

Great. That’s so not the reaction I want. He’s never going to take me seriously. I was a fool for thinking I could make this work. I grab my purse and start to stand.

Noel reaches across the table and grabs my wrist. His blue eyes blaze. “Wait, where are you going? We haven’t even ordered dinner yet.”

His fingers burn my skin. I stare at the ceiling and count to three to take my mind off how good his touch feels. I pull my arm away. “Professional, please.”

He raises his hands in surrender. “Okay, if I promise to keep things PG, will you stay?”

Does he even know how to do that anymore? His whole cocky, rock star persona probably warps his rating system of what’s actually considered PG.

I tuck my hair behind my ear and sigh. “PG? If you can do that, I’ll stay.”

Noel crosses his finger over his heart. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”

I raise an eyebrow and pick up a menu. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Noel chuckles. “I don’t remember you being this fun back in high school.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t remember you being this much of a dick.” I duck behind the menu, bite the inside of my cheek, and curse myself for talking to him this way. I’m going to lose this job before dinner is even over.

He clears his throat. “You know, if you keep talking to me like that, I might have to show you just how
nice
I can be.”

“Um, that’s not happening,” I flip the page in the menu and do my best to ignore his outrageous flirting. PG doesn’t seem to be in Noel’s DNA.

“You say that now, but I remember how much you liked it.”

My throat tightens, and my thighs tense. He’s right. Sex with Noel was amazing, but I’m not going to let that happen. That seems to be his sole purpose in reuniting with me. Uncomfortable, I search for a quick out.

“Excuse me, miss?” I say to a waitress passing by. I’m relieved when she stops at our table and cuts Noel off. “We’re ready to order.” The cute blonde stands with her hands behind her back and commits our orders to memory. Before she leaves, I add, “I’m kind of in a rush, so the sooner you can bring our order, the better.”

The quicker I can get away from Noel, the sooner I’ll be able to regain my sanity. I don’t want Noel to know he’s having any effect on me. When we’re alone without a menu to hide behind, I stare at Noel. He watches me intently, studying my every move, and he makes no attempt to pretend that he’s not openly staring at me.

I tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. It’s hard to be comfortable under his gaze. “What?”

Noel shrugs. “Just wondering what’s more important than your job.”

My eyes widen. “Nothing is more important than this job.”

He nods. “Good, I’m glad to hear that. It’s about to take up every minute of your life.”

“What do you mean?” I expect my new position will take up most of my time, but every minute?

Noel leans forward on his elbows. “I need to make sure the person in charge of marketing my charity gets it—how close I am to literacy. I’ve decided you have to come on the road with me to fully understand what I need from you.”

Go on the road with him? Is he insane? That’s unheard of and totally unreasonable. “You can’t be serious.”

“Why wouldn’t I be serious? I want to make sure you don’t fuck up my charity with your lack of experience. This means a lot to me.”

“Just because I’m not all that experienced doesn’t mean I won’t do a great job for you. Dyslexia isn’t something to be ashamed of. Lots of people have it. You should let other people know that you have it. You’ll inspire kids not to give up. But making me go on the road with you because you think I’m the only person who will understand why this literacy program means so much to you is…absurd.”

He flinches. “Absurd? You know what’s absurd? Calling the owner of a marketing company and demanding she give you a job, even though you aren’t qualified, because I feel like an asshole. The least you can do is come on the road with me so I can oversee this project and make sure I’ll be happy with the campaign.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean any disrespect, but you can’t expect me to leave my life and ride on a cramped bus with you and a bunch of guys.”

“There’s only four of us on the bus, so I don’t think that qualifies as ‘a bunch.’ Besides, I’m hoping you’ll spend most of your nights with me in my room”—I raise my eyebrows and he smiles—“working on the project. The bus is the only place we’ll be able to meet without interruption.”

I shake my head. “I can’t. Besides, Ms. Swagger will never agree to that.”

Noel traces his lower lip with his index finger and winks at me. “You leave her to me. That old broad loves me.”

“Even if I protest?”

He shrugs. “It’s up to you whether you come with me or not. Guess we’ll see how much you want this job.”

“That is blackmail!”

“No, that’s where you are wrong. If it were blackmail, I would get something I want out of the deal. From what I can tell, that’s not going to be an option. Come on, Lane. I’m not asking you to fuck me—unless you want to that is. All I’m trying to do is help out an old friend and make sure my shit gets done right.”

When he put it that way, I felt like an uppity jerk. Noel did get me the job. Is it really so far-fetched that he wants to make sure I do a good job? Diana told him I have zero real-world experience when she tried to talk him out of using me for the position. But the Noel I know looks at all the angles, and I’m curious as to what his ultimate goal is. “I’m calling bullshit. Tell me, exactly what you hope to get by dragging me along on your bus?”

His lips quirk, and I know I’m right. “I forgot how well you know me. You’re right. I do hope to accomplish something with this little venture.”

I raise my eyebrow, curious as to what he’ll say. “What’s that?” Judging by the sexy twinkle in his eye, I have the uneasy feeling that I already know. My hand trembles as I sip my water, ruining the unfazed-by-you-Noel-Falcon look that I’m trying my best to project.

He leans across the small table. His nearness causes a chemical reaction inside of me, and I get hot all over. I take another sip of water just as he says, “The chance to get back inside that tight little body of yours.”

I nearly spit my water in his face. “Are you out of your fucking mind? How dare you say something like that to me?”

Noel’s smile widens. “Because you and I both know it’s going to happen. It’s only a matter of time before you give in. I already know every inch of your body and what you like. You want it just as much as I do. I can see it in your eyes.”

Heat burns between my legs, and I squirm. I hate that he’s having this effect on me. If I lose the upper hand, I could lose more than my job. I have to keep control. I shake my head and try to keep images of his naked body and what it might feel like deep inside me out of my mind. “No. Been there, done that. Not happening again.”

He leans back with a smug look. “We’ll see.”