Getting Wild

by Sarah Barrie

  “Certainly sir,” the other man replied. Reece, Ella noticed, did not look impressed, but went without comment.

  “I’m glad you’re here.” His eyes sparkled with humour. “I’m gathering you would prefer Ms Bailey wasn’t?”

  “May I ask what she is doing here?”

  “She wants a part of Travel.”

  “Well of course she does. May I ask what she’s doing here?”

  Ben grinned, sent Ryan a look she didn’t quite understand. “I invited her.”

  “I see.”

  Ryan cleared his throat. “Ella, whatever you think of her personally, she’s good at her job.”

  “Damn right she is, I taught her everything she knows. Between that and what she stole from me, she’s put out some great articles,” she snapped, and turned her attention to Ben, “and employing her is of course, your call. But if she’s in, I’m out.”

  Ben looked genuinely surprised. “You’d hand her your position on a silver platter? I thought Travel meant a lot to you.”

  Ella held on to her temper. Just. “It does.”

  “And you’ve done well with it.”

  Ella saw Reece glaring at her from the bar and forced back a snarl. Once again Reece Bailey was going to ruin everything. She smiled coolly. “Well with it? I took Travel from little more than a back-shelf sixteen-page tourist brochure to the best-selling, most widely-recognised travel magazine in the country. I did that in less than three years. I know it inside out. I have the knowledge, the contacts and the experience to keep everything running smoothly through this transition and beyond. But I’m not going to beg for it. I’ve been offered four different positions with other publications and despite the amount of money you’re offering me, one of those has matched you and a certain other company is offering more just to keep me out of this. Right now, I’m here – but only just, because I’m getting very sick of having Reece Bailey dangled in front of me. I can’t work with her. I refuse to work with her. So I’ll say it one more time. If she’s in, I’m out.”

  Ben narrowed his eyes with a mixture of thought and appreciation. “What if I said chances were you’ll rarely even run into each other? She’d be in different locations, covering different stories…”

  “I’d say it was nice to meet you again, Ben, and good luck.”

  Ella turned on her heel and headed as casually as she could manage toward the door.

  “Ella, wait!” Ryan called out from somewhere behind her. He caught up to her at the doorway and steered her to a quiet corner.

  “You’ve really got to stop doing that,” Ella grated, snatching her arm out of his hold.

  “Are you alright?” Ryan studied Ella’s pale features, noted she was holding herself so tightly she looked as though she may at any moment, snap. He wasn’t sure she wasn’t shaking.

  “I meant what I said,” she replied quietly, “It’s one or the other.”

  “This is not just about some story she stole, is it?”

  “That’s none of your business.”

  “Ben won’t hire her. You’re too important to this.”

  “Don’t be so sure. How long have they been sleeping together?”

  “Just how the hell would you know they’re sleeping together?”

  “Oh, please. Because it’s Reece. The woman specialises in using sex as a lever. Not to mention she turned up with that smug expression on her face, your friend Ben raced to her rescue, sent her away with an ‘I’ll handle everything’ look, then attempted to convince me I could work with her.”

  “Ok, maybe they are. But Ben’s not an idiot.”

  “He’s sleeping with Reece,” she replied, as if to argue otherwise.

  “Don’t go.”

  “Sort it out with Ben. In the meantime I’m-” Ella’s sentence was cut short when Reece came striding up to her, steam all-but coming out of her ears.

  Ella neatly ducked a fast-flying palm, which ended up connecting with Ryan’s arm. “Nice,” Ryan bit out. “Is there something we can do for you Ms Bailey?”

  “This isn’t over,” Reece spat, glaring nastily at Ella.

  Ella shrugged, guessing Ben had made his decision. “It never is with you. But if you’re not a good enough lay these days to get what you want, don’t go blaming me.”

  Reece leant in, snarled, “I’m not going to stand here and listen to this. If you want a go at me, let’s do it – you and me outside. Right now.”

  “Don’t be stupid, Reece.” Ella dismissed, “I’d have you flat on your back and out cold in under three seconds.”

  “Not this time. Winner gets your Travel reporter position.”

  Ella raised an eyebrow, an expression of wicked pleasure suddenly lighting her face. “Ok, I’ll play…”

  “Whoa! Ladies…please?” Ryan stepped between them, genuinely stunned at the turn of events. “Let’s not get carried away. Reece, I wish I could say it’s been a pleasure.”

  Reece looked from Ella to Ryan and back again. “You won’t get away with this,” she promised and with one last killer look, turned on her heel and strode out of the building.

  Ella let out a long breath, relieved to see the back of her.

  “There is so much more going on here, isn’t there?” Ryan asked again.

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Nice duck by the way.”

  “What? Oh, whatever.”

  He laughed when she attempted to shrug it off. “No, I am not letting this one go. You hit her?”

  “I don’t know what you think you heard…”

  “I know exactly what I heard. I thought it was just your tongue that was lethal.”

  “It was a long time ago and I’m not proud of it. But I can genuinely say no one’s ever deserved it more. End of story.”

  “For now, maybe. Because here comes your favourite investor.”

  “You have got to be kidding,” she complained in disbelief. “Fine, bring him on – I’m in the mood to take someone apart,” then at his look, “and once I get rid of him you can tell me why the hell you didn’t tell me you were such good buddies with Ben Montague.”

  “It didn’t come up,” he replied with a careless shrug, “And there is to be strictly no taking apart of the investor. Just tell him you’re already taken.”

  “And what am I going to do then? Pull a big, dangerous, boyfriend out of my hat?”

  “What’s wrong with me?”

  “Where would you like me to start?”

  “If that’s how you feel…Enjoy.

  Charlie sauntered towards her, a greedy-eyed, sleazy smile on his face.

  ”Wait!” she whispered desperately. “You made a promise to protect me.”

  He chuckled, inclined his head. “That I did. Say please.”

  “What?”

  “Say. Please.”

  “Oh, my God, you are going to pay for this,” she mumbled, not quite biting back a laugh. “Please.”

  He had possibly the biggest grin she’d ever seen on his face as he nodded and at the same time that predatory gleam that she didn’t at all trust came into his eyes. “Come here, Your Highness, let’s make this authentic.”

  “What? Wait. Back off, Edwards. That’s not what I…”

  In one quick move he ensnared her around the waist and pulled her hard against him. Her quick intake of breath was part disbelief, part shock. Every muscular inch of him was suddenly pressed intimately against her, his breath was on her face and the combination was seriously affecting her ability to formulate a defence. “Are you suicidal?” she gasped.

  “Adventurous,” he murmured, his eyes moving over her, “and I’ve been wanting to do this since the first moment I laid eyes on you.” He lowered his head and she expected speed, heat, force – something she could resist. Instead, slowly, gently, his lips moved like a breath over hers. Ella’s breath caught in her throat as everything inside her stirred, her defences disintegrating, forgotten under those warm, unhurried lips. They tasted, tested, teased, while hi
s hands began to move, to mould, to explore. She felt her body sink into his, her own arms sliding up over broad shoulders to wind around his neck. When she shuddered, surrendering to the sensations, she heard his low growl of approval.

  Suddenly his mouth was hot, demanding, his hands possessive. Ella’s system responded by surging with a jolt of pure lust that threatened to overwhelm her. Heat rushed everywhere, an unexpected, bone-melting, all-invasive need that had her returning his kiss with equal desperation. And it wasn’t enough; she wanted more, needed more.

  Two nearby voices, a giggle, penetrated some distant part of Ella’s consciousness and she dragged her eyes open far enough to notice a handful of people wandering past, some openly watching with interest. What was she doing? She fought a quick and intense internal battle for control. “Ryan, let go.”

  “Why?”

  Why? She searched her clouded mind for something to say to diffuse the heat between them. “Because Charlie’s gone and if you don’t, I’ll hurt you.”

  She felt the deep rumble of laughter in his chest before he slowly released her. As she stepped back he caught her chin gently with his fingers, studied her flushed face, caught the flash of uncertainty in her eyes before they turned cool, before her expression once again became guarded. “Beautiful Ella, I like you vulnerable,” he commented softly.

  Feeling exactly that, Ella attempted to free her chin and failed. “I’m not – never – that,” she snapped, cursing her unsteady voice. “Let me go. I wasn’t kidding.”

  “Don’t panic.” Intense blue eyes locked on hers, held steady while he considered her. “You’ve built some pretty serious walls around yourself,” he continued, “but they’re not impenetrable. I’m going to knock them down.”

  “You won’t. Let me go.”

  Seeing Ben approaching, he released her. “Gauntlets, Ella.”

  “There you are,” Ben said, with a slight frown at Ryan. “I have a speech to make. So, Ella, Reece is out. Are you in?”

  Ella nodded, cleared her throat. “I’m in.”

  “Good, shall we?”

  “Of course.” Ella allowed herself to be led back into the function room and stood where she was put while Ben left them to take the stage. She couldn’t quite look at Ryan, she needed time to process that kiss. She’d never behaved so recklessly before. Maybe the run-in with Reece had had something to do with it – had lowered her defences. It was dangerous, this attraction she felt for him. She’d had no intention of allowing him to kiss her. None. Then there was that moment – the moment when she knew he was going to and she just went blank under the incredible heat of that look he aimed at her. Even then, she argued with herself, she was ready to evade, but he threw her with that gentleness. He didn’t do what she expected. He never did what she expected. And he was so damn good at it.

  How long had it been since a man could make her want to fall into bed with him with a single look? Hell, he didn’t even have to look. “Here.” Ryan stuck a glass of champagne under her nose and she shook her head. More alcohol was the last thing she needed.

  “No thanks.”

  “You need it for the toast Ben’s about to make.”

  “Oh,” she took it from him, ignoring the little sparks that tingled in her fingers when they touched his, because honestly, she scolded herself, it was just ridiculous. And regardless, she wasn’t going to let it go anywhere. She would not become involved with a colleague, no matter how well he kissed, no matter how good he looked and no matter how he made her laugh, made her feel. She knew better than that. So she attempted to concentrate on what Ben was saying, though she caught her mind wandering back to her companion several times. He really was an extraordinarily good kisser, she thought, the memory enough to heat her skin all over again. But then, he’d probably had a lot of practice. And she certainly hadn’t meant what she’d said as a gauntlet…

  “Ella?”

  “Hmmm?”

  “Hey.”

  She glanced up, startled, met his eyes. “Yes?”

  The slightest hint of amusement touched the corners of his mouth and reflected in his eyes as he lifted his glass. “Toast?” She touched her glass to his, sipped with the rest of the room. “What were you thinking about?” he asked.

  “Nothing in particular.” Hearing Ben announce their names, Ella and Ryan’s heads whipped back around to the stage.

  “Looks like we’re up for an introduction,” Ryan murmured and held out an arm. “Shall we?”

  Ella groaned silently and wiggled her toes in her increasingly uncomfortable shoes. “Of course.”

  Chapter Five

  She had the entire weekend to get over that kiss. But she could still feel his hands on her, his mouth on her, still felt a little rush of excitement when she thought about it. When she entered the Montague building for their meeting, she acknowledged she was actually nervous. And no matter how much she berated herself for her sudden lack of common sense, she had to admit she was looking forward to seeing him again.

  Clare greeted her in the reception room with a warm smile. “Good morning, Ms Jameson.”

  “Hello Clare. It’s lovely to see you again.”

  “I do tend to miss most of the comings and goings being all the way up here on the top floor. How are you settling in?”

  “Well, thank you. I had a message from Ryan to say I was to meet him up here this morning for a meeting.”

  “Yes, of course. Ryan’s already in. I’ll show you straight through.” Ryan’s already in? She made it sound like a regular occurrence. Something in Ella’s look must have reflected her surprise because Clare chuckled, misreading it. “I know I should say ‘Mr Edwards,’ but when you’ve watched someone grow from a tiny tot, it’s difficult to see them as ‘Mr’ anything. I’m Ryan’s aunt.”

  “Oh, I see,” Ella replied, confused altogether now and looking from the woman back to the desk. “And you’re working here. That’s lovely.”

  Clare nodded happily. “I actually retired from a hotel management position a few years ago and was bored out of my tree. I practically begged Ryan to let me help out around here a couple of days a week. I enjoy getting the chance to keep the boys in line.”

  Ella’s head was starting to spin as she followed Clare down a short corridor. Ryan got his aunt a job working for Ben Montague? The boys… Ben and Ryan? How close were they? She suddenly realised she’d never seen Ryan’s office – was it up here?

  “Here we are.” Clare gave a cursory knock and opened the door to a large boardroom. Ryan was seated at the far end, surrounded by a sea of paperwork. He looked, up, smiled when he saw them.

  “Ella, hi. Thanks Clare.”

  Clare sighed, said, “Ryan Edwards, how can you work in such a mess?”

  He sent her a rueful grin. “It’s the only way I can work.”

  “Ms Jameson, would you like anything to drink, dear?”

  “Oh, a coffee would be wonderful, thank you. If it’s not too much trouble…”

  “Of course not.”

  “Make that two?” Ryan asked.

  “Coming up.” When Clare closed the door, Ryan sent Ella a look of mock disbelief. “If it’s not too much trouble? I have to say that’s a far-cry from the way I heard you talking to your own staff.”

  Ella felt her back go up defensively, snapped, “First – you caught me on the tail-end of a bad day – ok, bad few months. Second, the woman is not ‘staff’; she’s your aunt. That alone deserves some respect, surely.”

  Ryan’s amazed expression was almost comical. “What is this – Charlie Francis round two? How the hell do you get this information?”

  “She offered it.” She looked around, noticed the lack of any other participants. “Where’s everybody else?”

  “It’s just us for a while.”

  “Ok, why?” she asked suspiciously.

  He shot her a grin. “Lots of our stuff to get through. Everyone else will be here soon enough.”

  “I see.” Then giving into curio
sity, “Ryan, where’s your office?”

  “It used to be in a building over on Hadley Street. Since the Montague thing, I’m kind of nomadic, why?”

  “I’m beginning to realise Montague seems to work on a need-to-know basis and I’m pretty sure I need to know more about what’s going on.”

  He leant back in his chair and folded his arms loosely. “Ok, like what?”

  “Like – that, for example. Like you’re sitting there as though you know you’re going to have the answers. Like that I had to come to the top floor to meet with you and that your aunt works here and enjoys keeping ‘her boys’ in line. Like, that I’m pretty sure you knew everyone at that party and their reasons for being there. Like, Ryan, that you knew all about the changes to my contracts the afternoon you came charging into my office as though you owned it.”

  “You’re smart enough to figure all that out, are you sure you don’t want to tell me?”

  “I want you to tell me. If we’re going to work together I expect you to tell me.”

  He grinned, then held up his hands truce-style when her stare turned to a glare. “It’s that tone of yours. I feel like I’m a five-year-old with my hand in the cookie jar. All right, Ben and I have been friends since kindergarten. When the Travel opportunity came up I pitched the idea for all this to him and he liked it. Ben’s never been hugely into the travel business, but has had a hell of a lot of success with advertising and several other ventures as sure you’re well aware. When he went for this, I had a lot to do with setting it all up. It’s a big reason why I’m here. Satisfied?”

  “I’m not sure, is there anything else I need to know?”

  A knock on the door heralded Clare’s return with a tray laden with coffee and accompaniments. A packet of Tim Tams sat with them.

  “Ryan’s favourite,” Clare revealed with a wink. “Enjoy, Ms Jameson.”

  Ella looked from Clare to Ryan, a considering frown on her features. “Clare…” she began, before being cut off with a “Don’t you dare,” from Ryan.

  Clare’s look was curiosity mixed with humour. “Yes dear?”

  Ella’s gaze narrowed on Ryan’s, before turning into a genuine smile for Clare. “It’s Ella. Thank you.”