Romeo for Hire

by Ali Parker

  My mother’s gray eyes looked at me from the phone’s display screen. I just stared back, wondering what would happen if I answered.

  Finally, I reached out one finger and sent her to voice mail. I’d just taken on Bartholomew Banks. My mother couldn’t touch me right now. Nothing could.

  Shoving my phone in the bottom of my purse, I got to work on my Seattle proposal. Bart and I agreed that we’d take it to the board together, and when we did, I wanted to be ready. I wanted to have an argument so good that no one could find fault.

  Seattle had quickly become my dream, and I was determined to make it a reality. After all, I’d promised Paisley that I’d take her to see the whales and Mount Rainier.

  Chapter 81

  Ryan

  “Hey, you,” I said into the phone. “I missed you today.”

  “Oh, you have no idea,” Candice breathed. “Today was a fucking shit show.”

  My forehead creased. “Yeah?”

  “I’ll be working late,” she said. “Can you survive without me for one night?”

  “Just come over after,” I said, not wanting to spend a night away from her. “Paisley and I will just have dinner with Max tonight.”

  “I won’t be there until late,” Candice said. “Probably really late.”

  I smiled to myself. Paisley would probably be asleep by the time Candice made it to my place. Still grinning, I teased her through the phone.

  “How late?” I asked, dragging out my words.

  “Midnight,” she said. “Or after.”

  “Hmm.” I glanced into the back seat to make sure Paisley wasn’t listening. “I don’t know if I can wait that long.”

  Candice paused. “For what?”

  “You.”

  She snickered and then sighed. I could practically feel her roll her eyes through the phone, but I knew she was having fun. We’d both had long days. We needed a little comedic release.

  “I’ll be there,” she finally said. “But only if you promise you’ll save me some dinner.”

  “Not a chance.”

  Laughing, Candice hung up and got back to work. With Paisley reading quietly in the back seat, I sped down a side street to pull a quick U-turn. Max’s place was on the other side of town, and after spending all day at the office, I wasn’t ready to go home.

  “Hey, Pea,” I said over my shoulder.

  She blinked and looked up from her book. “Yeah?”

  “What do you think about having dinner with Uncle Max tonight?”

  “Sure!”

  Smiling, I drove us to my brother’s house and parked out front. I held Paisley’s hand as we walked up to the front door. Max had barely made it home himself, but I couldn’t imagine he would have plans on a Monday night.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked as he opened the door. “Something come up with Beatrice?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “Just felt like hanging out with my brother tonight.”

  “Ah.” Max stood aside to let us in. “In other words, Candice is working late, and you didn’t feel like going back to your empty house.”

  “It’s not empty!” Paisley whined. “I’m there, and we have the couch and the tables and the TV and food and—”

  Placing my hand playfully over her mouth, I poked her in the ribs. She giggled and ran off to play, leaving me and Max alone in the entryway.

  “Drinks?” he asked.

  “Something small,” I said. “I have to drive Pea back home later.”

  He nodded and led the way into the kitchen. Pouring us each a glass of bourbon, he jerked his head to the side. I followed him over to his kitchen table and sat down, a soft groan escaping my lips before I could stop it.

  “Are you that tired?” Max asked. “Pussy.”

  “Hey, working in an office is no picnic.”

  Max scoffed. “Says the man who’s only done it for a day. I’ve been going to that very same building for almost ten years, little brother.”

  “Whatever.”

  I sipped my bourbon and leaned back in the chair, letting Max make fun of me while we drank. Paisley ran up to us minutes later, begging her Uncle Max to get out his painting supplies. Max obeyed quickly. He set her up on the kitchen floor before coming back to the table.

  “You guys hungry yet?” he asked.

  “Pizza,” I demanded. “We need pizza.”

  Max pulled out his cell phone to order dinner. As I watched Paisley paint on a piece of paper Max had given, Max hung up and set the phone on the table. He finished his bourbon before fixing me with a stare I couldn’t ignore.

  “It was good,” I finally said. “That’s what you want to know, right? If I liked working with the ad sales team? If I’m going to take the job?”

  “Well,” Max said. “Are you?”

  I was almost sure my answer was yes, but I wasn’t ready to admit that to Max or anyone else. I needed to mull it over, convince myself it was a yes so there would be no regrets.

  Sitting in my brother’s kitchen while my daughter painted pictures beside me, I couldn’t imagine shaking up my life that much. Just the thought of quitting the Romeos was enough to make my palms sweat.

  “I’m going to talk to B tomorrow,” I said. “I don’t know what I’m going to say, so don’t ask, but I’ll make the decision when it’s time.”

  “Okay,” Max said slowly. “I don’t get it.”

  “Neither do I,” I admitted. “I just don’t know yet. When I see B tomorrow, I think the answer will come to me.”

  “That sounds—”

  “Stupid?” I finished for him.

  “I was going to say ridiculous.” He laughed. “But your word works too.”

  Rolling my eyes, I took another sip of my bourbon. The pizza arrived, and we all ate dinner together. Paisley scarfed down her two slices, so she could keep painting. When dinner was over, I still didn’t know what I was going to tell Beatrice at our meeting.

  I had to go in either way. She wanted to discuss my future with the Romeos. Apparently, she had big plans for me, but so did my brother.

  No matter how much I thought about it, the answer just wouldn’t appear. Quit the Romeos and take on an office job that I might one day grow to despise? Or stay with the Romeos and pray it doesn’t affect my relationship any more than it already had?

  “All right, Pea.” I clapped my hands together and got to my feet. “Time to go. Uncle Max has work in the morning.”

  “You’re good, man.” Max waved his hand. “Hang out for a while.”

  “Nah, I should get home.”

  Max could see on my face that I wanted time alone to think. He nodded and stood up to walk us out.

  “I’ll clean that up,” he told Paisley. “And don’t worry, I’ll save all your pictures until they dry.”

  “Can I spend the night?” Paisley asked. “I don’t want to stop painting. I have too many ideas for pictures!”

  Laughing, Max turned to me and raised his eyebrows. “Up to you, Ry.”

  “Sure.” I shrugged. “Can you take her to camp in the morning?”

  “Yup.”

  “Yes!” Paisley pumped her fist in the air and said, “Bye, Dad! I’ll see you tomorrow!”

  “Hug please.”

  She jumped to her feet, threw one arm around my waist, and then fell right back to the floor. The paintbrush never even left her hand.

  “Thanks, Max.”

  “No problem,” he said. “And hey, let me know what you decide.”

  “Yeah,” I said. “I will.”

  Max walked me out, and I slowly made my way to my car. Climbing behind the wheel, I checked the time. It was just a little past eight. I had hours before Candice would show up at my place, but I didn’t mind. I had to make a decision about this job. With Candice around to distract me, I knew I’d never be able to think.

  I sat alone in my living room, just staring up at the ceiling. Hours passed with my mind continuing to spin. Both options had perks. Both had negatives. H
ow the hell was I ever going to make such an impossible decision?

  Before I realized it, midnight had come and gone. Still, I remained on my couch with my chin tilted upward and my head resting against the cushions. When a soft knock echoed through the room, I jumped and whipped my head toward the door.

  Candice.

  Even though I’d thought of little else but her all night, I’d let myself forget that she was coming over. Hurrying to the door, I pulled it open and pulled her straight into my arms.

  “Well, hi.” She chuckled and kissed my chest. “I missed you too.”

  “Today was insane.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  She groaned and held my hand as we fell back on the couch. Her eyes were heavy with exhaustion. Fixing them on my face, she ran her fingers over my cheek and sighed as if she’d never been more content.

  The sound of that sigh sent waves of need through my groin. I forced myself to relax, but I could already feel my pants getting tight.

  “Tell me about your day,” I said quickly. “What happened?”

  “Do you remember Bart Banks?”

  “The douche from the banquet?” I asked. She nodded. “Yeah, I remember him.”

  “Well, he came by my office today.” Leaning her head back, Candice put her hand over her eyes and shook her head. “I thought he was going to ask for my resignation. Honestly, Ryan, I’ve never been that scared in my life.”

  “But he didn’t,” I demanded. “Right?”

  “No.” She looked at me. “He didn’t.”

  “That’s great!” I moved toward her. “Why don’t you look happy?”

  “Oh, I am.” She promised, a shaky chuckle escaping her lips. “I’m just tired. I had to get this proposal together today, or I’d be too late for the next board meeting.”

  “Wait. What proposal?”

  Candice’s eyes widened as she realized why I was still confused.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m all over the place.”

  “It’s fine.” I squeezed her hand.

  “I convinced Bart to back me up on a Seattle branch for Smart Cosmetics,” she said. “We’re pitching it to the rest of the board as soon as possible.”

  “What?”

  Candice’s confidence seemed to grow two inches as she told me about her not-so-subtle takedown of Bart Banks.

  “God, I wish I could have seen that,” I said. “He deserved it.”

  “It wasn’t that great,” she said. “I just finally realized what he wants. My job, and the funny thing is, he can have it.”

  “You don’t really mean that.”

  Candice paused. “I think I do.”

  “But the company?” I stammered. “Your dad?”

  “I’ll still be president,” she said quickly. “And CEO. But Bart can have New York. He can run the office here and still head up the board. He’ll have more responsibility and power than anyone else in the company.”

  “Besides you,” I said.

  “Exactly.” She grinned. “It’s just enough to get him off my back and still hold onto what I love. Smart Cosmetics is my life, yes, but New York doesn’t have to be.”

  My stomach twisted. “So, you want to move?”

  Candice’s face fell. The confidence she’d had just seconds before vanished. With a nervous flick of her hand, she moved closer to me and stared up into my eyes.

  “It’s not that I want to leave you or Paisley.” She cleared her throat. “It’s actually the opposite. I want you to come with me.”

  “Candice, I—”

  “We don’t have to talk about it now.”

  “But, I—”

  She put one finger to my lips. “Not yet,” she said. “I still have to get the proposal approved, and then if it works, we’ll break ground on the building. It’ll take at least six months before moving is even an option.”

  I nodded, putting the thought out of my mind. Six months was a long way off. So much could happen between now and then. Besides, I still had my own life-changing decision to make.

  “I’m proud of you,” I told her. “You kicked ass today, Smart.”

  “I kind of did, didn’t I?”

  “Always.”

  Our eyes locked, and the mood shifted. The need I’d suppressed when she first walked in suddenly took over. I cupped the back of her head and pulled her lips to mine.

  Candice reacted immediately. Her tongue slid inside my mouth, tasting me while her hands clawed at my chest. Our connection had always been intense, but tonight, it was so much more.

  I carried Candice to my bedroom, letting Seattle and Romeo Rebounds drift away into nothing.

  Chapter 82

  Candice

  Ryan rolled me onto my side, our naked bodies writhing against together each other. Sliding up behind me, Ryan lifted my leg and tossed it back over his hip. I could feel his hot breath on the back of my neck, making me shiver as shocks of electricity shot down my spine.

  His lips found my shoulder, kissing me so tenderly, tears sprang to my eyes.

  I moaned and craned my neck around to face him, my lips searching for his. His hand flew to my cheek, and his lips came down on mine, our tongues darting together with desperation.

  “Mmm.” I moaned and pushed myself back against him.

  His dick pressed between my legs, and I lost it. Shoving my hips backward, I silently begged Ryan for the one thing I couldn’t wait to have.

  “Stop teasing me,” I whispered. Ryan’s hand dropped from my face. He trailed his finger down my stomach. Flicking one finger over my clit, he made me come undone. “You’re the devil, Winters. Do you know that?”

  “You love it.”

  “God, yes.”

  He rubbed my clit slowly, barely brushing his fingers over me at first. I whimpered and thrust my hips forward, shoving myself hard against his hand.

  Ryan’s lips found my neck. He nibbled my earlobe. His hand flew over my sensitive skin, and the room spun around me.

  I closed my eyes and gave myself over to him. Rocking my hips forward and back, I pushed myself first against his hand and then back against his dick. He was still determined to tease me, to torture me until I became putty in his hands.

  It didn’t take long.

  “Oh my god!” I cried out and trembled against him as pleasure rocked my body. “I’m sorry. Is Paisley here?” I panted and tried to control myself, but it was impossible.

  “No, baby. Just us.” He smiled. “Be loud for me.”

  My toes curled. A weak moan escaped my lips. Ryan held me against him, rubbing his dick between my legs and groaning in my ear.

  He felt how wet I was, and all thoughts of teasing ended. With a desperate grunt, Ryan slid inside me, and I moaned with renewed pleasure as he rocked his hips back and forth. I reached my arm up to wrap it around his neck.

  Behind me, Ryan moved with such slow, delicate motions that I knew he was trying to control himself, to drag out this moment as long as he could.

  But all I wanted was for him to take me hard and fast, to send us both flying over the cliff of ecstasy like only he could.

  “Ryan,” I begged and pushed my ass against him.

  He moaned and gripped my tits with his strong, rough hands. With two fingers, he pinched and teased my nipples, drawing out every last vestige of need I still had suppressed inside me.

  “Ryan!” I’d never cried out his name like that before, but I couldn’t help it. Animal desire worked its way into my body and took hold, gripping me in its talons and forcing me to surrender to the mind-numbing need coursing through my veins.

  “Fuck, you’re wet.”

  Ryan’s voice was weak but gruff. He held me tighter and slowly began to move faster. With each thrust, I jerked forward and felt myself move closer to the edge. It was like Ryan was keeping me in a perpetual state of orgasm, refusing to let my body come back down from its high.

  “I love you,” I breathed as he moved inside me. “I love you. I love you. I love
you.”

  Ryan growled and gently shoved my leg off him. Staying deep inside me, he twisted around so he was poised above me. My legs spread automatically, wrapping themselves around his waist as my arms pulled him down on top of me.

  Our lips met, and Ryan’s hips flew forward like lightning.

  He slammed against me, kissing me breathless and making beads of sweat form on my face. They poured over my skin, blurring my vision and falling on to my already sweaty chest.

  Ryan’s breath came in ragged spurts. He wrenched his lips away from mine. His green eyes met mine, his pupils so dilated, I could barely see a sliver of the emeralds I’d grown to love.

  His gaze bored into mine, holding me to the bed while our bodies became one. We melted into each other as Ryan moved fast and hard. His hands flew out to either side of me for support, and my own moved to his chest.

  Raking my fingertips over his strong abs, I felt a shot of need cascade between my legs.

  “Ryan!”

  I gasped and moaned, rocking my hips upward to meet his every thrust. My eyes closed, and my toes curled one last time.

  My hands flew to Ryan’s back, pushing him firmly down on top of me and holding him there while his dick began to throb inside of me. I dug my nails into his skin, making him cry out with pleasure and shoot forward, his own orgasm mingling with mine as our bodies trembled uncontrollably.

  Ryan stayed above me, frozen in place by our pleasure and our love. Slowly, he moved away from me barely enough to untangle our bodies. But in an instant, he was back, his forehead pressed against mine and his eyes staring straight down into my face

  “I love you,” I moaned. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

  Ryan laughed shakily and kissed my nose. He could barely breathe, let alone talk, but he didn’t need to speak for me to know what he was thinking. We were more connected than we’d ever been before. I felt like I could read his every thought in the lines of his face, in the spark behind his eyes.

  Breathing heavily, Ryan pressed his body harder against mine. Our foreheads were covered in sweat, but we didn’t even think to break apart. My arms trembled as I held onto Ryan and dug my fingers into his back. It wasn’t just pleasure that held us together. It was everything.