“You raised him by yourself after you lost your parents?” He sounded horrified at the thought.
“A great-aunt lived with us, which made the court happy. Little did the judge know she chain-smoked, spent her days watching baseball and swearing at the television and was really eighty, even though she looked at least a decade younger.” Just thinking about Aunt Lizzy made Ellie smile. “She died my senior year of college. By then I was old enough that the social worker didn’t make a fuss.”
“You haven’t had it easy.”
She didn’t know anyone who did.
“We have this other thing we need to deal with.” She bit her bottom lip as she tried to come up with the right words to describe what really happened. “Joe Cantor. The Insider brought up my work history. That can only mean people are whispering about it and making up details... Joe was my boss... He’s been saying... I mean, it’s not as if it actually happened.”
Derrick reached his arm across his expansive desk. “Ellie? Breathe.”
She did. “I did not come on to him.”
Saying the words brought the frustration crashing down on her again. She had enough to deal with without Joe and his lies. But what she really wanted was to reach out, to grab on to the lifeline Derrick offered. Fighting that urge, she stayed still in the chair.
“Of course not.”
“Yeah, that’s...” Her brain caught up with the conversation and the air whooshed right out of her body. “Wait, you believe me?”
Derrick’s chair squeaked when he got up. Footsteps thudded against the floor as he came around the desk to sit on the edge right in front of her. “Your former boss is a raving jackass.”
“I could insert a general snide comment here about businessmen in DC.” One that fit a lot of the men she’d met and worked both with and for in the two jobs she’d had since college, the first at a department store then the last one with Joe. But it didn’t fit Derrick.
He folded his arms in front of him. “Please refrain.”
“I’m stunned you’re taking my side. I thought you rich sit-behind-a-desk dudes stuck together.”
“And I’m ignoring that description.” He continued to watch her. “But the firing was not news to me.”
She wrapped her fingers around the edges of the armrests. The wood dug into her palms but she held on. “Technically, I was laid off.”
“Actually, you were marched out of the office building by security.”
She felt something inside her deflate. “Gossip really does run wild in this town.”
“There’s also rumor you kicked Joe during this argument?” There was no judgment in Derrick’s tone. If anything, he sounded amused by the thought.
“Right between the legs.” She sighed. “Yeah, that happened.”
“Well, there you go.”
“Excuse me?”
“Joe is said to enjoy the chase but he clearly doesn’t like a woman escalating it to the point of kicking his...”
She laughed. “You can say it.”
He smiled at her. Big and beautiful and warm. “Balls.”
The amusement died down, leaving behind one unanswered question. “You know about how Joe acts but...”
“What?”
“Are you friends?”
“Hell, no.” Derrick made a face that suggested he was appalled at the idea. “And since I hired four women in management positions away from his office years ago, before you were there, he’s not my biggest fan.”
“You did? I might need their names for my employment attorney. And maybe your testimony.”
He nodded. “No problem.”
Score one more for Derrick Jameson. He wasn’t anything like she expected...well, in some ways, yes. The bossy, intimidating, totally hot part—yes. The kind of sweet side that peeked through now and then? Nope. She had not been prepared for that at all.
“You almost sound likable.” More than almost, but that was enough to admit for now.
“Don’t start that rumor.” He gave her a conspiratorial wink. “Really, though, I’m surprised you lasted with him for more than a day. I can’t imagine you taking his nonsense for five seconds without lecturing him to death.”
“See, I think there was a compliment in there somewhere, so I’ll just say thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He dropped his arms and let his hands rest on his lap. “And I’m sorry I ignored your text.”
“I believe you.” But that left one big question. “So, who planted the gossip in the Insider? It sounds like someone wants to discredit me.”
“I don’t know but I’ll find out.”
An edge had moved into his tone. Usually that sort of thing touched off her guard and her defenses rose. But not this time. She knew the temper wasn’t directed at her. “Now you sound angry. Why?”
“Why?”
He sure did enjoy raising his voice. “It’s a simple question.”
“I don’t want anyone messing with you.”
“But this is...us...it’s fake.” She sputtered through the explanation.
“That doesn’t mean I want people to spread false rumors about you. How much of a jackass do you think I am?”
“That’s kind of sweet.”
He frowned at her. “What is?”
“The protective thing. Well, so long as you don’t go nuclear about it.” She felt obliged to add that caveat since he tended to do things in a big way. The last thing she needed was him following her around threatening people.
“Let’s say I know what it’s like to be on the wrong end of gossip.”
Her shoulders fell as some of the comfort that had seeped into her bones seeped right out again. “You’re talking about Noah.”
“I wasn’t.” Derrick stood, looming over her. “I don’t want to fight with you tonight, and talking about your brother is a guaranteed way to get you fired up.”
“What do you want?”
He inhaled deep enough to move his chest up and down. “This.”
Then he reached for her. Those strong hands wrapped around her arms and pulled her out of the chair. The move was smooth and gentle; she was on her feet before she even knew what was happening.
He stopped right before kissing her, so she took over. Slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him in closer. He clearly took that as a yes because he regained control from there.
His mouth slid over hers in an explosive kiss that had her pushing up on her tiptoes. Heat washed over her and her muscles went lax. The soft sounds of their kisses mixed with a low grumble at the back of his throat.
This wasn’t a test. This kiss lingered and heated. It seared through her, burned a trail right through the heart of her. Stole her breath and left her dizzy and more than a little achy.
When they finally broke apart, her brain had scrambled as her insides turned mushy. Seconds later, she still clung to him, half hanging off him. Those dark eyes searched her face, focused on her mouth, until she could barely breathe.
“Was that to make the engagement seem more real?” The question came out as a whisper. She regretted it a second later, sure that he would use it as an excuse to switch to the cool, in-control Derrick she’d met that first night.
He smiled at her. “Do you think there are cameras in here?”
“I meant were you trying to get me accustomed to kissing you.”
“I kissed you because I wanted to kiss you.” He skimmed his thumb over her lower lip. “For the record, fake engagement or not, I don’t want you to kiss me unless you want to.”
“We seem to be stepping into dangerous territory.”
“Agreed.” He pressed one last quick kiss on her mouth then stepped back. “Dinner?”
The sudden space between them had her emotionally flailing. She tried to act detached. Unaffected. “Okay, is that fo
r the fake engagement?”
“You’re going to make my head explode.”
“Very sexy.”
He cupped her cheek and his fingers slipped into her hair. “Yes, you are.”
The simple touch, so light, felt so good...and so scary.
This was fake. This was about saving Noah and restoring Derrick’s reputation. But still. “Derrick.”
“Just dinner. For anything else I’ll need a clear green light.” He dropped his hand again.
“Wait, do you—”
“Since talking tends to get us in trouble, let’s eat.” He slipped around to his side of his desk and opened the top drawer. Out came his wallet and keys.
“This feels unsettled.” Probably because she wanted to jump on top of him, wrap her legs around his waist and keep kissing him.
“That’s my reaction every second since I met you.” He headed toward the door, clearly expecting her to follow him.
She still was not a fan of the way he assumed she’d acquiesce like everyone else seemed to do for him. “Is that my shirt?”
“Well, it isn’t mine.” He took the hanger off the hook on the door and handed it to her. “Here you go.”
She decided to ignore the sarcastic part of his response. “I’ve been looking for it.”
“I had it cleaned.”
The bag crinkled in her fingers. “For me?”
“I don’t plan to wear it.”
It sounded like they were back to the clipped sentences and defensive tone. She wondered if he was going to slip into that mode every time they kissed. “Are you being grumpy because I caught you doing a nice thing?”
“Don’t get used to it.”
She wasn’t sure if he meant the grumpiness or the nice gesture. Right then, she didn’t care.
Seven
The DC Insider: What happens when a nice dinner turns into a near fistfight? We’re not sure, either, but we think we came close to witnessing such an event. Rumors have been swirling about Ellie Gold’s last job and her unceremonious firing, but Derrick Jameson set us straight. She’s the innocent party, he insists. We would have asked more questions but he was busy taking his lady home for the evening—his home.
Ellie Gold had him completely rattled. Just when Derrick thought he’d figured her out, she said something unexpected. He’d cleaned her shirt—a random, simple thing—and she’d cradled it in her hands as if it were an expensive diamond.
And that kiss.
Before that first one in her apartment about a week ago, he’d planned to keep things on a friendly, nonkissing level. But then his lips had met hers and his brain misfired. He hadn’t been able to speak or to think. All he’d wanted to do was to hold on and keep going. He told himself it was because Noah had stolen from him and he had to fix this, not because he cared, but even he was having trouble buying that.
He didn’t do overwhelmed. He didn’t believe in rainbows or stars or whatever people claimed to see when they experienced a great kiss. He certainly didn’t get all breathless and confused when a woman’s lips touched his. Not usually, anyway. But with Ellie his body and brain went into free fall.
And it wasn’t a onetime thing. The second kiss today nearly scrambled every bit of common sense he possessed. He had been two seconds away from pinning her to the wall and tunneling his hand up that slim skirt when he forced his body to pull back.
She messed him up. Took his balance and his control and ground them into nothing.
Now he watched her study the dinner menu. She even managed to make that look sexy. Her fingers slid along the edge. She lifted her chin as she scanned the page.
He was beginning to think he was losing it.
They sat at a small table near the window of a wildly popular French bistro near Logan Circle. It hadn’t been hard to get a last-minute reservation because Derrick had a financial interest in the place. A chance he took on a chef he knew with some of the money he’d stockpiled over the years and it worked out. It also meant there was always room for him. He had to assume the position of the table, out in the open, was the overeager manager’s way of capitalizing on his presence there tonight.
People noticed. Quite a few businessmen turned around when he entered the restaurant with Ellie on his arm. Some came over and said hello. One let his gaze linger a bit too long on Ellie’s chest for Derrick’s liking.
Bottom line—he didn’t like being on display. “I feel exposed.”
Ellie hummed as she continued to scan the food options. “You picked the game.”
“What does that mean?”
“I’m assuming you chose this place, one of the hardest restaurants to get a reservation at right now, to be seen.” She peeked at him over the top of the menu. “I’m not even going to ask how you got us in on such short notice. I’ll assume this is a case of you being ready at all times for a photo op.”
He reached over and lowered her menu so he could meet her eyes without anything getting in the way. “This is dinner, not a photo op.”
“That’s a first.”
“And I’m part owner of this place. The behind-the-scenes money guy.”
Her mouth opened a few times before she actually spat out any words. “Well, of course you are.”
“Sarcasm?”
“More like is there any part of this town you don’t own awe.” She folded her menu and set it on the space in front of her. “You seem to have an interest in everything.”
She was joking but he decided to give her a real answer. “For the record, I am a minority owner in the family business. My father has the largest stake, and likes to hold that over me. I’ve tried to branch out with some other investments so I’m prepared.”
She frowned. “For what?”
“His whims.”
And that’s exactly how Derrick saw it. His father played games. He liked to make his sons prove themselves over and over.
Derrick refused to be pushed aside or run off because he viewed the family business as his legacy. He’d worked there during college summers and all throughout business school. After that, he’d come on board full-time and worked his way up. Spent months in every department.
His father demanded perfection and when he didn’t get it he’d resort to public humiliation. So, Derrick learned quickly not to make any mistakes. Four years ago his father offered more responsibility and Derrick grabbed at the chance. He’d expanded the family’s commercial real estate and construction business and personal holdings.
Ellie watched him for a second then rested her hand on the table. “He’s difficult.”
“Understatement.” Derrick noticed she didn’t ask it as a question, so she must have heard at least some of the rumors about his notoriously demanding father. “He put me in charge of expansion, sure I’d fail. He questioned every decision, every strategy. Made it nearly impossible to move forward then yelled because we weren’t moving forward.”
He was going to say more but stopped. He never talked about family stuff with anyone except Jackson and his brothers. Battling for the business he dreamed of running since he was eighteen was a constant frustration for him. He thought he’d earned it, but no.
“But you eventually convinced him.” She leaned in. “You’re the big boss now. Right?”
“I’m in charge of the day-to-day operations, but there’s no guarantee it’s permanent. There are some...things I need to accomplish first.” Derrick pivoted off that subject before he divulged something he didn’t mean to divulge. “The only reason my father isn’t here, picking every move apart, is because he’s in love.”
Derrick heard the snide edge to his voice but didn’t bother trying to hide it. The idea of his father spending his days laughing and drinking after having spent so many years making his sons’ lives a constant competition, pitting them against each other and punishing them for any p
erceived failure, rubbed Derrick raw.
Ellie blinked. “Excuse me?”
“Wife number four.”
“Oh.” Ellie’s mouth dropped open. “Do we like her?”
“Thanks to Jackie, my father is testing out possible retirement far away on a beach in Tortola.” He laughed. “So, yes.”
“Your family is not dull.”
No kidding. “And since you commented on my businesses, you should know I have no financial interest in the gas station across the street. I wish I did because I think my tank is almost empty.”
“You’ll probably buy that next week.”
Since she sounded amused by his comments he played along, happy to move off a subject that kept him up at night worrying. Off the fear his father would show up and take it all away without warning. Derrick would survive, of course, but he wanted the family business and the family that went with it. “If I find some extra time at lunch to buy a multimillion-dollar venture, sure.”
“Ellie.”
Her smile disappeared as she looked up at their unwanted dinner guest. “Mr. Cantor.”
Joe Cantor, Ellie’s former boss, stood at the edge of the table. A guy known to have a wandering eye and a big mouth. He wasn’t half the businessman he thought he was. The only thing that saved him was a mix of old family money and a forgiving wife. As far as Derrick was concerned, the wife could do a lot better than Joe—a man still trying to live off his former reputation as a big-man-on-campus almost two decades later.
Joe glanced at Derrick then focused on Ellie again. “I’ve been reading about the two of you.”
Yeah, Derrick was done. “And I’ve been reading about you.”
Joe’s eyes narrowed. “What?”
“I thought you’d like to explain why Ellie was fired.” Derrick didn’t bother lowering his voice. He wanted people to know how little he thought about Joe’s fake dismissal story. “Right here. To my face. In front of her. Let her finally tell her side.”
Joe’s smirk didn’t waver. “Look, it’s over. You two are together now.”
“Clearly.” Before tonight Derrick didn’t think much of Joe. Now he thought even less. This intimidation tactic was a clear misstep. A smart guy wouldn’t have tried it.
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