by Leah Brooke
All amusement fled, his eyes sharpening. “You and I have been friends and partners for quite some time now. I trust you with my business. You run my damned security, so I trust you with my life on a daily basis.”
He stared back into his drink before looking up again. “I don’t trust easily, but I trust you. You’ve never given me a reason to think you would betray that trust.”
Steve didn’t know if he liked where this was going or not. “I won’t.”
“I know.” Nick sighed and set his glass on the table. “Which is why I also trust you with Julianna. I had more than a few bad moments thinking about this. I don’t share. Ever. I’m a possessive and selfish bastard and make no apologies for it, but the thought of a woman ruining our friendship doesn’t sit well, either.”
Nick’s brow went up. “But I could do it. For a woman like Julianna, I just might do it. But I saw the way you looked at her. She got to you the same way she got to me. She’s…different.”
Steve shrugged. “We don’t even have the same taste in women. I’m sure it was just because she was hurt and scared. Look, I can’t even believe we’re talking about this. I’ve never shared a woman and have no intention of ever sharing one.”
The thought of watching Nick touch Julianna made him furious and jealous as hell. “I think you’ve had too much to drink. We’ll just forget this conversation ever took place.”
Steve turned to walk away, coming up short when Nick grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around. Surprised that his friend’s usual cool sophistication had been replaced by the street-smart gambler lurking just beneath the surface, he froze.
In all the years he’d known Nick, he’d only seen this side of him once, and it hadn’t been pretty.
Nick got in his face and countered Steve’s evasive move with an ease that shocked him. “Listen, damn it, I’m not in the mood for your fucking games tonight. I’m being honest with you here, and I’d appreciate a little honesty in turn. It’s not fucking easy for me to talk about sharing a woman like Julianna, and I wouldn’t even consider it with anyone else. But you brush me aside once more and you’ll lose some of those teeth you’re so fond of.”
Steve shoved back, furious now, and more than a little unsettled. “What the fuck do you expect me to say? Sure, she got to me, but I don’t even know her. Neither do you. I don’t share women, and I’m not poaching on a friend’s territory.”
Nick nodded and turned away, swiping a hand through his hair. “Damn it, you’re pissing me off. Fuck it.” He stormed away, leaving Steve staring at his back as he left the room.
Turning, Steve sighed and made his way to his own room. Once he’d stripped off his clothes, he settled in bed, watching the play of moonlight on the far wall.
To his amazement, the image in his mind of a naked Julianna between him and Nick brought his cock to full alert.
He’d never in his life shared a woman and knew of Nick’s penchant for dominating a woman in the bedroom.
Steve liked it hot and wild, and wanted to stir a woman to passions she’d never before experienced. Nothing was forbidden, and he’d never been satisfied until his lovers let themselves go completely.
Nick’s words kept playing themselves over and over in his mind.
Share her? How could Nick talk about such a thing when neither of them even knew her?
There was something about her, though, something that had him wondering if she’d even agree.
Knowing it would be hours before he went to sleep tonight, he threw the sheet aside and padded across the room to the door and flung it open with the intention of getting her file and reading it again.
To his surprise, Nick sat in his black robe in the corner of the sofa, looking down at the file Steve was after.
Nick looked up when the door opened, his lips twitching as he gestured toward Steve’s erection. “I see you’re thinking about her, too.”
Steve had gotten over his shyness at being naked around other men when he joined the service. Dropping into a chair across from Nick, he sighed. “Your idea’s crazy. It would never work.”
Nick inclined his head and looked back down at the photograph in his hand. “You’re probably right.”
“Of course I’m right. It’s a crazy idea.”
“Of course it is.”
“She’d never go for it.”
“I’m sure you’re right.”
Steve jumped up and went to stand by the window, too restless to sit. “We don’t even know her.”
Nick tossed the picture of her onto the coffee table and stood. “And yet she’s got both of us tied in knots and fighting about her.”
Steve watched Nick walk back into his room. He waited until the door closed before moving slowly to the table to pick up the eight-by-ten picture of Julianna.
He didn’t know how long he stared down at the photo before placing it carefully back on the table. With a glance at Nick’s door, he turned and went back to his bedroom, resigned to another sleepless night thinking about all that Nick had said.
It was ridiculous to even contemplate something like that would work.
And yet…he couldn’t stop thinking about Julianna and the sadness in her blue eyes.
And wanting her—badly.
Chapter Three
At exactly nine o’clock the next morning, Julianna walked up to the front desk of the Crescendo, surreptitiously wiping her damp palms on her slacks. The hotel had been closed for several weeks now, and renovation work was well underway. She watched carefully as she made her way across the floor cluttered with tools and boxes. The last thing she wanted to do was fall on her ass crossing the lobby in one of her usual clumsy moves.
A glance in the dusty mirror near the front desk showed that no stray hairs had escaped from the usual tight twist she’d forced her thick hair into this morning. She’d added a splash of color to the dark gray suit with a deep periwinkle shirt and a scarf in the same purplish-blue swirled with teal and cream. Understated gold hoops on her ears and a watch Gabriel had given her last year for Christmas were her only jewelry. She’d taken time with her appearance and knew she looked good.
Now if only her stomach didn’t growl in the middle of her interview, she should make a good impression.
She’d been too nervous to eat this morning, instead drinking several cups of tea as she restlessly paced her apartment. She’d gotten up too early, unable to sleep any longer, and had already prepared everything the night before, so she’d had nothing else to occupy her thoughts.
Calm down, Julianna. You’ve pitched dozens of these before.
But none of them had ever been as important to her as this one. If she got this job, it would be her first big one since going out on her own.
And the credit for doing a good job would all be hers, instead of someone else stepping forward to accept the accolades. She could rent her own office space. She could hire help. She could buy a car that didn’t break down when she needed it most. She could—
“May I help you?”
Jolted out of her thoughts, Julianna smiled at the young man behind the counter. He couldn’t have been more than twenty-one or twenty-two, and dressed in jeans and a dusty T-shirt, he looked much younger.
The appreciation in his eyes, however, gave her a boost of confidence she really needed. Because of that, her smile warmed. “Hello. My name is Julianna Lovette, and I have an appointment. I’m supposed to meet Claire Stewart.”
The young man nodded respectfully, his flirtatious grin disappearing. “Oh! Yes, I’ll call her right away. She’s expecting you.”
Suddenly feeling every one of her forty years, Julianna smiled her thanks and wandered around the lobby, inwardly cringing at the décor. It looked almost like a hospital waiting room with its utilitarian furniture and odd color scheme. All of the furniture had been moved out and fresh drywall had been hung since she’d come here last month to take measurements.
Looking out the huge windows, she could see several men w
orking on the landscaping, pulling up dead bushes and tearing out the existing patio. Circling the room, she mentally pictured the lobby with each of her designs, until she settled on one. Yes, it would be perfect, especially with all of the plants she wanted by the windows. Of course, the final decision would be made by the owners.
“Miss Lovette?”
Julianna spun to see a woman approach, offering her hand, her high heels clicking on the tile floor. With pale skin, short, sleek black hair, and wearing a red power suit, Claire looked every inch a professional businesswoman. Having already heard how exacting and demanding the owners could be, Julianna expected nothing less.
Claire smiled, glancing over Julianna’s shoulder. “Hello. I’m Claire Stewart. We can go right up. I thought—Oh, this must be Mr. Phillips now.”
Julianna turned with a sense of impending doom to see Ken Phillips walking toward them.
Damn it.
Ken must be in the running for this, too. Of course he would be, but why were they here at the same time?
Consoled by the look of surprise and anger that crossed his features, she pasted a smile on her face. He didn’t recover as quickly, which cheered her immensely. Purposely turning away, she looked back out the window as he greeted the other woman.
His too jovial and informal tone made Julianna cringe.
“Hello, Miss Stewart. May I call you Claire? Wow, you look incredible. Red is definitely your color.” As always, he lacked professionalism, using his charm to hide his inadequacies.
Julianna turned back in time to see Claire color, her smile warming.
Placing a hand over her chest, Claire toyed with her necklace. “Hello, Mr. Phillips. I’ve heard great things about your firm.”
Ken took her hand in his and lifted it to his lips. “You’re even lovelier than you sounded on the phone. Please make my day and tell me you’re free for dinner tonight.”
Claire turned even redder, making Julianna want to throw up.
“Please follow me.”
Julianna avoided looking at Ken as they both followed Claire through the lobby and down a hallway.
Claire waved a hand at an office on the right. “This is my office. Whoever the designer is will have an office close to mine.” She fluttered her lashes, her professionalism melting under Ken’s fake charm.
Ken leered. “Hmm, that might be interesting.”
The owners went down a notch in her estimation, obviously not as good at judging character as she’d assumed.
Julianna rolled her eyes, keeping as much distance as she could between herself and Ken.
He’d worn his designer cologne but, as usual, smelled as though he’d bathed in it. Ever since working for him, she’d become sensitive to cologne, probably because he’d overwhelmed her with it on a daily basis.
Following Claire as she continued down the hallway, she glared at Ken, who smiled and winked at her. Mouthing “pig”, she turned away, staring straight ahead as they continued to the office at the end.
Claire stopped and opened the door, gesturing them inside, her smile meant for Ken alone. “If you two will wait in here, Mr. Morietti and Mr. Vanguard will be with you shortly.”
Julianna’s hands tightened on her leather carryall and cringed at being left alone with Ken. It was the first time she’d seen him since she’d told him to go fuck himself and stormed out of his office. Looking away, she decided to pass the time studying the room while they waited.
The office they’d been led to had definitely seen better days. The paint had faded in places, obvious by the large dark rectangle on the wall where a picture had apparently hung. The worn carpet had become threadbare in places and was stained.
It had been cleaned, though, the scent of pine still in the air, mingling with the scent of the fresh flowers which stood in a crystal vase on a nearby table.
Ken scanned the room and grimaced. “My office will be the first thing redone.” He dropped his briefcase onto the large, obviously new desk and went to stand at the window. “So I hear you’re having a little trouble finding a job.”
Julianna placed her bag in the chair, crossing her arms in front of her. Slightly taller than Ken even in her flat shoes, she remained on her feet, not wanting to give up her advantage by sitting down. “And yet here we are, competing for the same one.”
Ken turned back from the window, anger tightening his features until he quickly masked it. “We both know that Avante’s is going to get this job. If you’re very nice to me, I might even be persuaded to give you your old job back and put you in charge of the design team.”
Julianna wanted to smack that superior look off his face. Lifting a brow, she kept her tone cold. “Why? So you can tell your uncle that you did my work? Or so you can chase me around the office, threatening to fire me if I don’t give you a blowjob? Or maybe once I say yes, you’ll put your inept girlfriend in charge and give me all the blame for her mistakes? Sorry, I’ll have to pass on that one.”
Ken moved closer, still smiling in a way that gave her the creeps. “Honey, come back to Avante’s. You know Tracy means nothing to me. I only hired her to make you jealous and make you see that we would make a great couple. I could deal with my uncle, and you could do all the designs. We’d be unbeatable.” He reached out, smiling.
Julianna took a step back to avoid his touch. “Don’t call me honey, and if you touch me, you’ll regret it.”
Ken dropped his hand, his eyes hardening. “You know you don’t mean that. You need me. You know you’re never going to get work without a reference. That is, unless you want to work in a coffee shop like your friend Kelsey.”
Julianna didn’t bother to hide her disgust or her anger. “There’s not a damned thing wrong with working in a coffee shop. It’s a hell of a lot better than working for someone like you. And for your information, asshole, she owns it.”
Where the hell were the owners?
Cursing the fact that she couldn’t afford to walk out and leave this job to Ken, she forced her temper back and adopted a bland look. If either of the owners walked in to see her punch Ken, it might not make such a good first impression.
“You need a man like me, Julie.”
She snorted inelegantly. “Ken, being a man is something you know nothing about.” She hid a smile when she saw the spark in his eyes that told her that Ken’s temper had snapped.
He stepped forward and reached for her, catching her off guard because she never thought he’d come at her here. Gripping her arm, he yanked her against his chest. “Listen, bitch.”
Julianna slapped her hands on his chest to push him back just as the door opened. The sight of the two men standing just inside the door made her forget all about Ken. Shocked, she could only stare at them in horror and could feel the blood drain from her face.
Stunned, she stared, openmouthed, at Nick and Steve’s furious expressions. Dressed impeccably in dark suits, they looked every bit as gorgeous and intimidating as they had in her apartment a little over a week ago.
Both looked directly at her as they came into the room, barely glancing at Ken. Everything hit her all at once.
Nick and Steve.
Nicholas Morietti and Steven Vanguard.
Owners of the Crescendo.
Hell.
She certainly never would have connected the names of the men who’d found her in such a bad state in her apartment parking lot, who’d bandaged her knees and asked Gabriel about her, with the owners of the hotel she’d bid on decorating.
Even the limo hadn’t given her a clue.
Oh, God. She felt her face burn when she remembered they’d even threatened to strip her and bathe her themselves.
So much for making a good first impression. After that episode over a week ago, they would see her as vulnerable and unable to handle herself.
How ironic.
With a sinking heart, she knew that she’d already lost. They’d never hire her now.
Mortified, she looked away and reached for her ba
g, searching for something to say and a way to escape while attempting to keep her dignity intact. Before she could utter a sound, Nick approached, gripped Ken’s arm, and pulled it forcefully away from her. Her head snapped up, having forgotten all about Ken’s hold. Damn it, if she’d remembered, she could have broken it herself and not appeared so helpless in front of them.
Nick’s eyes, so warm the night she’d met him, now glittered like ice as they met Ken’s. “Lay a hand on her again and I’ll break it.” His matter-of-fact tone made the threat sound even more ominous. He turned to her as though nothing had happened, placing his big body between her and Ken, and smiling warmly. “Julianna Lovette, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve heard nothing but good things about you and your designs. I understand you’re the one who put Avante’s on the map.” His hand enveloped hers, sending little sizzles of awareness up her arm—sizzles that seemed to race to her nipples, causing them to tighten.
Her abdomen tightened in response to the jolt of need to her slit, and her breathing quickened as her clit seemed to swell.
Thankful but wary of the fact that he didn’t let on that he knew her in front of Ken, she stared up at him, sure now that she had no chance of being hired, but not quite sure what he wanted from her.
Alarmed at the inconvenient need that raced through her, she clenched her thighs together and struggled to make her brain work again.
The knowing smile on his face as he glanced to where her nipples poked at the front of her blouse confirmed that not only did he know exactly how his touch affected her, he’d been expecting it.
To respond to him this way, and from just an innocent touch, was such a cruel trick of fate she wanted to cry.
Most of her life she’d been considered tough and not at all feminine. To respond now, with a man she’d either work for or never see again, made her want to break down in tears.
Used to hiding beneath a cool look and polite smile, she struggled to reinforce her defenses now, her desire too close to the surface for her to adopt the look as easily as she usually could.