At Your Service

by A. C. Arthur

  Lifting his gaze from his phone, Major found both his brothers staring at him. “Yes. I’ll be there in ten minutes. Just have to rearrange my schedule a bit.”

  Landra, his assistant, had had to postpone the meeting with the agent and actresses Major was scheduled to meet with this afternoon so that he could attend yet another meeting with the marketing department to talk about the very reason he needed to hire an actress in the first place.

  His brothers headed out of the conference room along with Jenner and Ken, leaving Major alone with Nina Fuller and that very tight skirt, which continued to make his mouth water.

  CHAPTER TWO

  HE WAS STARING at her and she liked it.

  The warmth that had thankfully moved from her cheeks had spread down her neck and pooled in her breasts so that they now felt full. With every move she’d made during the presentation she’d felt his gaze on her and had reveled in it. Feeling attractive and wanted wasn’t the norm for Nina and she’d forgotten how much she enjoyed it.

  Now, she would enjoy him offering her a contract much more, but since she’d likely have to wait a couple days or possibly weeks for that answer, she was content with just feeling sexy beneath his intent gaze.

  “Your bio says you’re from York, Pennsylvania. Did you move to New York when you started this business?”

  He’d shaved his beard, that’s why she hadn’t immediately recognized him in the hallway before the meeting. But she was certain she was never going to forget his voice. Not the way the rich, deep timbre eased over her skin like a massage, or the spurt of awareness it brought to every part of her body each time she heard it.

  “No. I still live in York,” she replied as she gathered the last of her documents and slid them into her portfolio.

  Out of the corner of her eye she could see that he’d moved from the end of the table to stand closer to her, but she kept her gaze averted. Instead she zipped the case and picked her purse up from the chair then placed it on the table beside her portfolio. At that point there was nothing stopping her from looking at him and she sucked in a breath before turning to face him.

  “But I can commute when necessary. However, one of the great things about this app is that it’s a mobile function. Once my system has been integrated with RGF’s, we’ll be all set and I won’t have to request any more meetings that will clog up your busy schedule.”

  He held his phone in one hand and the black-leather padfolio under his arm. She hadn’t seen either of those things when she’d collided with him in the hallway. Then again, she hadn’t been looking for them. Nor had she been planning to feel the guy up. Considering who he was in the company, she wondered if she should apologize for that now.

  “I would gladly make time in my schedule for you,” he said.

  The easy tilt of his mouth into a smile came with a punch of desire that Nina was certain she’d never felt before. Not that she was a prude or inexperienced where men were concerned, it was just that none had ever affected her the way this one did.

  But she wasn’t going to let that distract her. “That’s nice to hear. Do you have any other questions about the app?”

  “I do, but unfortunately I have another meeting to get to. Are you heading back to York right away?”

  “No. I’m actually going to stay and enjoy the city tonight. My train leaves tomorrow morning at eleven.” She gave the specific time just in case he wanted to schedule a follow-up meeting sooner rather than later.

  He was nodding slowly as he kept staring at her with those warm disrupting eyes. But she wasn’t supposed to be looking at this man’s eyes and thinking that way. She could, however, admire the fit of the black suit he wore and the purple tie that added a splash of color and highlighted his tawny-hued skin.

  “That’s great. I’ve gotta head out, but I definitely want to speak with you again. Do you have a business card with your contact information?”

  That request came with him taking a step closer to her. Instinct told her to step back, to keep a safe, professional distance between them. But hell, she’d already somewhat fondled him earlier, what harm could it do to have him up close and personal again? Besides, she loved the way he smelled. That cologne had to be an expensive designer fragrance. Possibly even European. It was a heady, spicy scent mixed with something rugged and yet unique. It made her think of cold winter nights cuddled in front of a roaring fire.

  But back to business. “Yes. All of my contact information is on the packet I passed out, but I do have cards.”

  She pulled her purse open and reached inside for the sky blue card case her father had given her last Christmas. She removed one embossed ivory-colored card, handed it to him and wasn’t at all surprised when he touched more of her hand than was necessary to retrieve it. There was definitely some flirtation going on here in what should have been a simple business meeting. Maybe he thought she was easy considering what had happened in the hallway. But that had been an accident—surely he recognized that. And the question still remained: Why had he been aroused while walking down a hallway? Who had he been thinking of?

  “I’ll call you,” he said in that delicious tone that this time had her thighs trembling.

  How bad would it be if he tossed her on this table and she opened her legs to him in invitation?

  Very, very bad.

  “I’ll answer,” she replied before snapping her lips closed because maybe that sounded a bit too coy.

  But there was no lie in the two words. If Major Gold called her phone, Nina was definitely going to answer on the first ring and there was absolutely no shame in that. After all, this was her career she was talking about.

  “Good,” he said with another nod.

  His hand was still on hers. Nina knew the connection was lasting too long and she thought about letting it linger until it wore itself out or led to them climbing up on that conference table. But she had to be professional. If she were misreading his signals—even though she was certain she wasn’t—she still needed to play this like the only thing either of them was considering was this business deal.

  She eased her hand from his grasp. “I hope you make it to your meeting on time,” she said, turning to pick up her things.

  She was heading toward the door when he fell into step beside her. “I’ll walk you to the elevator.”

  “Thanks, but I think I can find it.” This time. She left that part out and continued walking, knowing that once again, he was staring at her ass.

  This really was a totally different feeling for Nina. Back in York there’d been no suave and debonair businessman who could make her feel desired and wanted—on a business and a personal front. Not that she’d craved this type of attention; relationships weren’t on her radar because they could abruptly leave a trail of pain that lingered. No, she was just fine focusing on work and her family. But, as strange as these new physical reactions were, they were exhilarating, too.

  “How do you plan to enjoy the city?” he asked when they stood in front of a bank of elevators. “Catch a Broadway play? Visit the museums? Go shopping?”

  “I actually don’t have a plan, but all of your suggestions sound fun. It’s almost five now, so I don’t have much time, but once I get to the hotel I’ll figure it out.”

  “Which hotel are you staying at?”

  “The Hilton Midtown.” She was giving him a ton of information that at any other time may have been considered unsafe. There was no explanation for why she didn’t think that was the case now.

  “Not too far from here,” he said with another nod.

  What was he thinking?

  He’d tucked her business card into his inside jacket pocket and still stood abnormally close to her for someone she’d just met.

  The elevator dinged and the door opened. Nina stepped into the car and leaned to the side to push the lobby button. She gave him another smile before sa
ying, “Thanks again for your time. I hope to hear from you soon about the project.”

  His response was a broader smile. “Oh, you’ll definitely be hearing from me very soon.”

  * * *

  “You want to do what?”

  Major ignored the shock lacing RJ’s tone and stared directly at Desta Henner, the marketing director who was working closely with Maurice, the company’s public relations manager, and his team. Desta stared back at Major with expressive dark brown eyes, arms crossed and resting on her desk.

  “Let me get this straight. You’re suggesting we bring this woman, whom we haven’t decided to do other business with, into a meeting regarding a secret marketing strategy and use her as your fake fiancée?” Desta raised a perfectly arched brow in what was known as her signature questioning glare.

  Major had seen that look many times before in the five years Desta had worked for RGF. He pushed on regardless.

  “She’s perfect,” he said, feeling those words take on a very different meaning inside his head than what he’d meant to convey to everyone seated in the room. He cleared his throat. “A fresh face. She’s not a model, which was your idea. And neither is she an actress, my first idea. Instead, she’s a woman from York, Pennsylvania, that no one in the fashion industry has ever seen before. That makes her just like every other woman in the world, precisely who the Golden Bride Collection was created for. A career-focused woman earning a paycheck she hopes can cover the amount of her dream wedding gown.”

  “And she’s never been seen with Major before,” Maurice chimed in.

  Major shot a quick look in his brother’s direction but held back the “Thanks for your support.”

  Desta immediately glanced in Maurice’s direction, as well. “Pot calling the kettle...” she quipped with a half grin. “But I think I see where you’re going with this. If we’re going to have Major plan a fake wedding so we can generate buzz and promote the Golden Bride Collection, using a fresh face as his fake fiancée does make sense.”

  “What he’s not saying is that she’s created an app she wants us to sign a contract to work with,” RJ said.

  Major had thought about that on the elevator ride up to Desta’s office. The immediate physical draw he’d felt toward Nina still puzzled him. As a thirty-three-year-old man with a sizable bank account and high visibility in the fashion industry, Major had been on his share of dates and had had a number of lovers. None of them had ever hit him like a bulldozer the second they’d bent over in a tight skirt. But what had really impressed him about the woman was the way she’d confidently stood in that conference room and made a slam dunk presentation just minutes after touching his hard dick.

  Desta sat back in her chair, rubbing a finger over her chin. “You want to make a bargain with her that concerns her app and this marketing plan, don’t you?”

  Major slipped both hands into the front pockets of his slacks and smiled. “If she pretends to be my fiancée for six weeks, we’ll use her app, exclusively, for six weeks.”

  RJ shook his head. “You’re crazy. That woman’s looking for a much longer connection to RGF than six weeks and she didn’t look at all interested in anything else, let alone hanging around you for the next month and a half.”

  “I don’t know, RJ,” Desta said. She kept her gaze on Major, that smile she’d given Maurice just a few minutes ago now aimed at him. “He is the Fashion House Playboy.”

  “A completely bogus title that I wish we’d all stop referring to around here,” he added, exasperation clear in his tone. The press had given him that name when they took the three dates he’d had in succession with three different models in the span of three nights as a sign that he was actually sleeping with each of those women.

  If ever a label were unwarranted, it was that one.

  “We took the Fashion House Playboy course the press has been on into consideration when talks about a campaign to heighten sales for Golden Bride began. Right now, a lot of fashion media is focused on you and who you’ll date next, so we’ll build on that momentum with the announcement of your engagement,” Desta said.

  Major folded his arms across his chest as he stood there staring at the people in the room. He spent more time with them than any woman, but nobody reported that to the tabloids.

  “I wasn’t the only option,” he countered.

  Desta shook her head. “To be fair, no, we considered RJ, but you know—” she nodded in RJ’s direction “—he’s RJ. He only talks about the company to the press and nobody’s ever seen him on a date. I think he must sneak women into the basement of his brownstone.”

  “It’s called being discreet. Nobody’s entitled to the details of my private life but me. A very simple concept that people should learn to accept,” RJ said in his very cordial but no-nonsense tone.

  Desta shrugged his comment off. “And Maurice is with so many women all the time that making it believable that he’s settling down was going to be an uphill battle.”

  “But it’s more believable that ten seconds after I’m given the silly name of Fashion House Playboy, I’d mysteriously pop up married?” He’d entertained all these questions before and the outcome hadn’t changed.

  “Look,” Desta said, lifting that brow. “You guys flat-out told me not to approach Riley with this plan even though she’s dating a guy from RGF’s rival fashion house. But I definitely understand you’re her big brothers and you wanted to protect Riley from any more tabloid assaults. She’s definitely had more than her share. But that just put the three of you on the hot seat, and Major, honey, as I said, your current media attention will work so well with this fake fiancée plan.”

  Actually, he’d acquiesced without putting up too much of a fight because now was not the time to ruffle feathers in his family. He already had a bombshell he was waiting to drop when he announced he was leaving the company. If agreeing to this marketing plan was going to keep things chill until he was ready to go public with his solo business venture, Brand Integrated Technologies, then so be it. He could endure for six weeks.

  He nodded. “I’m fine with that. But this is the woman I want for the job of my fake fiancée.” Each time he said those words he felt ridiculous.

  “I just don’t know about that,” RJ said.

  Desta stared at Major, considering everything he’d said. Plans were already rolling around in her head. That’s how she worked. Silent thinking and then, poof! great marketing idea, which is why she’d risen to the top of the department in such a short time.

  “I say go for it,” Maurice added. “If she says no, there’s nobody better to convince her than Major with his brash good looks and unexpected heart.”

  The last was their family secret. Major was nothing like the press portrayed; his twin was the flamboyant lover of the Gold men. Major was the quiet computer geek.

  “Do it,” Desta said. “Get her to say yes by noon tomorrow and we can add your engagement announcement to the lineup at our annual Summer Sip ’n’ Chat tomorrow evening,” she told him. “Let me know when the agreement is made and I’ll take care of everything else.”

  He resisted the urge to do a fist pump as he immediately turned and headed for the door. The sobering voice that resembled their father’s stopped him.

  “Get the agreement in writing. And this app better work to our advantage,” RJ said.

  Major looked over his shoulder at his older brother. “No worries, bro. I’ve got this.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  MAJOR GOLD LOOKED worried that Nina’s answer would be a resounding no. As he damn well should have been. What an arrogant thought to assume she’d fall over herself in a hurry to be his fake fiancée for six weeks in exchange for the biggest career break she’d ever imagined. Just who the hell did he think he was?

  “Have a seat. I need to hear more details about this proposed arrangement,” she said.

  He�
�d showed up at her hotel room half an hour after she’d returned from seeing Ain’t Too Proud on Broadway. She’d invited him in, anxious to hear what he had to say and if it involved a contract with RGF. She’d changed into black skinny jeans and a red camisole. The ballet flats she’d worn to the theater were still on her feet and the high ponytail she’d pulled her hair into was still intact. Now he was standing—well, he’d just hiked his slacks up a bit before taking a seat on the couch—looking even sexier than he had when she’d bumped into him at his building.

  “I’m offering you a six-week contract to work exclusively with RGF. Think of it as sort of a test run for a possibly longer contract. Our marketing team will get started on a formal announcement to let our current customers know we’re adding a new feature to their shopping experience. You’ll be in touch with members of my tech team on linking At Your Service to our online store. After customers make a purchase, they’ll be immediately routed to your app to open an account and get started with accessorizing their outfit. Win-win for both of us.”

  She didn’t have to force herself to keep her gaze trained on him. Major Gold was a lovely man to look at. Six feet two and a half inches of lean muscle and gorgeous man. The light mustache accentuated the medium thickness of his lips. Dark low-cropped hair gave his tawny skin a bronze glow, while the Italian suit he wore fit every inch of his well-toned body to perfection. And he still smelled good at almost ten-thirty at night.

  Nina cleared her throat. “First, regarding exclusivity. I already have contracts with two designers. They’re small and in no way competition to RGF.”

  His hands looked strong, thick veins roped across the backs as they rested on his thighs. “We can probably work with that as long as you don’t sign any other clients for the six-week term.”

  “Second. You also said something along the lines of me pretending to be your fiancée for six weeks. That’s the part I’m not sold on, Mr. Gold—”

  Actually, that was the part that confused the hell out of her.