by Anna Durand
Rika climbs onto my lap again, her hands resting on my thighs. "About these incredibly stupid women you've been with..."
"They weren't stupid. I failed to live up to their expectations, and that's my fault."
"Bullshit." She shakes her head. "After what we just did, how can you still believe you suck at sex? Those brain-dead twerps are obnoxious, rude, and completely wrong for you."
Nothing with Rika feels wrong, despite the fact I keep insisting we're not really dating. Our fake relationship feels more real than anything I've had with other women, even the ones who didn't tell me I'm not as exciting as a sex toy.
"Maybe you're right," I say, "but I can't get over being uptight because we had one fantastic shag."
"No, it'll take lots and lots of shags." She clasps my hands to her breasts. "You need to do me several more times. And we should order a big dinner with dessert, because we are going to be burning some serious calories."
This woman wants me---again and again and again.
And fuck, I want her too. All day, all night, for the rest of the week, the month, the year.
Can we have sex nonstop for an entire year? If we take the occasional break to eat...who knows?
Rika grins.
"What's so funny?" I ask.
"It's not funny. It's a miracle." She cradles my face in her palms. "You're smiling, Dane."
"Am I?" I touch the corners of my mouth like I'm checking for a smile. "Look at that. I am smiling. Let's order champagne to toast the occasion."
Her grin gets even wider and brighter. "I knew you had a sense of humor underneath that uptight shell."
"You knew because my brothers told you."
"No, I knew because I saw through that shell."
Her words send a chill through me. She saw through me? For a moment, the idea makes me uneasy---until I realize it's not a bad thing. Rika is getting to know me. Maybe she understood me, at least a little bit, from the start. No other woman bothered to do that.
The chill gives way to a gentle warmth as I look into her eyes and tell her something I thought I'd never admit to anyone. "I don't have a problem getting dates, but everything after that point has always been...troublesome."
"In what way?"
"Women are usually disappointed in me, either because being a mechanical engineer is too boring for them or because I'm not as exciting as the devices I design."
She slides off my lap to sit beside me, her head on my chest.
I hold her close and tell her the rest. "Women don't want to hear about mechanical engineering. But what else can I talk about? It's my job, my life. If I don't say anything about that, all I have left to talk about is my family. Women don't like to hear me banging on about that either. Over the last couple of years, since my company became somewhat successful, women only want to talk about my devices."
"And then these moronic women decide they like your toys but not you."
"Yes. The problem will only get worse once the company re-launches as a branch of Bonsoir."
"Why do you think it will get worse?"
I sit forward, my elbows on my knees, while I remember the past six months. "It's already gotten worse. Every woman I've tried to date since I signed the Bonsoir contract only wants my sex toys, not me. I can't have a real relationship."
"Of course you can."
"You don't understand---"
"I get that you're convinced it's true, but that's a big old armful of hooey." She scoots forward to sit beside me, laying her head on my shoulder. "You already have a real relationship."
"Have you not been paying attention? The only woman I've been with is you, and that's all for show."
"Yeah, I know." She straightens and clears her throat. "Our relationship is not fake. Maybe we both convinced ourselves it was, but it's not. I am your girlfriend, Dane. For real."
I glance at her, unable to form any words in response. My girlfriend? Rika? I've kept telling her it's fake, that I don't have time for more, that this is strictly for publicity. Except I haven't taken her out in public more than twice. I've treated her like an employee, not a lover. Haven't I?
We had a romantic dinner at a posh restaurant. We gave each other mind-blowing climaxes in my office. I've kissed her, even when no one else was there to see it. I got jealous when a waiter spoke to her in French and when Eddie Masters put his hands on her. We hardly know each other, but maybe...
Maybe I do want more with her. More than a farce. Maybe I want her, full stop---as my lover and my girlfriend.
"I want to have a genuine relationship with you, Rika," I hear myself saying. "But I couldn't stand it if one day you tell me I'm not as exciting as my sex toys."
She slides off the sofa to kneel on the floor between my legs. "I would never say that. First of all, I haven't used any of your toys. Second, there is no way on earth any mechanical device could do better than you. The way you made me come, on this sofa and in your office, those were the best sexual experiences I've ever had." She taps her finger on my chest. "And you did that, not your devices."
"Yes, but---"
"No, Dane. You do not get to downplay what we've done together. It's real." She takes my face in her hands again. "I want you, not your devices. To prove I mean that, I'm ordering you to fuck me repeatedly until you believe it."
I laugh, and I can't remember the last time I did that. "You're ordering me to fuck you? Again? I can honestly say that has never happened to me once before today, much less twice." I smirk when I add, "Well, Reese did tell me the cure for my problems is to have you shag my brains out."
"Reese is a smart man." She unfurls her voluptuous body, which places her groin directly in front of my face, and offers me her hand. "Come on, let's get naughty everywhere in this suite. It's got, like, a hundred rooms. By the time we're done, you won't worry about which I prefer---you or your devices. You'll know the answer for sure."
"The answer will be me."
"You got it."
I stand up and look straight into her eyes. "You are my girlfriend, Rika. There's nothing fake about us."
She smiles and kisses me. "I knew that already, but I'm glad you said it."
And I let her lead me off to another room, then another, and another. We do everything two people can do together with only their bodies and various pieces of furniture. Rika and I don't need toys. She's the most inventive woman I've ever been with, and I discover I can be awfully inventive too when I have her body as my inspiration.
And yes, Rika shags my brains out.
It feels bloody incredible.
Chapter Fifteen
Rika
I spend the next several weeks watching Dane Dixon open up and bloom like a big, sexy flower. Maybe that's not the best metaphor, but the facts are irrefutable. Dane still gets stressed out sometimes, but he lets himself relax and enjoy life too. Every time we go out on a date, he smiles and tells jokes that make us both laugh.
Sure, we're doing this for publicity. And yeah, the occasional photo of us shows up on social media or in the society section of a newspaper. When someone on social media names him The Dirty Dixon, my boyfriend seems uncomfortable with the title, but he quickly decides to roll with it. Chance and Reese get mentions too, but only as The Dirty Dixon's brothers. Their names are rarely mentioned.
Dane and I might have told each other in words that we're a real couple now, but our actions speak everything we don't say about the depth of our feelings for each other. We hold hands in public and in private, like in the elevator that takes us up to his suite. And my uptight Brit now loves to make out with me in all three of the suite's elevators. He shocks me, however, when he seduces me in one of them. It's so hot and fun that I beg him to do that every time we go to his hotel.
And he always gives me what I want.
We haven't used his toys yet, not even as foreplay. I insist we don't, though he keeps suggesting we should, because I'm not sure if he's over his fear o
f me liking his devices better than I like his body. Maybe in another week, we can play with his toys.
About ten days after we first had sex, Dane and I are in his office taking a coffee break. Yes, Dane takes breaks now. But for us, a "coffee break" means I sit on his lap in his chair and we kiss. A lot. Dane also loves to tickle me in places where I had no idea I was ticklish, like behind my left ear and in the centers of both palms. He's blowing a raspberry against my throat, making loud giggles burst out of me, when Celeste Arnaud marches into the office.
Well, we had left the door open. Noah has gotten used to our antics, and Dane even tells jokes that make Noah laugh.
Celeste stops on the other side of the desk, plants a hand on her hip, and raises her brows at us. Her lips kick up in a self-satisfied smile.
Dane peels his lips away from my throat but keeps his arms around my waist so I can't get off his lap. Not that I want to.
"Good afternoon, Celeste," he says, sounding so cheerful that it seems to knock her off kilter for a second or two, based on the way her mouth falls open a touch. "What can we do for you today?"
Her surprise melts into a delighted little smile. "I knew you two would hit it off. Am I a matchmaker or what?"
"What are you talking about? Rika and I found each other on our own."
"But I hired her to be your personal assistant. I knew she'd be an excellent match for you professionally, and I hoped she might turn out to be your perfect match in love too."
Dane's expression goes blank as he stares at Celeste. After a moment, he grins. "You do have great taste, in everything. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you picked the right woman for me even if you didn't set out to do that."
"A happy accident." Celeste winks. "Or was it?"
Did she seriously hire me because she thought Dane and I would make a good couple? No, even Celeste isn't that sneaky. We do have to give her credit, though, for bringing us into each other's lives.
Celeste sits down across the desk from us. "I'm glad to see you happy, Dane, but you need to prepare yourself for what's coming. The buildup to the re-launch kicks into high gear next week. That means public appearances---and I don't mean just having dinner with Rika at a fancy restaurant."
Dane groans and slumps in his chair, with me still on his lap.
At least Celeste and Reese took Dane's face off the packaging and changed the brand name so it no longer says "Dane's Delights" on the boxes. But I know Dane is not looking forward to press conferences or whatever it is Celeste and her marketing team have in mind.
"What do you want me to do?" Dane asks, sounding like he's about to be arrested instead of about to become filthy rich.
Celeste vowed she'd make him a billionaire, but twice he told me he's not sure he wants that.
"Haven't you checked your email?" Celeste asks. "Reese sent you an itinerary half an hour ago."
"Oh, I, uh---" Dane squirms like he's trying to sit up straighter, but my body is holding him down. "I've been...distracted."
Celeste glances at me. "I can see that."
Dane reaches around me to bring up his emails on the computer on his desk. He seems to be trying to print the one from Reese, but once again, the fact I'm on his lap is complicating the task.
I shoo his hand away from the keyboard. "Let me do that."
A few clicks later, the printer spits out the itinerary. I lean way over to grab the sheet out of the printer, then I hand it to him and loop my arms around his neck. Sure, this has become a business meeting, but I know Dane wants me to stay right where I am. He loves cuddling, especially when he's about to get news he won't like. I didn't mean to peek at the itinerary, but it was kind of inevitable. What? I had to look so I could make sure I printed out the right email.
Dane scans the list of events. He groans and shuts his eyes. "A fashion show? Why do I have to go to one of those? It's not like the models will be demonstrating my devices." His eyes fly wide. "Please tell me you're not having them do that."
Celeste laughs in her usual boisterous way. "Dane darling, you are so charmingly suspicious. No, your devices will not be featured at the fashion show. You will attend, with Rika, to show how hip and stylish you are." She eyes him with her analytical gaze. "I'd better send you over to Armani to get a decent suit. You can't show up to a fashion show wearing a suit from a discount store."
He glances down at his suit. "What's wrong this one? I got it at Marks & Spencer."
"Which is a department store in the UK." Celeste clucks her tongue while shaking her head. "Honestly, my dear, you need to dress that gorgeous body in the proper clothing. Rika will help you choose a suit. Won't you, darling?"
"Uh, sure," I say. I know nothing about designer duds, but what the heck, I'll give it a try. I think Dane looks hot in anything, so I may not be much help. In my opinion, though, he looks best in nothing at all.
We chat with Celeste for a few minutes, then she goes back to her office and Dane lets me drive the sports car he rented so I can get back to Eddie's house faster than the train can get me there. Eddie doesn't mind if I take a very long lunch once a week so I can hang out with Dane more. I make up the lost time by doing website maintenance for him on Saturday, from home. Eddie is one of the nicest people I've ever met, but Dane is my favorite person on earth.
Every weekend, we do something fun---like going to the zoo, which was Arden's suggestion, or visiting Chance and Elena in New Hampshire. Dane likes to sleep over at my apartment several times a week, and I think it's because he's used to a homey place instead of a luxury hotel suite. He grew up in a small town, after all. I'm from Chicago, but even I find that suite kind of off-putting. I mean, it's gorgeous and amazing, but it's not a home.
Our trip to the Armani store results in Dane buying three new suits and a tux. I buy a few dresses too. We both wince at the price tags---discreetly, so we won't offend the store employees---but Celeste insisted we should both have designer threads. She's paying for all of it, so we can't say no.
I have to admit Dane looks extra super yummy in an Armani suit. Am I drooling when I ogle him in that suit? Maybe. Who cares? My boyfriend is hot, hot, hot.
We survive the fashion show. I enjoy it, but Dane tolerates it. We get our picture taken by various members of the press, and the next day, we see ourselves in those ultra-chic clothes in various newspapers and magazines, plus some websites. More events follow, including a charity fundraising ball and a photo op at a store that's going to sell Dane's devices. It's a dizzying whirlwind of appearances that leaves us both exhausted.
One night, in Dane's opulent hotel suite, we reach another milestone. We've just made love, and the afterglow is pure bliss.
He turns onto his side and pulls me snug against him, our noses bumping. "I love you, Rika."
"I love you too, Dane."
A glow inside me suffuses my entire body. It's the glow of happiness, a kind I've never experienced before. I get the feeling he experiences the same thing, since his eyes have gone soft and warm, and he kisses me with a sweetness that triggers a dull but pleasant ache in my chest. Then he makes love to me again, infusing the act with all the emotions neither of us can fully express in words. I love this man, and he loves me. My crush has matured into the best thing that's ever happened to me.
The next morning, it's time for the hammer to drop.
It's re-launch day.
Chapter Sixteen
Dane
I stand on a temporary stage set up in the cavernous lobby at the global headquarters of Bonsoir Beauty Incorporated with a microphone on a stand positioned in front of me. Well, not me specifically. Not yet, anyway. Celeste will make her speech, then I will be required to speak. To a large audience. Full of reporters. With flash bulbs firing off like machine guns.
Bloody hell, it's hot in here. I'm starting to sweat, but when I glance around, no one else seems disturbed by the sweltering heat. Maybe it's just me. I don't want to do this.
Celes
te begins her introduction, smiling and sounding as confident as ever. She gives a brief overview of Bonsoir and its subsidiaries, then she starts to talk about my corner of the Bonsoir domain. Any minute now she'll introduce me.
I resist the impulse to scratch under my shirt collar. Why do I feel like tiny insects are crawling all over my skin?
When I scan the crowd, I don't see anyone I recognize, so I turn to look at the people standing in the wings, behind a curtain. Reese is there. He gives me the thumbs-up sign and grins. Rika stands beside him. When she notices I'm looking at her, she smiles and mouths, "I love you."
I stand up straighter, lifting my chin. She loves me, and I won't let her down by stammering like an idiot in front of the international press.
"And now," Celeste says, spreading an arm toward me in a grand gesture, "may I introduce the genius behind our new line of sexual wellness devices---the gorgeous, charming, and talented Dane Dixon."
Christ, why did she have to give me an overblown introduction?
I glance at Rika again. This time she mouths, "You can do it."
So I do it. I walk up to the microphone and start my speech. Reese wrote it for me, but thankfully, he didn't include any racy jokes. What he wrote for me sounds like me, not like my little brother. I shouldn't be surprised. I've always known that Reese is cleverer than he used to let on and that he has a way with words. It's why he was successful as an advertising copywriter and why Celeste made him her vice president of advertising.
And I'm even more thankful that he kept the speech short.
"Thank you for coming today," I say, surprising myself with how composed I sound. "I'm proud to present our new line of sexual wellness devices for women---Bonsoir Delights, designed by me and manufactured by our extraordinary teams in the US, UK, Canada, the European Union, and a dozen other locations around the world. Soon, we'll be selling these devices everywhere from Boston to Beijing, and from Norway to New Zealand." I pause for a second, but not because I'm nervous. Not anymore. I'm following Reese's instructions in the script he gave me, which tell me to pause for dramatic effect. "Now, let me walk you through the products we have."
