by Candi Wall
“I know.” Searching her bag for something stronger than ibuprofen, Chloe sighed. “Call the bitch. And make me sound like I’m happy while you’re at it.”
The door clicked softly behind Shawna, and Chloe turned to stare out the massive window behind her desk. Early sunlight glittered off the numerous other windows of the buildings surrounding her. She couldn’t see the sky or even Central Park, which was less than a ten-minute walk down the street. There was nothing more than big buildings, traffic and smog. Save for the nightlife New York had to offer, most of this city had lost its appeal. More often than not, she’d found herself wandering through Texas and its amazing star-soaked sky in her daydreams.
Just shy of two weeks had passed since she’d returned from her vacation visiting Miya. Less than two weeks since she’d last had sex. Damn but Nick slipped into her mind on a staggeringly regular basis. Probably didn’t help that she’d hired Cash Dillon to come to New York for the photo shoot. Having found him in the same bar she’d met Nick kept her mind on her vacation fling. As soon as this shoot was done, she’d be able to forget him.
And his touch, his taste, his kiss, the feel of his cock buried deep inside her body…
Smiling, she swiveled her chair back to her desk. His image had served her well for the last two weeks. She’d gotten herself off numerous nights, not even bothering with a vibrator. Her body warmed and the thin line of her thong dampened at the thought. She’d had lovers—many, actually. But something about that cowboy had hit a sweet spot. There was something raw and exciting about him. And kind and—right.
Needing to get her mind off Nick, she pulled Cash’s file from the pile of papers littering her desk and flipped the folder open. Forcing herself to concentrate, she flipped through the personal photographs Shawna had asked Cash to email to them just for a starter portfolio. A sexy-as-hell smile gleamed back at her from the files. If there was a more perfectly made man, she’d yet to meet him. He was going to devour the camera. Not a woman around would be able to keep her eyes off him. Most of the men as well. Hell, maybe she’d see if all cowboys were as hot as Nick when it came to sex. If they were, she might have to relocate to StyleU’s corporate office in Houston.
A girl could do worse than being surrounded by cowboys. And maybe a rousing fuck with Cash would get Nick out of her head.
She ran a finger over the photo of Cash’s handsome face. Not as defined as Nick’s, but close, and where Cash’s eyes were bright green, Nick’s were a dark, rich brown, full of promise for something just below his homegrown-boy surface. His almost black hair curved in sexy waves too, a sharp contrast to Cash’s lighter brown, neatly trimmed mane.
“Cash Dillon to see you, Ms. Garrison.”
Jolted when Shawna’s voice blared through the intercom, Chloe closed the folder and took a deep breath. How could Nick’s memory overshadow Cash’s picture? By all rights, Cash was the more handsome of the two. And still… Maybe the real thing would do the trick.
She pressed the intercom button. “Send him in.”
She stood and smoothed the lines of her silk dress. Checking the invisible bra straps beneath the fabric’s flimsy, low-cut top, she adjusted her cleavage. The dress dropped dramatically in the back just to the base of her spine so she turned to look out the window. Better to have the advantage with this gorgeous man.
Cash walked through the door a moment later, and the dimples on his cheeks deepened with his smile. “Hey, Chloe. Good to see you again.”
He walked over and scooped her into a hug that made her high heels leave the ground. “Hi. You can put me down now.”
At six-two, he towered over her. Nothing but handsome muscle and self-assuredness. He knew he looked good, and still, there was a down-to-earth easiness that radiated from him. New York would eat him alive if she made him stay too long.
“Sorry,” he muttered and put her back on her feet. “I had a taste of big-city nightlife last night, and that sexy little assistant of yours out there gave me a couple Tylenol and a tiny cup of coffee that tasted like shit. Whatever it was, it kicked my ass into gear.”
“Espresso,” Chloe supplied. Kudos to Shawna.
He let her slip down his delicious body—really slowly—then tipped his hat. “How ya been? You ready to come back yet?”
“Maybe sometime soon. I miss Miya.” She waved him into the chair opposite the desk.
“She sends her love.” He sat down and shifted in the chair before stretching his legs out in front of him. “What about Nick?”
That took her off guard. “Nick?”
“Yeah.” The rich, deep sound of Nick’s voice from the doorway made it impossible to breathe. “Or have you forgotten who I am already?”
Maybe she’d died, since her heart wasn’t beating either. And she’d gone cold. Yep, she must have seized up and died right there. But she’d never get that lucky. Her blood started pumping a crazy rhythm. Nick? Here? In New York?
Slowly, she raised her gaze to meet his. Nope, she hadn’t died. The heat and rate her heart tripped up to made that fact abundantly clear. “Nick?”
His smile grew just a bit, his sexy frame filling her door. “Chloe?”
“W-what are you doing here?”
“Good to see you too, doll.” He walked into the room and took the chair next to Cash, his arms hooked over his broad chest. “Thought I’d accompany my little brother to your big bad city.”
“Little brother?” She slipped into her own chair shakily, trying not to show how much his presence affected her. What the fuck was he doing here? Having him in Texas made him a dream. She could fantasize, wish and delude herself to her heart’s content.
Refocusing on something less—traumatic, she shuffled the papers on her desk. “I didn’t know you were brothers. Your last name is Westin—”
He shrugged. “Different pas.”
Pas? God, how she’d missed that southern drawl. So much she found it impossible to look away from the smooth line of his lips.
Cash leaned forward then. “I didn’t think you’d mind, Chloe.”
Nothing affected her. It never did. She needed to get ahold of herself. She faced some of the most intimidating presences in the magazine world on a daily basis, and didn’t flinch. She’d be damned if Nick—God, did he have to smell so good?—was going to faze her.
“I don’t mind, Cash. I was just surprised, is all. Why wouldn’t I want to have two handsome men in my office?” She smiled at them both, leaning on every trick she’d learned in her New-York-style crash course in fake-it-till-you-make-it. Nick’s brows furrowed but she ignored it. “Cash, you’ll need to go down one floor to where we’ll do the photo shoot. The girls in wardrobe will take care of you the second you step off the elevator.” As an aside, she added, “Feel free to go with him, Nick.”
Cash stood and walked over. The twinkle in his eyes gave her something besides Nick to concentrate on. “Am I gonna be naked for these pictures?”
Chloe laughed, fanning her face. She leaned back in her chair, letting her eyes feast on the entire length of his body before she shook her head. “Not for StyleU magazine, but I might ask the photographer to take a couple for me to keep.”
She was certain she heard Nick growl, but when she glanced his way, he merely scowled. Cash’s laughter drew her back to him. “You got it, sweetheart. But my bucky-bare ass comes with one condition.”
“What condition?”
“Well—” he leaned closer to whisper, “—I want you to take me out on the town tonight. Maybe to one o’ them sexy nightclubs with all the women that are almost as hot as you. The ones that people are screwing in the dark corners.”
“I could probably do that. If you’re very—” she shifted closer next to his ear, “—very bad for me at the photo shoot.”
He let out a huge whoop and tipped his hat. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
&nbs
p; Nick’s voice suddenly filled the office. “She can make a deal with you once she’s paid up on what she owes me.”
The air left her lungs. She turned away from Cash and eyed Nick. “Excuse me?”
He shrugged easily, ignoring Cash who slipped away with a wink. “I think you heard me. You owe me about—” he glanced at his watch, “—twenty hours.”
How she could be as pissed as she was and still react to the infuriating man standing in her office was beyond her, but warmth slicked her crotch just the same. She stood then, deliberately running a finger down the bare skin at her cleavage. “Twenty hours, huh?”
He nodded, taking a step closer until the heat of his body caressed her skin. “Yeah. At least. Though I think you owe me more for leaving without at least saying goodbye.”
“Why is it men can do the one-night-stand, or rather two-night-stand thing, in our case, when you’re the ones to walk away. But God forbid when the woman does the walking.”
“You don’t know my walk-away tactics, doll.” He growled low, the sound hotter than hell in her office with so many places to potentially get fucked. “I say goodbye. No woman leaves wondering.”
For some strange reason, she believed him, He’d been a straight shooter from day one, so why would she think otherwise? Which didn’t make her feel any better for having left without so much as a thanks for a great time. “Nick I told you—”
The soft touch of his finger on her lips stalled her words. “Yeah, I know. Nothing but sex.” The lines around his eyes softened. “Is it really that simple for you?”
No, and yes. She’d experienced regret when she left him. And she’d hated it. “I don’t do goodbyes.”
His brows furrowed. “You don’t kiss, don’t give any real feelings and you don’t have the decency to say goodbye? New York really has burned itself into you, hasn’t it?”
That hurt. A little. Somehow the way he said it made it sound awful. She’d never doubted her ways before. And she didn’t want to start now. Still, she wanted to ease the hurt she saw in his eyes. “I was going to call you.”
His I-can-smell-bullshit expression exacerbated the foolishness she suddenly felt for even having said it. He looked ready to say something but let out a heavy sigh instead. Then, he just walked out. Chloe dropped into her chair.
Shit. Could this day get any worse?
Chapter Seven
Nick stared at the firm line of Chloe’s back, his hand itching to touch the skin her dress revealed. What the hell was she doing wearing something so sexy, anyway? Who wore shit like that to work? And for what purpose?
He looked away, focusing on the photo shoot, or whatever this three-ring circus was supposed to be. At the moment, Cash stood to the side of a stage with a huge scene of the desert hung behind it. Lights erupted at odd intervals. People talked incessantly.
The corner where Nick stood lacked much light, but he didn’t mind. Everyone ignored him. Including Chloe. Damn her. She’d left without so much as a “thanks for a great weekend”. If he didn’t know better, he’d almost question if she’d enjoyed their time together at all. But he did know better. She’d responded to his touch at every turn. Even the picnic lunch they’d shared on her last afternoon in Texas had brought real smiles to her face. It had ended the way all their encounters did—in bed, on the table, against a tree—but he knew she’d had fun.
So why no goodbye?
Unable to keep his eyes off her, he watched her in action, in her element.
She was a shark, carving a path through numerous workers and barking out orders that somehow brought the chaotic room into order.
“Last chance to offer suggestions, ladies and gentlemen.” She waited, every eye on her.
Nick couldn’t resist. She was so stiff and severe, he had to try to bring a bit of the Chloe he met in Texas. “How ’bout a few more lights? Wouldn’t want the camera to miss a moment of my brother’s debut.”
She whipped around in his direction. So did most of the people in the room.
Chloe smiled, but it wasn’t anything close to the expression he was used to seeing. “Nick, you didn’t see the staff meeting where I pointed out that there is a difference between making helpful suggestions and creating time sucks that StyleU can’t afford.”
That was a bit snarky. She was in rare form today. He took a step forward. “I’m guessing my suggestion landed in the time-suck category?”
“Clever cowboy,” she countered sarcastically.
“Ya’ll figure talking is a waste of time?”
“Only when it doesn’t pertain to the shoot.” She waved to indicate the entire room. “Which is costing a bundle.”
“How much is a bundle exactly?” He kept his expression blank, eyes wide, waiting for her to either blow a gasket or laugh.
“Between the photographer, staff, Cash’s contract and odds and ends, we’re looking at close to five thousand an hour.”
“Holy horse shit.” He noticed a few chuckles. Good. The room was a damn morgue. City folks took things way too seriously.
She pinched the bridge of her nose and squeezed her eyes shut. “Now, if I can get back to work?”
Their conversation had gained the attention of the entire room, but Nick couldn’t resist poking the bear. “By all means. Don’t let me stop you. Wouldn’t want to disrupt such an important task.”
“Of course you wouldn’t.” She sighed. “Anything else?”
“Well, I hate to be a pest,” he paused. “But why do you need so many lights?”
This time, she chuckled. “Are you trying to aggravate me?”
“Maybe a little.” He held his thumb and forefinger close together to indicate a smidge. “Ya’ll are so serious I think you’ve scared Cash.”
“Go stand over there in the corner and watch the magic happen, you goofball.” She shot him a half smile. “I’ll deal with you in a minute.”
He chuckled when she had words with the petite blond photographer. After a rather loud debate, Chloe threw her hands in the air and stormed away from the woman in his direction. She flipped through a small notebook as she neared, her sexy red stilettos clicking with the pace of her steps.
She stopped and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Besides trying to aggravate me, what are you doing here?”
“That’s the second time you’ve asked me that today.” He climbed off his stool and blocked her path. “I’m beginning to think you aren’t happy to see me.”
She seemed to consider a path around him before placing a hand on her hip. “Nick, don’t be so dramatic. You just caught me off guard.”
“Nice way to dodge a real answer.”
“Did you ask me a question?”
“No, I guess I didn’t.” He stepped closer until their bodies touched. As aggravating as he found her behavior, she was downright sexy in her element. “Let’s try it this way. Are you happy to see me?”
The thin fabric of her dress couldn’t hide the rigid definition of her nipples.
“Are you even wearing a bra?”
“No for the bra… And one question at a time, please.” She shook her head. “Right now, no, I’m not happy to see you.”
“You should be. Everyone can see your nipples.” He ran a thumb over one to make his point, enjoying the heaviness that creased her eyelids. “And as far as seeing me… Your body says different.”
“Nipples carve a path to getting what I want.” She swayed slightly until her breast brushed against his knuckles. “And as far as you’re concerned, I said I wasn’t happy to see you right now. At this moment I can’t do a whole lot about what my body wants.”
If nothing else, she spoke her mind. He took her invitation and slid his fingers under the curve of her breast, pushing it up before he brushed his thumb over the taut bud again. When she leaned into him, he hooked his other hand around her back
and brought her body flush to his. His cock pressed between them, the warmth of her body seeping through his clothes. “It’s dark enough back here to do anything you or your body wants.”
Chloe glanced around. Nick was right. The others were still focused on Cash. His shirt draped off his taut shoulders. Every eye was riveted to him. No one cared what was going on anywhere else. She’d never be missed, and the need Nick’s touch had created inside her begged to be quenched.
She grabbed his hand. “Come on.”
He followed without a word, and she hurried across the hall to the small office used for photo arrangements. She dragged him inside. The soft click of the door behind them doused the room in darkness, shutting them off from the chaos of the shoot.
“Nice.” A commanding tug on her hand brought her close before he turned to crush her against the door with his body. “Very nice.”
“Um-hmmm.” She slipped the buttons free on his shirt with frantic fingers. She needed him. Now. “God, you smell so good.”
His rough hands moved up her thighs, dragging the soft fabric of her dress up in their wake. “Did you miss this, at least?”
His thumb curved around the tender flesh of her inner thigh to press against the damp g-string covering her. God, yes she missed it. Tiny spirals of anticipation drenched her pussy and she bucked closer, unable to control herself. “Nick, please.”
He responded with pressure, parting her through the fabric with a harsh stroke. “Did you?”
His fingers wound into the thin string and pulled hard. It gave under his strength, scratching over her hips to bare her to the heat of his fingers. Mad now, crazed with need, she cried out softly when his hand left her. “Yes, okay. I missed this. A lot.”
