by Ali Parker
“No.” I moved closer to him. “No. Just the opposite”
Our lips touched. I melted into him, leaning over the gear shift until our bodies were touching. The kiss was longer than any we’d shared before. Ryan’s tongue teased mine, making my toes curl inside my high heels.
When he pulled away, a playful glint glistened in his eyes.
“You really don’t like surprises, do you?” he teased.
“Hate ‘em,” I said, sitting back and buckling my seatbelt. “Suspense is the worst.”
“Well,” Ryan glanced out his window and slowly eased back into traffic. “We’ll just have to change that then, won’t we?”
He grinned and sped down the street, his fingers once again sliding over in search of mine.
Chapter 25
Ryan
Guilt was becoming my only emotion.
Candice’s fingers were wrapped around mine as we drove through the city. When I’d asked her to dinner, I had only one intention. Telling her the truth was going to be hard, but my feelings for her were too strong to ignore. I couldn’t let things continue, not with all the lies standing between us.
Then, things had changed.
Talking to Kason, hearing Beatrice’s threats, it was all too much. I couldn’t risk my livelihood or my relationship with Candice. Both were too important.
My only hope was to get through the contract unscathed. If Candice never found out the truth, we could keep seeing each other. Mrs. Smart would never tell her about me. After all, Candice would hate her too.
I was confident in my decision. It was the right thing to do. For everyone.
Until it wasn’t.
Candice’s question shook me. The last thing I expected was a confrontation before we even made it to the restaurant. Though, knowing Candice, I should have realized it was likely to happen.
Her brown eyes were so full of fear, so deeply touched by emotion that my chest ached. All I wanted to do was pull her against me and hold her until she believed me, until she knew just how much she meant to me.
But, I couldn’t. I lied. Again. For what felt like the hundredth time.
As we kissed, I told myself that my lies were worth it. My feelings were real and that was all that mattered.
Candice’s lips moved over mine, intoxicating me in a way only she could. For the first time since we met, I gave myself over to her completely. I didn’t think about B or the Romeos or Mrs. Smart. Candice was the only real thing in my life.
We pulled apart, and my guilt came crashing down around me.
I pushed it to the back of my mind and eased into traffic. Candice and I picked up our easy banter like it was nothing. Soon, we had returned to a rhythm I knew well and one that forced my guilt further into the pit of my stomach.
We reached the restaurant, and I helped Candice out of the car. Handing my keys to the valet, I offered Candice my arm.
“My lady,” I said with a flourish. “Shall we?”
“Are you always this floofy?” Candice asked, taking my arm lazily.
I slapped my free hand over my chest. “Ouch. I’m wounded.”
“Ha. Ha.” Candice rolled her eyes and fought back a laugh. “Seriously, though, is every date going to be a production? Or are we ever just going to see a movie or go bowling?”
“You bowl?” I found that hard to believe.
“No.” Candice laughed. “But it would be nice to have the option.”
“You’re a complicated woman, Smart.”
Candice grinned as we stepped inside. “You don’t know the half of it, Winters.”
***
“Whatever happened with that photographer guy?” I asked as the waiter refilled my wine glass. “You never told me.”
“Didn’t I?” Candice frowned. “We caught him in violation of his contract. Basically, his ass is ours. He’s returning the three-million-dollar retainer this week.”
“Holy shit.” I laughed, tilting the wine glass against my lips. I put it down and eyed Candice with approval. “You’re impressive.”
“It wasn’t just me.” She shrugged. “My legal team is the best.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Really?”
“What?” Candice blinked innocently.
“Nothing.” I shook my head. “Something just tells me you’re being modest.”
“Me?” She placed the tips of her fingers against her chest. “Never.”
Laughing, we both turned our attention to our half-eaten entrees. I’d never been to this restaurant before, but I was glad B suggested it. The food was incredible.
“I’m just glad we got him,” Candice said. “If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s being deceived. Roberto was supposed to be a friend, but he went behind my back to totally screw me over.”
A wave of nausea rolled through my stomach and into my throat. Taking a quick sip of wine, I forced myself to relax. She was talking about the photographer, not me.
“I can understand that.” I cleared my throat. “You run an empire. You have to surround yourself with people you can trust.”
“Exactly.” Candice nodded. “My sister doesn’t always see that.”
“I take it she’s a fan of this Roberto?” I asked, grateful for the subtle subject change.
Candice scoffed. “Oh, yeah,” she said. “Leslie was pissed when she found out I’d blackballed Roberto.”
“How so?”
“He was in breach of his contract,” Candice said. “He screwed one of the models. So, we threatened to spread the word that he couldn’t maintain strictly professional relationships if he didn’t return the retainer fee.”
“Sounds fair to me.” I shrugged and popped a bite of steak in my mouth.
“It is,” Candice said. “But Leslie is sensitive. Which doesn’t always work in this industry.”
“Is that why you were worried about hiring her?” I asked, remembering a conversation we’d had before.
Candice nodded. She cut off a piece of her own steak and stuck it between her front teeth. My eyes fell to her lips as they curled around her fork. Swallowing hard, I pulled my attention back to my own food. Gawking at Candice was not part of the evening’s plans.
“We always talk about my work,” Candice said. “But I still don’t know what you do for a living.”
“What?” I almost dropped my fork. Catching it just before it hit the floor, I cleared my throat nervously. “Sure, you do. We must have talked about it before.”
“Nope.” The corners of her lips pulled down. “Never.”
“Huh.” Smiling, I tried to keep my voice casual. “I’m a consultant.”
Candice waited patiently for me to continue. I didn’t. I just smiled casually and cut off another piece of steak. There wasn’t much left to eat. I wondered what I would do when my plate was empty.
“What kind of consultant?” Candice asked pointedly.
“Mental health.” I shrugged. “I’m somewhere between a motivational speaker and a life coach, I guess.”
Candice laughed. “That’s a real job?”
“Yeah.” My stomach flipped. “I mean, people underestimate the power of a good self-esteem. If I can help someone build up their confidence, then that’s a good thing, right?”
It was the most convoluted way I’d ever explained my job but somehow, it made sense. Candice nodded thoughtfully and lifted her wine glass to those perfect lips. All I could think about was kissing her.
“That’s actually really impressive,” Candice said. “Can I be honest?”
“Of course,” I said.
She ducked her head and looked up at me from beneath her eyelashes. “I was worried you were into something illegal.”
“What?” I threw my head back to laugh. “Are you kidding?”
“No.” Candice’s cheeks flushed. “You keep taking me to nice restaurants. You have a really nice car. But your house is …”
“A crap shack?” I offered.
“Humble,” Candice said pointedly.
“That’s one word for it.” I laughed.
Candice shrugged. “I was suspicious,” she said. “Sue me.”
“Hey, I get it,” I said. “You don’t like surprises, right?”
“Hate ‘em.” She grinned and finished off her wine.
It was getting late, but neither of us was ready to leave. We ordered a dessert to share, lingering for another glass of wine before our waiter brought over the check.
“I guess we should get going,” I sighed.
Candice reached for the check, but I shot her a look.
“I can pay,” she said firmly. “In the spirit of gender equality, it is my turn.”
“Not a chance in hell.” I shook my head. “We can be gender equal in other ways, but not this.”
“And why not?” Candice fired back.
“Because, Smart.” I slapped my credit card down on the table. “I am a proper gentleman.”
“Whatever you say, Winters.”
Candice shook her head and pretended to be annoyed. An undeniable smile played at the corners of her mouth as we stood to leave. Offering her my arm, I led her back outside. We stepped up to the valet and waited for my car to be brought around.
“Thank you for dinner,” Candice said, moving closer to me. “But really, next time, it’s on me.”
“Whatever you say.” I looked up at the night sky.
Candice rolled her eyes and sighed, defeated. Following my gaze, she breathed in deeply and let her eyes fall closed.
“What?” I asked, nudging her gently.
“I love nights like these,” she said softly, her eyes still closed. “When the city air feels still, and the lights are somehow brighter. It’s perfect.”
The valet arrived with my car, but I didn’t move. Instead, I kept my eyes on Candice’s, memorizing every detail of her face.
***
“Do you want to come inside?” Candice’s eyes flashed with lust.
Every cell in my body longed to be close to her. I slid my eyes down her dress, lingering on her hips before I let myself imagine how her legs would feel wrapped around my waist.
With a groan, I stepped back and shook my head.
“No?” The lust faded. Candice looked like she’d been punched.
“I want to,” I said quickly. “Believe me, I want to.”
Candice frowned, confused. “Then, what’s wrong?”
Running my hand over my hair, I tried to think of an explanation that didn’t include a lie. It was only an hour ago that Candice sat across from me at the restaurant and revealed that deception was her biggest pet peeve.
“I have a few things to figure out,” I said, picking my words carefully. “But once I do, I swear to you, I will come inside.”
“Is it Paisley?” Candice pressed. “Are you worried about how our relationship will affect her?”
Paisley had been the last thing on my mind, but when Candice mentioned her name, I pounced.
“That’s part of it,” I said, realizing it was true. “She’s just so young, you know? Her mom took off, and I don’t want her to have a revolving door of women in her life.”
“I understand.” Candice nodded. “Of course.”
Sighing, I took a step forward and reached for her hands. I held onto her tightly and leaned my forehead against hers.
“You’re perfect,” I whispered.
“You don’t know me very well.” Candice laughed lightly.
My eyes fell closed as our breath mingled together. With each second that passed, my resolve weakened. If I didn’t walk away soon, I’d never be able to resist her invitation to spend the night.
“I should go.” I cleared my throat and dropped her hands. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
“Sure.” Candice smiled and reached for her keys. She unlocked her door and pushed it open just an inch. Turning back to me, she wiggled her fingers, her eyes trailing down my body.
Seeing the lust in her eyes was too much. I groaned and took a firm step backward.
“You’re killing me,” I told her.
“Hey.” She held her hands up. “I’m not doing a thing.”
Grinning, I turned to leave, but I’d barely made it a step when Candice called me back.
“Hey,” she said. I spun around to see her step back into the hall, her front door falling shut with a soft click.
“What’s up?”
“Do you want to come to dinner with me on Wednesday?” she asked, her voice slightly more high-pitched than usual.
“Sure.” I shrugged. “Sounds great.”
“At my mother’s house.”
I froze. Candice’s nervous tone suddenly made sense. My heart hammered inside my chest, beating violently against my ribcage.
Everything inside of me screamed as I stared into Candice’s deep brown eyes. I could see how much she wanted me to say yes, but how could I?
“Yes,” I said. “I’d love to.”
The smile on Candice’s face was enough to convince me it was worth it. I didn’t know how I’d handle myself around Mrs. Smart, but for Candice, I’d figure it out.
Chapter 26
Candice
My office seemed smaller. As I sat behind my desk, my eyes roaming freely over the space, my chest tightened with an undeniable need to flee.
Grabbing my purse, I hurried into the hall and pulled my office door closed with a snap.
“Kendra,” I said. “Forward my calls to my cell, okay? I’ll be back in a couple hours.”
“Got it.” Kendra nodded.
I smiled my thanks and practically jogged to the elevator. I didn’t know where my restlessness was coming from, but I knew how to fix it.
Pressing the button for the fifth floor, I watched as the elevator doors slid closed. My eyes closed along with them, and I took in a long, slow breath.
Work was impossible today. It was only Tuesday, and already, the week was shot. I couldn’t focus. I could barely breathe inside this building. For the first time in my life, the Smart Cosmetics building didn’t feel like home. It felt like a prison.
On the fifth floor, I scurried off the elevator as a swarm of people got on. I ducked my head and cut to the side, hurrying down a long hallway until I reached the right door.
Heidi’s office was positioned just at the end of the hall. The front wall was made up entirely of windows, so I could see Heidi and Leslie talking just inside.
My little sister ran her fingers through her light brown hair. Her gray eyes were narrowed in frustration, but she forced a smile on her face and nodded. Whatever instructions Heidi was giving her could wait.
Tapping gently on the glass door, I pushed it open and poked my head inside.
“So sorry to interrupt,” I said, though I wasn’t. “Heidi, I need to borrow Leslie for a couple hours. I’ll have her back to you soon.”
Leslie blinked. “But I—”
I opened my eyes meaningful. She nodded and quickly stepped around Heidi’s desk.
“That’s fine.” Heidi waved her hand. “Go, go. I’ll just get all of this done myself.”
Stifling a grin, I moved back so Leslie could join me in the hall. I closed the door quickly, and we hurried away like two school children running from the principle.
“What’s this about?” Leslie asked.
“We’re playing hooky.”
Leslie gaped. She froze, stopping just before the elevator.
“What?” I asked with a shrug. “I can be fun, you know.”
“Can you?” Leslie snorted.
I rolled my eyes and motioned for her to join me. She got on the elevator hesitantly, not relaxing until we reached the ground floor and stepped outside.
Bright sunlight beat down on my neck. I was sweating within seconds, but I didn’t care. Anything was better than spending all day stuck in that office.
“Where are we going?” Leslie asked.
“I don’t know.” I pursed my lips and looked around. “Froyo?”
 
; “We’re ditching work for frozen yogurt?”
Leslie stared at me like I’d suddenly sprouted a third arm. I grinned back, wiggling my eyebrows as I started down the street.
“It’s official,” Leslie said. “You’ve gone insane.”
“Since when is hunger a sign of insanity?” I demanded.
“Candice Smart does not skip out on work in the middle of the afternoon,” Leslie said wisely. “Candice Smart works until she drops, sometimes literally dropping onto her desk at the end of the night.”
Laughing, I led the way to the nearest Froyo shop. A cool blast of air met us at the door. I sighed and breathed it in, practically skipping over to the serving station.
We ordered and found a table. Leslie never stopped watching me with wide-eyed wonder.
“I can’t take it anymore,” I groaned. “Stop looking at me like that.”
“I’m just confused!” Leslie plopped her bowl down. “What’s going on with you today? Really.”
“Fine.” I sighed. Taking another bite, I savored the coldness on my tongue before swallowing. “I was just restless. I couldn’t stand being in that office for another second. I was going insane.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “After last night, all I’ve wanted to do is move. Be active. Go somewhere. Do something.”
One corner of Leslie’s mouth twitched. Grinning, she leaned across the table and raised her eyebrows.
“What happened last night?” she asked.
“Nothing,” I teased.
“Tell me!”
“We went to dinner,” I said evasively. “That’s all.”
Leslie laughed. “That is so not all.”
I shrugged and watched as her impatience grew. Hiding something from Leslie was worse than torture to her. She couldn’t stand the suspense.
“You slept with him,” she said firmly. “That’s what this is about. You finally got some, and now, you can’t stop thinking about it.”
“Nope.” I shook my head. “No sex. Just dinner.”
Leslie didn’t believe me. She sat back and stuck her spoon deep in her bowl. Pulling it back out, she eyed me closely and waited for me to cave.