River

by E. L. Todd

  This girl was stupid. “Whatever you say.” She hired me to do a job and I would do it.

  An awkward silence stretched between us. She stared at me, looking like a girl I’d seen plastered on a billboard, and I looked at her, probably staring at her a little too much. Nothing irritated me more than seeing an amazing woman with a nothing guy. And that’s exactly how this situation was. Why did he deserve her undying loyalty? What was so great about him?

  “What do we do first?” she asked, breaking the silence.

  “Shopping.”

  We walked down the aisles together and I examined the dresses, skirts, and blouses. From looking at Meadow repeatedly, I knew her body. She had legs that stretched on for days. And she had a slim waist with perky tits. Finding clothes for her was easy.

  “You do this a lot?” she asked.

  “No, not really.” I grabbed a short dress I knew would look good on her. “Try this.” I handed it to her.

  She took it and her eyes widened. “Whoa…it’s progressive.”

  “You’ll pull it off, sweetheart.”

  “Sweetheart?”

  I turned to her. “You have a problem with me calling you that?”

  “No…just surprised me.”

  I walked through the aisles and found more clothes.

  “Can I ask you something, River?”

  “Sure.” I searched through a rack.

  “Are you…gay?”

  I turned to her, amused. “Do I act gay?”

  “No…but you’re picking out clothes.”

  “I know what looks hot on girls. That doesn’t make me gay. And neither does this.” I grabbed her neck and gave her a hard kiss on the lips. Then I pulled away and continued searching for clothes like nothing happened.

  Meadow remained rooted to the spot, her lips parted and her eyes glossy. Then she cleared her throat and recovered. “Uh…yeah. You’re good.”

  I smiled even though she couldn’t see my face. Then I grabbed the last dress and handed it to her. “Try these on and show me.”

  “Yes, sir.” She grabbed the pile of clothes and headed to the dressing room.

  I took a seat and waited for her to come out.

  Meadow remained in the changing room for minutes. She didn’t come out and I thought she was taking longer than necessary. I approached her door and knocked. “What’s taking so long, sweetheart?”

  “I just…don’t look good in this.”

  I highly doubted that. “Unlock the door.”

  “No, I know I don’t like it.”

  “Unlock the door now or I’ll break it.” I wasn’t messing around.

  I heard her sigh from inside before the door unlocked.

  I walked inside and shut the door behind me. I took one look at her and my jaw was almost on the floor. The right dress fit her body perfectly. It made her waist seem smaller than it really was, and her tits were more prominent. Her legs looked endless. “What don’t you like about it?”

  “I don’t know.” She stared at herself in the mirror. “It’s just…really in your face, you know?”

  Judging the two outfits I’d seen her in, she liked to dress up but only so much. She was more of a natural girl, which I found innately attractive. Too much was over the top. But right now, I was hard. “You look damn fine.”

  Her eyes turned to me, and there was a slight reaction of surprise. “Yeah?”

  “Fuck yeah.” I stared at her legs. “You’re getting that. Don’t argue with me.”

  “When did you get so bossy?”

  “When you got so insecure. Now try on the other ones.” I stepped out and shut the door behind me.

  I heard her sigh from inside.

  She tried on the other outfits for me, and of course, she looked like a bombshell. She wouldn’t have any trouble landing this guy dressed like that. He would be drooling all over her. But he still didn’t deserve her if he didn’t notice her beauty to begin with.

  When we were finished, we headed to the register.

  “I haven’t been shopping in forever.”

  “Why not?” I asked as I put my hands in my pockets.

  “I just don’t like shopping. I’m weird like that.”

  She didn’t strike me as the type of girl who hit the mall often. Actually, she didn’t seem like the type who cared about her appearance at all. That was a turn-on for me.

  After she paid for her new outfits, we walked outside.

  I took the bags from her hands, and she shot me a surprised look. “Can I walk you home? This stuff is surprisingly heavy.”

  “Oh, it’s okay. I’ll manage.” She tried to take the bags back.

  I pulled them out of her reach. “Let me rephrase that. I’m going to walk you home.”

  She regarded me for a moment, studying my face. “You just take what you want, huh?”

  “I do. You should give it a try sometime.”

  “I can’t pull it off.”

  “Believe me, you can,” I said.

  “I would never have the nerve to kiss a guy I hardly knew.”

  “That’s your problem,” I said. “You need to get some confidence. You’re always timid like you’re unsure of yourself or what you have to offer. That needs to change.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it’s annoying.”

  5

  Meadow

  When I paid for an escort, I never expected to get a guy like River.

  He was sweet, caring, and compassionate. He had a gentleness about him I found innately comforting. He spoke to me bluntly, but somehow his words were never insulting.

  But he was also aggressive and pushy. He did what he wanted and said what was exactly on his mind. When he kissed me, it completely caught me off guard. Since he was such a good-looking guy I didn’t care. Who would? The guy was rocking it at six two with massive shoulders and a wide chest. He had an old-fashioned look to him, with a strong jaw and prominent cheekbones. And his confidence was innately sexy. The guy was worth every penny.

  River had the right components to make the perfect man. He was soft and behaved like a gentleman. But he also was opinionated and edgy. I didn’t know the guy very well but I already liked being around him. I trusted him, for some reason.

  I got to work before Nathan, like usual. And I set his coffee on his desk in his office, the new habit I was starting. I wanted him to walk past my desk with a quick, “Good morning.” I didn’t want him to stand around and talk. And I certainly didn’t want him to think I lived for the moments when I did talk to him.

  One thing River said got under my skin. Nathan knew exactly how I felt. I sincerely hoped that wasn’t the case. If Nathan knew I’d been in love with him all these years I’d be more than embarrassed—I’d be ashamed. It was one thing for me to know I was pathetic, but it was another for him to know.

  But it wouldn’t be that surprising if he knew. Whenever I was around him, I was nervous. I rambled on and on because the silence made me uncomfortable. I stared at him constantly, always complimenting his suits and going the extra mile to make his day go smooth.

  Actually, it would be surprising if he didn’t know.

  The elevator released a beep when it reached the floor. I assumed Nathan had arrived, and I was suddenly aware of my outfit. I wore a tight black dress that made me look like a Barbie doll and I wore sky-high black designer shoes. My make up was heavier than normal, and I curled my hair like River suggested. I smoothed out my skirt automatically, but then I realized I needed to be confident and indifferent—two things I was terrible at.

  The doors of the elevator opened and Nathan stepped out. He approached my desk and looked at me. Since I was staring at my computer I couldn’t get a good view of him. But I knew he was staring at me. “Good morning…” His voice came out different, almost mesmerized.

  I turned to him, trying to balance my mannerisms. I wanted to be pleasant and polite but not overly enthused. And I didn’t want to come off rude. “Good morning, Mr. Maxwell.
Your coffee is in your office.” I never called him Mr. Maxwell but River said it was a subtle way of minimizing intimacy.

  Nathan took me in, his eyes narrowing on my voluptuous hair, painted lips, and my tight dress. “You look…nice.” He kept staring at me.

  Inside, I wanted to burst. Was he checking me out? Was this real? But I had to keep my cool. “Yeah…I knew it was time to hit the mall.”

  “Well, you have excellent taste.” He cleared his throat and remained at my desk.

  I stared at him and waited for him to walk away. He remained still. “Is there something I can do for you?”

  Nathan seemed to snap out of his reverie. “Uh, no. But thank you.” He headed to his office and shut the door.

  I turned back to my computer, unable to stop smiling.

  River stepped out of the elevator at exactly noon like we arranged. He wore black slacks and dress shoes. And his collared blue shirt fit his expansive chest perfectly. A black tie hung down his chest, and it brought out his sparking blue eyes. The second I looked at him, I checked him out up and down. Just because I was paying him to be my boyfriend didn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate his perks. He really was worth every penny that I spent.

  He had one hand in his pocket as he approached my desk. “Hey, beautiful.”

  Even though he was being paid to adore me, it still made me feel warm. “Hey, handsome.”

  He eyed me up and down, not being discreet about it. “You’re looking fine in that dress.”

  “Thanks…a friend helped me pick it out.”

  “This friend has excellent taste.”

  I turned my head to look into Nathan’s office but River’s voice stopped me.

  “Don’t look.”

  I kept my gaze on River.

  “Part of being indifferent is not caring about someone’s reaction. You got me?”

  I nodded.

  “Now, how do you feel about kissing?”

  “Um…I’m pretty sure Danielle said that wasn’t okay.”

  “What if I said I didn’t care?”

  “I don’t know…when did you start asking? I thought you just did what you wanted?”

  He tilted his head. “Good point. Come around the desk and embrace me.”

  “Why can’t I just kiss you from here?”

  “Just do as I say.” His voice was full of threat.

  I rose from my chair and came around the desk, making sure I didn’t look into Nathan’s office. Then I wrapped my arms around River’s neck and came close to him.

  River’s hands went to my waist and he pulled me closer to him, like we were lovers. His hard-on was noticeable through his slacks and I felt it pressed against my lower stomach. Judging the smirk on his face, he knew I could feel it. “What would you like for lunch?”

  The last thing I was thinking about was food—except hot dogs. “I don’t care. Anything.”

  “Okay.” He leaned in and gave me a gentle kiss on the lips. It lingered for a long time, stretching for seconds until an entire minute had passed. Heat coursed through me and I liked the feel of his mouth against mine. Maybe it was because I hadn’t been with a man as attractive as River. Or maybe it was because it’d been too long since I’d been with a man at all. But I felt the heat. And judging his rock-hard cock, he did too.

  He pulled away and looked down into my face. “You’re a good kisser.”

  “Thanks. But I think that’s all you.”

  “It takes two to tango, sweetheart. Now let’s go.”

  I grabbed my purse and resisted the urge to glance in Nathan’s office. Was he watching us? Did he see anything? But I kept up my indifferent façade.

  River wrapped his arm around my waist then escorted me into the elevator. Then he pressed me against the wall before he hit the button for the lobby. My breathing increased as he had me pinned. My chest was close to his, and my hands immediately went to his arms. River turned back to me then brushed his lips past mine, over and over.

  It started to frustrate me. He kept teasing me until I wanted the kiss to happen. The doors closed and the elevator started to move. But he kept up the act even though there was no one to perform for.

  “What did we talk about?” he whispered. “You want something, take it.” He stared at me and waited for me to move in.

  But I didn’t. I couldn’t do it. I wanted the kiss to happen but it didn’t feel right. I was paying him to pose as my boyfriend, not kiss me in the elevator.

  River backed off. “You’ll get it eventually.” He put his hands in his pockets then leaned against the opposite wall of the elevator. But he continued to stare at me, his eyes honing in on my legs.

  “Did he see us?”

  He nodded. “I could see him over your shoulder. And he watched us the entire time.”

  “He did?” I couldn’t hide my excitement.

  River’s mood darkened. “Yes, the jackass who never noticed you before finally knows you’re alive. Congratulations.”

  River didn’t like Nathan and I knew he never would. “Are we really getting lunch?”

  “Why wouldn’t we? I’m starving.”

  We left the building then went to a pizza parlor a few blocks over. I was surprised when River paid for my lunch as well as his. After all, he was there because of me. I figured I should pay for all of his expenses. “You don’t need to buy me lunch.”

  “I’m aware of that.” He took a bite of his combination pizza and devoured half of it.

  “I should be paying for your lunch.”

  “No,” he said. “I’m not that kind of guy.” He looked out the window while he ate. Then he turned back to me. “You like your food?”

  “It’s pizza,” I blurted. “Of course I like it.”

  He moved onto his second slice.

  “So, do you like what you do?” I asked. “You know, pretending to be someone’s boyfriend.”

  “I like it a lot,” he said. “I’m my own boss, for the most part.”

  “But you must get some stalkers…”

  He shrugged before he took a drink of his soda. “I had stalkers before. Come on, look at me.”

  I laughed. “Someone has an ego.”

  “Or someone actually knows what they are worth—unlike someone I know.”

  He kept making this jab. “I admit I’m a little pathetic when it comes to Nathan—”

  “A little?”

  I ignored him and kept going. “But I’m strong and proud in any other instance. I have confidence and I don’t care what anyone thinks of me.”

  “Sure.” He gave me a look that told me he didn’t believe a word I said.

  “If I cared that much I wouldn’t have hired you. You think it was easy to walk into your store and hire a boyfriend?”

  “But you’re doing it because you care what Nathan thinks of you—doesn’t count.”

  “You know, you’re kind of a jerk.”

  He took a bite of his pizza and took his time chewing. “I’m a jerk because I think you’re way out of Nathan’s league?”

  I stopped myself from grabbing another slice off the pan and looked at him. “You think I’m out of his league?” Really? Me? Nathan was a gorgeous billionaire. I was just a secretary.

  “Yes, sweetheart.” His voice contained his annoyance.

  “Did you see the guy?”

  “Big deal. He’s a tall good-looking guy. You can find his clones walking the streets every day.”

  “But he’s successful. He built his company from the ground up. He’s not even thirty. Isn’t that amazing?”

  He shrugged. “I didn’t realize you were the kind of girl who cared about money. Perhaps I misjudged you.”

  His words got under my skin. “No, I don’t care about money. But Nathan worked really hard to reach his goals. I admire that. He accomplished something most people could never do. And that’s what I care about.”

  “I think someone’s position is only a small part of who they are. You shouldn’t put too much value on it.”
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  “Again, that’s not what I’m saying.” It seemed like he played devil’s advocate out of spite.

  He put down his pizza. “Listen up. You clearly aren’t getting it. Look, take away the rich empire and the pretty face. What’s left?”

  “What do you mean?”

  He released a sigh of irritation. “What’s left of Nathan? What qualities remain?”

  “He’s sweet—”

  “He ditched you to get laid. In my book, that makes him a pig.”

  “He’s generous—”

  “Because he donates money for a tax write-off?” River asked. “No, that makes him a greedy asshole.”

  River and I would never see eye-to-eye on this. “I don’t understand you. I paid you to do a job so why don’t you just do it and keep your mouth shut? What does it matter if I like a man who doesn’t deserve my affection? It doesn’t affect you at all.”

  He grabbed his soda and took a drink. His lack of reaction told me he didn’t care to continue the argument. But when he set the soda down, he continued. “This is my problem.”

  I patiently listened.

  “Seeing these amazing women with lame guys. It drives me crazy.”

  “Meaning?”

  He stared at me with his piercing blue eyes. “Meadow, you’re a beautiful girl. I noticed it the first time I saw you, even when tears were coming out of your eyes. You’re sweet, thoughtful, and you aren’t the type to hold a grudge. You forgive people when they don’t deserve it because you don’t have the darkness to continue your hatred. Those are admirable qualities. But yet, you want a guy who’s clearly the opposite of all that. It just drives me crazy.”

  It still didn’t make any sense. “But how does this affect you personally? Did you want a woman who didn’t want you back? Were you me at one point in your life?” I found that hard to believe. Just one look at River told me he always got what he wanted. What woman would say no to him? When he kissed me I felt weak and I didn’t even know him.

  He picked up the next slice. “Forget I said anything. I’ll stop giving you a hard time.” He retreated, taking his hostility with him. His voice became smooth, like it was on the night of the charity event.