“Yeah.” He seemed surprised. “You aren’t mad at me for not telling you about New York sooner?”
I froze. “Should I be mad? I’ve told you a dozen times that I’m not good at this relationship stuff. You’re probably going to need to tell me when I’m supposed to get upset about things.”
“Wow. If I hadn’t already fallen for you, this would’ve been the moment.” He stood and started piling up the dirty dishes. “You should go get ready for work. I’ll take care of the clean-up duties.”
“I’ve got a better idea.” I took the dishes from him and put them back on the table. “You can help clean me up in the shower instead.”
His eyebrow lifted in intrigue. “I didn’t take you for a dirty girl.”
“You have no idea,” I said as I pulled him down the hall, yelping when he scooped me up and threw me over his shoulder.
In my determination to remain independent over the last decade, I had never allowed myself moments like this. Until now, I’d never considered that a bad thing. But with William, every moment was one that I cherished. Now that he was in my life, I couldn’t imagine what I would do without him.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
William
As reluctant as I had been to leave Riley and head to New York, it ended up being a productive trip. We were meeting with a potential new investor. Their influx of money would help us take on the new product line that Scott had been pushing. We had been preparing for the meeting for weeks and I was determined not to let Scott down.
The pitch went well and we were both feeling good about it, so we decided to splurge on a nice steak dinner in midtown. My brother, Nick, was in town for the week and agreed to meet up with us. Since he had been elected Senator, he rarely had a night free to just hang out. It was also rare for us to be in the same city at the same time, except for the fishing trips that we had to plan weeks in advance.
We spent the first part of dinner just catching up. Nick was getting ready for his re-election campaign and he was eager to discuss potential strategy. I had taken time off work during his initial run to help with the campaign, but sadly that wouldn’t be an option this time around.
“I’m going to need a new campaign manager,” Nick said. “Any recommendations?”
“Just pick someone better than last time,” Scott said.
“That shouldn’t be hard to do.” I glanced at my phone to see if I had any missed messages from Riley. Because of our busy schedules, it had been two days since we last talked.
Nick was as perceptive as Scott when it came to reading me. “Expecting a call? Given how late it is, I’m going to assume it’s a woman and not a client.”
“You would be right,” Scott answered for me. “Our William is in love.”
“In love?” Nick stared at me. “How the hell did that happen? Who is she?”
“She’s our lawyer,” Scott said proudly. “He bagged a hot esquire.”
I saw sure that Nick was waiting for an explanation, but I didn’t have one that would clear up the situation. “Her name is Riley Banks and she’s amazing. Darn near perfect.”
“He took her to the beach house this past weekend,” Scott said, enjoying every minute of my discomfort.
“Whoa. This is serious.” Nick flagged the waiter down for another round of drinks. “When do I get to meet her?”
“Whenever you are in town.” I was actually looking forward to introducing Riley and Nick. The two of them would hit it off instantly. “Are you still dating that woman from that foundation?”
Nick laughed. “No way. That was just a mutually beneficial thing. She wanted to attend parties at the White House and I wanted to get the votes of her supporters.”
“News flash,” Scott said, standing abruptly. “All sexual relationships are mutually beneficial. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to make a call.”
“I see Scott is still as delightful as ever,” Nick said when he had gone.
“I don’t think he’ll ever change.”
“Hey, Will. I know we were giving you a hard time, but I’m glad you are happy with this woman. You deserve it.” Nick held out his scotch glass and I clinked mine against it.
“Thanks, Nicky. I think this might be the real deal.” Of all my brothers, Nick was the only one that I ever really opened up to. He was a good listener and he always gave good advice. Tonight was no exception.
“Then make sure you earn her, every day. Don’t get complacent. Trust me.” Nick frowned and looked away.
He was known for his history of failed relationships. He would date a woman for a year and then break it off, usually because by that point he had decided that it would never work for some ridiculous reason. Then he would take a year off and focus on his career before falling for another woman that would never last.
I got back to the hotel much later than planned. After dinner, the three of us had gone to one of our favorite bars in the city. Scott and Nick were bad influences and I had about three more drinks than I should have. By the time I let myself into my hotel room, I was just on the other side of tipsy. Maybe that was why I thought it was a good idea to call Riley.
“Will.” Riley answered on the third ring, sounding sleepy but happy. “Hey, you.”
“Is it late? Did I wake you?” I glanced at the clock and winced. “Shit. Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it.” It sounded like she was stifling a yawn. “It’s good to hear your voice.”
I sank onto the bed and focused on keeping my words clear. “I’ve missed you, Riley. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow night.”
“I’ve missed you, too. How was your meeting?” She spoke in a low voice even though I was sure she was in her bed, alone. It felt wonderful to be so sure of something like that.
“Good. The investors loved the idea and accepted our proposal. We went out to celebrate, which leads us to me calling you after midnight. Sorry again about that.” I smiled as I pictured her sleepy eyes and tangled hair. “I told Nicky about you.”
“Your brother?” She sounded nervous. “What did you tell him?”
“I told him that I’ve found the woman of my dreams. I also told him that I want to introduce the two of you next time he’s in the city.” Now that I was resting comfortably on my bed, sleep was coming on fast.
Riley didn’t respond right away and I worried that I was rushing things by saying I wanted to introduce her to my brother. “I need to tell you something, Will.”
“That doesn’t sound good,” I said, my heart thumping. Her tone was ominous.
“I got another note from Michael. This time it had been slipped under my front door.” Her voice shook through the phone.
“He came to your house?” I swore under my breath. “Riley, are you there now?”
“Of course I am. Where else would I be at 1:00 in the morning?” She sounded annoyed, but I knew that she was just trying to hide her fear.
I looked at the clock again and knew that it was too late for me to do anything. There weren’t any flights back to Chicago at this time of night. “You should have called me earlier.”
“I didn’t want to distract you before your meeting,” she said. “I’m fine, Will. Really. Please don’t worry about me. I’m actually pretty good at taking care of myself.”
“I know.” I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “I just wish I was with you in your bed right now instead of in this hotel room.”
“I’m sure you do,” she said with a giggle that cut straight to my heart. “Next you’re going to ask me what I’m wearing.”
I laughed. “Give me a little credit. I’m not that lame.”
“Yes, you are,” she said confidently. “That’s why I love you. Now let me get some sleep so I’m not a zombie at the fundraiser tomorrow night.”
“Alright, I’ll let you go. I love you.” I already felt the hollowness growing inside me. Before hanging up, I quickly asked, “Hey, Riley. What are you wearing?”
“Nothing at all,” she said
easily. “Love you, too. Sweet dreams.”
Just like that, she was gone.
I slept better than I thought I would and still woke early enough to catch an earlier flight home. After Riley’s news, I didn’t feel right being hundreds of miles away, even if she did think she could handle it herself. I had met Michael face-to-face and saw the cold emptiness in his eyes. While I was worrying about all the possible terrible things that could happen to Riley, our plane got diverted in the air and we ended up detouring to Cleveland while we waited for a line of storms to pass. I tried to call Riley on the ground, but she didn’t answer.
We finally made it to Chicago an hour after my original flight was scheduled to land. I had just enough time to stop by my place for a quick shower and change of clothes before driving to Riley’s place. As I punched the buzzer for her apartment, my heart started to beat faster in anticipation of seeing her again. I wondered if that feeling would ever go away and hoped that it wouldn’t.
The door clicked open and I took the stairs two at a time. Her door was open an inch and I nudged it open further.
“Riley?” I called out even though I knew she was expecting me.
“One sec.” She was in her bedroom. “Sorry, I got stuck working late.”
“Take your time.” I walked over to her bar and poured myself a glass of scotch. Next to the bottle, I noticed a piece of paper with familiar handwriting. Riley was still in the other room, so I picked up the note.
You stupid bitch. Did you really think I’d be scared of your boyfriend? Why are you doing this, Riley? I just want a chance to talk to you and explain everything. You can’t stay away from me forever. I know where you live. I know where you work. It’s only a matter of time. ~M
My fingers dug into my scotch glass as I stared at the words. My talk with Michael hadn’t done anything more than anger him. To keep Riley safe, I would have to do something drastic.
“Okay, I’m ready.” Riley’s heels clicked on the hardwood floor and I dropped the note and chugged the rest of my scotch. I didn’t want her to see me frazzled.
“Worth the wait,” I said as she appeared, looking breathtaking in a blue dress that was cut low in front with a high slit up one side. It showed just the right amount of skin and emphasized her curves perfectly. Struggling to find words, I put a hand over my heart and muttered a low, “Wow.”
“Is that a good wow?” she asked, nervously running her hands over the fabric. “I can change if this isn’t the right attire.”
“Don’t you dare.” I crossed the room in three long strides and put my arms around her waist. My fingers found bare skin low on her back and I sucked in a sharp breath. “I’ll be the only one undressing you tonight.”
“Did I mention how good you look in that suit?” Riley leaned into me, pushing her body against mine. “Are you going to kiss me or do I have to beg?”
I didn’t wait for her to beg. My lips closed hungrily over hers. We had only been apart for a few days, but it felt like so much longer. I had forgotten how good she smelled and how her lips were soft and tasted sweet.
“We’re going to be late,” she said, her lips still brushing against mine.
“They’ll carry on without us.” I kissed her again and slipped my fingers under the fabric of her dress. It vaguely passed through my brain that we really should leave soon. While the event could start without us, I was scheduled to give a speech before dinner. I glanced at my watch and said, “Five more minutes.”
“Not nearly enough time.” Riley froze, staring into my eyes. “I thought that after we spent some time apart maybe my head would clear and these crazy feelings I’ve been having for you would fade.”
“Did they?” I asked, already suspecting the answer.
She shook her head slowly. “They are stronger than ever. I hated every second that we were apart, but this moment makes it all worthwhile.”
“I know what you mean.” Our time was almost up. If we didn’t leave in the next couple of minutes, we would definitely be late. “Let’s get this dinner over with and then we can leave early. We’ll have the whole night to get reacquainted.”
“You always say just the right thing.” Riley kissed my cheek and backed away. “Let’s go now before I think too hard about how good that suit would look crumpled on my floor.”
Scott had rented the ballroom at the Hilton for the dinner and we were only a few miles away, but with rush hour traffic on a Friday, it took almost an hour for us to arrive. That put us nearly 30 minutes late to the event. Riley kept apologizing, as if the ten minutes at her house had been the problem and not the traffic jam on Lake Shore Drive.
“This just gives people thirty more minutes of open bar before dinner,” I said, handing over my keys to the valet.
Riley looked nervously toward the hotel. “People are going to notice us, aren’t they?”
“Yeah… that’s not going to be avoidable as my date.” I put my hand behind her back and ushered her forward. “Just don’t do anything to embarrass me.”
“Like what?” she asked, her eyes widening. Clearly, she had missed my joke.
“Okay, humor is not going to work tonight. Noted.” I nodded to the man who held the door for us. “Just think of it like you are about to meet my friends. All 500 of them.”
“Oh, well that just makes it so much better.” Riley was frowning as she took my arm. “That’s only 499 more friends than you’ve met of mine.”
I saw several familiar faces milling around outside the ballroom doors. “Two hours max, I promise. A speech, some drinks, dinner, and a quick trip around the room to thank everyone.”
“A quick trip around a room of 500 people?” Riley sounded doubtful. “I’m betting these people paid a lot of money to be here tonight?”
“10,000 per table,” I admitted. “For charity.”
“Then I’d say they deserve more than two hours of your time.” She leaned over and kissed my cheek softly. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me.”
A familiar flutter echoed in my heart. “It’s not you I’m worried about. I barely functioned this last week without you by my side.”
“I seriously doubt that,” she said with a tinkling laugh. “We should go in. Everyone is waiting for you.”
“Stay close,” I said as we stepped inside the massive ballroom. Riley thought I was kidding, but the truth was that my introverted nature made these types of events nearly torturous for me. I abhorred small talk and large crowds. The only reason I had agreed to the event was because I truly believed in the cause.
Scott found me right away and waved for me to follow him to the front of the room. A small stage had been set up to hold a five-piece band that was playing soft jazz music while the guests mingled and exploited the open bar. Scott signaled to the pianist that we were ready to speak.
“You look hot tonight, Banks,” Scott said. “Ravishing, even.”
“Scott.” I fixed him with a warning glare. “Leave my girlfriend alone.”
“Girlfriend?” He grinned smugly. “I knew this one was special.”
The band finished their last chords with a flourish and it was time to take the stage. I ignored Scott and turned to Riley.
“Wait here. Be right back.” I kissed the high arch of her cheekbone and let my hand slide a few inches lower down her back before slipping away. The roar of the crowd faded to a murmur as I took the mic.
“Thank you, everyone, for coming tonight. Scott and I would like to say a few words and then we’ll let you get back to your drinks and an amazing evening.” I ran through a list of people to thank that had helped pull the event together before turning the microphone over to Scott. He gave a passionate speech about the importance of technology in the classroom and our mission to remove economic and financial barriers to such technology.
Riley stood a few feet away from the stage and her friend Alexis had joined her. I had forgotten that she would be attending as Scott’s date. I felt a little better knowing that she would at
least have a friend in the crowd while I did my mingling. After the speech, at least a dozen people swarmed us as we were leaving the stage. Almost fifteen minutes passed before I could rejoin Riley.
Her back was facing me and she didn’t know I was there as she said, “I’m just waiting for the right time to tell him. Tonight is not the right time.”
Alexis saw me approaching in the corner of her eye and her eyes widened. “You might not get to make that decision anymore.”
“Ladies.” I saw Riley flinch. “Sorry to interrupt.”
“It’s probably good that you did,” Alexis said. “Nice speech, William.”
“Thanks. Listen, would you mind giving us a minute?” I put my hand on Riley’s elbow.
Alexis was already backing away, headed in Scott’s direction. “I’ll catch up with you later, Riles. Go easy on him.”
“I’m sure you know we’re going to have to talk about whatever you’ve been not telling me,” I said as I turned Riley to face me.
“It’s nothing. Alexis is just being dramatic.” Riley wouldn’t look me in the eye.
“You’re a terrible liar. Out with it.” For just a second, it crossed my mind that maybe something had happened while I had been out of town. It was a ridiculous thought to have, especially since she had never given me a single reason not to trust her.
Riley grabbed a glass of champagne from the tray of a passing server and downed half of it in one gulp. “Something happened while you were gone.”
My heart began to beat faster. “Okay…”
“I was fired.” She finished the champagne and set the glass on the edge of the stage.
“Fired? How? Why?” My head was reeling as I struggled to catch up, while a huge part of me also felt relieved.
“Georgia was suspicious after she saw us together. I guess she did some research online and found pictures of me at your company’s party. They were right there, on social media.” Riley’s lower lip quivered. “She showed it to Briggs and you can imagine his response.”
Something Moore (Forever Moore Book 1) Page 11
