Royal Tease

by Nana Malone

  I laughed. "I promise, I've been taking lessons from Lucas. I'm charming."

  She eyed me up and down and then blew a strand of hair out of her face. "For both our sakes, I hope so. She nodded at one of the guards that was posted in the front of the building. He returned her nod, accepting the signal that we were taking over from this point. She looked at me and gave me a wide-eyed, reassuring nod. "Let's do this."

  No way in hell I was telling Ariel, but this assignment was almost more terrifying for me than protecting Sebastian on the battlefield.

  That I knew how to do. This, not so much. But I had to learn and figure it all out. Jump right in. I just had to convince the princess she didn't actually hate me.

  Something told me that would be easier said than done.

  Jessa…

  “Where have you been?”

  I scuttled down the hallway, my jacket draped over my arm, watching Chloe chase after me. “I know. I’m late. You will never believe what happened last night. I’m sorry I left you to handle the client status updates on your own this morning, but you should have had everything you needed.”

  She handed me my mug with I could agree with you, but then we’d both be wrong printed on it. I couldn’t help but smile. I loved my sassy mugs.

  “I did, but that’s not the point.” She huffed as she chased after me.

  Chloe was shorter than me. Barely five feet. She made me feel tall. Also, I’d replaced my trainers with heels, so my longer stride was probably killing her. I slowed my pace down a little and then took the turn at the end of the hall toward the conference room.

  “Toby and Emerson Poole got into a fist fight last night. Can you imagine? Then some idiot picked me up and stopped me from diffusing it right away. The police were called. It was a mess. I got the Chase's out of there. Then I got Toby into a cab. Emerson required some fast talking, but he's out of the nik.” All in all, I'd gotten about three hours of sleep.

  We all lived to fight another day. Crisis managed. I'd sent a status update to Evan and Rick. In the end, my pride was hurt more than anything else when that asshole swung me over his shoulder, caveman style, but I'd come out of it unscathed.

  Chloe stopped short right in the doorway, bracketing herself between the door jam. “Are you serious right now? The police?”

  “It’s fine. I dealt with it. I just need to touch base with the Chases and make sure they had a good time and were happy… before the brawl. I have it all under control.”

  She huffed. “Actually, I was chasing you down because of last night.”

  I groaned as I finally managed to slide into my jacket. “Oh God, what now?”

  She shook her head. “No, it’s not entirely bad. Emerson called the Evans and raved about you. Seems he wants to renew his contract but only with you on the account.”

  I bit back my grimace.

  Chloe frowned. “What?”

  He was an important client for Evans PR, but I really didn’t care for him. Or his tendency to stare at my ass like he’d never seen a woman who had one before. “Nothing. That’s great news.” I forced a smile

  She hesitated. “But, uh, Toby has been fired.”

  My mouth fell open. “You wait until now to tell me?”

  “I was getting there. Evan stopped the status meeting and called him. Fired him on speaker.”

  “Shit.” There was no love lost between us, but I didn't want the kid fired.

  “There's more. He got in a wreck after he left the club and is in the hospital.”

  “What the hell?” My mind raced. He'd been on the clock but off premises, so technically we weren’t responsible for him. And I’d made it a point to put him in a hired car so he wouldn’t have to drive, so that removed liability from Evans. I hated where my mind went, but I was a fixer by nature. And it was my job to fix it so the Evans didn't have to.

  “Okay, call around and verify that. If it's true, then send flowers. Make sure his expenses are covered.”

  She nodded as she took notes. Now I was going to have to go see the kid. What the hell had happened? I paused to check I had no lipstick on my teeth and took a deep breath. I could do this. No one knew I was a fraud. Nobody knows.

  Evans PR was one of the most exclusive PR firms in London. They were selective about their clientele and they always got results. I always got results.

  Chloe bumped into me. “Sorry. Also, I think we have new clients.”

  Perfect. Just perfect.

  “And…”

  God this was just getting worse. I sighed. “What?”

  Chloe fiddled with the hem of her blouse. “I know you didn’t want to talk about it, but your father’s former facility called. They’d like to know when you’re going to pick up his things.”

  I clenched my jaw, ignoring the slice of pain through my belly. I’d been avoiding this for six months. He’d been gone for a year and it had taken me this long to go and pick up his things. I’d paid a year in advance, thanks to his savings, so I hadn’t had to deal with it until now. I knew I owed it to him to go there, go through everything, but I couldn’t make myself do it. I couldn’t make myself follow through. After his funeral, I couldn't let him go or process how he died. Now he lingered around refusing to be put to rest.

  Only look forward.

  “Okay, thanks. I'll deal with it. You ready?”

  Chloe grinned at me. “Yep. I love new clients.”

  “I'm glad one of us is excited.”

  4

  Jessa…

  I walked into the conference room to find my bosses, Evan Millston and Rick Evans, weren’t alone. A pretty redhead sat directly across from them, and she gave me a wide grin when I barged in.

  Her hair was a full-on fire engine red. The kind of red you only saw on true redheads. It hung past her shoulders and swung as she talked animatedly. Her wide blue eyes sparkled as she chatted. From the sound of her accent, I assumed she was American.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  Evan had a smile for me. “No, no. Come in, come in. Jessa, I want you to meet Ariel Scott. She is the creator behind the Meet Cute dating app.”

  I smiled at her and gave her my best squared-shoulder, efficient strut, marched over, and shook her hand. I was careful not to squeeze too hard. Evan said it scared off female clients at times.

  Not Ariel, as it turned out. She gave me a warm smile in return, and her grip was just as strong as mine. “It’s nice to meet you. I have heard so many great things about you and am so delighted to work with the best. When I found out that Evans had an opening, I couldn’t wait. I’m desperate to take my business to the next level. Oh, and I love your mug.”

  I grinned at her. “Thank you!” I liked her already.

  Rick jumped in. “Jessa is one of the best we’ve got. You’ll have the benefit of working with her and our newest account manager.”

  I frowned. “What?” New account manager? No one had been hired in six months.

  A low voice, reminiscent of whiskey and smoke, sounded behind me. “It’s nice to see you again, Jessa.”

  I didn’t move. My heart was clattering out of my chest. In the far seat, observing the meeting, was the one person I didn’t want to see today. And he was using that voice. The same one from last night… before he’d ticked me off. Deep. Smooth. It made my skin tingle like a rolling orgasm.

  Yeah, I knew that voice. I also knew those massively broad shoulders and that ass. After all, I’d been staring at it last night when I was slung over his shoulder.

  I turned slowly. He flashed a smile. That stupid smile. It threw me, and I couldn’t find my voice. My voice was too caught up in an internal girly giggle.

  I was a goddamn professional. I’d done this hundreds of times.

  Put on a smile, fake it till you make it. What you don’t have in skill you make up in bravado.

  Except with him, I couldn’t exactly focus. I faltered. “I—uh—"

  There was something different about him this ti
me though. It was as if he’d shut off that arrogant, cocky demeanor. Well, not entirely. There was something about his eyes, but the rest of him was unassuming in a way, as if the last thing on earth he wanted to do was intimidate me or anyone else. It wasn’t in his shoulders. It was as if… I don’t know. I couldn’t define it. But it was like he’d shed off that arrogant skin. Maybe it was the smile. It was completely disarming.

  He stood and strode over. Confident, but not overdone, less like a prowl and more like a straightforward, direct strut. “It’s nice to meet you officially. Both Evans have had amazing things to say about your work.” Was it me or did the word work have a sarcastic slant?

  I stared up into his moss-green eyes, surrounded by thick lashes that made me jealous. Up close I could see that his hair was a dark russet.

  Say something. Anything other than, Hey twat-face, what are you doing at my job?

  “You work here?” Something smarter.

  Roone grinned. “Yeah, guess so.”

  I turned on Evan and Rick. “He works here?”

  Rick grinned. “As of yesterday. You were already prepping for the Chase event, so you missed our introduction. And great news. I know you’re a man down with Toby gone, so Roone will partner with you on your accounts. In particular the LL and Meet Cute accounts. The two of you will also plan the annual Tillerman Gala.”

  My brain tried to sort through all the information.

  Partnering on my accounts. Last night he hadn’t been a guest. He’d been checking on me and how I ran things. Scoping out the competition. The corporate housing. Now this. Shit. Shit. Shit.

  Think. I had to think. “I appreciate it, but Chloe and I can survive without Toby. It won’t be too much of an adjustment.” Translation: He barely did anything, so I don’t need the newb.

  “Oh, we know, but you won’t have to adjust. Roone comes highly recommended. And you know we need all hands on deck on the LL account. And Meet Cute will need a fast ramp up. We want to show Miss Scott what we can do with an expedited timeline.”

  The pit dropped out of my stomach. The London Lords account was the biggest account with the firm. Everything I’d worked so hard for the last three years was on the line. I’d come to Evans while I was still at Uni. I’d had to juggle the schedule while looking after my father and generally taking care of life. But the company had given me a stability I’d never had before. Roots I’d always wanted. And now pretty boy was going to encroach on my home? Hell no. He could have Meet Cute. I wanted the meaty accounts.

  To be fair, I knew nothing about Meet Cute, but why not give the new account to the new kid? London Lords would need a more finessed approach.

  All you have to do is show you’re better. That was true. I was a veteran. Clients loved me. I could do this. Except everything about the smirk on his face said he knew I was freaking out.

  Never let them see you sweat. Oh no. I was in control here. I was fine. I could do this. I slid my hand into his and resisted the urge to snatch it right back.

  An electric shock that ran through my body kept me rooted to the spot. And the current that ran through me kept my brain from forming functioning words, but it seemed he was completely unaffected. “I can’t wait for us to get started.”

  Rick spoke up then. “Roone told us he saw your work last night.”

  The smile Roone gave me was sweet and engaging, and honest to God, it muddled my brain. I was a goddamn expert in all things bullshit. But there was an edge of sincerity to what he said that had me almost believing.

  …Almost.

  Pretty boy was talking. It took my racing mind a moment to focus on what he was saying. “I can learn a lot from Jessa. She was an expert last night. A professional. I think together we can give Miss Scott what she’s looking for with Meet Cute and manage the LL account. Obviously, I have to get up to speed.”

  Ariel Scott didn’t look like she was buying his line of bullshit either, but she gave the Evans a beatific smile. “I’m so excited to have your team on this. Meet Cute is ready to revolutionize the market. Everyone is on dating apps now. Everyone. I’m sure even you two have used them before. But what makes Meet Cute different is that we take the guesswork out of some of the things that you’ll do. We do the matching for you. We’re your virtual blind date. We’ve taken everything about what you like, as long as you were very specific, and we match you. And not just that, we provided the first five dating experiences. After that point, we hand over the reins. That is, unless you prefer for us to do it, and then we continue to date number ten. Then you’re really on your own.”

  I turned and lifted a brow. “Wait, you plan the dates?”

  She nodded. “Yep. Based on the complex questionnaire we have, we tailor the dates to showcase each person’s abilities and interests. To really help people find common ground.”

  I slid my glance back over to Roone, who grinned at me and indicated I should take a seat. I glowered, but I couldn’t really avoid it. My bosses were watching me carefully. I sat, and he joined by taking the seat closest to Rick.

  Ariel continued. “When I came up with the idea five years ago, we had no idea it would be so successful. People are lazy by nature. So, when they get matched they want someone to take initiative. I’ve removed that step. Once people are matched, the app provides a place and a time to meet. It’s their job to show up. And that’s all users have to do. And obviously, be themselves and have a good time. After the date, both people indicate if they want to see each other again, and if so, we plan the next date. We take the guess work out of the equation. If one party doesn’t want to see the other person again, a new match is formed for both parties. No more questioning if someone is going to call. And of course, obviously if things are going well, they can exchange phone numbers, and talk, text, and do all of that fun stuff. But this helps the two busy professionals to really get it going.”

  You could use this.

  I ignored that thought. “If it works the way you say it does, that’s actually kind of amazing.”

  Evan was more skeptical. “If this is so great, why have I never heard about it?”

  Ariel’s smile softened, and she inclined her head toward Roone, who chuckled. “It’s extremely exclusive. We do a heavy vetting on our participants because we plan the dates. We would never want to put anyone in an uncomfortable situation.”

  “So, it’s invitation only?”

  Ariel nodded. “People refer their friends, and everyone goes on a waiting list until I can have the app vet them. If they pass muster, they get put in the app. Then we find them a good match. We don’t match anyone who’s not at least seventy-five percent compatible.”

  I laughed. “Who determines compatibility? You can’t determine chemistry with a computer.”

  Ariel grinned. “Well, that’s where I beg to differ.”

  I tried to ignore the hum of electricity across my skin. I tried to ignore the way the hairs on the back of my neck stirred at attention. I was excited. The idea of working on an app like this was fun and exciting. I already had promo ideas. Our marketing team would love this. They’d have graphic ads done in no time. The press would eat this up. I could probably get placements on several morning television shows. My blood hummed.

  The bad thing was Rick noticed it. The way he was grinning at me told me he was about to say the one thing I didn’t want him to say.

  “I’m so glad you seemed so excited by this Jessa. We’ll all be using the app to get acquainted with it.”

  Say what now? My mouth hung open. I could feel Roone's gaze on me, daring me to quit or to run. Instead, I snapped my mouth shut, tilted my chin up, and met his gaze.

  Never going to happen.

  Roone…

  “Hey, Jessa, wait up.”

  I wasn’t used to chasing after women. Especially needlessly stubborn women. Annoyingly stubborn. But still, that was the job. “Jessa, please wait.”

  After the meeting, she’d taken off like her hair was on fire. At the lift, she stop
ped only because she had to push the button. She turned with a brittle false smile, her hazel eyes shining. “What do you need?”

  “Well you walked away before I could even tell you how excited I am to work with you.”

  Her smile was sweet, and her eyes crinkled at the edges, which told me she was enjoying herself. But there was still a flash of heat in them that told me what she was about to say wasn’t going to be good for me. “Oh, you think you’re cute, don’t you?”

  A grin teased my lips. What was it about fighting with her? It was like I was getting ready for a long battle. And I was ready. More than ready. “Well, it wouldn’t be the first time someone’s told me that.”

  She chuckled softly. “Of course not. You could have told me who you were last night. You didn’t have to attempt to embarrass or discredit me or something. All that did was piss me off.”

  “I wasn’t trying to discredit you. I was trying to keep you from getting your arse clocked. You’re welcome.”

  “Oh, that’s so funny. You think I need a savior. Clearly you weren’t listening last night.”

  I cocked my head. “You seem upset. Does this have anything to do with me carrying you over my shoulder last night? I promise, no one saw your bare arse.”

  Her pupils dilated even as her gaze narrowed. When she spoke, her words were biting. “Since we’re on the subject, I don’t like being man-handled.”

  I narrowed my gaze in return. “When I man-handle you Jessa, you’ll know.” I turned and left her standing at the lift.

  5

  Roone…

  I’d had no time. There was no way to back stop this. There was no way to have seen this coming. We’d known LL Hotels were on the Evans roster, but Evan Millston was listed as primary on the account.