by Mandy Baxter
Crash. And. Burn. It appeared that what most women found appealing about him, Reily wanted to cover up and hide. Was there anything about him that she actually liked? His stomach twisted into a knot as he reminded himself that it was her job to turn him into the exact opposite of what he was. If that wasn’t enough to stomp on his ego, Travis didn’t know what was.
* * *
The thought of Travis decked out in a pair of tight designer jeans and motorcycle boots caused a bloom of warmth to erupt in Reily’s stomach. His body was a work of art with bold lines and powerful curves that worked against each other and in tandem at the same time. Travis was like a Picasso: beauty created from shape and form.
Reily wasn’t surprised that Travis was trying to goad her into a reaction. She’d pushed him and she fully expected him to push back. What she hadn’t been prepared for was the way Patrice undressed him with her eyes—and the way it made the hackles rise on Reily’s neck.
The woman was a professional for Pete’s sake! And right now, Patrice seemed more interested in devouring Travis with her gaze than properly outfitting him. Then again, with Travis’s unabashed flirting, no doubt Patrice was thinking about dressing him. In a very hands-on manner.
This job was going to be the death of her.
“We’ve got a long day ahead, Patrice,” Reily said. “It might be a good idea to get started.”
The stylist snapped to and smoothed a hand over the length of her blond hair. “Sure. I’ve got several things picked out already. I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t get started. Travis,” she directed her attention back to where it wanted to wander and Reily swallowed down a snort. “Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea?”
“How ‘bout a beer?”
His gaze slid to Reily when he said it and the corner of his mouth hitched with amusement. She felt her own lips thin as she cut him a look. “We’ll be working on good decision making skills today as well, I guess. It’s nine-thirty in the morning, Travis.”
“Hey, hair of the dog and all that…” He turned and winked at Patrice. “I’ll take a cup of coffee if you have it.”
She smiled. “How do you take it?”
He grinned back, though his gaze slid once again to Reily. “Sweet and blond.”
Good lord. Did the man have an off switch?
“Got it,” Patrice’s voice went low and husky as she headed for the back room.
Reily rounded on Travis, her jaw so tense she thought it might crack from the strain of speaking. “Seriously?”
“What?” Travis was all sweet innocence, though his hazel eyes sparkled with mischief.
“Can you go thirty seconds without trying to get a woman into bed?”
“I don’t know…” Travis mused. “It doesn’t usually take me a full thirty.”
Ugh! Reily had never felt the urge to throttle a client before but apparently there was a first time for everything. A red hot cinder of annoyance—not jealousy—burned in the pit of her stomach. “Let’s just get through this fitting, okay? And can you please, for the love of all that is holy, try to turn off the charm and treat this like it’s a business meeting?”
Travis’s grin widened. “You think I’m charming?”
“I think I know why Bob Spencer considers you a pain in the ass.”
Travis’s expression fell but he quickly recovered.
“Here’s your coffee.” Patrice emerged from the back with a wide smile as she held out the paper cup to Travis.
He took a sip and winked. “Mmmm. Perfect.”
Riley rolled her eyes so hard she thought they might fall right out the back of her head. Her annoyance had crested to the point where she was pretty sure every thought in her head was being broadcast on her forehead like a reader board. Patrice picked up on the cue and took a wide step away from Travis.
“All right. I know you two have a busy day ahead of you and we should probably get started before the boutique opens to the public.”
Riley gave her a look that might as well have translated to, “Duh!” The early morning appointment had been scheduled to get Travis squared away without the boutique’s regular patrons throwing pictures up on every social networking site known to man. She was glad that Patrice was ready to switch gears and get to work. Reily had thrown a lot of clients her way in the past. She’d hate for their business relationship to end over one drop-dead gorgeous playboy.
“You—” Reily pointed at Travis “—fitting room. I want to see every single outfit. If I don’t sign off on it, it doesn’t go in the bag.”
“A fashion show, huh?” Travis waggled his brows and Reily had to force her encroaching smile away. “Want to see the underwear, too?”
Reily’s cheeks flushed and a ribbon of heat unfurled in her stomach. “We’re not here to, I mean, underwear isn’t…” She took a deep breath and expelled it. “Oh for God’s sake, get in there and change!”
Travis chuckled as he headed toward the fitting room. “Someone should see me in my underwear!”
Reily couldn’t deny that she wouldn’t turn down the opportunity, given the chance. Knowing Travis, he’d find a way to make sure someone saw him in his underwear. “No selfies!” she called out as the door to the fitting room closed. “You snap one pic and I’m confiscating your phone.”
“Yes, Mom,” Travis groused from behind the closed door. “You know, Reily, you need to learn to lighten up!”
“Don’t forget why you’re saddled with me,” Riley said. “It’s because all you know how to do is lighten up.”
Reily was answered with another chuckle, but thankfully, Travis didn’t continue to goad her. She had a feeling that had he wanted to, though, he could have kept the banter going all day.
Patrice really was good at her job. Every item of clothing she’d selected for Travis fit him as though it had been tailor-made. He showed off each and every outfit, striding between the racks of clothes as though he were on a runway in Milan. Reily couldn’t stop the laughter from bubbling up her throat. Travis had a goofy side that added to his charm factor times ten. By the time he’d tried on the last suit, Reily was convinced that he could have worn a Hefty bag and looked amazing in it.
Patrice took note of everything and offered to have the clothes delivered to Travis’s house. Reily bristled at the offer because she had a feeling that the stylist was looking for a way to make an in-person visit. Definitely not what Reily needed while she was trying to keep Travis on the straight and narrow.
“You can deliver them to my office,” she said. “I’ll make sure they get where they need to go.”
Patrice looked a little crestfallen, but Reily didn’t care. It was Travis’s amused chuckle that got her goat. As they left the boutique he leaned in and murmured, “Trying to keep me all to yourself?”
“Trying to keep you out of trouble,” she murmured back.
Their next stop was Coifed. The trendy salon was bustling with activity but aside from a few admiring stares, the clientele didn’t pay too much attention to Travis. The stylist, Clare, draped the cape around his neck and said into the mirror, “Okay, what are we doing today?”
“Just take an inch or so off,” Travis said.
“No.” Reily’s eyes met his through the mirror. “I’d like it shorter.”
The stern set of his jaw let her know an argument was on the horizon. Reily let out a slow sigh. It was going to be a long day. “We’re shooting for clean-cut and responsible, remember?”
“You’re trying to turn me into my brother,” he replied.
Reily couldn’t deny that if he was more like his twin, this would be a heck of a lot easier. She opened her mouth to reply but Travis cut her off.
“Do you know what it’s like to have an identical twin? My mom dressed us alike until we were six and I told her that wasn’t going to fly.”
So, this was an identity issue? Reily hadn’t considered that Travis had his own style, haircut, and attitude because he wanted not to be exactly like his brother. S
he could appreciate that. In fact, it gave her new insight into Travis’s personality. Maybe beneath his bad-boy persona was a guy who simply wanted to establish his own identity. “All right,” she said to his reflection. “A couple of inches.” Reily turned to the stylist. “But let’s try to give him a style that he can manage that doesn’t scream shaggy dog.”
Clare laughed and Travis shot her a stern look in the mirror. “Some women like shaggy dogs, you know.”
The look really did suit him. But this was about making him look more professional. He already had raw sexuality in spades.
“Down boy,” Reily said with a smirk.
Travis’s grin widened. He was so beautiful that she forgot to take a breath.
“Are you actually trying to be funny?” he said with a chuckle.
Reily averted her gaze. “Let’s just get to the haircut.”
She looked up and, once again, their eyes met in the mirror. He held her attention and she couldn’t look away if she tried.
“I’ll loosen you up yet.”
That’s what she was afraid of.
Four
Reily checked her reflection in her compact mirror one last time. Why did she even care if she looked good or not? This was work. She was supposed to look like a professional and nothing more. So why did she feel so frumpy and dull?
For the past week she’d spent every day with Travis. Attending practices, press conferences, television and radio interviews … she’d been to so many team lunches, dinners, and meetings over the past few days, she felt like she was a member of the team. All she was missing was a pair of skates.
Travis’s personality had been much bigger than she’d anticipated. So much so that she found herself dwarfed in his presence. His charisma couldn’t be denied. Reily should have found his outrageous flirtations off-putting but instead, she fell under his spell just like any other woman lucky enough to be the object of his attention. Because he wasn’t simply a flirt. When Travis looked at her, had a conversation with her, he gave her his undivided attention. He made Reily feel as though she was the only other person in the universe. He treated everyone that way. Anyone lucky enough to be in Travis’s company loved him in an instant. Travis wasn’t simply a dumb jock or the playboy the media made him out to be. He was intelligent. Witty. A total surprise.
The driver of the Town Car Reily hired for tonight pulled through the gates of the private community Travis lived in. She wasn’t a stranger to the lives of the rich and famous, since she spent most of her time trying to keep some of them on the right path. Even so, she measured their success against her own and found it sorely lacking. She’d hoped to be doing better by now. Hell, she would have settled for having her student loans paid off at this point. At the rate she was going, she’d be lucky not to lose her ass on a failed business. If she could turn Travis around, though, her fortune might finally change. Maybe she’d pick up more athletes as clients. God knew there were plenty of them out there that could benefit from an image overhaul.
They pulled into the circular driveway and Reily took one last look in her tiny mirror. Ugh. She really did look like a librarian, didn’t she? Or at least the cliché version of one. The car came to a halt and Reily got out to fetch her client. She paused outside of the car and took a moment to take in Travis’s sprawling property. Again, not what she’d expected.
For some reason, she’d always pictured Travis living in some sort of overblown frat house with empty beer cans on the lawn and music blaring from the open windows. But there wasn’t a bit of litter in sight. And not a single bikini- or underwear-clad girl sprinting across the perfectly manicured lawn.
“Uncle Travis!” A tiny voice squealed from what sounded like the backyard. A round of raucous giggles followed “Throw Jane next!”
Reily bypassed the front door and headed toward the back of the house. Her heels sank into the lawn and she paused to take them off. Bare feet were totally acceptable when faced with getting dirt and grass stains on a pair of shoes that had set her back almost a hundred dollars. True, they weren’t even close to as fancy as the five-hundred-dollar loafers Travis had bought at the boutique, but ever since she’d started her own firm, her shopping budget had been drastically cut. God, she missed shopping.
Five years. If she could stick it out for the next five years, she’d be back on top. Maybe. Hopefully. Oh hell, she’d be lucky if she could stick out the next five minutes.
If Reily had thought the front of Travis’s property had been impressive, the back was absolutely stunning. A large pool took up most of the space, complete with a small cabana. The beautifully tiled edges of the pool spread outward into an elaborate patio. At the edge of the property and along the tall fence line, an assortment of trees, shrubs, and flowers dotted the dark green and short-clipped grass. It was an oasis that made Reily feel as though she’d been transported out of Texas completely and into a remote tropical paradise. Every day must feel like a vacation in a backyard like this.
“Ahhhh!” Another high-pitched squeal rent the quiet followed by a loud splash.
Travis stood at the edge of the pool, decked out in his new slacks, crisp dress shirt, vest, and tie. A few feet away, a little girl bobbed to the surface of the water. A wide grin rounded her cheeks as she treaded water for a moment before swimming toward another girl who stood at the shallow end of the pool. “Again, Uncle Travis! Do that again!”
Travis laughed. The good-natured sound rippled over Reily’s skin and left her feeling warm and flushed. “I can’t. You’re all wet now and if I mess up my fancy new outfit, Reily will kill me.”
“Is she your girlfriend?” one of the girls asked.
Travis laughed again and Reily couldn’t help but feel as though he found the girl’s question a little too funny. “No.”
“Why not?” the other girl asked. Reily walked a little closer and noticed that the sisters were carbon copies of each other. “Don’t you want her to be your girlfriend?”
Reily’s cheeks heated. She definitely didn’t want to hear the answer to that one. At best, Travis considered her a burden. An unfortunate necessity in order to keep his place on the team. “Looks like the real party is going to be here tonight.” She picked up her pace and crossed the patio toward the pool. “I think we’re missing out.”
Travis turned to face her, a wide smile illuminating his face. Reily’s step faltered; he was so damned stunning that sometimes looking at him could make her forget how to do even simple things like walking, talking … breathing.
“We could always bail,” Travis suggested. “Hang by the pool and drink all evening.”
“Ha. Ha.” Reilly knew he didn’t want to go to tonight’s charity event. But that was too damned bad. This was technically his coming out as the new and improved Travis Christensen. The press needed to see him well put together. It was the first step toward rebuilding his image. “Not a chance. Why waste an opportunity to show off your fancy new clothes?”
Travis snorted. “I’d rather be wearing shorts right now.”
Swim shorts. And nothing else. Reily’s mind conjured an image of Travis’s bare chest and her entire body flushed with heat. She really needed to stop doing that. He was her client and nothing more. Besides, it was ridiculous to think that if he wasn’t being forced to hang out with her, Travis would have ever given her the time of day.
“Hey, Trav? Tess wants to know where you keep your bowls.”
Reily turned toward the patio door to see Travis’s mirror image step out. She’d known about his twin brother, but seeing him in the flesh was a little surreal. She could understand why Travis had wanted to keep his long hair. Had he cut it, no one would have been able to tell the difference between them. Reily felt as though she was an unwelcome guest at a family gathering. Why would he have people over when he had an event to attend tonight? If he hadn’t been dressed and ready to go, Reily would have assumed that Travis really had been about to bail.
“Um … I think they’re in the c
upboard above the dishwasher,” Travis replied. “If not, check the one in the island.”
Carter gave a shake of his head. “Have you ever even cooked in your own kitchen?”
Travis snorted. “Nope. It’s virgin territory. Tell Tess to go easy on the range since it’s her first time.”
Carter laughed. He gave Reily a wave of acknowledgment. “Obviously, Travis isn’t house broken. I’m Carter.”
“Hi,” Reily said. “I’m Reily Martin. Nice to meet you.”
“Oh, so you’re my brother’s keeper,” Carter’s knowing tone coaxed a grin to Reily’s lips. “It’s about time someone kicked his butt into line.”
“I’m trying.” Her gaze slid to Travis and his expression darkened. Apparently he didn’t appreciate a little good-natured ribbing, though he seemed to dish it out easily enough. “Your brother’s a tough nut to crack.”
“You let me know if he gives you any trouble,” Carter said with a grin that was every bit as wicked as Travis’s. “I’ll put him in line for you.”
Reily laughed. “Deal.”
* * *
Har. Har. Carter was fucking hilarious. It was bad enough that his brother pointed out his lack of social graces by not introducing Reily to everyone, but then he had to rub it in that he’d been assigned a babysitter by the team because apparently, he was incapable of taking care of himself.
The more time he spent with Reily, the less he wanted her to see that side of him. He didn’t want her to think of him as a fuck-up. A disappointment. Someone who didn’t give a shit about anyone or anything. Reily might have appeared stuffy and uptight, but there was more to her than her neat and tidy workwear and serious, upswept ponytail. Travis wanted to get to know her. And not simply as her client. He actually found himself anticipating their time spent together. The only thing Travis had ever felt that sort of excitement about was hockey. And he wasn’t really sure what to make of it.
Ever since the day she’d spent making him over, Travis couldn’t get Reily out of his head. She was so unlike the women he dated. Hell, she was unlike any woman he’d ever met. She looked like a million dollars tonight in her revised take on standard business attire. She’d traded in her usual slacks for a billowy black ballet-type skirt that she’d paired with a tight-fitting, button-up dress shirt. He doubted she realized how beautiful she was. How striking her blue eyes were in contrast to her dark hair and lashes. She was so put together. So damned savvy. He didn’t think he’d ever met a smarter woman. Travis found her stuffy demeanor and conservative clothes a total turn-on. He wanted to peel off every layer of her oh-so-professional suits to reveal the curves that he was sure were hidden beneath.
