Riled Up (With A Kiss #2)

by Anie Michaels

  Like I expected, Rachel switched into work mode effortlessly. “I’m meeting with the site coordinator today, actually, to do a final walk-through. Then early next week I planned a status with Mr. and Mrs. Gellerman to make sure we’ve got everything they need under control. I was hoping you’d join me for that meeting, but if not, I can definitely handle it on my own.” Rachel delivered her spiel all while staring down at her tablet, and I knew she was looking at her calendar.

  We spent the next twenty minutes going over schedules and making notes about ideas that came to us or things we needed to check into.

  “I feel good about where we are. Lots of work to do, but I think we’ve got it all covered.”

  “Busy is good,” Rachel replied, then set her tablet on my desk. “How was Arizona?”

  “It went all right. It was a little stressful going without Rose, but I managed.”

  “I think it’s really cool that even though she couldn’t go, she still sent you. That speaks a lot about how much she trusts you.”

  “Aw, geez, Rach, stop.”

  She shrugged. “Just saying.”

  “Okay, well, thank you, but believe me, having Rose trust me is both wonderful and stressful.”

  Rachel laughed. “Oh, I believe that.”

  “I’m going to catch up on some emails and get to work on this proposal that’s due tomorrow.”

  “Okay, I’ll keep you posted on anything interesting that pops up.”

  “Great.”

  I smiled as she left, thankful to have her on my team and grateful to have a job still at all.

  Hours later, I’d only left my desk twice—once for coffee and once for the restroom. Lunch had come and gone, but my butt had not left the chair for food and my stomach was angry at me for it. I opened the bottom drawer of my desk, sifting through the random items I’d accumulated since moving into the office months before: tampons, hair clips, ChapStick, vitamins I never remembered to take, a random cardigan sweater, a phone charger, a travel-sized deodorant, a small hairbrush, a travel coffee mug, a few takeout menus, and what I was looking for—a small box of granola bars. I peeled off the wrapper and took a bite, my stomach growling the entire time I chewed.

  Murphy’s Law dictated that the first moment I put food in my mouth that day, the phone would ring. I chewed quickly and then swallowed way before I would’ve liked, then picked up the phone.

  “Riley Smith’s office, Riley speaking.”

  “Hey, bitch.”

  I relaxed at Hadley’s preferred greeting.

  “Hey, whore.”

  “Oh, I love it when you talk dirty to me.”

  “I know. What’s up?”

  “Calling to see if you want to go shopping with me after work. I need new jeans and I need my official butt judge with me to take in the view from the back.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “What kind of best friend would I be if I didn’t tell you how good your ass looked in denim?”

  “The worst kind.”

  Again, I laughed.

  “I’m swamped today, but I could probably get out of here by six.” My stomach rumbled again. “But can we eat first?”

  “Dinner and shopping? Sounds like the perfect date.”

  At her comment, I thought about probing about Justin, but the other line started ringing so I made a mental note to ask her about it over dinner. Or jeans. One or the other.

  “Gotta go, Had. Phone’s a-ringing.”

  “Okay, text me where you want to meet. See ya later.”

  I hung up with a smile, excited to see my best friend after a crazy couple of days.

  “What about these?” Hadley turned and bent at the waist, showing me her ass.

  “Hmmm,” I said while formulating my answer. “Those look like a little too much junk in the trunk.”

  “In a bad way?” she asked, genuinely perplexed.

  “Yeah. Less junk, please.” I laughed.

  “I didn’t realize too much junk was possible,” she said as she stood straight. She turned and then considered her own backside in the mirror. “Do you think it’s the pockets?”

  “I think it’s your ass.”

  “Hey,” she whined.

  “It’s not a bad thing. You just need a pair of jeans that properly cover all that glorious booty. Maybe something with a higher waist.”

  “Oh, good idea. I have a pair of those in here somewhere.”

  Of course she did. Hadley was a serious and experienced shopper. I knew my role when she invited me along for this journey—I was expected to offer my opinion, but only really when asked. I knew from experience that if I tried to pick anything out for her, it would be denied. Not because Hadley was some sort of fashion snob, but because I could never quite nail down her ever-changing style. And even though I wasn’t quite capable of picking pieces for her, apparently I was qualified to give feedback, which she always considered even if she didn’t always agree. And it was a job I was happy to do.

  The funny part was, on the flipside, Hadley was always great at picking pieces out for me. But that could be because my style hadn’t really evolved much since I met her. I went a little more business professional after we graduated from high school, but my casual wear had always been comfortable and flirty. I wasn’t hard to nail down, apparently.

  “Did you show Camden the dress?” she asked from behind her closed dressing room door.

  “No. That’s bad luck. Everyone knows that.”

  “I just figured you weren’t going the traditional route.”

  “Just because we met in a strange circumstance and then fell hard and fast into a very serious relationship doesn’t mean we’re untraditional, and it also doesn’t mean I’m going to tempt fate by breaking all the rules.”

  “Well, he’s going to love it when he sees it.”

  My pulse picked up speed at the thought.

  “I cannot wait to see his face,” I said with a dreamy smile.

  “How about these?” she said as she opened the door with flair, then strutted past me in a new pair of jeans.

  I watched as her ass sailed by, part of me jealous of all the gifts bestowed upon her back end. Then the other, more rational part of me chimed in and I was reminded that shopping for jeans was never this difficult for me.

  “I think those look much better. Your trunk is now full of sexy things, not junk.”

  “These do look better,” she said contemplatively.

  “What does Justin think about your ass?” Sometimes it was better to try to catch Hadley off guard.

  “He likes it just as much as any other man I’ve let fondle it.”

  Even though it wasn’t close to what I thought to be the full story of what happened between them, I was shocked she admitted even that much.

  “So you let him fondle your ass? Did he get to fondle anything else?”

  Hadley and I both turned our heads when we heard a harrumph come from another dressing room. The door flew open and an older woman who looked to be about my grandmother’s age did her best to stomp toward the exit. The scathing looks she sent both Hadley and me clued us in to the fact that she wasn’t impressed with our choice of conversation topic.

  The door banged closed with a loud thump, and when my gaze met with Hadley’s we both lost our composure to a fit of laughter.

  “Oh my God,” Hadley said with tears streaming down her face as she bent at the waist. “That granny definitely needs to have her junk fondled.”

  I laughed so hard I fell over and had to lie down on the bench, my arms wrapped around my belly that ached from laughing too much.

  Neither of us was concerned about whether there was anyone else in the dressing room, letting the laughter take us away.

  “Oh my word,” Hadley finally said, wiping the tears from her face. “That was, by far, the best part of my whole week.”

  “The granny or the laughter?” I couldn’t say it without initiating another small gigglefest.

  “All of it.” She col
lapsed on the bench next to me, both of us trying to calm our breathing. “I miss us. We used to laugh like this all the time.”

  “I know.” It was always strange when the really happy moments in your life also made you sad. The emotional roller coaster was real and Hadley and I were in the first car, just about to go over the first drop.

  “Why’d you have to go and fall in love with that fantastic man who treats you so well and worships the ground you walk on?” Even though Hadley was trying to make her words sound like a joke, I knew she was serious.

  “I’m sorry,” I said, leaning my head over against her shoulder.

  “No, you’re not.”

  “Well, I’m not sorry I met Camden, but I am sorry you’re feeling neglected.”

  “It’s not even neglect. I don’t expect you to be single with me forever. It’s just kind of alarming watching your best friend fall madly in love. Kind of makes you realize how far apart you are in terms of life goals.”

  “Hey, just because you’re single and I’m getting married doesn’t mean you aren’t still my very best friend. Nothing changes for me when Camden’s around. You know that. If anything, now we have a manservant to bring us drinks and paint our toes.”

  Hadley laughed again, which was exactly what I was going for.

  “He would too.”

  “I know.” I shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. “He loves me.”

  “I love you too, ya know. He might get to be your husband, but I get to be your oldest and best friend for life.”

  “Aw, Hads. I love you too.” I wrapped my arms around her and tried not to laugh when she let out an incredibly undignified sniffle. She may have even wiped her nose on my shirt, but I didn’t bring it up. “You’ll find it too, one day. You know that, right?”

  Hadley stiffened in my arms.

  “One day someone’s going to come along and just blow every other man you’ve ever been with out of the water. He’s going to love you for the smartass I know you to be, and he’s going to go to the ends of the Earth to make you fall in love with him.”

  “Well, let’s not hold our breath, shall we?”

  I laughed. “Okay.”

  Hadley pulled away, wiping away more tears, then squared her shoulders and pushed her chin up.

  “So, these jeans are good, yeah?” She stood and examined herself in the mirror.

  “Yeah. Exactly the right amount of junk.”

  Hadley’s gaze met mine in the mirror and she gave me the smile I knew so well.

  I knew she’d be okay.

  And so would we, because I wasn’t willing to allow any other outcome.

  Hadley purchased her ass-complimenting jeans and we proceeded to walk through the department store, browsing and stopping to look at anything that caught our eye.

  We passed the lingerie section and Hadley’s eyes lit up, making me laugh.

  “Have you gotten anything to wear under your wedding dress yet?” she asked, eyes wide.

  “No. I haven’t really had a chance. There’s no rush though.”

  “Oh come on. Let’s look. I didn’t get to be there when you tried the dress on, so this is the next best thing. Oh, and shoes! Come on, please?”

  “Sure,” I conceded. I would need lingerie and shoes.

  After I told her my size, she dragged me farther into the section, fingering lacy bras and silky panties.

  “So, what kind of lingerie do you imagine yourself in?” she asked, paying very close attention to the black leather bralette in her hand.

  “Uh, nothing like that.” I laughed.

  “Obviously. This is for me.”

  “Of course.”

  “So, what do you want? Soft and flirty? Super-hot and sexy? Functional?” She stuck a finger in her mouth and made a gagging noise after the last suggestion.

  “I think maybe a combination of all three would be best, right? I don’t want to be dressed like a sex kitten under my dress, but I definitely want it to be sexy. And it has to hold the girls up or else what’s the point?”

  She considered my words for a moment, then said, “So let’s find a sexy corset top with matching panties. Maybe crotchless.”

  I had to laugh.

  “I don’t think they sell crotchless panties at the department store, Had. I think you have to go to a specialty store for that.”

  “You’re probably right. We’ll find something that works here, and then I’ll see if I can’t locate some crotchless panties for you before the big day.”

  “Aw, what a good maid of honor you are.”

  Hadley, who had been thumbing through racks of merchandise, halted and turned back to look at me.

  “I’m your maid of honor?” Her eyes were wide, her voice so soft.

  “Of course you’re my maid of honor. Aren’t you? I mean, you will be, right?”

  And then the tears started again and Hadley and I were crying in the middle of the lingerie section of the department store.

  “Are you premenstrual?” she asked as she hugged me, both of us sniffling.

  “No, are you?” I said through a little laugh.

  “Maybe,” she admitted.

  We pulled away and were, again, wiping our eyes. “So, is that a yes?”

  “Absolutely.”

  My only response was a smile.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Camden

  I heard Riley’s car pull into the driveway, the sound of the engine reminding me that we needed to look into getting her a new car. Her old college clunker was not nearly safe or reliable enough to get her to and from work anymore. I smiled at the idea of trying to convince her to get a newer vehicle, knowing she’d argue with me and I’d be able to persuade her using my favorite negotiation techniques—the kind that involved her naked on the bed and giving me everything I want from her.

  When the front door closed, it snapped me out of my daydream and I schooled my features, trying to look calm, cool, and collected.

  “Hey, babe,” she called out.

  “Hey, in the family room.”

  I heard her heels clicking against the hardwood floor. I couldn’t tell you why, exactly, but that sound totally turned me on. It was like she was announcing her entrance, giving me and my body a warning.

  She walked right to me, toed off her shoes, sat in my lap, wrapped her arms around my neck, and kissed me hello.

  My hands instinctively came to her ass—only to make sure she didn’t fall off my lap, of course.

  Her kiss was short but effective, her tongue just barely brushing over my bottom lip, teasing me. But when she pulled away, she looked tired.

  “Everything okay?” I asked, smoothing my hand up her back.

  “Yeah, I think I’m just overly tired. All the traveling and today I was absolutely swamped, and then I went right from work to hang out with Hadley. I think I just need to go to bed.”

  “Did you have fun with Had?” I reached up and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, waiting for her response.

  “I always have fun with Hadley. She’s my favorite.”

  “Good. What did you end up doing?”

  “Dinner and shopping. Oh, I’m sorry I ditched you for dinner. Did you manage all right?”

  “Yep, called Justin and we met at a bar.” I didn’t tell her that Jasper had come with us and that I’d instructed Hadley to keep Riley out for a few hours. “Did you get anything while you were shopping?”

  I was prying, but I wanted her to confess to what she’d bought. Kind of wanted to see it too.

  “Wedding stuff. Nothing for you to see.”

  “I thought I couldn’t see the dress?”

  “Well, I can’t show you what I’m going to wear under the dress either. That’s a surprise too.”

  Mission accomplished.

  “Riley Smith, did you bring sexy things back into this house? And are you keeping them from me?” I asked, running my hand back up her back, trying to coax her closer.

  “Oh no,” she said, standing. “Y
ou are not going to see what I bought. It’s for the wedding.” She crossed her arms over her chest and I could’ve sworn she was one second from tapping her foot on the ground.

  I held up my hands as if to surrender.

  “Okay. I won’t see it until the wedding, but it better be worth the wait.”

  Her shoulders relaxed and her hands dropped to her sides.

  “You know it will be.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed. “You ready for bed? I’ll rub your back until you fall asleep.”

  “Hmm,” she moaned, making it difficult to not revert to the images of all the sexy things she might have in her bags. “You’re the best.”

  I stood and took her hand, leading her up the stairs to the bedroom where I listened to her tell me all about her day. She told me how Rose didn’t fire her, and how Hadley opened up about being sad that Riley was moving on with her life and seemed to be pulling away from their friendship. Women were strange creatures. Justin and I never busted each other’s balls for being absent. If I hadn’t seen him in a while and I thought about him, I called him up and we went out for a beer. But Riley loved Hadley, so I knew she’d be upset if her best friend told her something like that. The fact of the matter was both Riley and Hadley were prime. I was lucky enough to lure Riley into my snare and keep her, but someday someone was going to snatch up Hadley too. It was inevitable.

  She was a little wild and a lot crazy, but that was part of her charm.

  Plus, she was hilarious.

  Riley told me a story about an old woman in the dressing room, but I couldn’t really understand her through all the laughter, so I just watched her while smiling, nodding when I thought it was appropriate.

  Riley fell asleep approximately three minutes after I started rubbing her back, which was pretty typical, but I waited a few extra minutes just to make sure she’d stay asleep. When I was confident she was out for the night, I rolled toward my nightstand and picked up my phone, tapping out a text.