by Riker, Nikki
"He's got big shoes to fill. Do we know anything about this guy?" Jerry Jackson asked, his voice booming through my car.
"Not much other than he's a young guy. Not even thirty yet," another host responded.
"Wow. That's a big weight to drop on a kid's shoulders." Jerry chuckled and cleared his throat. "I'll be interested to see if Geoffrey Miles prepared his kid to take over this industry and see it into the future."
"He's got several boys. I've heard they all got a company." Yet another host.
Jerry responded. "Okay, so if you're in Seattle and you have any information about these guys and what businesses they are taking from Mr. Miles, a man who helped build our great city into the thriving business hub that it is, please call in. We're interested in learning more. The press conference is this morning at eleven a.m. We'll be listening, and Mark will be live to hopefully catch up with Kade Miles, the next CEO of Miles Private Jets. Interesting day here in the rainy city you love."
I flipped the radio off and drove toward the office. I hadn't realized how big of a deal this was not only to the company and me but to the city as well.
My dad had always just been my dad. Sure, he worked his ass off and had more money than God, but he wasn't Geo Miles, the billionaire business mogul.
He was Dad.
* * *
"You alright?" Ron patted my back as we walked toward the conference room where the press meeting would take place. I could hear multiple voices pouring out of the open door.
"I think so." I stopped just before reaching the door.
One of our head engineers was up front, and Skylar stood beside him. She caught my eye and smiled, her eyes dropping down to my chest.
She liked my suit.
I gave her a funny look and mouthed, "What? This old thing?"
Her smile made my day, which was dangerous.
"Glad to see the two of you getting along." Ron smiled over at me. "Your father wanted her to marry into the family. Did he tell you that?"
Marry? I almost choked on my tongue.
"No, but keep that to yourself. I'm not the marrying type. We're barely becoming friends. Let's not push it this century, alright?" I crossed my arms over my chest and watched as the crowd turned to Skylar.
She offered a warm smile and answered a million questions.
Finally, a guy up front lifted his hand. "I know this has nothing to do with anything, but is it true that you're a world-famous Calvin Klein model?"
Skylar lifted her eyebrow and wagged her finger at the guy playfully. My dick woke up.
"Now, Paul, you know you ask that every time, and I'll deny it to the day I die, even if it is the truth."
The crowd laughed softly, loving her. I could easily see why.
"Five-minute break and Mr. Miles will be in, joined by Ron Dean." Skylar stood and motioned for the members of the executive committee to move off the make-shift stage.
She talked to a few reporters and walked out into the hall to stop in front of Ron and me.
"You look good." She ran her hand down my chest, brushing something off before reaching up and brushing Ron's hair off his forehead. "Make sure to keep your heads up, shoulders back, and eyes on the crowd. I'll be at the back. If you get ruffled, just look at me. I'll give you a little bit of confidence."
"Got reserves you're willing to spare?" I smiled at her. Why weren't we getting along earlier in the week? Probably because we were both so horny for each other it caused waves of unease. I wasn't sure that feeling had passed for me, but she seemed to have chilled out. I wanted to lament her calmness, but it was too enjoyable to wish it away just yet.
"Always." She turned and put her back to us.
I lifted my head and moved into place as she directed us to do. After Ron and I took our seats up front, Skylar walked around to stand in front of the table. She poured us a glass of water and glanced up to find me staring at her tits. Her shirt was open, and there was no fucking way I was missing out on seeing her in any way I could.
"Focus. Remember what we did yesterday."
"Got it." I glanced up at the crowd and pulled my notes from my pocket. "I'm Kade Miles, and these are my notes. If I sound like a bossy, well-informed female, it's because my PR Director set me straight and took care of me."
The crowd laughed softly, and Skylar gave me the finger from the back of the room. It was my father's world, but he wasn't running it anymore. I was. I couldn't fill his shoes because I wasn't him. I was simply me, and if I was going to make it in this new adventure that had been placed before me, I had to remember that.
Ron jumped in a few minutes after I went over my notes and answered a few questions. As he did, I leaned back and locked eyes with Skylar. She glanced away and turned her attention to the people in the room, looking directly at whoever was speaking. I never wavered in staring her down unless someone called on me to say something.
An hour later, the crowd clapped as we stood and made our way off the stage.
She wrapped one arm around the back of my waist, and the other around Ron as we walked down the hall.
"Guys. That was incredible. It was almost like having Geo there." She smiled up at me. "He would be so proud."
"Where is the mean woman I met on Monday? I like her better. This one is making me want to ask you out on a date this weekend."
She scoffed and released Ron and me. "Not happening, but great job. The suit was my idea."
I stopped in my tracks and put my hand on my chest as Ron laughed beside me.
"I think I might be the marrying type." I let out a long sigh.
He popped me in the chest and walked away. "Don't let her hook you that fast, Miles. It's been five days. That's embarrassing."
The worst part? He was right on all accounts.
Chapter Ten
Skylar
"Spill." Krissy gave me a look the next day as we walked toward the salon. Saturday. Finally.
"About what?" I feigned ignorance and laughed as she poked me in the side.
"Come on. I want to know about the hottie you work for. Did he wear the suit we picked out for him yet?"
"Are you referring to the suit I picked out?" Another poke and laugh. "Stop it. Alright, yes. He wore it at a press conference yesterday, and he looked like a million bucks. The man is stupid levels of fine."
"I'll one up that. He looks like he was chiseled from the gods." She wagged her eyebrows and held the door open.
The scent of fake fingernails and burnt hair filled my nose, but I ignored it. I needed a day of pampering myself, and Krissy was excellent company for such an adventure.
We checked in at the front and made our way back to the locker room area. After stripping down, Krissy wrapped a towel around herself and turned to face me.
"I love that bra and panties! Oh no."
"What?" I stood up and put my hands on my hips. "Don't start with me."
"Really? All these years of being friends and I'm not going to give you shit over your panties finally matching your bras? You've never had anything that matched, and if we're being totally honest, I'm shocked that there are no holes anyway."
"I used to model underwear and bathing suits." I gave her a scowl and pulled off the rest of my undergarments. "I've worn many matching pieces."
"Yeah, when you were being paid to do it." She snorted and moved to look at herself in the mirror. She tugged at her blond hair and let out a huff. "I want big boobs like yours. It's not fair."
"I'll trade them if you have something to offer." I walked by and tugged at her hair. "Come on, weirdo. Let's go enjoy our day. You're not going to get bigger boobs without paying for them, and I'm not going to ever have your complexion. Let's get over it."
"True." She followed me to the massage room for two. "Did Kade do okay during the event Friday?"
I pulled my robe off and got on the bed, clumsily. I was grateful that it was only Krissy and me in the room. Anyone else and I would have exploded with embarrassment.
"The press conference? It was on TV. You didn't see it?"
"No, I was fingers deep in an old man who forgot to brush his teeth around the age of nine." She snorted, dropped her towel, and got up on her massage bed.
We wrestled into the warm blankets that stretched out for us and turned our heads to face each other. I crossed my arms and rested my chin on them, both of us on our stomachs to start.
It wasn't our first rodeo.
"Nasty. No more dental jokes." I scowled as she stuck her tongue out. "But yeah. Kade did really good at the conference. He's a natural."
"Do I detect a softness in your voice?" She smiled. "You didn't seem to care at all for that guy earlier this week. What happened?"
"I don't know. Maybe I was being a bitch."
"Highly likely."
"Hey!" I reached out to poke her in the armpit, but our massage therapists walked in and greeted us. After pointing out a few pain points, we settled down and let out contented sighs.
Where we were good chatting through the mani-pedis, we both knew to keep our traps shut during the massage part. It was relaxation like nobody’s business, and I needed it after the week I'd had.
Trying to keep myself from falling for my new boss had worn me the fuck out. Not falling in love—but falling in bed.
A smile lifted my lips in the dim room as I thought how easy it would have been to pull him down for a long, hot kiss at the park. So romantic and perfect.
Warmth bubbled in the center of my stomach, and a delicious sensual need spread out like tendrils inside of me. I wanted to know what his lips tasted like, how he sounded when he moaned and if he was rough or soft.
"I can't stop thinking that you guys would be good together, Sky."
"You're breaking the cardinal rule," I responded roughly as my daydream dissipated.
"I know, but I wanted you to know that I have this weird feeling that he's the one." She let out a girly sigh. "You need to try and push things with him. Stop being scared."
I started to respond that I wasn't scared, but the truth was that I was terrified of falling for someone. All my years of modeling had shown me mostly the nasty side of relationships. Where I'd dated off and on, but I'd never slept with anyone, namely because of disease and not wanting to get pregnant.
"He is pretty dreamy." I closed my eyes and let the image of Kade’s body pressed to the front of me slip back into my mind. He had strong hands and an attractive, cocky smile in the vision. His light blue eyes locked onto me as if he could see down into my soul.
"So dreamy. Please have babies with him. I want to know how he looks fully naked." She giggled several times, causing me to join her.
"Stop," I said and laughed again. "I would love to think about things progressing with Kade and me, but one, he's my boss."
"And two?" She sounded sleepy. I prayed she would pass out and leave me to my naughty thoughts. I was getting to the good stuff, or what I imagined the good stuff to feel like.
"Two, I'm a virgin."
The masseur cleared his throat, and Krissy and I giggled again.
She spoke next. "We're idiots."
"Agreed, but back to the issue. I don't even know what to do with a guy in bed." I ignored the poor man rubbing my shoulders and wished that I had gotten a woman like Krissy.
"It's not that hard, and maybe he's a virgin too."
More laughter. Tears filled my eyes as I laughed harder. "No fucking way."
"Ma'am. You're going to have to stay still." The guy moved back, not sounding rude, but concerned.
"Right. Sorry." I closed my eyes and broke into laughter again at the sound of Krissy snorting.
We could behave like adults. We'd done it before, and we could do it again.
After concentrating on not laughing like I was back in junior high for the next thirty minutes, I was ready to get up and move around. Our giggles were over, but we weren't done talking about Kade.
"You really think he could be a virgin?" I ran my fingers through my hair before slipping my robe back on. Hair was next, and I was looking forward to that most.
"Hell no." She shook her head. "He's probably slept with a million women. What I want to know is where he got that scar on his face."
"Me too." I tried not to look too taken by him, but it was hard. The more I let my guard down, the more I liked the idea of going out on a date with him.
"Maybe you should casually ask him out for dinner. You know, talk about work and all that dumb shit. It would be a good reason to get him alone."
"No." I walked toward the salon area. "And besides, he's my boss. I don't want to start over at another company, and Kade Miles isn't going anywhere. He's there to stay. We fuck or date or even fall in love and things don't go right, where does that leave me? Or even better, where does that leave him?"
"With me?" She pressed her hands together like she was praying. "I'd take your sloppy seconds. Please? Oh please?"
The laughter I thought was over returned, and we were more of an annoyance than anything else to anyone who came in the salon that morning. I almost felt bad about it.
Almost.
Chapter Eleven
Kade - Two Weeks Later
"Kade? Can I bother you for a minute before I get out of here?" Ron knocked on the door from the short hallway outside of my office.
I glanced up from a stack of legal documents and smiled. "God, yes. Come save me from this shit."
He chuckled and walked in. "Still going through the acquisitions request from Sallant and Co?" He walked over and put his hand on the back of one of the seats across from me. "Mind if I?"
"Of course. Sit down." I picked up a paper and handed it to my father's closest friend and advisor. "Check this out and tell me what you see. I've read the damn thing ten times, and I think they're trying to short us ten thousand square feet of the new building we're in negotiation over. I'm making this up, right?"
"Let me see." He glanced down, and I took the opportunity to rest my eyes.
A small headache played at the back of my skull, and I was ready to get home and drop down in the bed. The first week of my new job was fantastic. All smiles and handshakes, but after being there for almost three weeks, I was knee-deep in the process and drowning in decisions and paperwork.
"I think you're right. Let me read it in the morning with fresh eyes, and I'll give it to Chris over in legal. They're going to go through all of this stuff anyway, but I'll push the timeline up." He leaned back in his chair and watched me like my father used to do. "You hanging in there?"
"Who knows." I dropped my hands into my lap and let out a long sigh. "I feel like a zombie after staring at these contracts all day. I'm thinking board meetings and speeches in the park were the tip of the iceberg." I offered a weak smile. Weariness pulled at me. I wanted a short shower, cold bed and soft body to snuggle up to, not that any of those were in my near future.
"Well, you're doing a great job according to the whisper in the building. People feel like you've brought back a warmth to the place. You remind us of Geo and the previous owner." He tapped the desk. "You just need to make sure you take care of yourself. Okay, son?"
I nodded, not minding his nicknames at all. He reminded me of my dad, but I didn't want to bring it up. Too private. Too personal.
"Previous owner? I thought Dad built this company from the ground up."
He laughed and smiled brightly. "No. Your father is a great people person and brilliant in most areas of business, but he wasn't an airplane designer or manufacturer. This company has been around a long time. The first owner was a good man, but he made a lot of mistakes in his career. Geo swept in and saved him when we thought this place was going to go under."
"You were here then?" I was surprised to hear the story of how the company began. I'd always believed that my father had built the companies that he owned, but talking with Ron, it was more than apparent that I was dead wrong.
"I sure was. I helped design our first aircraft." He stood and let out a
grunt. "I moved up quickly because my motto is to be valuable, but not helpful."
I chuckled. "What? That sounds crazy."
"Maybe, but think about it and let me know if you still feel the same."
The sound of the elevator dinging caused both of us to turn our attention that way.
"Oh sorry. Did I interrupt?" Skylar stopped at the edge of the elevator and offered Ron and me a smile. Her black skirt fit her perfectly, her long legs on display, and her dainty feet in strapped heels. The cream-colored blouse had ruffles all over it, making her look insanely girly like she was someone's princess.
I wanted to be that someone. Badly.
"No. I was just leaving." Ron stood and nodded at me. "Thanks for the chat. I'll check on this over the weekend. Take two days off, Kade. Don't run yourself into a shallow grave. Alright?"
"I won't." I stood and turned to Skylar.
She lifted a box. "I come bringing gifts. Did you eat yet?"
"No, but I'm fucking starving." I let my eyes run across her. I shouldn't have, but I was too tired to hide how attracted I was to her. "We can spread it out on the table over there."
"Okay," she whispered, her eyes a little wide. My tough PR Director was out of character from what I could tell. Why? Had something happened?
"You alright?" I walked around my desk and undid my tie before tossing it back on my chair.
"Yeah. Just so tired. It's been a long week, hasn’t it?" She leaned over and spread out two plates of pasta, bread, and salad. "I went all out. That okay?"
"Don't ask me that." I chuckled and sat down, reaching for a breadstick. "I haven't eaten more than a stale bagel or peanut butter sandwich with no damn jelly in weeks."
"You're a billionaire, Kade. Get a chef." She smiled and sat down across from me. Her eyes shifted down to the food and up at me. "This isn't too personal, right? Feels a little intimate."
I'd already fucked her ten times against the glass window of my office in my mind. Personal was relative, but she didn't know that.
