He touched his forehead to hers. “I don’t know what came over me. I found you two kissing, and I saw red.”
“It was just chemistry.” She let out a shaky laugh, knowing that term was too benign for what had passed between her and Ian.
“I don’t want you to get hurt. The man doesn’t do relationships, Ri. He uses women and moves on.”
“Umm, Pot/Kettle?” she asked him. Alex moved from woman to woman just as he’d accused his half brother of doing.
He’d even kissed her once. Horn dog that he was, he said he’d had to try, but they both agreed there was no spark and their friendship meant way too much to throw away for a quick tumble between the sheets.
Alex frowned. “Maybe so, but that doesn’t change the facts about him. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I won’t,” she assured him, even as her heart picked up speed when she caught sight of Ian watching them from across the room.
Drink in hand, brooding expression on his face, his stare never wavered.
She curled her hands into the suit fabric covering Alex’s shoulders and assured herself she was telling the truth.
“What if he was using you to get to me?”
“Because the man can’t be interested in me for me?” she asked, her pride wounded despite the fact that Alex was just trying to protect her.
Alex slowed his steps and leaned back to look into her eyes. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it. Any man would be lucky to have you, and I’d never get between you and the right guy.” A muscle pulsed in Alex’s right temple, a sure sign of tension and stress. “But Ian’s not that guy.”
She swallowed hard, hating that he just might be right. Riley wasn’t into one-night stands. Which was why her body’s combustible reaction to Ian Dare confused and confounded her. How far would she have let him go if Alex hadn’t interrupted? Much further than she’d like to imagine, and her body responded with a full-out shiver at the thought.
“Now can we forget about him?”
Not likely, she thought, when his gaze burned hotter than his kiss. Somehow she managed to swallow over the lump in her throat and give Alex the answer he sought. “Sure.”
Pleased, Alex pulled her back into his arms to continue their slow dance. Around them, other guests, mostly his father’s age, moved slowly in time to the music.
“Did I mention how much I appreciate you coming here with me?” Obviously trying to ease the tension between them, he shot her the same charming grin that had women thinking they were special.
Riley knew better. She was special to him, and if he ever turned his brand of protectiveness on the right kind of woman and not the groupies he preferred, he might find himself settled and happy one day. Sadly, he didn’t seem to be on that path.
She decided to let their disagreement over Ian go. “I believe you’ve mentioned how wonderful I am a couple of times. But you still owe me one,” Riley said. Parties like this weren’t her thing.
“It took your mind off your job stress, right?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yes, and let’s not even talk about that right now.” Monday was soon enough to deal with her new boss.
“You got it. Ready for a break?” he asked.
She nodded. Unable to help herself, she glanced over where she’d seen Ian earlier, but he was gone. The disappointment twisting the pit of her stomach was disproportional to the amount of time she’d known him, and she blamed that kiss.
Her lips still tingled, and if she closed her eyes and ran her tongue over them, she could taste his heady, masculine flavor. Somehow she had to shake him from her thoughts. Alex’s reaction to seeing them together meant Riley couldn’t allow herself the luxury of indulging in anything more with Ian.
Not even in her thoughts or dreams.
TWO
Riley walked into the main office of Blunt Sporting Goods, a manufacturer and retailer where she’d been employed since she was seventeen. She’d worked her way up from sales to store manager until she was ultimately drafted into their corporate headquarters after college. She worked hard, earned good money, and best of all, loved her job. She was in charge of distribution and knew how to get their goods into the right hands. Too bad all those years of loyal service were now threatened by a sale to new owners.
When Jerry Blunt had decided to retire and travel with his wife, he’d sold the once-family-owned business to a pompous jerk who’d withheld his intentions of cleaning house and bringing in fresh new talent, as he called his hires, until the final papers were signed.
He brought in all his own people for lead jobs, which Riley grudgingly admitted made sense. But he also sought to hire new people from outside the company, those willing to work for less money. He didn’t give the long-standing, once-valued workers a chance to prove their worth. Many older employees with families to support were let go and they’d have a tough time getting a new job for the same pay.
It sucked, Riley thought, and she wanted to at least try and save her department. To do so, she had to prove to her new boss that she could run things well and efficiently and make him money. Sadly, he wasn’t the type to listen, and every day, more people left with their belongings in a box, escorted out by security.
When her intercom rang, calling her in to see the new boss, Riley had no doubt she would be the next one out the door. She flexed her fingers and rose, taking the stairs to the next floor, using the time to give herself a pep talk before approaching Franklin O’Mara.
“Go on in,” Gail, his personal secretary, also new to the company, said. “He’s expecting you.”
“Thanks.” She stepped into his office.
In his forties with a receding hairline and paunch in his stomach, he epitomized the lazy executive, and it killed Riley to see the company she loved be destroyed by someone who didn’t see the value of the employees he’d inherited.
“Ms. Taylor.” He held a file in his hand, no doubt filled with her evaluations and track record at the company.
“Mr. O’Mara.” She waited until he gestured for her to be seated before nodding and settling into the chair across from his massive desk.
“I’m sorry to say, we’ll be letting you go.”
She swallowed hard. “I understand your new corporate policy involves bringing in fresh talent,” she began.
“Then you understand it’s nothing personal. We’ll give you a good severance package and references. Marge in HR will discuss the details with you.”