Romeo for Hire Read online

  Turning back to me, she smiled. Her eyes fell to the floor and then slowly rose back to mine.

  We stood there, facing each other in tense silence for what felt like hours. Every cell in my body was screaming at me to kiss her, but I held back.

  “So,” Candice said slowly. “I guess …”

  “I’ll call you soon,” I promised quickly. “We can do this again.”

  “Another picnic?” Candice teased. “I don’t know about that.”

  “Something different,” I said. “Cross my heart.”

  Candice’s eyes flicked to my lips. She shuffled her feet, ducking her head again and then lifting it slowly. The signals flying off her were obvious, but I did everything I could to ignore them.

  Kissing her again was easy enough. I stepped forward, putting my hand on her hip and pressing my lips quickly to hers.

  I lingered just long enough to make her feel it before I pulled away.

  And I hated myself for it.

  Candice opened her mouth and turned her head slightly toward her door. She was seconds away from inviting me inside, but I couldn’t let her do it. If the question even left her lips, I would never be able to say no.

  “Good night, Candice.” I smiled. “Thank you for a lovely evening.”

  I took a step back and watched as she stepped inside. She smiled, confused, and closed the door between us.

  It took all my strength to walk away and get back in my car. Every part of me wanted to run back to her door and beg her to let me inside. I longed to kiss her, really kiss her, but I couldn’t.

  I knew that was all it would take. One real kiss with Candice and I’d be a goner. I would cave in on myself and give everything over to her. She would no longer be a client. She would be something so much more.

  Frustrated, I climbed behind the wheel of my car and leaned my head against the seat. I closed my eyes and cursed myself for being so damn weak.

  Kason’s warning once again echoed in my mind.

  Don’t fall in love. That’s the number one rule of being a Romeo.

  Chapter 16

  Candice

  My apartment had never felt smaller. With a spacious kitchen, an open living and dining room, three bedrooms, a study, and two bathrooms I’d never once felt claustrophobic. That night, the walls seemed to close in around me as I walked through the entryway.

  Pulling my phone from my purse, I called my sister and pressed the screen to my ear.

  “Are you still at work?” Leslie asked.

  “Nice hello.”

  “You never call me this late,” she said defensively. “What’s wrong? Did something happen with Roberto?”

  I blinked. “What? Roberto?”

  “The photographer guy,” Leslie said slowly. “The one who quit?”

  “Oh.” I shook my head and fell back on my couch. “No. It’s nothing like that.”

  “Then, what’s up?”

  My lips parted. The answer to Leslie’s question was poised on the tip of my tongue, but suddenly, I didn’t want to tell her.

  Years of insecurities came flooding to the surface. Leslie, always beautiful, drew the eye of every man she encountered. She would never understand the rejection I had just faced.

  “Nothing.” I cleared my throat. “I guess I’m stressed about work. My brain has been spinning all day.”

  It wasn’t a lie. After everything with Roberto, my days had gone from busy to downright insane. I hadn’t taken a coffee break all week.

  “It’ll be okay, Candi,” Leslie said, her voice soft and soothing. “I know how much you care about the business, but you have to learn to relax. It’s late. Just get some sleep, okay? We’ll talk about it in the morning. You’ll feel better then.”

  “Yeah. Okay. Yeah, you’re right.”

  Leslie paused. “You sure you’re gonna be okay?”

  “Of course.” A fake laugh forced itself from my lips. “I’m fine. Thanks for talking me down.”

  “Anytime.”

  Saying good night, I hung up and dropped my phone. It landed with a gentle thud on the cushion beside me as my head fell back. Staring at the ceiling, I replayed my night with Ryan.

  Everything had been great. The picnic, though unexpected, was nice. We talked, we laughed, we flirted. It was the perfect date. For the first time in years, I found myself wishing the date would never end. I was ready to invite Ryan inside, to finally open my front door and let someone in.

  Instead, I was left standing in my entryway with a pit in my stomach, desperately trying to figure out what I did wrong.

  With a groan, I got off the couch and marched across the room. In thirty-one years, I’d never once let a man dictate how I felt about myself. I sure as hell wasn’t about to start now.

  After a quick shower, I put on a pair of comfortable pajamas and slid between my sheets. My bed enveloped me, warming away my insecurities and calming my nerves. Within seconds, my eyes had fallen closed. The weight of the past few days pressed down on me, coaxing me to sleep.

  Ryan and I were back in the hallway, staring at each other in that way only we could. His brilliant green eyes locked on mine, stirring a deep-seated desire I didn’t know I could still feel. When he took a step forward, my body melted. His fingertips barely touched me, but that was all it took. Before I could breathe, he was kissing me.

  It wasn’t like our first kiss. This one was stronger, hotter. It sent shock waves down my spine and into my toes, curling them inside my high heels. My stomach flipped, and my chest tightened. Light-headed, I stepped closer to him, and his arms flew around my waist.

  I didn’t know how it happened, but suddenly, we were inside. Ryan’s arms stayed protectively around my body as we glided through the entryway and across the living room.

  He pressed me against a wall. His hands gripped my hips. The softness of his lips was overwhelmed by the hunger I felt pouring off them.

  Breaking away, I gasped for air. Ryan didn’t let me get far. His lips fell to my throat, his tongue darting out against my skin.

  I shivered and held onto him. My nails dug into his back while his fingers groped over every inch of my body. My head spun. My stomach was in a constant state of summersault. Every time I tried to catch my breath, Ryan did something that made me forget how.

  We were in my bedroom, Ryan ripping my dress off in one smooth motion. His hands flew to my bra, tearing it away from my skin. His insistent lips attacked my tits, nibbling and teasing me ruthlessly.

  I moved to kick off my heels. Ryan stopped me.

  Lifting his eyes to mine he growled, “Leave them on” and threw me backward.

  I landed lightly on my bed, bouncing just enough to draw Ryan’s eyes back to my chest. He crawled on top of me and resumed his sexual enticement.

  Our bodies tangled around each other, our hands tore at clothes and skin alike. The room became a blur as the only real thing in my orbit was Ryan.

  Ryan’s body. Ryan’s hands. Ryan’s fingertips. Ryan’s eyes.

  Green. Like two bold emeralds. Leaving me captivated and breathless.

  When his lips fell on mine once again, I moaned and succumbed to my every desire. Pushing him roughly to the side, I climbed on top of him. Kissing my way down his naked body, I gave myself over to him. In that moment, my insecurities ceased to exist. I was no longer self-conscious. I was bold. Brave. Sexy.

  “Come here.” Ryan’s voice was husky as he flipped me onto my back and disappeared between my legs.

  My bedroom spun around me, bright colors flashing across my eyes. A burning fire enveloped us both. I trembled and writhed, Ryan’s tongue eviscerating what was left of my resolve.

  “Fuck me,” I ordered.

  Ryan shook his head, slapping his cheeks against my thighs. I cried out and gripped his hair, so close to the brink of ecstasy.

  Just before I came, Ryan pulled away.

  I moaned in protest, but it barely left my lips before Ryan was kissing me again. His tongue in my mouth. His ha
nds on my body. His throbbing cock pressed urgently between my legs.

  Wrenching himself away from my kiss, Ryan stared down into my eyes.

  The entire world stopped. The spinning kaleidoscope of my bedroom stilled. Everything was silent. We didn’t breathe. We didn’t move. We existed in a blissful state of oblivion. Nothing real but the look in Ryan’s eyes, a desperate need mirrored in my own.

  With one thrust, the world sprung into motion once more. Ryan fucked me harder and faster than was humanly possible. His rock-hard cock tore at my sopping wet pussy. I lifted my hips, pressing him deeper inside of me, and screamed with pleasure.

  “Ryan!” I didn’t bother to quiet myself. Part of me knew this was a dream. That it didn’t matter how loud I yelled, how bold I let myself become.

  “Candice.” Ryan’s thrusts were like lightning as he pounded his hips against mine.

  My body ached with need. I clawed at Ryan’s back so hard, I was sure I would draw blood. He didn’t care. His grunts of desire were even louder than my screams.

  In a motion too smooth for reality, Ryan lifted me into the air and twisted my body until I was lying face down on my bed.

  His thrusts never slowed. I gripped my sheets between my fingers and held on for dear life. My throat was weak from the earth-shattering moans I’d already unleashed.

  Ryan panted behind me. He ran his hands over my back and fucked me until I saw stars. When his hand came crashing down against my ass, I thought I was a goner. Unbearable pleasure was seconds away.

  He slapped my ass again. I cried out with need, begging him to finish me off.

  One more thrust and I’d succumb. One more thrust and I’d feel Ryan in every cell of my body. One more thrust and my orgasm would overwhelm us both, sending us spiraling into a void of ecstasy we would never want to escape from.

  It was right there. So close …

  With a jerk, I sat bolt upright in bed.

  Drenched in sweat, I put my palm to my forehead and brushed my wild brown hair off my face. My cheeks burned hot. Knots twisted mercilessly in my stomach. My toes were curled tightly beneath my blankets. Kicking them off, I fanned my face and tried desperately to cool down.

  Even without the blankets, I was so hot, I couldn’t breathe.

  Pushing off my pants, I lifted my T-shirt over my head and tossed both to the floor. Lying back against my pillow, I blinked up at my fan and willed my body to relax.

  Never in my life had I experienced such a visceral dream. The sensations shooting through my body were real, too real to be imagined. I could still feel Ryan’s lips on mine, his fingers cutting a path of electricity down my body, his dick buried deep inside me.

  Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. I exhaled slowly and told myself to get a grip. It was just a dream. Ryan was gone. He left hours ago with only a soft, gentle kiss to remind me he was there at all.

  My eyes were still closed when my body finally calmed down. I laid against my sheets in nothing but a pair of panties. The fan cooled my skin, but it wasn’t enough to quiet the urges still roaring inside of me.

  Rolling onto my side, I squeezed my eyes tighter and prayed for a dreamless sleep. It had been hard enough to watch Ryan walk away, but to dream about him all night, I didn’t think I would survive the torture.

  My mind had other plans.

  No longer able to sleep, I was forced to dwell not on my dream but on reality. Every insecurity I had ever felt came flooding back. My eyes flew open. I stared at the wall and breathed slowly through my nose. Nothing I did was powerful enough to silence the incessant voices inside my head.

  Why did he leave? Why didn’t he kiss me? Like, really kiss me? Did he even like me? Or, was all this just a stupid game? What was the point of stalking me at the coffee shop if he wasn’t even interested in me?

  And worst of all, was he interested in me, just not my body?

  Letting my eyes fall closed again, my mother’s voice echoed through my ears. Just a little less weight around your middle …

  The idea that my mother could be right was worse than any self-inflicted insults ever could be. It was worse than watching Ryan turn away from me seconds before I could invite him inside. It was even worse than waking in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat and painfully unsatisfied.

  With a sigh, I knew I’d never get to sleep now. Not with Ryan still weighing heavily on my mind. And certainly not with my mother’s critiques practically screaming inside my ears.

  I snapped my eyes open and jumped out bed. Pulling on my robe, I walked down the hall to my study and closed the door softly behind me. If I couldn’t have what I wanted in my love life, then I would focus on the one thing I always did well—work.

  Pulling my laptop to me, I flipped it open and cracked my neck. I opened the document that held Roberto’s signed contract and got to work. The photographer was still a thorn in my side, but after tonight, he would no longer be a problem.

  Chapter 17

  Ryan

  Beatrice’s office was never very inviting. Though the place was decorated in warm, calming tones, everything about it screamed desperation.

  Along the back wall, Beatrice had lined up pictures of every Romeo she employed. Being one of the newer hires, my picture was on the third row, second from the right. My eyes immediately snapped to my own face every time I stepped inside. Today was no different.

  “Boys!” B held her arms wide as Kason and I settled into our usual chairs before her. “I know it is so early, but I really needed to see you both, so thank you for coming in!”

  B’s usually breathy voice was even wispier. Sitting back in the chair, I fixed my eyes on her face and waited for whatever bomb she was sure to drop.

  “What’s up, B?” Kason asked, casual as ever.

  “Well.” B cleared her throat and rummaged in her desk.

  She pulled out a pack of cigarettes and shook one lose. Sticking it between her teeth, she lit it with a flourish. The first inhale rattled through the room dramatically. She exhaled slowly and pulled the cigarette away from her lips, a thick red line staining the white paper.

  “There’s something we need to discuss,” B said, her eyes turning to me. “About the Smart account.”

  My stomach dropped. “Is everything okay?”

  “Of course, of course!” B waved her hand. “Mrs. Smart simply wants a progress report. She’s concerned that, well, that things aren’t progressing as quickly as she would like.”

  Glancing at Kason, I wondered why he was here. Candice was my client, not his. For a split second, I wondered if we were being reassigned. My first instinct was to be insulted, but as I thought about it for a second, a bead of hope blossomed inside my chest.

  If Kason took over the account, I wouldn’t have to feel so damn guilty anymore.

  “Deborah was expecting more.” B pulled my attention back to her. “Apparently, Candice hasn’t even mentioned you yet.”

  “Okay,” I said slowly. “That doesn’t mean anything.”

  B’s eyebrows shot up. “Doesn’t it?”

  “No.” I cleared my throat and sat forward. “Trust me, I’m right on track. Candice and I went out last night. Everything was perfect. She was seconds away from inviting me inside when I slipped away. I promise you have nothing to worry about.”

  “Slipped away?” B’s eyes narrowed as she took another pull off her cigarette.

  “I’m not supposed to sleep with her, remember?”

  Kason snorted beside me. I shot him a warning look. B simply sighed and leaned back in her chair. Kicking her feet onto her desk, she eyed me closely.

  “Ryan,” she breathed. “What am I going to do with you?”

  “I don’t understand the problem,” I said sharply. “My goal is to get Candice to fall for me, right? That’s happening. The banquet is still weeks away. By that time, she’ll be putty in my hands.”

  “Not if you reject her.”

  Beatrice’s harsh words hit me harder than even she could
have predicted. Flashing back to last night, I saw Candice’s forehead crease as I turned to leave. She was upset, confused, but did she really feel rejected?

  “It wasn’t a rejection.” I shook my head. “If I went inside, we would have had sex. That’s against the contract.”

  Kason cleared his throat. “There are other ways,” he said, “to keep her interested.”

  Suddenly, the meaning of his presence became clear. Beatrice wasn’t trading out Romeos. She was hoping Kason would coach me.

  I didn’t know which bothered me more, the knowledge that B didn’t think I was capable or the possibility that Candice could have taken last night as a rejection.

  “I don’t have sex with my clients,” I snapped. “It doesn’t matter what other Romeos do. That’s not me.”

  Shooting Kason a pointed look, I fixed Beatrice with a determined stare. My boss or not, she wasn’t going to convince me to relinquish what was left of my dignity.

  “Ryan, Ryan, Ryan.” B tilted her head back, a shrill laugh jingling from her lips. “I’m not asking you to sleep with her. I’m asking you to step up your game. Woo the girl. Bring her closer. Close the fucking deal.”

  By the end, B’s tone had lost all amusement. Her stare was even more determined than my own. It wasn’t often that I saw the hard-ass peeking out from beneath the flirtatious, faux seductive exterior.

  “Like I said before, I’m right on track.”

  “Then, why hasn’t her mother heard about you?” B questioned. “Or her sister?”

  Opening my mouth, I realized I didn’t have an answer. B was right. If Candice liked me as much as I thought, she definitely would have said something.

  “I don’t know.” My lips closed lamely, my eyes darting to the floor.

  “Kason,” B said with a sickly-sweet tone. “Work with him, my love. Teach him some of your subtle ways of … allure.”

  Leaning forward, Kason extended his hand to Beatrice. She placed her thin fingers in his palm. He lifted her hand to his lips, lightly brushing a kiss over her wrinkled skin.

  “Oh, B,” he said. “You know it would be my pleasure.”