“Um, Ri, you just did,” Jade teased.
“You know what I mean. I know he exists, and I am a woman, after all, but I’m not going there. Not with him.” She remembered Claudia leaning in to Josh’s back when they were introduced. “Besides, I’m not so sure Cruella isn’t sleeping with him.”
“What about all that, ‘I swear I wanted to kiss him’ stuff that you said when you guys were meeting to talk about you working for him, and yes, I’m using air quotes around ‘working for him,’” Jade said.
“Ugh! Jade. It’s hard enough seeing his handsome face and feeling those things. Do I really have to acknowledge them, too? I’m here for a career, like I said. Not for Josh.” She wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince herself or Jade.
“Well, I’m glad to hear you’re keeping your eye on what matters,” Jade said. “But even if you weren’t, I’d be right there, cheering you on.”
“That’s because you’re the best friend ever. On the upside, I stayed late tonight and sketched a bit.”
“Really? Will you make me something wonderful to wear for Christmas?”
The excitement in Jade’s voice inspired Riley. “Yes, of course. I tossed the ones I drew tonight. I was too tired to do anything worthwhile, but I’ll work on it. And you know what? You’re right. I’m not gonna let Cruella get to me. She’ll zap me of all my creativity.” She felt a burst of renewed focus. “Tell me something fun. How’s your house design coming along?” Jade and Rex had purchased a plot of land between their families’ estates, and they hoped to build their house in the coming months.
“Same, same. We’ve got the plans pretty well set. We’re meeting with the builder again next week.”
“Let me know how it goes.” Riley rubbed the ball of her foot. “I swear my feet feel like they’ve been bound. I’m gonna take a hot bath. Call ya tomorrow?”
“Sounds good. Miss you,” Jade said.
Riley ended the call and headed for the bathroom, stopping in the living room to look over a photo on Savannah’s bookshelf. Josh stood between his father and Hugh, the rest of his siblings fanned out to their sides. Each of the Braden men were striking, but as she looked at them all lined up with their radiant smiles and muscular physiques, it was Josh who drew her attention. It’s always been you.
She set the frame back on the bookshelves. “Now I’m really losing it,” she said aloud. “He’s your boss. Delete that thought. Delete, delete, delete…”
Chapter Four
JOSH WOKE AS he did most mornings, with the crack of dawn lighting his expansive bedroom. He climbed from his king-sized bed, snagged a remote off of the bedside table, and walked in his boxers to the windows. He pushed a button on a remote and the blinds drew open, exposing a radiant view of Central Park. Josh had lived in New York for the past eight years, and at thirty-three years old, he was well aware of his good fortune. He’d built an empire around his name, and he didn’t take his life for granted—how could he, when there was always someone who wanted something from him.
He stretched his arms and legs, as he did every morning, then sank to the floor and began his somewhat impaired exercise regimen of eighty sit-ups and push-ups, working around his all-too-familiar, formidable morning erection. Josh had always had a healthy appetite for sex, even if he’d kept mum about the details to his overly curious brothers. But ever since he’d drawn a mental line in the sand between dating women he wanted to date and dating women he was supposed to date—and coming up short on the wanting to side—his body hadn’t failed to remind him that those needs were still alive and well. Once that settled down, he showered to further warm up his muscles and headed out for his three-mile morning run.
He could navigate the streets of New York with his eyes closed. Every curve of the road, every lip in the sidewalk, every tree in Central Park had been ingrained in his memory from his daily runs. Whether it was raining, snowing, or hotter than hell, he was out pounding the pavement. He needed something to relieve the stress of his chosen career. He hadn’t expected to move so quickly up the ladder of fame. It seemed to happen almost overnight. One day he was showing his designs to his boss at an internship, and the next thing he knew, he was a full-time designer and his styles were gracing the red carpet on well-known, respected celebrities.
Josh jogged past a brown-haired woman power walking through the park. As he passed, he thought it might be Riley. At second glance, he realized it wasn’t, but Riley remained on his mind. He’d wanted to help her feel at home in New York, and instead, he’d handed her over to Claudia, the wickedest woman in the business, and then later, he’d headed out for a meeting, which ended up being a big waste of time.
He’d been home in Weston when he and Riley had reconnected, and it had been nice seeing her there, a smile always on her lips, her eyes dancing with enthusiasm about everything from his brother Rex’s relationship with her best friend, Jade, to the possibility of coming to New York. They’d hit it off right away, and now that she was here, he’d like to get to know her even better.
He’d noticed a difference in her eyes before he left the office the prior evening. She’d looked tired, which was to be expected, but he’d seen something else, too. Disenchantment, maybe? Could Claudia have killed her spirit already? The thought angered him, and he picked up his pace. He didn’t think Claudia would be unnecessarily cruel, but she did have a strong reputation for being competitive, and for that reason, Josh had purposely refrained from showing her any of Riley’s designs. He’d have to keep his eyes open.
An hour later, he walked through the front doors of JBD. Mia met him on his way in, dressed in her typical skinny jeans and blouse. She handed him a to-go cup.
“Espresso. I’m calling in ten minutes. You’ve got two messages from Madeline Stein, so please call her back already.”
Madeline Stein. She was the last person he wanted to talk to, his date from the evening before: a willowy model with even fewer brain cells than the hundred pounds she probably weighed. That was definitely the last time he’d agree to a date in order to help the modeling agencies gain the right exposure for their models by being seen draped on his arm.
“Tell her I died,” he said.
“No way. I’m not doing your dirty work,” Mia said as they entered his office. “I did that the last two times, and as I recall, a few times before that, too.”
Josh sat behind his desk. “Isn’t that your job as my assistant? To fulfill my every whim?”
Mia placed her hand on her hip. “Not when your every whim means telling women that you’re not interested in them. I don’t even know why you accept the dates if you don’t want to go out with them.”
He thought of his older brothers Treat and Rex and how happy they’d been since they’d met the women they wanted to build their lives with, and he wondered if he’d be lucky enough to find that same type of connection. With each date he accepted, he looked for the qualities in a woman that he respected: intelligence, empathy, a sense of humor. He had yet to find a single one that he felt compatible with. Compatible in the way I was with Riley back in Weston. He pushed Riley from his mind and thought of an appropriate answer for Mia. Because it’s better than being lonely. Then again, maybe it’s not. “Because it’s part of my job. I’m a designer. Everyone wants to be seen on my arm. Who am I to turn them down?”
Mia rolled her eyes. “Even I don’t believe you’re that generous.”
He lifted his brows and frowned.
“Really? The pouty face? No way. I’m not making the call.” She looked at her watch. “You have seven minutes before the conference call. Why don’t you just pick up the phone and give her the big letdown?”
“Seven?” He wanted to talk to Claudia about Riley’s desk situation. The file clerk’s cubicle was unacceptable. “Give me ten.” He pushed from his chair and flew out the door, Mia’s voice trailing after him.
“Seven!”
HE FOUND CLAUDIA bent over Riley’s desk.
“Claudia, I’m glad I found you.”
“I came in early to go over a few things for the new line. I lost a few hours yesterday helping Riley.” She wore a perfectly fitted Chanel suit, and her hair was pulled back in a smooth bun. Claudia looked every inch the designer, but Josh saw through that manicured exterior, and he’d picked up on the annoyed tone in her voice when she’d said Riley’s name—a tone that anyone else might have missed.
Claudia had never really done anything egregious to any employees, and why she seemed to take issue with Riley was beyond his understanding, but he wouldn’t allow it to continue. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Why is Riley in the cubicle?” He felt his chest tighten when he said her name. He slipped his hands into his pockets, hoping to come across more casual and less personally interested.
“The desks in the pit were taken.” She touched his arm and spoke in an alluring—and he was sure practiced—bedroom voice. “I’ll move her out this week. Don’t worry.”