Dare to Love (5 page)

He shook his head, silently telling her he was staying. The guilt he’d felt when his brother told him he’d caused Riley problems was only magnified now that he knew how. Based on how angry Alex had been on her behalf, he cared about her deeply. He looked after her. And that was something else Ian could respect. Friendship with his half brother, Ian could work around.

But first, there was the issue of her job.

“I realize you don’t know me, but you’re going to. Because you brought me into your world by calling me, I caused a problem for you. Now I’m obligated to fix it.”

She leaned against the still-open door. “You can’t, because we both know you’re committed to whoever you already purchase from, and I shouldn’t have opened my big mouth.”

So she’d realized the way of things in the business. Although that ought to alleviate his guilt over her losing her job, it didn’t. “Maybe not, but if I’d returned your call, there are other people I could have referred you to who could have given your company business.”

“We’ll never know, now will we?”

“About that? No.” Pretending to be tough and unconcerned didn’t fool him for a second.

She lived in this building, in a not-great part of town, because it was all she could afford. With Ian’s background in owning investment property, he could figure out her approximate income and rent and knew, though she might have a small savings, she couldn’t afford to be unemployed for an extended period of time. So she’d panicked and called him, which meant he owed her.

But that wasn’t why he was still here. He wanted to help. She might not let his brother do it, but Ian damned well intended to.

“What are your plans now?” he asked.

She slowly shut the door, obviously realizing he had no intention of leaving. “I’ll send out resumes like any job-seeking person would,” she said, as if he were dense not to have figured her next step out for himself.

“Or you could come work for me.”

The color drained from her face. “You’re offering me a job. With the Thunder.”

He nodded.

“Doing…?”

If she was questioning, she wasn’t saying no, and his heart rate sped up at the possibility of seeing her day in and day out. “That remains to be seen. I know we have some openings. We’ll see what fits best.”

She swallowed hard and remained silent, but the color had returned to her cheeks. “So I wouldn’t be working directly for you.”

Interesting the thought of working with him flustered her. Good, because that meant she wasn’t immune, no matter how high a wall she’d erected between them.

“No, you won’t be working for me. I can’t have that.”

She wrinkled her nose, making him want to reach out and stroke her soft skin.

“Why not?” she asked.

He stepped closer, and when she didn’t back away, closer still, until mere inches separated them. “Because I intend to get to know you personally, Riley Taylor. So I can’t be mixing business with pleasure.”

Her breath caught, but she remained in place, those huge blue eyes watching him with a mix of wary curiosity and definite desire. He wanted to kiss her again, to lose himself in that luscious mouth, then press her against the wall and thrust into her warm, wet body.

Shit.

He tore his gaze from hers, reminding himself to slow the fuck down. He hadn’t gotten her to agree to take a position with the team. A job was her priority, and that meant it was his as well.

Using all the willpower he had, he straightened his shoulders and stepped away first. “Come to the stadium tomorrow morning and ask for Olivia Dare. My sister will find the appropriate fit for you with the organization.”

“I can’t take charity.” She folded her arms across her chest. In her defensive stance, he saw the secrets that Alex knew.

The ones that held the key to understanding this complicated woman. Before he was finished, he intended to know her inside and out.

He remained apart, giving her space. “It’s not charity when I owe you for not returning your call. It’s not nepotism, favoritism, or any other ism you might come up with either.”

She pursed her lips, obviously wavering.

His gaze lingered on her mouth, the desire to take it overwhelming, but he refrained. “You were willing to call me and ask me to do business with you. Consider this a similar opportunity. If you can’t do the job, you’re out on your ass, the same as anyone else.” He gave her the honest truth. He wouldn’t keep her on the payroll if she couldn’t perform.

“So? What will it be?”

In the ensuing silence, all the possible things Ian wanted to do to her, with her, passed in front of his eyes until he was convinced she’d say no.

“I’ll be there in the morning,” she finally said, extending her hand for him to shake.

Finally, he thought, grasping her smaller fingers in his. A jolt of awareness ricocheted through him.

Her slight gasp told him she’d felt it too.

He raised a hand and brushed his thumb over her lower lip. Her eyes widened, and her mouth parted in surprise. Warm breath fluttered over his finger, and the sensation went straight to his groin.

He slid his hand over her cheek, cupping her jaw in his palm.

“You do things to me,” he murmured, grazing her soft skin with his thumb.

She swallowed hard, her heavy-lidded gaze never leaving his. “You do the same to me.”

Victory was sweet, but when he eased his mouth over hers, he remembered that she tasted even sweeter. He kissed one corner of her mouth then the other, enjoying the simple act of teasing her, her body’s trembling reaction providing so much satisfaction.

He nipped her lower lip, and she curled her fingers tighter against his waist.

Her possessive grip only inflamed his desire. “I want you, Riley. I want to feel myself hard and hot inside you,” he said, nipping her lower lip.

She moaned, swaying toward him. He caught her, wrapping an arm around her waist, turning the light kiss into a deeper one. Her tongue slid back and forth over his, her soft sighs rocking him to his core.

Somehow he maintained some sliver of rational thought, and with it came the knowledge that no matter how willing she seemed to be, any further and she’d convince herself to run. She’d withdraw before they tested just how good things between them could be.

So before he could act on impulse and take her against the wall, on her couch, or in her bed, he released her. Steadied her. Gave her a light kiss on the cheek, said good night, and walked out the door.

He’d convinced her to come to his turf. For now, that had to be enough.

FOUR

R
iley drove to the stadium, her stomach churning in trepidation. Her nerves had already prevented her from eating breakfast, and it wasn’t only the new job that had her feeling off-kilter. Neither was it the kiss she replayed over and over in her mind.

It was Ian, the man. He was so sure of himself and what he wanted. Such a dominant personality usually turned her off and would have, at the very least, had her resisting. And if he’d bulldozed his way into her life, she would have pushed back, but he somehow turned his insistence on getting his own way into a rational argument that had had her agreeing to the job before she’d even thought through her objections.

Then he’d turned what should have been a simple kiss into an all-out assault on her senses. He’d taken his time, teasing her, tasting her, arousing her, and bringing her to the brink of insanity with how much she’d wanted him inside her, hard and hot, just as he’d said. She shivered at the very thought.

She had no doubt in her mind that if he’d stripped off her clothes and taken her then and there, she would have gone along for the glorious ride. Her sex clenched with need, reminding her that instead of sleeping with her, he’d walked out, leaving her empty and aching. She squeezed her legs tighter, fighting against that rising need.

With a deep breath, she followed the directions to the stadium and pulled up to the guardhouse. She handed a uniformed man her license. He checked his list then printed and handed her a parking pass and directions before opening the gate with a welcoming smile. A few minutes later, she strode through the large parking lot, the May heat already coming up through the pavement.

By the time she reached the door, she was a sweaty mess, reminding her of the biggest drawback to living down south. She passed a bathroom and stopped into the ladies’ room to pull herself together, blot her face and neck, and touch up her makeup. She assured herself the fact that she might see Ian had nothing to do with the extra prep.

A little while later, feeling better, she stepped out the door and ran directly into a hard body. She recognized the potent scent that lingered in her apartment and had kept her tossing and turning most of last night.

“Ian,” she said, sounding too breathless for her liking.

He grasped her waist, steadying her. “You seem to be making this a habit,” he said in an amused tone.

“Sorry.” She bit down on her lip.

His heavy gaze followed her inadvertent reflex. “I’m not.”

Neither was she, not that she’d be willing to admit it.

“I didn’t know if I’d run into you or if I’d have to come seeking you out. Apparently luck is smiling on me this morning.”

She smiled, relaxing. “Well, it’s good to see a familiar face.”

“Looking forward to your first day at work?”

“I’m nervous,” she admitted.

He laughed. “Normal, but my sister’s only an occasional slave driver. You’ll be fine. Come. I’ll show you where to find Olivia.”

“Thank you. Better than me wandering around clueless.”

He placed a hand on the small of her back as they walked down the hall. His touch radiated heat throughout her body, the neediness she’d fought to tamp down returning full force, as if her body recognized his, priming itself without her permission.

In the elevator, he stood across from her, watching her with pure lust in his smoky eyes. She attempted to distract herself by studying him here in his element. His dress shirt, a small navy check with white collar, and a complementing sky-colored tie brought out the blue in his eyes. The perfect cut of his suit accentuated his broad shoulders, making her wonder what his bare chest looked like, how much of a six pack he had, and whether he’d taste good when she ran her tongue down his chest, abdomen and lower, to the—

The elevator announced they’d reached their floor.

“After you,” he said, gesturing for her to precede him with a gentlemanly wave and a knowing grin on his handsome face.

She stepped out onto the corporate level, certain the flush of arousal she’d experienced was obvious for all to see.

“Did you tell Alex about your new job opportunity?” he asked.

Oblivious to her thoughts, he led her down a long hall lined with oversized photographs of the team’s best players decked out in full uniform.

“Not yet.” She’d thought about it and decided to hold off. “I thought I’d wait until I had a specific position.”

“You don’t think he’ll be upset you’re working for the opposition, do you?”

“Don’t you mean working for
you
?”

Ian shrugged. “That too.”

All of the above had crossed her mind, had her wondering whether she shouldn’t show up this morning as promised.

In the end, she’d been unable to resist the lure of opportunity any more than she’d been able to resist Ian so far. “Alex wants what’s best for me. No matter what form that takes.” But it didn’t mean he’d be happy.

And if her best friend knew she’d kissed Ian again or that he clearly intended for them to end up in bed, their long-standing relationship would be in jeopardy. So she’d put off telling him. At least for now.

“We’re here.” Ian stopped at a closed wooden door with Olivia Dare’s name on the brass plate beside it.

He knocked once and pushed open the door.

“Come on in,” a female voice called.

“We already are,” Ian said, his hand settling on Riley’s lower back again as he escorted her into the room.

His touch was warm, hot, and felt too good. Because his sister was watching, she eased away from him.

“Olivia, this is Riley Taylor. I told you about her this morning.”

The other woman rose from her desk. Tall like her brother and model thin, she was the opposite of Riley and her more petite body and full curves. If she hadn’t come to peace with herself long ago, she’d be envious of Ian’s sister.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Olivia said, extending her hand, which Riley gratefully shook.

“I’m happy to be here myself.”

“When Ian told me you’d be working here and I just needed to find the perfect fit, I was thrilled. Frankly, we need someone to jump between PR and Travel. Our travel secretary has the shingles, and he’s out for who knows how long. An extra set of hands will be useful while booking for the season. Once things settle down, we can find a more permanent place for you. I hope that’s okay?” Olivia asked, talking a mile a minute.

Pleased to be useful and not a burden imposed by Ian, she grinned. “I can handle anything you throw at me. I ran the distribution department at a sporting goods manufacturer. I’m used to glitches and problems and moving people and dates around.”