Friendship on Fire (28 page)

THE DIMLY LIT restaurant smelled of warmed olive oil and spices. A roaring fire burned in the fireplace across from where Riley and her family sat. Classical music filtered through the air. Riley felt at peace for the first time in days. She sipped a glass of wine and listened intently as her parents filled her in on the lives of neighbors and friends.

The waiter appeared by her side and placed a single red rose wrapped in pink paper across Riley’s plate.

“Thank you.” She looked at him. “Is this something you do for all the women?”

“No, ma’am.” He walked away without an explanation.

Riley leaned forward with a laugh. “What was that all about?” she whispered.

Her parents shrugged.

She smelled the rose and unwrapped the paper. Inside was a handwritten note, and she recognized Josh’s handwriting.

Hi, beautiful. Turn around. J.

Riley’s breath caught in her throat as she spun around in her chair. Josh, dressed in a dark suit and holding a bouquet of white and red roses, stood before her.

 “Josh?” she managed.

She pushed to her feet as Josh approached. She caught sight of each of Josh’s siblings, and his father, standing behind him, their hands clasped in front of them.

He kissed her lightly on the lips.

“What are you doing here? What’s going on?” She eyed his family, then shot a glance at her mother, whose eyes were suspiciously damp.

“Sorry it took me so long,” Josh said, and handed her the bouquet of roses. “Red and white. For unity.”

“Oh, Josh, they’re beautiful, but you didn’t have to.”
You’re here. You’re actually here.
Riley could barely think past the sound of her heart beating way too fast.

“I’m done doing what I have to do, Ri. I’m doing what I want to do.” He reached behind him, and Savannah picked up a bouquet of yellow roses from a nearby table and handed it to him.

Riley’s eyes burned with tears.

“Yellow roses, the promise of a new beginning. Babe, I want to share my life with you. We’ll get through all the garbage, and then we’ll put it behind us.” He handed her the flowers.

Riley’s arms wouldn’t move. A tear dripped down her cheek. Riley felt her knees weaken. She reached for the back of her chair. “I want that too.”

Her mother appeared beside her and took the bouquet from Josh, then set it on the table behind Riley.

Josh dropped to one knee. The tears Riley had been fighting slipped down her cheeks.

“Josh?” Unable to hold her trembling body erect any longer, Riley sank into the chair.

“Riley June Banks, I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone in my life.”

OhmyGodohmyGod
. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him. He was really there, before her, sticking by her. He was catching her. He looked at her like she was the only one in the room, like he wanted to wrap her in his arms and keep her safe forever—and, oh God—she wanted that too, so much that her booming heart ached, but…

“But what about work? The allegations?” The words tumbled out before she could stop them.

“I’m not asking you to work for me,” he explained.

You’re firing me? On one knee? I thought…

“I want you to be my wife, my partner in every aspect of my life, including my business. You won’t work for me. You’ll work with me. Partners. No hiding in any aspect of our lives.”

She couldn’t breathe. Riley feared she might pass out. Could this really be happening? She gripped the sides of the chair. The hope in his eyes mirrored the hope in her racing heart. “You don’t have to do this,” she said.

“If you accept my proposal, it’s done. I never want to hide again. Partners in love and life. Forever. That’s what I want, and it’s what I’m offering you. Side by side, you and me, out in the open.”

Riley leaned forward and practically fell out of her chair. Josh caught her in his arms.

“Is that a yes, or were you trying to run away?” Josh teased.

“Yes,” she said through her tears. “Yes. Oh, Josh. Yes!”

They rose to their feet and Josh kissed her like he’d been waiting for her his whole life. Riley came away trembling even more than she had been before.

Rex stepped forward and handed Josh a Tiffany’s jewelry box.

“Here you go, little brother,” Rex said.

Riley covered her mouth; her eyes flew open wide. “Josh,” she whispered. 

He opened the box and slipped the ring on her finger. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, and we can have one designed eventually. It’s a cushion-cut yellow diamond with, well, you can see, surrounded by white diamonds.”

Riley had never seen anything so beautiful in all of her life.

“I love it, Josh, and I love you.” Riley wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again. When they parted, his brothers were beside them, reaching out to them, embracing Josh, and her mother was crying as hard as Riley was.

Riley looked up, and in that second she saw Jade, her cheeks streaked with tears, too.

Jade mouthed,
I’m so happy for you
, which only made Riley's tears come faster.

Jade jumped into Riley’s arms with a squeal. “You got engaged before I did!”

Riley was still in shock, moving on autopilot. “You knew?” she asked Jade.

“Of course I did, and it was painful not telling you.”

Hal Braden extended his arms to Riley. “Looks like we’ve got two weddings to plan.”

Plan?
Riley could barely think past her next breath. She folded herself into his arms. “Thank you, Mr. Braden. I promise to make him happy.”

“Oh honey, you can’t
make
anyone happy. That’s not how happiness works. Being part of his life will feed his happiness, and he’ll feed yours. We’re honored to have you as part of the family.”

Riley watched Josh from across the room. Treat had his arm around his shoulder. Hugh and Dane said something that caused Josh to bend over in fits of laughter. His back was to Riley, and he must have felt her eyes on him, because he turned and instantly found her eyes and smiled.

Riley couldn’t take her eyes off of him as he crossed the room toward her. She saw the gallant man he’d always been and couldn’t believe he was going to be her husband.
Husband!
She blinked away tears of joy as he approached. His dark eyes washed over her body, lingering on her breasts, then lowering to her hips, and finally drawing back up to her eyes as he closed in on her.

He wrapped his hands on either side of her waist and whispered, his cheek against hers, his breath hot on her ear, “I cannot go another night without touching you.”

A shiver ran up Riley’s back. She scanned the immediate area, making sure no one was within earshot. Josh slid his hands down to the curve of her hips.

“You’re wearing Gucci Première, just like our first night together,” he said.

“You remembered,” she whispered.

He pressed his hips in to hers and embraced her. “I’ll always remember. I want to feel you close to me.”

Riley felt his desire swell against her. “Josh,” she whispered. “Kiss me.”

He took her face between his warm palms in the way he had so many times before, the way that made her knees weak and her heart sing, and he kissed her, hesitant at first, she assumed because of their families in the room. Their tongues touched lightly; then, as if they were both too entranced to control their body’s demands, more aggressively, their tongues colliding. Riley felt her body giving in to him; her hands wandered down his legs.
Shit
.
Restaurant
. Riley’s eyes flew open.

She pulled back. “Josh.” His name came out in one long breath.

He looked around and she saw reality coming back to him, too. “Come with me.” He took her hand, and they hurried past the groups of family members, who were too busy talking to notice as they escaped.

Josh pulled her toward the front of the restaurant. She giggled.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“Shh.” Josh looked around when they neared the entrance.

“No. Someone will see us,” she protested.

Without a word, Josh lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her again, until she had no breath left to breathe and her legs threatened to dissolve beneath her. He guided her down a hall toward the bathrooms, stopping short at a closed door. Her eyes scanned the plaque,
coatroom.
  He opened the door, and in the space of a breath, they disappeared into the dark room.

“Josh.” She reached for him in the dark. Her eyes tried to adjust, but there wasn’t an ounce of light.

He brought her hands to his waist and cupped her cheeks again.
God, I love that.
He was so tall, so muscular beneath her hands as they moved up his chest and then down his back.

“You deserve more than a coatroom quickie, but I have to love you, Riley. Now. Not later, not tomorrow, not when we get to New York. Now.”

She stood on her tippy-toes and met his lips, sinking to her flat feet with the weight of him as he deepened the kiss. Dizziness reminded her that she needed to breathe. She stole air from his lungs, unwilling to part. His hands roved and groped her ass, her waist, her breasts.
Please, please, kiss me forever.
She worked the button on his slacks. They dropped, and she tugged at his briefs, taking his girth in her hands with a moan. His lips parted long enough for her to gasp a heady breath and kiss her way down his body.

“Mmm,” he moaned.

“Shh,” she reminded him. She licked the tip of his erection, inciting another amorous moan.

“Riley,” he whispered, then tangled his fingers in her hair as she took him in her mouth, working his shaft with her hands. His hips arched into her.

Riley was aware of the passing time, afraid someone would come looking for them, but she couldn’t pry herself away. She was an addict and Josh was her drug. Josh took a few steps backward, her hair still clutched within his fists, and he leaned against the wall. She licked her way up to his hips, feeling her own need swell. They were so in tune with each other; every thought she had, he mirrored. He tugged her dress up and yanked off her thong. In one swift move, he lifted her beneath her arms and she wrapped her legs around him, accepting every inch of him as he plunged into her, stimulating every sensitive nerve as his powerful arms rocked them in perfect unison. She slammed her palms flat against the wall, caught up in the urgency of their love, adding pressure to their already vigorous lovemaking.

She whimpered at the sheer titillating pleasure he was driving into her.

“I love to hear you make those noises,” he whispered.

“Can’t”—she breathed heavily—“help it.”

“Don’t help it.” He shifted her in his arms and hit a spot that sent her body reeling over the edge, throbbing and quaking against him. She gritted her teeth and clawed at the wall behind him, trying to gain a modicum of control, just as he tightened his grip on her thighs and buried his face in her chest, grunting against her hot skin as his release stole their voices. The sound of their heated breaths filled the small, dark room. Before lowering her to the ground, Josh kissed her again.

“Every time I think of you,” he said, “I crave being lost in the throes of passion with your legs wrapped around me so tight I know you won’t let go,” he said.

“I hope that never goes away,” Riley whispered. 

LATER THAT EVENING, when Josh’s dad and Riley’s parents had turned in for the night, the Braden living room was alive with conversation. Riley sat on the couch beneath the curve of Josh’s arm, Jade’s legs stretched across her lap. Jade’s head rested in Rex’s lap at the other end of the couch. He stroked her long dark hair. Hugh and Dane occupied the leather recliners, and Savannah sat on the floor, her back leaning against the bottom half of Hugh’s chair. Treat and Max shared an oversized chair beside the warm fire. Dane’s phone vibrated, which reminded Josh that he needed to check his own messages. He pushed the thought away, not wanting to break the closeness he was enjoying with Riley.

Josh had spent most of the evening watching Riley stare at her ring, then look at him with disbelief in her beautiful eyes. He pulled her tighter against him and whispered, “I love you.”

“I love you, too, but you didn’t have to do all of this,” she said, looking up at him from beneath the fringe of her bangs.

“I know. I wanted to.”

“I want every bit of this night to last forever,” she said.

“Me too,” Josh said.

Dane’s phone vibrated again. He pulled it out, read the text, smiled, then typed a message into the phone.

“Did you ever listen to Reggie’s message?” Treat asked.

There was still the chance that Reggie would have news about Riley that Josh wasn’t prepared for. He pushed away the thought.

“I forgot,” Josh said.

“Please, listen to the message. The sooner this is behind us, the better,” Riley said. “I still can’t believe you fired Claudia.” She reached down and tickled Jade’s feet.

“Cut it out,” Jade said with a laugh.

Dane’s phone buzzed again.

“I should have done it ages ago,” Josh said.

Rex leaned down and kissed Jade’s lips. “If you’re going to put your feet there, then you have no say in the torture she imposes.”

“Oh, really?” Jade poked Rex’s ribs.

He bent over, and in one swift move, pulled her up onto his lap and began tickling her. Jade squealed.

“Get a room,” Max said.

Dane’s phone vibrated once again.

“Jeez, Dane, who are you talking to?” Savannah asked.

“Please check the message,” Riley urged Josh again.

“Lacy,” Dane answered.

“Ri, it can wait.”
I want to enjoy this happiness for a while
.

“Please?” she urged again.

“Fine.” He pulled out his phone and dialed voicemail, half listening to the others as the electronic voice answered.

“Lacy Snow? Really? This has gone on a long time,” Treat said to Dane.

“Yeah, it sure has,” Dane said. “Do you mind if she comes to your wedding?”

“Lacy? Really? Oh, Dane, I was going to invite her anyway. Of course she can come,” Max said.

After listening to messages from Reggie and Peter, Josh left the room and returned Peter’s call. Ten minutes later he reentered the room. Josh hung up the phone and spun Riley around to face him. “You, my dear, are brilliant. If I ever forget that, please slap me.”

“What did I do?” she asked.

“Reggie said the portfolio you sent to Peter Stafford included the drawings that Claudia claimed as her own, and—and here’s the kicker—he said Claudia’s drawing of Max’s wedding dress has a later date than when you sent the package to Peter. Peter’s been in Switzerland. I got a message from him, too, but let me tell you what else Reggie found first. He looked at the building’s security tapes—not JBD, but the actual building’s tapes, the ones Claudia didn’t realize existed—and he found footage of Claudia not only going through your desk and your trash, but your HR files, too, which means she had seen your portfolio before you even came on board. She was ready for this. She must have seen the quality of your drawings and felt threatened, or overlooked, or whatever.” Josh punched the air with his fist. “I knew my girl would never do those things.”

Riley rose to her feet. “I forgot about those drawings. I had included a few sketches of that dress, but they were so rough, and in my mind it wasn’t really going to be Max’s wedding dress. I drew them after lunch at your dad’s a few weeks ago and put them in the portfolio because Peter had said he was interested in any new designs I was playing with. I didn’t make the connection. Does this mean…?”

He pulled her to him. “It means Claudia’s full of shit.”

“You called it, Josh,” Treat said.

“I also had a message from Peter, and when I called him back, he apologized for being so far out of the loop since he’d been in Switzerland. He said he would have brought the portfolio to my attention earlier had he heard about the issues with Claudia, and more important, he wasn’t upset with me about firing Claudia. Once I explained the games she’d been playing, he said I should have come to him a long time ago.”

“That’s great news,” Riley said.

“There’s more,” Josh said. “Apparently, Peter’s interested in backing a new line, a partnership of sorts, and after seeing Riley's portfolio, he wants her included in the process.” Josh turned to Riley. 

There was a collective cheer from all but Dane, who was typing on his phone.

“Dude.” Treat tapped Dane on the shoulder.

“Yeah, what? Sorry.” Dane stood. “Riley’s in the clear?”

Savannah swiped the phone from his hand and ran across the room with it as she read his messages.

“Oh.” She laughed. “Gosh, blush, blush.”

Dane chased her. “Give me that, Savannah.” His voice boomed across the room.

“Goodness, who knew you were so into Lacy? Those Snow sisters must be something else. Blake fell just as hard.” She turned her back to Dane as he swooped in and retrieved the phone.

“How long have you been dating her?” Savannah asked Dane.

“We’re not exactly dating,” Dane answered.

“Don’t tell me you’re…sexting a girl you’ve never actually taken out,” Savannah said with a
tsk
.

 “I’m not sexting. Our schedules haven’t come together yet, but she’s coming to Treat’s wedding,” Dane explained.

“Do you even know how to read a calendar? Are you telling me that she’s going to wait for you for the next three months?” Savannah shook her head and flopped into the now vacant couch.

“I’d wait for Dane,” Jade joked.

Rex pulled her close. “Oh no, you wouldn’t.”

“We talk all the time,” Dane explained. “You know how crazy my schedule is.”

“That’s crap, Dane. Make her a priority or set her free,” Treat said.

“What makes you such an expert? Lacy understands my schedule,” Dane said.

“Then I need to have a talk with her,” Treat said. “No woman deserves to be treated that way. It’s been, what? A year? Inexcusable. Shit or get off the pot. Women are different. You may have other women filling your nights, but I’d put money on the fact that Lacy Snow isn’t dating anyone else. I met her, Dane. She’s not that kind of girl.”

Dane let out a breath. “Look, I’m not trying to hurt her. I really like her. Maybe too much.”

“You haven’t even dated her yet,” Savannah reminded him.

“No shit,” Dane said.

“Okay, listen, guys, this is supposed to be a happy time for us,” Josh said. “Can we just break out the champagne and let Dane worry about his love life? I can’t wait to meet her, and if it’s at Treat and Max’s wedding, then it is. Whatever. Let’s just keep the good mojo rolling.”

“You’re right; sorry,” Savannah said. “Dane, I’m really good at dating advice, and I’m here.” She stretched her arms out to the sides.

Dane rolled his eyes. “Yeah, haven’t you and Connor Dean been off and on again forever?”

Savannah looked away.

“Sorry, man,” Dane said to Josh.

“No worries.” Josh headed for the kitchen. “I’m breaking out the bubbly.”

Dane followed him. “I’m really sorry for all that. Congratulations, Josh. I’m happy for you.” Dane leaned against the refrigerator, watching Josh uncork the champagne. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“For years, we’ve had no idea if you’re dating, much less who you’re dating, and then, all of a sudden, you’re getting married. How does that happen?” Dane asked.

Josh spun around, ready to defend his relationship with Riley.

“I don’t mean that in a judgmental way. I guess I mean, how did you know?” Dane added.

Josh poured them each a glass of champagne. “One day nothing in your life makes sense except for the happiness you feel when you’re with that other person. And you get the sense that this meaningful life is floating around your head, just waiting for you to grab hold. That’s the best way I can explain it. There’s no secret message written in the wind or any of that shit. It just…is.” He shrugged.

“When that day comes, Dane, you’ll have all sorts of crazy shit going on in your head. But, man…” He watched Riley walk into the kitchen, her long legs bare below her short red dress, her smile adding light to the expansive kitchen, and her eyes locked on his in a way that made Josh feel like he was the only thing that mattered.

He reached for her and kissed her forehead. Then he turned back to Dane. “When it happens, you’ll thank your lucky stars that you were there to catch it.”