••••
I had just finished pulling on my black boots and headed to the desk that sat by the window to grab my laptop bag and phone when there was a loud knock at the hotel door. It had just clicked over to midday and after a rough night of sleep and lazy morning I was getting ready to head to the diner to get some much needed work done. I hesitantly walked to the door and was thankful there was a peephole. My pulsing heart rate began to slow as I found Josh Crawford standing on the other side of the door, looking at his watch and dressed in a business suit.
“I am happy to hear you are using all the locks,” he announced after I unlocked the deadlock and chain and swung open the door to greet him.
My face must have been asking a thousand questions, because a deep chuckle left him before he spoke again. “I have been requested by a certain brother of mine to bring you into the office today.”
Shyness invaded me and I dropped my eyes to the ground and nodded. “Okay.”
I turned away and collected my laptop, purse, and phone and turned back to find Josh watching me closely. Where Ky had strong hazel eyes, Josh’s were a deep brown. I could definitely see what Tori had been attracted to. Geez, I could see what all girls would be attracted to. Josh held the door open for me and we left the hotel behind us and headed into the city, with our destination being Anderson Publications. For what, I had no clue.
The craziness of the office hit me the moment we stepped out of the elevator. Monday madness, as Josh called it, was in full swing. I pulled my bright pink laptop tote close to my body and weaved my way through the staff, sticking close to Josh, and headed toward a large boardroom in the far corner. I felt people’s eyes on me, and I swear I heard hushed voices asking who I was.
Once we walked into the boardroom, Josh said, “I’ll go and see if Ky is in his office so just take a seat here, and I’ll be back in a few.”
“Sure.”
Josh disappeared through the door and left me to my own devices. The room was huge with a large gleaming white meeting table taking up the space with at least twelve high back, expensive looking executive chairs surrounding it. Pictures of previous covers graced the walls and my eyes instantly began scanning them, taking in the colors, the layout, and the models and some of my favorite bands. I still couldn’t believe, not in my wildest dreams could I ever have imagined, that photos I would take would be gracing the cover of an international magazine.
“Um excuse me, who are you, and what are you doing in here?”
I turned to the rude intruding voice that I found belonged to a striking red head that stood with her hands on her tiny hips and a snigger on her lips. If it wasn’t for her bitchy attitude, I would say she was one of the most stunning women I had ever seen. Her pointed gaze roamed over my body, taking in my skinny jeans, knee high boots, and simple white blouse in clear disgust.
“My name is Eden, and I am waiting for Ky,” I said quickly, hoping that she would turn around and leave.
Her eyes widened and with a couple of steps on her impressive looking heels, she was in the boardroom and closing the door behind her.
“You’re Eden Rivers?” she spat in clear disapproval. “It’s you Ky is rejecting me for?”
Well hello insecurities! I felt myself pull back as I took in the glamour before me. Ky was rejecting her for me? What the fuck? She looked back at me expectantly and continued to judge me with hateful eyes. Where the hell was Ky or Josh? She didn’t speak another word for what seemed like forever, and I had no response.
“I cannot believe that he rejected me yesterday because of you. I’d heard of the infamous Eden Rivers but by what I had heard him say I was expecting someone a bit more polished. Jesus, I am speechless.”
Clearly she wasn’t.
She took a step toward me so she was close enough for her perfume to hit me full force. Her eyes threatened with vindictiveness and a smirk filled her inflated pout. “He doesn’t do relationships; he fucks and runs and I was happy to give him that. I hope you know his expectations and can live up to them.”
“Are you fucking done?”
I jumped at the sound of a very pissed off voice booming from the door. My body swung around to find the intimidating presence of Ky leaning against the doorframe, arms folded across his broad chest and a scowl taking over his face. He was clad head to toe in business attire; he looked nothing like I’d seen him before. My eyes, with a mind of their own, ran the length of his body, taking in the dark charcoal suit, crisp white shirt that was opened at the top with the tie he was wearing loosened around his neck.
“I was just introducing myself to Eden,” the red head stuttered as she urgently tried to back track her words.
“I heard enough to know that wasn’t what you were doing Angela, so fuck off back to your desk. We will discuss this at a later time.” Ky hadn’t looked at me once since he had entered the room; his eyes were glued firmly on the woman I now knew as Angela.
“Are you serious?” Angela questioned, her exasperated tone not missed.
“Do I look like I am joking?”
Finally, Ky looked at me and his eyes softened. I had no clue what was happening. I looked away and dropped my eyes to my laptop bag and fumbled around inside pretending to be looking for something. I heard the mutter of words under breath and then the sound muffled voices.
I didn’t even hear him move through the room, so I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt the soft touch of a hand on the small of my back. When I finally looked up from the floor and turned to face him, Ky looked back at me tensely, his eyes taking in my features as if he was desperately trying to gauge my reaction, to make sure I was okay. I offered the best smile I could.
“Are you okay?” His voice had lost the aggression and was now soft and calming, yet still so deep and enticing.
“Yes,” I responded immediately.
“Fuck Eden, answer me honestly.”
“I am fine,” I spat between clenched teeth all the while glaring at him.
His head flew back, and his eyes locked onto the ceiling. I couldn’t ignore the loud infuriated sigh that escaped his body. “Eden, once again. Are you okay?”
The tension in the room had gone from concern to frustration within a heartbeat. I stayed silent as I tried to decipher my response. Clearly anything I said wouldn’t be what he wanted to hear, and it certainly wouldn’t be anything I wanted to say. He dropped his head from looking at the ceiling and focused squarely on me, waiting expectantly on my response. Everything was lost when he looked at me like that. It was a look that I was becoming very accustomed to. His eyes had lost the ferociousness that they showed moments ago and now they were filled with expectation, protection, and maybe even a little anxiousness. Almost like my response was resting squarely on his shoulders.
“I will be fine,” I admitted in a soft tone. “I just wasn’t expecting to be bombarded by one of your lady friends.”
“Lady friends?” He scoffed and I could tell he was trying to stop himself from laughing.
“I don’t want to stop you from the women you are interested in. It was pretty clear that she has you in her sights and if you want—”
“Just stop before you go any further,” Ky barked, shaking his head in the process. “Do you remember what I said on Saturday?”
My thoughts flew back to Saturday and the conversations we had. I knew exactly what he was referring to. The one conversation that made my heart weep for him. The girl that got away, the one girl he clearly didn’t want to say goodbye to. I nodded in silent response.
“For the last time, I do not have any lady friends, as you call them, and even if I did, it would certainly not be someone like Angela. As I told you, I have no interest in any women at the moment.” His voice dropped dangerously low. “Besides you Miss Rivers.”