My Rival Darling Read online

  I took her hand in mine and kissed the back of it. “I’ll see you in a few days, Woodward. Be good until then.”

  She slanted me a flirtatious look before her hand slipped from mine and she walked through the doors to the black car waiting for her. I waited and watched her sit inside, and continued to watch until the driver shut the door, got in, and drove down the street.

  Then I fished my cellphone out of my pocket and looked at it.

  Alexis hadn’t texted me back, much to my surprise. What was going on with her? We usually stayed in pretty constant contact. Was she out with her country girl? Probably. Alexis was the last women who would stay in on a Saturday night, watching cheesy television and eating greasy take-out. That was for losers and women who could get dates.

  If Alexis actually was home, then that meant she was getting nailed by her country girl.

  That was not a thought I wanted to entertain.

  I shoved the phone back in my pocket and sauntered outside to hail a taxi. I’d let things ride for now with Alexis and the bet. There was always Monday in the office to find out where we both stood.

  Chapter 13

  I left my office door open when I arrived and sat down to review my emails. Sooner or later, Riley would come by and ask why I hadn’t responded to her last text from Saturday night. Good. That was exactly what I wanted.

  This game wasn’t just the two of us playing with outside pawns. It was me against her. So I would wait for her to play her way into my office. She would try to be oh-so-nonchalant and ask what I’d done this weekend. Sure, I’d sat on the couch, watched way too much television, and binged on ice cream, but I wasn’t about to tell her that.

  When she showed up at my door, I was ready. I had already sent one nasty email eviscerating a dull editorial and now I looked forward to facing Riley.

  “If it isn’t my dear best friend and not-quite-boss,” I said, leaning back in my chair and alt-tabbing to another screen. “How was the Met?”

  “Lovely, especially the company.” She stepped into the office and closed the door behind her. It thudded shut with a harsh sound. “And you?”

  “No Met for me, but I enjoyed company of my own, nonetheless.” Of course, I literally meant my own company, but I would let her infer whatever she chose from those words.

  “I’m sure you did.” She leaned over my desk, her palms pressed against the pale oak. It was a lovely minimalist desk, nothing like the heavy, mahogany ones in the men’s offices. Or in Riley’s office. She did like her masculine furnishings, including her bed. I remembered it well – king-sized and cushy, with four thick posts. “Was it worth it?”

  “Every second,” I answered, leaning forward to meet her gaze. “What about your weekend?”

  Her gaze dropped to my exposed cleavage. I had intentionally worn the wrap dress to get her attention. “It was better than I expected. There’s nothing like having a woman of power eating out of the palm of your hand.”

  My breath caught. Did she mean Shane… or me?

  “Are you doing Glow on Tuesday?” she asked.

  It took me a moment to find my voice. “Yes, I am. And I take it you’re avoiding the event, as usual?”

  “Actually, I’ll be there.”

  “You will?” I leaned back in my chair and smirked at her. “With her?”

  “If you mean Shane Woodward, yes.”

  “Well, score, darling friend.” I nodded and swiveled a bit in the chair. “Very nice. You know, maybe when we’re done with our toys, we should fix them up together. After all, they’re going to see an awful lot of each other if this keeps up.”

  She returned the expression, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. “I agree, but you know there’s only one toy I really want to play with.”

  “And you know if you don’t get your other toy to work out for you, you won’t be touching this one.” I let my hands drift over my breasts and down the front of my dress to remind her what she wouldn’t be getting if she lost.

  The thing was, she’d get it. Oh, she would get it as soon as we walked into the Hampton house. She just didn’t realize it yet. In my mind, there was a vision of me surprising her with a kiss, then dropping to my knees and pressing my mouth to the crotch of her pants. She would moan and lace her fingers behind the back of my head, while I undid her fly and then delved into her sweet pussy. If Riley still went commando, it wouldn’t be difficult.

  I rose to my feet and leaned forward, allowing my cleavage to push against my neckline. “Is there something else, Riley? I’ve got deadlines, you know.”

  “Yes, there is.” She rounded the desk and pulled me to her. My breasts bounced with the movement – that’s what I got for not wearing a bra – and nearly escaped from the flimsy confines of the dress. Then she kissed me, her mouth slanting over mine and her hands sliding down my back to cup my bottom and hold me close. Her pelvis rocked against mine and I gasped at the sensation, at the shared heat. I remembered how she used to fill me up in the hours between sunset and sunrise during sleepovers, all summer long, taking what she wanted.

  It had been years since she touched me like this, yet it was just as good as I remembered. Better, in fact. The kiss was more aggressive, more confident. Maybe all the time we’d been chasing other conquests had just been practice for us, because we weren’t insatiable, get-right-to-it teenagers anymore. We were experienced adults who could restrain ourselves and focus on the journey instead of the destination.

  Then again, the way she devoured my mouth with hers, it seemed we were certainly just as insatiable now as we had been then. I opened my mouth beneath hers and let her fill it with her searching tongue. I could think of other areas of my body where I wanted to feel that tongue, but we were already courting danger by doing this in such a public place.

  Still, I could imagine myself lifted up onto the desk, my dress pushed up over my hips as Riley’s head went under my skirt and her tongue traced my wet folds. I hadn’t screwed anyone in my office yet, not even after hours. I’d just never thought to bring my “dates” here, but the idea of doing it here and now with Riley was hot.

  She was the first to end the kiss, though, and recall me to the real world. “That’s just a taste of what you’re going to get when you lose our bet,” she said.

  “Oh, is it?” I ran my fingers through her short hair and smiled up at her. If I was a cat, I would be purring and kneading her with my claws. “Bring it on, Riley, because the way I see it, even if I lose, I win.”

  “And what is it you win?”

  “You, sweetie.” I drew her head back down to mine for another kiss and, oh yes, she complied. “Perfect,” I said when I let her go. “You know, if I thought you’d be grateful, I would call off this stupid competition right now.”

  “So why don’t you?” she asked as I stepped out of her embrace and back to my desk.

  “Because that wouldn’t be any fun for you. It wouldn’t give you anything to chase and I want you to chase me, Riley. I don’t want to just fall into your arms and make it easy for you. Where would the fun be in that, right?”

  “Right,” she answered, but I saw her clenching and unclenching her fists at her sides. Good. She of the terminal hip, of the infinite cool, was frustrated, which was exactly what I wanted.

  “Well, I’ve got a meeting to go to. My writers are turning in disappointing work this month and I can’t have that.” I picked up my portfolio and winked at her. “I’ll see you later, dearest.”

  I heard her groan with frustration as I walked out of the office and grinned to myself.

  Chapter 14

  I spent the next two days anticipating the opening of Glow, where I could continue my pursuit of Alexis. Only now it wasn’t just about winning the bet. It was about making her jealous, making her realize she wanted me as much as I wanted her. She thought if I did get her in bed, it wouldn’t last, like I would treat her like any other woman.

  Would I? I didn’t know yet, but I had to find out.

/>   Glow was an upscale restaurant with a dark, club-like atmosphere. Everything around us literally glowed, though, from the strategically-placed lights in the floor and on the walls, to the table legs, drink glasses, and more.

  True to her word and calendar, Shane was there. There were plenty of B-listers at the bar, waiting for a seat, but Shane was already being escorted to her table by the hostess. Of course she got the A-list treatment, and the nice thing was I would receive it too. As soon as the hostess returned, I asked her to ferry a message to Shane.

  In a few moments, she came back and said, “Right this way, Ms. Cahill.”

  I followed her through the dark, almost-surreal environment. The lights were a warm yellow-gold. It made me forget it was winter beyond the walls. Here was a world of warm light and just-loud-enough techno music.

  “Woodward, good to see you again,” I said when we arrived at her table. She looked up at me and tilted her head, indicating that I could sit across from her. I sank into the chair and accepted the menu from the hostess.

  “White wine and whatever she’s having.” Shane didn’t bother to look up at the hostess. Her gaze was fastened on me.

  “Brandy,” I ordered.

  When the hostess walked away, Shane finally cracked one of her rare smiles. She was wearing her glasses again. Good. Part of making her fall in love with me was making her feel loved for who she was and how she looked.

  “I’m glad to see you aren’t wearing contacts again. Pointless affectation,” I told her. “You’re known for your taste in accessories.”

  “Did you actually remember that or have you been doing your homework?” she asked.

  “A little of both.”

  She nodded wordlessly and lowered her gaze to the menu.

  “If you want to know what’s good here, I’d recommend the mi krop.”

  “It’s been done.”

  “Maybe, but who do you think made it so popular?” When she looked up at me, I nodded my head toward the kitchen. “The chef here is the one who started the whole craze a few years ago. Just try it.”

  “I tried it in 2005.”

  “Try it again.”

  I held my breath as I waited for her response. Most women seemed to want a real take-charge man or woman – one who made them do something they weren’t sure they wanted to do. It certainly worked for me, but using this tactic on Shane was a gamble. After all, she was a powerful businesswoman. I knew I was probably more likely to receive a stiletto kick to the face than a happy date, eating the Thai noodle dish I’d suggested she order.

  But when our waiter arrived, Shane nodded for me to speak.

  “We’ll both have the mi krop,” I told him.

  Shane folded her hands on the table and leaned forward after he left us alone. “You’re used to getting your way, aren’t you?” she asked.

  “Aren’t you?” I retorted.

  “Touché, Cahill.”

  “Look.” Clasped my fingers around the glass of brandy and shrugged. “The way I see it, most of the time I know what I’m talking about. I try not to say anything I can’t back up. I know the food will be good, which is why I feel confident enough to recommend it to you. That’s my trick, Woodward – only speak when I know I’m right. If I’m not certain, I don’t say a damn thing.”

  “So you agree that it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt?” she paraphrased.

  I nodded and lifted the glass to my lips. “Something like that,” I agreed, before taking a sip. The brandy burned its way down my throat and when I blinked, that’s when I saw her.

  Alexis and her little country girl were sitting just behind and to the right of Shane. Alexis was facing me and she gave a little wave.

  Really…

  I set my glass down and looked at Shane again. “What about you?” I asked. “Surely you follow the same principle.”

  “Absolutely,” she said in that cold, soft-spoken way of hers. “I don’t allow anyone to think any less of me than I choose for them to think. How I behave in public, how I speak, and what I say are all part of being someone the public can trust. After all, I’ve got a global name brand to represent and that’s a huge responsibility.”

  “What about the dragon lady persona?” I asked. It was a bold move, but she seemed to take it in stride, without so much as wincing.

  “Intentional. Let people hate me. Let them think I’m an ice-cold, heartless bitch.” She gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Demanding perfection gets me the results I want. Doesn’t your way work for you?”

  I let out a low chuckle. “Yes. I just have a different way of doing it.”

  “But it’s just as cultivated, just as calculated as mine. You go in, slap some shoulders, and say ‘atta boy’ to your male employees and flirt with your female employees. They give you a pass because you’re butch and consider you one of the boys. Femme women have a different set of expectations in place.”

  “Is this going to be a dissertation on gender inequality?” I furrowed my brow and glanced over her shoulder at Alexis. What was she doing – holding the country girl’s hands?

  “No. It’s just a reminder that you have your way and I have mine. The same goes for choosing a person with whom I form romantic attachments.”

  Leaning back in my chair, I picked up the glass of brandy again. “Tell me all about it,” I said.

  It was going to be a long damn night.

  Chapter 15

  Getting the table I wanted – across from Riley – was all about knowing the right person. The hostess, of course, just so happened to be an old college friend of mine, as well as the sister of my best writer. It had only taken an email to find out what time Shane Woodward’s reservation was and get the table behind hers. It was really to Riley’s detriment that she didn’t form more connections with people, but she got by on looking and acting rich, not to mention charming. I was more strategic than that.

  Krista wasn’t at all impressed by Glow, but I was. It was a gorgeous restaurant that lived up to its name. “We’ll take the mi krop,” I told the waiter. To Krista, I said, “Trust me on this.”

  She put her hands in the air and smiled. “I do, Alexis. You’re the city girl.” Before I could think of a flirty response, she reached across the table and took my hands in hers. “I missed you over the weekend. I hoped you would call me.”

  Oh. One of those girls. “You did? That’s so sweet.” I lowered my chin against my shoulder and gave a little shrug. It was nice of her to say she missed me. It was also trite and boring. It wasn’t that I wanted to be a complete bitch, but watching Riley over there with Shane wasn’t exactly helping my mood.

  Throughout the night, I kept an eye on them. It was frustrating that they actually looked kind of nice together – both magazine bigwigs, while I was just a lowly section editor. They would make an excellent power couple, especially if they worked together. Then they could go home at night after work and have whatever sex a hot butch babe like Riley had with an ice queen like Shane. Maybe she would just lie there in bed and “let” her have a piece of ass. Or maybe she was actually incredible in bed, like some sort of succubus out of a horror movie.

  I shuddered and looked down at my half-eaten food. Krista seemed content to chatter on about her life making furniture or whatever the hell it was she did. I couldn’t remember anymore. There was something in there about a cabin in upstate New York, too, pretty close to the Canadian border. I didn’t like that part of the state. It lacked the lights, bustle, and vivacity of the city. No, I wasn’t a country girl at all. I was, as Krista had put it, a city girl.

  So why was I in this hot new restaurant with the least hot date of all?

  Somehow, sometime during the night, Krista had ordered tequila shots. Why, I didn’t know. They certainly weren’t my drink of choice. They didn’t complement mi krab. Sheesh, she was a fucking plebian. But there was something satisfying in sinking my teeth into the lime after I threw back the shot.
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  “That’s a girl!” she said, almost hollering like some sort of dopey cowgirl.

  Rolling my eyes, I looked around the restaurant. To my surprise, many of the women in here were actually sizing Krista up. Oh yes, I recognized quite a few of them, too – fellow editors, some models, marketing bitches, and others, all looking at Krista like they wanted to eat her up.

  “Would you excuse me?” I muttered, and slid away from the table without waiting for her to respond.

  In the bathroom, I closed myself in a stall, pulled down my panties, and lowered myself down onto the pristine toilet. As soon as I was done, I felt relieved, but it was at the sink that I felt vindicated.

  “Oh my gosh, you’re Alexis Kesterson, right?”

  I glanced at the redhead to the left of me as I washed my hands and nodded.

  “I’m Marian Lee with Calvin Klein.” She leaned against the wall, drying her hands on a paper towel. “You’re with that furniture chick, Krista.”

  This time it wasn’t a question, but I still answered, “Yes.”

  “She is so hot. What’s it like being with, you know, a woman like her?”

  I turned off the water and flicked the droplets from my fingers into the sink. “A woman like her?”

  “Yeah, you know – not some stiff in a suit whose idea of a good time is making sure to order the best vintage wine on your date, just to show off, and then taking you home for polite sex in your perfect bed before she leaves.”

  It was a question I wasn’t prepared for, especially since I had no intention of sleeping with Krista. Hell, I was barely dating her. So I considered my answer as I dried my hands. “I suppose you’re looking for some good old-fashioned doing it on the wooden floor of a remote cabin kind of sex,” I finally said.

  “Oh yes, that!” Her eyes lit up and she held out her hands. “Okay, so is she, like, all kinds of rough and ‘mine, mine, mine’ with you?”