Rivals for the runways. Enemies in the industry. And for a single sinfully hot night, they’re about to indulge in the one thing they’re not allowed...each other.

Fashion executive Riley Gold knows that appearances are everything. And New Year’s Eve in Milan is no exception. If Riley’s going to have a reputation for being an “ice princess,” then she’s going to be flawless, glacier-cold perfection. Especially when Chaz Warren is here, looking too damn good, too damn sexy...and every inch the enemy.

Not only are their families fashion archrivals, but social media mogul Chaz Warren is a player—and the world knows it. But for one X-rated night, Riley will give in to the electric lust that’s always been crackling between them. All it takes is a searing kiss to turn the heat from simmering to full-on passion...

Riley thought one night with Chaz would be enough. But it’s not enough, not nearly. Now Riley and Chaz are having a private—and completely naughty—affair, and hiding the scandalizing truth from both the tabloids and their feuding families. But keeping her deliciously hot enemy close won’t just melt the ice around Riley’s heart...he could incinerate it completely.

Mills & Boon DARE publishes sexy romances featuring powerful alpha heroes and bold, fearless heroines exploring their deepest fantasies.

Four new Harlequin DARE titles are available each month, wherever ebooks are sold!

A.C. ARTHUR is an award-winning author who livesin Baltimore, Maryland, with her husband, three children, grandson and English bulldog named Vader. An active imagination and a love for reading encouraged her to begin writing in high school and she hasn’t stopped since.

A Private Affair

A.C. Arthur

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09927-1

A PRIVATE AFFAIR

© 2020 Artist C. Arthur

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

About the Publisher

CHAPTER ONE
Milan, Italy

RILEY GOLD DIDN’T give a damn. She walked into the hotel ballroom knowing she was the best-dressed woman in the room.

Her dress was an RGold exclusive—black sheath, skew neck, half sleeve, back slit. The shoes were Louboutin crisscross pumps. Her shoulder-length honey-bronze highlighted hair was pulled up in a slick bun that had taken thirty minutes to perfect. Her makeup was simple, with dark eyes and matte berry-toned lips.

She was ready for the New Year’s Eve party sponsored by Design International—a global magazine that routinely featured the hottest designers worldwide. As the chief executive of market research and product development at Ronald Gold Fashions, Riley was representing the company at this party, even though she was on her annual vacation.

RGF was on top of the domestic fashion market and holding strong at the top five in the global market. The company her grandfather had built and her father now ran was everything to Riley. It was her life, as the tabloids never failed to remind everyone.

RGF’s Ice Princess Still as Frigid as Ever

That was the latest headline. A picture of her walking into RGF’s Manhattan headquarters beneath it. Riley could still see the bold-print letters splashed across the front of the magazine as if they’d been emblazoned on the insides of her eyelids. Despite the headline and the article she refused to read, Riley had taken extreme pride in the classy dove-gray pantsuit she’d been wearing in the picture. She’d learned a long time ago that appearances were everything. It didn’t matter if she felt like crap, as long as she was flawless on the outside.

Flawless and brilliant.

Riley crossed the room, smiling and waving at industry people she knew. She stopped for a quick double-cheek air kiss with an international textile associate and provided vague answers to a fashion blogger’s questions about what RGF had in store for New York Fashion Week. Her target was in sight and she was steadily making her way toward him—without looking as if she’d only come to this party to see him. Admittedly, he was a big part of the reason, but she didn’t have to act like it.

There had to be at least three hundred people in the hotel’s massive ballroom. A band played while staff weaved in and out of the guests with trays of hors d’oeuvres and flutes filled with champagne. Glitz and glamour were the theme on this New Year’s Eve, with some of the top names in fashion wearing signature gowns and tuxedos. The air buzzed with excitement—for the New Year as well as the upcoming fashion season.

Riley was excited about the latter, as well. A lot was riding on the top-secret Golden Bride couture collection. This was the first major project Riley had worked on in the three years after the colossal mess she’d made of an international distribution deal that should have been a slam dunk.

Her assistant, Korey, had learned that up-and-coming designer Perry Reddleson would be attending this party. Ron Gold, Jr., CEO and lead designer at RGF, wanted Perry on his team. Riley had vowed to make her father proud by convincing Perry to work for the company. She’d practiced her pitch at least a hundred times during the flight here and again in her suite as she’d dressed for tonight. Now was the moment of truth.

“Perry Reddleson, I didn’t expect to see you here,” she said, coming to a stop in front of him.

He was a slim man with a head of sandy-brown curls that fell to his shoulders. His signature black frame glasses and dimples were on full display as he grinned back at her.

“The impeccable Riley, so very lovely to see you here in the city of fashion,” he replied. He snagged two glasses from the tray that was being carried past and offered her one.

Riley accepted the glass and launched into her pitch. Twenty minutes and another glass of champagne later, Perry was grinning as he said, “All you had to do was ask. I’d be honored to talk about the possibility of joining the RGF empire.”

He had a nice smile, Riley supposed. She was more concerned with the answer he’d just given her. It earned him a genuine smile from her, even as she began thinking of how fast she could head back to her room. The job she’d come to do was done, and more than anything else, she was ready for some time alone. To unwind and just be herself. Something, she thought as her fingers moved over the stem of the empty glass she held, that she never had enough time to do.

“You won’t regret it,” Riley told him. “RGF is more than its reputation. We pride ourselves on keeping a family-oriented work environment. If you were to officially join us, you wouldn’t be just another designer—you’d be family.”

He chuckled. “You don’t have to continue to sell me on the offer, Riley. I’ve been following RGF’s success for a long time. And I’m honored that the Ice Princess herself came all this way just to speak to me. There’s no way I would turn down this opportunity.”

Riley hated being called the Ice Princess. The tabloids had given her that nickname after the Walter Stone fiasco. And while she wasn’t about to give Perry a tongue-lashing for using the stupid name, she did raise a brow as she stared at him. The act had Perry laughing loudly as if she’d just told a fabulous joke.

“Just kidding, Riley. Come on, let’s dance,” Perry said.

He plucked the glass from her fingers and placed it, with his own, on the next tray to pass them. He was taking her hand before Riley could cordially turn down his offer and in seconds she found herself on the dance floor.

The song wasn’t a slow tune, which meant he really didn’t need to hold her so closely. Yet Riley didn’t pull away. She was certain any one of the media staff that were present would snap a picture on their phone and immediately text it to their editor. The picture of her dancing with Perry would no doubt grace the cover of at least one tabloid first thing tomorrow morning. Any other fashion house looking to snag Perry’s talent would see that RGF had beaten them to the punch. With that thought, Riley moved easily to the rhythm of the music. She smiled and eased out of Perry’s embrace so she could spin around before coming back to join Perry. The move gave anyone aiming for a photo op an unfettered view of her smiling...and wearing an RGold original dress.

Another minute and the song was over. The band would probably continue to play until midnight when the DJ, who was set up in the far corner of the ballroom, would take over. Riley still hoped to be upstairs in bed by that time. Now she decided it was time to conclude this meeting.

“Well, I certainly don’t wish to stop your celebrating,” she said and dropped her hands from his shoulders. “I appreciate you taking the time to speak to me.”

Perry let his hands slip from her waist. “Surely you’re not leaving the party. We still have an hour to go until midnight. There’s champagne to drink and more dancing to be done!”

Riley smiled at the joy in his sea green eyes. “Oh no, I think I’ve had enough partying for one evening,” she told him.

“Nonsense,” a deep voice said from behind her. “You have to make time for just one more dance.”

Riley’s shoulders instantly stiffened at the familiar voice.

“You don’t mind, do you, Perry?” he asked as he shook Perry’s hand.

“Of course not,” Perry replied. “As long as she continues to have a good time. We should all be on the dance floor at midnight. I’ll be talking to you soon, Riley.”

She managed a quiet good-night to Perry, her genuine smile already shifting to the cool, aloof one she’d grown famous for.

This time, the band did begin playing a slower tune, and to her dismay, Chadwick Warren stepped closer and asked, “Shall we dance?”

Riley didn’t like how close he was.

Nor did she like how well he wore that single-button charcoal-gray tuxedo. Chaz, as everybody called him, was too tall, standing beyond even her older brother RJ’s six feet two inches. His face was too chiseled, eyebrows too thick and beard cut too precisely. There were waves in his close-cropped ebony hair, too many of them, and he smelled... Well, the cologne he wore smelled too damn good.

There was no way Riley would ever let on that she was bothered by any of the above. She nodded and took the final step to close the distance between them.

“You look stunning tonight,” he said the moment his arms slipped around her waist, his hands flattening at the small of her back.

For the second time tonight, Riley lifted her arms to let her hands rest on a man’s shoulders. The first time had been for business. This time, she prayed, would not overshadow the work she’d just completed.

“Thank you,” she replied. “You’re wearing the Crew, from King Designs’s winter collection. It’s an excellent cut that wears well, even if a modern cut would have worked better.”

The color of the tux also added to the intense look in his deep brown eyes.

He chuckled. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

For a split second Riley thought she could become lost in his soulful eyes. She wondered how it would feel to run her fingers over his rich mocha-hued skin. That was ridiculous. She didn’t shake her head to clear the thoughts and remind herself of who and what he was, but she did shift her gaze to a woman across the room wearing a blue sequin gown. Again, they were most certainly surrounded by reporters, bloggers and photographers, so Riley’s smile stayed in place as she concentrated on moving with the music, instead of the fact that she was dancing with the enemy.

“Seeing you like this is a pleasant surprise,” Chaz said after a few moments of silence.

“I’ve spent every New Year’s Eve in Milan for the last three years,” she responded before snapping her lips shut. He did not need to know anything that personal about her.

Chaz looked down at her seriously.

“You don’t usually dance at parties was what I meant,” he said.

He was right. She did not dance at parties. Whatever events Riley attended were carefully selected and always related to RGF business in some way. She would not admit that the last thing she’d wanted to do tonight was attend this party. If she’d been able to do exactly as she’d wanted, Riley would be upstairs in her room with a cup of hot chocolate and a tray of Oreo cookies—her favorite guilty pleasure. She would be in bed wearing her pajamas and watching some old holiday movie. That would have been the perfect way to bring in the New Year.

And if she’d been able to do that, instead of attending this party, she would have missed seeing him. Riley was definitely okay with that. She’d first met Chaz when she was seventeen at a fashion show in Miami. Years went by where she only caught stories about him either via office gossip or the media. And then last year he moved back to New York.

“I had a meeting with Perry,” she told him, and took a step back, letting her hands slide down his chest and torso until they were once again at her sides.

He looked at her quizzically this time. “The song’s not over.”

“But I’m done,” she replied.

He released his hold on her and gave a slight nod. “Like Cinderella running from the ball before the stroke of midnight.”

Riley lifted her chin. “I don’t believe in fairy tales.”

CHAPTER TWO

DAMN.

That woman could wear a bedsheet and she’d still be the sexiest lady he’d ever set eyes on. Too bad she was public enemy number one. Or rather, her family—the Golds—were the archenemy of Chaz’s uncle, Tobias King. Chaz had been inducted into the feud via his parents’ deaths when he was nine years old. And again a year ago when family loyalty insisted he take a leave of absence from his thriving social media consultation business to help rebrand and boost sales for the men’s line at King Designs.

All of that came second to the fact that each time he’d been in the company of Riley Gold this past year, she’d treated him like he was part of the Republic and she was a high-ranking official with the Resistance. The thought made Chaz smile, even when his body had already begun to react to seeing her in that tight black dress.

She looked dangerous, desirable and just a little bit frightening. Like a badass goddess in five-inch heels.

Chaz brought the glass to his lips and took a sip of aged whiskey while keeping his gaze leveled on her. She stood across the room, near a highboy table decorated to match the room’s gold-and-black decor. Her hair, which Chaz preferred loose and dancing over her shoulders, was pulled up so that the slender line of her neck was visible. Diamonds sparkled at her ears and matched the triple-tier bracelet on her left wrist. The skewed-neck design of the dress left one delectable tawny-hued shoulder bared, its tight fit outlining the perfection of her curves. Chaz took another swallow from his glass and convinced himself that the fixation he’d had on Riley Gold, for longer than he cared to admit, wasn’t at all foolish or immature.

The man she was speaking to offered her a drink and she accepted, but she would not sip from that glass. If he was correct, and Chaz was ninety-eight percent certain he was, the glass was filled with scotch. Riley did not drink hard liquor. Champagne and red wine were her preference, as were desserts over any other portion of a meal. The fact that he knew those things and too many more to count was probably a little obsessive, but nobody had to know that but him.

“See something you like?”

Chaz didn’t blink at the heavily Italian-accented voice. He did spare a glance to his right, where Franco Vitali now stood.

“I see several things of interest,” Chaz replied.

Franco chuckled. “Even if you were not their biggest competitor in the US, she would not give you the time of day. Her heart has been frozen since the scandal years ago.”

“Not my concern,” Chaz told him. “I like variety.”

He did—normally. Chaz had a general affection for women and gave them his time as the need arose. Which, for the last ten years, seemed to be quite often. Starting with a simple bachelor blog, Chaz had quickly built a social media following that consisted mainly of women trying their best to end his lone-star status. He’d parlayed that success into Conversation Media, a multimillion-dollar social media consulting firm that Chaz was extremely proud to own. Riley, on the other hand, occupied another space in his mind. One he had yet to figure out.

“Me, too,” Franco continued. “Listen, there are dozens of models in my suite. They could not come down as they were not invited. You, my friend, are invited to join me upstairs to bring in the New Year properly.”

Chaz managed a bland grin in Franco’s direction. He’d known the guy for years, as he was one of Italy’s most talented designers. And he had an eye for good art, just like Chaz. But Chaz had never partied with Franco.

“I think I’m good with my own celebration,” Chaz said.

Franco shrugged his slim shoulders. “Suit yourself, compagno.”

Alone once again, Chaz looked across the room only to be disappointed. Riley was gone. It was just as well. At least he’d had a partial dance with her. There could never be anything between them, anyway. His uncle, the feud, his new position at King Designs and the pending success of Chaz’s new venture—ChatMe, a social media platform designed for on-the-go millennials enjoying the single life—stood in the way.

That meant Chaz had better things to do than to nurse thoughts about Riley Gold. He could save those for when he was alone in bed, as he’d been far too often to admit. Finishing his drink, Chaz decided he had time for one more business connection before the New Year rolled in. He was heading toward a well-known fashion magazine editor when he caught a glimpse of that infamous black dress and those long, sexy legs.

Chaz knew he shouldn’t do it. He should continue his trek toward the editor, share a drink and small talk with her while dropping subtle hints about the new men’s collection being debuted at Fashion Week. He should ignore Riley Gold the same way she always tried to ignore him.

But he didn’t.

He couldn’t. Which made no sense at all. Chaz never chased a woman.

To be fair, he wasn’t actually doing so now. He was just walking toward the balcony. There was no rule against a man deciding to get some air...in the place that a beautiful woman was doing the same. And it wasn’t because each time he’d seen her tonight she’d been with another man—two other men—who had been standing very close to her. That definitely wasn’t the reason he stepped onto the balcony, because Chaz was not inclined to be jealous of anyone.

She was on the phone with her back to him.

He should walk away now. Just let her do what she did best: freeze people—or rather, him—out for no reason. It was tempting as he stood there and thrust his hands into the front pockets of his pants. There were still plenty of women in the ballroom who he could dance with, have drinks with while the New Year rolled in and maybe even take upstairs to his room for the night. He also hadn’t forgotten Franco’s offer to attend his private party. Again, plenty of willing women. Chaz did not have to stand here and deal with Riley Gold.

But the moment he heard the small hitch in her voice as she’d yelled at whoever she was speaking to, he knew he wasn’t going up to any private party. And he wasn’t going to snag some other woman from the ballroom. He was going to stay right here until he knew Riley was okay.

“Yes,” she continued. “I told him that.”

She was nodding while holding the cell phone to her ear, as if the person she was speaking to could somehow see her.

“I said that, too. Look, RJ, you really didn’t have to call. You should be getting ready for Uncle Harry’s New Year’s Eve party, and not worrying about whether or not I could close the deal. Which, as a matter of fact, I did. Perry will be in New York on January 5 to meet with you and Dad.”

So this was about business. She was speaking to Ronald Gold III, better known as RJ, next in line to sit on the throne at RGF. Chaz almost turned back at that point. Riley’s business was RGF’s business and that did not involve him. He should have known the only thing causing any type of emotional reaction in her would have to do with her family company. All she ever did was work.

“Yes. Thank you. Happy New Year to you, too,” she finished before pulling the phone away from her ear and disconnecting the call.

The wish she’d offered her brother was filled with frustration, and Chaz watched as she leaned over, resting her elbows on the railing. Straight ahead were the Duomo cathedral and glittering lights of the Milanese skyline. A gorgeous sight to behold. But Riley lowered her head and sighed.

Chaz had never seen her this way. Riley Gold was a fierce, intelligent woman who had proved herself as one of the most talented and shrewd businesswomen he’d ever met. If she had a weakness, no one would ever know what it was. If she faltered, nobody would ever witness it. She was gorgeous and on point every second of every day. Until now.

His first instinct was to walk right up, wrap his arms around her waist and revel in the feel of her back pressed against him. He would remind her that there was a time for business and a time for pleasure. Then he would drop a soft kiss on her temple and continue to hold her until she cuddled into his embrace. Then he would...

Chaz cleared his throat and pushed those ridiculous thoughts out of his mind. “Working on New Year’s Eve?” he asked, still standing a short distance away from her.

She jumped, her elbows slipping on the railing so that it appeared she might fall. Chaz didn’t hesitate. He hurried over, wrapping his arm around her waist in the same way he’d just been contemplating, and pulled her back against him.

“It’s okay,” he whispered against her temple. “I’ve got you now.”

For a split second Riley enjoyed the comfortable warmth that engulfed her. But when his breath whispered over her skin and the reality of who he was and where they were hit her, she quickly moved out of his grasp.

“What are you doing?” she asked as she spun around to face him. “Were you eavesdropping on my conversation? Is that why you were sent to this party?”

While her father liked to entertain conspiracy theories about company espionage, Riley prided herself on being a bit more levelheaded. Besides, Chaz had only worked in brand management for King Designs for the past year. It wouldn’t be his job to hire a new designer, if he even knew enough about the industry to do so. But he had followed her out here for a reason.

“I was concerned when you left the party and I wanted to make sure you were all right,” he said and casually folded his arms across his chest.

His legs were slightly spread, so that he looked formidable and enticing all at once. It appeared to be a practiced move—no doubt it was intended to make women swoon because it had a Morris Chestnut feel to it. The fact that Morris was one of Riley’s favorite actors had to be the reason she thought Chaz looked so good standing there.

Riley cleared her throat.

“I’m fine,” she said evenly. “Thank you for your concern, but you can leave now.”

He smiled. A slow and potent action that had her clenching the phone and her purse just a little tighter.

Riley had no idea why this was always her reaction to him. He was just a man, after all. She interacted with a lot of men on a daily basis. There was nothing about Chaz Warren that made him any different from the others. Except maybe the fact that his family was her family’s longest and most detested rival. Still, that never stopped her from reacting to his presence, no matter how hard she tried not to. Even now, the heat that always suffused every part of her when he was around was creeping to the surface. She felt it in her cheeks, in the way her breasts grew fuller and her center began that slow, needy pulsating.

“Not until I’m satisfied you’re not going to jump over the railing because you don’t like your family checking up on your work,” he replied.

“What? Oh, so you were eavesdropping,” she said and frowned.

“You weren’t exactly whispering.”

“It was nothing. And as I stated before, I’m fine,” she said evenly.

Riley took another step back, but not in retreat. She told herself it was self-preservation, something she was very good at.

“Are you afraid of me, Riley?”

Her response was an immediate chuckle. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she replied and attempted to walk around him.

He blocked her path. He didn’t touch her but stood directly in front of her. His gaze was dark and intense, deep brown eyes and thick neat brows staring down at her. Riley didn’t look away.

“You’ve no place to run this time,” he said, his voice going lower. Sexier.

She remained unfazed, at least on the outside. “I don’t run from anything,” she told him. “And I’m not easily intimidated.”

He tilted his head curiously and arched a brow. “Good. Now we can finally get this out of the way.”

He took another step and leaned in before pausing to look down at her hands. Riley had not moved a muscle. She held eye contact with him. A part of her wanted to take another step around him, while another part—the stubborn and inquisitive part—stood still and waited. For what, she wasn’t quite sure. All she knew for certain was that she wanted to know what he was going to do next—almost as much as she wanted Perry Reddleston to come work for RGF.

“Is that a yes?” he asked.

“I didn’t say anything,” she replied.

“Exactly,” he said. “You didn’t tell me to get the hell away from you, nor did you mention calling security. So I’m asking, is your silence a yes?”

Riley licked her now-dry lips. “My silence? What exactly should I respond ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to?”

He didn’t actually need to say it. Riley knew what he was asking. She recalled having a similar conversation with him six months ago.

“This isn’t new, Riley. It’s been brewing between us for years. How long do you plan to keep brushing it off?”

Was that what she’d been doing? Her previous answer to Chaz had been an unequivocal “no.” There was nothing between them and to solidify that fact she’d made a point to stay away from him. Which was probably the reason he presumed she’d been running. But tonight, as he’d just stated, she was standing still...and very close to him.

“One night, Riley,” he said, his voice going lower.

His face was just inches from hers as he stood in what should have been an uncomfortable stance. But he wasn’t trying to move. He just stayed there waiting...for her.

“Give this thing between us one night,” he continued.

“There is no ‘thing’ between us,” she whispered.

He eased closer, brushing his lips lightly against hers before pulling back. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Chaz stood up straight.

“You’re sure there’s no ‘thing’ between us? Or you’re sure you won’t give us one night?”

“I’m sure you’re trying to push my buttons and I’m not in the mood,” she replied.

“And yet, you’re still standing right here.”

“You’re in my way,” she countered.

Chaz stepped to the side.

“Now I’m not,” he said. “And you’re still here contemplating whether or not you’re up for one night with me. You won’t do it. You’ll continue to run because that’s what suits you.”

No. He did not just make this a dare. But as Riley continued to stare at him, she knew that was exactly what he was doing. Her brothers had done this to her so many times while they were growing up and Riley had never backed down.

But Chaz Warren was not her brother. He was a very attractive man who made her body respond every time she saw him, regardless of what her brain warned. He was the man who had just teased the hell out of her with that chaste kiss. Riley wanted more. She hadn’t realized how much until this very moment, but she wanted Chaz Warren in her bed.

“Yes,” she said without another thought.

Chaz shook his head and grinned. “You’re killing me here, Riley. What exactly are you saying yes to?” he asked.

Tired of this verbal sparring, Riley closed the space between them. She reached up to cup the back of Chaz’s head and brought his mouth down to hers for a searing kiss.

CHAPTER THREE

CHAZ HAD NO IDEA. There was no way he could have prepared for how potent the kiss would be. No way in hell.

She looked like any other beautiful woman with hazel eyes and intriguing high cheekbones. Her body was what a teenage boy’s wet dreams were made of and she smelled like sin walking. But he’d been around the fashion industry for more than half his life, so none of that was abnormal to him.

Still, the punch in his gut the moment his lips touched hers was nothing to ignore. The warmth that spread slowly to every corner of his body as his tongue brushed against hers and her body pressed closer to his was way beyond what one simple little kiss should have caused.

He’d kissed women before. And had done a whole lot more. But nothing, none of those times, had left him feeling as off balance as he did at this very moment.

With heroic strength Chaz pulled his mouth away from hers. But he did not let her go. He couldn’t.

“One night,” she said before Chaz had even caught his breath. “In my room. You’ll be gone first thing in the morning. And we will never...ever speak of this again.”

She was giving him the rules. Chaz was never good at following rules, especially not ones that he hadn’t come up with. However, he knew exactly who he was dealing with and what was at stake for both of them if they proceeded.

“I’d rather twenty-four hours, but we can play that by ear. When the time comes, if you still want me to, I’ll leave when the sun comes up, but it starts right here, right now,” he said before taking her mouth again.

This time it was his tongue pushing her lips apart as he sought the warmth inside. She seemed surprised at first but was clearly ready for their go-round within seconds. Her hands—pressing against the back of his neck as if she thought she was guiding this kiss—felt too good to focus on. There was so much more Chaz wanted to explore with Riley and he only had one night to get it all in.

Her tongue joined his, stroking in a rhythm that seemed practiced and new at the same time. His hands moved down to the dip in her back just before the curve of her ass. Chaz pressed her close to him as he took the kiss deeper. She was tall, probably about five feet seven or eight without the heels she was wearing, so she fit against him perfectly. And with the feel of her body against his, Chaz couldn’t wait to get her naked.

Riley moved her hands, slipping them past his shoulders to press firmly against his chest. Chaz immediately pulled back.

“Not here, not like this,” she said and looked around as if she thought someone might see them.

They were alone on the balcony, the party inside going full swing without a care for the two people who’d slipped out. But Chaz understood. It was no secret that Riley did not like the press. She did the required press releases and interviews, but she tried to stay out of the spotlight. It didn’t matter—her family’s company was one of the most talked about in the industry. There was no way the press would stop doing stories on her; even though Riley and Walter Stone hadn’t married and the phenomenal partnering of RGold Fashions and Stonemill Apparel, a renowned global distributor, was off, they still covered her and they weren’t always kind.

Chaz didn’t answer immediately. He kept his arms around her and walked them back until they were standing on the other side of a decorated and lit Christmas tree at the far end of the balcony.

With her back pressed against the wall of the building, Riley still looked up at him with concern. Chaz touched a finger to her cheek and let it slide slowly down to the line of her jaw.

“I’ll protect you, Riley,” he said softly. “You don’t ever have to worry about that.”

“I don’t need your protection,” she said.

Chaz smiled. “I know,” he told her. “But I’ll do it, anyway.”

He kissed her again, his hands moving down her sides. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tightly against her. Chaz groaned at the spurt of possession and need. He grabbed the hem of her dress, pushing it up her legs so he could feel more of her skin, get even closer to her. Riley dragged one leg up, wrapping it around his waist until he was delightfully trapped in her grasp.

He couldn’t believe he was here, with Riley Gold, touching her and kissing her. His erection pulsed and pressed eagerly against his zipper. He wanted to be inside her now, but he couldn’t pull himself away from her to get them to the elevators and eventually to her room. He needed something first. He needed to give her something, just this little bit to relax her and to promise himself what was to come.

Chaz moved his hand until he felt the silky skin of her inner thigh. She bucked instantly and tilted her head back to arch into him. He cursed, his mouth sliding over her bared shoulder.

Heat greeted his fingers before he even slipped the thin piece of silk covering her mound to the side. She’d eased her hands inside his jacket and now her nails dug into his chest. He slid two fingers inside her and she gasped. She jerked at the contact, groaning as he pressed deeper and shifted her hips until she could move in rhythm with his thrusts. He gritted his teeth at the delicious feel of her moist heat and the tightness that circled him. Closing his eyes, he clenched his teeth at how good this felt even though it wasn’t his hard dick easing in and out of her.

She gripped his shirt in her fists as her body tensed. The sound of his fingers moving in and out of her echoed in his ears and had his dick jumping. She gasped and stilled, her heated walls gripping him tighter before her release came, her body trembled and she moaned in his arms.

Seconds later, fireworks popped off, and the sound of people cheering and singing filtered out from the ballroom onto the balcony.

It had taken them exactly sixteen minutes to weave through the celebrating crowd in the ballroom and head toward the elevators. When they finally arrived at the door to her suite, Riley unlocked it and led Chaz inside. She dropped her purse and the key card on the sofa table and kept moving through the lavishly decorated space. Chaz stopped at the fully stocked bar tucked in a corner of the living room and asked Riley if she wanted champagne. She opted for wine and Chaz selected water. Now they were sitting on the terrace, finishing their drinks and watching the last of the fireworks show.

It didn’t take a genius to see that her nerves were more than a little frayed. Probably a combination of the crowd they’d encountered in the hallway and the fact that he was actually in her room. So they would slow down a bit until she was certain of herself and what she wanted from him once more.

“Why are you here alone?” she asked after a few minutes of silence.

Chaz sat back on the lounge chair, his legs spread in front of him.

“I always travel alone.”

“Yet you always find someone to spend your time with,” she countered.

Chaz looked over to her.

“What?” she asked as he continued to stare. “You’re in the papers a lot. With this woman and that woman. Between you, Maurice and Major, I don’t know who the true Fashion House Playboy is.”

Considering she’d lumped him into a category with two of her brothers, Chaz figured the comment wasn’t a total insult.

“For a person burned by the lies in tabloids, you should know better than to believe anything they print,” he replied, anyway, but then wondered if he’d gone too far. The last thing he wanted was to irritate her.

“You’re right,” she countered, quicker than he expected.

“But if you want to know if I have a girlfriend, the answer is no.”

Her fingers moved on her thigh, but she didn’t speak. They’d slowed down, Chaz thought. From the time they’d first come up here, until now, her fingers had gone from clenching together, to rubbing along the stem of the wineglass, to resting on her thigh. Chaz had never seen Riley nervous. He doubted she felt that way often and he almost smiled with the realization that she must be relaxing with him.

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

Chaz was almost positive she was single, but he didn’t want her to think he was presumptuous.

“No,” she replied. “I’m not in the market for a boyfriend, fiancé or husband. I’m fine being single.”

Because the other way hadn’t worked for her. Chaz knew and had no desire to rehash any of that for her.

“So am I,” he said.

“Why? Your uncle definitely believes in the institution of marriage. I’m surprised he’s not pressuring you to settle down.”

“That’s precisely why I’m still single,” Chaz admitted. “Uncle Tobias was on his fourth wife when he took me in after my parents’ deaths. Twenty-four years later and he’s on wife number eight. He averages around three to four years with each one, before he decides to trade for a newer model.”

“Wow, that’s a little harsh. You don’t think he’s really falling in love with them?”

“Only if he can fall out of love with them just as often. It seems like a vicious cycle to me.”

“A cycle indeed,” she added. “My parents may be the exception to the rule. They’ve been married for thirty-eight years this coming June. I think theirs is a real, true love.”

“But you’re not looking for that yourself?”

She shook her head. “Absolutely not. My focus right now is on RGF. That’s all.”

“Yes, it’s about to get busy on the work front for both of us. But you should always have a balance between work and play,” he said and then stood. “Do you want another glass of wine?”

Another drink, more small talk, whatever it took to make Riley feel comfortable with the deal they’d made. He could still smell her sweet and intoxicating scent on his fingers and his erection hadn’t abated, but there was no rush. They had all night.

Then what?

Then nothing. They’d get up in the morning and go home. Done.

When she nodded, Chaz took their glasses inside. He poured them both some wine and returned to the terrace. Riley was standing now, too, leaning a hip against the railing as she watched him walk toward her. Chaz handed her the glass.

“Do you have a New Year’s resolution?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Never make them. My professional goals are the same each year.”

Chaz watched as one of her elegantly arched brows lifted.

“What about your personal goals? Balance of work and play, remember?”

She smiled and Chaz felt the air leave his lungs. Straight white teeth and plump lips. The memory of their scorching kisses would forever be emblazoned on his mind. But it wasn’t her mouth that had physically assaulted Chaz in that moment, it was the light he saw flash in her eyes. The little bit of laughter that had joined her smile.

“I want to take more time to paint,” he admitted. Something he’d never told anyone else.

“You’re an artist?”

“Something like that,” he said before downing the contents of his glass. He was suddenly very thirsty.

And very ready to take her. Chaz looked at the empty glass momentarily and then walked over to a table and set it down.

When he returned to stand in front of Riley, he asked, “What’s your New Year’s resolution?”

She tilted her head as she contemplated a response.

“To have a kick-ass launch at every event this year,” she replied without hesitation.

Chaz stepped closer, lifting a hand to cup her cheek. “Then let’s not think about work tonight. If this is the only time you’ll have for play this year, let’s make it count.”

He’d been rubbing his thumb over the smooth skin of her cheek when it brushed past her lip. In seconds she was licking the same spot. His cock jumped.

“I agree. We’ll make tonight count,” she whispered.

Chaz took her glass and set it on the table next to his before pulling her into his arms, taking her mouth into a hot kiss. She returned his kiss with fervor, twining her arms around his neck and pulling him closer.

There wasn’t any part of her that he didn’t want to touch, kiss, lick and thoroughly enjoy. He couldn’t thank her enough for agreeing to this, for wanting this as much as he did. Dragging his mouth from her lips, he suckled her neck, his hands going flat on her back before he unzipped her dress.

“Happy New Year, Riley,” he whispered the moment his fingers moved along her bare skin.

She shocked and pleased him immensely by pressing a hand between their bodies and finding his rigid erection before unzipping his pants. “Happy New Year, Chaz.”

CHAPTER FOUR

HE WAS HARD and hot in her hands. When her slim fingers wrapped around his thick cock, Riley sighed with pleasure, while the persistent hum of arousal grew in the pit of her stomach. After unzipping his pants and freeing his erection, she’d closed her eyes to savor the feel of him and the wonder of this moment. She was actually doing this, and she was enjoying it.

Opening her eyes, Riley glanced down to see her hands on him. Their skin tones were different, hers lighter, his darker. Her fingers seemed too small against his length and width, yet she jerked him slowly, sliding her fingers from the base of his cock until her thumb brushed over the tip.

Chaz sucked in a breath and groaned, “Do that again.”

She did, but not because he said so, because she liked it, too. His skin felt silky and the sound of his groan rubbed along the most primal part of her. The part that enjoyed the power she had at this moment.

“I thought about...this.” She’d almost admitted that she’d thought about him specifically instead of simply fantasizing about the physical that was now happening. For Riley there was a distinct difference—thinking about him on a personal level could include wondering what his hobbies were, his favorite meal or movie, while considering how it would feel to kiss him or have sex with him was physical, pure and simple.

“You thought about jerking me off until I came in your hands.” His voice was low but deep.

Her fingers stilled over his tip, feeling the first drops of warm moisture.

“I thought about you, too, Riley. I thought about taking your mouth in a hot-as-hell kiss.” As if to punctuate that statement he cupped her cheeks and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was chaste for only a second, before his tongue pushed through the barrier of her lips, tangling instantly with hers until she was breathless.

“I thought about getting my hands on you,” he continued when his mouth was moving over the soft skin of her jaw.

Riley continued stroking him while tilting her neck back so he could have better access. Just a few minutes ago they’d toasted the New Year, now Riley felt as if she needed another drink. Anything to cool the heat that was soaring through her at this moment.

“Harder, Riley, honey. Stroke me harder.”

He was pumping into her hand as his tongue trailed a hot path down her skin.

“Yeah, like that,” he groaned and nipped the skin of her collarbone with his teeth.

Riley shivered and clenched her teeth as she fought to hold in the moan of pleasure that soared through her body. This was just sex. It wasn’t some epiphany that would change the way she viewed relationships or even how she felt about Chaz and his family.

She needed his clothes off and moved her hands from his rigid length up to his chest, where she was about to push his jacket over his shoulders. A loud sound stopped her and Riley realized it was more fireworks popping off. She looked around them quickly and felt a cool breeze over her bare skin.

Damn! They were still outside on the balcony. Riley backed away from him, praying no one had seen them. Chaz’s gaze found hers, and before she could speak he scooped her up, carrying her through the glass doors and into the bedroom.

While he took his time laying her down on the bed, his hands moved furiously to remove her dress. Riley was just about to lift her leg to remove her shoe when he said, “Leave them.”

She shivered, this time from a chill and the way he was staring at her with such raw hunger. For a moment Riley thought she might have gone too far. Was she really going to do this? It had been so long...too long.

“Everybody thinks you’re perfect. They have no idea.” He sounded as if he were in awe, his voice running like warm oil along every nerve in her body.

She propped herself up on her elbows and dragged her legs onto the bed slowly until the spiked heel of her shoe dug into the cream-colored silk duvet. With her eyes locked on his, Riley let her knees fall apart and reveled in the quick hiss of breath he expelled before the guttural curse that followed.

If nothing else, Chaz Warren was damn good for her ego.

He looked at her as if she were the only woman in the world—no, as if she were the only woman in the world he wanted. That want was apparent in his eyes, which had grown darker than their usual russet-brown color. His lips thinned as his tongue snaked out to ease over them. He looked hungry and she felt as if she were sitting on a sterling-silver tray, offering herself to him.

Chaz snatched his jacket off. His fingers moved lightning fast over the bow tie and buttons of his shirt, until his chest was bare and it was Riley’s turn to lick her lips at the delectable specimen standing before her.

“I’ve watched you for so long, wondering what this moment would finally feel like.”

Why did his voice arouse her this way? He was just a man talking as men sometimes did during sex. It should not have sent shivers down her spine or caused her thighs to tremble. But it did.

She’d already undone the buckle of his pants so all he had to do was push them and his boxers down his toned legs. He paused to remove his wallet from his back pocket.

He pulled out a strip of condoms and tossed them onto the bed beside her. “I don’t know if this is gonna be enough for twenty-four hours.”

“I have some,” she told him before reaching for the plastic and ripping one packet from the others.

While he finished removing his pants, boxers and shoes, Riley tore open the condom packet and tossed the plastic to the side. She was just about to sit up so that she could put the condom on him, when Chaz stood at the end of the bed. Her fingers paused over the latex while she soaked in every gorgeous inch of his body. In the dimness of the room—there was only light from the small lamp near the window she’d forgotten to turn off when she left—he looked like a chocolate Adonis. Every part of his body was perfectly sculpted, from the bulging biceps and pectoral muscles to his tapered waist and beautiful erection, which jutted forward as if it, too, were glad this moment had finally arrived. But even with all that, Riley’s eyes went right back to his shoulders. She definitely had a thing for good strong shoulders on a man.

“Tonight, you can have whatever you want, Riley.”

Like he could read her mind, Chaz reached out to take one of her ankles in his hand. She had no idea what he was about to do but didn’t really give a damn as long as he buried his long cock deep inside her as soon as humanly possible.

Chaz lifted that leg until it was extended straight into the air. He kissed her ankle and rubbed his hand up her bare calf. The closer his fingers came to her inner thigh, Riley’s fingers trembled and she almost dropped the condom she’d forgotten she was holding. He inched higher until his fingers touched the tender folds of her pussy, easing through them to find that she was already slick with need.

“Is this for me?” he asked, and Riley had to gulp hard before she could form a coherent response.

“Tonight,” she whispered.

For a moment Chaz looked as if he wanted to say something else, but he nodded instead. He dragged two fingers down her slit, back and forth until the sound of her arousal mixing with the motion echoed in the room. She gasped because a single touch had never made her this edgy and needy before. Riley wanted to jump up and wrap her legs around him. She wanted him inside her. Now!

With that thought, she rose and reached for him. Chaz was faster. He grasped her wrists, stopping her from touching him.

“We don’t have to rush,” he said. “I want to take my time with you, Riley. I want you to remember every second of this night.”

Riley shook her head. “I want it now. Hot and fast.”

He did not immediately respond and in those quiet seconds Riley realized she ached enough to beg. But, oh, how she prayed she wouldn’t have to. Every higher deity in the universe must have heard her prayer because in the next seconds Chaz slipped the condom from her fingers and sheathed his thick length. He pushed her back onto the bed and lifted both her ankles to rest on his shoulders.

“This time,” he said, his brow furrowed as he eased onto the bed. “Just this one time we’ll go fast.”

Riley didn’t know if she should thank him or not, but the thought died when Chaz planted his hands under her ass cheeks and spread her enough so that his dick could slide into her with one slow and viciously erotic thrust.

Chaz knew exactly what was happening here. He should have guessed it would go this way. Riley would fight to control every situation. She would hold on to that control like a safety net and the only way beneath the shields she’d erected around not just her heart, but her entire life, was through pleasure. It was the one thing she couldn’t fight, because she hadn’t received enough of it in her life. She hungered for it even though she would never allow herself to admit that. But Chaz knew and he’d waited long enough for the moment where he could start to push past her barriers.

He’d eased into her until his heavy sac touched the warm wetness of her folds. She’d stretched for him so beautifully, her walls opening and then gripping him so tight he’d had to close his eyes to the staggering bliss. His entire body had gone still as his mind wrapped itself around the feel of her.

Now Chaz pulled out until only the tip remained sheathed by her heat. He watched her arms slam down onto the bed, fingers gathering the duvet as she squeezed, and shook her head. “Don’t,” she whimpered.

“Shh. I got you,” he promised and slammed into her again.

She wanted fast and hot. Chaz would oblige.

His knees were on the bed now and he grasped her ankles again, spreading her legs this time until they were in a wide V. He thrust into her in quick succession, watching as every emotion from surprise to fulfillment flitted across her face. Her hair had been so neat he’d been afraid to touch it while in the ballroom, but now strands had broken free of the smooth knot, falling around her face in an angelic fashion.

“Yes!” Her teeth were clenched as the word fell from her lips. Her eyes were closed, full breasts moving with each thrust.

Chaz moved a hand down until his thumb covered her clit. She gasped and he smiled on the inside.

“This hot enough for you?” He circled her clit with the gentlest touch.

She panted and nodded.

“Look at me, Riley.” Chaz didn’t want her to just remember every second of this night. He wanted her to remember everything he did to her. Every touch, kiss and spark of pleasure he elicited from her.

Her eyes opened slowly as if she were waking from a deep slumber—lovely cognac-brown eyes with just a hint of red along the edges. How many times had Chaz awakened in the middle of the night, dick hard and on the brink of embarrassing the hell out of himself, because those eyes had taunted him in his dreams? Too damn many.

He pulled his hand back and slipped a finger slowly into his mouth, his dick throbbing inside her as her intent gaze followed that finger from his lips and back down. He touched her clit again and she closed her eyes.

“No, Riley. Open those pretty eyes, baby. I want you to see everything I do to you.”

Her eyes popped open quickly and Chaz circled her clit with his damp finger while only marginally slowing his thrusts into her. She yanked a hand away from the blanket to reach up and cup her breast. Squeezing so her pebble-hard nipple peeked between her fingers. Chaz clenched his teeth at the sexy sight.

“Tell me you want it faster, Riley. Tell me now!”

She was moaning and stroking her breast. “Faster!” It was an emphatic whimper and Chaz loved the sound.

He pounded into her, continuing to work her clit until she was gasping and moaning. He wanted to hear her say his name but knew she wouldn’t. Not without him prompting her. And Chaz wasn’t going to prompt her. Not for everything. There were pieces of Riley he wanted, but only if she gave them freely. And right now, all she was about to give him was her release.

“Fast and hot,” he groaned. “You’re so fuckin’ hot, Riley! I don’t care what anybody else says, you’re scorching hot, baby!”

She arched off the bed, her thighs trembling as her release stormed through her body.

“Yes! Give it all to me, Riley! Give me what’s mine.”

Chaz lost himself in the moment. Glorious sensations rippling over every muscle in his body as he continued moving in and out of her. There’d never been a place that felt like this. The perfect fit, the deep thrusts, the mind-boggling feeling that pulsed through him as he gritted his teeth and held on tightly to her ankles when his own release filled the condom.

When he could take a breath without feeling as if he were going to pass out, Chaz kissed both her ankles and smiled at those sexy-as-hell heels she was still wearing. He was just about to ease her legs down to the bed, pull out of her and lie beside her, when Riley moved first.

She lowered her legs, ignoring his grip that instantly loosened. She was away from him and off the bed in seconds. Chaz was still on his knees blinking as she grabbed a black silk robe from a chair and carried it into the bathroom, where she immediately closed and locked the door.

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