She had managed to avoid me all morning.

I’d been so busy I hadn’t had the chance to pull her aside and call her out on it. I caught an elevator down to the lower floor to spy on the latest photo shoot. Fortunately, all models were in attendance, and even better, they were all our top line.

The wide-open space was almost in complete darkness except for the bright white photographer lights. While I hadn’t yet been noticed, I stared around the room of attendees but stopped when I saw her face. Britta was standing on the far-right side of the set. She was laughing at whatever the male model Jaxon was saying to her. That wasn’t the problem. She was smoothing a bronzer over his muscled chest, and he seemed to be making the most of the situation. He was flexing his muscles as her hands moved over his skin. He was also peering down her blouse, watching her cleavage as she moved around him.

I wouldn’t care, except it was Jaxon.

He was some hot-shot model notorious for bedding other models under my employment, treating them like shit and leaving them in tears. I’d had a handful of top beauties quit because they refused to work with him on set. Now, on probation, it seemed Jaxon had moved from models to those further up the corporate ladder, namely Britta.

Walking straight through the set, I met Britta on the other side. She didn’t see me coming, and when I appeared by her side, she seemed startled.

“Isn’t that the job of the makeup artist?” It was a genuine question.

“Kathy’s running behind with the girls so I said I’d help out.”

I look to her hands frozen on Jaxon’s chest and back to her wide-eyed stare.

I took the tube of bronzer from her hand and held it to Jaxon’s chest until he took it.

“Meeting in my office in ten, Britta,” I said before walking off.

“Wait,” she called after me. “I can’t, not today. Tomorrow?” She looked around the room, conscious of everyone watching our interaction. I had just disrupted their shoot after all. “Can we talk upstairs?”

I nodded, and she followed me.

Inside the elevator, she seemed tentative, nervous. I wanted the confident Britta back and halfway to our floor she delivered.

“How’s your ass?” she asked with a cheeky grin.

Fucking unicorn.

“It would be better if you looked at it, then proceeded to the front with your lips around my cock.”

She shook her head at me in mock disgust.

“Is that all you think about? Fucking me?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “But I’d be lying if I said it didn’t take up a great deal of my time.”

“So...” she started with some hesitation. “What exactly are we?”

The elevator stopped to let someone in from the finance floor. When the doors opened, I waved them away and told them to get the next one. They did so, wide-eyed and stunned.

Britta shared the same expression. The elevator took off once more, and I hit the emergency stop button. The elevator bounced to a sudden halt, Britta’s hands gripping the metal railing behind her.

“Hawk... what are you doing?” She was starting to freak out, claustrophobia taking hold. Slate and Harry all had the same problem.

“What are we?” I repeated.

She squeezed her eyes closed. “Start the elevator. Please just start it.” She opened them and stared at the button.

“Can we not be two friends who fuck?” I asked, hoping to distract her. I didn’t want us to be just that. But Britta was a take-it-slow type of girl and scaring her off wasn’t on my agenda.

In response, she nodded her head and slowly reached out to press the release button, but I stopped her with my hand.

“Answer me, Britta, and I’ll start it.”

“Yes,” she nodded her head fast. “We’re friends who fuck. Now, please, start the fucking elevator.” I pressed the button, and it jolted into motion. Britta instantly relaxed and as the elevator slowed to our floor, she exhaled. When the doors opened, she was first out. Taking two steps away, she turned to me and gripped my cock in her hand.

Despite it being a threat, it turned me on, and my cock started growing in her hand. Her cheeks flushed when she felt the sudden hardness in her grip but didn’t relent.

“Don’t ever do that again, do you understand?”

She was so fucking sexy when she was fierce. When I didn’t answer straight away, she applied pressure.

“Yes,” I said with a wink.

“Good,” she replied, unsure whether the threat had the desired effect. She released, smiled to compose herself and turned down the hall as if nothing had just happened. The receptionist, who witnessed it all, lowered her head to hide her smile.

It seemed we’d be common knowledge before we both even knew about us.

***

THE DAY WAS ALMOST over when I started packing up some paperwork I’d take home. There was a knock at my door, and I yelled for whoever it was to come in. I was picking up my pen from the floor when I heard the voice that didn’t belong to the blue-eyed beauty who’d earlier threatened my junk. I looked up and met the seductive gaze of the infamous redhead. The same redhead from Jarod’s party, who’d launched herself into my arms, and the same redhead who Britta saw being fucked by Roman.

She looked at me like we were old flames, but for the life of me, I couldn’t place her. She sauntered in, hips swaying, manicured fingernails dragging across my desk.

“You don’t remember me, do you?” she asked as if reading my mind.

I think about lying to her, but know I’ll be caught out.

“No,” I admitted.

She raised a hand to her heart feigning offense. “That hurts. That really hurts, Hawk.” She rounded the desk stopping just short of me. Her large green eyes met mine which remained expressionless. “You and I... we had a powerful night, and it breaks my heart you don’t remember it.” She stepped closer, so her breasts grazed my chest when she exhaled.

“I never forget a memorable lay,” I said cruelly. “Now, please, leave the same way you came in.”

My office door opened once more, and we both turned to see Britta strolling in. Her smile quickly faded when she saw the lady with red hair who tried to kiss me, in my personal space. She paused a moment, looked between us and then about-turned to leave without a word.

“Britta, stay...” My voice stopped her in her tracks. She turned back around, eyes nervously wandering the room. “She was just leaving, weren’t you...?” I raise a brow in wait for her name.

The redhead looked to me, eyes traveling the length of my body before responding. “Rita,” she said, finally revealing her name.

“Yes... Rita who I don’t know... or even know why she’s in my office right now... is about to leave.” The redhead bit her plump red lip, but unlike when Britta did it, it did nothing for me. She smiled wickedly at me before turning to face Britta, moving with calculated steps in her direction.

“Britta, is it?”

Britta’s eyes narrowed. “Yes?”

“You dodged a bullet with Roman, didn’t you? Lucky you got out when you did.” She turned back to me and smiled like we’re old friends. “I’ll see you around, Hawk. Thanks for the chat.” And with that, the strange woman sauntered her way back out, leaving the air in my office thick with confusion.

“Who was that?” Britta asked, both shocked and appalled. “How does no one know her? Or am I the only one being kept in the dark?”

“Her name is Rita... apparently.”

Britta shook her head. “So, you didn’t know her?”

“Not a clue, but she insists on knowing me.”

Britta folded her arms across her chest. “Well, that’s not a surprise.”

I smiled at her insinuation. “See you tonight?” I asked.

She shook her head again and sighed. I knew that sigh. It usually meant Britta was trapped between a rock and hard place. She always had a way of getting herself into these predicaments. Too fucking lovely for her own good.

“Who’s the asshole taking up your time and stopping you from being in my bed, naked with me in you?”

Britta smiled, and I knew she was replaying some of the scenes from the last two nights. And then the smile faded, and the conversation turned serious once more.

“I’m meeting with Rebekah. It was supposed to be over lunch, but Kathy needed help with the makeup, so I pushed it to dinner. I’m already having anxiety about it.”

“Do you think it’s wise going to meet her? Especially after we just had Roman’s new floozy in here?”

“All seems coincidental, doesn’t it?”

“I’m not sure what the hell is going on, to be honest.”

“Okay,” she announced, clapping her hands together. “I’m off so I can get it over and done with.”

“Make it quick,” I added. “Being deprived of you for too long sends a man crazy.”

She laughed on her way out, jiggling her ass by the door for the added tease.

“Keep wiggling, and I’ll make that ass mine.”