Even when she expected him to push further, when she gave him every indication she wanted more, he settled for seductive strokes of his tongue over her lips.

And later, when she said she needed to go home, he respected her wishes and walked her to her car, leaving her beyond disappointed he hadn't pushed for her to stay.

NINE.

Monday morning, Riley learned what crisis management meant at the Thunder front offices. Over the weekend, the travel secretary had informed Olivia that he'd be retiring and not returning to work when he recovered from his illness. Dylan Rhodes, who Riley had met last week, had been promoted to his position. He'd immediately begun making inquiries into new hotels, wanting to do things differently than his predecessor. As a result, Riley had been given a crash course in what it took for a hotel to become one the Thunder would be willing to stay in while on the road.

Under his direction, she'd looked into each hotel's ability to accommodate team meeting s.p.a.ce, the ability for their kitchens to meet the dietary needs of the players, and their willingness to block out whole floors, knowing full well they could end up with vacancies due to winter storms and travel delays.

As the workday eased into early evening, Riley was exhausted yet exhilarated. She loved her new job and the challenges that came with it. She came back from a bathroom break to find out that Olivia had left a message on her desk to come see her immediately.

She headed to the other woman's office. As she approached, the sound of raised voices told her this might not be the best time to interrupt.

"This isn't the change I want you to make!"

Riley recognized Ian's sharp tone.

"Well, travel isn't your domain, it's mine, and I'm making it," Olivia shot back.

Riley raised her hand, debating on whether or not to knock.

"He's a womanizing a.s.s," Ian said.

"No, he's just single, and you're jealous. This is ridiculous. Go back to your office and let me do my job," Olivia said.

Figuring it was as good a time as any and not wanting to hear any more about Ian's possible jealousy, Riley knocked.

"Come in!" Olivia called out.

Riley pushed open the door, and the other woman smiled. "Thank G.o.d it's you."

"I got your message." She looked from Olivia's relieved expression to Ian's furious one. "But I can come back if this is a bad time."

"No, your timing is perfect. First, thank you for jumping into the void and helping Dylan. He's been extremely pleased with your work."

"Thank you."

Olivia smiled.

Ian watched their exchange in silence.

"Dylan asked that you be made his a.s.sistant, and I agreed. You two would be a good fit."

Ian let out low growl that startled Riley, and she turned, meeting his gaze. "Problem?" she asked.

He opened his mouth, but Olivia beat him to speaking. "Before you accept this job, you should know it involves travel."

"Really?" Riley had never been anywhere in or out of the United States. Even college had been local.

"Yes. You'd accompany the team on road trips, and since Dylan wants to make changes to the hotels when we're on the road, you'll need to continue your research in person."

Riley's eyes opened wide. "I'd get to go to places like San Diego?" she asked, naming just one of the cities in which she'd spoken to hotel managers today.

"Yes. And you'd have to leave today for Phoenix. If that's an issue, I understand but-"

"No! It's not a problem," she said, doing her best to remain professional and not jump up and down with glee over the opportunity.

Olivia's amused grin told her the other woman had caught on. "So it appeals to you?" she asked, shooting Ian a look Riley couldn't quite interpret.

"Oh my goodness, yes!"

"Great. So go home and pack. A car will pick you up around nine. You'll take a late flight so you can get to work first thing in the morning."

"Thank you for the opportunity." Riley grinned, turned, and headed out the door.

Ian started after Riley, but his sister's voice stopped him. "Don't do it."

He turned.

"Don't stop her, and don't take away her excitement by telling her you don't want her to take the job."

Ian curled his hands into a fist. "I've seen Rhodes. .h.i.t on you at every event we run."

Olivia dipped her head. "That's between me and Dylan. It doesn't make him a womanizing pig."

"I don't want her traveling alone with him."

"That's not your choice to make! Did you see her face?"

He had. She was f.u.c.king glowing. But he wanted to be the one to put that look on her face, not a job.

"She wants this job, Ian. If you want any kind of relationship with her, you have to give her the freedom to make her own choices."

He didn't know what exactly he wanted with Riley except that he couldn't let her go. But the more he felt himself falling for her, the more the fear gnawing at him grew. He didn't trust her to stay with him, and that was the crux of his problem. That's why he wanted to manipulate the parameters of her job and keep her in his...o...b..t and his alone.

Olivia's hand on his arm surprised him. "You give Avery and me freedom."

"Not easily," he muttered.

"Okay, maybe you try to meddle in our lives, but we kick your a.s.s when you do. I have a feeling Riley will stand up to you the same way." She paused. "But here's the thing. We have to love you and stick by you because you're our brother. She doesn't."

"No s.h.i.t." Did his sister really think she was helping him?

"I meant, she doesn't have to stay with you unless she wants to, so don't give her a reason to run. All I'm saying is, think carefully before you go all caveman on her, okay?"

He raised his eyebrows, thinking that if his sister knew just how caveman he'd considered going, she wouldn't use the term so lightly. He already had to share her with his half brother, something that threatened the very foundation of whatever they were building.

In his mind, he'd had the company jet fueled and ready to go so he could beat her to Arizona and be there for every moment she'd otherwise have been alone with Dylan Rhodes.

"I have to go." He started for the door, finished discussing his personal life with Olivia.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

"Nothing." Until he figured out his next move.

Riley wondered if she'd hear from Ian before she left for Phoenix. His mood in Olivia's office had been off, and she a.s.sumed it had something to do with whatever they'd been arguing about.

She pushed Ian to the back of her mind and focused on her upcoming trip. She packed a mix of professional business clothes along with some casual wear. Olivia hadn't said how long she'd be gone, so she improvised with mix-and-match clothing.

She called Alex and her stepmom and let them know she'd be out of town for a couple of days. Alex, she knew, had returned to his Tampa place for the week, and she figured they could use the break. She hoped, upon his return to Miami, they could pick up a more rational conversation about his relationship with Ian. And hers.

She'd already decided a complete break from Ian wasn't what she wanted, but maybe this short time-out would be healthy for her too. Her head and her heart were torn over the best thing to do when it came to getting further involved with him. Her emotions pulled her inexorably toward him, but she worried about the intensity between them and the way he so easily provoked memories she preferred to leave buried.

Yet she related to him on so many levels, from his painful childhood to the way he kept himself isolated from everyone except those he really trusted. If she needed a tie-breaker, however, her body was all in. Especially after the way he'd treated her the other night, so gentle and giving, so at odds with the man she knew him to be.

For the next few days, she wanted to focus solely on business and proving herself to Dylan. Putting Ian out of her mind, she headed downstairs to wait for the car service to take her to the airport. She met Dylan at the gate. He was a good-looking man, tall, dark, and handsome with a goatee, something she'd never thought she'd appreciate, but on him, it worked.

On the long flight, they alternated between companionable silence and talk, some business, some more personal. She appreciated his sense of humor as well as his dedication to the team. He asked about her relationship with Olivia, and she got the distinct sense he had more than a pa.s.sing interest in her.

Riley turned on her cell phone as they exited the plane, and Dylan did the same. At the baggage carousel, they waited for their luggage and, like most pa.s.sengers, studied their phones and missed messages. Riley texted Melissa, letting her know she'd landed. She did the same for Alex.

There was no message from Ian, and she told herself not to be disappointed. But she was.

They were greeted at the hotel by the night manager, who a.s.sured them the owner would be there to meet with them the next morning. He led them to separate suites on the same floor, and Riley said good night before letting herself into the room.

She stepped into a room filled with flowers. Bright, colorful bouquets of various blooms. She released the breath she hadn't been aware of holding, but clearly she had-ever since she'd run out of Olivia's office and hadn't heard from Ian at all.

She picked up the envelope on the table and read the small card enclosed. MISS ME.

"Oh, I will," she murmured.

Though it was earlier in Arizona, it was still too late to call. She didn't want to wake him. But a text for him to receive when he woke in the morning would be okay.

Will miss you, but thanks for the flowers, I'll think of you often.

Then she pulled out her toiletry bag and headed to the bathroom and washed up. She put away a few items she didn't want to wrinkle and climbed into bed, exhausted.

As she plugged her phone in to charge overnight, the beep of a text sounded.

That's the point. Sleep well, sweetness.

She let out a sigh that sounded too much like contentment for her liking and fell asleep thinking about Ian.

She met Dylan early the next morning at the breakfast restaurant in the hotel. "Good morning," she said.

"Not so sure," the other man said.

Riley narrowed her gaze. He wasn't the cheerful, upbeat man she'd flown here with. "Not a morning person?" she asked.

"That's not it."

"Then what's wrong?"

He studied her, as if unsure whether to speak.

She wondered what had happened overnight. "Whatever it is, just say it."

"I hired you for this position because you jumped right in with enthusiasm, and I thought you'd be an a.s.set."

"And suddenly I'm not?" She stiffened at the implication that things had changed.

"Not if it means having the president of the organization breathing down my neck."

Oh, no. No, no, no. Riley curled her hands around the handle of her oversized bag. "What did he say?"

Dylan's gaze a.s.sessed her. "I didn't realize you two had a personal relationship."

Heat rose to her cheeks. "That has nothing to do with my job."

"You're right. It shouldn't. And there's no company policy against it either. But Ian called me this morning. He made it perfectly clear I'm to keep things strictly business between us. In fact, I believe his words were, 'hands off.'"

She clenched her jaw until she saw stars. "I'm going to kill him."

"I worked hard for the opportunity to step into this position, and I don't want it jeopardized because the boss's girlfriend is my a.s.sistant."

She fought back the tears that threatened. "I can a.s.sure you that Ian won't be an issue." If she had to break up with him to ensure her job had nothing to do with her personal life, she would.

In fact, right now, she had no intention of speaking to the controlling son of a b.i.t.c.h ever again.

Dylan studied her for a long moment. "I like how you think and what you bring to the table. I just don't want trouble."

"You won't have any."

He nodded, seemingly a.s.sured. He dropped the subject, and they ate breakfast prior to their first meeting with the hotel owner.

Riley didn't taste her food, but she knew she had a long day ahead of her, and she forced herself to eat.