A Convenient Groom

She smiled, satisfaction flowing through her at his concession.

‘But you know, if a pretty woman like yourself doesn’t want to get harassed by men you shouldn’t sit at the bar alone.’

She lifted her chin, sobering. ‘I’m waiting for a friend.’

‘Male?’

She looked him in the eyes. Very presumptuous of him to ask, seeing as he didn’t want her number. ‘No. I’m waiting for my female colleague so I can meet a work contact.’

He nodded, not taking his eyes off her. ‘Mixing pleasure with business?’

She shrugged. ‘I guess.’

Mr Golden Eyes leant on the bar and surveyed the room. ‘Me too. I have to meet some stuck-up designer who will probably waltz in wearing something screaming how good she thinks she is.’

Her breath caught in her throat.

He looked over her head. ‘Who has the audacity to consider that I would turn my schedule upside down and inside out—’

She opened her mouth, a thousand retorts on the tip of her tongue. She took a long, slow breath. ‘Really, a designer?’ Riana asked slowly, leaning forward, her pulse quickening. ‘You wouldn’t happen to be a gifted but extremely arrogant photographer?’

His eyes widened a little. ‘You?’

She held out her hand. ‘Riana Andrews—stuck-up designer.’ She waved a hand down her blue top and black trousers, trimmed with a silver belt, and large silver hoops at her ears.

He didn’t hesitate. ‘Joe Henderson, foolish ass with foot in mouth disease.’ He stared her right in the eyes, taking her hand firmly in his large warm one.

Sensation sizzled up her arm and ricocheted around her chest. Riana glanced around for Maggie, still a no-show. ‘I can’t say I’m thrilled to meet you like this,’ she stated dryly.

‘Likewise.’ Joe let go of her hand and slipped his hands into his pockets. ‘You wouldn’t hold this against me, would you?’

She raised her eyebrows. ‘What? Your arrogant assumption or my beautiful body?’

He ran a hand through his hair and gave her a shrug, the corners of his mouth fighting a smile. ‘Sorry about that.’

She tipped her head a little, eyeing him carefully. ‘How sorry? Sorry enough to turn your schedule upside down to make amends for your big fat—’

‘Possibly.’ Joe nodded, rubbing his jaw. ‘I hear you’re quite a talent and are making a substantial mark on the world of wedding fashion.’

She stood up. ‘I’m flattered at your late attempt at sweet-talk, but I assure you the only way you can make up for your terrible behaviour is to do my fashion shoot,’ she said evenly, refusing to be intimidated by his sheer height, breadth and presence.

Joe stiffened.

Riana licked her lips. ‘I know it’s short notice and all, but you did agree to this meeting on the off-chance that you could accommodate me.’

Joe nodded slowly, running his hand over his rough jaw, eyeing her. ‘I could probably manage it, seeing as you didn’t come waltzing in here in one of your designer outfits.’

‘That’s big of you.’ She looked across to the door. ‘But did you consider for a moment that the last place I’d be flaunting my designs would be in a club like this?’ She glared at the man. ‘Seeing as they’re bridal gowns and all.’

He shrugged, a soft smile tugging at his mouth. ‘No one would have harassed you if you were wearing a wedding gown.’

She stared at him, her heart thundering in her chest. This guy was different.

‘True.’ She nodded, fighting a smile of her own. ‘But then, you wouldn’t have come up to me and I wouldn’t now be waltzing out of here knowing how good I am.’

He crossed his arms over his chest, staring down at her. ‘So I wasn’t wrong? You are stuck-up and all?’

‘I wouldn’t want to ruin the mystery for you.’ Riana smoothed down her outfit and stepped away from the bar. ‘You’ll have to wait and see.’

She forced her legs into action, determined to get away from the guy. She’d wait for Maggie outside in the fresh air and tell her of her success in securing Joe Henderson and his services.

She bit down on the end of her thumbnail. She wasn’t so sure it was a good thing, though. That Joe wasn’t crush material—he was a crash waiting to happen!

CHAPTER TWO

‘SORRY I’m late.’ Riana rushed into the fashion end of the bridal boutique that her family owned and ran. Nothing had gone right this morning. The power had gone out some time in the night so her alarm hadn’t gone off, the hot water service had broken and she’d missed her train.

‘Late?’ Joe glared at her from a director’s chair set up in the middle of the room, as though he was lord and master. ‘You call this late? I call this a total disaster.’

‘What?’ Riana glanced around her. The room was filled with people, lights and camera equipment. A few of the men that milled around looked a lot like the guys who had accosted her with the bad pick-up lines that night at the club.

She crossed her arms over her chest. The room was usually where the friends and family of the bridal party could audience a private showing, with the bride-to-be having her very own fashion parade. She’d decorated the place so it felt intimate and cosy. Today, it was wild.

‘I said I was going to be here at eight a.m. sharp.’ Joe narrowed his eyes, scrutinising her as though she had where she’d been written all over her. ‘After all the trouble you went to to get me here I expected you to at least show some interest and have everyone ready to go.’

‘Of course.’ She sidled towards the heavy red curtains at the back of the room. ‘And they will be.’

Joe’s features darkened. ‘It’s after nine.’

She straightened tall. No way was she going to make excuses. She was his boss today and nothing he said could change that.

Sure, he’d caught her off-guard that time at the club, but not today. She’d keep distant, professional and absolutely cool when it came to Joe Henderson and his golden-flecked eyes and nicely built body.

She pulled her shoulders back. The lights were on, and there was no alcohol involved…There was no reason for her body to react to the guy at all.

Joe slipped off his seat and reduced the distance between them as though he were a charging bull. ‘I need to talk to you.’

He stopped an arm’s length away.

Her breath caught in her throat. ‘Why?’ She wet her lips and swallowed hard, trying to dispel the strange sensation in her belly.

He was cuter in the light than he’d been in the dimly lit club. Sure, his jaw was as shadowed as though he’d forsaken shaving in favour of the rugged look. And his blue jeans did hug his hips and long legs, driving home to every traitorous nerve in her body the perfection of his. And his chest—spread wide before her beneath a too-tight black T-shirt—screamed bad boy.

‘How’s it going?’ Riana said calmly, meeting his brilliant eyes. ‘I don’t mean with the shoot—obviously, because you’ve just told me and I’m late. And not personally, because frankly I don’t care what you’re feeling personally.’ She bit her tongue. She was babbling!

‘Thanks.’ Joe pursed his lips as though reconsidering something. ‘I just wanted to say how sorry I am about that other night,’ he stated dryly. ‘It’s been on my mind. I need to say that in no way did I want to hurt you by misleading you into thinking that I wanted a date with you.’

‘Yes, you did.’ She glared up at him. ‘Evening the score I think you called it.’