Red Consumed Read online

  After an encounter like that, there was no way he was leaving her, even for a couple of days, to head to another city. He’d stick it out here for filming a little longer. Maybe Betty could refer him to a couple more places and put in a good word for him.

  An officer with a clipboard stopped in front of them. “Parker Carney?”

  “That’s me.”

  “The other guy isn’t pressing charges. You’re free to go.”

  “What? Already? Thanks.” He couldn’t keep the sarcasm from his voice.

  The cop raised his eyebrows. “Don’t push your luck.”

  “Thank you. We appreciate it.” Fiona tugged Parker to his feet and toward the exit before the conversation could go further.

  She grabbed them a cab. The ride back to the hotel was mostly quiet, but she stayed close the entire time. How had he justified doubting her?

  When they got back to their room, she filled their ice bucket and made him a new cold compress. She knelt on the bed next to him and pressed it gently to his face.

  “This is going to be an ugly bruise,” she said. “I can cover it up for the camera, if you want.”

  “Nah. I’m going to wear it like a badge.”

  Her laugh lightened his sour mood. She kissed him on the cheek. “You’re such a caveman—bragging about defending your woman.”

  “I think you like me brutish.”

  She intertwined her fingers with his. “I like you here.” A hint of seriousness slid into her voice. “I’m glad you didn’t spend the night in jail.”

  “Me too. Are you doing all right?”

  “I’m good.” She shifted on the mattress, so she could lay her head on his leg.

  Parker trailed his fingers through her hair, brushing the red strands away from her face. He needed to remember they had this. The longer he and Fiona were together, the more likely they were to be distracted by pretty men and women. But he and she shared this connection. It was solid, and it was real, and it was based on friendship that had blossomed.

  She found something to watch, but he only processed half of it. His face throbbed, but it was numb from the cold, so he set the ice pack aside.

  His phone rang, and he picked it up to hit Ignore. When he saw Betty’s name, he answered instead. “Hello.”

  “Hey. Are y’all okay?”

  Fiona muted the TV and rolled onto her back to watch him.

  “My face has seen better days, but we’re good.”

  “I’m glad to hear it.” Hesitation lined Betty’s voice. “So... I hate to do this to you, but I have to ask you not to use that footage from today. Any of it.”

  Parker’s heart sank. “Not a problem. That’s your right. May I ask why?”

  “Stories about that fist fight of yours are already spreading around here. I know why you did it, and I don’t blame you, but I don’t need that kind of gossip linked to my shop. Going viral is one thing, but not for the wrong reasons.”

  “I understand.” He didn’t want to. He wanted to shout and rage and tell her this was a stupid fucking mistake and he could make her business. But he wasn’t that person, and he didn’t believe it anyway. “I appreciate you being honest with me about it.”

  “Thanks, hon. Best of luck to both of you. ’Night.” She disconnected.

  Parker tossed his phone aside with a sigh. She wasn’t the first person to refuse to work with him because of the negative publicity his channel carried, but he hadn’t lost a whole day of filming to any of the others.

  “I’m sorry,” Fiona said.

  “It’s all right. I’ll figure it out.” Begging for new places to film was better than leaving her here alone while he moved on to the next city.

  But if he didn’t get some decent footage soon, he wasn’t going to make it through another round of this competition.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  FIONA SAT WITH NICK in the shipping company lobby, waiting for someone to fetch them for their sales pitch. Her phone chimed. She winced as she grabbed for it.

  “Sorry. I thought I turned it off,” she said in response to Nick’s scowl. She swiped the text message out of habit, and her pulse hammered in her ears when she saw it was from Wyatt.

  Heard you’re in the building today. No more surprise visits from me. Give me ten minutes after you’re done?

  “Everything all right?” Nick asked.

  “Peachy.” Fiona told herself to calm down. This wasn’t worth getting worked up over, and definitely didn’t deserve the flush of heat that raced through her.

  I’m here with Nick, she replied.

  Wyatt’s response only took a few seconds. Love to say hi to him, too. I just want to talk. Tell me no, and I won’t bother you again.

  That would certainly be a solution. Her gut tightened at the thought. From most guys, she’d think I won’t bother you again was a bluff. However, this gnawing was because she believed Wyatt when he said it. Was she ready to cut him off? The answer should be that of course she was.

  A man about her age stopped in front of her and Nick. He was dressed smartly, in a suit and tie. “We’re ready for you,” he said.

  Nick nudged her and stood. “We’re all set. Aren’t we?”

  “Of course.” Fiona followed. As they walked, she swiped a quick, If I have time, then set her phone to silent and dropped it in her purse.

  She could picture vividly Wyatt’s smirk at her lack of a No. Instead of the guilt she should feel, a pleasant tingle hummed inside, carried on whispers of what else she’d seen connected to that delicious smugness.

  Fiona stashed the thoughts for later and stepped into the conference room with Nick.

  Time to sell the hell out of their app.

  Normally, she’d freeze in front of a room full of suits, but with Nick here, it was easy to let him do the talking, unless there were technical questions. She was glad he decided to make the trip, rather than dial in. They bounced well off each other when it came to work. And most things, when she thought about it.

  There were concerns to address, and she expected that. The app was small—could it scale to meet demands? Nick gave them the publicly-known information about his most recent investor and business partner. That the funding allowed him and Fiona to bring on more staff.

  He was honest about the time it took to upscale and train people, but promised to keep the shipping company in the loop as that changed.

  As things wound down, London Draxon—the man Fiona would have met with the other day, if not for Wyatt—spoke up. “What’s your schedule like over the next few days, Ms. Walters?”

  “I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific.” Fiona’s smile was professional.

  “Of course. I’d like you to go on site with our Louisiana call center, to get an idea of how they’ll use the software, before you provide a final bid. Is that something you can do?”

  Parker would be so happy to get out of this city and go anywhere else. “Of course. Now seems like as good a time as any to get everyone used to us working together.” It was a presumptuous statement, but since she would provide the install and training support if the shipping company decided to sign the contract, she wanted to put the idea that she was accommodating in their heads.

  There were a few more basic questions, but the meeting seemed to mostly be finished. As she and Nick shook everyone’s hands, impulse raced through Fiona. She should ignore it, but the chanting of do it in her head wouldn’t be silenced.

  “Do you know if Wyatt Lindberg is in the office today?” she asked London. “I’d like to stop by and thank him for taking your place at lunch the other day, and making sure I stayed in touch with you.”

  “I think he is. If you want to wait in the lobby, I’ll have someone check and come get you.”

  “Thank you.” Fiona’s smile turned warm.

  She and Nick headed back to their seats in the waiting area. “What are you doing?” he hissed.

  “Exactly what I told him.” Fiona kept her voice low.

  “You
neglected to mention to me that Wyatt was your lunch date.”

  She hadn’t told Nick much about what happened on the trip. All he knew was that Wyatt appeared on one of Parker’s videos and probably didn’t have the best of intentions, since he hadn’t told Fiona and Parker who he was.

  “Does it matter?” she asked.

  “Yes.” Nick stared at her with disbelief.

  The same man who escorted them into the meeting interrupted the conversation. “Wyatt’s available. He said to come on up. I’ll show you where his office is.”

  She gave Nick a pointed glare. “It doesn’t matter. End of story. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

  He snarled but wouldn’t make a scene in a potential client’s office. She was counting on that and grateful for it.

  Her heart hammered against her ribs so loudly on the elevator ride up, she was surprised the assistant didn’t glare at her. Why was she doing this?

  Stupid question. Because Wyatt was a drug, and she didn’t want him out of her system. As she stepped into his office, the dark wood furniture, full length window with a northern view, and bookcases lining the wall next to him were reminders of what he’d been willing to do to her, to earn this place.

  That muted her desire. “Nice office.” She kept her tone cool.

  He stepped past her to close the door, brushing close enough she felt his heat. If she closed her eyes, she could sink into his tempting scent. She wouldn’t do that, though.

  “Thanks.” His voice was deep and seductive in her ear. “Do I get another kiss? You’re welcome to slap me after.”

  Arrogant fucking asshole. It didn’t stop her from wanting him. She crossed her arms and put some distance between them. “You have nine minutes.”

  He returned to his side of the desk and sat, gesturing for her to do the same. “You do like your counting.”

  “Numbers don’t lie.” She perched on the edge of her chair. She wouldn’t get comfortable, because she didn’t trust herself not to let down her guard.

  “I disagree. Are you going to tell Parker you came up to visit me?”

  “Even if I don’t, Nick will. He’s waiting for me in the lobby. Eight minutes.” The counting was as much for her benefit as his.

  Wyatt’s smile was casual and confident. “Eight and a half. I notice that wasn’t a distinct yes, just like you give me a beautifully ambiguous answer each time I ask you a yes-or-no question about us.”

  “There’s no us. How’s that for unambiguous? Eight.” Standing her ground was harder than she thought. She didn’t want to push Wyatt away. Despite all the logical reasons she should—Parker and the fact that he’d betrayed her being at the top of the list—her body remembered. Being in this room, the private intimate space, glided over her with delicious temptation.

  “Fine.” The smoothness in his tone faltered. “I asked you up here so I could apologize. I never got a chance, and I can be more sincere without Parker interrupting. I’m sorry I kept things from you.”

  She glanced around the office. “Easy to say after the fact. You pretty much came out on top.”

  “On top? Really?” He twisted his mouth with amusement.

  Damn it, she wanted those skilled lips on her. Stop. “You’re a better man than rising to bad, unintended innuendo.”

  “You’re killing me. Do I get any more sympathy with my apology if I tell you Grammie’s is a pain in my ass now that we’ve signed them?”

  She snorted a laugh. “Poor baby.” She let the sarcasm slide into her retort. “I bet you don’t even deal with them directly.”

  “I don’t.”

  She stood. “Fantastic. You’ve apologized. I need to get back downstairs.”

  WYATT DIDN’T WANT THINGS to go this way, but Fiona was reacting better than should be expected. As in, she was still here. “Why did you come up?” he asked.

  She worked her jaw, but no sound came out.

  “You could have told me no. I would have respected that.”

  “And you could have let things go.” She flicked her tongue over her bottom lip.

  Fuck, he missed doing that. “Do you want me to?”

  She frowned.

  “I don’t,” he said. “I’m stubborn. If you don’t tell me to back the fuck off, I don’t want to.”

  “I’m with Parker now.”

  This was an argument he could hold. “The two of you have been together for longer than I’ve known you, regardless of what you called it. I’m not trying to break you up.” That was a lie. Then why didn’t it feel like one? The contradiction bounced in his head, making his skull wince.

  “I don’t know what you want me to say.” She sounded frustrated but not defensive.

  “I want the truth. Give me that, and I’ll let it go. You know I mean it.” The biggest thing that drew him to and terrified him about Fiona was that she made it easy for him to tip his hand. He had no idea how he’d kept such a big secret from her for so long. “Did you hate me being there? Did you love it? Do you still crave it as desperately as I do?”

  “Yes.”

  He didn’t need clarification. She meant all of the above. “Finally. A straight answer.”

  “It doesn’t change what you did, and I don’t forgive you,” she said.

  “That’s fair. Draxon has asked everyone bidding on this contract to pay a visit to our call center. Did he do the same with you?” It wasn’t a complete change of subject, but it was the only thing he had left, to knock her off-balance.

  “He did, and I will.” She didn’t falter.

  Perfect. “Do you and Parker want a tour guide?”

  “I’m pretty sure I’ll have someone assigned, to show me the call center. If you mean around town, that’s up to Parker.”

  It really wasn’t. “If you want it, if you tell him I’ll be there, he’ll say yes.”

  “I’m not going to do that to him.”

  “Parker didn’t hate it any more than you did.” And as much as he tried to argue otherwise, Wyatt liked having Parker there. Fiona was Wyatt’s obsession, but Parker was a dangerous and delicious variable.

  “He hates that I can’t get you out of my head.”

  Wyatt refused to gloat over the confession. “I’ll be there in two days. You know how to get a hold of me.”

  “No.” Her sharp answer caught him off guard. “There’s your answer. No, Wyatt.”

  She spun on her toe and walked out of the office.

  Well, fucking hell. He didn’t see that coming.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  PARKER WAS WRAPPING up his current live stream, when he heard the lock on the hotel door snick open and someone push into the room. Time to sign off for the day.

  “If I ask Parker, what will he tell me?” Nick’s voice held an edge that implied he very much meant for it to carry into the next room.

  Parker mentally rolled his eyes, but kept his composure for the camera. “The joys of hotel living, folks. As much as I’d like to let you listen to the neighbor’s arguments—”

  “And now you’re silent? What the hell?” Nick said.

  “—privacy and politeness win out over ratings today.” Parker finished the thought as if he hadn’t been interrupted. He gave the fastest version ever of his sign-off, then clicked Stop, to turn off the camera. He shut his laptop, to make sure the connection was severed, then yelled, “I’m done.” There was no reason to keep the irritation out of his voice now.

  “You haven’t dropped this yet? Seriously?” Fiona strolled into the bedroom portion of the suite and hung her suit jacket up. “And since you forgot, the Do Not Disturb sign on the door means Parker’s recording. If you’re going to be an intolerable asshole, maybe at least care about not telling the world I’m here.”

  Nick, who was right behind her, went pale at the words. “I’m sorry.”

  This time Parker didn’t hide his eyeroll. “At least you didn’t use her name.”

  “I really am sorry,” Nick said.

  Too little, too late. P
arker might not be so bothered if he hadn’t heard Fiona warn Nick multiple times about the sign on the door. “I get it. What are you asking me about?”

  “Nothing.” Fiona set her shoes near her bag.

  Nick scowled and leaned against the wall, blocking the doorway. “Who the fuck this Wyatt guy is.”

  Fantastic. Not.

  “You already know who he is.” Fiona’s tone matched Parker’s mental state. “For the fiftieth time, I went up to his office, to thank him for hooking us up with this meeting.”

  The new information might have rolled off Parker, but he was face-first in irritation. “Did you get another kiss while you were up there?”

  The death glare Fiona shot him made him snap his jaw shut. Shit. She hadn’t told Nick. Anything, he was guessing from the way Nick’s eyes grew wide.

  “Why would you kiss him?” Nick asked.

  Fiona added a punctuated mouth twist to the venomous look she was shooting Parker, and turned back to her brother. “Because, before we knew who he was, and before Parker and I were officially together, we met Wyatt, and he showed us more than some locals-only attractions in the cities we were in.”

  “I don’t want to hear this, do I?” Nick crossed his arms, his posture going rigid.

  “You insisted on the entire cab ride here that you did. Do you want details?” Fiona’s hesitation was gone. “Do you want me to spell out how many different ways we experimented?”

  Parker didn’t want her to. His surface reaction was that he didn’t care to relive the mistake, but something underneath insisted it was because it was private. For the three of them.

  “No. God no.” Nick looked horrified. “I don’t want to hear about you sleeping around. Experimenting? Are you insane? With a stranger? There are so many issues with that, and... just... Who does that in real life? That’s not normal.”

  A growl rolled through the room, and Parker realized it was him.

  Hurt splashed across Fiona’s face. “Don’t be a prude,” she told Nick.

  “I’m not being a prude. I just don’t want to think about you with two men. At once?” If Nick knew he was treading on thin ice and pissing them both off, it didn’t seem to bother him. He looked at Parker. “And you’re okay with that?”