Romancing the Fashionista: The Flirty Fashionistas, Book 1 Read online

  “Hey, I use it plenty. If you haven’t noticed, I get my fair share of dates.”

  Lexi huffed at that one as she flopped on the bed. “Yeah, rent-a-boys that you can control don’t count. You need something new. Some time with a man that’s not in this crazy business of ours. Someone you can’t control who won’t benefit from your connections. You have to admit these little boys you’ve been playing with look good, but babysitting has to be exhausting. Come on, tell me what can they really do for you?”

  Mel raised a brow and Lex laughed. “Okay, touché. They can do plenty. But you have to want something more?”

  Mel frowned. “What about you?” Her friend was divorced and currently playing man whack-o-mole, so it wasn’t like she was the pillar of relationship bliss to be handing out advice like jelly beans.

  Lexi looked up at the ceiling, then shrugged. “This is not about me. I’ve made my mistakes, and I think I’ve learned from them.” Her voice went a little soft as she shrugged. “Who knows, maybe not enough?” In true Lexi form, she brushed it off. “But I’m not giving up on getting it on, and there is no way I’m letting my very best friend give up on the good d—”

  She stopped short when there was a loud cough through the phone’s speaker. “I’m gonna stop you right there, Miz Lex, before you say something I can use against you in a court of law later.”

  “Oh, Shelby. Hell. You know we forgot you were on the phone,” Lexi yelled.

  “I didn’t,” Mel said. “Don’t worry Lexi, Shelby has pretty much signed her life away with her last employment contract and nondisclosures. She won’t be repeating a thing. Will you, Shel?” Mel directed this last comment towards the phone’s speaker.

  “Of course not, though I make no promises not to tease Ms. Lex Luthor mercilessly.”

  “That’s between the two of you. Now, I’m going to get to putting some blocks on this damned account. Shelby, you can tell the people asking that it is me during my early pop experimental phase, or whatever. Spin it to the gods, darling! I trust you to take care of this. Then enjoy your salt rub. Charge it to me. We have a busy week ahead of us.” With that, Mel hung up on Shelby and turned back to Lexi who had a shit-eating grin on her face that Mel had come to know and loathe.

  Mel narrowed her eyes. “What are you grinning about?”

  “I’m grinning because I didn’t hear you tell Shelby you were deleting your account, so that must mean my cause is not lost. As I was saying, there is no way I’m letting you give up on having a good time. All work and no play makes Mel a cranky—”

  Mel raised a brow.

  “I was about to say workaholic. Geeze, where is your mind?” Lexi flopped down next to her friend, scooching her over and taking the laptop. “Now, let’s give Mr. Parker here a proper looksee and examine if he’s really this delicious, or if he’s faking it like everyone else on social media. You know I can spot the difference between Photoshop and a nip/tuck job from a mile away.”

  And I can spot the real deal from a cheap knock off, Mel thought. But something about Nolan Parker’s smiling photo said he was the real deal, and it scared the crap out of her.

  Chapter Two

  Now there is a woman who definitely doesn’t need a nip or a tuck.

  Nolan Parker let the less-than-PG thought wash over him with more than a bit of guilt as his gaze slid across the tight, but still beautifully curvy, wool-clad backside of the woman in the hotel check-in line. Thoughts like that made him feel like a bit of an ass, but since he’d been back stateside from his stint with Doctors Without Borders, he’d seen so many silicone-enhanced butts, breasts and not to mention injected faces, that when he saw gorgeous natural curves he was bound to take note. But still, two minutes back in Timber Falls and in the presence of his old teammates and he was sizing up women as if they wanted or needed his objectification. That wouldn’t do. Time to get his ego and hormones in check.

  Yet there was something about the woman in front of him making his hormones hard to control.

  “Well then, Shelby, they are just going to have to wait. If I’m not in town, I’m not in town. End of story.” The woman’s short and clipped, but still direct, tone to the person on the other end of the phone made the hairs on the back of Nolan’s arms rise. Worse, it caused him to involuntarily shift his stance because of the fact his dick pulsed all on its own. As the woman’s smooth no-nonsense voice got more and more choppy, Nolan felt a bit of pity for whoever this Shelby was on the receiving end. So the whole thing made no sense. Who would get aroused over some woman bitching on a phone? And why was it he found himself purposely leaning in to hear more?

  “Why do they need an answer by tonight?” the woman continued. “You call Marco and tell him he will get his answer when I get back on Tuesday, and that’s final. That is, if they plan to be the venue we use for next year’s gala. One word from me and they are out. There are plenty of other spaces in the city happy to have our business.”

  Nolan grinned to himself as thoughts of having her business flashed through his mind. Just then the surprisingly long line for hotel’s check-in moved forward. When he’d last been to Timber Falls, it was still a sleepy one road town and the Lodge was just about on the way to demolition, nothing like the remodeled faux ski chalet he was in now. The new owners had done a good job with renovations. Giving the place a much-needed update and putting Timber Falls on the map as a fall and winter resort destination. But the woman on the phone didn’t seem to notice the line had moved. Nolan watched as she seemed to open up another screen on her cell, her deep burgundy nails swiping left, then tapping quickly, as she then put the phone to her diamond-studded ear again, saying something about overnighting a book to her at the Lodge before ending her call and tapping on her phone screen again.

  And a very pretty ear it was. The soft cocoa-brown shell was perfectly formed and delicate, leading down to a slightly plump lobe accented by a sparkling square-cut diamond. Yeah, it was a very good ear. Besides, he was one to know, considering he had fixed many deformed ears during his work with children in the Amazon.

  Continuing his perusal, Nolan’s eyes wandered as he took in the woman’s regal neck and delicate collarbone peeking out of the top of her sweater. His eyes went back up, checking out what he could of her profile, shielded as it was behind large dark rounded sunglasses. Her nose was smooth and sloping down to what looked like deliciously full lips, which went to a determined chin and jaw line. He watched as she swallowed and bit her bottom lip, seemingly frustrated over something, her long fingers still flying fast.

  Another person went to the hotel’s registration. He didn’t want to be rude, but really the woman should move up. So it was then that Nolan gave her a light tap on the shoulder and, the way she startled, a person would have thought he’d hit her with a full-on shove. She moved out of his reach, as if both surprised and offended as she turned his way and pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head, hitting him dead-on with eyes filled with dark fire.

  “Excuse me?” she said, her voice both angry, and now Nolan noticed, altogether too familiar.

  Nolan held up two hands, “Hey, I’m not Shelby, I’m just trying to let you know that the line has moved up… twice, and it’s almost your turn.” Nolan narrowed his gaze as he felt a smile come unbidden while her determined frown remained. “Is that you, Mellie?”

  It took a moment for the recognition to dawn in her eyes, and he didn’t know why, but when it did, for some reason it made him ridiculously happy. The same way it had when he would tap her on the shoulder in Mrs. Gonzalez’s advanced Spanish class right before a quiz. She’d always be studying up just a bit more, as if she needed it, which she didn’t since she aced all her classes. But still, he’d tap her with the tip of his number-two eraser, and she’d turn his way with that same annoyed “I so don’t have time for your foolishness” look.

  He still didn’t know why that look made him smile so.
But seeing it today, and getting that same silly feeling, let him know that he’d made the right decision coming to this reunion. Nolan was about to say her name once again when he heard his own from a distance.

  “Nolan Parker, as I live and breathe!”

  Nolan turned toward the voice and eyed the pretty brown-skinned woman with the multi-shades of brown and blond hair piled high in a riot of curls on her head coming towards them and grinned. He should have known, where there was one, there was the other. “Hey, Lex. It’s good to see you.”

  Lexi pulled her wheeled luggage behind her and released it, letting it fall with a thud before taking Nolan in a tight hug. She then turned to the cell phone hottie he’d been eyeing. “Mel, why didn’t you tell me Nolan Parker was here with you? I would have parked quicker.”

  It was then that Melinda Mitchell, always Melinda or “Mellie” out loud, yet secretly “My-Linda” in his mind, finally spoke more than a curt “excuse me” in his direction. “That’s because I’m finding out right now just like you.” She reluctantly gave him a smile. Licking her lips briefly, then spreading them wide, revealing gorgeous white teeth that seemed to go on forever, transforming her entire face from one of consternation to a thing of regal beauty. Nolan had to practically lock his knees to keep from falling over. But unlike her friend, she didn’t open both arms and take him in a body-to-body hug. Instead, she put out her right hand, in a way he reserved for only the most distant of associates, and readied for a handshake. “Hi, Nolan. It’s good to see you again.”

  Nolan grinned and put his hand in hers. Their touch was cool as a first winter’s breeze, but the feeling that went up his arm and hit him in the groin when they both looked up and met each other eye to eye was nothing but pure heat. He smiled wider. “It’s good to see you haven’t changed.” He saw the beginnings of a blush creep into her cocoa cheeks as she looked down briefly and began to frown, as if willing the blush away would make it so.

  The person behind Nolan gave a loud cough, and Mellie turned around, seeing it was her turn to go up to the reservation desk. She gave Nolan a bright, but he couldn’t help but think this time more practiced, smile. “I guess catching up will have to wait,” she said pulling her hand away. “See you soon, Nolan.”

  That you will, he thought as he watched her and Lexi walk over to the hotel agent. Another agent opened up, so he followed immediately behind them, going to get his own room.

  As he made his arrangements, Nolan couldn’t help looking over at the two women to the frustration of his own agent, a helpful young man named Paul, who was trying to keep his attention focused on his own business so he could keep the line moving. “As I was saying, Mr. Parker,” Paul said in what Nolan was sure was his most authoritative get-your-point-across-but-still-please-the-customer voice. “We have no more junior standard rooms, so we’ll be giving you an upgrade at the junior rate to one of our suites. You’ll be in 617. I’m sure you’ll find the accommodations more than satisfactory. And I see you’re part of the reunion party,” Paul passed him a card edged in Timber High’s colors of gold and blue. “There is a get- acquainted mixer tonight in our Tahoe room, so be sure to come down for the music, appetizers, and cocktails!”

  Nolan gave Paul a nod. He had to credit him for his false brightness. He did his job well. But in the moment, he just wanted to get to his upgraded room. Not that anything wasn’t an upgrade from where he’d come from. Thirty-six hour shifts in clay houses and makeshift tent hospitals in the mountains. A suite will be the height of luxury.

  Getting back his credit card, hopeful that the charges would clear, he glanced back over to where Mellie and Lexi were, but he only caught their backs as they headed towards the elevators. Nolan hoped he’d be able to catch up with Mellie during the weekend. Honestly, seeing her name listed on the potential guest list was when he made the last-minute decision to come. Otherwise, what did Timber Falls hold for him besides memories of wasted chances and failed expectations?

  Slinging his duffle over his shoulder, he quickly headed over to the elevator banks hoping to catch up with Mellie.

  He was just in time to watch the doors close in his face.

  Chapter Three

  “Oh my God!” Lexi screeched. “Did you get a good look at Nolan Parker? Mother Time has done him proper in all the right places.” She gave herself an in-no-way-modest pat on the back. “No need to thank me now. I’ll take all my thanks in the form of drinks at the bar later.”

  Mel felt her eyes go skyward. “Really, your modesty is commendable. Now, can you cut the screeching and press the button so the elevator can move?”

  But instead of waiting, Mel went to reach around Lex going for their sixth floor button. Before she could hit it, the doors opened again on their own. And there he was. Again. Mel was face-to-face with all six-foot-three-inches of way more than water, Nolan Parker.

  Their eyes met. And there was no way Mel could ignore the zing of attraction this time that singed her from head to toe. Well, she could ignore it at least outwardly, but inwardly her mind raced while her body went through a quick game of erogenous zone ping-pong. Mel instinctively pulled her shades down to cover her eyes. Stupid. She knew it was a poor decision in a freaking elevator, and it was already dark enough but, at the moment, it was all the protection she had.

  “You ladies going up?”

  Forget going up, all she could think about was going down, and judging by the look on Lexi’s face she seemed about ready to give voice to just that same sentiment. Mel shot her friend a “don’t you dare” look, then gave herself a mental shake. What was she doing thinking things like this? This was supposed to be a relaxing getaway weekend with old friends, or what Facebook considered friends. Not the time to let her mind or hormones get twisted in a direction she knew was a waste of time. So for now, Mr. Tall Drink of extra sweet mocha latte, Nolan Parker, could just slide that sexy little, cocky half turned-up smile of his and send it in the direction of somebody who was looking for a good old boy with eyes to get lost in.

  “Being that I don’t think they have rooms down in the basement,” Mel said, fighting to keep her voice all business, “I guess up is the only direction we are going.”

  Nolan cocked his head to the side, shaking it a bit, his smile never wavering, though his eyes held what she thought was a bit of censure. “Like I said, still the same old Mellie.”

  Mel felt her hackles start to rise at the same time Nolan put up a hand. “Sorry, I meant to say Mel.” His eyes quickly roved over her, causing her to inwardly shiver a bit in a way that was not wholly unwelcome. How long had it been since she’d had a good shiver anyway? She noticed his broad shoulders took up too much of the space, causing her and Lexi to part as he continued to give her that damned easy smile. “I like the new moniker. It suits you well. Very cosmopolitan, smooth, but there is still a hint of the tiger that used to annihilate me in every debate class.”

  “Yeah, that’s our girl. Always up for a fight. I say she needs a good spanking,” Lexi joked from Nolan’s side.

  Dear Lord, why must she speak? Like ever! Mel leaned back behind Nolan and gave Lexi a poke while shooting her dagger eyes, and even though she was wearing shades, she knew her friend and knew she felt the sting of her blade whether she ignored her or not. It was like they were in tenth grade all over again. Mel could practically feel the heat moving up her cheeks. She wouldn’t be surprised if she was sprouting a unibrow like she used to sport before she discovered the wonders of waxing.

  Unfazed, Lexi smoothly inched forward and grinned, looking dangerously like her mischievous sixteen-year-old self. Them against the Timber Blond Bimbettes, as they used to call them. With that thought, Mel bit back a laugh and for the moment didn’t regret giving into her old friend’s request of coming to the reunion. She was right; this could be fun. She slid Nolan a glance. Maybe.

  But Mel’s jubilant mood faded when she noticed that instead of pr
essing another floor, Nolan was getting off on the sixth floor with them. The three of them did the usual looking back and forth trying to catch their bearings and find their direction. When they all turned right and then made the same sharp left, it started to feel like too much of a coincidence. Nolan stopped at room 617 while Mel and Lexi went on to 619 right next door.

  “So it seems we’re going to be neighbors,” Nolan said as he slipped his card key into the lock.

  Mel slipped her own key in. “And so it would,” she said by way of reply.

  What were the odds of this? Nolan Parker was a way too handsome, out-of-her-league presence all through high school, and now he was shadowing her here? Mel fought the shaking of her hands and tried to appear cool. Her heartbeat quickening as if on a fifteen-year rewind back to her teen years. But she wasn’t an awkward teen anymore and he wasn’t the out-of-her-league high school jock. “You just keep your eyes on your own paper. We’re not in school anymore, so there will be no cheating going on, Mr. Parker.”

  She heard his deep chuckle as she entered the room and tried to ignore the tingle that fluttered across her skin with the sound. Beside her Lexi gasped. “Would you get a look at that view?” Awe and a hint of mischief laced Lexi’s voice.

  Mel took a step towards the windows, for a moment, also in awe of the picturesque view of the crystal-blue sky. The lush forest climbed up the mountains with the leaves turning glorious shades of oranges and reds before they would all too soon be blanketed with the snow to come. “You’re right, it really is beautiful. I don’t know why I never noticed it when we lived here.”

  “Oh, I’m not talking about that view,” Lexi said, brow raised, as Mel’s own brows drew together in confusion. “I’m talking about that view.” Lexi waved her hand to the right gesturing towards the open door connecting to the room next door.