Sultry in Stilettos (8 page)

Ricca eased herself back
into the leather conference room chair. Expelling a long breath,
she said, “I don’t have anything flashy yet, but I’ll figure
something out.” She’d ask Micha. Micha was the queen of flash.
There wasn’t anything she did that didn’t have a little sass and
flare.

Serena rolled her eyes and
muttered something in a language Ricca could only assume was
Romanian. “Okay, I’ll give you a head start. First things first,
you need to learn to stand out. Stop looking so frumpy.”

Pain zinged through
Ricca’s chest, and her mind immediately swapped Serena’s thin blond
frame, with Ricca’s mother’s short, rounded, dark-skinned one.
Their words were the same in tone and hurt. “Th-there’s nothing
wrong with how I dress. It’s professional,” she muttered
weakly.

Serena sighed. “No, you
must not take it as something negative. You dress like you’re short
and plump. Nothing to entice or distract. You need to start
dressing like you’re confident in your body as a woman. Not only
will it distract the hell out of your competition, but you’ll stand
out in any room you walk into. No one will be able to ignore you or
your work. If you fade into the background, the clients will never
pay attention. Neither will Zach, and neither will Beckett. No
matter how good a job you do.”

All Ricca had heard was a
terrific rendition of Charlie Brown’s teacher, “Wah wah wah. Short
and Plump. Wah wah wah.” She tried to drag in bits of air through
her swelling throat. When she spoke her voice was soft. “But I’m
wearing Prada and Jimmy Choo. None of this stuff is understated.”
She indicated her jade green flats.

“
The shoes might be
Choo’s, and the dress might be Prada, but you’re buttoned up.
You’re hiding underneath those layers. And, newsflash, those layers
just make your curves look bulky. You’re not chubby, but you’d
rather everyone believe that so you can keep hiding.”

Double ouch. Ricca looked
down at herself. The dress was straight to the knee Prada with a
deep V, but she’d put a cardigan over it and buttoned it to the top
to conceal her double D’s. And when that cardigan still looked too
body-hugging, she’d added a bulky shawl. Why was it that the truth
never came swathed in honey, but rather razor blades and
thorns?

Serena raised an eyebrow.
“What I’m talking about is letting your hair loose instead of that
tight bun all the time. I’m talking about trading those flats for
stilettos. And yes, you’re wearing a Prada dress, but I own that
dress. I know that it shows some cleavage. Do you want to explain
why you’ve thrown that bulky shawl over such a beautiful
garment?”

Ricca’s skin grew hot and
prickly. Tipping her chin up, she said, “The dress is a little
indecent for work.”

“That dress is fine for
work. Did you see Cassandra last week with her strapless number?
You need to liven things up a little. Stop trying to hide yourself
and start standing out with all of you, like you do with your work.
Matter of fact, take the rest of the day to do that.”

Ricca’s jaw clicked, and
she reminded herself that only with calm did she keep from killing
anyone. With three slow breaths, she released the tension in her
jaw.

“Serena, look. Um, I
appreciate all the help you’re trying to give me, but I want to be
noticed on my merits.” She’d never thought dressing for success
meant showing her, erm,
assets
. Since she’d sprouted breasts
at the age of ten, her body had been a matter of fascination from
the opposite sex and a matter of ridicule from other women. She’d
been called chubby all her life. Sure, her waist might be small and
her belly flat, but all anyone could see were her more than ample
curves. It had been easier to cover them up.

She certainly didn’t need
to be called plump by her own boss. Nor did she need to be told how
to do her job and get the recognition she deserved.

Serena sighed. “Suit
yourself. I’m only trying to give you an edge. In the world we work
in, beauty and fantasy and sex are what we sell. You do great work,
but people like my husband will always see you as the kind of mousy
girl who works really hard. He’ll never pay attention to the fact
that you’re the one who’s brought in and secured over fifty percent
of the profit from the Romance Fantasy side. He won’t remember that
this client chose you specifically. He will always look you over
for someone flashier, like your boyfriend.”

Ricca’s jaw clicked. “He’s
not my—”

“Whatever.” Serena held up
her hand. “Okay, we’ll do it your way. Come and see me when you
want to win.”

“So what did she say, exactly?” Micha
scowled.

Ricca bit her lip as her brain worked
through Serena’s words, a task made more difficult by Micha’s sharp
scrutiny. “Um…” Her voice trailed off.

“Because,” Micha continued, “It means
the difference between me beating her with my shoe and me just
stabbing her in the eye with it.”

“Oh, Micha, stop being so
melodramatic,” Jaya said. “It’s more efficient to shoot the bitch
and dump her body. I can make us a project plan for this scenario,
if you want?”

“Would both of you just stop? “Ricca
squeaked. “Who knew you guys were so prone to violence.”

Micha poured them all another round of
Margaritas. Though, given her still hungover state, Ricca only got
a half glass. Monday Margaritas had been a tradition with them
since college. “No one calls my friend fat and frumpy and lives to
tell the tale. Matter of fact, you should have told us earlier, so
we could have just come down there and kicked her ass.”

Ricca raised an eyebrow. “What are
you, my mom now?” Though Ricca’s mother would never have jumped to
her aid so quickly.

“If that’s what you need, then yes.
You can’t let people like her walk all over you. You’ve got to
stand up for yourself.”

Ricca shook her head. “You guys don’t
get it. It’s not that easy. Besides, I want this job. Bad. I want
this job so bad I’d be willing to give up sex forever to have it.
I’m not telling off my boss.”

Micha gasped. “Hush your mouth. You
don’t want the sex fairies hearing you and granting that
wish.”

Jaya chuckled before taking a long sip
and setting her glass on a coaster. “Okay, so what exactly happened
today? Is Serena on your side or not?”

“Shoot, I don’t know. When I first
talked to her last week, she said I wasn’t a risk taker. Now she
claims it’s Zach who doesn’t want me. When I told her I just wanted
to do a good job, she said that wasn’t good enough and she wanted
me to stand out more.” Ricca expelled a breath. “Then she started
in on how I dress, saying that I’m hiding under my clothes and they
make me look ‘bulky and frumpy.’ She didn’t call me
fat—exactly.”

Micha opened her mouth as if to
protest, but Jaya held up a hand. “Let her finish.”

Ricca let out a giggle at the mutinous
face Micha made. “Um, then we met the clients. A husband and wife.
He’s some Italian financier, and she’s the chick from the elevator
I told you about. Jai, she specifically requested me.”

“Well, you deserve it. And let’s be
clear, it’s your genuine character that got you this job,” Jaya
said.

Ricca swiped a lock of hair out of her
face. “They want to do a joint package for their upcoming
anniversary. And over the top doesn’t even begin to cut it. Both
are giving input on the other’s part of the fantasy. It’s a lot of
pressure to get it right.”

“Honey, if there’s one thing you’re
good at, it’s making a fantasy come true. This will be a cake walk
for you,” Micha said. “Why are you so nervous?”

“Because, it’s something I want like
I’ve never wanted anything before.” Ricca stared down at her nails.
Just expressing her desire made a knot form in her gut. She never
went after anything like she went after this job.

“Then take it.” Micha set her
jaw.

“God, the way Serena talked to me made
me seem like an Ugly Duckling reject.”

Micah shook her head. “First of all,
that chick is a goner. Second, you have the most random television
show knowledge.”

Ricca grinned. “It’s my secret
talent.”

Jaya patted her knee. “Ree, you’re not
giving this evil cow any of your brain power, are you, honey? God
knows you’re gorgeous.”

“It’s not that. I just don’t want to
change who I am. I mean you guys don’t think she’s right, do
you?”

“Of course not.” Jaya
frowned.

Micha rolled her eyes. “Don’t be
crazy.”

“Do you guys think I’m
hiding?”

Micha and Jaya both leaned back
against the couch. Jaya crossed her legs, looking down. Micha
chewed on the inside of her mouth. Ricca winced at the jab of pain
through her middle.

For once, Micha was speechless.
“I…Uh.” She darted a glance to Jaya. “A little help here? I don’t
do finesse so well.”

Jaya expelled a breath. “Well, honey,
you’re beautiful, but it’s like you don’t want anyone to see
it.”

Ricca’s head jerked backward as she
blinked back the shock. “Just because I’m not flaunting my assets
doesn’t mean I’m hiding.”

“No one’s saying you have to flaunt
your assets, babes. All I’m saying is that you cover up a lot, like
you’re uncomfortable. You buy these great clothes, but then you get
one look at yourself and you freak, so you immediately cover up
with a shawl or something.” Jaya shrugged. “If you’re not
comfortable, I understand. We love you, no matter what. It’s really
about what you feel comfortable doing. Who you want to
be.”

Micha sat up. “You’re the one in
control. You determine who you want to be. You want to be the
sultry sex-pot we know you can be? Great. Jaya has a pair of shoes
to go with that persona. You want to play it safe and cool? We back
you on that. What do you want?”

Ricca bit her lip. “Just once, I want
to wipe that equal parts smug and blank look Zach gives me all the
time, off his face. It’s like he doesn’t actually see that I’m
there. I want my work to be noticed. Hell, I want to be noticed.
The number of people who act like I’m not even in a room is
shocking. I mean, I know I’m small, but come on. Look, when we go
out—I know no one is paying attention to me, and I’m okay with
that. But when I can’t get anyone to pay me any attention when I’m
doing everything right, that’s not fair. I want to win.”

Micha slid Jaya a glance. “How badly
do you want to win? Because killing the skinny bitch is still an
option.”

“I want that job. I want to make Zach
swallow his tongue. I want Serena to see how bad I want this job
and to take me seriously.”

Jaya grinned. “I have just the shoes
for this adventure. As long as you’re sure you want to do
this.”

“Oh, I’m sure.” Ricca’s body flushed
as she thought of Beckett’s soft lips on hers. The way his hands
had clapped onto her ass and held her in place as if he wanted to
devour her.

Ricca snatched up one of the
sand-colored couch pillows and cuddled it as she sprawled on the
floor. She would never tell the girls, but a small part of her
hoped that Beckett would notice her too.

Desperate to shift the attention off
her, she asked, “Are you still holding out on Caleb, Micha? Why,
for the love of God? Have you seen that man?”

Micha folded her arms across her
chest. “You know I have a rule. I’m not doing the relationship—” An
alarm chimed. Micha sprinted for the lights and flipped them
off.

Jaya coughed and hastily got to her
feet. “What the hell?

“Get down, you guys,” Micha whispered.
“I don’t know if he can still see shadows in here.”

As Micha dragged her and Jaya to the
window, Ricca bumped her toe on the coffee table. “Ow. Damn it.
Micha, you want to tell me why we’re skulking around your own condo
in the dark, and why the hell you’re whispering?”

“I second that request,” Jaya
whispered.

Micha wrinkled her brow and darted
them a guilty look. “Okay, so maybe I’m not immune to Caleb.” She
peered over the windowsill, and Ricca and Jaya followed
suit.

In the apartment directly across the
courtyard, Caleb Atkins opened the door to his condo, flipped on
the lights, and immediately started to disrobe. His tie went first,
with two quick aggressive jerks. As he yanked his shirt from his
slacks and started to unbutton, Ricca sat back down. “I can’t
watch.”

“Neither can I,” Jaya said, but
somehow she managed to stay put.

“Ricca, you’re missing out, I tell
you.”

At the sound of Jaya’s “Holy Mary
Mother of God,” comment, Ricca popped her head back up to take in
the view.

Caleb’s exceptional abs and chest
filled her field of vision. “Wow. Holy abs,” she
muttered.

“Now do you guys see? It’s totally
worth the price of admission,” Micha said. “He does this pretty
much every night of the week. Sometimes, he just changes clothes
and roams around shirtless, sometimes he changes and leaves again.
But every night, it’s my own private viewing party.” Micha sighed
and sat against the wall. “Once he walked around naked for a bit. I
won’t tell you what I did then.”