Any Way You Want It (Brand Clan #2)(58)

“Life’s too short to be miserable, Morg. Especially at twenty-six.”

Morgan made a face. “You sound like Lena. She keeps telling me the same thing.”

“She’s right. You should listen to her. You’re way too talented to be slaving away for an employer that doesn’t appreciate you. And after this amazing web redesign you’ve done for me, I’d be more than happy to send business your way.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

Morgan pursed her lips, looking thoughtful.

Zandra grinned knowingly. “I see those wheels turning.”

Morgan smiled. “The idea definitely has some appeal. I’d just have to do a lot of research.”

“Of course. And I can—” Zandra broke off, her gaze skipping past Morgan to the open doorway. She was surprised to see River Brand standing there, his hands tucked casually into the pockets of his charcoal suit pants.

She smiled at him. “Hey, there.”

“Hey,” he said. “Hope I’m not interrupting.”

At the sound of his deep voice, Morgan whipped her head around so fast her bobbed hair slapped her face.

She and River stared at each other for a suspended moment, then Morgan muttered, “Oh. It’s you.”

River frowned as she turned away, dismissing him. Only Zandra saw the deep flush spreading over Morgan’s cheeks.

Amused and intrigued, she waved River inside the office, smiling warmly as he sauntered toward her desk. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

“I’m in need of your services,” he drawled.

“Oh?”

“Yeah.” He stopped at the windows, sweeping a glance over the bright skyline before turning back to Zandra. “I want to book one of your escorts.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “What is it with you and your brother’s sudden interest in my girls?”

River chuckled. “C’mon, Za. Don’t give me a hard time. I have to attend an important function, and I need to impress a prospective client. Your escorts are good in those situations. They’ve got class and sophistication.”

Morgan snorted. “Unlike your bimbos.”

River scowled at her. “Who asked you?”

“Oh, please. You walked right into that one. Didn’t he, Zandra?”

“Oh, no,” Zandra said with a laugh. “I’m not getting in the middle of this—whatever this is.”

As the two combatants glared at each other, Zandra couldn’t resist adding curiously, “I just have to ask though. What exactly happened between you two in St. Lucia?”

“Nothing,” they both snapped.

“Okay,” Zandra relented, holding up her hands. “Sorry I asked.”

River glowered at Morgan another moment, then shifted his gaze back to Zandra. “As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted—”

Morgan smirked.

“—I’d like to take one of your escorts to the party.”

Zandra nodded. “When is it?”

“Next Saturday.”

“Hmm.” She swiveled back to her computer, pulled up a new screen. “Let me just check the schedule to see who’s available. I think Laurel would be—”

“I’ll go with him.”

Zandra and River whipped their heads around to stare at Morgan.

“What did you say?” they chorused.

She looked calmly at River. “I said I’ll go with you.”

His eyes narrowed challengingly. “Who says I want you to?”

She shrugged a shoulder. “I work in public relations. I know how to schmooze and work a room. But, hey, you’re not interested. No skin off my teeth.”

River watched as she uncrossed her long, slender legs and swung them from the desk, then glided to her feet with sylphlike grace.

He gave her a mocking look. “Don’t you have a boyfriend?”

“Look, you already said you don’t want to take me. So let’s just leave it at that.”

But it was clear that she’d piqued River’s interest—especially when she bent over to pick up her quilted Chanel handbag, and the fabric of her romper pulled snug across the round curve of her butt.

River swallowed visibly.

As Morgan straightened and slung the purse strap over her shoulder, he asked suspiciously, “What’s in it for you?”

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit.”

Morgan wavered for a moment, then sniffed and gave a careless toss of her head. “If you must know, Isaiah has been working a lot of hours and breaking dates. He, ah, needs a gentle reminder not to take me for granted.”

One corner of River’s mouth quirked upward, such an innately Brand gesture that Zandra couldn’t help smiling. “So you wanna use me to make him jealous. Is that it?”

Morgan blushed, biting her lip. “Oh, just forget it.”

“Nah. Too late to back out now. I’m taking you.”

“Fine. Start by taking me out to lunch, and we can discuss our arrangement.”

“Lunch, huh?” He gave her a slow, deliberate perusal and drawled, “Yeah. You could use a good steak.”

“Excuse me?” Morgan sputtered indignantly. “Is that a crack about my weight?”