BorntobeWild Read Online Free Page B

which was mainly for the craftsperson and
sometimes for upmarket trade. “I have another store near the Metropolitan
Museum that sells upmarket designer creations,” she said at one point.
    Although she’d addressed it to a customer, Riku glanced at
her. “You have another store?”
    “I have three.” She said it with a deal of pride. “The
boutique, this one and another like this farther along Fifth.”
    He paused, his pen hovering over a paper bag. He turned it
over and read the legend. “ Cyn’s Creations .”
    She glanced at him sidelong and gave him a cheeky grin. “I
did make something of myself after all.”
    “I never doubted it.”
    Tears pricked her eyes. Yes, he had. Everyone did when she’d
left the institute. The final audition and interview had taken place in private
but she’d collected her things and left, not willing to talk to anyone. Her
parents hadn’t helped when she’d braved the cost of a transatlantic telephone
call and then followed it up with an email. So she’d stayed here and lucked in
to this. No, not lucked in—she’d worked for it.
    Luck was what happened when you were a member of a
moderately successful rock band and struck pay dirt with a number-one global
hit. Followed by another one and another.
    She didn’t believe that either. Nobody got that good by
accident. Oh, someone might start with basic talent but it took hard graft to
turn it into real results.
    Thinking of the work he’d done relaxed her. He’d achieved
what he’d wanted to do at base—forged a career in music—and made a success of
it. Not everybody did. Was he as driven as ever? The field he’d chosen didn’t
take the same effort as the other path, concert pianist, might have. A rock
star could skim by for an hour.
    No, she remembered the music again. That hadn’t happened,
although he might not be doing all the work. They worked as hard as any group
of classical musicians.
    A light touch on the small of her back reminded her he hadn’t
forgotten her. As if she needed reminding he was standing next to her. In a
dream, she had to force herself to concentrate on the customers, on the stock,
on her job. She couldn’t remember having to do that before but then Riku hadn’t
visited her here before.
    He leaned close. “When do you finish?”
    “Around six.”
    He grunted. When nobody stood near enough to hear them, he
pressed on her waist, urging her to turn to face him. He spoke quietly, letting
his hair fall across his face. “What about the cash? You take a lot of it.”
    “Security comes to collect it in about five minutes.” She
smiled up at him, warmed by his concern. “I don’t carry bags to the bank, nor
do I have much cash here overnight. I know nothing is entirely safe. We have
shutters and the rest of the shit you need these days but we try to minimize
risk.”
    “It only occurred to me now. You only have one assistant and
you’re both, well, women.”
    “We can take care of ourselves and we’re not stupid. And she’s
not an assistant, she’s the manager.”
    He smiled back and lifted his hand to brush her hair away
from her cheek. A bright light flashed when someone took a picture. He ignored
it. “Sorry to go all sexist and macho on you.”
    She found she liked it. It was a long time since someone
cared enough to check her safety. She wouldn’t tell him though. He was getting
too close too fast and she needed to keep some distance or she’d lose her mind.
“That’s okay.”
    “Will you have dinner with me afterwards?”
    “Isn’t it a bit early?”
    He shook his head. “We eat early on concert nights. Will you
come backstage afterward?”
    “Sure.” She’d be stupid to turn that experience down.
    Another smile then a light kiss to her forehead. He grinned
at the woman standing wide-eyed, phone in hand, ready to take a photo. “We’re
old friends,” he said.
    Yeah. Friends with benefits.
    As if he’d heard her thoughts, he turned back to her,
concern in his dark