Her Little Black Book (16 page)

Read Her Little Black Book Online

Authors: Brenda Jackson

BOOK: Her Little Black Book
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He turned and pulled her into his arms, sliding his hands around her waist and leaning down and slowly kissing the corners of her lips. “And there's nothing I can do to convince you otherwise?” he murmured hotly against her lips.
“Umm, you can try.”
He chuckled as he took a step back. If he didn't leave now, he would be tempted to do just that. Desire already had him in a tight squeeze, and it wouldn't take much to scoop her up into his arms, carry her in that bedroom, and get downright naughty with her all over again. Then she would have reason to take another day off work.
He glanced at the painting again. He remembered the teen's conversation that night with Courtney as she
explained why she had argued with her sister. He turned to Courtney again. “Jetrica wants a job. I might have one for her.”
Courtney lifted a brow. “Doing what?”
“This,” he said, pointing at the painting. “It would be on a part-time basis, but I think I have a client who'd be willing to commission her to do this. She loves this sort of art. That would help make Jetrica a contributor to the household, and she wouldn't have to miss school. She'll be doing something she enjoys while getting paid for it. And we're talking about good money.”
He could tell Courtney's interest was piqued. “How good are we talking?”
Lake shrugged. “Hard to say, but at least five thousand dollars a painting. Possibly more.”
“Wow! That could help toward her college fund as well as assist her sister with household expenses. Her major problem is that she thinks she's a burden on Bethany.”
“I'll check on it today and try to get things rolling. She's a minor, so there are child-labor laws we have to take into consideration, and of course my client would want to see Jetrica's other work.”
Courtney nodded excitedly. “That can be arranged. I'll even consider doing a private showing for Jetrica here if that will help.”
“How soon could that be arranged?” Lake asked.
“Just say when.” Courtney smiled, then on tiptoe she leaned up and placed a kiss on Lake's lips. “Thanks for
being such a nice guy and coming up with such a wonderful idea to help Jetrica. You're simply amazing.”
He pulled her closer into his arms and whispered against her lips, “I'm glad you think so. And now for my good-bye kiss.” He proceeded to claim her mouth with a greediness that astounded even him.
Peggy tugged off her earring before picking up the phone. “Yes, Sharon?”
“You have a call on line three.”
“Thanks.” Peggy then clicked on the other line. “Yes, this is Peggy Morrison.”
“Peg, this is Joe. I need to meet with you today for lunch.”
Peggy went still at the sound of her ex-husband's voice. Although they would run into each other on occasion, the last time being at their daughter's wedding almost a month ago, he hadn't called her in over two years, and she couldn't help wondering why he was calling her now. And why did he want to meet with her for lunch?
She regained her composure and decided to ask, “What's this about, Joe?”
“There's something I want to talk to you about.”
She lifted a brow. She couldn't imagine what. He now had a life with his child bride and she had hers. As far as she was concerned, they had nothing to discuss. Unless …
“Is it about Sonya?”
“No.”
“Then what is it?”
“I'd rather we didn't discuss it over the phone.”
She sighed deeply. No matter what it was, she rather they didn't discuss it at all. “Look, Joe, I'm extremely busy and—”
“I understand, Peg, but I really do need to talk to you.”
“Why?”
“Like I said, I'd rather tell you in person. What I have to tell you is important. I wouldn't have called otherwise.”
She could believe that. Now he had her curious. “All right, lunch today will be fine. Where would you like to meet?”
A few moments later, she was hanging up the phone. She considered Joe's request for them to meet for lunch strange and wondered what the meeting would be about. She glanced at the clock on her desk. In three hours, she would find out.
Ron eased out of bed beside his wife. Although the clock on the nightstand indicated it was only five in the morning, he was still operating on Orlando's time. Besides, knowing Ashira was somewhere in the hotel wasn't helping
matters. He'd hoped he would have time to check her out last night, but Barbara had been clingy and had wanted his attention since they'd arrived in Hawaii.
He'd almost made it to the bathroom when the sound of his wife's voice stopped him dead in his tracks. “Ron, where are you going this early?”
He pasted a smile on his face and turned around. “Good morning, sweetheart. I'm still operating on Orlando time and can't sleep any longer. I thought I'd get up and go work out. I understand they have a real nice spa and fitness center here.”
“All right.” Her eyes were heavy-lidded from sleep, but she managed to smile over at him. “Well, after last night, I don't need another workout, so I think I'll sleep in awhile.”
He nodded, understanding why. He had satisfied her needs by making love to her last night. “Okay, sweetheart. Do you want me to wake you later, or do you prefer sleeping through breakfast?”
“If you don't mind, I think I'll sleep through breakfast. Then we can go on that island tour the man at the concierge's desk told us about.”
“Sounds good.”
He smiled, pleased that she was sleeping in this morning. He also had plans to sleep in, but in someone else's bed. He was convinced more than ever that he'd made the right decision in bringing Ashira along.
Half an hour later with a hard-on out of this world, he was standing by the bank of phones near the hotel's business center. The operator was ringing Ashira's room.
“yeas?”
He smiled. She had a sleepy voice, like she had just been awakened. “This is Ron. Where are you?”
“Third floor of the west tower, room 1215.”
Good. His and Barbara's hotel room was in the east tower. “Get those legs open. I'll be there in around ten minutes after I grab a cup of coffee from the café.”
He hung up the phone thinking that besides the oral sex, another thing he liked was talking dirty to her. He wouldn't dare say some of the things he said to Ashira to Barbara.
He headed in the direction of the café, thinking his wife had generously given him at least two hours with his other woman.
Ashira quickly hung up the phone. Her legs were open and had been all night. She turned to the man in the bed beside her. They had met a couple of days ago when she arrived at the hotel. When he had brought up her luggage to her room, she had homed in on his interest and she had reciprocated with hers. They had been doing the nasty practically ever since.
He got out of bed and quickly slipped on his pants. “That was your sugar daddy?”
She smiled. “Yes, and you need to haul ass. He doesn't like sharing.”
The man grinned. For the life of her, she couldn't rightly recall his name. It was either Dean or David, she
wasn't sure. The only thing she was sure of was that he knew how to use his pecker and his mouth.
“But you don't have a problem with sharing?” he ask smartly, breaking into her thoughts.
She watched him slip into his shirt, thinking he had nice muscles in his biceps and a tight abdomen. He said he worked out regularly, and she believed him. “No, I don't have a problem with it. His wife's money is what's paying my bills and providing some extra amenities on the side. He can keep her. She's no threat. In fact, I see her as a benefit.”
“So you don't want to marry the guy?”
“Hell no!” she said, easing out of bed to take a quick shower. “What's to keep him from screwing around on me like he's screwing around on her? I don't mind being the other woman.”
“And what if he decides to dump you for someone else?”
Ashira frowned. She'd never thought of him getting rid of her. Ever. She knew he'd had other women in the past, but she intended to be the final act and had said as much to him more than once. She would fry his ass if he tried dumping her. “He won't,” she said with confidence. “I make things too good for him. I deliver whatever he wants and he gives me what I want.”
“Hey, sounds like you got a good deal going.”
“And I intend to keep it that way. Now leave.”
He gave her a smooth smile as he headed for the door. “You haven't seen the last of me, baby.”
Ashira laughed when the door closed behind him. She hoped not.
Peggy walked into the Cheesecake Factory and glanced around. Joe had already gotten a table in the back and was waving to get her attention. As she got closer to the table, she saw how hot, tired, and drained he looked. She inwardly smiled. Looked like trying to keep up with Suzette was taking a toll. Served him right.
“Joe,” she said when she reached the table and slid into her seat.
“Peggy,” he acknowledged. “You look nice.”
“Thanks.” She could take his compliment with ease because she felt that she really did look nice. There were a few more areas of her body she wanted to firm up, and if she had the money to splurge, she would definitely get a tummy tuck, but considering everything, she thought she looked pretty good. Those routines she and Toni had picked up in their Jazzercise classes were working, and she had changed her eating habits, not that she'd ever been a big eater.
“So what's this about, Joe? Why did you want to meet with me?”
He opened his mouth to say something, and then a waiter appeared to take their order. She didn't want to share a meal with him, so she just ordered coffee. So did he.
When the waiter walked off, Peggy focused her attention back on Joe. “You were saying?”
He sighed deeply and reclined back in his chair. He met her gaze and said, “Suzette's pregnant, and I wanted you to hear it from me.”
At first Peggy sat stunned. Then she had to force herself not to grate her teeth. She had to remember that Joe meant nothing to her anymore. Whatever they had shared was in the past. The only thing they shared now was Sonya, and later if Sonya had kids, they would share grandkids. He had destroyed all her dreams; he had broken all the vows he'd made on their wedding day. But she was over that now. It was water under the bridge where she was concerned. She had finally moved on with her life and was glad he and Suzette seemed to be moving on with theirs.
She inhaled deeply. He was nervously watching her, waiting for her reaction to his news. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of thinking that his starting fatherhood all over again mattered to her.
Although she had to force the words from her mouth, she said them nonetheless. “Congratulations, Joe, that's wonderful. I'm sure Suzette is excited. Have you told Sonya that she should be expecting a brother or sister soon?”
He nervously picked up his eating utensils as if checking the shine. He couldn't look at her, she noticed. “No, I haven't talked to her since she returned from her honeymoon. Suzette said Sonya gave a party the other weekend but we weren't invited.”
Peggy rolled her eyes.
And no doubt Suzette made a big friggin' dramatic production out of it
. “Sonya didn't give the party, Joe. Carla did to welcome Sonya and Mike back from their honeymoon. Considering Suzette's behavior
whenever she is invited to functions, I guess the decision was made to leave the two of you off the guest list.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “She's young.”
Peggy chuckled. “I'm the last person you have to remind of your child bride.”
He seemed grateful when the waiter returned with their coffee. She watched over her cup as he took his own sip. He then put the cup down and looked over at her. He inhaled and then said, “There's something else I need to discuss with you.”
“What?”
“Your alimony payments.”
She frowned. “What about them?”
“I just thought you should know that I'll be seeing my attorney about getting them stopped. It's not like you need the money. And you are working now.”
Peggy leaned back in her chair when she felt dangerously close to reaching out and slapping him. What he wasn't saying was that he could no longer afford to pay her alimony payments and take care of his expensive wife. No doubt Suzette had convinced him that with the baby on the way, they needed all the money they could get. And what was so sad was that the business Joe owned was successful and was bringing in good money, but Suzette was spending it as fast as he made it. As far as she was concerned, that was his problem and not hers.
“Regardless of whether I need the money or not, I deserve it. Need I remind you whose money it was that got you started in your business and who helped bring you in the customers? Then there's that point about us being
married for over thirty years and during that time you never wanted me to work or have my own career.”
She leaned in closer. “Don't waste your money on an attorney, Joe. Start buying diapers instead. Go back and tell your wife that you asked and I said no, I won't give up my alimony. In fact,” she said, deciding to be a real bitch about it, “if you get an attorney, I'll do the same and take you back to court for an increase.”
She got supreme satisfaction with the anger she saw in his face. She stood, deciding it was time for her to leave since they had nothing else to say to each other. “And I prefer that you not call me. You've made your bed, so wallow in it.”
She then turned and walked out. It was only when she got to her car that she realized she hadn't paid her check. She shrugged, so what if Joe got stiffed with a couple of dollars for her coffee. She really didn't give a shit.
“May I help you?”
Barbara smiled at the salesclerk. “No, I think I'll just browse a bit.”
“All right. If I can be of any assistance, just let me know.”
“Okay.”
“Okay.”
Barbara took a deep breath as she moved around in the hotel gift shop. This one was a specialty store that mainly sold lingerie of the risque kind. She almost blushed while checking out a few pieces. All were perfect for a night of seduction.
They had been in Hawaii a week already and she still hadn't made any new moves on Ron because when she thought of doing so she got cold feet. Would he really want her to behave in such a manner in the bedroom?
“Now that, in my opinion, is one red-hot piece.”
Barbara turned to find a woman standing beside her, looking at the same outfit that she'd been looking at. The woman was a few years older than Barbara—possibly as many as five or six—but judging from the outfit the woman was wearing, a short clingy dress, Barbara quickly saw that she kept herself in great shape. Barbara thought the woman was rather attractive, with her curly red hair and green eyes.
Barbara looked from the woman back to the outfit. “Yes, but I can't imagine wearing it.”

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