“My official title is project manager,” Naphressa answered. “But I represent the company in all major real estate projects, acting as a go-between in pretty much anything involving the company—from purchasing property to purchasing businesses.”
“How long have you been doing that?”
“A few years. I started in property management and worked my way up.” She tilted her chin a little higher, proud of her accomplishments. Not bad for a girl with no college education.
“So you’ve been in Atlanta for a while.”
“I was born here.”
Axel huffed out a breath. “I can’t believe this. All this time you’ve been right here, and now I’ve accidentally run into you when I doubted I’d ever see you again.” He looked stunned.
“Small world,” Naphressa said quietly.
She didn’t know how to say everything she needed to say. She wanted to tell him how difficult it had been to leave him that day, especially after their last intense bout of lovemaking. She wanted to explain the sense of loss she’d experienced on the flight back to Atlanta—how she’d almost run into the cockpit and begged the pilot to turn the plane around. She’d never forgotten him or the way he’d made her feel—alive for the first time in a long time. Treasured. Special.
“Axel, I—”
“You know—”
They spoke at the same time and stopped at the same time.
“You go first,” he said.
“No, you,” Naphressa insisted, glad for the extra time.
He opened his mouth and then stopped. He clearly didn’t know what to say, either.
“I never forgot our time in Belize. I did search for you.” The words came out gravelly, as if they scraped his throat on the way up.
“It was a brief moment in time when I needed to let go, and you gave me that opportunity.”
“It doesn’t have to be the last time you let go,” Axel whispered, eyes intense.
Her knees weakened at the need in his voice.
She swallowed as disappointment tightened her heart. “I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to screw the attorney at the firm working with my company—a company owned by my dead husband’s parents. Quite a dilemma.”
“A dilemma that could be overcome. Naphressa, I still want you. I can’t pretend like Belize never happened. How am I supposed to forget that? We had a connection.”
“We had sex,” she countered, pretending their time together meant significantly less to her than it really did.
His eyes flashed angrily. “It was more than sex, and you know it.”
“Nothing can happen between us, Axel.”
“What do you mean, nothing—”
“Look who we found,” Anton said, coming into the room.
Following behind him was the blonde attorney, Jen, and Ezekiel, a Hayes Realty property manager whom everyone referred to as Zeke. The fourth person was one of the real estate firm’s in-house attorneys. They were followed closely by a young woman pushing a rolling tray with coffee, tea, and a choice of pastries.
“I guess we can get started now,” Naphressa said, easing away from Axel, able to breathe normally again.
She took a seat on the opposite side of the table from the two attorneys from Axel’s firm, watching surreptitiously as Axel walked over to the refreshments cart.
He made himself a coffee, sipping while they reviewed the paperwork and discussed how to proceed with the negotiations between Hayes Realty Management and The Brixton Group. Her mind wandered a bit but came back to the room when she heard laughter. The conversation had shifted.
“I’m not the best at it,” Zeke was saying, running fingers through his brown hair. “I like to paint, but it’s more like paint by numbers. One of these days I’m going to take a class so I can get really good. Naphressa’s actually a great artist.”
All eyes turned to her.
“I’m not great,” she demurred.
“Don’t be modest. She does watercolors, and they’re really good. She has a bunch of them hanging in her office at work.”
“Everyone needs a hobby, something to help you relax outside of work,” Jen interjected.
“What’s yours?” Zeke asked, his eyes displaying more than a passing interest in her extracurricular activities.
“Running, mostly. I go for a five-mile run every morning before I come to work—or at least I try to.”
“And you, Axel?”
He now sat on the other side of the table, to her right. He hadn’t spoken yet, but her body tensed in anticipation of the sound of his voice.
“I shoot pool and play basketball. I also like working with my hands.”
Her gaze dropped to his hands. They were big, with long fingers, which he’d stroked over her skin with utmost skill, and fisted in her hair as he bent her over the arm of the sofa in his room.
Naphressa shifted in the chair, fighting back the dirty thoughts that seemed to want to take control of her brain.
“You do woodwork?” Zeke asked.
“Not exactly. I like to build things. For instance, over a year ago I was in Belize on vacation and volunteered for a week to help build a school while I was there.”
She glanced up, expecting to meet his eyes but was disappointed when all his attention was focused on Zeke.
“You’re a nice guy,” Zeke said. “When I go on vacation, all I want to do is lay out in the sun and get a tan. And eat more than I should.”
The others laughed, while a faint smile crossed Axel’s lips. His attention finally gravitated to her and she couldn’t look away.
“I think we’re about ready to wrap up?” Anton looked around the room. “All we need to do is get everyone to sign on the dotted line.”
There was a series of nods and papers were passed around like plates at Sunday dinner. The contracts were signed and a date and time was established for Anton and Jen to do an onsite follow-up in a couple of days.
Finally, the group filtered out, leaving Naphressa, Zeke, and Axel behind. Zeke kept busy gathering up folders and documents. Axel approached where Naphressa stood at the refreshment cart, trying to decide if she wanted to steal a donut for the ride home. She snacked a lot—donuts, chips, popcorn. Lucky for her, she didn’t gain weight easily.
As Axel neared, the thump-thump of her heart hitting against her breastbone made breathing extremely difficult.
“It was good seeing you again,” he said in a low voice.
“Yes, you too.”
He didn’t move. He kept staring at her. His gaze poured over her body in such a way that if Zeke had been paying attention, he’d know without a doubt there was a salacious history between them.
“I thought…nothing. Take care.” Axel turned abruptly, said goodbye to Zeke, and left the room.
Naphressa’s lungs deflated—a bit from relief, a bit from disappointment. What did she expect? She had not only been very clear that she wasn’t going to get involved with him, she was still wearing her wedding ring.
“Ready?” Zeke’s hands were filled with their work product.
“Ready.”
Naphressa flashed a smile and followed him out the door. She looked up and down the hall but saw no sign of Axel. He was long gone. It was better this way. They needed to keep their distance from each other, because the sparks of desire were very much alive.
Axel Becker was dark and tempting, like some decadent treat she craved but knew better than to indulge in again because he was absolutely no good for her. He could throw all her plans askew.
She couldn’t risk getting close to him again because she had too much to lose.
4
Once safely ensconced in her car, Naphressa dialed her sister’s number on the Bluetooth.
“Hello.” Hazel’s voice came through the speakers sounding breathless and harried. Not surprising, with a crying baby in the background.
“I need to talk. Is this a good time?” Naphressa asked.
“No, but I need a bre
ak. Give me a minute while I put Regina down. She’s working my nerves today. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, my kids should be the cornerstone in a campaign for birth control use. I’m certain I could lower the rate of unwanted pregnancies in this country.”
“Gee, where have I heard that before? Regina is your fourth child in eight years, Hazel. Your argument sounds very empty at this point.”
“It’s Darren’s fault. If he weren’t so sexy and persuasive, I’d never have another child, I swear. Hang on a sec.”
The phone went silent as Hazel put her on mute. The “sec” took three minutes, but when she came back on the line, the sound of a screaming baby had disappeared.
“Whew. Okay, what’s up?”
Naphressa sped past a yellow light. “Remember I told you I was going to Abraham, MacKenzie & Wong for a meeting?”
“Yep. You said they’re the firm Hayes Realty decided to hire to manage the buyout. Did something go wrong?”
“Not exactly. Guess who’s the senior attorney overseeing the project?”
“There’s no way I can guess. Who is it?”
“Axel, the man I met in Belize.”
“Whaaat? No way.”
“Yes. What are the chances?”
“Did you have any idea when you saw his name? That’s not exactly a common name.”
“I never saw his name or heard his name mentioned before today. The firm assigned him at the last minute because the other lead—Simons—got pulled away to a case that’s going into litigation. His full name is Axel Becker.”
“Wow. Well, do you think you can work with him?”
Naphressa pulled to a stop at a traffic light and let a few seconds pass before she answered. “I can work with him, but he’s interested in more than work.”
“Ah, sookie-sookie now, what does that mean?”
“See, this is why you have four kids. You’re always thinking about sex.”
Hazel belted out a loud laugh. “Like you’re not. Leave me alone and answer the question.”
Naphressa pulled away from the light and eased her car into the line at a Burger King drive-thru. “Yes, I can work with him, but he definitely wants more. He pretty much told me so.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Nothing. I think I made it clear that we can’t rekindle what happened in Belize. First of all, it would be unprofessional for us to get involved. I’m his client. He’s my attorney. But even more than that, I…I can’t allow Victor and Kathy to get a hint that there’s another man in my life.”
“Nessa, your husband is dead.”
“I know, but I work for his family. I can’t move on with my life while I’m there. I can’t flaunt my new relationship, and I intend to stay with Hayes Realty for a while.”
Her sister sighed heavily, full disapproval evident on the line. “I’m not going to lecture you anymore. You know how I feel, and it’s your decision, but I don’t think you need them.”
“I don’t need them, but I’m not ready to go yet. Besides, Byron was a hero. A certain period of mourning is expected.”
“You weren’t worried about mourning when you were under Mr. Corporate Attorney in Belize,” Hazel said dryly.
“That’s different. I was overseas.”
“Oh, that’s right. I forgot, only domestic dick counts.”
“I hate you.”
Giggling because she’d tickled herself way too much, Hazel said, “Sis, all I’m saying is your life doesn’t have to come to a standstill. You’re young, only thirty-two years old. You should get out there and date and enjoy yourself, even if it’s not with Axel. You know what, never mind. We’ve had this conversation before, and I said no more lectures. Scratch that, one more thing. You—”
“Two seconds ago you said no more lectures,” Naphressa bluntly reminded her sister.
“One more teeny-tiny piece of advice that I have to give you. Actually, it’s not teeny-tiny. It’s huge.”
“Fine. I’m listening.” She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel.
“You don’t owe Byron’s family anything. You’re good at your job, and they should be happy to have you. Hell, you were the one who got them the Brixton deal.”
“I was at a conference that they sent me to.”
“Be that as it may, your networking got you the scoop. You found out Brixton was going bankrupt, ran the numbers, and presented the project to Victor and he loved it. Furthermore, you don’t owe the memory of Byron any loyalty. What he did was wonderful and brave, but unfortunately, it cost him his life. That doesn’t mean you have to stay true to him, especially after how he treated you. Take the ring off and move on.”
“Move on where?” Naphressa demanded.
“Find another job.”
She gnawed on a corner of her lip. Once she completed this project, she’d have a better shot at securing her future. “Not yet. Maybe when this project is over. It’s the biggest of my career.”
“I hope it’s not too late by then.”
Her confidence taking a hit, Naphressa slumped in the car seat. “Maybe too late for Axel, but there’ll be other men, right?”
“There hasn’t been anyone since him, except for that hookup with the guy you met online. You dumped him pretty quickly. Your words were, and I quote, ‘He’s not Axel.’ End quote.”
Naphressa glanced around the parking lot filled with cars as people rolled in and out picking up fast-food meals at the end of the day. No, he hadn’t been Axel, but she couldn’t have Axel.
She had so many regrets from her years with Byron, and if she could go back in time, she’d behave differently. But she had life better than most and couldn’t jeopardize it now. She had to hold this deal together, not only for herself, but for all the people on The Brixton Group staff she now felt responsible for. She’d literally be saving jobs with this buyout and intended to see it through to the end.
“I got this. I know what I’m doing,” she said, affecting way more confidence than she felt.
Axel walked into his house from the garage and absentmindedly tossed his keys onto the counter. This was the house Rose had wanted, and while he liked it, he played with the idea of selling it and getting something smaller like a condo.
He grabbed a bottle of beer from the fridge and sipped it as he strolled into the den and fed the fish he hadn’t even wanted. Rose had planned to toss them out when she moved to Maryland, but he’d felt sorry for the little guys and set them up on a table in a large tank. He’d named them Goldie and Red. Nothing fancy—just names that matched their color.
Byron Hayes.
That name had been on his mind since the office. He was now in a position to do a little digging into Naphressa’s deceased husband. What did she mean he was a hero?
He sat down in his home office and immediately went online. After a few minutes, he found an article that gave a comprehensive recounting of Byron’s death.
Skimming the article, he learned that Byron Hayes was only thirty-three years old when he passed in a fire. Flames engulfed an apartment building his family owned, and he happened to be there the same day inspecting the property and meeting with the onsite staff.
Before the firefighters arrived, Byron had selflessly rushed into the burning building and rescued a dog, two kids, and their grandfather from one of the apartments. He’d gone in a second time to save an elderly woman trapped in a studio in the back. Unfortunately, neither Byron nor the woman came out alive. He died a hero, having given his life to save others.
Axel placed his beer on the desk in front of him. Byron was a good-looking guy, brown-skinned with a big, white-toothed smile. He looked like a nice guy and had that polished appearance some rich people wore. In the photo, his shirt was neatly pressed, his hair cut short, and his face worry-free. No doubt he had little to worry about. His family was worth tens of millions, and the buyout of the smaller real estate firm and all its holdings at such a bargain would significantly increase their portfolio and ne
t worth.
In one photo, there were flowers, teddy bears, and other memorabilia outside the building where the fire took place. There was also a photo of him and his parents, and another showed him cutting the ribbon on a newly built commercial building on the south end of town.
One smaller photo was of him and Naphressa, arms around each other, smiling. The caption said the photo was from their honeymoon in Mexico.
Axel abruptly stopped rocking in the chair and took another look at the date of the fire.
“Hold up,” he muttered.
The fire had taken place five months after he and Naphressa met in Belize. That would mean…
Axel’s eyes zeroed in on the date again. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. During those five days and four nights they spent together—making love like the world would end the next day—she’d been married to Byron Hayes.
5
He didn’t need to be here, yet here he was, micromanaging a project that could run smoothly without him, and using this meeting as an excuse to see Naphressa again.
Only minutes before, they’d come back from visiting the complex that had sent The Brixton Group spiraling into financial ruin. The outside of the main building looked neat and stable, but inside major renovations were underway—or at least had been until the company ran out of money.
Standing in a corner of the conference room where Anton, Jen, and several members of the Hayes Realty staff had convened after the visit, Axel sipped chilled water from a glass and observed Naphressa.
She stood before the group, speaking in clear measured tones, responding to questions with an incredible knowledge of not only the deal but the company they were going to absorb. She was impressive, and as he listened to her talk, that made him want to spend more time with her, but if he intended to work on changing her mind, he needed answers to his questions.
Her marriage couldn’t have shocked him more if he’d been told she was an alien from another planet. He’d imagined seeing her again, kissing that sexy smirk from her lips, and reliving the magic they’d experienced overseas. And maybe doing something really crazy, like eventually giving her a ring. Except she already had a ring.
Love Me (Irresistible Husband) Page 3