Strategic Seduction

by Cheris Hodges

  “That’s going to be up to her. Alicia and I are working together on the marketing for the hotels, but I doubt she needs to see a city she already knows.”

  “That’s true. So, you two are just working together? I wouldn’t want my friend to think I was making a move on her man.” She brushed her fingers across his forearm.

  Richmond glanced at her hand and took a step back. “See you Monday,” he said. Dionne nodded and sauntered over to the counter. Before he could join Alicia at the coffee bar, his cell phone rang.

  “This is Richmond.”

  “How’s Atlanta, bro?” Solomon asked. “And by Atlanta, I mean Alicia.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Bullshit. My wife just spent an hour on the phone telling me what a bad idea whatever you two are doing is.”

  “Being that we aren’t doing anything, tell Kandace to calm down, all right?”

  “Don’t lose focus, Rich. If these hotels aren’t successful, we’re going to lose a lot of money.”

  “I know that, and I don’t need you looking over my shoulder when I clearly know what I’m doing.”

  “Never said that, but let’s keep a few things in mind here: This is your first big solo project and I’m not trying to—”

  “Solomon, I’ve overseen new hotel construction for years—”

  “With Dad’s guidance.”

  Richmond gritted his teeth and counted to ten.

  “Rich, I’m sorry,” Solomon said contritely. “I—this is important to you and I’m rooting for your success.”

  “Then show me a little more trust.”

  “It’s not the business that I’m concerned about. Alicia is smart and practically family.”

  “What does that have to do with anything? I’m taking care of business and what I don’t need right now is a micromanager.”

  Solomon broke out laughing. “I’m tripping. Rich, I’m sorry that I’m acting like an ass.”

  “What you mean is you’re acting like I was when you opened the Sugar Mountain location.” Thinking back to that time in their relationship, Richmond shuddered inwardly. He’d been willing to watch the resort fail just so he could prove to his parents that he should’ve been running the company and Solomon just should’ve been run out. Richmond thought running the hotel chain would give him the respect he so desperately wanted from his father.

  “Truth is, you taught me everything I know and I’m a fool for thinking that you’re going to make a business decision based on who you’re dating.”

  “We’re not dating,” Richmond said, silently adding, not yet anyway. Glancing in Alicia’s direction, Richmond wondered why everyone seemed to be so against the two of them getting together.

  “When and if that glorious day does happen, you better make sure you’re ready to give her everything she needs. I really believe Kandace will kill you if you hurt her.”

  “Again, you and Kandace can stop worrying about me and Alicia. We barely know each other and we’re going to work together to make sure the Crawford boutique hotels are the hottest thing to hit Atlanta since Sherman dropped the match.”

  “That was the corniest thing I’ve heard all day. And don’t say that to anyone from Atlanta,” Solomon said with a laugh. “I got your report on what you need down there. Whitney and Kyle from human resources are going to come down there next week to help you get your staff together. The labor laws in Georgia are much different than New York. We should move all of our hotels to Atlanta. No unions.”

  “There may not be unions, but the rules of social engagement are worse. And y’all want to take my translator of the South? Besides, it was Kandace’s idea for Alicia and I to work together in the first place.”

  “So, it’s safe to tell my wife that you’re not going to make her friend your rebound from divorce?”

  Richmond laughed. “That’s what she thinks? I’m not looking for a rebound or anything else. Alicia is a smart woman who’s offered to help me navigate these Atlanta streets. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her or mess things up.”

  “You better mean it.”

  “I don’t play basketball, so I’m not about that rebound life. I’m going to order my coffee and I’ll give you an update on Tuesday.”

  “Got it.”

  After hanging up with Solomon, Richmond walked over to Alicia. “What did you decide on?”

  “Oh, you remembered I was here,” she quipped.

  “Actually, you’re the one who walked away from me. I think my feelings are hurt.”

  “I’m sure Dionne will rub them for you.”

  “I thought you guys were friends.”

  Alicia pointed to a dark chocolate item on the menu. “This is one of the best lattes ever,” she said. “You should try it.”

  “Nope. I have to try this coffee naked first, to make sure it lives up to the hype.”

  She nodded. “The single-origin blends are over there. I’m going for decadence.”

  “You definitely have that covered,” he replied with a smile. Leaning in, Richmond gave Alicia a quick peck on the cheek. “Thanks for an amazing day. I get the feeling that we’re going to make a lot of magic together.”

  Chapter 7

  Alicia could think of several ways she could make magic with Richmond. But they needed to focus on business, not magic, not passion, and not the sizzling heat between them. She needed to focus on getting her business together and lining up more clients that would pay the bills. The last thing she needed to put her mind on was whether or not Dionne and Richmond were flirting. But, he did seem to be enjoying whatever was going on between them.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, breaking into her thoughts.

  “I’m fine. I guess my night is catching up with me.” Alicia faked a yawn, then smiled.

  “It’s wrong to yawn in a coffee shop, though.”

  “Anyway, what are you and Dionne planning?”

  “She’s going to show me around her district and help me scout out some sites that might be good for building the hotels. I’d like to start construction as soon as possible.”

  “You should introduce yourself to Atlanta first; that way you won’t be depending on one politician to get you what you need.” She pulled out her cell phone and smiled. “One call and I can get you the cover of Atlanta Scene. The editor and I graduated from college together.”

  Richmond shrugged. He knew it would be a great marketing tool to get his face out there, but any decent journalist would do a Google search and find everything that he was trying to leave in New York, the scandal with his family, his arrest in Los Angeles, and his divorce.

  “Give me a couple of days to think about it,” he said.

  “What’s there to think about?”

  “A lot. I know you’re fully aware of everything that’s been going on in my life lately. The last thing I want is to bring that baggage into this situation.”

  Alicia nodded, trying to understand what he’d been going through, but didn’t he understand that this story could be about the biggest comeback in his life?

  “It’s different when you have control over the narrative. Think of it as you setting the record straight.”

  “I’m not trying to set any record straight,” Richmond said. “If I have to do some dog and pony show to get my hotels built, I’m not doing it.”

  Alicia sighed. “No one is asking you to do a dog and pony show. How about this, what if we get all of the questions first and tell the reporter what’s off limits?”

  “This may be the South, but reporters are the same. Your friend is going to dig up all the dirt possible to make this story sell. The only thing that sells more than sex is drama.”

  “You’re way too cynical for your own good. It’s my job to make sure the story doesn’t go in the direction you don’t want it to go in.”

  “And after it’s printed or online, you can’t do anything about it. Alicia, I’m not ready for all of that.”

  She folded h
er arms across her chest. “So, you’re just going to sidle up to politicians and hope that you can get things done that way? You’ve said yourself that your name doesn’t open the doors down here that it does in New York and you want to do things differently. I’m trying to make that happen for you.”

  “Maybe we just need to find another way.”

  She raised her right eyebrow. “Whatever you want to do, I’m sure you’re going to do it.”

  “Listen, I’ll consider it, but I don’t want a media storm around this construction. I want it to be about—”

  “I got it.” Alicia took a deep breath as the air between her and Richmond seemed to chill like a winter’s night. She didn’t understand why he was so against doing a story that would help build his brand. Glancing at him, Alicia wondered what he was so afraid of.

  “This coffee is good,” he said, breaking the silence between them.

  “Yeah. Told you.”

  Richmond smirked. “You’re right about a lot of this, huh?”

  “That’s right.”

  “So, you think this story with Atlanta Scene is going to help?”

  “I know it will, but—”

  “Let’s do it, then. If you’re going to be my marketing guru, then I guess there will be moments when you push me out of my comfort zone, right?”

  She nodded and lifted her coffee cup to him. “I’ll make the call, and let the reporter know what questions are off limits too.”

  “Sounds good,” he said, then glanced at his watch. “Well, I’ve taken up your entire day.”

  Alicia smiled. “And you still haven’t shown me the office space.”

  “Thought we agreed that we weren’t going to do any work today.”

  “Well, that went out the window when you made a date with the city council lady,” she quipped. “Besides, I need to know where I’m going to be laying my work hat.”

  “All right. Let’s go.” Truth be told, Richmond wasn’t in a hurry to leave Alicia, and if she wanted to see the office space, he was just fine with getting more time with her.

  They walked back to the car in silence, Alicia’s mind still thinking about whether Dionne’s involvement with Richmond’s project would help or hurt him. And would she try to use her political influence to weasel her way into his bed?

  Why am I worried about who this man sleeps with? It’s not my business and I have no control over what or who he does.

  * * *

  Once they reached the car, Richmond smiled at Alicia. Though he didn’t want the day to end, he really couldn’t monopolize all of her time today. But all he wanted to do was wrap her in his arms until the sun set and rose again.

  “What’s that look all about?”

  “What look?”

  Alicia elbowed him in the shoulder and smiled. “Whatever. You’re looking like you’re up to something.”

  “Me? I think you’re just judging me because I’m from New York.”

  “That’s why you’re going to need that Atlanta Scene article. You’re the new kid in town and people are going to want to know everything about you.” She winked at him. “Aren’t you lucky to have me?”

  Having Alicia was something he’d been struggling with all day. Being with this woman awakened sensations inside him that had been dormant for years.

  “That’s one way to look at it,” he finally said. “Come on, let’s head to the office—or, as we’ll be calling it soon, our second home.”

  * * *

  Vivian Crawford sat at a posh New York restaurant feeling as if she had been sucker punched in the stomach. Shaking her head, she looked at the waitress and smiled. “Surely, my credit card is not declined.”

  “Ma’am, we ran it through twice and the result was the same. Do you have another card or cash?”

  Vivian reached for her purse. “Vivvy,” her friend Gisselle said. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of the check.”

  “Don’t be silly. I invited you to lunch, so I’m paying,” Vivian said, then handed the waitress another credit card. “This must be some kind of mistake.”

  Inside, Vivian seethed, thinking that Richmond had some nerve to cut her off. Who did he think he was? It was bad enough that she’d lost her table at her favorite restaurant, and now this? He was trying to embarrass her because she chose to end their marriage. A marriage that had been a joke. And he had the nerve to make her look bad now. Who in the hell did he think he was dealing with?

  “Vivian, is everything all right?” Gisselle asked. “I know you and Richmond divorced, but the settlement couldn’t—”

  She held her hand up. “Everything is fine. I guess he’s flexing his power now with the credit cards. I thought we had an understanding. Obviously, my ex isn’t the man I thought he was. But there’s nothing to worry about . . .”

  The waitress returned to the table with a frown on her face. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but this card was declined as well. Do you have another method of payment? Perhaps cash?”

  Vivian rolled her eyes and Gisselle handed the waitress a card. “Just take care of it with this. You know no one in New York carries cash these days. And it would be nice if you didn’t make a scene.”

  “And it would be nice if one of these cards went through.”

  Vivian gasped. “Who do you think you’re talking to?”

  The waitress turned on her heels and muttered, “Obviously a broke bitch.”

  Vivian closed her eyes and counted to ten. This was not her life. And she knew Gisselle was eating up every minute of it.

  “I hope that Damien doesn’t act like this once our divorce is final,” Gisselle said with a sigh. “I know they give you a settlement or alimony, but these men know what kind of lifestyle we’re used to.”

  “Well, I’m sure Damien and his new wife aren’t going to want the publicity that you would create if he did this nonsense.” Vivian fingered her hair and shook her head. “It’s so freeing though, not having to deal with Richmond and his insecurities about his place in the family. Ugh. Just give me my piece of the pie and move on.”

  “But men don’t think like that. They want to make us suffer for moving on.” Gisselle shook her head. “Richmond should be happy you stayed with him as long as you did.”

  Vivian nodded. “I’m going to get to the bottom of this,” she said as she rose to her feet. “And I will get everything I deserve for being the good wife all of these years.” Stalking out of the restaurant, Vivian wondered if she should call Page Six and drop a nugget about Richmond cutting her off. She’d even spice it up and say he was losing money because no one wanted to deal with a fake Crawford. Granted, she’d received a handsome divorce settlement and the monthly alimony had been nice, for a while. But Vivian thought she could still live off her last name. She’d blow through the ten thousand dollars in a week. Yes, she’d been living above her means, but she’d been spoiled by being able to do whatever she wanted to do. Richmond was going to pay, or she would make him regret it. Who did he think she was? Marla Maples? She’d been quiet about all of his scandals of late, but if the money didn’t start rolling in again, Vivian wouldn’t be above selling stories—even if she had to make them up.

  “I’m going to hold on to that until he gives me my money,” she groaned as she pulled out her cell phone and dialed Richmond’s number.

  * * *

  Looking down at his cell phone as he unlocked the office suite, Richmond groaned. “I’m not dealing with this right now,” he muttered as Alicia crossed over to him.

  “You can’t open the door?” she quipped. “Don’t let me find out you really don’t have a lease here.”

  “I don’t have a lease,” he said as he unlocked the door. “I own it.”

  Alicia took a step back. “What?”

  He winked at her, then held the door open. “And I thought you were easing into the market,” Alicia said as she pinched his arm. “Look at you with prime real estate.”

  “This was too sweet of a deal to pass on. I didn�
��t even have to do much talking to get Solomon to agree with me.”

  “Do you know how many businesses will want to have this address on their letterhead? Well played.”

  “And I just need my first tenant to excitedly tell the world how much she loves it here.”

  Alicia raised her right eyebrow. “Then your first tenant better have a beautiful place to do business. I don’t just give away five-star reviews.”

  Richmond walked over to the suite and opened the door. “I think we’re going to earn every star.”

  Alicia walked in behind him and viewed the suite with wide-eyed wonderment. “This is amazing,” she said as she stood in the middle of the space. The oak floors shone like polished diamonds and the view of the city was amazing. Alicia stood in the middle of the suite and spun around, thinking about the artwork she’d hang on the walls, where her desk would sit, and how she would put an Afghan rug in the middle of the floor to protect her shiny oak.

  “This is beautiful,” she said as she faced Richmond. “Ten stars.”

  Richmond crossed over to Alicia and was about to draw her into his arms when his cell phone rang again.

  “Somebody wants you,” she said as Richmond looked at his phone, groaning when he saw it was Vivian again.

  He knew he wasn’t going to get a moment of peace until he found out what Vivian wanted, but she could wait. The way Alicia’s hips were calling out to his hands made everything else outside of that building a non-factor. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms, kiss her again and taste her essence. Crossing over to her, Richmond was about to reach out and touch her, but the phone rang again. Sounded louder than before. Part of him thought this was a fitting turn of events. He wanted to move forward and his past wanted to interrupt it.

  “That could be your new favorite politician.”

  “I’m trying to be inappropriate with my new favorite tenant. That phone can ring all night.” Richmond crossed over to her and pulled Alicia against his chest.

  “What are we doing?” she breathed. “We’re about to start working together and—”

  He silenced her with a kiss, pressing her body against his and cupping her bottom as their tongues danced.