by A. C. Arthur
Savian had extended his time spent at her house, however, there was still no cuddling after sex and no overnights, which meant he was still keeping his distance. In the last couple of days, however, Jenise had been thinking long and hard about whether or not she wanted that distance to be closed for good. She’d been wondering whether or not it was time that she and Savian became something more than friends with benefits.
“He’s an attractive man,” she told Adriana, because there was no way she was going to lay all that had just crossed her mind on this woman. “I’m really hoping that we’ll be able to get this mess cleared up so he can move on with his life.”
That was a basic enough statement and should work to get her out of this uncomfortable conversation. To magnify the fact that she was finished with this discussion, Jenise pushed back from her desk and stood. “So you can deliver the news to the family that I am working hard to get these charges dismissed as soon as I possibly can.”
Adriana stood too. She reached over and grabbed her bag and was just putting it on her shoulder when a smile spread across her face.
“You should come over for Thanksgiving dinner,” she said to Jenise. “It’s at four o’clock at Bruce and Janean’s house. Here I’ll give you the address.”
Adriana was digging into her purse while Jenise was shaking her head.
“No. I cannot come to their house uninvited,” Jenise said quickly.
“But you were invited,” Adriana replied looking over at her as if Jenise had possibly thought she was speaking another language. “I just invited you.”
“But you don’t live there. I mean, I know you’re engaged to Parker, but that’s not even his parents’ house,” Jenise continued.
Adriana was shaking her head now, as she came around Jenise’s desk. “Where’s your phone? Grab it, save this address and then take my number in case you get lost. Their house is all the way toward the peak of the inlet, so it can get tricky when you’re driving down. Or maybe Parker and I can pick you up.”
“No!” Jenise raised her voice this time and Adriana’s head snapped up. “I mean, I’m not sure this is such a good idea. I don’t really know the Donovans. I’m just Savian’s attorney.”
Adriana raised a brow then and Jenise realized at that moment what this entire visit had been about in the first place.
“We both know that’s not entirely true,” Adriana said.
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the fact that Parker told me you did not hesitate to say you would take Savian to your apartment after he’d been released from custody. A hotel might have been more appropriate for your ‘client’,” Adriana spoke with a lift of her brows. “And Savian has been leaving work around the same time every evening for the past two weeks—since you took him back to your apartment. Now, we’re not snooping or anything, so it’s not like we followed him and know for a fact that he’s been hurrying home to see you, but I have it on pretty good authority that on at least one occasion he ordered dinner while he was at work and had it sent to your address. I’m not going to divulge how I found that out, for fear of what Savian might try to do to his sister. But anyway, you’re coming to Thanksgiving dinner and it’s going to be a wonderful day. Trust me.”
Adriana finished all that off with a smile as she slipped the phone that Jenise had picked up in a defensive effort, from her fingers. She immediately began typing in the address to Bruce and Janean Donovan’s house, where it appeared Jenise would be spending Thanksgiving.
#
“So how long have you and Jenise Langley been sleeping together?”
Savian slipped both hands into the front pockets of his slacks. He stood, in front of the window in his office, staring out at the fading sunlight. It was the night before Thanksgiving when most people would be home with their family preparing for tomorrow’s festivities. Most people, such as husbands or boyfriends who were dedicated to family and to making memories for that family. Both of which, Savian was not.
Unfortunately, his solitude had been interrupted with a voice. A knowing voice that was way too comfortable saying any and everything he wanted to Savian.
“I’m not sure how this is any of your business, but I won’t waste time by denying it,” Savian replied without turning to face his brother.
“And I won’t ask if you think that’s a wise decision,” Parker said. “I know you don’t do anything without giving it complete and careful consideration.”
“It’s not unlike any other interaction I’ve had with a woman,” Savian told him, the words leaving an unusually bitter taste in his mouth. He frowned, something he’d been doing more of lately.
Just as he’d been seeing Jenise more. Two weeks, fourteen days, and on each one he’d seen her. He’d spent a good part of today trying to figure out the significance of that fact.
Parker continued, as he obviously had a point to starting this conversation.
“Only this one is your lawyer. I won’t ask you if you think that’s a good idea, because I know you. If it’s not a good idea, you don’t do it,” his brother stated. “What I am going to ask is have you considered—thoroughly considered—what will happen if this falls apart before your case goes to trial. Or, how about this scenario, what happens when the press gets wind of you and her sleeping together? Isn’t there some type of ethics violation there? Would she be disbarred? Would the case be compromised? In short, will this dalliance destroy both of you in the end?”
On the outside Parker gave the appearance of being a carefree and jovial man. He was deceptively smart when it came to business and knew the television industry better than anyone Savian had yet to encounter. For years Parker and Dion had been dubbed the playboy Donovans of Miami, leaving a string of broken hearts in their wake. Even after Parker’s divorce, he’d seamlessly picked up the torch and continued to carry that playboy reputation straight to the tabloids and all the entertainment news stations. Now, Dion was married and Parker was engaged. For that matter, Sean was also married with a daughter and even Regan was involved in a committed relationship. He was the only one alone, which had never been a problem for him before. These were things that had been on his mind the last few days, creating even more stress for him.
“It’s just sex,” Savian told Parker.
He turned to see his brother sitting casually in one of the leather chairs across from his desk. Sometime during the busy work day Parker would have removed his suit jacket, tossing it over the back of the couch he had in his office. Savian did not have a couch in his office. This was a place to work, not relax. Which was evidenced by the tightness throughout his shoulders and the persistent throbbing at his temples.
Parker was laughing. His head tossed back, hands coming up, only to slap down on his thighs as the guffaws continued. Savian moved to the side of his desk, sitting on its edge as he stared with blatant irritation at his brother.
“Glad I could amuse you,” he said. “Now, I’m sure Adriana’s waiting for you at home.”
“You can’t put me out,” Parker said through the short breaths he managed to take in between the laughter. “I work here too, remember.”
“Then maybe you should get back to work,” Savian replied blandly.
“I always thought you were the smartest of the three of us,” Parker commented, when it seemed he’d finally regained his composure. “But that has got to be the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”
“What? That it’s just sex?” Savian frowned. “I’m not the relationship type, you know that. And just because the rest of you used to take that stance but now have been otherwise dissuaded, has absolutely nothing to do with me. I know what I’m capable of and what I can afford to allow into my life. A girlfriend or a wife is not on that list.”
“They usually aren’t, little brother,” Parker said, more serious this time, even with that twinkle of laughter still in his eyes.
“Here’s how I see this playing out,” he continued, to Savian’s
chagrin. “You’re either going to fall in love with that woman, or she’s going to fall in love with you. The reason I know this for a fact is because I know you.”
Savian shook his head. “That’s not possible if you’re even entertaining these thoughts. I’m not serious about Jenise Langley. She’s my attorney and my current lover, that’s all.”
“She’s a tenacious and intelligent professional woman,” Parker pointed out. “She’s not one of those gold-diggers or opportunists that you’ve always thought would come after us. She doesn’t need the Donovan money or status, because she has her own. She’s smart and pretty enough to know that she can get another man and doesn’t have to settle for your ridiculous limitations, unless she wants to. So my guess is, she’ll entertain your no strings attached motto until she’s ready for something else, and when she’s ready she’s going to give you an ultimatum.”
“I don’t reply well to ultimatums,” Savian quickly remarked.
Parker nodded. “I know you usually don’t, but then you’re not usually faced with a woman like this.”
“You don’t know anything about her.”
“I know she went against her entire family to come down here and open a law firm in a city where she doesn’t know anyone. That doesn’t sound like a person that’s going to allow you, someone of no blood relation, to dictate to her what she can and cannot have,” Parker stated firmly. “So, mark my words, when she’s ready to change the rules in this game you’re playing, she will. And you’ll either go with the changes or you’ll go home alone. That, my brother, as much as I love and care for your well-being, is something I cannot wait to see unfold.”
“Because you have a sick sense of humor,” Savian replied.
He slipped off the side of the desk and walked around to his chair. Sitting down, he pulled his keyboard closer and began to close the documents he’d had open. “Now, if you don’t have anything else to speak to me about, I have work to do.”
Parker stood, a smile spreading across his face. “You mean you have to hurry out of here so you can get to Jenise’s apartment. Yes, I know about that,” he said when Savian’s head had snapped up in surprise.
“We all know,” Parker continued. “At least Regan, Dion, Sean and I know.”
“How?” Savian asked through gritted teeth.
“Come on, man, you know better than that. The same way you all knew something was going on between Adriana and me. We’re family and we were all taught to look out for one another. That’s what we do, Savian. As for you, well, we’re all keeping an extra close eye on you and what you’re doing since somebody out there is clearly trying to set you up to take the fall for this murder.”
Savian could only stare at Parker. He couldn’t argue that logic because he’d done it so many times himself. When Sabine Ravenell had been hounding Dion and Sean about buying Infinity, Parker, Savian and Regan had watched those brothers and the women in their lives like hawks. As Gavin made his play for Regan, Savian had been on that island, in the midst of a serial killer on the hunt, keeping a close eye on his sister and her tumultuous journey into love. And just a few months ago, when it was his brother, someone who had been closer to him, than if they’d been born twins, Savian had known every step Parker took, every hour of every day. So yes, to say that the cousins were committed to looking out for each other was a vast understatement.
“I’m fine,” was all Savian could say in response. “I know what I’m doing.”
Parker shook his head as he turned and began to walk away. “That’s what we all say, little brother, right before we take that fall.”
The door to his office opened, Parker walked through, giving Savian one more knowing glance and a smile before adding, “See you at Aunt Janean’s tomorrow. And tell Jenise I said I hope she has a Happy Thanksgiving.”
When the door closed behind him, Savian frowned.
He was not falling for Jenise Langley. She was not going to give him any type of ultimatum because they were both on the same page. And, the best point of this all was that Savian was just fine going home alone. He was content with having dinner in his office or in the living room in front of the TV, tuned to the news channels, by himself. All his life he’d preferred to be alone—for as much as a person in a family like the Donovans could. Nothing had changed.
Absolutely nothing.
He continued to tell himself that as he left the office for the day and drove to Jenise’s apartment, again.
Chapter 7
The first thing Jenise heard when she walked through the door was laughter. Even from a distance it was loud and boisterous and solicited an immediate smile.
“We’re a rowdy bunch, especially when it’s so close to being time to eat,” Tate Donovan said.
Jenise had seen her on television before. She was the host of a relationship advice show and she also wrote a column wherein she answered letters from the lovelorn in need of guidance. Jenise had thought it must be stressful and possibly unrewarding to continuously offer advice that may or may not be followed, or may or may not work. Still, Tate was a pretty woman with her caramel complexion and wide, expression-filled eyes. She wore dark jeans with a fuchsia tank top and a dark blue fringed cardigan. Today, she looked happy when she’d opened the door and welcomed Jenise inside. Happy and, of course, in love. It was clear in the bright spark in her eyes, the wide genuine smile and the almost blinding sparkle of that huge diamond ring on her left hand.
“I’m sorry I’m late. I had a hard time finding the house,” Jenise stated as Tate motioned for her to remove jacket.
That had been another thing that had made her late. She’d changed her outfit three times. The final product was black ponte leggings, knee length leather boots and a white tassel sleeve hi-lo blouse. She’d kept her jewelry to a minimum with a simple silver choker and the charm bracelet Morgan had given her last Christmas. When she was finally satisfied with how she looked, Jenise had headed out the door. She’d gotten all the way down to the lobby of her building when she noticed it had begun to rain. Back upstairs she went to grab her lightweight black jacket. On the elevator she turned quickly to speak to another tenant in the building and her large hoop earring touched the side of her face. For a moment she contemplated changing them as she hadn’t wanted to appear too garish at her first Donovan family function, but she’d decided against it. Or rather, a glance at her watch changed her mind.
Now, she was here at just a couple minutes after four and feeling every bit as nervous as she had the day she’d been sworn in as an attorney.
“Oh, you should have called, one of the guys would have come out to meet you,” Tate said.
“I guess I could have called, Adriana. She’d mentioned that it was difficult to find the house,” Jenise was saying as she looked around at said house.
From the outside it looked like a mini-palace, straight out of a magazine. Jenise did not claim to know a lot about real estate or architecture. What she knew for certain was that this was a grand house, built in an old Miami style with grandeur and beauty obviously at its core. She’d parked her car in the long winding driveway, then followed the stone path around to the side entrance of the house, which also faced a long and very inviting pool and palm trees.
“You could have called any of us,” Tate told her as she’d begun to walk just a few steps ahead of her. “I’ll just put your jacket in here.”
They were standing in a long foyer with gleaming marble floors and Tate moved to a set of doors that Jenise assumed was a closet.
“Adriana’s the only one I know. Besides, Savian, I mean.” Jenise tried not to fidget with the strap of her purse. She also attempted not to stare at the large paintings on the walls. They were beautiful abstract pieces with a muted color pallet of grays, pale pinks and white, that seemed to match perfectly with the stark white walls and the gray marbling in the floors.
“Don’t stare at things that amaze you. People will think you’re not used to having anything.” Jenise could a
lmost hear her mother’s reproachful voice saying as if Marianne were standing there right beside her.
“And before you leave today we’ll all have to exchange numbers,” Tate continued. “Now let’s get inside before they come looking for us. Ms. Janean does not like her food to get cold.”
Tate had doubled back to lace her arm through Jenise’s. “Adriana only told the women you were coming, so we saved you a seat. But don’t worry, this is the first holiday the Bennetts have shared with us and Bree brought the triplets, so there’ll be plenty of distractions from the ‘you and Savian subject’.”
They were already walking into the dining room by the time Tate finished that sentence, so if Jenise wanted to say something about the ‘you and Savian subject’ she didn’t have a chance.
The table stretched from one end of the room to the other, with a satin table cloth that matched the champagne colored walls. Tapered candles graced a path down the center of the table with small bowls of fresh flowers placed throughout. At the mid-point of the table was a large floral arrangement boasting the same orange, brown and burgundy flowers on a much larger scale. There were crystal glasses, sparkling china plates, gleaming cutlery and bowls of different food items. At one end of the table was a huge roasted turkey that looked straight out of a cooking magazine, while at the other end was a whole ham, that was running a close second to turkey for best appetizing. She’d been too nervous to eat breakfast this morning and now, Jenise prayed her stomach wouldn’t growl.