“I love it. Thank you.” The bright pink highlights gave her just the lift she was hoping. Since her diet was already ruined, a change to her hair would have to do.
After helping with the cleanup, she drove home, checking out her new look in her rearview mirror at every red light. She liked what she saw and felt good about herself for the first time in a long time. Having two men interested in her at once was also a boost to her self-esteem.
Minutes after she got home, she changed into yoga pants and a tank top, determined to start getting some exercise and tone up in anticipation of being naked with a man in the near future.
A knock at the door caught her off guard. She opened it to find Dan there, staring down at her with those piercing brown eyes.
No, no, no. I will not let myself fall for his great looks because he's an asshole. An asshole, do you hear?
But damn, he looked hot in his tight jeans.
“Hey,” he said as if it hadn't been months since he'd seen her. “Looking good. I like the hair.” He tousled her curls.
She took a step back, stumbling over her own feet.
“Same old klutzy Renee.” He entered the apartment, closing the door behind him. “Exercising, huh? That's new.”
“Where do you think you're going?” She blocked him from going any deeper into the room. “What do you want, Dan?”
“I wanted to see you. You didn't return my call, baby.” He smiled, tilting his head in that helpless way he had. “That wasn't very nice.”
She gritted her teeth. “Why should I be nice to you? You never gave me that courtesy.”
“Place looks great. Is that a new vase?” He pointed across the room to her most recent antique shop find. “Apple…here girl. Here kitty.”
The little traitor came dashing in, rubbing against him like he was her long lost best pal. Dan bent to pet her. “I see someone around here misses me.” He glanced up at Renee like a little lost puppy and she noticed the red in his eyes. He’d been drinking.
“She'd rub against the devil himself if she thought he'd scratch her behind her ears.” She folded her arms over her chest. “So, where's Bunny tonight?”
“It's Bonnie. I don't want to talk about her. I want to talk about you. How are things at the salon?”
Okay, safe ground. That was good. “They're fine. We're going to hire more hairdressers soon. Maybe even a receptionist.” She planted her hands on her hips, eager to let him know she was doing great without him.
He stood, six feet of sexy, hot male. And she was more sex-starved than she'd ever been. He looked her over from head to toe before meeting her gaze. “You look great in those clingy pants. You've got a hot ass, girl. I always loved that about you.” His eyes were hooded, his lips curled into a seductive grin.
Her face burned. She knew he could see it. She always gave herself away.
He took a step closer. So close she could feel the heat of his body and the masculine scent she knew so well. But she stood her ground, fighting her instincts to touch him. She couldn't. Would his hold on her ever go away? “One thing we always had was the best sex ever. You know it and I know it.”
She shoved him back. “I can't do this, Dan.”
“You can't not do it. I dream about it, Renee. It was that good between you and me. You know it was.” His hands were on her, rubbing her shoulders, her neck, cradling her breast. It had been so long since anyone touched her there. The need was unbearable.
Then his mouth covered hers and she was grasping bunches of his shirt, her nails nearly poking through it. No use fighting, he pulled her like a magnet pulls metal. They sank to their knees together, hands exploring, the comfort and familiarity of the burning heat they used to share gripped her so hard.
She pulled his shirt over his head then he snaked his hands under hers, guiding it upward. Her body was electrified by his every touch. Squeezing her bottom, he pulled her closer to his ready erection.
She peeled off her pants as he removed his. He pulled a condom from his wallet, deftly slipping it over his cock.
He wanted her, not Bunny/Bonnie. When he was drunk.
Bonnie.
He left me for another woman.
What the hell was she doing? She shoved him away, grabbed her clothes and dressed in seconds. “Get your cheating black ass out of here.”
“Renee, honey—”
But she wasn’t having it. She reached for her phone and took a picture of him stark naked. “Get the hell out of my apartment before I send this to your rich girlfriend and my three hundred Facebook friends.”
His eyes grew huge. He held up his hands in surrender. “Now calm down, baby. I’m getting dressed, see?” Practically tripping over himself, he yanked on his pants. He stormed out the door a minute later without saying another word, leaving her feeling like a fool for entertaining the thought of sleeping with him again.
What was wrong with her? How could she even consider having sex with that slime-ball ever again? She straightened the mess they'd made then headed to the bathroom to scrub away the memory, thanking God she’d stopped before it was too late.
* * * * *
“Holy cow, you look great,” Cleave said when he arrived to pick up Renee for their date Sunday evening.
“Could you use another animal, please? I don't like to be in the same sentence with a cow.” She'd pulled out all the stops and opted for a pink sequined dress she'd bought for a New Year's party she and Dan went to last year. The pink highlights in her hair looked so good, she wondered why she'd never thought of it before Zoey suggested it. She showed him in then offered him a glass of wine from the same bottle she and Joe had drunk from two nights earlier. Guilt evaporated quickly when she reminded herself she had no commitment to either man.
Cleave set his glass on the coffee table. “Have you been to the Southern Estates Country Club? Isn't that where your parents are members?”
“Yeah, but it's been years since I've been. I've never played golf. I went there for parties and stuff while I was still living at home.”
“You've never played? We'll have to fix that, young lady. Would you like to join me for a oneon-one lesson?”
She thought about turning him down but in truth, she was enjoying his company. “Why not?” She was going to have to keep track of which man she had a date with when. A couple weeks ago she wouldn’t have believed she’d have one man in her life, let alone two.
Cleave stood and offered his hand. “Are you ready? We have a reservation at Manfred's.”
“Wow.” She’d heard it took connections just to get a reservation.
After a short drive, Cleave pulled his BMW to the door of one of the tall bank buildings in downtown Orlando. He handed the valet a twenty-dollar bill. “Take good care of her.”
When they stepped off the elevator, Renee was overwhelmed by huge lighted garlands draped from massive crystal chandeliers and twenty-foot high windows with red velvet swags. Each table seemed to glitter under the tiny lights. The effect was that the room appeared to be under a sea of stars. It was the most beautiful setting she'd ever seen.
“I thought you'd like it.” He took her hand as they followed the maître d to their table.
She took in the opulence of the place. “It's so…”
“Romantic.”
“Yeah, romantic.” She could get used to this. Dan took her to very nice restaurants when they first met. After a while that went the way of the greetings cards and the little gifts for no reason.
A waiter appeared and asked for their drink order.
“We'll have a bottle of your best Merlot, please.” Cleave winked at Renee.
“Yes, sir.”
She wasn't sure if she liked that or resented that he didn't even bother asking if she liked Merlot.
“Would it be all right with you if I ordered dinner for both of us?”
At least he was asking this time. “Can you run it by me first? I'm a bit of a picky eater.”
“I was thinking about vich
yssoise followed by rack of lamb and cherries jubilee for dessert. How does that sound?”
“Fine.” She rubbed a hand over her abdomen to muffle her stomach's growl as she scanned the room, noticing the vast majority of the tables were taken by parties of two. This was the place if you wanted a romantic dinner for two.
After the waiter had served the wine, Cleave raised his glass. “To the start of something special.”
Boy, that sounded familiar. She drank, savored the smooth taste of the wine. “Is your family back from their cruise yet?”
“They returned this afternoon, actually. Mom called me from the airport before they boarded their flight back to Atlanta.”
“What do they do?”
“Do?” He crinkled his brow as if she spoke a foreign language. “My father is retired. He sold his imports business to a big conglomerate a few years back. Mom never worked, of course. Rose is still in college, but she's engaged to a great guy, pre-med.”
“What's her major?”
“Art history, I think. Used to be philosophy, but she got too bored with that.”
She stifled a laugh. “Sounds like Rose has a lot in common with my sister.”
“Oh? How so?”
“Char majored in husband. Sounds like your sister is too.”
“Not at all. She wants to be a museum curator.”
His scowl convinced her to change the subject. “Do you have any pets?”
“Yes. A German shepherd. Duke is his name. Do you like dogs?”
“I'm more of a cat person.” She racked her brain to avoid the slope into the great void the conversation was quickly falling into. “Have you ever been married?”
“I have. Been divorced about four years.”
“I'm sorry. Is it painful to talk about?”
“No, no. I'm way past that. Alison and I grew in different directions.”
She nodded. “Any kids?”
“Not of my own. Alison had a son from a previous marriage, an autistic boy.”
“Oh, how sad.”
He shook his head. “Not at all. He's a great kid. I go see him every time I'm in Atlanta. Take him out for ice cream or something. I flew him here for his last birthday, his thirteenth. Took him to Disney and Sea World.”
Her heart squeezed. “That is so…admirable, Cleave. It's very sweet. That says a lot about you.” How many men would take on something like that if they didn't have to? She mentally gave him points for compassion.
“He's a great kid, like I said.” A smile lifted the corners of his mouth.
She gazed around the restaurant. “This place is really beautiful.”
“It's always lovely, but at holidays, it's spectacular.” He straightened his silverware. “What does your family usually do for Christmas?”
Ah, a new subject. “We usually go to my folks’ place Christmas Eve for dinner, then we come back Christmas morning to open gifts. Since my niece and nephew came into the picture, there have been a mountain of presents. It's on the decadent side but it’s really a sight to behold.” She wondered if he was looking for an invitation in a roundabout way. “Will you be going to Atlanta?”
“I think so. If I can get away from a case I'm working on now. I guess you've noticed I'm a bit of a workaholic.”
Thinking of her father who’d spent so much of her youth at the office, she nodded. She had missed him terribly, always preferring his company to her mother's. Elizabeth scolded and corrected. Her father was more prone to compliment and gently cajole.
He refilled his glass. “I admit it. When I'm not in a relationship, I pour my heart and soul into my work.”
“Do you do mediation and trial work like Gary and my dad?”
“I'm mostly involved in auto accident cases.”
“How often do you play golf?” Her best bet was to keep him talking about himself to avoid long bouts of uncomfortable dead air.
“At least twice a week, weather permitting. Gary and I have a standing date every other Saturday.”
“I didn't know that.”
“Sometimes Char comes along. She's quite good, you know.”
“She looks great in golf clothes. She has one of those leisurewear bodies.”
He laughed and his dark eyes sparkled. It was a warm sound and it made her relax. He was a little stiff, but he was starting to loosen up. She liked that he got her humor.
“Since you enjoy shopping so much, why don't you let me take you shopping for a golf outfit? You'll need one if you're going to learn to play. That's lesson number one. Have the right clothes for the game.”
She grinned. “I like this game already. It involves my favorite thing to do.”
They chatted about golf, shopping and the law firm through their main course. When the waiter came with the Cherries Jubilee, they watched him flambé it. Cleave put his hand over Renee's and she was surprised that didn't want him to take it away.
After dinner he took her straight home, explaining that he had an early meeting the next morning. He walked her to the door, then kissed the top of her head. “I had a perfectly lovely time with you, Renee Wright.”
“It was perfect. Thank you.” Mostly, she meant it.
“So, do you think we might go shopping for your golf ensemble next weekend?”
“How about Sunday afternoon?” She'd have to keep Cleave dates on Sundays and Joe dates on Friday or Saturday nights in order to keep them straight.
“I'll pick you up at one.” He kissed her softly on the lips. “Night.”
“Night.” She watched him descend the stairs then melt into the darkness. Despite her initial reservations, she'd enjoyed herself, more than she'd anticipated. Now what? She'd never liked two men at once. Since it was only ten and she wasn't ready to go to bed, she decided to call Toy, a notorious night owl.
Her friend answered with a yawn. “Hello?”
“Hey, honey, are you sleeping? You want me to call you back tomorrow?”
“No, I was lying in bed watching TV. What's up?”
“I have a problem. I just got back from a date with one of my dad's lawyer friends. He took me to Manfred's. We had a great time.”
“Okay, so what's the problem?”
Renee told her all about her date with Joe and how both men wanted to go out with her again.
“Well, you have no commitment to either one, right?”
“Right, but I feel like I'm going to slip up. What if one finds out about the other?”
“If the one who finds out has a problem with it, you still have the other for backup.”
Apple jumped onto the couch and rubbed her face against Renee’s hand. She took the hint and scratched the feline’s head between her ears. “How could I like them both and they be so opposite?”
“Do you always go for the same type?”
She thought about all the long-term boyfriends she'd had. There had been Kirk in high school, Jamal in college, then Dan. She tried to find a common thread but she couldn’t. “No.”
“See? I think maybe the cop is your now type, sweet and sexy. But can he provide for you and take care of you the way you deserve? The lawyer's your future type. I can see you married to him with two point three kids, a huge house, a nice car, the whole nine yards.”
“That stuff has never been important to me, like it is to you.” As she said it, she wondered if that were really true.
“Girlfriend! It's vital. Do you want to file old ladies' toenails your whole life? Of course, you'd have to continue doing mine even if you retired from the business. Seriously though. I date two, sometimes three guys at a time.”
“How do you keep things straight? How do you pursue a relationship with more than one man, yet keep them apart. What do you tell your family?”
“In your case, I wouldn't tell them about your cop. They're obviously pulling for the lawyer. But at your work, Joe can be your guy. I'm sure your fancy lawyer would never show up there.”
“What do I do if Joe wants to meet my family?” She star
ted sweating at the mere thought of that. Elizabeth would never approve of a cop.
“Put him off. Let him meet your friends.” She huffed. “Honestly, I think you're putting the cart before the horse here. You haven't been seeing either man a month yet. If one relationship starts getting serious, then you bow out of the other. You haven't slept with either. Have you?”
“Of course not. I couldn't sleep with two guys at the same time. I'd be afraid I'd call out the wrong name in the heat of passion.” They both laughed.
“Could you imagine? That feels so good, Cleave—I mean Joe.”
“Yeah. If both relationships continue, I'll end one when it gets to the point where I want to take it to that level.”
“Good advice you gave yourself. Listen, someone's beeping in. Can I call you tomorrow?”
“Sure, Toy. Thanks for listening.”
“Always.”
After she hung up, she thought about what could happen if she got serious about both men. And what if one found out about the other. She’d be in deep shit, that’s what. Nah. Chances were one or both men would dump her before it ever became an issue.
Chapter Five
Renee pushed through the glass doors to Lifestyle Fitness Center Monday afternoon for the second time in eight months, wearing Lycra Capri pants and an oversized T-shirt. Knowing chances were good she'd have sex with either Cleave or Joe soon, it was the perfect time to tone up.
The black walls, florescent lighting and disinfectant smell gave the place a sterile feel. Stopping at the mirrored reception counter, she told the very buff young man seated there she was thinking about renewing her membership.
“Let me get Lyle for you.” He pushed a button on the wall. “Lyle to the front desk, Lyle to the front desk.”
All sorts of aerobic equipment were positioned directly behind the reception area. Stationary bikes, elliptical trainers, stair steppers, treadmills and recumbent bikes were lined up like a modern day torture chamber.
Someone tapped her shoulder and she spun around to see a young, muscular hottie with black hair and piercing green eyes.
“I'm Lyle.” He set his hands on his hips, reminiscent of Jack LaLanne. He wore tight-fitting navy shorts and a polo shirt with the initials LFC on the pocket. Her gaze roamed to his massive shoulders then slid down a very angular torso before she caught herself and lifted her eyes to his. His smug grin told her was used to women ogling his physique.
Wrong Way Renee Page 8