Davia tried to ignore him, but his looming presence even on the dance floor was hard to ignore. He towered over most of the men, and his dancing was smooth and flawless. To make matters worse, he looked good enough to eat in his tuxedo. Justin Miles was not the kind of man easily dismissed.
She had met Leroy Platten at the evening’s affair. He was serving as her escort. His wife was out of town visiting her sister. Most of the night, he had been table-hopping, as he networked with the movers and shakers in the room. Returning to the table, he asked Davia to dance and she accepted.
The crowd on the dance floor was dense, and much to her chagrin she found herself dancing right next to Justin. The sleeve of his tuxedo brushed against her bare arm and for the second time a bolt of electricity passed between them. They each missed a dance step.
“Are you okay?” Leroy’s bushy eyebrows rose in question. Davia nodded.
“Sorry,” Justin apologized to his sister.
Davia retreated first. “Leroy, I’m sorry, I really don’t feel up to dancing tonight.”
Leroy studied her for a minute. He loved Davia like a daughter and was always concerned about her welfare “You’re all right, aren’t you? I know how you hate these kinds of affairs.”
Davia gave him a reassuring smile. “Yes, I’m okay, just tired.”
Leroy led her back to their table. A few minutes later the music stopped and the dance floor slowly emptied. Justin passed her table again as he escorted his sister to their table. This time he didn’t acknowledge Davia’s presence. She told herself that was the way that she wanted it.
Leroy excused himself to do more networking. CeCe and her date stayed glued to the dance floor, as did the rest of the table’s occupants. Davia found herself alone at the table.
Turning down at least a half dozen men who asked her to dance, she noted, reluctantly, that with each new song Justin seemed to be whirling a different woman around the dance floor. She continued to try and ignore him.
To add salt to the wounds, CeCe bounced over to the table between dances to remind Davia how good Justin looked, and CeCe wasn’t easily ignored, either. She was in her element tonight. She fairly glowed.
CeCe was dressed in a slinky sequined number, with a peek-a-boo neckline, and Emanuel, her date for the night, stuck like glue to the petite beauty. Davia knew that it was best that he did. All evening Davia had watched her girlfriend move from table to table greeting those whom she knew and drawing admiring male glances wherever she went. Girlfriend was working it! Watching her do her thing was amusing, but Davia hadn’t been amused earlier when CeCe approached the table where Justin was sitting and he rose to greet her. That had been Davia’s first inkling that he was in the room. He had been the last person she expected to see. His presence had rattled her composure. She had spent the rest of the evening trying to regain it. Now CeCe was back at their table with the latest installment of the Justin Miles Report.
With the skill of a private investigator, her friend had gathered even more information about Justin, and CeCe’s breathless delivery made it obvious that she was impressed. “Girl! Do you know who Justin Miles is? He’s Frederick Justin Miles, the son of the late Dr. Frederick Miles and Katherine Justin Miles, the queen of black Atlanta society. Honey, the Justin and the Miles families are two of the oldest and richest black families in this city! I should have made the connection when we first met him. But, girl, let me tell you. He owns a computer company and you’ll never guess which one, Complete Computers! It was featured in Black Enterprise magazine. I remember reading the article. Girlfriend, the man came from money and made even more on his own. Sweet Jesus! And he’s after your butt hot and heavy. He’s been watching you all night, although he’s trying to be slick about it. I’m telling you, if you don’t go after this one I will.”
Davia heaved a disgusted sigh. At least she could give CeCe credit for trying to be discreet. She had whispered the unsolicited information in her ear rather than yelling it out to the entire room. But it didn’t matter, Davia had heard enough. That cinched it. It was bad enough that Justin Miles was harassing her, but it was worse now that she knew that he was a member of one of the wealthiest and most socially prominent families in Atlanta. Attention from a rich, self-centered playboy was attention she didn’t need or want. She could only guess what his game was, and he was crazy if he thought that she would be playing it with him.
Grabbing her wrap and matching evening bag, Davia started to get up from her chair.
“Where are you going?” CeCe asked, evidently surprised.
Davia started for the entrance. “I’m outta here. When you see Leroy, please tell him that I went home.”
CeCe chuckled. “Okay, you coward, you can run but you can’t hide. I’m telling you that man wants you badly, and my money is on him.”
Davia continued walking without looking back.
* * *
Justin saw Davia leave as he led the latest woman with whom he had been dancing back to their table. He had tried all evening to ignore Davia, but he had found that literally impossible. His eyes seemed to stray toward her of their own volition, and the more he saw, the more he liked. The dress she wore was simple black chiffon, held up by two thin sequined straps and cascading down her shapely frame to end just above her knees. Her legs, encased in shimmering sheer stockings, were as firm and shapely as the rest of her. Black satin heels with a rhinestone strap encased her feet. She was understated elegance from head to toe. The electric current that had passed between them during their brief encounter on the dance floor had rattled him. This was the second time such a connection had occurred. That had never happened to him before. The woman was like a magnet gradually attaching herself to him.
He had learned more about her without having to ask. Women talked, and mostly about each other. When he returned Vanessa to the Regal Designs table, she mentioned the lovely young woman to whom her brother had introduced her. That started the women at the table talking and they had plenty to say about Davia Maxwell.
None of them knew her personally but they did know that she was the vice president of Small Sensations Children’s Clothing, an established business entity in the city. Davia worked very closely with the company’s president, Leroy Platten. The women also discussed Leroy’s marital status and implied that there was more to the relationship between him and his vice president than met the eye, but no one said so openly.
After hearing this Justin had turned his attention to Leroy Platten. The man appeared to be in his sixties. He was a rich mocha brown, with a high forehead distinguished by a rapidly receding hairline. His gray hair framed a round face dominated by a wide nose and bushy eyebrows. His eyes always seemed to be moving, missing nothing. His smile was broad and he appeared warm and friendly. Of average height, he didn’t appear to be fit. The paunch where his waist should have been attested to that. He was an average-looking man and old enough to be Davia’s father. Justin didn’t size him up as being much competition.
Justin’s discreet observation of Davia most of the evening led to that conclusion. The interaction between Davia and Leroy appeared close, but Justin failed to sense that special something that would identify them as lovers. From his observation, they appeared to be close friends, nothing more. Of course the man was married, and they were in a public place, and appearances were known to deceive. He would get to the bottom of their relationship eventually, but for now he wasn’t concerned.
At the table, Vanessa informed him that she would be going out on the town tonight with two of the other women at the table. She asked if Justin wanted to accompany them, but he declined. Using her announcement as an excuse to end the evening, he said his farewells and headed toward the front entrance.
To his surprise Davia was standing outside the building. He assumed she was waiting for a cab. Maybe she hadn’t come with Platten as he had suspected.
He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She didn’t acknowledge Justin’s presence as he hande
d his car key to a young valet. They continued to ignore each other as they stood side by side, both looking straight ahead, awaiting their separate transportation. Justin broke the silence.
“And how did you enjoy tonight’s festivities, Ms. Maxwell?” He continued to look straight ahead as he spoke.
“Fine.” Davia didn’t look at him.
“And I assume that you have enjoyed the flowers I’ve sent you.”
She turned to face him this time, her eyes narrowed. “They were lovely and I thank you, but I’d like you to stop sending them to my home. I don’t like being harassed.”
From her stance she expected an argument. He surprised her.
“Okay.” Why argue? “But I would like to offer you one more thing, if you don’t mind.”
Her eyebrows shot up. Her calf-brown eyes were wary. “What?”
The brand-new, candy apple red Lexus he had picked up last week pulled up to the entrance right on time. He nodded toward it, unable to contain the pride he felt in his latest toy. “A ride home.”
Behind his car a second valet pulled up in a shiny new silver Lexus, the same make, model and year as his own. Davia nodded toward it. “Thank you, but I have one.”
Taking her key from the valet, she tipped him and slipped easily into the car’s soft leather interior. She drove away, leaving Justin standing at the entrance. Shaking his head, Justin smiled. The lady certainly had good taste.
CHAPTER 7
Davia wasn’t crazy about Chuck E. Cheese, the child-friendly theme restaurant Gabby had chosen for their regular Saturday morning outing, but her granddaughter loved the place. After the week Davia had had at work she had looked forward to spending this time with Gabby. They had started the morning with shopping, and “the Cheese,” as Gabby called it, was their lunch stop before heading home.
It was a familiar routine for them. What wasn’t familiar was the sight of Justin Miles sitting in “the Cheese” with his niece Bianca. He was casually sipping a soda. Gabby spotted Bianca before Davia spotted Justin and the child darted toward them before she could stop her. By the time Davia reached the table the two girls had made their plans to dine and play together. Within five minutes of having entered the restaurant, she found herself seated across the table from Justin Miles.
It had been two weeks since they each had attended the awards banquet. As she had requested, the flowers had stopped and she had almost managed to forget him—almost. Davia rationalized that the electricity between them was an aberration. She dismissed the fluttering in her stomach whenever he was near as nervous energy. The breathlessness she felt at the sound of his voice, that was simply exhaustion. Yes, there was an explanation for everything—almost.
Davia made an attempt to look relaxed as she sat across from him at the table. It irked her that he could sit back and look so cool and calm. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a v-neck sweater that exposed wisps of hair on his chest. A well-worn leather jacket hung on the back of his chair. Davia didn’t recognize the scent of the cologne he was wearing, but it was wreaking havoc on her senses. He looked and smelled just a little too good.
“I don’t bite, Ms. Maxwell,” he said with a cocky smile on his face. “So you don’t have to look so distressed. I know that you would rather cut your arm off than come anywhere near me, but since the kids are having fun, perhaps you can grin and bear me for a while.”
He had said it jokingly, but she recognized the truth behind his words. She hadn’t known that her discomfort was so apparent. The fact of the matter was that she did not want to like this man. To like him might mean that she could be attracted to him, and she didn’t want to be attracted to any man.
She tried to save face. “I’m sorry that you feel that way, Mr. Miles.”
“Justin. Please call me Justin. My father’s name was Mr. Miles.” He flashed an engaging grin.
The flutters in her stomach flared. She swallowed. “Okay, Justin. I’m sorry that you feel that way. I really don’t have anything against you.”
“It’s just that you don’t like me.” The smile remained on his face, but the gleam in his eyes dimmed.
“No…no, it’s not that.”
Justin leaned forward, resting his goateed chin in the palm of his hand as he looked at her intently. “Then what is it?”
From his expression she could tell that the answer was important to him. That surprised her. She didn’t expect her feelings to make any difference to some rich playboy. Why should they? Davia’s eyes shifted past him. How could she explain her reluctance to get to know him or any man? He would never understand. She just knew that she was better off having as few men in her life as possible. That’s the way it was. That was the way it had to be.
“Well?” he prompted.
“Well, what?”
“Well, what is it about me that you don’t like?” Sitting back, he spread his arms wide in an open gesture. “I think I’m a nice guy. I’m hard working, love my family. I’m a wonderful uncle. At least my niece says I am. Other people like me. Why don’t you?”
Davia caught a hint of pain in his voice. Could her rejection really be bothering him? She doubted it. A man like Justin simply wasn’t used to rejection and it was bruising his ego, not hurting his feelings. She knew from experience that men couldn’t be trusted. They’d say anything…do anything.
“I never said that I didn’t like you, Mr…Justin. It’s just that I don’t like being harassed, and at the open house that night your approach turned me off. I didn’t like it. Then sending all the flowers was a bit overboard. I don’t like a hard sell.”
Justin’s smile vanished. His expression grew serious. “I’m truly sorry, Ms. Maxwell. I really didn’t mean to offend you.”
His apology seemed sincere. “Your apology is accepted, Justin.”
He flashed that smile again. She returned his smile with one of her own. Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all.
The rest of the afternoon went well. Caught up in the excitement of the two little girls, she and Justin joined them in play and indulged their seemingly insatiable appetite for pizza. During much-needed rest periods they laughed and talked about everything and nothing. Davia had to admit that she had enjoyed herself. When they left the restaurant and said their good-byes, Davia told herself that she wasn’t disappointed that he hadn’t asked to see her again.
* * *
Davia knew that if she wanted to keep her encounter with Justin Miles a secret from CeCe and Reba, she would have to keep her four-year-old quiet, which was easier said than done. On the way home from the restaurant, she tried to solicit a promise from Gabby to keep their accidental meeting with Justin and Bianca a secret. Of course her inquisitive little munchkin asked the inevitable question: “Why?”
She had to struggle for an answer that would make sense, and she found herself lacking. Finally she came up with, “Because some things that we do are just between you and me.”
The explanation was weak, but Gabby pondered it for a second and seemed to accept it. With a sigh of relief, Davia put all thoughts of Justin aside. It was true that the afternoon with him had been fun and that he seemed to be a nice man, but she doubted that she would hear his name again. It turned out that she was wrong.
At the dinner table that evening Gabby made an announcement out of the blue. “Bianca’s Uncle Justin said that he would love to take me and her to a fun park.”
Davia froze as she wondered when that statement had been made and why it had to be brought up at this moment. Since Gabby offered no details as to where or when this had occurred, she resumed eating with the hope that her granddaughter would stop chattering if she ignored what she had said. She didn’t.
“Bianca said that her uncle took her to Disney World.” She turned to Davia. “Why can’t we go to Disney World?” Not waiting for an answer, Gabby’s eyes grew large with excitement. “Hey, maybe Bianca’s Uncle Justin can take us all to Disney World, huh, Grommy?”
Enthralled by the possibility,
she looked at Davia expectantly. She wasn’t going to be ignored this time.
With a cursory glance at Reba, who was busy tackling a baked potato, Davia answered quickly, hoping to avoid the possibility that today’s encounter might be mentioned.
“Who knows, Gabby, I might take you to Disney World myself. That would be fun.” Davia really liked the idea. What she didn’t like was Reba’s question to Gabby.
“Just when did Bianca’s uncle tell you this?” she asked nonchalantly as she cut into her meat loaf with relish.
“This meat loaf sure is good, Reba,” Davia tried an intercept. “Did you put something different in it?”
“No, I…”
“At the Cheese.”
Woman and child spoke simultaneously.
Reba frowned. “At the Cheese? Did you go there today?”
“Uh-huh, with Grommy.” Gabby resumed eating.
Davia knew the second that the little girl remembered her blunder. She looked up at her grandmother with wide-eyed guilt, but Davia gave her a reassuring smile. It was bound to come out sometime. She then prepared herself for the inquisition that she knew was coming. Reba began with Gabby.
“So you saw Bianca and her Uncle Justin at Chuck E. Cheese today?” She was addressing Gabby, but looking at Davia, who answered.
“Yes, we did, Reba,” Davia said defensively, “and Gabby played with Bianca while Justin and I talked. The four of us ate pizza and drank soda pop, and then we all went home. Okay?”
Davia speared her last piece of meat loaf, hoping that the information that she provided would keep her nosey, overly analytical nanny’s mouth shut. It was too much to wish for, but instead of asking more questions Reba began to laugh, catching Davia and Gabby both off guard.
“What’s wrong, Miss Reba?” Gabby began to giggle as her nanny’s laugh became infectious.
Reba shook her head, indicating that there was nothing wrong, as she continued to chortle at Davia’s expense. Davia rolled her eyes at her, giving her the silent message that as far as she was concerned the subject of Justin Miles was closed. She didn’t want to hear any more about him. But it came as no surprise when after dinner Reba pointedly announced that she had a telephone call to make. A full half hour hadn’t passed before Davia received the expected call from CeCe, who drilled Davia like an army sergeant, requiring that she omit “absolutely nothing about the day.” She was vehement in her efforts to determine whether Davia had “scared the man away.”
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