Beyond the Velvet Rope

by Tiffany Ashley

  Thandie observed the young man once more. Indeed, there was a swarm of women lined up, waiting their turn to catch his attention. Romero, seemingly oblivious to their beauty, waved each one away as if she were a pesky insect. She found it hard to believe no one took offense. Nevertheless, they all appeared to accept his behavior amiably.

  Thandie did not care for the man, so she was annoyed when Rex caught Romero’s eye and waved him over. As if feeling her dislike, Rex chuckled under his breath.

  “He’s not that bad,” he whispered. “Just vain to the point of delusional.” His intent to make her laugh was successful.

  Lifting a cocktail glass from the tray of a passing waiter, Rex offered the drink to the younger man. Romero accepted it.

  “Ms. Shaw,” he said with a slight incline of his head.

  “Romero,” Thandie said coolly.

  “Long day, Romero?” Rex asked.

  “Always.” Romero did not immediately drink from his glass. Instead, he seemed more content to use it as a prop. “Elliot,” he continued, “is, as always, a taskmaster.”

  “I’ll drink to that,” Rex agreed. “Lucky for us he’s a continent away.”

  Romero shook his head. “Not so. His plane arrived in Miami a few hours ago.” He pulled out his cell phone and scrolled through a few screens before continuing. “He’s stuck in a meeting. Should be out in a few minutes. If he keeps to his schedule, he should be here soon.” Romero never lifted his eyes from the phone’s display while he spoke. “Time zones being as they are, these types of meetings can be a little inconvenient.”

  “Overseas meeting?” Rex probed.

  Romero shrugged, giving nothing away, as every good assistant should.

  Rex tried a different tactic. “Is everything in place for the grand opening?”

  Romero took his time turning his attention back to Rex. “According to the event planner, everything is falling into place. In any case, they had better be. There’s no turning back now.”

  “It’ll be hard to top Elliot’s birthday party last year.”

  At these words, Rex and Romero shared a conspiring smile. This surprised Thandie. For a second, Romero’s young face lost its haughtiness, and he actually looked handsome. But this break from tradition was quickly restored. Romero cleared his throat and gave an apologetic nod toward Thandie.

  Without warning, a loud squeal of laughter exploded from across the room. Rex and Romero both looked to see what is was. Thandie did not. She already knew it had come from Len and Raja’s side of the room. She was afraid what she would see if she turned around.

  Romero spotted the commotion the girls were creating and frowned. Abruptly, he said, “I see someone I need to speak to. Excuse me.” As if she were an afterthought, he glanced at Thandie and nodded. “Nice dress.” She never got the chance to thank him. Romero was already snaking his way through the crowd of people.

  Just then, Markie rushed up to join the group. “Did Romero say anything about Elliot’s whereabouts?” he asked.

  Rex nodded. “Yeah, but if you want to know when he’s coming, don’t bother with Romero.” He nodded his head toward the arched entrance of the foyer. “He’s here.”

  All three of them turned at the same time. It was him all right. Tall, dark and beautiful. Fuckalicious, Gage had called him. Simply fuckalious. From the moment Elliot Richards arrived, he seemed to suck all the air out of the room.

  Elliot looked bored and seemed to be calculating how long he was required to be here before escaping. Spotting someone in the crowd, he began to weave a lazy path through the guests. He was stopped often by admirers.

  Thandie watched as Romero materialized out of nowhere to stand at his employer’s side. Elliot murmured a few words over his shoulder to him. Romero nodded, quickly mumbled something in response and then disappeared. When Elliot was near Warren, the old man clapped him on the back and grinned from ear to ear. Elliot was truly his crown jewel of the night. Warren’s pride could not have been more evident. Rex, charming as ever, excused himself to get in a few words with Elliot. Markie followed him.

  Thandie glanced toward the ice sculpture Raja and Len had sexually assaulted earlier. Thankfully, both seemed to have settled down. They hadn’t moved too far from the frozen R, only a few feet toward the dancing area where men were taking turns being dance partners.

  Thandie looked back toward the crowd surrounding Elliot. He grinned and shook hands with the ease of a politician, a very smooth politician. Without warning, he looked up and their eyes met. Thandie resisted the urge to look away. Instead, she lifted her brow slightly. He made no facial expression in return. Instead, he did something she did not expect. He came toward her.

  Her stomach tightened as he approached. His grayish eyes practically hypnotized her with predatory focus. She did indeed feel like his prey. When he was only a foot away, the faint and very heady scent of his aftershave sent a wave of goose bumps up her arms. It was light, barely noticeable but distinct. Although her hormones were screaming, she managed a placid smile. “Welcome back, Mr. Richards.”

  His lips somehow managed to twist into a charming grin. “Thank you, Ms. Shaw.” He leaned over and kissed her—not her cheek as everyone else had—he kissed her neck, just below the jawline, where the pulse was most apparent. From the look of satisfaction he now had, she could only guess her heart rate had leaped into triple digits under the gentle brush of his lips. But not entirely done with her, he cupped her chin, forcing it upward. “It’s good to be back.”

  His hands were suddenly gone from her body, and she had the vague memory of him pressing another glass of champagne in her hand. She drank from it blindly, neither tasting nor enjoying the bubbly chill of the liquor. She had to guard herself from becoming overwhelmed by him. Elliot’s presence was intoxicating, as thrilling as it was dangerous.

  Three men stood just within earshot of them. Clearly, they were waiting to speak to Elliot. They seemed to be edging nearer with every passing second, hoping to win Elliot’s attention. Thandie hoped they succeeded soon. Elliot, however, ignored them.

  Abruptly, the music changed from an upbeat salsa number, to a soft, jazzy melody. Couples moved toward the dance floor, swaying in tune.

  Without asking, Elliot captured Thandie’s hand and pulled her into the throng of dancers. She tried to pull out of his grasp, but was rewarded with a firm squeeze. Elliot expertly spun her into his arms. Through a serious of quick twirls and side steps, he managed to relocate them to the opposite side of the room. In the dim lighting, matched with a depleted sunset, the house was now awash with a pale orange glow. The candlelight cast shadows everywhere, and Thandie and Elliot seem to be standing in the darkest corner of the room. If anyone was looking for Elliot, they would have a hard time finding him.

  “Should I be impressed?” Thandie asked.

  Elliot chuckled softly in her ear. “If you’re looking to be impressed, you have only to take me to your bedroom.” He grinned at her nonplussed expression. “I found your proposal to be interesting reading.”

  “You read my proposal?” This news shocked Thandie. “But I just submitted it yesterday. How did you—”

  “It was sent to me. I reviewed it on my plane ride home.”

  Thandie gave a slow nod of her head. “And?” she asked, curious.

  “It’s approved.”

  “Approved?” Thandie blinked. Was he really going to make it that easy? “You don’t have anything to add?”

  “I thought your platform was detailed and well researched. You worked with the set budget, and abided to the timeline given. No,” he said, a faint glimmer in his gray eyes, “I have nothing to add.”

  “And I can proceed?” she asked cautiously.

  “By all means.”

  Thandie watched his lips as he said those last words. They looked wickedly soft, and obnoxiously tempting. They curled into a slow smile when he asked, “Did you miss me, pussycat?”

  “Hardly,” she said flatly.


  Elliot laughed. It was a seductive sound. “I’ve warned you before about that pretty little mouth of yours.” He pulled her closer to him, his hold tight and demanding. “Perhaps you want to push me into disciplining you. Is that it, puss? Is that your goal?” His lips brushed against her earlobe. “I should take you over my knee right now and show everyone just how badly you dissatisfy me.”

  “You wouldn’t dare,” she challenged. “Maybe in the Tower, where you’re safe from prying eyes. But not in this crowd.”

  He chuckled. “Do you really think crowds of any sort discourage me?”

  Thandie stopped dancing. She saw the seriousness in his eyes, and tried to wiggle out of his embrace. It was no good. He was holding her entirely too tightly.

  “I could tear that dress off your delicious body and devour you this very moment if I so chose,” he whispered into her ear. “And you’d love every dirty minute of it.”

  “Let go of me, Elliot,” she said a little breathlessly.

  “And the plans I have for that saucy tongue of yours.” He exhaled deeply. “Let’s just say neither of us would walk away dissatisfied.” In the blink of an eye, all humor was gone from his voice. “Be careful about how far you push me, Thandie. I don’t make empty promises.”

  His hands were suddenly gone from her body. She had the vague memory of him collecting flutes of champagne from the tray of a passing waitress. He pressed one into her hand and watched her over the rim of his glass as he drank. Thandie sipped from her glass, neither tasting nor enjoying the bubbly chill. She was too busy trying to shield herself from becoming overwhelmed by him, but it was of little use.

  Thandie was suddenly aware they were standing a few feet from the men who’d been hovering by them earlier. Elliot had maneuvered them back to the very spot they’d once stood. She had no idea how he’d accomplished it without her noticing. She glanced up at him, leery of what he might do next.

  He wasn’t looking at her. Elliot’s gaze had drifted across the room, and landed on an exquisite woman. Their eyes met. She’d obviously been watching Elliot for some time. Thandie watched as something strong passed between Elliot and the woman. She had no idea what was exchanged, but whatever it was it had been potent. Unquestionably, this was a conversation between lovers.

  Without further decorum, Elliot emptied his glass, placed the flute on a nearby tabletop and leaned close enough to whisper in Thandie’s ear. “No panties, pussycat?” His hand skimmed low on her hip, not low enough to capture the attention of anyone standing nearby but just low enough to make his point. “Very sexy.”

  With that said, he excused himself and crossed the room to join the mystery woman. Thandie watched him, too shocked by his words, too aroused by his touch. He was too damned good, she thought. Had Thandie been made of ice, she would have been a puddle on the floor.

  She could not help but follow his progress as he snaked his way through the crowd. Finally at his destination, he stared down at the woman, a look of quiet amusement on his face. Thandie considered the beauty. She was probably the most gorgeous woman she had ever seen. Standing next to each other, she and Elliot could have been twins; both were equally tanned, dark-haired and lovely. Thandie suddenly felt small and insignificant.

  Without a word spoken, Elliot walked toward the front door, officially quitting the party. The stunning woman followed close behind, but not before pausing to flick her cool gaze over Thandie. Her red lips lifted into a smile. It was not a warm smile. She was curious of Thandie, but not intimidated. No, never intimidated. Her dark eyes gleamed. It was a look of total possession. She was marking her territory, making it clear to Thandie, and anyone else watching, Elliot belonged to her.

  Thandie watched the departing couple disappear from sight, the front door slammed shut behind them. After having invested less than twenty minutes into the party, Elliot Richards had left the building.

  Chapter Nine

  The party continued well into the morning. Thanks to Warren, Thandie had been introduced to just about every guest present before retiring for the evening. With the party still going on below, it had been difficult to sleep.

  Her thoughts kept drifting to Elliot’s arrogant face. She’d managed to doze off into brief ten-minute naps, but never fell soundly asleep. After hours of tossing and turning, Thandie finally surrendered. There was no way she would be able to get a good night’s sleep with thoughts of Elliot on her mind.

  It was just after noon when she tapped on Raja and Len’s bedroom doors. She’d meant only to notify them she was heading to the beach. They took the announcement as an invite. Within half an hour, they were all wearing their bathing suits and packing oversize beach bags. Thandie was grateful for their company, as it kept her mind occupied.

  They lucked out by finding a parking spot on Ocean Avenue, across from South Beach’s famed King & Grove Tides Hotel. After staking out a location to pitch their umbrella, they unrolled their beach blankets and began the arduous, but necessary, task of applying sunblock. Thandie and Raja lay close together, sharing the shade the umbrella offered, while Len, determined to get a deep tan, welcomed the unyielding blaze of the sun.

  They’d been there less than a minute before spotting their first topless woman. At this, the girls were eager to discard their swimsuit tops. Thandie wouldn’t dream of being so brazen. She was proud of her trim body and received many compliments, but that was the result of a painfully strict diet and an expensive Pilates instructor. Despite these things, Len and Raja possessed something Thandie did not, youth. It was this, the seven years of separation, that kept her bikini top firmly in place.

  Pulling her hair back into a sloppy ponytail, Thandie stretched out on her beach towel. She was admittedly tired. The restless hours were catching up with her. The heat of the sun seemed to slowly massage her energy away. Her limbs felt like lead weights and she suddenly felt lazy. Sunbathing was a peaceful experience. Back home, she was always on the run. There was always someplace to go, something to do, someone to meet. Sure, she’d been to the beach before. Plenty of times, in fact. She and a group of friends rented a house in the Hamptons every summer. There was no place more fashionable than the Hamptons in July, however, Miami seemed to hold a magic all its own. Everyone was young, healthy and beautifully tanned. It was growing on her.

  The girls began a deep discussion about which Hollywood stars should become the new celebrity couple. This discussion required much deliberation. As their voices became raised and whiny at certain junctions, Thandie began to regret allowing them to join her for a restful day at the beach. To avoid adding fuel to the fire, she pretended to listen, supplying nods of agreement when required. Exhausted, it did not take long before she drifted into a black and most-welcome sleep.

  All too soon, she was woken by Raja, who was frantically shaking her shoulder.

  “Thandie! Wake up. You have to see this!”

  “Wh-what?” she said sleepily.

  “Wake up now,” Len squealed. “Oh, my goodness. Can you believe it?”

  Thandie shook her head several times, immediately upset for having been awakened so abruptly. “This had better be good,” she warned.

  “It’s better than good,” Len laughed. “It’s amazing.” She nodded her head down the shore. “Talk about being in the right place at the right time.”

  Still groggy from her nap, Thandie tried to focus but was unable to immediately understand what had caused the girls’ excitement. She yawned loudly. “Let me guess. MTV is filming a show on the beach?”

  “Egh, MTV is so last year. Look!” Again, Len pointed down the beach.

  “What exactly am I looking for?”

  “Don’t you see them?” Raja, too, jabbed her finger in the same direction. “It’s Carey Charming and Nate O’Conner. The two most beautiful men in the NFL.”

  Thandie squinted her eyes to focus. Farther down the shoreline, she could see a photo shoot was in progress. Two men, clad in all-white suits, stood knee-deep in the bubbling waters
washing in from the ocean. They each held footballs in their large hands, while makeup artists and stylists fluttered around them making last minute adjustments. The photo crew stood at an adequate distance, sun reflectors angled just so, to capture the perfect lighting. The scene was definitely eye-catching, and curious onlookers slowly crept closer, in an effort to get a better look at the two giants.

  Len’s smile widened. “Can you believe it? Charming and O’Conner on the same beach with us? This is a miracle. They were both on the cover of GQ magazine last month.”

  “Nate is so hot,” Raja murmured.

  “What are they doing in Miami?” Len shaded her eyes with her hand. “Shouldn’t they be in training camp, or something?”

  “Training camp doesn’t start until July, Len,” Raja said with a sigh of resignation. “The real question isn’t why are they here, but where are they going? Both Carey and Nat are free agents this season. With Carey managing to hold on to his numbers in spite of the team’s mediocre year, and Nate coming off a great season, they’re the most sought after players in the NFL. Carey and Nate played together in college and they’ve made no secret about wanting to play together again. Everyone is wondering which team can afford to sign both of them.” Suddenly aware she’d said too much, Raja cleared her throat. “I dated a guy a couple of years ago who worshiped football. I was forced to learn the game.” She shrugged innocently. “I kinda got into it.”

  “Kinda?” Len snorted. “You’re practically sniffing their jockstraps.”

  “Shut up, Len!”

  “All right, you two,” Thandie warned. She was in no mood to listen to one of their colorful arguments. Thandie turned to observe the two men. They were giants in comparison to everyone standing nearby. Even from this distance, she could see their bulging biceps and tree trunk-thick thighs. Carey Charming, the leaner and taller of the two, was fair and blond. Nate O’Conner was a bit shorter, but he more than made up for it with muscle. His handsome good looks and dark skin made him instant eye candy. Coming to her feet, Thandie dusted sand off her bottom. “Well, there’s no time like the present.”