Fever (Falling For A Rose Book 4)

by Stephanie Nicole Norris

  “When I spotted him, he stood at attention with his hands behind his back looking my way.” Carla shrugged, and I laughed harder. “You’re being mean. What’s gotten into you today?”

  “How am I being mean?”

  “You just called me single and desperate, and I resent that. I’ll have you know you’re still single yourself. Might not be desperate but still.”

  My giggles bubbled over. “Aww, don’t be like that.” I reached out and tugged at her cheek.

  “Get off me,” she mumbled, swatting me away.

  “Okay my mouth is closed. Finish telling me about your day,” I said.

  “Long story short, he gave me his number. Told me to call him later.”

  “So, are you?”

  “Of course not, what I look like? You know I have to wait at least three days.”

  “Really?” I said. “You’re doing the three days rule? That’s so high school.”

  “How is that? Would you suggest I call later, looking like I had nothing better to do but sit around anxiously waiting to talk to him?”

  I laughed and pulled into the school parking in my assigned spot. I flipped the visor down and checked my redberry colored lipstick in the mirror. The time read 5 p.m. School was over for the day, and Mrs. Rosenburg would be leaving within the hour.

  “Thanks for sharing the highlights of your library trip. I look forward to the follow-up conversation.”

  “Somehow, I feel like you’re trying to be funny again,” Carla said.

  I was because I knew Carla would call before the night was over. We left the car and entered the school through the front door. There was a casual stroll in our steps, and after entering the office, Carla tapped lightly on Mrs. Rosenburg’s door.

  “Come in please.”

  Mrs. Rosenburg held up her hand, signaling for us to give her just a minute. The office was designed with a hideous floral print on the walls with every color of the rainbow while the furniture looked as if it had been made from the coat of a Zebra. As many times I had been in the office, there was no getting used to the style if you could call it that. Who in the world would take the time to pick out the patterns was beyond me.

  “Just send them in an attachment before 6 p.m.,” she said into the phone. “I can’t wait for them any longer, yes, thank you.” She dropped the phone on its base and turned her attention to us.

  “Ms. James, Ms. Summers, how are you ladies today?”

  “We’re doing just fine,” I said.

  “As I told you over the phone,” Carla said, “I need to put in some vacation time starting right now.”

  Mrs. Rosenburg motioned for us to sit down. “Is everything okay?”

  “I would like to take a leave of absence until this investigation is over. Working in the same environment with my offender is uncomfortable in more ways than one.”

  It wasn’t a complete lie, but it wasn’t the full truth either. Really, being walked to the door because the drug test came back with marijuana in it was the last thing Carla could take. It would mock her even more, especially when she was sexually assaulted. She crossed her legs and sat back.

  “I completely understand,” Mrs. Rosenburg replied. “Company policy does state that you need to give notice a week in advance to take a leave of absence. However, in this case, I’m going to go ahead and approve it. Besides, between the three of us,” Mrs. Rosenburg lowered her voice, “I never liked him anyway. I knew he would be one of the first ones to go. His comments about women are unacceptable, and I’m surprised he hasn’t been fired before now.”

  Carla’s eyebrows shot up. “So you believe me then?”

  Mrs. Rosenburg waved her off. “Of course, honey, every woman in this office believes you.”

  “So, tell me what’s up with the theatrics. Why am I going through being investigated?”

  “You know why, because the creep has to try and take you down with him by saying you do drugs. We’re not going to have a problem with that, are we?”

  “Oh no, definitely not,” she lied again.

  “Good, I’d hate to lose you. Good help is hard to find.”

  Mrs. Rosenburg turned to her computer screen, her fingers pecking away at the keyboard. Two seconds later, her printer warmed up, and a piece of paper slid out.

  “Fill out this form. Now, you have two weeks’ worth of vacation time to use, but this investigation will be over in a week, so how much time would you like to take?”

  “I’ll take the full two weeks.”

  “I don’t blame you,” Mrs. Rosenburg said. She set her sights on me. “How about you, Ms. Summers, do you need to take vacation time, too?”

  “I put mine in this morning with Mr. McDonald.”

  “Have you had a problem with Roger also?” Mrs. Rosenburg frowned.

  “Not in the way that would warrant an investigation. Trust me, if it ever happens, you’ll be the first to know.” Besides Josiah. The thought skimmed across my mind so fast I almost let it pass me with no recognition of it. Why would I need to tell Josiah anything? Suddenly I felt a bit uneasy. I wasn’t the type of woman who got ahead of herself. I was open, honest, and agreeable most times. So, having that fleeting thought was unsettling.

  “That’s good to hear. Keep me updated,” Mrs. Rosenburg said.

  Carla continued to fill out her paperwork as I sat there trying to take my mind off Josiah.

  Chapter Ten

  Two days later

  11:42 p.m.

  “So, let me get this straight. You just left your job?” Octavia’s hand went to her forehead as she listened to Carla’s ordeal. I took a sip of my cocktail and relaxed in my chair, crossing my legs.

  We were at the Dream Lounge. Our previous girls’ night out had been postponed when Octavia called with an excuse of not feeling up to going out. It was becoming a regular habit. Since I’d known Octavia, she and Jonathon Alexander Rose had been as thick as thieves, and it wasn’t unusual when she bailed on girls’ night out every now and then.

  The Dream Lounge had a nice atmosphere. The ritzy nightclub held a diverse crowd, and everyone mixed and mingled quite nicely. The music was some of my favorite neo-soul artists. Maxwell’s “Fortunate” serenaded us as we laughed and sipped our drinks.

  “Now, somebody tell me about their day so I can get off mine,” Carla said, taking a huge sip of her mimosa.

  “Business as usual for the most part,” Selena said. She fiddled with the diamond earring that hung from her earlobe. “This one over here though is having the time of her life with Jonathon.” Selena sipped her drink, sucking in her jaws as she batted her eyes at Octavia.

  Octavia’s curly afro was not tamed tonight. The springy curls sat loud and proud on her head, and I was in love with the style. Octavia cut her eyes at Selena.

  “Jonathon and I are just friends. Nothing more,” she said.

  “Girl, please, who are you kidding?” Selena said, shrugging. “No one that’s who. I’ve seen the way he looks at you and vice versa. I don’t understand why you’re trying to hide it.”

  “I’m not hiding anything. You are the one making assumptions. If Jonathon and I were dating, why would I be ashamed of it?”

  “I didn’t say you were ashamed of it, but you do like him, right?”

  “That’s not the type of relationship we have. Look, just chill, okay? It’s not like I don’t hear enough of that from my aunt. I don’t want to hear it from you, too.”

  Selena rolled her eyes and slid her straight locks behind her ear. “Whatever you say. I just thought you’d have something fun to share, but pay me no mind. What do I know?”

  Everyone turned to me. “What’s up with you and Josiah?” Selena asked.

  I took another sip of my cocktail. “Nothing’s going on with Josiah and me. We are also just friends.”

  Everyone at the table began twisting their lips and sucking air through their teeth.

  “Now that’s just a bold-faced lie,” Octavia said.

  �
�Really, out of everyone, you should understand.”

  “Yeah, I would, but clearly, you and Josiah have something going on. You were late to your best friend’s wedding.”

  “Then you disappeared right after,” Selena added.

  “Mmhmm, and I didn’t want to be the one to tell you this, but I saw a picture of you and him on social media. Ran right through my newsfeed,” Carla added.

  I turned to her with wide eyes. “What? And you’re just now telling me this?”

  “I mean this was the other day when we last spoke and it slipped my mind.” she tried to justify.

  “But that didn’t stop you from telling me about the honey brown skin brother you met at the library, did it?”

  Carla’s face flushed a crimson red, and everyone turned to her. “Honey brown skin brother, damn Carla, you holding out, too?”

  “I was getting around to it,” Carla defended.

  “Hold on, let’s go back to this picture you saw. What does it look like?” I asked.

  Carla took out her cell phone and went into her photo gallery.

  “I took a screenshot, here.” She handed me the device.

  Josiah and I were walking away from the table where his father sat. We were arm in arm. A subtle smile sat on my face, and a handsome grin lay across his. Looking at the picture stirred me. The feeling was uncharted, and I didn’t know what to make of it. At the same time, my face warmed before I finally pulled my eyes away from the image. I handed the phone back to Carla.

  “Let us see,” Selena and Octavia said in unison.

  I gave the phone to Selena and took another sip of my cocktail just as a waitress passed.

  “Excuse me,” I said. She turned back to me. “Can I get another gin and tonic, please?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  I turned back to the girls, and they were all staring at me. “What?”

  “What are we to think of this picture?” Selena asked, handing the phone back to Carla.

  “Think whatever you want to think.”

  A different waitress trucked up to our table with a round of drinks. One by one, she sat them in front of us.

  “Um, we didn’t order these,” Octavia said.

  “These drinks are courtesy of Mr. Valentine.” The waitress pointed across the room, and we all turned.

  “As in Boss Man Valentine?” Selena asked.

  The waitress laughed. “That’s the one.”

  Mr. Hunter Valentine, CEO of VFC Energy, a fortune 500 company. VFC had been named alongside Rose Bank and Trust Credit Union as one of the most respected companies.

  “What is he doing in here?” Selena whispered sharply.

  “I don’t know, baby, but I’m willing to find out,” Carla practically moaned out.

  Watching him from afar, I took in his strong features, chocolate brown skin, and could tell by the length of his legs even in a sitting position that he was rather tall. I took another sip of my empty cocktail, sucking in a lungful of air. Mr. Valentine held up a glass of dark liquid in a silent cheer.

  Collectively, we held up ours in return, and a slow smile brushed across his face. Commotion at the nightclub entrance pulled our attention to the door. Two men traipsed through while the owner held the door open for another. When Josiah entered, my belly flopped, and a smile instantly spread across my lips. I couldn’t help but take my eyes from the top of him to the bottom.

  He was just as charming now as he was the last time I’d seen him. He wore a clean-cut Brook Brother’s polo that complemented his muscled physique. The shirt sat comfortably against the belt of a pair of dark navy-blue shorts. The belt on his waist blinged from across the room, and the loafers on his feet gave him a prep boy look. From the distance, I could see his freshly oiled skin, and suddenly his male scent tickled my nose. The guy in front of him spoke, and Josiah smiled that sexy grin that always made my throat dry. A group of women sashayed through the door, wasting no time approaching him. The two guys he was with seemed more like groupies as they hung by his side with admiration of being part of his entourage.

  The DJ interrupted the music and said through the mic, “It looks like we’re in good company tonight. Josiah Alexander Rose and Hunter Valentine are in the building!”

  A waitress sauntered up to Josiah, handing him a short glass of dark liquor, which he accepted with a terse nod. The woman who lingered in front of him leaned closer to whisper in his ear, and a knot of jealousy knocked through me. I bit down on my teeth softly and tried to maintain my composure. He doesn’t really belong to you, Santana. I knew this, but I wasn’t in the position to explain why I felt territorial. The woman continued to whisper in his ear, and his smooth pair of lips eased back into a smile. The knot in my stomach got tighter with each moment that I watched. At the same time, the music faded and John Legend’s “Tonight” cruised through the speakers.

  I silently ordered myself to turn away and then it happened. As if my stare had burned a hole into him, his eyes lifted and met mine. His content smile widened, and a hot tingle crawled down my spine.

  “Excuse me.”

  I turned around to the deep voice that had beckoned me. Hunter Valentine stood by my side. Up close, his handsome features were sharp and a toothpick sat in the corner of his lips. He held his hand out.

  “I’m Hunter,” he said. “I felt it was important for me to come over and introduce myself.” Hunter glanced to Carla, Octavia, and Selena. “Ladies,” he greeted.

  “Hello,” they all cooed as I shook his hand.

  “I hope the drinks are up to your standards,” Hunter’s smooth voice crooned.

  “Delicious,” Carla stated.

  “I’ve never received a drink so well put together. What’s your secret, Mr. Valentine?” Selena asked, batting her eyes.

  Hunter smiled down at Selena, and if I didn’t know any better, I thought at any moment she’d faint.

  “I don’t like keeping secrets, so I have none to offer you.”

  “No secrets, huh?” Octavia said.

  “That’s right,” Hunter agreed. “No secrets.”

  Hunter turned his attention back to me, but something over my shoulder stole his focus. He inclined his head.

  “Josiah,” he greeted.

  I snapped my head to the side just as Josiah closed the distance to stand at my other side. My stomach rumbled as I got a close look at the pecs brilliantly designed in his shirt. The polo was doing nothing to hide them. My eyes lifted to his strong neck, stubble on his jaw and perfectly moist lips. A shudder ran through me, and I shifted my weight in my seat.

  “Hunter,” Josiah responded, taking his soulful eyes from Hunter to me. The rapid beat of my heart threatened to knock me out of my chair as Josiah dipped down to me, casting an arm around my waist and pulling me out of the chair, flushed against his broad chest. My hands instantly clutched his shoulders to hold myself steady from the sudden movement.

  “Hey, baby,” he crooned, “I’ve missed you ever since we departed the other day. What a pleasure it is to see you here tonight.” Josiah tightened his grip on my waist and slanted his mouth over mine. A dizzy spell fell over me as his lips engaged with my lips, and he sucked in my tongue. I moaned into his mouth and felt the heat of his passion between my thighs. John Legend was singing about tonight being the best he’d ever had, and I couldn’t disagree with him at the moment.

  Josiah’s hands explored my backside, lightly at first then with a firm grip. I tried to pull away from him as I was still somewhat aware that we were in front of an entire room of people. But it was of no use. The probing of his tongue held me longer, enchanted by his predatorial claim. He inhaled me, unwilling to give me a moment of reprieve even to breathe as I shared lungsful of air through his silken mouth. Desire ached through my body, and my leg lifted without me giving it instructions. Josiah gathered my bottom, effectively pulling me into his arms, and my other leg wrapped around his waist.

  It was this moment that a smile tapered across his beautiful mo
uth as he feathered kisses down my jaw. He turned purposefully, leaving the table as I nibbled on his ear, completely lost in his entrapment. I didn’t care where he was taking me as long as I was with him. Briefly, I saw images of my girls and Hunter with surprised looks on their faces. Selena was speaking, but I continued to nibble on his ear as they all became a blur in my sight. I was drunk. To be clear, I was debauched with lust, not alcohol. I’d only had two drinks, and they weren’t enough to coat me with such an unrestrained craving. The path before us opened as Josiah carried me into what I assumed was the VIP area. Security at the entrance closed it off as we floated in cutting off his buddies who trailed behind. They instantly began to gripe about how they were with Josiah, but the stone-faced security guard ignored them, standing with perfect posture, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “Josiah!” They called after him. “Yo J!”

  Josiah’s movements didn’t pause until we were upon a plush sofa in the back of the room. Currently, we were the only occupants of the section, and I had a feeling we would be until Josiah said otherwise. He sat down with me still strapped to his waist. My knees sunk into the heated sofa as I now straddled him. My eyes felt heavy, and my lids lowered as I was still salivating over the primal way he’d taken me.

  “I thought you weren’t feeling well,” I managed to say. “What are you doing here?”

  “Whatever you put in your soup has me feeling like my old self again. What can I say, I’m cured,” he drawled. “I don’t remember you mentioning coming to the club tonight.”

  “That’s because I didn’t.” My fingers drifted up his chest and played with his collarbone, and I felt him shiver under my touch.

  “Why didn’t you?”

  I barely shrugged. “I didn’t realize it was something I needed to mention.”

  His nostrils flared, and he tilted his head slightly as he peered at me through squinted eyes. “How long have you known Hunter?”

  I pulled my bottom lip in my mouth, giving it a slight suck with my teeth.

  “I don’t know him at all.”

  “So, this is the first time you’ve met him?”