Southern Seduction ; Pleasure in His Arms

by Carolyn Hector

  “Let’s play Twenty Questions!” Esmerelda balled her hand into a fist and thrust it in Demi’s face, as if it was a microphone. “Number one. Thongs, boy shorts or commando?”

  “That’s an easy one. I hate panty lines so I’ll be a thong girl until I die.”

  “If you were invisible for a day what would you do?”

  “Rob a bank!” Demi shrieked, laughing outrageously. “And spy on Cardi B, of course.”

  They talked and laughed, and soon Demi forgot Esmerelda was recording her and spoke freely, didn’t censor her thoughts. She was having so much fun, chatting and cracking jokes with her friend, she didn’t realize the plane was in the air until her ears plugged and her throat dried.

  Reclining comfortably in her seat, Demi opened up to Esmerelda about her first kiss, the worst date she’d ever been on, her proudest moment and the near-fatal pool accident at her best friend’s house in the seventh grade. Demi tried not to think about that fateful August day, but she wanted her followers to know she’d faced hard times, too. Because she was Geneviève’s sister, people thought her life was “perfect,” but that couldn’t be further from the truth. “If Mrs. Castellanos hadn’t jumped into the pool and pulled me out, I would have drowned,” Demi confessed, turning and twisting her fingers in her lap. “I haven’t seen Mrs. Castellanos in years, but she’ll always be my guardian angel.”

  “I’m so glad you survived.” Leaning over in her seat, Esmerelda gave her a one-armed hug. “You’re the baddest chick I know, and I couldn’t imagine my life without you.”

  “You’ve got that right. And, if you didn’t know, now you know!”

  Giggling like schoolgirls, they traded air kisses and high fives.

  A steward appeared, gave a polite nod and cleared their empty breakfast plates.

  “One last question,” Esmerelda said, smirking. “Have you ever had a one-night stand?”

  Demi squeaked then closed her gaping mouth. Heat flooded her cheeks and her pulse pounded in her ears. Her first inclination was to lie, but if she did, Esmeralda would call her out and she’d be embarrassed online. Yesterday, while relaxing poolside, she’d confided in her girlfriends about Chase, and Demi worried if she didn’t answer the question truthfully that Esmerelda would help jog her memory—in front of Demi’s one million followers. “Have you?” Demi challenged, needing a moment to collect her thoughts.

  Love shimmered in Esmerelda’s eyes and a grin covered her mouth. “Yes, and I married him! But enough about me, let’s discuss your one-night stand with that fine-ass computer geek. And don’t leave out the juicy parts.”

  Demi hesitated. She hadn’t planned on posting about her one-night stand for fear that internet trolls would make fun of her, but now she had no choice. Esmerelda had let the proverbial cat out of the bag and her followers were waiting, probably chomping at the bit for all of the scandalous details, and Demi was burning to share about her intimate encounter with Chase. Deciding to come clean, she leaned forward in her seat, glanced around the cabin, and lowered her voice to a whisper. “I met Chase at Infamous the night of Geneviève’s album release party and the moment I laid eyes on him, I knew I had to have him.”

  “Oh yes!” Esmerelda shrieked, snapping her fingers in a semicircle. “Tell us more!”

  With pleasure, Demi thought, feeling a rush of excitement. Once she started talking about Chase, she just couldn’t stop and gushed about all of the sensual, romantic things he’d said and done. She wisely omitted the part about Chase leaving the morning after without saying goodbye, and focused on their connection, their amazing chemistry and how desirable he’d made her feel. “I’ve climbed the Great Wall of China, rode elephants in Thailand, swam with dolphins in Miami and gone zip lining in Cuba, but making love to Chase was by far the most exhilarating thing I’ve ever done.”

  For effect, Demi licked her lips and fanned her face. In her element, she tried to convey what was in her heart and hoped her followers were inspired by her story—not to have a one-night stand, but to do what made them happy, whether it was learning a new skill or traveling around the world. “I have no regrets, but I wished I’d gotten Chase’s number before he left with his family for Barcelona,” she said with a sad smile.

  “Did you have an orgasm? Did he whisper sweet nothings in your ear? And most important, does Chase give as much as he likes to receive?”

  “Does. He. Ever.” Demi fluttered her eyelashes. “Girl, Chase needs to teach a workshop on how to please a woman, because the sex was so good I blacked out twice.”

  Cracking up at her own joke, Demi tucked her feet under her bottom. Over the years she’d been fortunate enough to meet celebrities, star athletes and even political figures, but none of them could hold a candle to Chase. In the future, Demi wanted to get married and have children; she pictured herself with someone as sincere and romantic as the app developer.

  “You need to find him,” Esmerelda advised. “He sounds dreamy, and fine, too.”

  Demi was still on the fence about tracking Chase down when she returned to the States, but she nodded her head in agreement. “I know, and when I do, I’m going to jump his bones!”

  Chapter 12

  An ear-splitting noise that sounded like a cross between a squeal and a howl, shattered the silence inside the Mobile Entertainment office on Monday afternoon, and Chase dropped his fountain pen on the contract he was proofreading. Straightening in his leather executive chair, he listened for a moment. It happened again—three, four, five thunderous times. What in the world? The ruckus was coming from the rear of the building, causing Chase to suspect that Mercedes and Katia had called it a day and were relaxing in the conference room.

  After work, they’d often remain in the office until dark, strategizing about potential business deals. Normally he didn’t mind them kicking their feet up and hanging out in the building, but not tonight; he had deadlines to meet, emails to read and codes to debug. There were always new and interesting things to learn in his field, and he loved getting lost in his work, but he was having a hell of a time concentrating.

  Chase took off his eyeglasses and dropped them on his desk calendar. A migraine was forming behind his temples. He didn’t know if his head was pounding because of the noise or because he still felt guilty about ditching Demi, but he suspected it was the latter. He’d planned to return to Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay on Sunday night but Jonas’s announcement had changed everything. They’d grabbed their things, left the park and headed for the airport—

  His iPhone buzzed and he glanced down at the screen. A scowl twisted his lips. Reading the text message from Juliet soured his mood. She wanted to meet for coffee at her favorite café, but he had no desire to see her, let alone to talk to her. He had work to do and planned to visit his mom at the hospital when he left the office at six o’clock.

  His thoughts returned to the charity event at Parc de la Ciutadella on Sunday afternoon. He’d never admit it to anyone, but when he’d learned about Estelle’s heart attack, his life had flashed before his eyes. Childhood memories came rushing back, flooding his thoughts, and the images of his mom playing in his mind had pierced his heart. Estelle meant the world to him, and even though he wished she’d stop meddling in his personal life, he adored his mom and couldn’t imagine his life without her.

  Chase rubbed a hand along the back of his neck. The trip back to New York had been plagued with fear and tension. No one had talked during the eight-hour flight and he’d been too anxious to eat or drink anything. At the hospital they’d learned from their dad that Estelle had collapsed in the kitchen while preparing lunch. Their long-time housekeeper, Ms. Khan, had found her unconscious and called 9-1-1. Doctors expected Estelle to make a full recovery, but her cardiologist wanted to keep her in the hospital for observation.

  Chase stared at the contract. He tried to block out the giggling, shrieking and cheering, but he couldn’t concentrate on th
e ten-page document. The words didn’t make sense. Who was he fooling? The noise had nothing to do with it; he’d been distracted all day.

  He’d returned from Ibiza last night and headed straight to the hospital. To his shock and dismay, Juliet had been in the waiting area, talking to his dad about his mom’s condition. He’d visited with his mom and, after another heated argument with Juliet in the parking garage, he’d left the hospital, fuming. In bed, he’d tossed and turned for hours. And when he’d finally fallen asleep, he dreamed about having a romantic dinner with Demi, at his estate, but every time he tried to kiss her, Juliet appeared, ruining the moment.

  Chase fiddled with his pen. He heard a loud thud, the sound of high heels pounding the tiled floor and female voices in the hallway. His office door flew open and Katia and Mercedes burst inside the room, staring at him with wide eyes. Chase wondered what was wrong with his COO and marketing manager, and returned their stare. “Yes?” he said slowly, his gaze darting between his employees. “Can I help you?”

  “It’s you.” Katia pointed at him. “You’re Chase. Holy Hannah. I can’t believe it!”

  “Katia, are you okay? You’re not making any sense.”

  “Please,” she scoffed, hitching a hand to her hips. “I feel fine, and I bet you do, too, after your sizzling, red-hot night in Ibiza with Demi Harris.”

  Her words bewildered him. What the hell? How did Katia know he’d spent the night with Demi? Had one of his brothers or cousins blabbed to her? Chase opened then closed his mouth. His heart was racing, beating in double time, but he projected calm, didn’t let his fear show. “What are you talking about? And how do you know Demi?”

  “Everyone knows who Demi Harris is,” Katia said, her tone matter-of-fact. “She’s a social media darling with a million followers and Geneviève’s kid sister, which is mad cool.”

  Confused by her words, he scratched the side of his head. “Geneviève who?”

  Mercedes scoffed, her short, auburn curls bouncing around as she fervently shook her head. “Duh, the chart-topping singer from Philly with the killer voice who’s won every prestigious music award under the sun.”

  His mind was reeling, jumping from one thought to the next. Chase didn’t understand why Demi hadn’t told him the truth about who she was. Did she think he’d blab to the press? Was she afraid he’d use her? Growing up in one of the wealthiest communities in the world, he knew what it was like to be deceived by people who wanted to improve their social standing, and he suspected Demi had kept her identity a secret because she hadn’t trusted him.

  You did the exact same thing, argued his inner voice. You didn’t tell Demi your last name, or give her your cell number because you didn’t want her to know you’re a Crawford, and that you own one of the most profitable app companies in the nation.

  “This is crazy. Are you sure Demi is Geneviève’s sister? Maybe it’s fake news.”

  The women shared a look then set their sights back on him, wearing identical smirks.

  “You spent the weekend with her. Didn’t you talk? Or was it all fun and games, if you know what I mean?” Mercedes quipped, wiggling her eyebrows.

  “I’m so excited I could scream!” Katia spoke with her hands, gesturing wildly in the air as she paced the length of the office. “This is best news ever. Imagine what this could do for Sparks. It’s just the kind of publicity we need to promote the app—”

  Chase interrupted her. “How do you know I spent the night with Demi?”

  “Because she posted about it.”

  Panic ballooned inside his chest. “C-c-come again?”

  “During a live stream with a friend, Demi mentioned having a one-night stand in Ibiza with a dashing, debonair New Yorker named Chase, which got us thinking,” Mercedes explained. “You were in Ibiza, and I know for a fact you stayed at Hotel Nobu Ibiza Bay with your family, so it was easy to put two and two together.”

  Her words hit him hard, like a fastball to the side of the head, knocking the wind out of him. She. Did. What? Stunned by the news, Chase needed a moment to process what he’d learned. He didn’t know what to think, feeling as though he was dreaming with his eyes open.

  “She didn’t reveal your last name, but it was obvious to us she was talking about you,” Katia continued, flashing a thumbs-up. “Good job, boss man. You singlehandedly saved Sparks and I couldn’t be prouder.”

  “Me, too!” Mercedes closed the door then danced around the room. “This is awesome!”

  “You can’t be serious,” he said, refusing to believe the outlandish story. His marketing manager loved to have fun, to prank her colleagues when they least expected it, and Chase suspected this was another one of Katia’s outrageous jokes. A thought came to mind, one that made perfect sense. Had Jonas told them about his weekend with Demi? Was this Jonas’s way of getting even with him for hitting him in the face with the football?

  “See for yourself.” Katia raised her iPhone in the air, tapped the screen with a manicured nail and then thrust her cell in his face. “Watch, this is the best part...”

  But when Demi’s silhouette filled the screen, a warm sensation flowed through his body and his anger evaporated into thin air. At a loss for words, he stared at her for a long moment. He liked her bare-faced, ponytail look, and even though her mustard T-shirt and denim overalls were simple, her curves made the outfit sizzle. Demi was on a private plane, sitting in a cushy seat with the words Urban Beats Records embossed on the headrest. He could see a female steward in the background, serving drinks and food to passengers. Her surroundings were luxurious, filled with framed awards and posters, and the earth-tone décor was striking.

  “I met Chase at Infamous the night of Geneviève’s album release party and the moment I laid eyes on him, I knew I had to have him.”

  Chase loosened the knot on his navy Burberry tie so it wouldn’t choke him to death. He didn’t need to be strapped to a monitor to know his blood pressure was high. His chest was pounding, his head hurt and every breath was a struggle.

  He felt exposed, as if the whole world knew his secrets, and he hoped Demi didn’t repeat anything he’d told her in confidence. Though, if she did, he’d only have himself to blame. He never should have opened up to her about his personal life and now his loose lips during pillow talk were coming back to haunt him. He wanted to stop the video, but he couldn’t bring himself to turn away. Demi had a vivid personality, was giddy and playful on camera and, for some odd reason, watching the video gave him a rush—and an erection. He loved her energy, her enthusiasm, how comfortable she was in her skin, and he was captivated by her dazzling smile.

  “I’ve been a fan of Demi’s for a while, and I love all her posts, but this one is my all-time favorite,” Katia said, pocketing her cell. “Gosh, I almost died when she said the name Chase...”

  Chase swallowed the lump in his throat. You almost died? Imagine how I feel. He was upset, frustrated that Demi had posted about their night together online, but he wanted to see her again. He wanted to talk to her, to touch her, wanted to kiss her one more time.

  His cell phoned buzzed and he snatched it off his mahogany desk. It lit up with text messages from his brothers and cousins, and dread pooled inside his stomach. They’d seen the video Demi had posted and were now teasing him about being the latest online sensation.

  Jonas was the worst. He’d posted on his social media pages that Chase was Demi Harris’s Ibiza lover and thanked Chase for his newfound popularity. He claimed women had been propositioning him all afternoon and that his cell was ringing off the hook with dinner invitations. Chase believed him. He’d seen females throw themselves at his brother countless times before and how much Jonas loved the attention.

  Jonas owned an exotic car dealership and rental company aptly named Royalty Motors, and his larger-than-life personality served him well in his business. Instagram models promoted his web site and starred in
his TV commercials and magazine advertisements, which caused wealthy millennials to flock to Royalty Motors. He’d recently opened dealerships in Los Angeles and Miami and wanted to branch out to Europe.

  “I’m so happy, I could kiss you!” Katia enveloped him in a hug, rocking him from side to side. “You hooking up with Demi is a marketing manager’s dream come true, and we’re going to milk this opportunity for all its worth.”

  His heart thumped. Hearing voices outside his office, he raised a hand in the air to silence her and pressed a finger to his lips. He didn’t want his employees to overhear them and spread gossip. Katia’s idea was worrisome; he didn’t want to hear more about it. He enjoyed collaborating with his staff on new projects, and encouraged them to think outside the box, but this time his marketing manager had gone too far. They had a great working relationship and he trusted her explicitly, but there was no way in hell he was making his personal life public fodder. That wasn’t the Crawford way, and he didn’t want to embarrass his family or use Demi to get sales.

  “Forget it, Katia. It’s not going to happen.”

  The women ignored him, acted as if he hadn’t spoken. They bounced ideas off of each other, debated what he should do to woo Demi, oblivious to the skeptical expression on his face. Katia suggested buying ad space for Sparks on Demi’s social media pages and Mercedes agreed.

  Chase picked his mug up off the desk and gulped down his lukewarm coffee. He couldn’t imagine anything worse than his personal life being a hot topic on social media, and hoped the story died quickly.