“Sienna, tell her to stop worrying.” Faith spoke close to the phone for Sienna to hear. The tank top was snatched from Bailey and tossed on the bed. “Bails, for the one hundredth time, what you have on is fine. You would think she’d never dressed for a date before,” Faith yelled out for Sienna’s benefit once more.
“She hasn’t, not like this,” Sienna said.
“You two are supposed to be helping me.” Bailey grabbed up another blouse off the bed. “What about this one? It isn’t cut as low. If I wear a bra—”
“Which one is it?” Sienna asked.
Bailey could hear the clank of plates in the background. “I’m sorry for bothering you at work, Sie, but I really need help with this. I have on the spaghetti strap, red floral chiffon top and navy-blue linen shorts, but I think the navy-blue stripe top covers my boobs better.”
“No bra. Both have built-in support. What you have on is perfect. And wear those navy-blue wedged flip-flops you have, the ones with the little sparkly stones on them. Did you go to the spa after work as I said?”
“Yes, and that’s why I’m running late. Sienna, I didn’t need to do all of that. I feel terrible for the amount of money you spent. If you hadn’t prepaid them, I wouldn’t have gone,” Bailey told her.
“I know you wouldn’t have. That’s why I paid in advance.”
Bailey rubbed her forehead, her anxiety building swiftly. “This is becoming too much. It’s not like he’s gonna get to see my goods anyway.” She was beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed.
“Bails, relax. And don’t you always tell me that it’s better to be prepared for a fire than, uh, I forget how it goes, but you get it.” Sienna chortled. “Let me speak to Faith.”
Bailey looked at Faith seated on the bed folding the pile of clothes that she’d previously tried on. “Here, Faith.” She handed over the phone, and then went to her closet to get her flip-flops that were kept in their original box to protect the tiny faux sapphire gems sewn in along the band. Sienna had been shocked to learn how much Bailey had spent on the pair, given that the stones weren’t real.
Slipping the sandals on her feet, she closed the door to check her appearance in the full-length mirror hanging in front. Her skin did have a nice glow to it. As well it should after all of the poking, tweezing, and yanking she’d gone through at the spa. She’d received what was known as the Signature Platinum Spa Package, which consisted of a facial a Brazilian bikini, underarm, eyebrow, and full leg wax, followed by a skin refinishing buff, and ending with a mani-pedi. She’d chosen a French white for both her hands and feet.
Hearing Faith say, “I’m on it,” Bailey looked over at the bed. “You’re on what?”
“I was told to make sure you don’t back out of the date. Here.” Faith handed the phone back to her. “You’ll never be ready at this pace.” She grabbed the hair scrunchie off the vanity and quickly arranged Bailey’s hair into a ponytail. Faith then resumed her folding of the pile of clothes on the bed.
“If Sandra finds out ...” Bailey worriedly sighed deep as she grabbed her purse off the bed in search of her lip gloss.
“She won’t,” Sienna assured her. “Trust me, there’s no way in hell Sandra would be caught dead at the event where you’re taking Lucas. You haven’t told him I hope?”
“No.”
“I wish I could see the look on Sir Hotness’s face when he gets there.” Sienna chuckled.
There was a knock on the apartment door. Bailey tensed and looked at the clock on her nightstand. “I think he’s here.”
“I’ll get it.” Faith leaped off the bed and out of the room.
“I should finish getting ready.”
“Bails, one more thing. I know you intend to take it slow with Lucas.” Sienna’s tone was encouragingly soft. “He’s not Andrew or Craig, and not even Kevin. Remember that okay, chica?”
Faith returned. “It’s Lucas’s driver. He said to take all the time you need.”
Bailey frowned and sucked her teeth. “Did you hear that, Sie? He sent his driver to retrieve me. He’s not like the rest? He sure as hell is starting off like the rest, that’s for damn sure.”
“Let his first slipup slide,” Sienna advised her.
“Yeah, yeah, we’ll talk later.” Ending the call, Bailey took out her tiny pearl studs from her jewelry box and hastily put them in her ears. She applied her pink lip gloss, grabbed the packed duffel bag from the floor, and then turned to Faith and gave her a hug. “I guess I’ll see you later.”
“Have fun.”
Releasing one last calming breath, she headed out, still unsure if she was doing the right thing by taking this step forward with Lucas Marx.
Seeing Kevin approaching, Bailey paused on her way to the car.
“Hey, Kev.” She caught his questioning look when he glanced from her to the parked limo, and then back at her.
“Hey, doll.” Kevin drew her close and kissed her cheek. “So it’s like that, huh?” He gestured with a head nod over at the limo.
“I’m going out with a friend.”
“A friend that rolls high dollar, I see.” Bailey figured her blush told him what she meant by friend.
Lucas got out of the car, and the harsh scowl that blanketed Kevin’s face made her wince.
“I often wondered what was your type. Obviously, I wasn’t it,” he said as he held his glare upon the other man. “Now I know I would’ve never measured up for you.”
Bailey gasped, offended. “Why would you say something like that?” Bitter resentment reflected back at her in his dark eyes. “It’s not like that. You know how I feel about you. I care for you. We’re friends.”
“Oh it’s exactly like that, Bailey.”
“Kev, this shouldn’t change our friendship.” He didn’t respond. “Can we talk later?” She reached for his hand, but he pulled it back.
“Talk about what? What else is there to say? You’ve made it clear. Crystal. I’m late for my set. I stopped by to get something from my place. You enjoy your night.” He walked on and then turned around, walking backward as he said, “I have a show in Baltimore coming up. I was gonna invite you, but I wouldn’t want you to have to slum it with me.” With a head nod at the limo, he muttered, “Your boy’s getting impatient. You better get going.” He turned and strolled off to his apartment.
Hurt by his words, Bailey stood there staring at Kevin’s apartment door contemplating if she should go to him to try to smooth things over between them. They’d always been good friends. She’d hate if they couldn’t remain so.
Chapter Thirteen
Lucas sat patiently inside his car waiting for Bailey to join him to begin their first date. The operative word there was first—as if he would want a second. He mentally chuckled at the notion. It had been a long time since he’d second dated a woman that piqued his interest. And he’d never worked harder to get a woman to spend a few hours with him in his life. He typically considered an evening out such as this to be just that, one evening. If she didn’t manage to bore him into a coma by the end of dinner, their involvement typically lasted three, maybe six months before he eventually became bored anyway. Yet, there was something about Bailey Walters that had him anxious, in fact, eager to spend a mere evening with her, while already looking forward to their next date and the one after that. His cell phone rang. “Yes,” he answered without checking the display, absorbed in his thoughts.
“You had better not hurt her, Lucas. I swear if you do—”
“Hello, Sienna.”
“I’m serious. Bailey is near and dear to me.”
“You need not worry. I have no intentions of harming a single hair on her head.”
“Don’t play. You know I don’t mean physically.” When there was no reply, she snickered. “I hope you enjoy your evening.”
“Of course, you know where we’re going,” he said dryly.
“Yes, I know, and don’t even think to try to get it out of me.”
Lucas sat up and slid over to
see around Isaac’s frame standing beside the door. “Sienna, have a good evening.” He abruptly ended the call and would have sworn time slowed to a crawl to allow his brain to track every nanosecond of the most stunning vision that stepped out of the apartment. He was attuned to her every movement as she made her way down the walk.
Her ponytail was a thick mass of curls that bounced at her back with each sauntering step she took. Her high, plump breasts gently sprung up and down in the floral top she wore. Its sheer fabric caught the light breeze, revealing the solid red shell underneath and just a hint of her taut abdomen.
His eyes followed the synchronized sway of her slender hips, tracking every fraction of the movements she made in those navy-blue short shorts that sat low on her hips.
There was a healthy radiance to her honey-brown complexion, like that of summer wheat in a field bathing in the sun. Lucas gnashed his teeth, hating how ridiculous verses always popped into his head when he looked at her. But, man, how he loved the look of her satiny smooth skin. How he yearned to run his hands all over her, starting with her silky legs, the sleek, shapely form of her thighs and calves. No doubt those legs would wrap like a gift around him.
She was carrying a duffel bag. Isaac stepped to assist her, but she waved him off. Lucas allowed for a second the notion that her bag meant that whatever she had planned for them, it included her spending the night with him. He quickly pushed the thought away, not wanting to get his hopes up—or his dick for that matter.
Her stride slowed to a stop with a look over to her right. A cheerful smile was offered to the man heading her way.
Isaac stuck his head inside the car. “Should I handle it, boss?”
“No,” Lucas replied. The two seemed to be very familiar with one another.
She turned her cheek up to accept the kiss from the African American man sporting the blond dreadlocks and carrying a guitar case. Kevin.
Seeing Kevin’s hand intimately holding her at her waist, Lucas bit the inside of his cheek to tamp down his irritation, and surprisingly, his jealousy, assuming Kevin was the type of man she went for.
They once dated and were now friends, she’d said. The way Kevin looked at her, touched her ... just friends my ass.
Stepping out of the car, he worked at keeping his cool as he studied their interaction to try to determine for himself where Kevin scaled in that so-called friendship.
As the man went on his way, she stood there, looking as though she might follow. Not going to happen.
“Bailey,” Lucas called to her. He walked up, took hold of the duffel bag, and led her to the car.
They both turned to the man jogging across the street toward them while calling out her name. He came to a stop before them. Lucas gave a side look at Isaac. His six-foot-six broad frame took a casual, loose side step, his relaxed demeanor belying his lethal readiness to step in should the situation require it.
“Bailey, hey.”
“Uh, hey, Dale,” she said, and he delivered a smile, showing dingy tobacco-stained teeth as he gave Lucas a once over. “Faith’s inside.” She didn’t bother introducing them.
“I know, I just texted her.” A short snort. “And yeah, I know, I know, Faith told me I’m not allowed into your crib. No worries.” There was a hint of mocking in his tone. Sticking his hands in the front pockets of his jeans, jeans that had seen better days, he said, “You two going out on the town limo style? Nice.”
“We should get going,” Bailey replied with complete dismissal of the man’s comment.
“Well, enjoy your night.” Dale walked on.
“Yep, you too.” It was said with little feeling.
She started to climb in, but pivoted to Lucas behind her.
“I have to tell your driver where to go.” Stepping over to Isaac, she introduced herself before taking hold of his arm to have him lean down in order to whisper in his ear.
Lucas glowered over her body’s close proximity to Isaac’s. He was still battling with his jealousy over observing her with Kevin. The fact that the man lived directly across from her didn’t sit well with him.
Seeing her with Isaac, he watched as a subtle smirk formed across the man’s mouth as she whispered in his ear. She then drew back and said, “You can’t tell him.” Isaac nodded without hesitation. Seldom did Lucas see the man ever so much as grin. She had Isaac working facial muscles he hardly ever used.
Stepping back from his driver, she turned and offered a feeble smile before getting into the car. Lucas placed the duffel bag on the floor and settled in next to her. There was a crestfallen dimness in her eyes.
“Who was that, and why isn’t he allowed inside your place?” he asked.
“My friend Faith’s boyfriend. It’s a long story, one I don’t feel like getting into right now.” She looked out the window in the direction of Kevin’s apartment.
“I assume the other man you were speaking to was Kevin.” He managed to keep the irritation contained. “Care to tell me what he said that upset you?”
“It’s not important.”
Deciding to table the Kevin issue for the moment and draw her attention away from the other man, he asked, “What’s in the bag? Let me guess, your overnight clothes.”
“No, but maybe we should stop by your place for you to change. I said casual and comfortable, Lucas, not a designer black button-down and tailored black slacks.” Looking at his shoes, a pair of soft, black leather loafers, she pointed at his feet. “Those are really nice. Again, five hundred dollar shoes aren’t appropriate for where we’re going.”
“Try eleven hundred. You have a thing for shoes?” He was glad to see a hint of a smile surface upon her lips. That damn Kevin chump had just about tainted the evening with whatever he’d said to her.
“Very. They’re my one weakness. Sienna calls me the black Carrie Bradshaw.” Seeing his puzzled look, she attempted to clarify. “You know, Sarah Jessica Parker—Sex and the City.”
“If you say so.”
She sighed and didn’t say more.
“I am casual and comfortable.” Lucas ran his gaze over her beautiful features, on down her tantalizing body. His palms itched to slide over her smooth bare legs. He took hold of a lock of curl resting on her shoulder and twirled the silky spiral around his index finger. “You look exquisite.” Sliding over closer to her, he leaned in at her shoulder and came within a hair of her flesh. She took in a long breath and a slow release as he dragged his nose from her collarbone up her delicate neck to her cheek, giving her a light peck there, then drew back, his eyes meeting hers. “And you smell incredibly delicious.”
“Behave yourself.” She inched away. “Will you behave yourself tonight, Mr. Marx?”
“Behave? There has never been any fun in that.” He winked.
Chapter Fourteen
“So where are you taking me? Surely you can reveal it now. Does it involve the two of us tangled together in cool sheets?” He playfully wiggled his brows.
The image that flashed in Bailey’s head of Lucas’s face buried between her spread thighs had her pressing her legs together to suppress the budding throb. Man oh man. The car’s cabin grew warmer all of a sudden. She would swear the temperature rose a good ten degrees just then.
He was the one that smelled incredibly delicious. His combined scent of light cologne and clean male were affecting her hormones as some sort of addicting pheromone. Getting ahold of herself, she said, “I take it you don’t care much for surprises.”
“Only when I’m the one doing the surprising.” Seeing her fan herself with her hand as she scanned the buttons on the console, he reached across her, and turned up the AC. “How’s that?”
With him practically in her lap, she got another good whiff of his scent. Staring at his neck so close to her, she fought back the urge to lick his skin. Get a grip, Bailey, damn! His face then came in close, practically nose to nose, with eyes peering into hers.
“Are you comfortable?” he asked.
That low throat
y voice stretched on in her head for long seconds. Sex. That was what his voice sounded like, that deep rumbling that followed after a good, long orgasmic release. Heaven’s mercy!
“Th-that’s better, thanks. So, you only like surprises when you’re in control.” Subtly, Bailey reared back and moistened her lips, biting down hard on the bottom one in chastisement for the erotic images that ran through her head of him spread out naked upon that custom size bed of his.
“I haven’t had control where you are concerned from the moment we met.” A half grin played at the corner of his mouth. He was baiting her, she realized.
“I beg to differ. You’ve been trying to control this thing between us from the very start.” Just then, his cell phone that was stationed on the console rang. She released a subtle breath of relief when he moved away to check the display.
“It’s my business line. It will go to voice mail. Is it working?”
“Is what working?” Imagining the many ways she’d like to explore his magnificent physique, she’d lost their trail of conversation.
“Do I hold the control here?” He playfully wiggled his brows again, and she rolled her eyes. “I better stop while I’m ahead ... if I’m ahead. With you, I’m never quite certain.”
Turning away, Bailey pretended to look out of the window as she closed her eyes briefly and quietly exhaled. She was shamefully attracted to the man, to the point that all he had to do was smile, and she wanted to rip his clothes off. What is wrong with me? It had to be her three-year lack of sex causing her to react this way, she concluded. What else could it be?
“There were workers in my kitchen again this morning. I stopped by to view the progress,” he remarked.
Composing herself, she turned her head back to him. “Yes, Kara mentioned that you’re staying at a friend’s. I know renovations can be a major inconvenience.”
“His name’s Gavin Crane, a longtime friend, and my GM.”
She nodded. “I e-mailed Kara the work schedule, and she responded saying that she’d be there to monitor the work. When I stopped by this afternoon, the floors were finished, the appliances were on the truck parked out front, and most of the cabinets were in. This crew is very efficient. Sandra is paying them extra since they are being pulled from another job to work solely on your place, putting in overtime to get it finished by tomorrow.” Talking business helped.
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