Evidence of Desire

by Pamela Yaye

  “But I wanted that one!”

  Azure wore a sympathetic smile. “You’ll get something bigger and better. You’ll see.”

  Tears splashed onto her little black dress, and her nose started running like a leaky faucet. “Don’t you get it? I’m finished. Done. My modeling career is over!”

  “Eden, you’re only twenty-seven.”

  “I might as well be eighty,” she muttered, folding her arms. “Twenty-seven is ancient in the modeling world. The jobs are drying up, and these days no one wants to book me.”

  Azure tried to empathize, to comfort her younger sister, but it wasn’t easy. All her life, Eden had teased and ridiculed her and even after all these years, her cruel taunts still played in her mind. “You’re still young,” she said, pulling her chair closer and rubbing Eden’s back, “and there are a lot of other things you can do besides modeling.”

  “Like what?”

  “Well, what do you like to do?”

  “I—I—I don’t know,” she stammered, snatching a napkin off the table and cleaning her face. “I’ve never done anything besides modeling, and to be honest, I don’t even know what I like.”

  “Then let’s talk, and generate some ideas. How does that sound?”

  “You make it sound so easy. I’m not like you, Alice. I’ll never have the life you have.”

  “The life I have?” she repeated, confused. “What are you talking about?”

  “You have the best of both worlds. You’re smart and beautiful.”

  At her sister’s words—words of admiration and respect—Azure’s world flipped upside down on its head. Did Eden just pay me a compliment? A real, genuine compliment?

  “All I have are my looks. That’s it.” Eden blew into her napkin. “I don’t have a master’s degree to fall back on, and because the modeling world is so cutthroat, I’ve made very few friends in the business. I don’t have anyone, Alice. Don’t you get it?”

  “You’ll always have me, Eden. We’re sisters. I’ll help you get through this.”

  “God, my life is such a mess! What am I going to do? I have nothing!”

  “Don’t talk like that. You have your home, your family and Renault.”

  Her sister gave a cold, bitter laugh. “Right. All that man cares about is himself.”

  “You guys will be okay. He supports you and loves you—”

  “Not unconditionally. Not the way Harper loves you.”

  Azure gave a nervous laugh, shifted around as if she were sitting in the proverbial hot seat. She needed a minute, a moment to process her sister’s words. Could it be true? Did Harper share her feelings? He was everything she wanted, needed and more. Attentive, loving, so damn tender she teared up just thinking about all the sweet things he’d said to her last night in bed.

  “Alice, that man’s crazy about you. I see it in the way he looks at you, the way he touches you. It’s as if you are the only woman in the world. He’s blind to every other girl, and it’s obvious that he loves you very much.” Eden made a face. “I’ve always been jealous of you, and after meeting Harper, I hate you even more!”

  Azure was glad she was sitting down, because keeling over in her striped, fitted Michael Kors dress wouldn’t have been cute. “Jealous of me?” she repeated, touching a hand to her pounding chest. “Why? I’m not thin, or glamorous, or—”

  “You have everything going for you, that’s why. A successful career, tons of friends, a ridiculously gorgeous man who only has eyes for you. I’d trade places with you in a heartbeat!”

  To make her sister laugh, she teased, “But then you couldn’t have Leonardo DiCaprio.”

  “But I’d have Harper Hamilton.” A devilish twinkle in her eyes, she seductively licked her lips. “Sounds like a fair trade to me. Your new husband is filthy, stinkin’ rich and fine as hell!”

  Chapter 17

  “You’ve been a naughty boy, and Madame Adore is going to make you pay!”

  Harper glanced up from his computer. His beer bottle slipped from his hand and fell to the carpet. Bolting upright in his chair, he watched with wide eyes and a dry mouth as Azure sashayed into his office wearing a tight, see-through french maid costume that kissed every glorious curve on her body. She was clutching a leather whip and smacked it on the floor as she strutted toward him. “Azure, baby, what’s, um, going on?”

  “It’s Madame Adore,” she reminded, wearing a saucy smile. “Now stand up.”

  Harper shot to his feet. He’d never been so turned on, and when Azure came around the desk and pushed him up against the wall, he felt an electric shock rip through him. He opened his mouth, but she silenced him by pressing a finger to his lips.

  “No talking.” Azure gave his belt buckle a hard tug, then unzipped his jeans. “Relax, baby, and let Madame Adore make all your fantasies come true.”

  Then she lowered herself to the carpet, yanked down his boxer briefs and sucked his erection into her warm, moist mouth—

  “Earth to Mr. Hamilton.”

  Harper blinked twice, hit Pause on the erotic movie playing in slow motion in his mind and surged to his feet. Leveling a hand over his suit jacket, he cleared his throat and smiled apologetically at Judge Hackett. “I’m sorry, Your Honor, but can you repeat the question?”

  “I know you’re in baby-making mode,” the judge began, her eyebrows raised sky-high, “and probably counting down the seconds until you see your blushing bride again, but while you’re in court, please try and stay focused.”

  The court reporter tittered, the security guards posted on either side of the bench grinned and opposing counsel—a dark-skinned man who swaggered around like John Shaft—taunted him under his breath. Harper heard snickering in the gallery and knew Judge Hackett’s dig would make it around the courthouse within the hour. He’d never had a problem with the wisecracking judge before, but if he wanted to remain on her good side and avoid being the butt of her jokes for the rest of the day, he had to get his head in the game.

  Harper wore a confident smile, one to assure the judge that he was back in control, but inside he released a deep, troubled sigh. Courtrooms were his domain, his space, the place where he felt most comfortable, but these days, he’d rather be at home with Azure than in court. Thoughts of her consumed him, made it impossible for him to concentrate. His desire for her was destroying him. At the office, he fantasized about sexing her on the photocopier; in court, he imagined doing Azure on the judge’s bench, and his lustful images were so intense he had to take a cold shower as soon as he got home. They didn’t help any. Every time he showered, he wished Azure was with him, treating him to some of her amazing tongue action.

  “Where is your client, Mr. Hamilton? It’s nine o’clock, and I am prepared to start.”

  Harper scanned the gallery for Mr. Cheung. He didn’t see the executive director of Stantec Engineering, but he did see his dad, Jake and Benjamin seated in the last row. Great, his family was there to witness his humiliation. Harper wanted to kick himself—hard. He couldn’t believe he’d been so busy daydreaming about Azure he’d failed to notice that his client hadn’t showed up. Worse still, he couldn’t wipe her image out of his mind. Or the scent of her perfume. Or the sound of her voice when she came—

  “I’m waiting, Mr. Hamilton. Where is he?”

  “I don’t know, Your Honor.”

  “Have you tried calling him?”

  Dodging the question, he wore a confused face. “I spoke to Mr. Cheung this morning and he assured me he’d be here,” Harper explained, hoping Judge Hackett wouldn’t press him for more details because he didn’t have any. He’d called the disgraced businessman at home, from his office, but when Azure came into the room to kiss him goodbye, he’d rushed his client off the phone and promised to phone him back. But Harper never did. One thing led to another, and another,
and by the time they were finished making love he had to leave for court. In the car, he’d called Azure, and they talked until he reached the courthouse. Hence the reason why he looked like Boo-Boo the Fool now.

  “This is very unlike Mr. Cheung. My client is a reliable, upstanding man, and he was looking forward to coming to court today and telling his side of the story.”

  “Then where is he, Mr. Hamilton?”

  “I know this case has been delayed twice,” he began, stepping forward, “but I’m requesting the case be remanded until next week.”

  Judge Hackett pointed a finger at him. “You have until one o’clock this afternoon, Mr. Hamilton, and not a second more. I suggest you go find your client fast.”

  “Thank you, Judge Hackett.”

  “And, Mr. Hamilton?”

  “Yes, Your Honor?”

  Her eyes were narrowed, but a smirk was playing on her thin pink lips. “No more daydreaming in court. Fantasize about your wife on your own time, got it?”

  Snickers and chuckles swept through the courtroom.

  The judge banged her gavel, and the crowd dispersed. Harper gathered his files, shoved them into his briefcase and sped out of the courtroom like a man on a mission.

  “Son, a word.”

  Harper stopped and pivoted around. Luckily, it was just his father standing in the hallway, and not his cousin Jake or his brother Benjamin. “Hey, Dad, what are you doing here? I thought you were meeting one of your old law school buddies for breakfast.”

  “He canceled, so I came down here to watch the proceedings.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m sorry you wasted your time. My client didn’t show, so I’m off to go find him and bring him to court before Judge Hackett issues a warrant for his arrest.”

  “I know, son. I saw, and I heard.” Frank clapped him on the shoulder. “Come by the house for dinner tonight. Seven o’clock sharp.”

  Harper tried to remain calm, unfazed, but he was sweating like Mark Fuhrman on the witness stand. The last time his dad had summoned him to the house he’d dropped a bombshell. That was the miserable day he’d learned that his cousin Jake was joining the family law firm. His life had never been the same again. Jake was a “man’s man,” one with killer charm and an eye for the ladies, and within weeks of joining the firm, he had not one, but two millionaire clients. “I can’t, Dad.” Harper shook his head to emphasize his point. “I need to prep for this case, and—”

  “It’s not a suggestion, son. It’s an order.”

  Then Mr. Hamilton strode off.

  * * *

  When Harper turned into his parents’ cobblestone driveway and saw all the sports cars parked along the circular lawn, he frowned. What were his brothers and cousins doing here? This afternoon, at the courthouse, he’d sensed that his father wanted to speak to him alone, in private, and Harper was curious how his family members factored into the equation.

  Harper scooped his cell phone out of the center console and was surprised to see he had three new text messages from Azure. When he read the first one, a smile crowned his lips. The second message caused desire to shoot through his veins, and after reading the third text, he actually considered firing the engine back up and going home. Seduction via BlackBerry, he thought, sliding out of the car and heading up the walkway. I like.

  His parents’ longtime housekeeper let him in, and Harper headed straight for the media room. He could hear the TV and loud voices, and the scent of popcorn and beer saturated the air. As Harper entered the room and unzipped his jacket, he decided this was going to be a short, in-and-out visit. He wanted to get home—to Azure—and hoped when he did, she’d do everything she promised in her salacious text messages.

  The Lakers game was on, trash talk was flowing and oversize food platters covered the bar. The whole gang was there, even Griffin, and the firm’s toughest attorney rarely hung out after hours. At the end of a long workday, the Philly native would rather head home or to the gym, but Harper knew his colleague loved Southern food, and his dad had ordered enough catfish and black-eyed peas to feed the Philadelphia Eagles football team.

  “We didn’t expect to see you tonight, big guy,” Benjamin said, acknowledging his older brother with a nod. “Did the little misses say it was okay for you to come watch the game, or did you have to sneak out of the house?”

  Everyone in the media room chuckled.

  “Go on, son. Fix yourself a plate.”

  Harper told himself he was just going to sample the honey barbecue wings, but after plucking one out of the container and taking a bite, he piled his plate high.

  “What happened this afternoon in court?” Jake asked, glancing away from the TV. “Were you able to track down your client?”

  Harper nodded. “I sure did, and Mr. Cheung was so convincing on the witness stand I saw a couple of the female jurors tear up when he talked about how the false accusations against him have affected his wife and children.”

  “I’m glad you redeemed yourself, cousin, because Judge Hackett is one of the toughest judges in the state, and if you piss her off you’re toast!”

  Chuckling, his dad clapped a hand on his shoulder and steered him toward the back of the room. “Harper, what can I get you from the bar?”

  A picture of Azure, in his living room, sprawled out on his granite bar, her naked body glistening with sweat, flashed in Harper’s mind. A shudder ripped down his spine, and his knees buckled like a folding chair. To keep from losing his footing and falling flat on his face, he gripped the counter. Images of a naked Azure had been popping up in his mind all day. All week actually. And it happened at the most inopportune times. Like when he was visiting a sick client in the hospital, in the middle of his talk at Temple’s law school and every time he closed his eyes to pray for strength to overcome his overwhelming desire for her.

  Harper tried to break free of his thoughts, but he couldn’t get Azure out of his mind. She was his obsession. Had been since the first time they kissed. Making love to her, moving and thrusting deep inside her, was the greatest feeling in the world, but consummating their marriage had created a whole slew of new problems. Harper thought scratching the itch would make his desire for Azure go away, but these days he wanted her more than ever. She tasted just that sweet. Being with Azure was easy, effortless, as natural as breathing, and when they were apart, all he could think about was holding her again. Last night, after making love, they’d cuddled in bed for hours, talking about any and every subject—pop culture, their wedding ceremony, their dreams for the future. And for those few precious minutes before they drifted off to sleep, life was perfect. They were just a man and a woman without emotional baggage or painful pasts, a husband and wife team in every sense of the word.

  “It’s not a life-changing decision, son. Either you want a drink or you don’t.”

  Harper blinked, returned his wayward mind to the present. “I’ll have water,” he croaked, loosening his tie. “A tall, cold glass of water.”

  His dad stepped behind the bar, and Harper slid onto one of the swivel stools. His parents’ house resembled a show home, like something a Realtor would show to his celebrity clients, and as Harper glanced around the sleek, sophisticated media room, he couldn’t help wondering if his dad kept buying expensive, state-of-the-art gadgets to fill the void in his life. His mother’s career had taken off, and these days she spent more time at her downtown studio than at home. His father never complained, but Harper knew his dad didn’t like his mom working eighty hours a week. Frank was old-fashioned, a traditionalist, who believed a woman’s place was at home, with her family, not in the boardroom. Or in his mother’s case, in glitzy European fashion houses.

  “Everything okay at home?” Frank set a glass of water down in front of his son, then studied him closely. “Have you and Azure been getting along?”

  In ways and positions
you wouldn’t believe. Harper grabbed his glass and didn’t stop drinking until it was empty. “Yeah, Dad, things are going great,” he said, resting his glass on the counter. “Azure’s an amazing woman, and we have a real good time together.”

  …Kissing, sexing, doing things in the bedroom that are too hot for the adult-only channel! And as soon as I get home, I am going to do Azure in my Jacuzzi tub!

  “Keep your wits about you, son. I don’t want to get bamboozled like the last time.”

  Harper felt his jaw stiffen, his shoulders tense up. His dad’s words bothered him, made him want to lash out. Azure was nothing like his ex, and he resented his father for implying that she was. Azure did everything right. She made a “perfect” cup of coffee, was a whiz at crossword puzzles, had a wicked sense of humor and kept him guessing in the bedroom. One day, she’d bum-rush him in the shower, the next she’d don a sexy costume and order him to bed and last night she’d pleasured him while he sat behind his desk reviewing his weekly agenda. What man wouldn’t love that? “Azure is the best thing that ever happened to me, Dad. She’s honest, and sincere, and I couldn’t imagine my life without her.”

  Harper was surprised by the words that came out of his mouth, but they were true. And that scared him. His pulse took a nosedive and sweat skidded down the back of his pin-striped dress shirt. People in his social circle married for money or power, sometimes both, but rarely for love. The truth was, Harper didn’t know if he believed in love, didn’t know if he could ever fully trust anyone with his heart. Sure, his parents had been married for over thirty years, but these days they seemed distant and were often cold to each other.

  “Azure seems like a nice young lady with a good head on her shoulders, but she’s a reporter, and you know what they’re like.”

  “No, Dad, I don’t. Why don’t you tell me?”

  “Reporters are sneaky, cutthroat types who’ll do anything for a headline. And,” he stressed, raising a finger in the air, “your wife works for Leland Watson. That man would sell out his own mama for a story!”