The doctor catches himself before falling to the ground. He rolls his shoulders and shakes out his arms. “You’re nuts! And the two of you”—he points to Rochelle and Keehan—“can have each other. You’re both a mess!” he snarls, and cuts his way through the crowd and out of the club.
I come up around Gloria, who is standing there with wide eyes watching it all go down. I lean down near her ear and slip an extra couple of hundred dollars into her hand. “Now’s the time for you to disappear. A tip for a job well done.” I wink, and she grins, waving as she slinks through the patrons to head home. She’s already been paid handsomely by the agency, but extra cash never hurt anyone, and she did do an excellent job making Rochelle jealous and Keehan feel like the strong man he is. Though the Hercules he became when the doctor touched Rochelle inappropriately was not something I expected he had hidden inside of him.
Rochelle throws her arms around Keehan, planting her face against his neck. He wraps his arms around her and runs his hands up her bare back until her rapid-fire breathing slows and his own temper gentles.
“If you weren’t here . . . Ugh, I can’t believe I was so stupid. Rubbing up on him like that,” she admits.
“Why the hell were you doing that? I’ve never seen you act so wanton.” His words are a fiery brand on her ego, and she pulls back but doesn’t take her arms from around his neck, nor does he let her go.
“I was trying to make you as jealous as you were making me!” Her voice rises with her agitation. “Although I’m not sure you could see anything with Gloria all over you like a wet freakin’ blanket.”
“She was not all over me. We were dancing. Unlike you, grindin’ all over the blubbering idiot I kicked out.”
“Are you saying it was my fault he grabbed me inappropriately?” She flings herself back again, her face losing its calm and composure.
Keehan locks his hands around her waist above her ample ass so she can’t move away. “Absolutely not. No woman is asking to be groped unless that man is her man.”
She places a hand on his chest. “And what was that about you calling me your woman?”
“You are,” he grinds out.
Her gaze narrows, the lights of the club making specks of color dance across her face. “Am not! Says who?” she demands angrily.
“Says me. I’m tired of this dance, Chelle. I’ve been your man for the last decade, and it’s high time I be your man in all the ways that count.” He runs both of his hands down to her ass and squeezes her against him.
“What are you doing?” she cries out in surprise, but holds on to his neck, bringing her body closer, instead of pushing away like she did with the doctor.
“Groping my woman,” he states honestly.
Her mouth opens and her eyes blaze, but before she can fire off a saucy retort, he slams his lips over hers.
I want to applaud as the two go at it on the dance floor, mouths fused, hands groping.
“Damn. I thought she was hot for me. Shee-it. It was nothing compared to the way she’s lightin’ up for him.”
Keehan holds Rochelle close, one of his hands firmly on her ass, lifting her up against him, the other tunneled into her hair, holding her face to his so he can devour her. And devour he does.
“Um, I’m wondering if I should stop this before they tear one another’s clothes off in the middle of the club.”
Royce chuckles and nods. “Yeah, that kiss is . . . still going.”
“Like the Energizer Bunny. Jesus Christ. I’ll break it up.” I head over to the couple sucking face, giving the entire club one helluva show, and tap Keehan on the shoulder.
He shrugs off my touch, focused solely on the woman he’s kissing.
“Keehan, man, you gotta let up. Take your girl and get out of here,” I suggest loud enough to break through their lust.
“Huh?” He pulls away, and his unfocused gaze centers on mine before he looks around the club. “Shit. Chelle, sweetheart, we gotta take this elsewhere.” He hooks a hand around her waist, and she looks dazedly around her before she starts giggling.
Rochelle, giggling. Not something I expected I’d ever witness with the fiery female.
“’K, your place or mine?”
“Mine’s closer,” he rumbles, and clears his throat.
She laughs. “You’re on the tenth floor, and I’m the penthouse.”
“Like I said, my place is closer.” He nips at her lips, and she melts against his side. “Come on. I think we’ve got some life-altering things to discuss.”
“Oh, we’re not talking.” Her statement is more of a suggestion of what they’ll be doing, which probably doesn’t include conversation.
Keehan looks down at the woman he’s gone for and smiles. “All right, making love until you fall asleep exhausted in my arms, then talking over breakfast.”
She hums against his neck and nuzzles him there. Keehan’s smile, when he looks up at me, is a moment I’ll never forget. Seeing a man with his arms full of the one thing he wanted more than anything else in life, something he never thought he’d have . . . powerful. The joy and relief at securing the love of his life is an incredible moment to witness.
Keehan leads Rochelle toward the door.
Royce calls out to them, and the couple stop and look back. Keehan, none too pleased with being interrupted in his goal of getting the woman of his dreams home and in his bed, has an angry expression plastered across his face. Rochelle is happily dazed as she tilts her head.
“Tomorrow afternoon we meet up to go over the staff findings. Then we’re off to Boston tomorrow night.”
“Royce is right. Once we’ve nailed down the issue of who’s embezzling from Renner Financial Services, I don’t think we’re needed here anymore . . . unless of course Rochelle wants us to continue finding her a mate,” I add to ensure Rochelle steps up and fights for her man the way he fought for her.
Keehan’s body stiffens next to her. She sidles up to him, gluing her body to his side. “No, I agree. I most certainly will not be needing your services after we figure out the embezzlement. I’ve finally got the man I want to be with, the right man for me.”
I smile even when Royce’s body language goes from easygoing to solid rock. He’s putting up his walls and applying his armor. I want to extend a friendly word or a gesture of some sort, one that says I know what he’s going through, that I’ve felt the sting of rejection in the past myself, but now is not the time, and he wouldn’t welcome it. He’s not that type of guy. He’ll deal with the burn of what wasn’t meant to be in his own way, and I have to let him have that. I’m not his mother—most certainly not his father. All I can do is stay back and be his friend. His brother in this disappointment.
“We’ll see you two around ten,” I state, making sure they know we’re not expecting them to come in early.
Rochelle runs her hand up Keehan’s chest. “Take me home.”
“Better make it noon, fellas. We’re going to be very, very busy.” He licks his lips and looks like he’s about to devour Rochelle right here.
Before he can dip his head, I clap my hands loudly. Both of them jerk and must realize they’re still standing in the club. I smile. “Carry on, then. Be safe.”
Rochelle offers a little wave, and I head to the VIP section to release the men and tell them Rochelle has made her decision. When I get to the section, they’ve all paired off with the models and are enjoying themselves, so I leave them be.
Royce takes the steps behind me and glances around the area. “Damn, we’re good. Matchmaking motherfuckers.” He shakes his head, and I laugh.
I clap Roy on the shoulder. “Come on. Drinks on me, brother.”
He nods and follows me to the bar silently. When we get a seat, the bartender puts a whiskey in front of him and a fresh gin and tonic in front of me, and I lift my glass to his.
“To another successful job.”
He clinks his glass against mine. “Cheers.”
We both sip our drinks, and then I
stare at his big dark form, the lights making his normally kind face look a bit more sinister. “You upset she chose Keehan?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Nah. Wasn’t meant to be, like you said.”
“Still, you liked her,” I note softly, not wanting to rub it in.
“Yeah, I did, but I think I liked the idea of her more.”
I frown and set my drink on the napkin in front of me. “How so?”
“It’s time, man.” He’s dead serious.
I cock an eyebrow. “Time?”
“For me to settle down. Feel it in my bones.” He lifts his shoulders as if he’s feeling something right this very second in his body.
“Momma Sterling pressuring you?” I know his mother is one meddling woman.
He laughs and sips his drink. “Always, but not more than usual. She wants me to be happy, so of course she brings up the benefits of a good woman.” He sighs. “Want to have something to look forward to at home. Something waiting for me. A warm body to sleep next to. A woman I can love and dote on, put my babies in her and watch them grow. It’s time,” he says again matter-of-factly.
I nod.
“Do you feel that yourself with Skyler?”
I shrug. “I know I love her and can’t wait to tell her. I have a feeling she loves me and is waiting to tell me too. She’s mentioned moving to Boston, and I’m all for it. Mostly because, like a lot of the things you said, I want to come home to her. I see Sky, and I want to tell her everything that happened in my day and am genuinely interested in what happened in hers. I want to shove my fist in the face of every costar she has but glory in the fact that they may get to pretend with her, but I get the real thing. I get all of Sky’s morning smiles and sleepy hellos. I get all of her good nights. And her beautiful body is mine to worship. If that’s what you mean by feel it, then hell yeah, man, I feel it with Sky.”
Royce chuckles and claps my back. “Happy for you. I can imagine it’s not easy being in a relationship with a celebrity, but the two of you seem to be handling it A-OK.”
“I’d do anything to be with Skyler. Now that I’ve had her, all of her, I’ll never want for anything else. Her fame is an inconvenience and nothing more.”
“Good man. Now update me on the ex and his threats. What all did Wendy find?”
I sneer and suck back the rest of my gin and tonic in one go.
“Shee-it. That bad?” His eyebrows rise up on his forehead.
I raise the glass to the bartender. “Another round, please.”
He nods, and Royce finishes his whiskey.
“Yeah, it’s that bad.” I grit my teeth and hold my hands in fists until the bartender brings our refreshers.
“Lay it on me, brother.”
9
The next morning, Royce and I walk through the offices of Renner Financial Services to find Helen back from her vacation and making coffee. The woman is painfully thin, but when she turns around, I’m shocked at how much she looks like Rochelle. Similar hair, makeup application, and attire. Pencil skirt, stilettos, and a silk blouse. What she’s wearing honestly could have come direct from Rochelle’s closet.
I frown and glance at Roy. “You seeing what I’m seeing?”
He runs his gaze over the slight woman. “Has no booty, but damn. Girl could be Rochelle’s sister.”
I nod. “Weird,” I whisper, before Helen smiles and greets us.
“Gentlemen. I’m back and ready to find out the goods. Did you find Rochelle a match?” Her eyes are more excited than should warrant for a simple employee. Then again, she did say she’d worked here for ages.
“Client came to her own conclusions about the opposite sex and the individual’s contribution to her life,” Royce offers vaguely.
She grins wide and squeals. “Eek. I can read between the lines. She’s got a man, but you can’t say one way or another because you’re all professional and smooth operators!”
“We’re just going to go on in and wait for Rochelle, if you don’t mind.”
Obviously excited, she waves a hand and leads us into her boss’s office. “Have a seat. I can get you some coffee . . .”
Before either of us can accept, Rochelle and Keehan enter the room, both with dazzling smiles and a bounce to their steps. A lot of sex will do that for you. It’s exactly how I feel after a weekend with Skyler.
Helen’s head lifts and turns to the door, but her eyes are not on welcoming her boss; they are focused solely on Keehan. “Hi, Keehan,” she whispers throatily.
“Hey, Helen!” He greets her warmly, hooks an arm around her shoulders, and squeezes, giving her a side hug. “Long time no see. How was the time off?”
She shrugs and pouts like a woman flirting and trying to get a man to look at her mouth. “It would have been better if I’d had a man like you to share it with.” Her eye color changes from a deep brown to coal black, and I can practically see the animated cartoon hearts floating around her head.
Keehan nods. “Now that I understand.” He rubs her arm, and she sighs.
Then Keehan continues, not realizing the effect his touch and words are having on Helen. “If I didn’t have Chelle to be with on my vacations, they’d be boring as all get-out too!”
Helen’s nostrils flare at the mention of Rochelle, and her expression falters into one of irritation. As quickly as it crosses her face, it’s gone and a fake smile in its place.
I am not getting a good vibe about this interaction.
“Glad to have you back, Helen. It’s been rough without you,” Rochelle states over her shoulder, going to her desk and sitting down.
“I doubt that,” Helen whispers under her breath, but it’s loud enough for me to hear.
“What’s that?” Keehan asks.
“Don’t doubt that.” She blinks up at Keehan prettily.
“You remember the team from International Guy?” Rochelle asks.
Helen’s lips twitch into a scowl for a nanosecond until she turns around and places the fake smile back on her face. “Yes, Ms. Renner. Introductions were made prior to me leaving. I was delighted to see you’d moved forward with your plan.”
“I have,” Rochelle confirms, happiness filling the air in the office with positive energy.
Helen twists her fingers together. “Any sparkling, noteworthy prospects?” Her voice wavers, almost as if everything in her existence is hinging on Rochelle’s answer.
Rochelle’s entire face lights up. “Turns out, I didn’t need IG to find me a match.” Her eyes land on Keehan’s, and he moves from Helen’s side to Rochelle’s.
Helen’s face goes completely blank as she takes in how close Keehan stands to Rochelle. “What do you mean?”
I cant my head and watch her body language and the microexpressions as they flit across her face when Rochelle wraps a possessive arm around Keehan’s waist with her right arm and rests her other hand low on his belly above his belt. A very telling location. Rochelle’s body language telegraphs loud and clear the intimacy she and Keehan have shared.
Helen inhales dramatically, and her hands clench into fists at her side. “I’m not sure I understand.”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Rochelle rubs Keehan’s belly up to his chest and stands by his side, bringing her body closer.
Helen stands stiffly, her eyes blazing white-hot fire. “Not to me, it isn’t,” she grates through clenched teeth.
“Rochelle finally saw what was in front of her all along . . . ,” I add, watching this woman silently fume. If smoke came out of her ears, I wouldn’t be surprised.
“Which is what?” She scowls.
“That Keehan is the man I’ve always desired, and I was too afraid to risk what we already had, of course.” Rochelle laughs, tipping her head up, and Keehan lays a big, fat smacker on her lips in front of all of us.
Helen’s expression contorts into one of shock, then rage. “What!” she screeches unusually loud, almost as if it is ripped right from her very lungs.
“You know, you we
re right all along, Helen. Apparently, Rochelle was hot for me,” Keehan jokes, nipping Rochelle’s lips. “We’re together now. Isn’t it fantastic!” He’s gazing into Rochelle’s face. He’s a man with the entire world in his arms, and he knows it.
“No! All the conversations we’ve had. You said . . . you said you were only friends, and she’d never see you that way!” Helen’s response is one of a scorned lover, not a friendly employee.
Keehan and Rochelle both cut their gazes to Helen, but it’s Keehan who speaks first. “I thought you’d be happy for us. You were always saying how I needed to get out, find a woman of my own. Someone I could take care of, who could take care of me.” He eases his woman’s chest to his front. “Rochelle has always been that, and we finally realized what we had was more than friendship.”
The woman digs her hands into her hair and pulls at the waves, screeching, “This can’t be happening!” She shakes her head back and forth, her entire face darkens, and her pupils are completely black.
I feel like I’m having an out-of-body experience while watching a demon take over the petite body of Helen Humphrey.
“You said she was your friend. You said you weren’t like that with her!” she yells at the top of her lungs.
“Damn, girl, relax.” Royce raises a hand, but she continues in a storm of anger and begins pacing the floor.
“Helen, what’s the matter with you?” Rochelle asks softly. “You’re acting strange. Are you feeling all right?” Rochelle moves out of Keehan’s arms and is set to approach the woman.
I shake my head, and Royce stands up, creating a wall between Helen and the couple. Keehan pulls Rochelle back into his arms protectively.
Helen points a finger at Rochelle. “You get everything! Everything you want. It’s all yours. The job. Money. The man! I’m so tired of being your little pushover doormat! I’m tired of watching you treat men like playthings. I’m tired of watching Keehan pine away for you, year after year, and never once look at me!” Her mouth twists into an ugly sneer. “I’m as good as you. No, better! Because I’m not a stuck-up bitch! My God, Keehan, you can’t possibly want to be with this trick!” Her body jolts with the effort of expelling so much fury, and she stands with her chest heaving and a nasty snarl about her lips.
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