Toting her briefcase, she was dressed in a business suit tailored to her form and emphasizing just what a curvy body she had. She was looking totally professional on one hand, and succulently luscious on the other. Who was she? he wondered. Another doctor? A patient? He seriously didn’t care, just as long as she wasn’t someone’s wife. And from where he was parked, he couldn’t see her left hand to check for a ring.
He felt a smile tug at his lips. She had the cutest shaped ass that he’d ever seen on a woman, and her legs, he thought, could be used for a lot more than just walking. His mind began envisioning them wrapped around him while they made love.
His gaze then moved upward to her face and studied it. She was definitely one stunningly beautiful woman. She had skin the color of chocolate, medium brown hair that was cut just short of hitting her shoulders, and a face with features that usually were too young for his taste. But for some reason, not today and not with her.
Damn.
She had to be about twenty-four, no more than twenty-five at the max. He couldn’t remember the last time he was attracted to a woman that young. But as he continued to watch her every movement, he felt a tugging desire in the pit of his stomach. With every step she took, a part of him couldn’t help but be thankful he’d been born a man.
He saw her reach the door at the same time Devin walked out. They stopped and chatted familiarly. Whatever Devin said made her smile, and simultaneously, every cell in Lake’s body lit up as well. In that instant, he knew he could probably sit there and gaze at her all day. She and Devin ended their conversation, and moments later she entered the building. Devin glanced around the parking lot before noticing where Lake was parked and began walking his way.
Lake tried like hell to pull himself out of his daze. It was simply absurd that he’d spent the last few minutes lusting after a woman so young. Though anyone who knew the Masters brothers would agree that nobody could ever fault or question their taste in women.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Devin said, opening the car door and sliding onto the seat beside him.
“Who is she?” Lake asked before Devin could fasten his seat belt.
Devin glanced over at him with a lifted brow. “Who is who?”
Lake turned the key in the ignition and began backing out of the parking space. “The woman you were just talking to.”
Devin smiled now that he understood the question. “She’s my drug dealer.”
“What!” Lake hit the brakes.
“Whoa, Lake, calm down! It was just a joke,” Devin said, laughing. “At least, it’s one that she and I share. She’s one of my pharmaceutical reps, but it’s an inside joke between the two of us, since she sells me the drugs. And she’s good at what she does. She keeps me and my staff on top of the latest advancements and breakthroughs with the medications I prescribe. I’ve been working with her for at least three years now.”
Lake frowned. “She’s kind of young, isn’t she?”
Devin chuckled. “How old do you think she is?”
“Twenty-four. No more than twenty-five.”
Devin shook his head. “Guess again, and add five years to the highest number.”
Lake swung his head around. It was a good thing that they had come to a traffic light. “She’s thirty?”
“Just about. She will be in less than six months.”
“You sure?”
“Positive. The girls in the office are teasing her about reaching the big three-oh.”
Lake was surprised. She was still a lot younger than what he preferred, but there was an appeal that he just couldn’t shake. “So, what’s her name?”
“Courtney Andrews.”
“Do you know if she’s involved with anyone?”
“Now that’s something I’m not sure about, but I don’t think so, because my secretary has been trying to fix her up with one of her brothers. So far she hasn’t been too successful. Probably because one of my nurses pulled Courtney to the side and told her what a lowlife Christine’s brother is. I’m surprised that you and Courtney haven’t met.”
Lake glanced over at Devin before moving into the intersection. “Why would we have?”
“Because you know some of the same people. She’s Sonya’s cousin.”
Lake’s eyes showed surprise. “Sonya? Mike’s Sonya?”
“Yes,” Devin said, smiling. “Mike’s Sonya.”
Lake recalled that he and Sonya actually met sometime last year before she and Mike had become serious about each other. It had been on a day she dropped by the St. Laurent with Carla to visit with Brandy.
“Too bad you’re going out of town and won’t be attending the wedding on Saturday,” Devin said, interrupting his thoughts. “Courtney is part of the wedding party.”
“Yes, it is too bad,” Lake said, but already his mind was thinking ahead to the day he would be returning to Orlando. And the one thing he intended to do when he got back was make sure he got introduced to Courtney Andrews.
3
When she got to the reception Courtney glanced around the exquisitely decorated ballroom of the St. Laurent Hotel. Mike and Sonya’s wedding had been beautiful, and the vows they had written and recited to each other brought tears to nearly everyone’s eyes.
The way Mike had stood there facing Sonya, staring deep into her eyes while pledging his love and promising to make her happy for the rest of their lives made Courtney long for a man to love her just as much.
“Hello, Courtney Diane.”
She looked up at her uncle Joe. Deep wrinkles now marred a face that used to be ageless, smooth, and extremely handsome. Now it appeared that marriage to the young high-maintenance Suzette had taken its toll. The good looks were still there—if you searched real hard. Overall, he looked tired, whipped, and a lot older than his sixty-two years. She’d recently overheard her parents saying he was routinely working additional hours since Suzette liked nice things and expected her husband to supply her with them, starting with the Porsche he had given her for her twenty-eighth birthday last year. There was also the huge monstrosity of a house he’d had built for her.
Courtney remembered how while she was growing up, Uncle Joe used to brag to everyone about his plans to retire early and not work a day past his sixtieth birthday. He would be sixty-five in three years, and thanks to Suzette, retirement wasn’t in his future any time soon. At one time, she used to think the world of her uncle; he was always her favorite. She used to respect him more than she did her own father … until Joe discovered that, like her father, he had no intentions of adhering to his wedding vows. Although his philandering days had come later in life, still they had come, disappointing and hurting Courtney as much as Aunt Peggy and Sonya.
“Oh, hello, Uncle Joe,” she said, rising slightly on her toes to place a kiss on his cheek. The gesture was more habit than affection. “How are things going?”
“Just fine. I thought the wedding was nice.”
“Yes, it was,” she agreed. Especially since he’d somehow convinced the sophisticated hooch he’d married to behave. Suzette was known to throw temper tantrums at any time or any place, like a spoiled child. Inwardly, Courtney was grateful Suzette hadn’t made a scene, even when no one escorted her in, although it was obvious she’d felt that she should have been part of the ceremony. Why she believed that was beyond Courtney.
“I just finished talking to your parents a moment ago. They seem happy together.”
Looks are definitely deceiving, she wanted to say, but instead she took a sip of her champagne and asked, not that she was really interested, “Where is Suzette?”
“She went to the ladies’ room.”
Courtney immediately scanned the ballroom, not seeing her aunt Peggy anywhere. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck suddenly stand up as she glanced over at Sonya. Her cousin was standing beside Mike, getting ready to cut into her wedding cake, but Courtney intercepted the silent plea in her eyes and quickly nodded. “Excuse me, Uncle Joe.” She then quickly
walked off.
When Courtney reached the ladies’ lounge, she was about to turn around upon seeing the posted NOT IN ORDER sign on the door, but then she heard both her aunt Peggy’s and Suzette’s voices.
It seemed her aunt Peggy was giving out just as many insults as Suzette was hurling, and Courtney admired her aunt for finally standing up for herself Luckily, there was no one else in the area. Their voices were getting louder and the words coming from their mouths filthier. She was glad her aunt had finally decided to fight back. Suzette would often go to extremes to flaunt her affair and subsequent marriage in Aunt Peggy’s face, and today was no different.
The two women’s voices rose even higher. Courtney ignored it as long as both humanly and womanly possible before deciding it was time to put the name-calling between the two to an end.
Inhaling deeply, she breezed through the door to find the women going at each other. Aunt Peggy was old enough to be Suzette’s mother, something Suzette evidently didn’t care one iota about. “Aunt Peggy, there you are. Mom has been looking for you,” Courtney lied. She took her aunt’s trembling hand in hers without giving Suzette so much as a glance.
“You’re nothing but a bitch, too, Courtney,” Suzette lashed out. “All of you, including the bride, are nothing but bitches. If you think you can insult me by not recognizing me as Joe’s wife, then all of you are sadly mistaken.”
Courtney drew a deep breath, determined to maintain her cool as well as her dignity. However, getting called a bitch for no reason tested her goodwill. “Suzette,” she said, as if speaking to a sulking child. “It takes a bitch to know one, and if I remember correctly, as far as you being Uncle Joe’s wife, I regret that you feel you’re being overlooked, since you worked so hard for that title. I can just imagine the sores you probably still have on your back from staying in that position for so long. Trust me, everyone knows the story. They know exactly what you did to wheedle your clothes, your house, your jewelry, and that title you seem to be proud of, out of him. If you’re not sure about it yourself, then try staying in an upright position for a while and see what it gets you.” Courtney chuckled. “Probably nothing more than your replacement.”
Before Suzette could hurl an insult that would probably blister her ears, Courtney quickly added in a voice that let the woman know she meant business, “You don’t want to tangle with me, Suzette—not today and not ever. Now, if you don’t mind … or even if you do, it doesn’t matter because my aunt and I are leaving. We have more important things to do with our time than waste it exchanging insults with you.”
Courtney led her aunt out of the ladies’ lounge, ignoring the curse words that were spewing forth from Suzette’s lips. Once they were a good distance away, she studied her aunt’s face before asking, “You, okay?”
Her aunt nodded. “Yes. She followed me into the bathroom and caught me unawares. I didn’t want to ruin Sonya’s day,” Peggy said worriedly.
Courtney hugged her aunt, whom she thought looked rather ravishing today, so much more in control than the other times she and her ex-husband had been under the same roof. “And you didn’t ruin it. Knowing the situation, Uncle Joe should not have brought Suzette here.”
“He’s taken with her, but I refuse to let that bother me any longer. He’s not worth it. Neither is she,” Peggy said, blowing out a breath. “They deserve each other.”
Courtney smiled sadly. “You’re right, and I’m glad you finally realize that you can do better without him.”
“Took me long enough.”
“But at least now you have.”
Peggy smiled, too. “Yes, at least now I have.”
Later that night, Courtney entered her condo with a smile on her face, pleased with how Sonya and Mike’s day had ended. She was one of those who had remained to see the couple off as they got into a limo that would carry them to the airport. They would be flying off tonight for a three-week honeymoon in Italy.
After dropping to the sofa, she kicked off her heels. She’d changed out of her bridesmaid dress during the evening and was glad she had. The floor-length gown had become tedious, and the stomach-cinching waistline had not expanded an inch. She was tired in a good sort of way, and she had refused to let that little incident in the ladies’ lounge with Suzette ruin her day.
She wasn’t sure just what Suzette had told Uncle Joe, but the two of them left right after the cake-cutting, which hadn’t seemed to bother anyone, least of all Sonya. Courtney had a feeling Sonya was totally disgusted with Joe anyway, probably the same way Courtney was totally disgusted with her own father.
She sighed deeply. While she was still this keyed up, there was something she wanted to do. She padded on bare feet into her bedroom and opened the drawer where she had placed Sonya’s little black book. Smiling, she pulled it out and eagerly flipped to the page she had marked and the name she wanted.
Harper Isaac.
She had done her homework this week and researched him in the city directory. Harper Isaac was six years older than she, an executive at the Sun Flower Bank, and had worked there for over five years. She’d also discovered he was a graduate from a college up north and, like most people living in Orlando, was a transplant. She was proud to have been born and raised here and always found it to be a good conversation piece.
Sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed, she reached out and picked up the phone. Unlike her cell number, it couldn’t be traced; therefore, it wouldn’t ID her on the man’s phone. She wanted the element of mystery to remain on her side. She inhaled again, deciding to go ahead and do this before she got cold feet. Courtney quickly began dialing the phone number and nearly held her breath when the phone began to ring.
“Hello.”
She felt the bottom of her stomach drop. He sounded good, with his deep and sexy Barry White voice.
“Hello.”
She decided to speak up when he repeated the greeting. The last thing she wanted was for him to get annoyed and end the call. “Hello, how are you doing?” she asked in a calm, collected, and what she hoped was a sultry tone.
“I’m doing just fine. What about you?”
“Likewise.” She could just imagine his smile about now. Men were certainly different from women. If a mysterious man called her and didn’t immediately identify himself, he would soon be hearing the phone slam in his ear, yet this guy hadn’t even asked her who she was. “It’s a beautiful night, don’t you think?”
She heard his smooth chuckle. “Yes, I think so, as well.” There was a pause, and then, “And who am I talking to?”
Courtney smiled. Finally, he wants to know. She knew the rule: first names only. “This is Courtney.”
“Hello, Courtney.”
Her smile spread to the far corners of her lips. The huskiness of his voice was definitely a turn-on. “Hello, Harper.” There, I’ve just established the fact that I know his name and haven’t dialed a wrong number.
“So, Courtney, have we met before?”
“No.”
“Then when can we meet?”
Picking up a guy was just this simple. He hadn’t even bothered asking how she got his number. “When do you want to meet, Harper?”
“What about tomorrow?”
Boy, he’s anxious, she thought. “I’ve already made plans for tomorrow. What about next Friday?”
“That long?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, then, Friday will work. Just name the place.”
“City Jazz.”
“One of my favorite places.”
It was also one of hers. City Jazz at Universal City Walk was a nightclub that combined impromptu live performances and music education to create the world’s foremost jazz facility. She frequented it often and knew most of the staff. Forever steering on the side of caution, she preferred getting together there with a man she would be meeting for the first time. “I can meet you there at nine, Friday night. Will that be okay?”
“Yes, that will be fine. And how will
I know you from the others that will be there?”
Good question. She hadn’t thought that far ahead and had no idea what she would be wearing. Umm, except for one particular item. “I’ll be wearing a dolphin heart gold anklet chain on my left leg.”
“So, I take it you’re a Miami Dolphins fan?”
She chuckled softly. “You take it right.”
“Would you believe that I’m one also?”
He’s already established something we have in common. I like that. “Yes, Harper, I think with you I can believe just about anything.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that, Courtney, and I’m looking forward to Friday night.”
“So am I.”
Mike Kelly snagged his wife’s wrist and pulled her into his arms. Their flight to Italy included a twelve-hour layover in Atlanta before flying on to Rome, where they were to spend three weeks on honeymoon. They had checked into a hotel for the layover, and he knew the moment Sonya walked out of the bathroom wearing sexy sleep-wear just how they would use the next twelve hours.
Without a doubt, he’d fallen in love with Sonya the moment they met, although he’d been able to successfully keep his feelings on the back burner while working with her to get Carla and Jesse back together. Once that was accomplished, he had turned his concentration on her. It hadn’t been easy, since other than his close friendship with Jesse, he was naturally a loner. He picked his friends and chose his relationships—especially those with the opposite sex—carefully. He never liked women who whined or clung to a man for support. That was probably why he’d fallen for Sonya so hard. From the first, he could tell she was tough, wouldn’t take bullshit off any man. There was nothing whiny or clingy about her. She was his kind of woman. She was his.
Her Little Black Book Page 3