Patrice quickly leaned back. “Flattery won’t make me go easy on you.”
He winked. “I never expected you to.”
Beth squeezed Patrice’s shoulder. “Go on, Neecie, beat him good.”
Roland studied the board to make a move, but no matter what move he made she had him beat, so his attempt to avoid losing didn’t concern her. What did concern her was telling Kareem about the rumors when he returned. Her mother’s impromptu dinner party had briefly taken her mind off of things.
“I don’t plan to lose so easily,” Roland said. His fingers hovered over one red checker piece, then another.
Patrice and Beth shared a look. Beth slid a finger from one side of her neck to the other, and Patrice giggled. She was definitely killing Roland on the checker board.
Roland looked up at them. “What’s so funny?”
Patrice waved her fingers over the board. “The way you’re procrastinating. No matter the move I’m going to take your piece.”
“Fine.” He slid a red piece in front of one of the three other kings Patrice had on the board. “Just make it quick.”
Beth clapped as Patrice triple jumped him and won the game. Chad gave Roland a pat on the back but looked at the board like it was roadkill. Patrice got up and high fived Beth. They started their victory dance, a jerky version of the bump, when Kareem came to the door of the family room. He dropped his bag at the door and focused on her. The corners of his lips raised and revealed a row of white teeth.
Patrice’s breath stuttered. “You’re back.”
He lifted a shoulder. “Just like I promised.”
She rushed across the room but halted right before she would have thrown her arms around him. Kareem placed a hand on her waist and pulled her into him. The outside cold clung to his clothes, but the heat of his body beneath made her fingers yearn to run beneath his shirt.
“I missed you,” he said loud enough only for her.
If he would have said he loved her she doubted her heart would beat harder. He lowered his head and kissed her. Not slow and deep like she wanted, and not quick and hard for show. But a gentle press of the lips and quick flick of the tongue, which sent a dart of need straight to the rising bud between her legs.
She licked her lower lip and pulled it between her teeth, savoring the taste of him. “I missed you, too.”
Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, Kareem came further into the room. “What’s up, everyone?”
The chorus of hellos and welcomes varied from nice and polite from her father and Beth to nonexistent or cool from Chad and her mother. None were warm, nor enthusiastic.
He lowered his lips to her ear. “I guess you’re the only one who missed me.”
His breath caressed her ear, and her body shivered. “I’m the only one who matters.
Roland rose from the table. “How was your trip home?”
“Decent. I dropped in on my folks and checked in on my shop.”
Patrice looked up at him. “How are things?”
“Good,” he said. “Lee’s taking care of things.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” she said.
Kareem looked around the room. “Looks like I missed the party invitation.”
Milton sat forward. “Not a party, but you did miss dinner. I’m sure Fran will prepare something for you. In the meantime, sit down and enjoy some cider.”
Kareem raised a brow and looked at Patrice. “Cider?”
She grinned and playfully punched him in the chest. “Yes, warm apple cider and you’re going to love it.”
“I’m sure I will.” His answering chuckle warmed her better than any fire.
Lifting up on her toes she brushed her lips across his. His eyes widened before they narrowed, and he lowered his head to kiss her again. Slow, sweet desire spread through her body.
“Before you two start making out right here,” Beth’s voice broke in, “let’s see if Kareem fares any better against you in checkers than Roland.”
Reluctantly, Patrice broke eye contact with Kareem to look into her sister’s smiling face.
“You’re good at checkers, huh?” Kareem asked.
Roland picked up one of the checker pieces, tossed it into the air, and easily caught it. “She beat the crap out of me.”
Patrice held up a hand to stop them. “As much as I’d love to spank Kareem—”
Kareem nipped at her ear. “I bet you would.”
She sucked in a breath. “I really need to talk to him about something.”
Beth’s lip twisted. “Sure you do,” she said, then grinned. “You two can wait until later to catch up.”
Janice cleared her throat. “Beth, please.”
“Well it’s true,” Beth said.
Kareem chuckled again. She could get used to listening to his deep, sexy laugh. “We’ll only be gone for a minute.”
She hurried and pulled Kareem from the room. Once they were in the hall, Kareem leaned against the wall and pulled her against him. The weight of his hands at the top of her behind made her think of the way he palmed her bottom whenever they made love.
“What do you need to talk to me about? Or were you looking for a reason to deliver on that look in your eye?”
“That look is because you actually seemed happy to see me.”
“I am happy to see you. Didn’t you say I deserve to be happy?”
She pulled one of his dreads between her fingers. He didn’t have them pulled back, and she loved when they were loose. “I did.”
“Then let me be happy, woman.”
She grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Fine, but that’s not why I called you out here. I heard a rumor after the show the other night. I don’t know where it started, or if it’s just because people have the wrong idea, but I thought you should know.”
His body tightened next to hers. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing really, it’s stupid. One of the women thought we were opening a high-end escort service.”
He straightened suddenly, and she staggered back. “What?”
“I straightened her out, and she believed me when I explained we’re opening a high-end barber shop, not escort service.”
“Where in the hell did that come from?”
“I have no idea. We’ll just have to work extra hard to make sure people understand what we’re doing. No pretty girls half-dressed or anything like that.”
Kareem rubbed the scar above his lip. “They won’t be half-dressed.”
“Say what?” Patrice stepped back and placed a hand on her hip. “You plan to hire pretty women?”
“Of course I’m going to hire good-looking women. You saw for yourself how much a man likes having a good-looking woman cutting their hair.”
“Just because the men at Fresh Cutz liked to flirt with me doesn’t make it okay to hire nothing but pretty women.”
Kareem scoffed. “I didn’t say that’s all I’m hiring. I’ll hire men, too.” He grinned.
“You think this is funny? Kareem, I think you should only hire men. At least until we’re sure the rumors have stopped.”
Roland strolled out of the study. His gaze jumped from Patrice with her hand on her hip to Kareem and back. “Is everything okay?”
Patrice crossed her arms. “Yes.”
Kareem looked to Roland. “She doesn’t think I should hire good-looking women for the gentlemen’s lounge.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Men will expect beautiful women.”
Patrice pinched her nose and fought not to scream. “You say that because you’re a man.”
“No,” Roland said. “I say that because it makes good business sense. The clientele he’s going for are used to beautiful women. Having them in the lounge will only increase the draw.”
“But people may get the wrong idea,” Patrice said.
“What wrong idea?” Roland asked.
“That we’re a high-end escort service,” Kareem said.
Roland frowned. “Doub
tful.”
Kareem met Patrice’s stare. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll make it very clear the women aren’t supposed to go out with the clients.”
Roland groaned and furled his brow. “That won’t stop the clients from hitting on the women.”
“Flirting doesn’t hurt business,” Kareem said. “But I won’t condone anything more between the employees and the clients.” He took Patrice’s hand in his and tugged her into his space. “You have to admit that it makes sense, Neecie. You can’t tell me your pretty face in my shop didn’t keep your chair full?”
She wished she could argue but understood some of the guys came in just to see her. “Are we talking stick-figure model types?”
Kareem cocked a brow. “When have I ever been into stick figure model types? It’ll be good-looking women of all types. And they aren’t walking around in bikinis or anything. I want a classy place, not something trashy.”
“Fine, but we’ll still have to stop the rumors that this is an escort service.”
“Don’t worry,” Roland said. “If I hear anything like that I’ll correct the person.”
Kareem lifted his chin and stared at Roland. “I appreciate that, Roland, but it doesn’t change the partnership request.”
Roland nodded and held out his hands. “Patrice made that clear. I’m only offering to help as a friend. But I hope that once you get to know me better, we can bring the conversation up again. I like what you’re doing and would love to be a part.”
Roland held out his hand to Kareem. Patrice held her breath. Kareem regarded Roland for several seconds before taking his hand. “We’ll see.”
CHAPTER 27
Six weeks later, Patrice smiled at the latest arrival for the soft opening of Henderson’s Gentlemen’s Lounge. To her delight, she met the eyes of one of her father’s oldest friends, and local magistrate judge, Walter Jackson.
“Welcome, Mr. Jackson. I’m so glad you decided to come today.”
Mr. Jackson handed over the black and gold invitation the new—young and attractive—receptionist Kareem hired to help with the opening had created. The invites had only gone to an exclusive list of people recommended by her father and Roland.
“I had to check this place out myself.” Mr. Jackson glanced around. “Nice place.”
“Thank you.” Patrice checked her tablet to see if Mr. Jackson had requested a complementary haircut as part of his RSVP. To both her and Kareem’s surprise, most people who said they would come also wanted to experience the service. They were filled for the entire evening.
“We’re on schedule for your haircut in twenty minutes. Please feel free to have a drink at the bar.”
Mr. Jackson nodded and thanked her before strolling in that direction. Patrice watched as he appreciatively checked out the place, and her chest swelled with pride.
The lounge didn’t officially open until next week, but today’s trial run proved they were ready. Light wood floors complemented the dark leather seats around black tables. A black granite bar with several flat screen televisions lined the left side of the main area. The bartender mixed drinks for the men waiting to receive complementary haircuts at the stations in the back.
Kareem had just left to show off the cigar bar and meeting spaces just past the sectioned off hair cutting stations.
The door opened again, and a burst of cold air flew up the skirt of Patrice’s black cocktail dress. Roland and Felicia entered along with a tall man.
“You made it,” she said.
Roland gave her a quick hug. “There was no way I would miss this.” He turned to the people with him. “Patrice Baldwin, I’d like you to meet Felicia’s cousin, Paul Tribble.”
Patrice smiled at the guy and immediately recognized him as the center for the city’s professional basketball team.
“Paul doesn’t have an invitation, but we were having lunch yesterday when I mentioned this place and he asked to come,” Roland said. “I let him know he could get a haircut and see how he likes it.”
Patrice checked the full schedule. Fitting Paul in would be difficult and inconvenient. She pushed aside her annoyance. The recommendation of a professional basketball player would go a long way to boost the business.
“We’ll work out something.” She held out her hand and craned her neck to meet the tall guy’s gaze. “Feel free to make yourself comfortable at the bar, or in the cigar lounge in the back while I get you set up, okay?”
A suggestive stare accompanied Paul’s friendly grin. He ran a large hand over the scruffy hairs on his chin. “I’d love to try things out, but only if you’re the one giving the haircut.” He spoke directly to her cleavage.
Patrice stepped back, though the gigantic ballplayer could still easily look down the front of her dress. He met her eye and cocked a brow while rubbing his hands together. Patrice stopped just short of scowling. Good customer service, even to womanizers like him, were the key to any successful enterprise.
“I’ll see what I can do,” she said.
Paul’s leer ran over her body and paused at her breasts and butt on the way down and up. “Perfect.”
“Roland,” she said. “Why don’t you show Paul the cigar lounge while I add him to the list?”
“Will do,” Roland said. Patrice spun away, but Roland slid an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “I know it’s a pain adding him, but thanks.”
“If I cut his hair we can make this work. Don’t worry, I appreciate your help.” She pulled away from Roland and glanced at Paul, who licked his lips while his eyes were trained on her rear. Patrice’s skin crawled. “As long as he keeps his hands to himself.”
Roland chuckled. “Don’t worry, he’s harmless. If he likes the place, he’ll send his teammates here.”
She forced back her unease. A half-hour of discomfort for a potentially great endorsement.
Roland led Felicia and Paul down the hall toward the cigar lounge. Patrice waved over the receptionist and asked her to handle greeting the guests.
Patrice checked the progress with the other barbers and finagled her way into slipping in Paul’s haircut between two other appointments. She found Paul relaxing in one of the Italian leather chairs in the cigar lounge talking to Kareem.
Patrice strolled over and gave him a warm but forced smile. “Excuse me, but it’s time for your haircut, Paul.”
Paul’s tongue did another I’m hungry sweep of his lips. Patrice considered asking if he wanted to borrow her ChapStick. Anything to keep him from looking at her like she was a porterhouse steak. “From you of course?”
Her tight smile rose. “Of course.”
Kareem frowned and stood with Paul. “You’re cutting hair?”
Paul’s greedy stare zeroed in on Patrice’s cleavage again. “At my request. I couldn’t let the hottest woman in the place not lay her hands on my head.” He winked at Kareem. “If you know what I’m saying.”
Kareem’s body turned to granite, and his signature scowl, which she hadn’t seen in weeks, clouded his face.
Patrice placed her hand on his muscled arm. “I don’t mind.”
Kareem looked between her and Paul. The scowl disappeared, but his easy smile didn’t return.
Kareem wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in close. “I owe you,” he whispered in her ear.
She grinned. “Yes, you do.” He gave her a squeeze, then she turned back to Paul. “Ready?”
“More than ready,” he said.
Kareem took his time releasing her, and she led Paul to one of the barber stations. Separated from the cigar lounge and the bar area in the front, the barber area had more of a relaxed feel, with its dark brown leather seats, black porcelain wash bowls with cream, and gold accents. Another sixty-inch television was set in the wall across from the mirrors.
Paul sat in the chair and ran his hands over the leather armrests. “So, you and Kareem. You two together?”
“More than together, we’re engaged.” She snapped a robe open and place
d it around his neck.
“I got you,” he said, but he didn’t really sound like he “got” her. Thankfully, Paul didn’t talk much while she washed and cut his hair. His eyes talked enough, lingering on any inch of skin exposed by her clothes.
Once she finished, he ran a hand over his shaved cheek and closely cropped hair. “You did a good job.” He met her eye in the mirror.
Patrice rinsed off the comb and brush she’d used and smiled back. “Thank you.”
She finished cleaning her supplies. When she turned around she nearly bumped into Paul.
“Oh, excuse me,” she said, though he’d invaded her space.
“No need. So how much for the extra service?” Paul said, rubbing his hands and licking his lips.
“What extra service?”
He raised a brow then leaned in close. His expensive cologne made her stomach roll. “Don’t be cute. I know what you’re really offering.”
Patrice’s hand balled into a fist on her hip. “What am I supposedly offering?”
“I get you’re with Kareem, but I assumed all of his ladies were available for the right price. If not, that’s cool, just tell me how I make arrangements with that Asian cutie cutting hair over there.” He pointed to Candace with a hungry gleam in his eye.
“I don’t know where you got that idea, but that type of service isn’t available here.”
“That’s not what I was told.”
“Please tell me what idiot gave you that impression.”
Paul scoffed. “The idiot is your fiancé. He mentioned it while we smoked cigars. If you’re not one of the women, I’ll get with him to set something up with me and the honey over there.”
Paul did one last leer of her cleavage then casually strolled away. Patrice threw down the towel she held and hurried after him. Paul stood with Kareem and a few other guys at the bar. Paul pulled Kareem to the side. He leaned in and pointed toward the back of the place. Kareem nodded then smiled. They clasped hands and shook, before Paul smirked at her and left.
What the hell was that!
She wanted to snatch the smile right off Kareem’s face. There was no way he would have agreed to try and set something up between Paul and Candace. But the easy way he’d smiled and shook Paul’s hand sent an uneasy shiver down her spine.
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