“Well, Ms. Scales, the only table I have at the moment is in the rear section of the restaurant. Will that do?”
Renee sighed and thought about it for a second. “Cortez, what do you think?”
Cortez’s unwavering stare was still focused across the room.
“Cortez?”
“Hmm?” He absently replied. “I’m sorry, what?”
Renee frowned and watched him closely for a moment. “I was asking if you thought we should wait for a table or take the one they have in the back.”
“Where is that?” Cortez instantly asked. He wouldn’t be able to eat a thing sitting across from Julia.
The hostess smiled at the handsome man before her. “It’s right over there,” she said, pointing to the lone empty table, far from where Julia was seated.
“We’ll take it.” Cortez decided.
“You sure?” Renee asked.
“Positive,” Cortez assured Renee, pulling her along with him.
“Lord, he is still so incredible to look at,” Monique mentioned to her sister.
“You’re so right,” Julia agreed. She had spotted Cortez as soon as he had stepped to the hostess booth.
“Who was that woman with him?”
“His fiancée,” Julia confirmed lightly, taking a bite of a breadstick.
Monique frowned. “She looks totally different than on TV, but I thought you said you’d never met the woman?”
One of Julia’s eyebrows arched a bit more. “I haven’t,” she said, remembering the photo she had seen in Cortez’s office. “But I’m about to.” She pushed her chair away from the table.
“You know you’re starting to worry me here? Can you at least try to tell me what’s wrong? I’ve got a feeling it’s about more than our sham engagement,” Renee pleaded. They had just placed their orders and were attempting to enjoy their drinks.
Cortez flashed her his trademark sexy grin and shook his head. “I appreciate you being concerned, but I’m fine.”
Renee toyed with a lock of her hair. “You don’t see what I do. You’re acting so…distant.”
“I told you I wasn’t in the mood to eat,” he muttered while staring at the menu.
“Cortez, what’s the harm in playing this out?” Renee hissed and then glanced around to see if anyone was watching them. “It’s not like we’re in other relationships or anything.”
Cortez massaged the back of his neck. “This isn’t the conversation we need to have right now,” he warned. “Just don’t worry about me, all right?”
“The two of you make a beautiful couple.”
Cortez instantly recognized the voice from above. His head snapped up and he looked right into Julia’s twinkling, dark gaze.
“Not here, Julia,” he snapped.
Julia overlooked his chilly words and smiled at Renee. “Hi. How are you? My name is Julia Kelly. Cortez and I are old friends, and I just wanted to congratulate you on your engagement,” she said, offering Renee her hand.
“Thank you so much.” Renee said, smiling brightly as she shook Julia’s hand. “Why don’t you join us?”
“Renee—”
“Thanks, Renee, but I don’t want to barge in on you. I would like to invite you both to dinner one night this week, though.”
“We’re real busy, Julia,” Cortez interrupted.
“Honey, we’re not too busy to have dinner with one of your old friends,” Renee insisted.
Cortez’s heavy brows drew close into a frown as he sat massaging his temple. “We can do it another time, Julia. After the wedding,” he added sarcastically.
Renee tried to maintain her smile. “Honey, you act like you don’t want me and Julia to be friends.”
Julia remained silent and stood watching Cortez with a knowing little smile on her lovely, dark face.
“Julia probably has a lot to do before the end of her trip.”
“Well, that’s all the more reason for us to get together, Cork, uh, Cortez,” Julia pointed out, intentionally fumbling over his name.
Instead of responding, Cortez decided to give up the fight. When he began shaking his head, Julia nodded and dipped into her purse.
“This is my card,” she said, writing her hotel name and phone number on the back.
As soon as Julia placed the card on the table, Cortez picked it up. He scanned the address on the back before handing it to Renee.
“I’ll be sure to call,” Renee promised.
“Well, I’ll look forward to it.” Julia gave Cortez a brief but intense stare. “You two enjoy your meal,” she said, smiling at Renee once more before she walked away.
Cortez could not stop his eyes from following Julia. Her slow, seductive stride held him entranced.
“Cortez, what is it with you?” Renee scolded. “I’ve never seen you act so nasty with anyone. Especially a woman.”
Cortez was silent for a long while. “That woman has been my nemesis, you could say, for years. She’s always rubbed me the wrong way.”
Renee laughed, thoroughly tickled by the confession. “Well, honey, ya’ll are grown now. Julia seems to be making a serious effort.”
If you only knew, Cortez thought. “Can we just change the conversation?”
Later that evening Julia was back in her hotel room. She was smoothing on some lotion after her bath when the phone began to ring.
“Hello?” Julia answered after the third ring.
“Hi, it’s Renee Scales.”
“Oh, Renee, hi,” Julia greeted politely, surprised to hear the woman’s voice.
“I was calling to see if you’d like to have dinner with us tonight. We’re eating with Cortez’s mother,” Renee explained.
Dinner with Cora Wallace was the absolute last thing Julia felt like doing. “I don’t want to intrude.”
“Oh, Cora won’t mind.”
“Thanks, Renee, but Cora Wallace and I don’t get along that well.”
“Oh, well, I’m sorry to hear that,” Renee softly stated the disappointment evident in her voice. “Well listen, why don’t we go out for dinner? I’m sure you don’t want to stay cooped up in that hotel room the whole time you’re here.”
“You’re right, I don’t,” Julia assured Renee, laughing. “Going out somewhere sounds great, just tell me when and where.”
“Well, tomorrow’s good for us, if you don’t have anything planned.”
“Tomorrow’s fine.”
“Good. How about seven? Gravely’s Seafood?”
“That sounds good. I’ll see you then.”
“Okay. Well, we’ll talk to you then. Bye.”
Julia stared at the phone for a moment after hanging up. She thought about how nice Renee seemed. She hoped they wouldn’t become friends, but she feared that might happen. If it did, how would she view this supposed sham engagement?
The doorbell rang, interrupting Julia’s thoughts. She shook her head, cursing herself for being affected by something so trivial. Rushing to her closet, she pulled out a cream silk robe and hurried to the door.
The surprise guest had abandoned the doorbell and started to pound on the door. Julia stopped in the middle of the living room, frowning toward the entryway.
“Would you stop with the pounding? I’m coming!” she bellowed, tying the robe’s belt around her waist. Stomping to the door, she whipped it open.
Cortez stormed into the room, a fierce glare on his gorgeous face.
“Corky.” Julia greeted in a breathless tone.
Cortez was in a frightful mood and had to take several deep breaths before he spoke. “I want to know what the hell you’re doing here. I want the truth from you this time.”
A tiny smirk tugged at Julia’s full lips and she glanced around. “This is my hotel room, remember?”
Cortez wasn’t in the mood for games and quickly closed the space between them. His iron grip closed around her upper arms and he jerked her toward him. “Don’t,” he softly ordered.
Julia swallowed and looked him steadi
ly in the eyes. “I haven’t done anything to get you this upset. I’m tryin’ to be civil with you, damn it. I even came with a job offer.”
Cortez winced, his anger refusing to remain at bay. “What about in my office?”
Julia laughed. “Surely Renee wouldn’t mind two friends embracing from time to time?”
“I mind,” Cortez whispered, pulling Julia even closer.
The fierce expression on Cortez’s face didn’t frighten her. Giving him a purely devilish smile, she curled her fingers around the lapels of his stylish cotton jacket. “Then let me give you something to really care about.”
Julia pressed her lips against Cortez’s. She slipped her tongue inside his mouth and kissed him with infinite gentleness and passion combined. The kiss became hotter, wetter. Cortez was so unprepared by the rush of sensation that he groaned.
Julia cupped the back of his head in her palm and added more pressure to the kiss. She felt the insistent bulge beneath Cortez’s trousers and shivered.
“Take this off,” she whispered, trying to pull the jacket off his back.
Cortez stiffened against Julia and pushed her away. He held her at arm’s length, staring at her for a long while. His brown eyes smoldered with need and arousal, before his lips crashed down on hers again.
Julia wasn’t frightened by the sheer force behind the action. She welcomed it. It was as though Cortez were starved for her. The kiss was deep, hot and lusty. As his hands caressed her back through the silk robe she wore, Julia feared her legs would give out beneath her. She knew nothing other than pure male arousal controlled his actions, but she couldn’t deny her…happiness.
Finally, though, something seemed to snap, and Cortez tore away from her. He took only a few moments to catch his breath before he stormed out of the room. The door slammed shut behind him.
Julia stood rooted in place and watched the door with wide eyes. When she touched her bruised lips she dropped to the sofa.
Chapter 9
“Aw, man! Come on! What the hell are ya’ll doin’?”
The sounds of male laughter and conversation filled Correll Wallace’s house. The men had gotten together for the basketball playoffs and were eagerly anticipating their team’s triumph. The guys had chosen their spots before the flat-screen TV. Chips, dip, beer and other snacks covered the long oak coffee table in the center of the room.
When Cortez knocked on his brother’s door around 9:30, no one answered. Grimacing, Cortez pounded harder on the door. Then, remembering his brother had given him a key, he let himself inside.
Cortez walked into the house without being noticed right away. But as soon as a commercial came on and the guys spotted him they were greeting him heartily.
“Hey, it’s the celebrity!” Kyle Jackson was saying.
Cortez laughed and waved at his brother’s friends. He knew their teasing was all in fun, but tonight he couldn’t enjoy it. Cortez caught his brother’s eye and nodded. “Can we talk?” He mouthed, tilting his head toward the kitchen.
Correll took another swig from the beer bottle in his hand before pushing himself out of his armchair. He followed his younger brother into the kitchen, watching him closely. “What’s up?” he asked, a look of expectancy on his handsome face.
“She’s back,” Cortez blurted.
“She’s back…? Can you clarify that, my man?”
Cortez sighed. “Julia. Julia Kelly’s back in Detroit.”
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Correll murmured, lightly stroking his jaw.
Cortez rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. “She looks even better than she used to, and it’s hard turning her away. You know what I mean?” Cortez asked, turning his concerned stare toward his brother.
Correll nodded at the suggestive statement. His light complexion reddened slightly.
“I didn’t tell you about my California trip,” Cortez began to explain. “Talk about not being able to turn her away. She was everywhere. Then she shows up here in town under the guise of wanting to talk about the position they want to offer me in Cali—”
“And you figure there’s more to it than that, right?” Correll asked, his sleek brows raised high above his dark brown eyes.
“There is.” He remembered what had just happened and took a swig of Correll’s beer. “Trust me, there is.”
Correll walked to the tall chrome refrigerator at the back of the kitchen. “So why are you so upset?” he asked, grabbing a bowl of grapes from the top shelf.
“Man. It’s Julia.”
Correll shrugged, his attention focused on the bowl of fruit. “And? You’re getting married, right?”
Cortez groaned and decided he had to at least tell his brother the truth. “The engagement is a scam. Someone speculated there might be more going on between us and Renee ran with it.” Cortez propped one hand against his hip and glared at his brother.
“And you haven’t corrected the lie?”
Cortez closed his eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose. “Right now I think it’s better for Julia to think I’m off limits.”
“I don’t get it,” Correll admitted, raising his narrowed eyes from the bowl of grapes.
“If she accepts the engagement, maybe she’ll leave town and…I just can’t go through the drama with her again, man.”
“She’s still makin’ it clear that she wants you?” Correll guessed.
“Exactly.”
“Hmph.” Correll gestured, popping a plump grape into his mouth. “Well, like you said, it’s Julia. What’s the harm in a little teasing?”
Cortez braced his large hands against the paneled countertop. “You know what the harm is. I can’t handle Julia’s type of teasing. Never have been able to.”
“Well it’s time you learn how. She’s just messin’ with you.”
“I kissed her.”
Correll shrugged. “So she kissed you. No big deal.”
“No. I kissed her.”
“Cortez.”
“I know. I didn’t mean to. She was just acting so cool about everything, while I’m standing over there mad as hell. She kissed me first and I pushed her away, but—”
“You couldn’t resist for long?” Correll finished watching his brother shake his head. “You know, Renee is a great lady, Tez.”
“Yeah…you, Ma and everyone else remind me of that as often as you all can.” Cortez whispered.
“It’s worth keeping in mind,” Correll advised.
“Hey, you buckin’ for a promotion?” Renee teased Cortez when she found him in his office bright and early the next morning.
Cortez dropped the folder in his hands and stood. “Work keeps me out of trouble.”
“We’re due back on the set,” Renee reminded him.
Cortez checked his watch, grimacing at the time before rounding his desk to meet Renee.
“We’ve got a dinner date with Julia tonight,” Renee lightly announced, when she and Cortez had taken their seats behind the news desk.
Cortez’s striking brown eyes snapped to Renee. “What? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I just did.”
“Renee…”
“In five, four, three, two…”
Thrown, Cortez stumbled just slightly over his opening statements. He knew that it was going to be a very long day.
“Can you repeat that, please?”
Julia watched her mother set her coffee mug on the table and sighed. “I said I’m having dinner with Renee and Cortez tonight.”
“And whose idea was that?” Tamara knowingly asked.
“Renee’s,” Julia instantly replied, nodding curtly at her mother’s shocked expression.
“And you’re going?” Tamara asked, very suspicious of the invitation.
Julia shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“His fiancée will be there, too,” Tamara reminded her daughter.
“I’ll deal with that,” Julia flippantly replied, grimacing when Tamara shook her head and sighed. “Mommy, please,” she beg
an, knowing the woman was concerned. “I’m not out to hurt anybody, but I have to know if there’s something, anything, before I forget him for good this time.”
“Baby, hasn’t he given you the answer to that question many times?” Tamara asked, looking directly into Julia’s dark eyes. “I just wish I could figure out Renee’s reasoning in all this,” she added. “Her reasoning?”
Tamara waved off Julia’s question. “Little girl, I don’t know any woman who would want to go out with her fiancé and his young, beautiful, ex-whatever.”
Julia smoothed her hand across the back of her sleek hair. “I think that’s it right there. She’s as curious about me as I am about her.”
“You’re his past. She’s his present and future. That’s all either of you need to know.”
Julia shook her head. “It’s not that simple, Ma.”
“Well, this whole thing seems real funny to me, so you just be careful.”
Julia leaned across the counter and squeezed her mother’s hand. “I have every intention of doing that.”
Cortez rushed into his office and threw the folder he carried to his desk. He picked up the phone and quickly punched in seven digits.
“Correll Wallace’s office.” A pleasant voice answered.
“Hey, Lila, is my brother around?”
Lila Harris’s smile widened when she heard Cortez’s voice. “He sure is. I’ll put you right through.”
“Correll Wallace.”
“How about dinner tonight, man?” Cortez sighed and dropped to the leather chair behind his desk. “I need you to go with me and Renee tonight.”
“You need me to? Why?”
“Renee invited Julia to have dinner out with us tonight.”
Correll whistled and pulled the thin-framed spectacles from his face. “And you need me to take some of the spotlight off you?”
As Good as the First Time Page 8
