by Tiana Cole
“That sounds suspiciously like dating,” Audra chuckled.
“When you date, it’s to get to know each other and see if there’s any chemistry.” He stared into her eyes and it was there; the fire, the passion. He focused it on her, and at that moment she would have done anything he asked. “I know we have the chemistry. I need the rest.”
“And you'll move here?”
He laughed. “I’m not really ever in one place for long. The New York office is for employees. I maintain a mobile office and work from wherever I am.”
“In other words, a homeless man is asking me out,” Audra joked.
“That’s one way of seeing things. Strictly speaking, it’s even true.”
“Then I accept. Why not? After all, I had a fling with some masked sailor on liberty from a boat in Brazil. This is nothing by comparison.”
He grinned and shook his head. “I suppose not,” he said, then took out his cell phone and hit a speed dial number, never taking his eyes off Audra. For a moment she wished he’d look away because his stare had her heart racing. “Myeisha, hello. Anything exciting? Okay, I’m in New Orleans. Yes, seeing Audra. She’s sitting across from me now. I want you to close up shop there and set up an office and a suite for me here. Yes, I want you here as well. Within a couple of days will do. Tell Fred he’s in charge of the Japan trip. If they won’t deal with him, cancel it.”
He hung up and folded his hands on the table as Gale returned with his lunch. “Here you are,” she smiled, setting the plate in front of him and looking flushed. “Ruby is giving you the evil eye,” she whispered to Audra.
“I better get back to work now.”
“What time do you get off?” Kenneth asked.
“Eight.”
“Can I buy you dinner?”
“Okay, but nothing too fancy,” Audra insisted. Gale lingered at the table staring dreamily at Kenneth.
“I heard about a nice Greek taverna in town,” he replied.
She nodded. Of course Ken would already know the places he liked in New Orleans. Even if he’d never been there before, people would tell him. That, and he undoubtedly knew the city. After all, it had its own Mardi Gras.
“You know where I live, or you can get the address from Myeisha. Pick me up there at nine.”
“Wonderful,” Kenneth smiled.
As Audra headed back to get her apron, Gale followed, muttering under her breath, “Oh my God, Audra, you had sex with that man?”
“I guess so,” Audra laughed. “His baby sure thinks so.”
She forced herself to get busy and not think of Kenneth Steele. A bit later she noticed that he’d quietly slipped out.
“He left a twenty dollar tip!” Gale ecstatically blurted.
“I guess he liked the special… or the waitress.”
Gale looked nervous as she said, “Gosh, Audra, I hope I wasn't all flirty. I’m not trying to steal him or anything. It’s just that he’s…”
She put her hand on Gale’s arm. “I know, and yes he is gorgeous,” she said assuredly.
“What did he want?”
“To buy me dinner.”
“Oh my God!”
“It's just dinner, Gale.”
“No, it's dinner with Kenneth Steele.”
***
“In business you’d call this an exploratory meeting,” Kenneth said over dinner. “We have the framework for the business part of things established, but I… I need to take anything else, the personal side of things, a bit slowly.”
“That seems ironic, given the speed of our initial romance.”
“Doesn’t it, though? The thing is, that was about sexual attraction—mutual, it seems, and irresistible. Now we’re looking at more than that.”
“Are we?” Audra questioned with a raised brow.
“Look, it’s hard for me to talk about this sanely. It doesn't feel sane.”
“Our night was beautifully insane.”
“And if the point was to find someone to spend eternity screwing with her hidden behind a mask, there’d be no question who I wanted. I can’t speak for you, but learning about the baby has caused me to reevaluate a lot of things in my life.”
“I suppose that’s one thing babies do,” Audra nodded.
“And then I’m also dealing with the discovery that the woman behind the mask, the incredible lover I enjoyed, isn't the person I thought she was… and not in the way that people usually mean with that sort of statement.”
“Rather literally.”
“Exactly. I was cruising along based on some assumptions about my life.” He paused and made an odd face. “I’m working up to telling you about the important ones, but I’m not quite there yet.”
“How long do I have to wait?” She touched her baby. “There’s something of a timeline that’s out of our control.”
“I was married once,” he divulged. “Did you know that?”
“No. I really don’t know much about you.”
“That’s part of the point.”
“What happened?”
“A car crash,” David sighed, his eyes growing distant and sad. “She was killed instantly, and while I’m told to consider that a blessing considering the alternatives, it was traumatic.”
“I’m… I’m so sorry,” Audra gulped, seeing the pain on his face.
“It’s okay.”
“Are you telling me you aren't over her?”
He toyed with his glass as he answered, “To be honest, that’s part of what I’m sorting out. I mean, she’s gone and I accept that, but I don’t know if I’m over the loss.”
“Grieving can take time,” Audra replied sympathetically.
“I’m not grieving for her anymore.”
“No, but like you said, we grieve for our loss, as often as not.”
He abruptly sat straight up, his posture stiffening. “Look, what I can tell you is that I feel something for you. What that is and what it means aren't clear yet. And you've presented the situation to me so matter-of-factly that it’s been easy for me to respond the same way. It’s been all business between us.”
“Yes…” Audra responded cautiously, unsure of where he was heading with this.
“Are you looking for more than that?” Kenneth asked bluntly. “I think you are. So what is it that you expect?”
“Very insightful for a playboy billionaire.”
“Thank you. Now answer.”
“I'll be honest. I expect nothing. I felt something that night in Brazil. It all comes down to that. If you’re anything like that person, if that wasn't just a night of craziness when you weren't at all yourself, then I’d like to find out more about you and have you get to know me as well,” Audra told him sincerely, adding, “Because there just might be some magic there.”
“Magic?”
“Yes. That’s exactly the right word.”
“And you’re looking for magic,” he stated.
“Tell me, Ken Steele… if not magic, what should I be looking for? And if you didn't think magic was the goal, what were you looking for in Ipanema?”
“Looking for?”
“You weren't drunk, and I don’t think you were crazy.” She tapped the table while she pondered her words. “I don’t think you thought I was Myeisha for more than a moment. I think you knew you’d messed up with her and had already let her go. And when you did that, you wanted some magic. I'll even flatter myself by saying I think we both found it. Now the question is whether it all got used up.”
“You’re an intriguing woman, Audra Dawn,” Kenneth chuckled. “And I have no answers for you.”
“I didn't expect you to have answers. Isn’t the first step in exploration figuring out what the right questions are?”
He nodded and answered, “Very insightful for a waitress.”
“A part-time waitress,” she quickly corrected.
“Excuse me.”
“As you said, unfortunately this has to be a process and not a whirlwind affair. Are you willin
g to look around for magic?”
“I get the feeling you aren't talking about sexual chemistry.”
“No,” she laughed, “we already know that part’s possible. I think there’s something fundamental and magical. Without it, there isn't much and we might as well proceed on the pragmatic level we’ve already established. You can provide for the baby, be as involved as you choose, but not be an active part of his or her life. After all, children need magic.”
Chapter Seven
Bruce was home when Myeisha got there. He was smiling, and he’d bought a bottle of wine. She kissed him hello with a smile.
“You got the job,” she said proudly.
“I did. Now I’m curious what you had to do to get me the job.”
She went for a corkscrew as she replied, “Not much beyond getting your resume to the right desk. You got the job based on your own abilities.”
“They took a chance on me. Private security is different than what I've done, and I have a lot to learn. I’m on probation for six months, and if I work out, then they’ll get me some advanced training and groom me to move up the ladder.”
She kissed him again and assured him, “You’ll zoom up the ladder, baby.”
“And once I’m certain I have a job, after the probation, we can plan our wedding,” Bruce smiled.
It certainly made sense to Myeisha. “Sure. I suppose I should keep working for Steele until then.”
“I supposed that’s a good idea. With me working and both of us saving, we’ll be able to get a house quicker.”
“There’s that. On the other hand, my job can be inconvenient.”
“How so?”
“Well, Kenneth has just insisted we move the office to New Orleans.” She saw his dazed look and shrugged. “He does that all the time. It’s temporary, but I don’t know how long it’ll be for.”
“What about us?” Bruce asked with concern.
“I'll come home weekends,” Myeisha assured him. “The shuttles are good.”
“That’s hardly enough.”
“So what do we do? Do you want me to quit?” she asked with a hint of indignation.
He considered it for a moment, then sighed in defeat. “Not yet. We’ll deal with it. If it’s temporary, well… we managed everything the Army did to keep us apart.”
“Unhappily, but yes, we did.”
“And now we’re engaged. I think we can handle this.”
“Okay, if you’re good with it,” she shrugged.
“When do you go?”
She grinned. “Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? That sonofabitch sure doesn't waste any time…”
“No. Once he decides on something, it starts right then and there.”
“Well, okay, then.”
Myeisha wasn't sure that Bruce was as pleased as he was pretending. He’d started some anger management training that the Army had agreed to pay for, and maybe that was why his cheerful manner seemed so artificial. When they had a glass of wine to toast his new job and he wrapped his arms around her, when he began to undress her, sending those little tremors of desire rippling through her, she stopped thinking of anything else.
“If I have to do without you for a few days, I’m going to fuck you so hard you have to limp to the airplane,” he smirked.
She caught her breath. “Bruce, you say the sweetest things.”
***
The following morning Myeisha left early to get things moving. Bruce knew she wasn't flying to New Orleans until the afternoon, but she had to arrange having a lot of things shipped down to the office she’d rented there.
As he got ready to go to work, where he was going to learn more about the company’s paperwork—he’d been amazed at how much paperwork was involved in private security—his phone rang. It was his boss.
“I was just on my way in,” he said.
“Are you flexible, Bruce?” the man asked. “Free to travel?”
“It depends…” Bruce answered warily.
“We have an urgent situation. Our client Kenneth Steele is setting up an operating base in New Orleans,” his boss explained. “He only notified us yesterday evening. It turns out you’re the only person we have who isn't tied to an ongoing project. Would you be willing to go down there and work with a local private investigating agency we have an agreement with?”
A smile came to his face; this was just about perfect. They’d pay him to keep an eye on Steele and he’d be able to see Myeisha as well. She could stay in New Orleans and not commute. If he didn't tell her, he could even surprise her.
“What do you want me to do?”
“The locals will provide the legwork, but you need to assess the security situation. Evaluate the property, and send us diagrams of routes in and out of the building, locations of security cameras… the usual crap. For the apartment he’s rented, too. Then assign the locals to watch for signs that anyone might be casing the buildings, planning an attack, anything like that.”
“Sure. I can do that,” Bruce answered eagerly.
“You’ll need to live in a hotel nearby and be on call. You’ll get per diem in addition to your pay.”
“That’s fine. Any idea how long you think I'll be there?”
“That depends on Steele. We never know. He could move again in two days and we’d need you to move with him, make sure he’s protected.”
Wherever Steele went, Myeisha would go too… that was her job. Suddenly Bruce was getting paid to watch over her and that pleased him. An unexpected benefit indeed.
“Okay,” he replied, still taken aback by his new assignment.
“The man is already in New Orleans, so go straight to the airport,” his boss instructed. “We'll send an e-ticket to your phone.”
When he hung up, Bruce realized there could be a lot more benefits to this job than he’d initially thought. He took a moment to process the new development. His best friend in the Army, Terry, had just moved to New Orleans. He’d be able to see him and catch up on old times. Hell, he hadn't even had a chance to tell Terry he was getting married. He pulled his phone out of his pocket again and made a call.
“Hey, it’s Bruce. Looks like I’m going to be in your neck of the woods, man. For work.”
“Really? That’s great!” Terry replied excitedly. “When do you get here?”
“Today.”
“Wow, that soon?”
“I know, I’m just as surprised as you, believe me,” Bruce chuckled.
“Want me to pick you up at the airport?” Terry offered.
“No, but thanks. I need to rent a car and start work right away. Maybe if you have time we can grab dinner.”
“Your treat, working man,” Terry joked.
“Fair enough. I'll give you a call when I've settled in.”
“I’m looking forward to it already.”
After hanging up, Bruce headed to the bedroom where he dragged out a suitcase and started packing. He was looking forward to seeing Terry again; he needed someone he could talk to and vent some of his concerns. He knew he could level with a guy like Terry, someone he’d been through combat with, and knew Terry would level with him.
Chapter Eight
Bruce couldn’t help but feel sneaky. He didn't like the felling, either. He prided himself on being a straight up kind of guy, but here he was in New Orleans and he hadn't contacted Myeisha yet; he hadn't let her know he was there. Worse, when she’d called him to tell him she’d arrived in New Orleans, he’d pretended he was at work and not the airport waiting to follow her.
He told himself he wanted to surprise her—show up at the hotel Steele had put her up in with flowers. That was dishonest, though. He didn't want her to know he was in town yet, even though he didn't exactly know why.
When he’d arrived he found a hectic situation. There was a lot to do, setting up protection and surveillance at both the office and Steele’s apartment. The private investigator’s people weren't well versed in security, so he had to spend time going over t
heir plans in detail, making changes and assigning their personnel. There was more to do before he could call it good, but in the evening he took a break to have dinner with Terry. They met a chain restaurant that Bruce knew from New York where they ate dinner and drank beer, reflecting on old times and chatting about other Army buddies before catching up on what had happened since leaving the military. Terry mentioned leaving his job to be close to his sister, who was now pregnant.
“Planning on staying?” Bruce asked.
“Assuming I can get a job. But I just got into town, and that’s my excuse. Yours is that you’re chasing your bride-to-be around the country without telling her?”
Bruce laughed at this. “It sounds nuts when you put it like that, but I guess it’s true in a way. Right after we got engaged, her boss decided to bring the operation here and dragged her down here, too. I don’t trust her boss one bit. He’s hit on her before, and I kind of got the feeling he wanted to put distance between us. If so, it didn't work because my company provides his security and they sent me down here to organize things.”
“You don’t trust her? Your fiancée?” Bruce questioned, taking a sip of his drink.
“I do, but she likes the guy a bit too much for my taste. She’s protective of him and I worry he’ll take advantage.” Bruce left it at that. Terry was sympathetic, which made him feel better, and there was no reason to go into more detail; that would just make him sound paranoid. “Now I need to get back to work. I haven’t double checked the work the local guys did on his new apartment yet.”
They agreed to meet again, and he headed for Steele’s address with Terry’s question ringing in his ears. Did he trust Myeisha? He thought he did, but if so, why was he lying to her?
He parked across the street from Kenneth’s apartment, which the local security team had placed security cameras on the front and rear entrances of. They transmitted video to monitors in a room they’d rented across the street from Steele’s place. A camera on a tripod that had a huge telephoto lens made it easy to identify people at the front of the building, and they could even see in through his living room window if the drapes were drawn. It all looked pretty good, Bruce noted. He took a few photos of the front of the building with the big camera and sent them, along with floor plans and diagrams, back to New York so they’d know it was alright.
