Victoria figured she would know next weekend when she attended the birthday party Brandy was throwing for Grey in Orlando. Her aunt would expect her to attend, and Victoria figured Cortez would be there, as well. She’d known about the party before Paris, but hadn’t mentioned it to Cortez. And he hadn’t brought it up either.
Victoria was tempted to text him and see how he was doing, but then he might think she was trying to extend their Paris affair. So, she didn’t call him. She realized she wasn’t sure she could handle hearing his voice.
The best thing to do would be to wait it out. There was a possibility that whatever she was feeling would fade in time. She hoped.
Taking a deep breath, she picked up her cell phone. Maybe her Aunt Brandy would need some help with the party.
“So, there you have it, Masters. If we bring you on as our company’s attorney, I’ll need you to represent us in that lawsuit. In my opinion, the fault belongs to the girl. There’s no way my son would have come on to her if she’d been dressed appropriately.”
Cortez stared across his desk at the man sitting with his son. The kid looked to be twenty-two or so, and had been playing on his cell phone throughout the entire appointment, even though his old man had told him to put it away. Any questions he’d addressed to the younger man had quickly been answered by the older one.
“And just how was she dressed inappropriately?” he decided to ask.
“Just take a look,” the older man said, pointing at the picture he’d placed on Cortez’s desk earlier. “That skirt she’s wearing is way too short. Hell, it barely covers her backside. How is he supposed to keep his hands off her when she’s walking around dressed like that?”
Easily, Cortez thought. It was a good thing touching this girl inappropriately was all the kid had done before the young woman slammed a hard fist into his stomach. Both men were afraid she would file some sort of sexual assault lawsuit, and wanted him as their attorney if she did.
The man waited, and when Cortez didn’t say anything, he leaned back in his chair. “So, are you going to take our case?”
“No.”
The man looked surprised, and his cell-phone addicted son finally glanced up. He stared first at Cortez, then at his father, as if he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. Obviously, his old man wasn’t used to being denied what he wanted.
“And why the hell not?” the man asked in a loud, irritated voice.
Cortez was tempted to yell, ‘Because I don’t want to.’ But instead he said, “Mainly because over the past hour you’ve been boasting about your son being the man while trying to place the blame on the victim. You’ve convinced yourself that what he did — sexually assaulting a young woman, one of your employees, for God’s sake — was okay because of the way she was dressed. But guess what? It isn’t. And now you’re afraid she’ll want to sue. I hope she does. In fact, if she comes to me, I’ll take her case. Yours, I won’t. Good day, Mr. Roberts.”
The man looked like a vein was about to pop in his neck. Angrily, he stood, snatched the photograph off Cortez’s desk and stormed out of his office, his son following in his wake. When the door slammed shut, the only real physical thing the son had done since walking into the office with his old man, Cortez rubbed a hand down his face.
Why was he having to deal with the likes of those two? He needed a case he could sink his teeth into, one that would be a real challenge, one that could distract him from thinking about Victoria. He got up and went over to the coffee pot to pour himself another cup, which, at this time of day, was the last thing he needed. But then, why the hell shouldn’t he have something he liked? After all, he couldn’t have what he really wanted, what he needed — the woman he loved. He loved Victoria now more than he had before, and the wait to see her again was killing him.
There hadn’t been a day that passed since he come home that he hadn’t been tempted to call her. He would give anything to hear her voice, to talk to her before she went to bed, to share some of those same conversations they’d had while on their walks. Talk about sex, dirty and passionate. Hell, he’d even throw in romantic.
He turned when his cell phone rang. Returning to his desk, he picked it up. It was a personal call, likely from a family member or one of his friends. Definitely not Victoria. He’d given her a special ringtone.
“Hello.”
“So, are you coming to my birthday party?”
Cortez eased down in his chair as a smile curved his lips. It was his cousin Grey. “I take it Brandy decided not to surprise you after all.”
“She knew better. There’s not much you can pull over on a former FBI agent. It’s in our nature to be suspicious. So, are you coming?”
Wild horses couldn’t keep him away…after all, Victoria would be there. Of course, he couldn’t let Grey know that it had been because of a woman that he’d booked his flight already. “Of course, I’ll be there. Are you calling all your relatives to make sure they’re coming?”
“No.”
“Then how did I get so lucky?”
“I overheard your name mentioned in a conversation Brandy had with Victoria, and I thought I’d call to make sure everything is okay.”
Cortez sat up straight. Although he’d admitted to Quinn that he loved Victoria, his cousin would have kept that information to himself. As an attorney, Quinn was used to keeping confidential information. Cortez also knew that neither one of his brothers would have told anyone, not even under duress. So how did…?
“Like I said, Tez. I’m ex-FBI. I can do more than put two and two together. I can divide, multiply, and subtract. It’s been quite interesting watching you and Victoria. The two of you have it really bad.”
He had news for Grey. Since spending two days together in Paris, a trip Grey probably didn’t know about, bad had gone to worse. All he had to do was think of her and he got hard, though he figured that was pretty damn understandable, considering the things they’d done during those two days.
Memories of that time with her was never far from his mind…the things they did in bed and out of it. How he’d felt inside of her, buried deep, and exploding hard each and every time he reached a climax. Once they’d established the fact that she was on a reliable form of birth control, and both were safe health-wise, there had been no reason to use a condom. His or hers. Being skin to skin, something he hadn’t done with any woman, ever, had literally blown his mind. Whenever he would come, her inner muscles would clutch him tight, squeezing him dry and taking all he had to give.
“Tez?”
He blinked, realizing he still had Grey on the line. “Yeah, man?”
“You okay?”
Cortez knew it was time to get Grey off the phone, or he might figure out just how “not okay” Cortez was. “I’m fine and yes, I’m coming.” He would give anything to come inside Victoria right now.
“So, what did Victoria tell Brandy about me?” he asked, switching positions in his chair to ease the pressure of his erection, which was pressing painfully against his zipper.
“I don’t know. Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”
“Then why are you even calling?” He heard Grey chuckle before he answered.
“I just want you to be prepared…for whatever. And to let you know I’ll be watching you. Victoria is my niece.”
Cortez rolled his eyes. “She’s your niece by marriage, and I’m your cousin by blood. Relax. What’s between me and Victoria isn’t that kind of party. We get along.”
“From what I’ve seen, you avoid her and she avoids you.”
Not anymore, Cortez thought, thinking of those days in Paris. There’d be no avoiding each other this time. He’d given her two weeks. Now it was time. “I’ll handle it.”
Then, to change the subject, he said, “I hear the Masters’s cousins are being called the future Venus and Serena Williams.”
Grey’s brothers, Shane and Lake, both had thirteen-year-old daughters — Shaniya and Lakelyn. The girls were making waves with
their skill as tennis players thanks to Shane, who’d once been a noted tennis instructor.
There was another chuckle from Grey that let Cortez know his cousin was on to him. His deliberate shift in conversation to a subject Grey enjoyed discussing — his kids and his nieces and nephews — had worked. There was no doubt about it, Grey Masters was definitely a proud dad and doting uncle. “Shaniya and Lakelyn are finally getting the recognition they deserve. They’re damn good, and I think they might even have a shot at next year’s title.”
Cortez had seen them play a number of times and had been very impressed. “I believe they might.”
The conversation then shifted to Brandy and Grey’s three kids. His older cousins, Quinn, Grey, Shane, and Lake had all married the women they loved. Cortez intended to do likewise.
“Okay, Cortez, I’ll let it go. But remember what I said. You need to decide how things are going to be between you and Victoria. It’s driving the family batty. I’ll see you Friday.”
VICTORIA KNEW THE MOMENT Cortez arrived in the ballroom of the prestigious St. Laurent of Orlando, the hotel that Brandy and Grey owned. She hadn’t had to turn around, and hadn’t needed any of her cousins to mention his arrival. She had known.
She had seen his brothers earlier and they’d mentioned to Monica that Cortez would be arriving late. One of his court cases had lasted longer than he’d expected, forcing him to get a later flight from Los Angeles.
Unless her nose was playing tricks on her, she was certain she could even pick up his scent. The scent of her mate. Her mate? She swallowed, wondering why she would think such a thing, then immediately she knew. He was the only man her body recognized. The only man who had touched it in ways that still made her blush thinking about it.
Every part of her was alert. Passionate strokes of desire were swirling down her spine. She tried to ignore them, but she couldn’t. They were too intense. All she had to do was think back to any one of their intimate moments in Paris, and a moan would rise deep in her throat.
“You okay, Victoria?” Bree asked her when the two of them were alone.
Forcing her features to remain neutral, she said, “Yes.”
Bree smiled over the rim of her wineglass. “Liar.”
Victoria’s lips broke into a smile. Her cousin knew her so well. “Well, at least I get to see Cortez again,” she admitted, fighting hard not to turn around and look for him.
“Will seeing him be enough for you?”
Although she hadn’t given her cousins any details about what had happened in Paris, it hadn’t been too hard for them to figure out. It had been obvious to all of them that those two days had changed everything.
“I’m not sure,” she said, finally answering Bree’s question. Since returning home, there hadn’t been a single day that she hadn’t thought of him or remembered their time together. At first, she’d tried to convince herself that it had only been about sex, but deep down, she’d knew that wasn’t true. Granted, they had spent a lot of time making love, but they’d also spent several hours just enjoying each other’s company.
Was she honestly prepared to see him tonight? She thought she was, but now that the time had come, she wasn’t sure.
“Cortez is a nice guy,” Bree said.
“Yes, he is,” she agreed.
“Is there any reason the two of you can’t get together? Why does it have to be one and done? If you like each other as much as I think you do — and there’s more between you than just sex — why not try for more?”
Victoria’s eyebrows drew together in concentration as she gave her cousin’s question some thought. “But I don’t know if there is more than sex between us.”
Bree stared at her for a moment. “Of course, you don’t know how he feels, but you can certainly speak for yourself. Don’t you feel anything for him beyond the physical?”
Victoria was relieved she didn’t have to provide Bree with an answer, because at that moment, her other cousins returned. Monica was almost giddy and wouldn’t stop talking about the band. The drummer had winked at her and she couldn’t help telling everyone how cute she thought he was. Victoria excused herself to go to the ladies’ room and was on her way back when she saw Cortez. The ballroom was crowded with family and with Brandy and Grey’s friends. Yet Cortez seemed to stand out as he spoke to his cousin Quinece. Then, as if he’d felt her presence, he tilted his head and looked her way. Directly at her.
She stopped walking, afraid she’d trip if she continued. Standing there in dark trousers and a tan sports jacket, he took her breath away. She felt his gaze move over her and her skin sizzled. That was the effect he had on her. And she felt a tingling sensation sweep through her nether regions.
Victoria could keep walking, ignoring him in the process. That was how she’d handled situations like this in the past. But now, she felt they were beyond that type of behavior. And given the way he was staring at her, she had a feeling he agreed. His eyes were filled with desire that he wasn’t trying to hide. Desire she could feel all the way to her bones. She wasn’t sure if Quinece or anyone else could read it, but she certainly did.
Drawing in a deep breath, she forced her legs to move…toward him. The smile that formed on her lips wasn’t fake — she was honestly glad to see him — and her heart was pounding wildly in her chest. “Quinece,” she said, giving her a hug, which the woman returned.
Victoria then turned to Cortez. “Hello, Cortez.”
“Victoria, it’s good to see you again.”
She wished the deep timbre of his voice didn’t affect her so much. She recalled the way he would whisper in her ear each morning when he woke her up to make love, or how that same voice would tell her how much he desired her.
“If the two of you will excuse me, I need to see if Brandy needs help with anything,” Quinece said, smiling before walking off and leaving them alone.
“How have you been, Victoria?”
She met Cortez’s gaze again, and at that moment Bree’s question floated through her mind… “If there’s more between you than just sex — why not try for more?”
If there had been any doubt in Victoria’s mind before, there was none now. There had been a reason she had missed him so much over the last two weeks. There had been a reason why she’d gone to bed every night, only to wake up with him fully embedded in her thoughts. Yes, there was more between them than sex. She loved him. She had fallen in love with Cortez Masters.
“Victoria?”
She blinked, realizing she’d been standing there staring at him without saying anything. “I’ve been fine, Cortez. What about you?”
He didn’t say anything for a minute, and then he added in a low, husky voice, “Do you want to know the truth?”
She swallowed deeply before nervously swiping her tongue across her lower lip. Why did she have a feeling he was about to tell her something that would make her come unglued? “Yes, I do.”
“I’ve been missing you like hell and wanting you like crazy.”
Cortez saw Victoria shiver and understood. Although he’d worried that maybe he should not have been so bold, not made his desires so blatantly clear, at the moment he didn’t care. He had to be totally honest with her. Needing to make sure she totally understood how he felt, he stepped closer and whispered, “I want you.”
She didn’t say anything. And when he heard the band begin to play, he knew he had to have her in his arms, even if it were only on the dance floor. Extending his hand, he asked, “Will you dance with me?”
He watched as she stared at his hand a minute before placing hers into his. The moment they touched, frissons of awareness rushed through him, and he felt a tightening low in his gut. He wanted her, but he loved her even more. In his mind, love and desire for her went hand in hand. He couldn’t separate the two.
Leading her to the dance floor, he pulled her into his arms, loving the feeling of having her body pressed against his. He wasn’t sure what song the band was playing, but he swayed with her
to the music, and when he inhaled, her scent overwhelmed him. He had missed her. He loved her.
Intentional or not, he felt the moment she nudged her hips forward to his center, and his hands moved from her waist to slowly skim up her back. Then, as if they had a mind of their own, his hands began languidly stroking her back. At that moment, he didn’t care if others noticed. Glancing over her head, he caught sight of Grey, and his cousin was watching him as he’d told him he would be doing. So let him watch. It was all good.
“I miss you, too, Cortez.”
Her words nearly made him miss a step, but he quickly regrouped, continuing to sway as he glanced down at her. What he saw in her eyes made his breath suddenly catch, and pushed him to ask, “And?”
She licked her lips as his hands moved from her back to her hips.
“And I want you, too.”
He drew in a deep breath. She had no idea what her saying those words did to him. But he wanted her to do more than miss him, more than want him. Still, it was a start. Tonight, he’d set his plan in action. And hopefully, before long, she’d be open to the idea of a relationship between them. He would work hard to make that happen because she was worth it.
“I want you and you want me,” he said, smiling down at her. “What do you propose that we do about that?”
She licked her lips again before saying, “I’ll let you decide. You’re so good at arranging things.”
Then she leaned into his embrace, resting her face on his chest. He moaned. Whether she knew it or not, she had given him permission to woo her. He had decided that this woman would one day be his wife, and he intended to take all the necessary steps to make sure that happened.
“Will you meet me later?” he asked her.
“Where?”
He hoped he wasn’t wrong, but she sounded as anxious as he was. “I have a room in the tower on the thirtieth floor. Room 3002.”
Brandy and Grey always reserved certain floors for family at events like this. That was the reason Cortez had intentionally reserved a room in the hotel’s tower, a section of the hotel on the east wing that would be far away from family members’ prying eyes. Even better, the hotel tower had its own set of elevators.
THE BENNETTS' WEDDING (The Bennett Family and the Masters Family Book 5) Page 23
