As they reached the elevators, the sound of jazz music could be heard coming from a nearby lounge. D’marcus glanced at his watch and then he turned to Opal. “It’s still early. If you aren’t tired, would you mind joining me in the lounge? I’d love to just sit and listen to some music awhile to unwind.”
Opal swallowed deeply, surprised by D’marcus’s request. She knew she should tell him that the plane trip had tired her out and that she wanted to rest. But deep down, she knew that would be a lie. She really wasn’t tired and listening to jazz did seem like a good way to relax. Besides, she was enjoying his company. At dinner he had been like another person. In fact, since making that promise last week, his attitude had changed. He no longer frowned as much. So she bit back her rejections and instead said, “Yes, I’d love to.”
Her uneasiness returned the moment he took her arm to lead her to the lounge. The moment he touched her, all kinds of sensations spread through her body. At dinner with the Phelpses, D’marcus had been utterly charming and talkative. She knew he had impressed the older couple who seemed to have more money than they knew what to do with. According to Mr. Phelps, opening those stores would be an investment in their granddaughter’s future. She was only four.
The first thing Opal noticed was that the lounge was crowded. She glanced at D’marcus and watched him scan the place for available seats. “Looks like this is our lucky night,” he said, indicating a couple at a table near the front who were standing to leave.
Still holding her arm he led her over to the empty table. As soon as they sat down, she tried shifting her attention from D’marcus to the band that was performing.
“What would you like to drink, Opal?”
She glanced over at D’marcus and saw a waiter standing next to him to take their drink order. “An Opal cocktail.”
D’marcus raised his brow and then gave the waiter his own drink order, a Bloody Mary. When the waiter walked off he looked over at her and smiled. “An Opal cocktail? I’ve never heard of it.”
She couldn’t help but grin. “Imagine how giddy I got one night when my cousin Colleen and I visited our first bar and the waiter, after finding out my name, suggested I try it. I did and it’s been my mixed drink of choice, ever since.”
He nodded. “What’s in it?”
“Gin, triple sec, orange juice, powdered sugar and ice. It’s fairly simple to make and I like the taste.”
At that moment, the band began playing another number and they decided to listen to the group. That was fine with Opal since she really didn’t know what type of casual conversation the two of them could exchange. He was her boss, for heaven’s sake!
With the band playing and the lights turned down some, she took the opportunity to study him. As usual, he was wearing a suit and looked good in it. But what had captured her attention during most of dinner were his features. They were the same features he’d always had, but, for some reason, tonight she’d been drawn to them. He had beautiful brown skin and long eyelashes that would make any woman envious. And now that he was smiling a lot more, his looks were more dashing than before. Then there were his lips. She had noticed them a lot during dinner. She wondered how they’d feel under hers. She blushed, not believing she’d actually thought that. In fact, she inwardly admitted, she’d been thinking a lot of sexual things about D’marcus lately.
“Enjoying the music?”
She blinked. He had caught her staring at him. She quickly looked away at the band. “Yes. What about you?”
“I’m enjoying them. They sound good.”
She had to agree with him. “Are you unwinding?”
He chuckled. “Pretty much. Even you have to admit it’s been a rough couple of weeks.”
She nodded. But she was sure it had been more so for him than for her. He’d been the one wheeling and dealing, getting richer by the minute. “So what happens when there’re no more stores left to franchise?”
Amusement shone in his gaze. “There will always be stores to franchise. As long as Americans enjoy their favorite sports, we will be there to supply whatever they need to make them happy.”
She knew it was more than just earning a dollar for him. He was also a big contributor to various worthwhile charities, especially those for children.
At that moment, the waiter returned with their drinks. D’marcus glanced over at the glass the waiter placed in front of her. “Umm, that looks good. Maybe I should have ordered one of those.”
“Would you like to try it?”
“Sure.”
He was about to use the extra straw the waiter had left for his own drink but made a quick decision to use hers instead; the one already in her drink. He wondered how she would react if he was bold enough to do such a thing. He decided to find out by reaching for her glass and taking a sip.
Ever since she had whispered his name in her sleep, he’d been attentive, watching and waiting to see what it all meant. He was ready for any sign that indicated she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
He slid the glass back over to her. “You’re right. It tastes good.”
He watched her. Seeing what he’d done had definitely put her out of her comfort zone. She was beginning to act rattled, as if she wasn’t sure what she should do. Should she use the same straw that he had? Should she take the straw out and sip the drink without it? He could envision all those questions going through her mind and was curious as to which solution she would take. He decided to make it easier for her.
“I guess it’s only fair that now I let you take a sip of mine,” he said, sliding his glass over to her. She glanced up at him and then, just as he’d done earlier, she took a sip of his drink using his straw. She slid the glass back to him.
“Well, what do you think?” he asked her.
She smiled nervously. “It’s okay if you like tomatoes but I like mine better because I love the taste of oranges.”
He chuckled, and then, without thinking twice about it, he took a sip of his own drink, using the same straw she had. He wondered if she would follow his lead.
She did. For some reason, seeing her using the straw his lips had touched did something to him, as did knowing he was using the same straw her lips had touched. He felt a hard jolt in his gut and knew he was almost losing his battle for control. He quickly took another sip of his drink.
“You uncle and aunt are nice,” Opal said.
She had told him that already, earlier that day. “Thanks. Aunt Marie likes you.”
She raised a brow. “How do you know that?”
“Because she asked me to bring you back.”
That made Opal smile. “Your uncle didn’t have a lot to say,” she noted.
He grinned. “As you saw, my aunt has a tendency to talk enough for both of them. Uncle Charles can never get a word in so I guess he figures why bother.”
Opal couldn’t help but widen her smile at that. “What time will we check out of the hotel tomorrow?”
“Right after my meeting with Fred Johnson. I’ll need you to be in my suite at nine. Will that be a problem?”
“Not at all.”
“Then afterward, we’ll check out and go to my home. It’s on the beach.”
Opal was looking forward to that, especially since the weather was so nice. Amber had encouraged her to bring a bathing suit to go swimming in the hotel’s pool, but going to the beach was even better.
Assuming she went without D’marcus. No way would she wear a swimsuit in front of him. Her pulse was still racing since he’d sipped her drink through her straw. It was so…intimate. And, when she did the same, goose bumps formed on her arm.
She glanced up and her gaze suddenly collided with his. She wanted to look away and couldn’t. It didn’t help matters that the band was now playing a slow tune. She was glad the lounge didn’t have a dance floor.
“Do you know what I like about jazz music?” he asked in a mild voice.
She decided to take a guess. “It helps you to unwind?”
He smiled. “Yes, but also, you don’t need lyrics to complement the music. You can add your own words.”
She never thought of it that way.
“What type of music do you like listening to?” he asked her.
“All kinds, but lately because of my sister Pearl I’ve been exposed to a lot of gospel. She sings in the church choir and she finally decided to send off a demo to several gospel labels all over the country. We haven’t heard anything back yet but we’re hoping someone is interested. She has a beautiful voice.”
“Then, I hope things work out for her.”
“Thanks.”
Opal wasn’t sure if it was the drink or the nice conversation and relaxing music, but she wasn’t as nervous as she usually was around D’marcus.
To her surprise he then shared with her that he used to play the saxophone and still enjoyed playing it sometime. “I played in high school and then in college at Morehouse. I enjoyed those times.”
“I play the piano,” she decided to share with him. “All of us had to take piano lessons and I think I’m the one who enjoyed it the most. We use to own a piano, but one year when money got tight Mom had to sell it.”
At that moment the waiter came up to see if they wanted refills on their drinks. She declined and so did D’marcus. After the waiter walked off, D’marcus glanced over to her and said, “I guess it’s time for us to call it a night and go up to our rooms. Although I don’t want to think about it, we have a lot of work to do tomorrow. Thanks for sharing this time with me, Opal.”
She started. This was the first time he’d called her by her first name. “You’re welcome, Mr. Armstrong.”
He chuckled. “You’ve been working for me around four months now. I think it’s time for us to stop being so formal and go on a first-name basis, unless you have a problem with me calling you Opal.”
She shook her head. “No, I don’t have a problem with it.”
“Good. And from now on, you can call me D’marcus.”
Opal nodded uncomfortably. “It’s going to be hard.”
He grinned. “Go ahead. Try it and see.”
Opal gazed at D’marcus and saw he was dead serious. He was waiting for her to say his name. “I know how to pronounce it,” she said softly.
“I know, but I want to hear you say it,” he said in a low, throaty voice. Sensuous shivers moved down Opal’s spine at the sound. “Go on,” he said encouragingly.
Opal looked at him strangely. She wasn’t sure why he wanted her to say his name, but she decided to do it and get it over with. “D’marcus.”
He smiled as he leaned back in his chair. “I like the way you say it.”
She definitely didn’t know what to think of that. Why would it matter to him how she said his name?
“I’m ready to leave anytime you are.”
He had already stood up, so she got out of her seat. “I’m ready.”
To Opal it seemed all the women watched the tall, dark, handsome, muscular man walking beside her as they left the lounge. But none as much as she.
D’marcus walked her to her hotel-room door and she nervously opened it before turning back to him. “Good night, Mr. Arms—I mean, D’marcus.”
He chuckled. “Good night, Opal.”
Deciding she wasn’t going to give either of them a chance to say or do anything else, she quickly went into her room and closed the door behind her. She leaned against it, holding her breath, and didn’t release it until she heard him enter his own room and close the door behind him.
She couldn’t help wondering what had happened in the lounge. Why had he prompted her to say his name? And why, even now, was her heart beating furiously in her chest?
“D’marcus,” she said, liking the sound of saying it. She would definitely have to get used to not calling him Mr. Armstrong. She was about to get undressed when the telephone in her room rang. Would D’marcus be calling her? Maybe he had forgotten to tell her something important about tomorrow. There was only one way to find out. She picked up the phone. “Hello.”
“Where have you been?”
She relaxed upon hearing Ruby’s voice.
“Yeah, Opal, we’ve been trying to call you.”
She shook her head. Now that was Pearl’s voice. She played her hunch and said. “I know Amber’s in school tonight but, Colleen, are you on the line, too?”
She heard her best friend and cousin chuckle. “How did you guess?”
“Easily,” she said.
“So, where were you?” Pearl asked.
“D’marcus and I had a business dinner with one of his clients.”
“And you’re just getting back?” Ruby asked.
“Yes,” she said, deciding not to tell them she and D’marcus had shared a drink after dinner in the hotel lounge. “Why are the three of you still up?” she asked, knowing with the difference in time zones it had to be almost two in the morning in Detroit.
“We wanted to talk to you to make sure you’re okay,” Pearl said.
Opal frowned. “Didn’t the three of you get my messages? I left one on each of your cell phones.”
“Yes, we got them,” Colleen said. “But that was earlier. When Ruby tried to call you at a time that we figured you should be getting ready for bed and you didn’t answer, we began to worry.”
“Well, don’t worry. I’m a big girl who can take care of herself.”
“And what about the tyrant?” Ruby asked.
“He’s not a tyrant and what about him?”
“Has he been on his best behavior?”
“Why wouldn’t he be?”
“Because of your makeover, Opal,” Ruby said on a sigh. “You look gorgeous. Any man would notice. So, did he?”
Opal smiled. Her family was definitely nosey. “Yes, he noticed.”
“What did he say?” Pearl asked excitedly.
“Nothing other than I looked different.”
“That’s all he said?” Colleen sounded downright disappointed.
Opal chuckled. “Yes, that’s all he said. If all of you stayed up late hoping to hear some off-the-wall nasty stuff, then I hate to disappoint you. D’marcus Armstrong has been a perfect gentleman.”
“So, in other words, he hasn’t gotten you naked yet.” Colleen laughed.
“And trust me, he won’t,” Opal countered. “Good night, ladies.”
“Just watch yourself around him,” Ruby warned.
“Good night, ladies,” Opal repeated. “All of you have jobs to go to tomorrow so please go to bed. Love you all,” she said, then sent a huge kissy-smack through the phone line before hanging up. She shook her head grinning as she crossed the room to the bathroom.
She thought about Colleen’s question of D’marcus getting her naked. Boy was her cousin way off the mark. She bet the thought of doing something like that hadn’t even crossed the man’s mind.
What would she look like naked?
D’marcus shook his head, as if to rid his mind of the thought, and stepped into the shower. But he couldn’t stop thinking of just how good Opal had looked tonight. She was sexy in an understated way, and the outfit she’d had on had definitely brought out that fact. At dinner, when she had excused herself to go to the ladies’ room, he had watched her leave. So had every other male in the room. Her dress had been clinging to her body in several delectable places.
Tonight in the lounge when she had sipped his drink through his straw and then he had drunk it himself, he had gotten a little taste of her. But a little taste wasn’t enough.
He wanted it all.
He no longer wondered what the hell was wrong with him. He was too far gone to be concerned, any longer. He was attracted to her. She was the first woman since Tonya who got his hormones out of whack.
He then thought about what would or would not happen when he took her to his home. As he had told her earlier today, he intended for her to have some fun before returning to Detroit.
It had been some years—six, to be precise�
�since he had so thoroughly enjoyed a woman’s company and that same length of time since he had invited a woman to his home. Although Opal’s visit was for business, he thought of it as for pleasure, too. Like tonight. Around her he had a tendency to feel more relaxed.
Moments later, as D’marcus stepped out of the shower, he decided he was looking forward to taking Opal to his home. Maybe she would eventually say his name the same way she had said it in her dream. He liked hearing her moan, and he totally intended to hear her moan some more.
Chapter 9
Sitting in the rental car next to D’marcus, Opal glanced around as he drove down a hill that led to his home on Stinson Beach. Already she could see the Pacific Ocean and was getting excited at the thought that she would be staying in a house right on the beach. She wondered how on earth D’marcus could trade this for Detroit’s often harsh winters.
She knew he had moved to Michigan after becoming the primary owner of the Chargers but, still, she would be tempted to live ninety percent of the time here and just commute to Detroit when needed.
“The ocean is beautiful,” she said, without glancing over at him. She wasn’t used to so many hills and wanted to make sure he had no reason to take his eyes off the winding road.
“I think it’s beautiful, too. Whenever I return it seems to have a way of beckoning me home, making me feel welcome and glad to be back.”
Moments after stopping briefly at a gated entrance, they pulled into the driveway of a beautiful two-story home. Opal smiled and pulled in a lung-filling breath of the ocean. She didn’t know of anyone other than D’marcus who actually had the ocean in their backyard.
And then there was the house itself. The huge stucco structure created in the Tuscan style was stunning, unlike anything she’d ever seen other than in magazines.
In Bed With Her Boss (Kimani Romance) Page 7
