“Don’t treat me like a stranger, Elyse. Not when we are so much more.” Julian swept his fingers across her aching lips and then left her with those words as he sauntered back to the driver’s side and the Bugatti Veyron roared to life, leaving Elyse standing on the street.
Why was it that the one man she needed to keep at arm’s length, was the only man she’d ever wanted to get this close to?
Six
“It’s good to see you, Shantel.” Julian leaned past her belly to give his best friend a kiss on the cheek as he came into her foyer after work. The Spelman alum’s pregnancy had seemingly blossomed overnight. “Jesus, how far along are you?”
Shantel swatted him on the arm. “Thanks a lot, Julian. Don’t you know its bad manners to ask a woman that?”
Julian shrugged. “You’re not just any woman. You’re my best friend and if I can’t be real with you, who can I be real with?”
“You have a point.” She smiled and led him through the paneled living room and into the kitchen of the new house she and Roman had purchased a few months ago. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“I would love a beer if you have one,” Julian replied. He followed Shantel over to the stainless-steel refrigerator and watched her pull out a bottle. She handed it to him and he screwed off the top, taking a generous pull.
“So what brings you by?” Shantel asked, leaning against the massive quartz island in the chef’s kitchen.
“I can’t just come by and visit?” Julian quipped with a frown.
“Of course you can.”
But they both knew that since she’d married Roman, Julian had tempered his visits. His brother was possessive and Julian didn’t want to cause friction for his favorite girl. “Good, because I need your advice about a woman I met last week.”
“Oh, this sounds interesting.” Shantel rubbed her hands together with glee. “I do always love a tale about one of Julian’s girls.”
“This woman is different,” Julian responded. “She’s not one of my ‘girls.’” He used his hands to make air quotes.
“Really?” Shantel’s brow rose. “My feet hurt, so let’s have a seat on the sofa.” She motioned him to the living room.
Julian sank down beside Shantel onto a plush cream sofa with tons of colorful cushions. “So when am I becoming an uncle?” he inquired.
“Oh no you don’t,” Shantel said. “Don’t go changing the subject. You came over to talk about you, not me. But to answer your question—in a couple of months.”
“I can’t wait.” Time certainly flew, Julian thought. It seemed like just yesterday he was trying to convince Shantel to come hang out at Jazz Tastings, a local jazz joint favored by the locals. And now, she was married and about to be a mother.
“So tell me, what woman has you so twisted you’ve come to me for advice?” Shantel asked.
“Her name is Elyse Harper,” Julian said, leaning back and turning to face her. “I met her on Friday when she switched places with one of my mother’s arranged blind dates.”
“Switched places? What do you mean?”
Julian explained how Elyse had maneuvered to replace the blind date his mother had chosen for him.
“Sounds like she went through quite a lot of trouble to meet you,” Shantel said. “So what’s the problem?”
Shantel was right. Elyse had set up their meeting, so why was she acting coy now? “I don’t know, you would think I had propositioned her.”
“Hmm...she’s playing hard to get. I would tread carefully with this one, Julian. Sounds like she’s playing games. I don’t like the fact that her actions say one thing, but her words say another.”
“Yeah. I have to admit, for the first time, a woman’s got me baffled.”
“But interested?”
Julian looked at Shantel. She was right. Although Elyse was playing some sort of head game, he was far from bored, which was what usually happened with the women he encountered. Instead, he was curious to find out more about what mysteries lay beneath the surface.
“Yes, I’m intrigued and excited,” Julian said. “So much so, I created a potential PR opportunity for her with the Atlanta Cougars.”
“What on earth possessed you to make a dumb move like that?”
“I needed a way in and I figured dangling a carrot like doing PR work for Curtis Jackson might do the trick. Anyway, I’m thinking I’ll switch tactics. Elyse is very guarded. It’s as if she doesn’t want me to get too close.”
“Women are like onions, Julian. Sometimes you have to peel back the layers.”
Julian chuckled. “I know you’re a psychologist and all, but you’re laying it on a little thick. I think I need to do something to shake her out of her comfort zone.”
“Sounds intriguing. What do you have in mind?”
“You’ll see.” Julian was thinking something grandiose and so over the top, Elyse would have no choice but to finally let her guard down and let him in.
* * *
“You want to gallivant off to Saint Lucia when the season is about to get underway?” Giana looked at Julian as if he’d fallen off his rocker when he stopped by her office late Friday morning. He’d been thinking about it since their lunch on Wednesday and knew the next move he needed to make with Elyse.
“What’s wrong with taking a little time off? It’s not like there aren’t other team doctors to take care of the athletes.”
“But you’ve been trying to prove yourself the last couple of years,” Giana replied. “To Daddy. Dr. Walters. Even Roman. Are you sure you want to do this?”
“I thought you agreed with me that I needed to do something drastic to get Elyse’s attention?”
“I understand this woman has your nose wide open, Julian,” Giana said, “but at the end of the day, the Atlanta Cougars always come first.”
“Maybe in your world,” Julian replied, “but never in mine. Don’t you get tired of spending all your time trying to live your life according to our father’s wishes?”
Julian knew he sure was. Everything he’d ever done his entire life had been to please his father, but the last few years Julian had decided to hell with it. Thus his reputation as a ladies’ man. In college and medical school, Julian had always been a flirt. It wasn’t until his residency that he’d finally come into his own. And when he had, he’d realized that nothing he ever did would live up to the old man’s expectations. He wasn’t Roman and he would always fall short of the brass ring. So why keep trying and beating himself up about it when the result would always be the same?
“That’s not fair, Julian. You know how hard it is being a woman in this business, let alone in this family.”
“But you’ve always been Daddy’s girl. You can do no wrong in his eyes.”
“And consequently never do right. We’re in the same boat, Julian. Don’t you see that? It’s why I’m trying so hard to get a deal with Wynn Starks. Daddy thinks I can never land the multimillionaire sports drink giant because I’m not one of the boys. But if I do, maybe, just maybe, he’ll start to see my business chops and give me a bigger role than just fiddling with advertising and marketing. What he calls ‘woman’s work.’”
“I want that for you, too, baby girl, but it doesn’t mean I have to live by your standards. I’ve given everything for this company and all I’m doing is taking some time off. Hell, every year Xavier goes off to mope because his dreams of being a quarterback went up in flames. Why can’t I take some time off?”
Giana rolled her eyes. “You know Xavier was devastated by his injury. He’d played football his whole life.”
“I never said he wasn’t. He, too, has been living for Daddy. But I’m doing this for me.”
“You’re doing this to seduce Elyse. That’s all. At least admit exactly what this is about.”
Was that all he wanted? Julian didn’t think so. For the
first time in his life, he wanted to get to know a woman, to find out what made her tick. He wasn’t looking for the easiest way into her pants, though he wanted that, too. “And if this was any other woman, you’d be right, Giana. I would admit it was the thrill of the chase and once that was gone, I’d be on to the next. But there’s something about Elyse...” His voice trailed off. When he looked up, he saw his sister’s dark brown eyes staring into his.
“Wow! So, she’s special?”
“Yes. It’s what I’ve been telling you for the last half hour and you’re just now getting it?” he asked, humor in his voice.
“Yeah, well I can be a bit slow on the uptake at times,” Giana said with a smile. “So what do you need from me?”
“Cover for me. I’m going to use the family jet to take her to Saint Lucia.”
Her eyes grew large. “You’re really going all out.”
“Go big or go home.”
After he left Giana’s office, Julian put his plan into motion. Now all he had to do was to pick up his lady and head to the tropical paradise. He just hoped Elyse wouldn’t give him too much flack. He didn’t want to go all caveman and throw her over his shoulder to take her with him.
* * *
Elyse tried to temporarily put Julian Lockett out of her mind until later that afternoon when they were due to meet, but as much as she attempted to push him to the far recesses, the more he kept showing up in her daydreams. He exuded an animal magnetism few women could ignore, including herself. Today she even found herself staring off into space wondering what it would be like if she were to see Julian again.
“Earth to Elyse,” Andrea teased her.
Elyse blinked several times and found Andrea standing beside her cubicle. “I’m sorry, what were you saying?”
“What’s got you so out of sorts?” Andrea inquired. “Or should I say who? Is it Julian Lockett? You never did tell me how your lunch date went the other day.”
Elyse hadn’t because she was trying not to dwell on him too much. She tried to act as if she didn’t know what was keeping her up nights, but deep down she knew. She was attracted to Julian, and her rebellious body betrayed her every time she came within a few feet of him. “It was fine, nothing special.” Elyse lied through her teeth.
“Oh, it was nothing, was it?” Andrea grinned from ear to ear as if she was in on a joke Elyse didn’t know the punch line to.
“What’s so funny?”
Andrea shrugged. “Oh, I’m sure it was nothing because why else would Julian Lockett be walking toward us right this moment?”
Swiveling around in her chair, she learned Andrea was on the money because the handsome Lothario was walking with confidence toward her. She’d forgotten she agreed to meet with him after work.
Julian was a man supremely comfortable in his own skin. Every female eye in the open-plan office was staring at him, but he seemed oblivious to the attention, as if accustomed to receiving it on a regular basis.
Julian knew exactly the effect he had on women. The dark stubble accentuating his strong jaw and his sinfully perfectly mouth were swoonworthy and, as much as Elyse wanted to dismiss him and glance away, her eyes couldn’t resist drinking him in.
He was casually dressed today in dark trousers and navy blue shirt, but he was just as devastating as when he wore a suit.
“Hello, Elyse,” Julian said when he arrived at her cubicle. He turned to Andrea. “And you are?”
“Andrea Stevens,” she said, offering her hand, which Julian shook while giving Elyse a wink at the same time.
“Pleasure to meet you. Would you mind if I stole your friend away for a private word?”
“Of course not.” Andrea beamed a smile at Julian before quickly scuttling off.
Elyse glanced down at her watch. “I didn’t realize it was so late.”
“Do you need more time?” He smiled warmly at her.
“No, I was just finishing up, give me a moment.” Elyse shut down her computer and reached inside her drawer for her purse.
He motioned for her to precede him and as she did caught several coworkers watching them. “I could have met you outside.”
“I needed to come in,” Julian said as they walked down the hall side by side. He didn’t explain why until they were at the elevator bank.
“That’s very cryptic. Is this about Curtis? Because if so, I’m eager to meet him. He’s something of an enigma in this town where everyone wants to be seen. He plays it close to the vest, which has the media wondering if he has some of sort of secret to hide.”
“That’s because there are no skeletons in his closet. Mr. Jackson has kept a close eye on his son. But that’s not why I came. I was discussing with Pierre the possibility of you meeting Curtis while he’s taking a short break between preseason and the start of our new season’s games. He said you should be able to get away for a while.”
“That was awfully heavy-handed. Don’t you think you should have spoken with me first?”
“You’re right, I’m sorry.”
The elevator dinged and they both stepped aside to allow some of her coworkers to pass before entering the car. When they did, it was just the two of them, and Elyse’s stomach trembled with anticipation. She covered her unease by filling the silence with chatter.
“That’s a first. Do you ever look before you leap?”
Julian grinned. “I go with my gut and I’m hoping in this instance it hasn’t led me wrong.”
“That depends on what you have in store. Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
The elevator chimed and the doors opened to the lobby. Julian guided Elyse by the small of her back toward a limousine waiting by the curb. Was this how the other half lived, she wondered, with limos at their disposal?
Elyse climbed inside and was immediately struck with the sleek, modern interior. She sank into the lush leather seats and sat as rigid as she could, especially when Julian slid in beside her, filling the small space with his magnetic presence.
Mustering her courage, Elyse swallowed and turned to him. “So, are you going to tell me what this is about now?”
Julian ignored her by reaching for the ice bucket she hadn’t noticed in the center console and producing a bottle of Dom Pérignon. He uncorked it with ease and poured each of them a flute before handing her one.
“Cheers.” He lifted his glass and she did the same, eyeing him warily as she took a sip.
“Limo, champagne, what’s next, Julian?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“I would, actually,” Elyse said, looking him square in the eye.
“Once I mentioned you meeting a big fish like Curtis, Pierre was only too happy to agree to give you some time off to meet with him.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Time off? Why do I have a feeling I won’t be meeting Curtis just yet?”
“You will,” Julian affirmed. “But first, I thought we could spend some time getting to know each other. Maybe take a little vacation.”
“I can’t just take a vacation,” Elyse responded curtly. “I have a job to do and obligations.” Who would look after her father if she was off gallivanting with Julian? This was disrupting all her plans to get revenge on his father. “I know that might be hard to understand for someone like you who was born with a silver spoon in your mouth.”
“Ouch, I’m wounded by how little you think of me,” Julian replied, touching his chest. “So tell me, Elyse, what made you decide to take my date’s place and meet me if it wasn’t for us to get to know each other better?”
Bam. Score one for Julian.
He was calling her out on the mixed signals she was giving him. She hadn’t really thought her actions through when she’d decided to take the place of his original date. In the beginning, she’d only seen him as a means to an end, but now Elyse was finding she
rather liked Julian, which complicated getting justice for her father. But if she didn’t go with him now, she might not have another chance of getting this close to a Lockett.
“Well?” Julian had settled himself against the back seat, his arm casually across the top, and was watching her expectantly.
“I... I...” Elyse began, but words didn’t come. She would have to switch tactics quickly if she didn’t want to lose her chance to get closer to the Locketts. If she agreed and went on this getaway with Julian, who knew what sort of secrets might spill out when he was relaxed? Of course, she would have to let down her guard as well, which meant letting Julian get closer and exploring the attraction between them. But Elyse felt like she could trust him, based on the short time they’d spent together and the research she’d done, which hadn’t revealed any skeletons in Julian’s closet other than him being a ladies’ man.
She was willing to risk her heart if it meant getting the dirt on Josiah Lockett. “I’m sorry if I’ve confused you, it wasn’t my intention.”
“Well, let me be clear about my intentions,” Julian said. “I want you and I’d like you to give us the next week to explore the attraction between us without any artifice. No games. Just be straight up with me and I’ll do the same. Can you do that?”
Elyse felt outmatched and outsmarted, and all she could do was give in. “Yes. Yes, I can, but first I’m going to need to pack.”
Seven
Julian watched Elyse’s eyes gleam with satisfaction when the limo stopped on the tarmac in front of a jet emblazoned with the Atlanta Cougars’ logo. The jet was one of his father’s prized possessions, and Julian was about to take it off his hands for several hours. He would send the jet back in case it was needed; it was scheduled to return within the week to scoop them back up.
While his chauffeur dealt with their luggage, Julian helped Elyse up the ramp steps into the lush interior with its two large reclining chairs and larger sofa. He noticed Elyse eye the chairs, but she instead went for the sofa. He did the same. Sitting beside her, he caught a whiff of the tantalizingly fruity scent of her perfume. She smelled of lilacs and peaches.
Blind Date with the Spare Heir Page 6
