“Tactics?”
“The double-team. When I saw Alicia and Serena at my door, my first thought was that you were in trouble. Something flowed through me that made me nervous. Then, when they got to the point of why they were there, it pissed me off.”
“You could’ve told me,” Jade said. “Then I could’ve told those heifers about themselves.”
James wrapped his arms around her. “It’s all right,” he said. “Your friends love you, and they have your best interests at heart.”
“What about you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you have my best interests at heart?”
“Of course I do.”
“So, I guess asking you to get me another rib wouldn’t be too much, huh?” she asked, with a smile on her face.
“Come on. We’ll eat ribs together.”
After Jade and James had eaten and laughed long enough with the Panthers’ players, they headed up to the pool on the roof to spend some time alone. Jade didn’t want to deal with her girlfriends, and James was tired of hanging around Maurice’s offensive line. James got them a bottle of chardonnay, and they settled into two lounge chairs near the pool.
“This is really nice,” Jade said. “There must be a special going on downstairs, since there aren’t a lot of people up here.”
“Or the buffet is on sale,” James said as he filled their glasses. Jade picked up her glass and took a sip.
“I think your brother cleaned out the restaurant,” she said. “Those ribs were awesome.”
James laughed. “I still can’t get over the fact that you actually eat more than a salad. Most women don’t want to show a brother that they can eat.”
“I cook, too. Well, occasionally.”
“You’re from Atlanta, so that doesn’t shock me,” he said as he set his glass beside his chair. James reached for Jade’s foot and removed her shoe. Then he began to massage her foot.
“Ooh, you’re spoiling me,” she said as she closed her eyes and threw her head back. “That feels so good.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it,” James said. “I’m thinking about going to Atlanta in a couple of weeks. What are the chances that you and I will run into each other?”
“If you’re going to give me another foot massage, then we will definitely be seeing each other,” she said as he began to work on the other foot.
“Sounds good to me,” he said as he worked his way up to her calf. “You know what they say about good things. I’m going to have to head back to Charlotte in the morning. But I don’t want today to be the last time I see you.”
Jade sat up and looked directly into his eyes. “Neither do I. The last thing I thought I was going to find in Las Vegas was a guy like you.”
“See what happens when you open your mind?” he said. “You were ready to write me off when we first met.”
“Thank goodness you didn’t let me,” she said.
James pulled Jade into his arms and kissed her on the cheek. Part of him wanted to tell her to forget about Stephen and getting revenge on him and to move on. He had something she could focus on, a future with him. But he didn’t say anything, and they watched the sunset in silence.
Jade felt so comfortable in James’s arms that she didn’t want him to let her go. And she didn’t want him going back to Charlotte. She turned her eyes upward and smiled at him.
“What’s calling you back to Charlotte?” she asked.
“Business. Maurice and I run a realty company. Well, I run it, and Maurice lends his name and face to it. There’s some buyer that’s being really aggressive about getting some property, and it seems kind of fishy. I need to be there to handle it.”
“Is there anything that you don’t do?”
“We’ll discuss that later. But right now I want to talk about you spending the night with me.”
“Well, I have been neglecting my friends since we hooked up,” she joked. “Of course I’ll stay with you tonight. Especially since you haven’t told me when you’re coming to Atlanta.”
James kissed her on the forehead. “Keep playing with me and I’ll be waiting at Hartsfield-Jackson when you fly back.”
“That wouldn’t be so bad,” she said. “But you have work to do. Besides, when I get back to Atlanta, it’s back to the grind.”
“The grind or the plot?”
“The plot?” Jade asked, playing coy.
James shook his head. “I know you’re going to try and get Stephen. I just hope I don’t read about your wedding announcement when I do come to Atlanta.”
“If this wine wasn’t so good, I’d toss it in your face. Everyone doesn’t end up like your brother and sister-in-law. I’m pretty sure Maurice never took her money and then ... Never mind. It’s your last night here, so why don’t we spend our time doing something else other than arguing?”
“And just what do you suggest?” James asked, with a slick smile on his face.
Jade rose to her feet and held her hand out to him. “Come with me,” she said. “And I promise that you’re not going to forget this night.”
“All right. You don’t have to tell me twice,” he said as he took her hand and they headed downstairs.
CHAPTER 10
James looked at Jade and shook his head. Was this what she meant by an unforgettable night?
“You’re serious about this?” he asked.
“You know my friends were not trying to come here with me. But I’ve always wanted to come to Circus Circus.”
James chuckled. “So where to first?”
Jade pointed in the direction of the Adventure-dome, the hotel and casino’s indoor amusement park. James liked seeing this side of Jade. She was fun and adventurous and had a childlike quality that was endearing. But James could only image how she would act if someone crossed her. In a way, he almost felt sorry for Stephen, but the guy deserved a lot more grief than what Jade and her friends were trying to do. A man like Stephen Carter was a damned fool to let a woman like Jade go and to steal from her. Then again, Stephen was known to take things that didn’t belong to him. He had stolen those recipes from James’s mother. Stephen couldn’t cook, and his bakery had failed without Maryann having to sue him. James had wanted to pound Stephen into the ground when he found out what he’d done to his mother. It had taken everything in Maryann to stop James and Maurice from going after Stephen. She had known that he couldn’t cook.
Jade grabbed James’s hand. “Come on. Let’s get on the roller coaster.” She practically dragged him to the line for the massive coaster. “This is going to be so much fun,” she said.
“I’m guessing you like putting your life at risk on these things,” James said.
“When I was a lot younger, my parents and I would go to amusement parks, and I always wanted to get on the roller coasters. At first I was too short. But when I met the height requirement, I rode them all. Sometimes, I go to Six Flags just to unwind.”
“Six Flags, huh?”
“Yes. And I’ve actually thought about riding the Drop Tower at Carowinds.”
“That’s a ride I won’t be taking with you. But I’ll be sure to be waiting for you on the ground,” James said.
She laughed, and moments later they were being locked into the coaster’s car. As the car zoomed up and down, round and round, and upside down, Jade screamed and threw her hands in the air. James held on to the metal bar for dear life. When the ride was over, Jade was ready to go again and James was searching for a drink.
“You don’t want to go again?” Jade asked.
“No, I have a better idea. Why don’t we go see the clown show?”
“James Goings, I can’t believe you’re a chicken.” She flapped her arms as if she were a chicken.
“Call it what you want, but I have no reason to get on that ride again.”
“Boo!” She stuck her tongue out at him as if she were three years old.
James pulled her against his chest and brushed his lips against hers.
“You’re a big, sexy kid,” he whispered.
“And there are kids watching us right now,” she said as he cupped her behind.
“Good for them.” In one quick motion, James covered Jade’s lips with his, gently sucking her bottom lip. Kissing her was like an addiction, and he knew there was no rehab he could enter into to cure himself.
Pressing her hand against his chest, Jade broke off the kiss and stared into his eyes. “The clown show? Are we going to go or ...”
“Yes, we are,” he said, taking her hand in his.
“You know,” she said, her lips close to his ear so that no one else could hear her, “we really don’t have to watch the clowns, because I can think of a more amusing way to spend your last night here.”
James turned around and faced her with a slick smirk on his face. “What’s that?”
“Trust me, it’s going to be magical,” she said.
“It always is.”
Jade led James out of the amusement park. They walked out into the lobby of the casino hotel and headed for the tram.
“Where are we going now?” he asked as he glanced at his watch. It was still early by Vegas standards, but James knew he was going to have a serious case of jet lag when he returned to Charlotte. But he was going to have to deal with it, because there was no way he was going to walk away from Jade right now without knowing when he’d see her again.
“There’s something at the Luxor that you have to see,” she said. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and James liked this side of her. She wasn’t like any woman that he’d ever met. But part of him wondered if this was something that was just too good to be true. Was that Jade?
Once they were on the tram, James pulled Jade into his lap. “You know, this has been the best trip to Vegas I’ve ever taken,” he said.
“Me too,” she said. “You just better make sure I have just as much fun when you come to visit me in Atlanta.”
“Oh, you’ll have fun, but we will not be taking a trip to Six Flags.”
“Well, it sounds like someone is chicken,” Jade joked.
“No, but if you want a thrill ride, I have one for you.” He pulled Jade against his chest and kissed her on the cheek.
“You’re a bad man, Mr. Goings.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and brushed her lips against his.
“What? I can launch the ride for you any time you want.”
“Not until after the show,” she said. “Then I’m going to take you up on your offer. Let’s see how thrilling you can be.”
Moments later James and Jade arrived at the Luxor and headed for the Atrium Showroom to catch a magic show.
In the darkness of the theater before the magic show started, James held Jade’s hand and she never wanted him to let it go.
This is crazy, she thought. Everything ends as soon as he steps on the plane. Maybe he will come to Atlanta, maybe not. I’m not going to wait for him. That would be crazy, or would it?
The stage lights came on and the show began. As the emcee spoke of the magic of Las Vegas, Jade glanced at James and smiled. It did seem as if magic had a hand in their meeting.
After the magic show, James and Jade headed back to his hotel.
“What time is your flight in the morning?” she asked as they got on the elevator.
“Nine.”
“Then I guess you need to go to sleep, huh?”
James wrapped his arms around her waist. “You know, I’d sleep a lot better with you in my arms tonight.”
A slow smile spread across her lips. “You know you’re not going to sleep tonight,” she said.
“You’re going to keep me up?”
“And you’re going to love every minute of it,” she said as he unlocked the door to his suite.
It was 6:00 a.m. and James didn’t want to get out of bed. Jade slumbered in his arms, naked. He ran his finger down the length of her arm. What were they really doing? Was this going anywhere once he left Vegas? James knew all too well how women made choices in the heat of the moment that they regretted later. He had seen Kenya do it. What if Jade did the same thing? When she arrived in Atlanta, would she run back into Stephen’s arms if he said the right things?
James didn’t like the thoughts he was having. Jade had stirred something inside of him, and he was looking forward to exploring it. Still, he had a nagging feeling that once the fantasy became reality, things were going to change. He eased from the bed in an effort not to wake Jade. But his efforts were in vain.
“Where are you going?” Jade asked.
“To shower. I didn’t mean to wake you up,” he said.
“It’s all right.” Jade got out of the bed and walked over to James. “I’m just glad you’re not trying to sneak out of here without saying good-bye.”
“You know I wouldn’t do that,” he said. “Want to join me in the shower?”
“Did you really have to ask?” she said as they raced to the bathroom.
After taking a long shower that was more erotic than cleansing, James dressed and sent his luggage downstairs. Jade rushed back to her hotel to change so that she could ride to the airport with James.
When she arrived at her room, she wasn’t surprised to see Serena waiting outside her door.
“I bet I know where you’re coming from,” Serena said as Jade slipped her key card in the lock.
“I’m sure you do,” Jade said as she opened the door. “What do you want?”
“I guess I owe you an apology. Who am I to question your judgment? But know that I was just trying to look out for you and—”
“Serena, I’m fully capable of looking out for myself. But if the shoe was on the other foot, maybe I would’ve done something similar. Still, James seems to be a good guy.”
“And so did Stephen. All right. I’m going to stop going there, because you know what they say. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right?”
“Actually, no. James and I are going to see each other again. Remember, his mother still lives in Atlanta.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s right. So you and this man who you have slept with for four days are going to have a long-distance relationship. Just how do you think that is going to work out?”
“It doesn’t matter what you think, because this is my business, my life.”
“Fine, but I hope you don’t end up hurt again, Jade.”
“You know what, Serena?” Jade began. “All men aren’t all bad. I feel that something about James is different.”
“Whatever.”
“I don’t have time for this. I’m riding to the airport with him,” Jade said. “I need to change my clothes.”
“Don’t let me stop your fun,” Serena replied sarcastically, then walked out of the room.
Jade shook her head. Serena might not admit it, but she had some issues with men. Jade wondered who had hurt her friend so badly. But she wasn’t going to spend too much time thinking about Serena’s issues. She needed to get ready so that she could head to the airport with James.
In the back of her mind, she had to wonder if this thing with James would end today, when she waved good-bye to him at the airport terminal. What if James had another life in Charlotte and he was going back to it?
This man could be married with three children and ... Stop it! You’re beginning to think like Serena, she thought as she slipped into a pair of jeans and a tank top. Jade grabbed her sunglasses and headed for the lobby. When she arrived downstairs, she found James leaning on the counter, with a pair of black shades covering his eyes. He was dressed in a pair of khaki shorts, a white linen shirt, and a pair of brown sandals.
His look was very casual, yet sexy at the same time. Jade walked over to him and encircled his waist with her arms. “Are you sure you have to leave?” she asked.
“Unfortunately, duty calls. We’ll see each other soon,” he said. “I’ll be in Atlanta in two weeks, and you and I have a date.”
Jade smiled. “I’m looking forward to it. This is crazy, isn’t it?”
“What do you mean?”
“No one comes to Vegas and has this happen to them,” she said. “This is one for a movie or fairy tale.”
“I guess this was a good gamble to take,” he said as they headed outside to an awaiting cab.
As they rode to the airport, Jade watched the scenery of the desert as it flew past them. She knew that since James was going to be gone, she’d be able to focus on getting that property in North Carolina that Stephen thought was his. All Stephen had had to do was be honest with her, but he had lied and stolen her money. He wasn’t going to get that property in Charlotte. I’m just going to have to keep my plan under wraps. I don’t want James to know that I’m still seeking revenge.
James was beyond tired when he arrived in Charlotte. But instead of going home and getting into bed, he headed into the office to take a look at the file on the restaurant property that someone was so determined to purchase. Walking into the dark office, James couldn’t help but think about Jade and the things that they could do on his solid oak desk. He placed his hand flat on the desk and smiled. Soon his attention turned to the file that he’d asked his assistant to leave on his desk for his perusal.
The restaurant was located in a neighborhood that was in the process of being revitalized. The realty company that made the initial offer had given the owners a lowball figure, which had risen considerably since there was currently more interest in the property. Now the owners wanted at least seventy-five thousand dollars more for the building. James thought that was too much. But the commission on the sale of that building for that price wasn’t something to sneeze at. The money would give James a chance to go take a real break from the business and would really give Maurice a chance to see what it was like to sell property without his help.
That would give him a chance to spend more time with Jade, he thought, with a smile, as he took a seat behind his desk and dove deeper into the file. The people who had contacted Brothers Realty had claimed to be an investment group. Maybe they were a part of the redevelopment of the Cherry community. James knew he’d never heard of the group before, but that didn’t mean anything when it came to Charlotte real estate. People were coming into town like carpetbaggers these days, trying to buy any and everything that was for sale. Most of the properties were sold for a higher profit to developers who wanted to build something. Everyone profited from it, and that was why James didn’t mind doing the bulk of the work at the realty company.
Betting On Love Page 8
