“Anyway, what happened in the office while I was out?”
Daman had a lot of thinking to do, and luckily, Jaleen picked up on his clues and dropped the subject. He hadn’t made any plans with Imani in the coming weeks, so he’d use that time to get his head on straight.
Chapter 14
Imani weaved through occupied tables as she made her way to an empty spot in the corner of her favorite coffee shop.
She took a sip of her caramel macchiato, savoring the sweet taste as she waited for Cyd, Mya and Lex to arrive. She was meeting with the girls for a much-needed shopping trip and was the first to arrive.
The annual barbecue was slowly approaching, and she hadn’t seen Daman for a few weeks. Earlier that day, her mother had informed her that she invited Daman to the barbecue. Even though they hadn’t spoken to each other since returning from Florida, they had both talked to Vicky and the volunteers for the gala on conference calls at least three times a week. Everything was running smoothly, and Imani wondered why the Simses even needed their help when Vicky, Pete and the students were apparently very capable of planning the gala without them.
As she took a sip of her warm drink, she tried to push Daman out of her mind. She hated the fact that she allowed him to dominate so many of her thoughts. She couldn’t deny that she missed being around him. The proposition he gave her at his mother’s house seemed reasonable, considering their strong attraction to each other. She had thought that all she would need was a couple of weeks to reprocess the situation and decide that an affair with Daman wasn’t worth it. That didn’t work. The longer they were apart, the more she wanted to say yes to him. The only thing she confirmed in their time apart was that an affair with a man like Daman was exactly what she needed. She had to get him out of her system no matter how short their affair would be. He’d proved that he could definitely deliver in the bedroom...if given the chance.
Her iPhone rang, disrupting her thoughts. She quickly glanced at her screen before answering.
“Hello, Vicky. Is everything okay?”
“I’m afraid that I have some last-minute news that needs immediate attention. I received a phone call from one of our biggest sponsors for the gala, Mr. and Mrs. Walsh. In this economy, everyone is suffering and the Walshes sound unsure about sponsoring any events this year. They are good people, but they like to have their butts kissed every now and then. I need you and Daman to go visit them at their home in St. Simons Island, Georgia. They’re having a brunch with some of Atlanta’s finest so it would really be great if you both could attend on behalf of the staff.”
Imani instantly felt a little excited by the thought of seeing Daman again.
“Sure. Have you talked to Daman?”
“No, I called you first. The brunch is this Saturday. Would that be a problem?”
Imani promptly searched through her planner. “No, that won’t be a problem.”
“Great, I’ll call Daman now.”
“Thanks, Vicky. I’ll give Daman a call in about ten minutes, after you tell him about the meeting.”
As Imani hung up the phone, her thoughts drifted back to Daman. She knew he would be receptive to the affair, but that fact didn’t make her any less nervous about approaching the subject. Her phone rang again. She answered without glancing at the screen, figuring it was Cyd, Mya, or Lex.
“Are you close by?”
“Well, that depends. Where are you? If you want me close by, I can make it happen.”
Imani froze at the sound of the deep, enticing voice on the other end of the line.
“Hi, Daman. Sorry, I thought you were someone else. Did you talk to Vicky?”
“Actually, I did. That’s why I’m calling. I didn’t mean to catch you at a bad time. Vicky told me that you were free to meet with Mr. and Mrs. Walsh, as well.”
“Yes, I’m free. So I guess we better book our flights.”
“No need. We can take my jet, if that’s okay with you.”
“Yes, that’s fine with me. It will give us a chance to discuss the gala more.”
Imani saw the ladies enter the coffee shop and make their way to the front counter to order. She continued to discuss the weekend plans with Daman for a few more minutes until the ladies had their pastries and coffee in hand.
“Sorry to cut this conversation short, but I have to wrap up a few things before tomorrow, and my company just got here. Thanks for calling.”
“No problem.”
As the women approached, Cyd and Lex gave Imani a quick hug. Mya just looked at Imani questioningly. “Why do you look so anxious? Was that phone call bad news?”
“Nope.”
Imani knew she had answered Mya’s question a little too quickly.
“Oh, really? That wouldn’t happen to have been Daman, would it? I heard he was coming to the barbecue.”
“Don’t you all have anything better to do than get in my business?”
Mya and Lex glanced at Cyd before they all answered with a solid no.
Imani shook her head. “Anyway, Daman and I have to leave for Georgia soon on business regarding the gala. We’ll only be gone this weekend.”
The look on Cyd’s face was one of doubt.
“I’m serious, Cyd. It’s only business.”
“If you say so, sis.”
“Okay, let’s get this day moving,” Lex chimed in. “I’m ready for some shopping.”
As the ladies ate and discussed the stores they would check out, Imani tried her best to get Daman out of her mind. Unfortunately, the more she tried, the more her head hurt. She closed her eyes tightly and tilted her head sideways so that the sun from the window could beam on her face. She was definitely in for a long day.
* * *
Daman returned to his home office after ending his call with Imani. He looked over at Malik, the private investigator, who was patiently waiting for all the information he had given Daman to sink in.
“Embezzlement! Are you sure that this is correct? Are all these accounts false?” Daman asked as he flipped through a couple pages. He refused to believe that his uncle would set up false customer accounts so he could pocket the money they’d received from several investors and top clients.
“Yes, I’m sure. My inside source proved that your uncle falsified your signature on plenty of dirty documents for these accounts.”
Daman rubbed his temple and let out a long and ragged breath. “How is that possible? I wasn’t vice president when Barker Architecture reached out to our investors in 2008.”
Malik grew quiet and took out several more documents. “Frank still continues to gather money from a couple investors. Gathering from the timeline, it seems that he started covering his tracks more when you began questioning him about misleading financial documents. That’s where the trail gets fuzzy.”
Daman was having a hard time accepting his uncle’s actions. After his father’s death, his uncle took on his role as father. How could his uncle jeopardize the company and steal from trusted investors and clients?
“That’s not all,” Malik said as he pulled out one more packet of documents from his briefcase. “I have a list of people that I’m investigating who invested money in Barker Architecture. I have a feeling your uncle is acting alone, but just in case he isn’t, I need to rule out other options.”
Malik handed Daman the first few sheets of the packet. Daman scanned over the list noticing a few familiar names, shareholders and clients. His eyes stopped short when he got to a name he definitely didn’t expect to see on the list.
“Edward Burrstone?” Daman asked Malik. “That’s Imani’s grandfather. Why is his name on this list?”
“He’s an investor, but it took me a while to find him. He isn’t listed as Edward Burrstone on any of the paperwork.” Malik handed him the last part of the packet. “After a lot of digging, I found out that the name he used when investing in Barker Architecture was Paul John Taylor.”
Daman shook his head in acknowledgment. “I’ve seen that name before.” He han
ded the paperwork back to Malik. “What does all this mean?”
“It means the case is going well and I’m gathering enough evidence to prove that your uncle is guilty of investment fraud. As far as the shareholders, I see no reason for you to worry or believe that they were aware of your uncle embezzling money.”
“I hope not,” Daman replied, still reeling over the idea that Edward Burrstone was a key investor in the company.
Malik placed his paperwork in his briefcase as he stood to leave. Gripping Daman’s shoulders, Malik gave his best pep talk to ensure that Daman understood he was doing the right thing.
* * *
Daman had spent most of Thursday night bothered by the possibility that his uncle was facing some serious jail time when everything came to light. He’d barely slept and had only worked a half day at R&W because of his flight to Georgia. He glanced at the clock in his hotel room and hurried to hop in the shower because he was due to pick up Imani in an hour. Although he was looking forward to seeing her again, he was worried that his bad mood might affect their time together.
As he stepped out of the shower and into his adjoining bedroom, he briefly wondered what Imani was doing, and if she was just getting out of the shower, too. He wondered who she had met with the day before and instantly tensed when he thought about it being another man. He’d spent the past few weeks wondering how, after all this time, he’d found a woman who made him think about her even when she wasn’t around. He wasn’t sure if he liked that. He knew he couldn’t treat her like the other women he dated, which was easy because he respected her too much. But there was something in the way she looked at him that made him want to open up and tell her everything. He’d already shared more with her than any woman in his past.
He was quickly regretting the promise he made to her that he wouldn’t make the next move without her permission. He cursed under his breath at his stupidity. He knew she wanted him as badly as he wanted her, but Imani thought too much about the consequences of her actions. He felt like it was his job to help push her toward making the right decision. And in this case, the right decision was engaging in an explosive affair with yours truly.
His doorbell rang, signifying that his driver was there to take him to pick up Imani. They made it to her condo in record time, considering that Chicago traffic was always congested.
As Daman entered the complex, the guard told him Imani was expecting him and let him go up. He’d barely knocked when she opened the door.
“Good morning, Daman. I’m ready.”
“Great. The car is downstairs. Let me get your luggage.”
“Thank you.”
As Daman reached out for Imani’s luggage, he noticed how casual she looked in her black-and-pink jogging outfit and gym shoes. She looked calm and relaxed. Her face was free of makeup and her hair was pulled into a high ponytail. She looked a lot younger, almost innocent, with her hair styled that way.
She glanced up at him and smiled that sexy smile of hers as if she knew he needed to see it to forget about his hellish evening. Seeing her, his good mood was instantly restored. Strangely enough, he wished she did hold all the answers. Hell, it would definitely make his life a whole lot easier. Unfortunately, his phone vibrated, disrupting the moment. It was a text message from Malik:
My inside source received new information. We’ll be able to close this case soon. We can talk more when you get back to Chicago.
Daman quickly replied, “Okay,” and turned back toward Imani. Just like that, his bad mood was back.
“Let’s get this show on the road,” he said, not caring if his voice sounded aggravated.
Chapter 15
The jet ride was long and confusing for Imani. She had no idea why Daman was in such a foul mood. He was avoiding eye contact, but she’d seen the desire in his eyes when she’d first met him this morning. Bad mood or not, she refused to be ignored the entire trip.
She got him to discuss some gala plans for all of twenty minutes before he went mute again. And even after they landed and got into the car sent by the Walshes, he remained silent.
In her peripheral vision, she could see him adjusting himself in his seat, tugging on his jeans and rubbing his temple. That man made every simple act look erotic without even trying. But he was clearly stressed, and it didn’t have anything to do with her.
I wonder what that text was about...
Whatever it was, it couldn’t have been good news. When he finally glanced her way, she started to look away, but his sad eyes held her hostage. He didn’t say anything. Instead, his eyes dropped down to her lips and lingered there for a while.
He licked his lips, causing her eyes to drop down to his mouth, as well, only her eyes didn’t stay there. She openly admired his physical features, daring to be as bold as Daman. They’d observed each other before; however, the more their relationship grew, the bolder their stares became.
Imani watched as Daman’s chest heaved slowly to the rhythmic beat of his heart and instantly realized that her breathing matched his. Millions of questions were floating around in her head. How could one person affect you so much that your breathing begins to equal theirs?
She could only imagine how in tune they would be if they actually explored a physical relationship, especially if they felt this connected in a car. She wondered if it was possible to take the next step in their professional relationship, cater to their physical needs and still plan the gala as if nothing had happened. She wasn’t sure if Daman still felt the same way, but she knew she’d given up on ignoring the obvious.
She inched a little closer and leaned into him to whisper words she didn’t want the driver to hear. “Consider this my permission to allow you to make the next move. Let’s talk about bringing our relationship to the next level.”
Daman shuddered as she spoke, and Imani giggled because she knew his ears were his weak spot. A quick look into his eyes proved he was still thinking about something.
“After the way I’ve been treating you today, I owe you an explanation.”
Imani smiled. Not exactly the response she was looking for, but she appreciated his honesty. “Okay. What’s been going on?”
Daman inhaled deeply. “I received some really bad news about Barker Architecture, and I didn’t want to take my anger out on you.”
She understood his decision to remain quiet, although she was the type of person that talked situations out, rather than holding in all her feelings. She wanted to ask Daman what the bad news was about, but she didn’t want to put him in a difficult spot. She’d learned he was rather private with personal issues.
“I understand, and I hate to hear that you received bad news. If you need to talk about it, I’m a good listener.”
He seemed to appreciate her offer. “Thanks, I appreciate that.”
It grew silent once again, but Imani no longer saw sadness in Daman’s eyes. It had been replaced with a longing that she realized had to do with her.
The car slowed down and turned onto a winding road, leading to an enormous house adjacent to a beautiful beach. Imani was consumed by the splendor of her surroundings. She didn’t know that Georgia had such amazing beaches. Tearing her eyes away from the beautiful scenery, she met Daman’s gaze. She’d given him the green light to engage in a sexual relationship with her, yet the intensity in his look still unnerved her. It was a look that only Daman could give, a promise that he would collect on her offer.
The car came to a stop and the driver opened the car door to let them out.
“Welcome to Walsh Manor,” said a man dressed in an all-black butler uniform. “I will be taking you on a quick tour of the grounds and show you where you will both be staying. While you’re here, the staff can get you anything you need. Since it’s now 5:30 p.m., Mr. and Mrs. Walsh will meet with you both in the morning so you can rest before brunch tomorrow.”
The butler motioned for them to follow him. As they made their way up the stairs of the mansion, Imani was astounded by how large
Walsh Manor actually was.
“Any chance you can relax and treat this as a mini vacation?” Daman whispered. “I promise to make it worth the trip. I’ve been craving to taste you again, and now seems perfect since you just accepted my offer.”
Imani stared at Daman, baffled by how he could make something so erotic sound so nonchalant. “You say that as if anything we do will be as simple as drinking coffee in the morning.”
“My, my. You didn’t learn anything, did you?”
“Well, you haven’t learned anything, either, because you continue to talk to me as if I can’t have you eating out the palm of my hand.”
Daman thought about her comment for a minute. “On second thought, I think I taught you a little too well if you’re talking to me like this, Miss Prim and Proper.”
Imani hit Daman on the shoulder, causing him to yelp. “You’re going to pay for calling me that. My thoughts right now are anything but prim and proper.”
“Oh, I like it when you talk dirty.”
“Shall we begin the tour?” the butler asked from a few feet ahead of them. They nodded in agreement.
Their bags were placed on a rolling cart. “They will be delivered to your rooms.”
They entered a front screen room and the butler led Imani and Daman through a set of swinging white doors leading outside to the gated yard. Her nose was instantly greeted with the combination of sweetness from the flowers and the saltiness of the ocean. Imani and Daman were speechless as they walked through the path of trees leading to an open garden of beautiful flowers and striking plants that overlooked the ocean.
“This is amazing,” Imani said softly, as she admired the beautiful scenery.
When the butler turned to answer a question Daman had asked, she quickly made her way to the edge of the water and pulled a feather out of her pocket. As she held up her hand and released the feather, she watched it catch in the wind and drift away.
Staring out at the never-ending ocean was extremely relaxing, but a quickening of her heart made her turn around. She saw Daman glance away and continue to follow the butler up a winding path through the garden. He’d seen her release a feather several times and hadn’t asked her anything, but she knew his curiosity would eventually get the best of him. She caught up with them as they approached a small beach house at the end of the path.
A Tempting Proposal (Kimani Romance) Page 10
