“Oh, so I’m being blamed for you being a rulebreaker?”
Maya sees the concern on Robbie’s face and laughs to let him know she’s kidding. She takes a sip from her wine glass to try and push her journalistic instincts back down. Even if this is his weird spiritual crap, she doesn’t want to be the one blamed for running a lovely evening.
“No, no. I’m telling them it’s my fault. You’re not responsible for my actions or impulses. Only I am.”
“Do you actually get anything out of this program?”
“Look at all my success.”
“Your hard work achieved that,” Maya interrupts. She wants to get along with Robbie but this is taking humility too far. “You can’t credit it to some voodoo spiritual journey.”
“The hard work is a part of POTCH. The name comes from the Power Of Thinking and Hard work. The slogan is ‘we make our luck’.”
“I think you’re responsible for all of your success, no one else.”
“My success plans beg to differ.”
Maya takes another long sip from her wine glass to avoid responding. She’s desperate for the topic to change away from Robbie’s spiritual beliefs and hopes the silence will compel him to also move on.
“Anyways, why are you leaving town tomorrow?” Robbie asks as he takes her up on the silent offer.
He pours himself another glass of water from the pitcher at the center of the table as he waits for her answer. Taking a sip, he closes his eyes and tries to imagine the taste of wine.
“I’m back on Redman’s campaign. He’s spending the rest of the week campaigning around the South, trying to lock up the delegates ahead of the South Carolina primary.”
“Why’s Redman wasting his time down South?”
“It’s a primary where he’s the least liberal candidate. It’s not a waste. He understands he won’t win down there in a general, but they have to vote for someone for now, and it’s better him than Lola.”
“He’s a New Yorker,” Robbie says with a played up, obnoxious, accent. “They hate his guts. They’ll write in a candidate before voting for either of them.”
Maya smiles at Robbie’s terrible accent and interpretation of politics. They’re on her turf now and she finds this conversation far more comfortable.
“Both parties have registered voters in those states. He’s doing his best to appeal to them.”
“Definitely sounds like a waste of time to me.”
Maya giggles and shakes her head at Robbie’s stubbornness. “Weren’t you the one just talking about the power of positive thinking and hard work?”
“I never said positive thinking. We’re not all about rainbows and good vibes, we just believe in the power of visualizing our goals and the steps needed to achieve them. Anyway, does that mean you’ll be back by next week?”
“Yeah, right after the weekend. Why?”
“The owners of a couple of major league teams are investors in my fund. A few of the guys I work with want me to ask them for tickets to a game if they all reach the finals, and I’m hoping you’ll accompany me?”
The look on Maya’s face gives Robbie the urge to beg before she’s even opened her mouth. “Please? It would turn it from a dull work event to an enjoyable evening.”
“I’m not a big baseball fan.”
“It doesn’t matter, I just want to enjoy your company. And you can enjoy mine.”
“Someone’s a little full of themselves.”
“It’s confidence. You wouldn’t be sitting through this dinner if you don’t find anything about me enjoyable.”
“It’s bordering on arrogance.” Maya’s giving him a hard time, but she much prefers this to the overwhelming humility she witnessed only a minute ago.
Robbie waves his hand in the air to catch the waitress’s attention. “Why don’t we grab the check and head back to my place? I can think of a couple ways to make sure you’re enjoying my company.”
Maya loves the smile on Robbie’s face. It’s a good confirmation that she doesn’t care if it’s confidence or arrogance, as long as he can back it up.
The waitress appears with their bill almost instantly and hands it to Robbie. Maya doesn’t dare ask how much it’s for. She knows making rent would be at risk if she offers to split it. Instead, she checks her phone for new messages and starts putting her coat on for the walk home in the fall air.
“Do you live far from here? Because my apartment’s only a few blocks away. We could walk there.”
“I think you’ll enjoy seeing my apartment,” Robbie says as he hands his credit card to the waitress without checking the bill. “Trust me, it’ll be worth the cab ride.”
Robbie’s right.
Arriving at his building, a pair of doormen greet them, and the elevator doors open without touching a button. Stepping inside, Maya notices there are no buttons to select a floor. It doesn’t matter. As soon as the doors close, they start climbing the tower. The elevator only stops once they finally reach the penthouse.
Robbie turns the lights on to reveal his home and Maya stands frozen in place. It’s the most luxurious apartment she’s ever been in.
He kicks his shoes off by the door and moves past her to start turning more lights on and give her a better appreciation for the space. It takes Maya several moments for her feet to work again. The living room alone stretches further than her entire apartment. It’s probably bigger than her apartment combined with her neighbors. She can’t believe there are penthouses this big in a crowded city like New York.
There’s a fireplace in the middle of the living room, suspended in the air. The fire’s already crackling to greet their entry. Watching the flames flicker makes Maya feel warm and toasty as she journeys further into the cavernous penthouse.
The living room is furnished with a beautiful light grey fabric sectional and four matching chairs spaced around a glass coffee table. The dining room is off to the side, a rich mahogany table sitting in the center with eight dark leather chairs surrounding it.
The entire apartment sits on a beautiful marble floor that matches the pristine white walls. Maya slips her heels off, wanting to feel the marble on her skin. After a second of walking on it, Maya realizes part of the warm and toasty feeling is coming from her feet. To her surprise, it’s a heated floor underneath the marble. It’s warming her toes rather than cooling them as she expects from marble. She fights an urge to lie down on the floor and feel the mixture of cool and warm on the rest of her skin.
Instead, she follows the marble into the kitchen where it runs up the cupboards and joins with dark marble countertops. Maya doesn’t cook often, but she can’t imagine the experience in this kitchen. The marble wraps around a collection of stainless-steel appliances that look more appropriate for a gourmet restaurant than an apartment. The main stove has six burners with a second, smaller oven in the wall. She steps forward and opens the fridge, confirming her suspicion that it’s equal to the size of her apartment’s bathroom.
“This kitchen has more cupboard space than entire places I saw last time I went apartment hunting,” Maya mutters out loud. She doesn’t even hear herself say it; she’s too lost in the beauty.
Robbie only smiles in response and walks over to look out the window. Maya follows his path and heads over to the windows that stretch from the floor to the ceiling and take up the entire exterior wall.
The view from the windows takes her breath away.
She thought the city’s skyline only looked this spectacular on postcards and helicopter tours. She’s never seen Central Park from above this late at night before. It’s a beautiful sight. Maya traces a path along the floor-to-ceiling windows and tries to absorb as much of the view as she can.
“Do you own the entire top floor? I didn’t know a view like this was possible,” Maya says before Robbie can answer her original question. “I’m scared to ask what a place like this costs.”
“The bedroom has the best view of Central Park,” Robbie says, hoping Maya takes
the hint to check it out. “It’s wonderful to wake up to.”
“Is it?” Maya asks as she follows the windows toward the bedroom door.
She turns away from the window and catches a glimpse of herself in a gold-plated mirror. She starts to blush, feeling out of place in her department store dress in this luxurious billionaire’s condo. Still looking in the mirror, Maya notices Robbie coming up behind her.
“Don’t just take my word for it,” Robbie says as he wraps his arms around her. He begins to kiss her neck and whispers in her ear, “find out for yourself tomorrow morning.”
Her cheeks continue to blush, but for different reasons as Robbie uses his body to nudge her away from the mirror and windows. He walks in step with her and continues to kiss up and down her neck as they move. Maya runs her hands up his arms and lets her head fall back against his chest. She loves feeling him hold her like this.
Once they reach the bedroom’s doorway, he spins her around and presses his body tight against hers. Robbie uses his hips to pin her against the doorframe and moves his lips up from Maya’s neck to meet hers. She wraps her arms around his back and lets out a soft moan into his mouth as she tastes his tongue.
Maya lifts her leg into the slit of her dress and wraps it around him to match her arms as their kiss continues and grows deeper. Robbie responds by running one of his hands along her leg before firmly placing both hands on her ass and lifting her into the air. Feeling her feet leave the ground sends a rush through Maya. She lifts her hands to grab Robbie’s head and aggressively kisses him to work her tongue deeper into his mouth. Her entire body is wrapped around his, wanting to make sure none of this stops and he doesn’t disappear.
With her clinging against him, Robbie steps away from the doorframe and moves them both toward the bed. He isn’t disappearing anywhere. He drops Maya onto his bed and quickly follows her down. With the weight of his body pinning her against the silky smooth sheets, Robbie’s mouth reconnects with hers. After a moment, he begins working back down to her neck and collarbone.
Before grabbing his face again, Maya places her hands on his shoulders and starts ripping his blazer off. It doesn’t take long for her to achieve success, and she props herself up on her elbows so she can move on to undoing the buttons on his dress shirt.
Robbie distracts Maya from her mission as he begins sucking on her neck. She collapses back into the bed, rubbing her body between him and the luxurious sheets.
“Undo my dress,” Maya whispers as she tries to turn over and give him better access to the zipper.
“I prefer to push it up out of the way,” Robbie says as his mouth releases her neck and begins kissing down her body.
Maya’s eyes roll back in her head. She feels his lips devouring her and no longer cares what happens to her dress. It’s from a silly department store anyway.
Chapter Six
It’s an unseasonably warm day for late October in New York City, but no one notices it in Merry Men Financial Management’s office. Ever since Robbie and Theo arrived this morning, there’s been a chill in the air.
Now, alone together in his office, Robbie can feel Teddy’s eyes on him. While he’s sitting at his desk trying to accomplish some work, Teddy’s hovering over his right shoulder. The room’s silent except for Teddy’s heavy breathing.
Robbie feels too uncomfortable to try starting a conversation, and Teddy’s in no mood to chat.
As soon as he steps through the threshold, Jalen feels a cold chill run up his back. He instantly recognizes the situation he’s walking into and hesitates before venturing any further. While Robbie’s twiddling his thumbs and trying to focus on his computer, Theo’s eyes are glued to the back of his head. He hears Jalen enter but remains completely still.
“You guys have a real Misery vibe going on in here. Will I be breaking the tension or making it worse?”
Robbie immediately kicks out the chair in front of his desk. “There’s only one way to find out. Have a seat.”
As far as he’s concerned, a third party is a welcome addition to the office. Robbie doesn’t want Jalen’s visit to be short-lasting.
“Has he broken your ankle yet?” Jalen mutters as he grabs the chair and eases himself into it.
He doesn’t want to get comfortable, noticing Theo’s already crossed his arms to show his displeasure. Jalen thinks Theo’s eyes flicker over to him for a brief moment before returning their glare to Robbie. It’s not a moment Jalen relishes. He swears Theo can see into his soul and worries he can also manipulate it.
To further show his contempt, Theo lets out a heavy sigh as soon as Jalen opens his mouth to speak. It keeps the room silent for an extra moment.
“So, are we all set for the game tomorrow night?” Jalen asks as he leans forward in the seat and does his best to ignore Theo’s presence.
“Sort of. I can’t snag enough tickets from George after already hitting him up last week, but I can secure us spots in Ben’s box. You think you can behave yourself as a fan in enemy territory for one night?”
“One night? It’s the biggest night of the year!”
“Calm down, we’re not going to game one or a game seven.”
“A series like this has no shot at going seven. Every game’s important when we’re going to crush them.”
“Hey, it’s your choice,” Robbie calmly offers as he stands from his chair. He gives Teddy a forced smile before putting an arm around him. It’s solely for the purpose of irritating Jalen, he’s still feeling uncomfortable with Teddy. “You don’t have to join us in the stadium. I hear the television broadcast will have some great graphics this year. I know Teddy won’t have any issues cheering for Milwaukee over New York.”
“Does Ben Scotts not mind being pitched to join POTCH during the seventh inning stretch?” Jalen asks as he quickly glances at Theo. Thankfully, he’s glaring at the arm Robbie’s draping around him.
“Ben’s already achieved all the success he could imagine. I doubt he has any interest in a success plan.”
“That’s not true. The man’s been hunting a ring for almost three decades and we’ll be making sure this isn’t his year.”
“Plus, I think he’s past the point of a healing spiritual journey.” Robbie says, ignoring Jalen’s comment as a fan. He hopes it’s out of his system before tomorrow night.
Withdrawing his arm from Teddy’s shoulders, Robbie turns to look out his windows. He pays a pretty penny for this view and doesn’t find the time to take advantage of it often enough to get his money’s worth.
Truthfully, he’s jealous of the people on the other side of the river. They’re the ones who should be paying the exorbitant rent to look at the Manhattan skyline. Sure, the Brooklyn Bridge is pleasant to look at, but the rest of the horizon is only fine. He understands economics too well to actually question the arrangement, but he’s positive his office would be on the other side of that bridge if his industry didn’t care so much about appearances.
“Well, Theo, what do you have to say to that? Is it possible for a soul to be past the point of spiritual healing?” Jalen assumes the wannabe preacher won’t recognize the sarcasm in his voice.
“Some people are not worth wasting resources on. They’ve committed their minds to playing a victim. We can try again in their next life, but their spirit is already vanquished. You should know.” Theo briefly looks at Jalen to hammer the point home.
Robbie spins around to interrupt the conversation before a fight breaks out in his office. Yet again, he’s unable to recapture some of the value this view is supposed to be worth.
“Just so you two know, I’m going to be bringing a girl to the game with us tomorrow night.”
It works in cutting the fight off. Both men turn their attention to Robbie now, including the anger that was already building. Jalen jumps up from the chair and throws his arms up in the air. He’s the first to verbalize his reaction.
“Dude, what happened to the guys’ night out?”
“I think yo
u’ll like her. I know I certainly do.”
“So invite her to another game. Or use your tickets to the ballet. Does she even like baseball?”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ve already invited her and it would be rude to reverse course now.”
“Come up with an excuse. You can blame it on me. Or, better yet, blame it on Theo. We know he doesn’t really care what people think of him.”
“She’s coming. I think you two will get along well if you give her a chance. Please, try to play nice, for me.”
Jalen recognizes this argument’s over before it starts and doesn't bother pressing Robbie further. He slumps back down into the chair with a loud groan, his only remaining form of protest. Attending the World Series in the visiting owner’s box while his best friend is distracted by some girl is hardly how he envisioned this. He’s long dreamed about New York winning another championship, but not like this.
“Is this the girl who induced you to break our mission statement last week?”
Without meeting Teddy’s eyes, Robbie follows Jalen’s lead and falls back into his chair. He knows Teddy’s aware it’s the same girl. He also knows that Teddy doesn’t approve. But Robbie’s taking a liking to Maya and he doesn’t want to be bullied out of this.
“She is, but I’ll have you know, we went out for dinner last night and I didn’t touch one drop of alcohol or taste a single bite of meat.”
“Sounds like a real fun date,” Jalen snickers.
“How did your evening with her end, Rob?”
Just like earlier, Robbie can feel the eyes on the back of his head. The glare is practically burning a hole through his hair. But his heart’s screaming at him to resist backing down, so he finds the courage to spin his chair around and meet Teddy’s eyes before answering. He crosses his arms and takes a deep breath as he chooses the wording of his reply carefully.
“With a lot more fun than Jalen would expect.”
Jalen’s eyes nearly burst out of his head and his mouth hangs open. He can’t remember ever hearing his friend say something so bold to Theo. This is rare and has been a long time coming. As he watches Theo’s eyes bulge, a grin spreads across Jalen’s face. He’s certainly happy for his friend, but mainly he’s loving hearing him stand up to Theo. If this is the kind of action this girl inspires, Jalen thinks Robbie could be right about them getting along.
Robbie's Scheme Page 5
