Pride and Consequence

by Altonya Washington

  The pain-filled sound weighed heavily on Eddie’s heart. Ignoring the voice that told her not to get any more involved, she stepped around the desk, knelt before him and pulled his hands away from his face. She gave him a tight hug, turning her face into the side of his neck as she inhaled the crisp, clean scent of his cologne. When she pulled away, Tree cupped her oval face in his palms.

  Eddie’s eyes lowered to his wide, sensuous mouth, and her lips parted slightly for his kisses. She gasped, allowing his tongue full entrance, but she did not resist the delicious caress.

  Tree’s brows drew close as the sweet kiss all but consumed him. “I want you so much, Eddie,” he whispered into her mouth as one of his hands slid from her face to massage her breast.

  Eddie melted beneath his touch and at the deep emotion in his words. Her slender fingers curled around the lapels of his jacket and she wished he would never stop.

  “Have dinner with me tonight?” he asked, showering the dark column of her neck with countless kisses.

  Eddie’s entire body felt like water, she was so weak with need. She nodded.

  Tree stood, taking Edwina with him. He pushed her against the desk and brushed his mouth next to her ear. “I’ll pick you up at seven. And tonight I won’t let you cancel on me,” he promised in a soft tone that was too sweet to resist.

  Edwina closed her eyes and took several deep breaths after Tree walked out of her office. No, canceling was the last thing she wanted to do.

  Zakira stared at the answering machine with a wary expression on her face. She had planned on taking a break from the phone for a while. She knew Malik could have been trying to call, but he’d made her feel like such a fool, she didn’t even want to talk to him.

  It was 6:30 in the evening and she’d decided it was time to check in with the outside world. The fact that Malik hadn’t called would’ve made her cry had it not been for the nine messages that had been left. Besides three calls from Eddie, there were six from the restaurant. They needed her.

  “Badu’s,” a cheerful voice greeted.

  “Chanel, it’s me. What’s going on over there?” Zakira asked, deciding to forget her personal woes and focus on business.

  “Oh, Zakira, thank God!” Chanel exclaimed.

  “What is it?”

  “Well, Connoisseur Wines hasn’t delivered the scheduled shipment, and we’re extremely low. We’ve been getting the runaround from them for most of the day. I tried to wait as long as possible before calling you.”

  “It’s okay. Give me the number to the supplier.”

  After assuring Chanel that she would handle everything, Zakira dialed the number for Connoisseur Wines’s head of shipping.

  “Brantley Carlisle,” a brisk male voice answered.

  “Mr. Carlisle, this is Zakira Badu. Badu’s Restaurant.”

  Brantley cleared his throat. “Yes, yes Mrs. Badu, I’m very happy you called.”

  Zakira frowned. “You are?”

  “Yes ma’am. Unfortunately, we may have given your staff a rough time earlier today.”

  “Yes. In fact, that’s why I’m calling.”

  “Mrs. Badu, let me first apologize for the mix-up with your shipment. We realize the mess we must’ve caused, but another company will be handling the delivery.”

  Zakira nodded at the explanation. “Any idea when we’ll receive it?”

  “Any time within the next two hours. I am so very sorry about this. Please, if there’s anything we can do to make up for our mistake—”

  “Mr. Carlisle, the first thing you can do is to call me Zakira,” she said, trying to ease the man’s nervousness. “Now, as long as we get the shipment and it’s not late again, then we won’t have a problem.”

  “I can assure you we won’t have the problem again.” Brantley instantly replied. “Just to prove I mean it, the next shipment will be no charge to you.”

  Zakira smiled and shook her head. “That’s very considerate of you. But your word that it won’t happen again is good enough for me.”

  “It is?” Brantley replied in surprise.

  “Well, shouldn’t it be?”

  Brantley gave a nervous laugh. “Of course. Of course, Mrs. Badu, it’s just that…”

  Zakira frowned. “Just that?”

  “Well, excuse me for saying this, but Mr. Badu is never quite this forgiving. He’d want free shipments plus our heads on platters.”

  Zakira laughed, agreeing with the statement. “Well, Mr. Carlisle, my husband has fallen ill, so you’ll be dealing with me from now on. I accept your apology. And your word that the shipments will be here shortly is good enough for me.”

  Brantley sighed in relief. “I must say that this is a surprising turnaround. We always have such a hard time pleasing Mr. Badu.”

  “Mr. Carlisle, don’t get me wrong. I expect top work from your organization, as well. If I don’t get it, I won’t want your heads on a platter. I just won’t do business with you again. Do we understand each other?”

  “We understand each other perfectly, Mrs. Badu,” he said, with respect in his voice.

  “Damn!” Edwina muttered, as she raced barefoot down the carpeted stairway. An appointment with a patient had run past the scheduled time. It was just her luck that Tree rang her doorbell promptly at 7:00 p.m.

  “Hi,” she breathlessly greeted him when she whipped open the front door.

  Tree’s dark eyes narrowed when he saw Edwina standing before him in her bare feet. For the first time, he realized how much shorter than him she was. It wasn’t a great difference, but he noticed.

  “Come on in. I just need to put on my shoes,” she invited, waving him inside her home.

  Tree nodded and watched Eddie as she raced back upstairs. Taking a deep breath, he turned and strolled into the living room. Like the rest of the house, it had an elegant classy look. The sofa done in forest-green, trimmed in gold and surrounded by tall lamps of the same color, sat on a plush gold-toned carpet. The rest of the rooms in the lower level were done in colors just as warm and created a soothing, mellow atmosphere. Tree thought that it suited Edwina’s character perfectly.

  “Tree? Tree, where are you?”

  “In here,” he called from the den.

  A light, lovely smile crossed Eddie’s mouth when she found him lounging back on the sofa in front of the television. “Comfortable?” she inquired.

  He smiled serenely and hugged himself. “Very.”

  Edwina shook her head and reached for his hand. “Come on.”

  Tree took her extended hand, but pulled her down to his lap. “Ooops,” he said, a playful smirk casting a devious element to his dark, good looks.

  Eddie’s lips trembled slightly as her nervousness grew more pronounced. “What are you doing?”

  Tree cupped her cheek in his wide palm and pulled her face close to his. His tongue slid into her mouth and he smiled when he heard her gasp. “I’m kissing you,” he whispered.

  Raising her hand, Eddie stroked the slightly rough side of Tree’s face. Tentatively, she kissed him back. In response, she heard him groan and surround her in his iron embrace. She thrust herself closer to the hard, masculine body. She could feel every chiseled inch of his torso and thighs through the feathery softness of her chocolate cashmere dress.

  Tree uttered a tortured groan and pulled away.

  “What is it?” Eddie asked, unaware of the breathless quality of her voice.

  He was pushing himself off the sofa and taking Edwina with him. “I better get you out of here while I still can.”

  Eddie closed her eyes and prayed that her heart would slow its beating. She nervously smoothed her hands across her dress and tugged at the scooping neckline. Tree was behind her with both his hands at her hips. He nudged her slightly and began to walk toward the front door. In minutes, they were pulling out of her driveway in his car.

  “You must know a good restaurant here?” Eddie asked as they were headed downtown.

  Tree clutched his hand more t
ightly around the steering wheel in an effort to keep it off Eddie. He cleared his throat and nodded. “I know the best restaurant in town,” he confirmed. “My place.”

  Edwina’s hazel gaze widened as she stared straight ahead. Lord, she had no idea…

  “Here we are,” Tree announced, as he easily backed the fierce-looking Hummer into a reserved spot.

  After a moment, Edwina’s gaze focused past the passenger window. She blinked in surprise upon seeing the stark, imposing high-rise set against the night sky. She was eyeing the building in awe when Tree opened her door.

  Trekel watched her intensely, smirking a little when he felt her tremble beneath the slight pressure of his hand cupping her elbow. Ignoring that, he pulled her arm through his and escorted her inside.

  “Wow,” Eddie breathed, as her hazel gaze wandered over the elegant, plush surroundings. Though the building housed mostly law offices and insurance firms, its furnishings gave a different statement. The decor was comfortable, yet professional.

  “I can’t believe how beautiful this all is,” she remarked, as the elevator doors slid closed with a mellow hum.

  Tree leaned against the paneled wall and pushed his hands into his pockets. “Yeah, it’s gorgeous,” he agreed, his pitch-black eyes trailing Eddie’s form with unmasked appreciation.

  Eddie turned to face Tree. “So, how many people live here?”

  “Just me.”

  “Excuse me?”

  Tree leaned his head against the elevator wall and smiled. “This is an office building…law offices, insurance people. One of my clients designed this place and since I was his lawyer, I got first choice.”

  “Mmm…convenient,” Eddie slyly noted.

  Tree bowed his head. “Very.”

  “So are we having dinner at your office, or…”

  “My offices are on one wing and my home is on another,” Tree smoothly explained.

  Edwina swallowed past the lump that had suddenly lodged itself in her throat. “Oh,” she croaked.

  A soft buzz sounded, signifying their arrival on the penthouse floor. Tree pushed himself from the wall and stepped over to Eddie. “This way,” he whispered, laying his hand flat against the small of her back.

  Eddie nodded and followed his request. They made a left turn out of the elevator and headed toward the wide, oak double doors at the far end of the corridor.

  While Eddie waited for Tree to locate his house key and unlock the door, she took a moment to admire him. Lord, he was too much the way she would have him. Intelligent, successful, thoughtful, not to mention, incredibly handsome, sexy and built like a weight lifter. If only…

  “Here we are,” he announced, when the door was unlocked and opened. “I left dinner baking in the oven, so I better check on it first.”

  Edwina felt as though she were walking through a castle. The man has to have a staff of twenty housekeepers, she thought. The surroundings were so exquisite and pristine, they appeared to be taken right off the pages of a dream homes magazine. The living room was spacious, but filled with framed pictures and a mural that covered the far wall. Trekel Grisani was obviously a man proud of his mixed heritage. There were countless beautiful African hangings, masks and statues, as well as artwork of Roman origin. The furniture was comfortable-looking and oversized, which wasn’t surprising considering his size. The place made Edwina want to curl up in a fuzzy sweater with a mug of herbal tea and listen to the classics.

  “Eddie!” Tree bellowed from the kitchen.

  “Yeah?” she returned his call.

  “Make yourself at home and I’ll give you the grand tour!”

  Eddie pulled off her short, leather coat and hung it on the brass rack near the living room entrance. “Does the rest of the place look as beautiful as the living room?” she asked in a teasing voice.

  “That depends on what mood my cleaning people were in,” he answered as he walked into the room.

  Eddie laughed. “That’s good to hear.”

  Tree frowned, removing his watch and massaging his wrist. “Why’s that?”

  “Well, if you knew how to keep house that would make you too incredible.” Her eyes were wide as she realized she must have spoken aloud.

  The two of them stared at each other, their gazes practically sparkling from the sexual attraction they had yet to test completely. Edwina wanted so much to be touched by Tree again, but she warned herself to cast that from her thoughts.

  “We better get started,” he was saying, waving his hands toward the long stairway located through a doorway at the back of the room.

  To Eddie’s delight, the rest of the penthouse was as lovely as the living room. The decor was basically the same, but with subtle changes in color scheme and artwork. Each room had a personality all its own. The tour ended in the dining room where dinner would be served. Eddie trailed her fingers along the polished mahogany surface and noticed the far corner of the table had been set for two.

  “Oh, Tree, this whole place is gorgeous. I’d never want to leave if it were mine,” she admitted, turning to find him standing right behind her.

  The look in Tree’s incredible dark eyes said he wouldn’t be averse to that in the least. He stepped closer to Eddie, causing her to retreat until she brushed up against the table.

  Tree placed his hands on either side of her and lowered his mouth to the side of her neck.

  “Don’t…” she tried to resist as her thick lashes fluttered close.

  In response, Tree’s mouth slid along the soft line of her neck and across her jaw to her parted lips. He kissed her deeply, thrusting his tongue in the most delicious, erotic motions.

  Eddie groaned and returned the kiss with passion. Her hands stroked his bronzed forearms, visible beneath his upturned shirt sleeves. He leaned closer still, until she was lying beneath him on the table.

  Their hands roamed over each other’s bodies in wild abandon. The passionate kiss was filled with need, as were the words they whispered.

  Tree’s huge frame shuddered. Desire for the lovely woman in his arms took over his entire being.

  “Tree?…” Eddie finally whispered when the delicious aromas from the kitchen drifted below her nose.

  “Mmm?”

  “Your food.”

  Despite his need and almost painful state of arousal, Tree managed to pull away. He took a moment to catch his breath before standing and heading to the kitchen. Eddie pressed her hand to her racing heart and prayed for an end to the erotic tingle coursing through her body.

  Malik dropped the stack of pamphlets on the desk and leaned back in his chair. Dr. McNeil and Dr. Burns exchanged glances as they watched him finish with the reading material.

  “So, what do you think?” Dr. Burns asked, clasping his hands together.

  Malik rested his head back against the chair, his grayish-black stare focused on the ceiling. “I still don’t know what a lot of those long words mean, but I have a better idea about my condition.”

  “And the surgery?”

  Malik pushed himself upright in the padded dark green chair. “I was hoping to read that it’s going to be guaranteed one hundred percent successful.”

  Both doctors smiled sympathetically. Then Dr. McNeil stepped forward and slapped Malik’s shoulder. “It’s important that you believe the operation will be a success.”

  “That’s right,” Dr. Burns agreed. “You’ve gotta want to fight this thing. Your mind-set plays a big role where the sickness is concerned.”

  Malik drew one hand through his dreadlocks before he shrugged. “So what’s next?”

  Dr. Burns turned and walked behind his desk. “First, we have some tests to run. Once the results are back, we’ll proceed from there.”

  “Will you be calling your wife?” Dr. McNeil asked, folding his arms over his chest.

  Malik was silent for a moment, before he looked up at the doctor. “No.”

  “Damn,” Eddie whispered furiously. She’d dropped her fork for the fourth time since t
hey had started eating. She’d always prided herself on her cool demeanor, but that night it had deserted her. That was the last thing she needed to have happen with Tree sitting so close.

  Tree decided not to comment on Eddie’s obvious agitation. He couldn’t blame her, since he had been fighting against losing his “cool” more than once that evening. He intended to make love to her that night. Perhaps she sensed that. He could only hope she wouldn’t refuse him.

  Eddie cleared her throat and sent Tree a dazzling smile. “I can’t get over how good this is,” she said, complimenting him on the delicious salmon steaks.

  “Thanks, I’ll be sure to tell my cook,” he said, a grin brightening his handsome features.

  Eddie shook her head. “I thought you’d take credit for it.”

  “Ha! No, I wouldn’t joke about something like that!”

  “Why?” Eddie asked, melting at the sound of his deep, infectious laughter.

  Tree wiped a tear from his eyes. “Because the next time, you might ask me to prove my culinary skills.”

  Edwina tensed a little at his mention of “next time.” Luckily, Tree didn’t notice.

  “I can’t cook to save my life,” he said. “The woman I marry will have to have skills in the kitchen or we’ll both die.”

  Eddie laughed. “That’s what restaurants are for.”

  Tree took a sip of his beer and nodded. “True, but I prefer eating at home. More privacy.”

  The grip Edwina had on her fork tightened instantly at the suggestive comment. After a moment, she glanced up to see his dark, deep-set gaze trained on her. The message she read there told her it was time to go.

  “Tree—”

  “When you’re done with dinner, we can have dessert in the den,” he suggested, crushing all hopes Eddie had for a quick escape.

  “So what’s for dessert?” Eddie asked when they walked into the small cozy den. Tree had followed her into the room without a tray or any sign of food.

  “All I want is right here.” Tree told her. The wicked smirk on his lips cast a devilish light to his incredible features.