Embraced by a Donovan

by A. C. Arthur

  “Goodnight, Parker,” she said and began pushing the door closed before he’d thought to move out of the way.

  “Goodnight,” she heard him say when he took the hint and backed up, allowing her to close the door with a defining click.

  She wanted to fall against that door and take a deep breath, or two, or maybe she’d just collapse right here since her thighs were still quivering with the memory of how long and thick his erection had been pressing against her. On second thought, she hurriedly locked the door and moved away from it, staring back as if she thought he might actually kick it down. It was silly she knew, but Adriana also knew she needed more distance between them. Maybe then the heat and the throbbing would stop, the need that was bursting inside of her would finally subside.

  In her bedroom she tossed her purse onto the bed and kicked off her shoes, pulling at the hem of her dress until she had it up and over her head. She moved into the bathroom, turning the shower on as she removed the rest of her clothes. Her body hummed with awareness, the cool air brushing against nerves that were exposed. A glance in the mirror showed puckered nipples and heavy breasts. She turned away, taking deep, steadying breaths, all the while telling herself how foolish she was being for thinking, even entertaining the thoughts that might end the career she’d worked so hard to build.

  Stepping into the shower and closing the door she let the spray of warm water wash down over her head as she held it low. Drenching her hair and spilling down over the rest of her body she chanted, “No. No. No,” as if these acts together would do the trick.

  She could not sleep with Parker Donovan.

  If she did the rumors that she’d gotten this job only because of her personal involvement with him, would be true. Or at the very least they’d be validated the moment she lay down next to him.

  Her body trembled, as it often did when guilt and stress mixed together, shaking her to the core. It was a dangerous combination, one that Adriana had experienced before, just about ten years ago. She’d kept a secret, felt guilty and ashamed only to chase that down with the desire to prove herself, not just to her family, but to the world. She was so much more than her father’s successful company and her mother’s royal Brazilian status. She could be so much more.

  Only her mind and her body began to fight that stance and the binging and purging began. She’d fallen to a dark and desolate place that it had taken her five long years to escape.

  “No,” she whispered again, this time tilting her head back so that the water sluiced over her face. Blinking, she said it once more, “No.”

  And this time she meant it.

  She picked up the soap and began to wash, her mind made up, the decision clear and unshakable.

  Parker Donovan was off limits.

  No matter how good his kisses had felt or her body now ached.

  She couldn’t go there, not to that place, not again.

  By the time she finished her shower Adriana felt twenty times better. Her heart had stopped racing and the edginess of arousal had ebbed just a bit so that she didn’t feel like she’d combust at any moment. With her towel wrapped around her she walked back into the bedroom, heading straight to her dresser to retrieve a night shirt. After she’d tossed the towel into the hamper and slipped into one of the three comfortable cotton superhero themed nightshirts she owned, she’d decided that a glass of wine would definitely be needed if she planned to get any rest tonight.

  She’d just taken a step towards the door when she heard her cell phone ring. It was loud and startled her and when she turned back to see the phone lit up and vibrating on her bed she’d wanted to sigh because she did not feel like talking to anyone tonight. Or rather, she didn’t want to talk to Parker. He’d never called her on a personal level before, only the text messages she’d received last night. And there was really no reason to think that he’d want to reach out to her now, especially not after she’d just about run away from him. On the other hand, it could be someone in her family calling to check-up on her. She didn’t want to talk to any of them right now either, but not answering would only cause more worry on their part. Walking over to the bed Adriana tried for the billionth time to wrap her mind around why, no matter how old she grew, that her family did not trust her to take care of herself.

  She reached over the bed and picked up the phone taken aback when she saw the number on the Caller I.D. screen was hers. Not her house number, but her cell number, as if she were calling herself. Frowning she pushed Talk to answer the call, saying hello repeatedly but receiving no answer. Finally she disconnected the call and was about to drop the phone back on her bed but then she thought it made more sense to just put it on the charger for the night. Just as she usually did.

  Whenever she came into the apartment Adriana would take her phone out of her purse, where it remained all day while she worked, and she would plug it into the charger that sat on her nightstand. Tonight, however, she remembered being so upset she’d only dropped her purse on the bed and taken off her shoes before heading straight to the bathroom. So how had her phone been waiting on the bed for her to answer?

  Easy, she told herself with a shake of her head. It fell out of her purse. But when Adriana picked up her Givency Official satchel bag she noticed it was still zipped, closed.

  She looked at the phone she held in one hand and then the purse where the fingers of her other hand were sliding unbelievingly over the zipper. If her bag was closed how did her phone fall out? And who the hell had called her from her unlisted number?

  #

  Parker rubbed a finger over his bottom lip as he sat back in the leather conference chair. He was in the middle of an important monthly meeting with members of his family surrounding him at the ten foot long cherry oak conference room table. They were at Excalibur, the tinted windows of the building surrounding one entire wall of the conference room, allowing them to look out over the city, but no one could see in. The meeting had been scheduled for three in the afternoon, the last Thursday of every month. It was on his calendar which he’d stared at for the better part of the day, as he’d sat in his office, his finger moving slowly over his lips as the memory replayed itself over and over in his mind, similar to the way it was now.

  For the past year he’d been thinking about her in a way he knew was unprofessional, and that he was certain his family would have definite feelings about. For these reasons he’d resisted, focused his sexual energy on other women, ones he’d known for a while and understood where he was in his life and what he wanted in the personal arena. But all of that had changed. Parker wasn’t certain when, but he definitely knew why.

  Adriana Bennett.

  “This wasn’t on the agenda but I’d like to suggest it anyway,” Regan spoke. “I have a fantastic idea for how we can announce all our upcoming ventures with a big bang that will make headlines from here to the international market.”

  Her statement successfully pulled Parker from his reverie. He sat up straighter in his chair, re-focusing his thoughts on the here and now, to the family business that meant everything to him.

  The Donovan Multimedia Corporation was founded by two of the senior Donovans, Bruce and Reginald. Bruce’s sons, Dion and Sean worked primarily in the print division, where Dion was editor in chief and Sean was managing editor of Infinity Magazine, a steadily growing African American publication focusing on up and coming African American businesses, entertainers and the overall movers and shakers in their community. Jaydon, who was not present at today’s meeting, was the director of Donovan Management Network, which employed over one hundred literary, sports and talent agents.

  Donovan Network Television was Parker and Savian’s domain, but Regan had recently begun to work double-duty. She continued to direct the fashion and entertainment portions at Infinity, while branching into the television network with the fashion reality show her and Camille had produced. Gavin’s two shows went under Parker’s producer belt, but now that they were together, Regan had migrated to workin
g on those too as they’d rapidly soared in popularity.

  Lyra, Dion’s wife and Regan’s best friend, was sitting beside Regan, already nodding her agreement to his sister’s suggestion. Lyra was a photographer for the magazine.

  “We’ll call it Donovan Multimedia All Access and maybe it could be a yearly event where we kick-off our new season with announcements of all the big shows and interviews. We could also spotlight new clients picked up by the management division,” Regan continued.

  Sean had been scribbling something on his note pad, but now looked up to Regan. “Interesting,” he said. “Go on.”

  “Okay, good,” Regan continued with a smile. “So we’ll play up the hot shows, Indiscretions mainly and then of course Camille’s Find Your Fashion and the special prom event with the group home and Gavin Gives Back show.”

  “We would have onsite photo shoots featuring some of the models and actors,” Lyra chimed in. “Leading up to the event we can do print spreads in the magazine for advertising. And Parker, maybe you could talk to Jaydon about pulling in some of her new talent. If there are any singers that are getting ready to release an album, maybe we can tie them in to one of the shows, have them perform their first single at the event.”

  Following along with their excitement, which was sort of unusual for him, Sean added his wife to the line-up. “Tate’s developed a huge following with the “Ask Jenny” column and the relationship talk show. What if we pulled her in too, doing some kind of special involving the new talent, maybe the cast members of some of the shows?”

  “Oh yes!” Regan continued, her eyes—shaded with a seamless blend of pink and orange make-up that matched the floral sundress she was wearing—widened with elation. “A dating game with the actors. We can have one on a week and try to set them up with their perfect mate. And the first date will be the night of the event. This is fabulous! We’ll pull in all of our units to create one big, exciting gala that all of Miami will be talking about.”

  “All the world,” Dion chimed in. “Remember you said this would be international news.”

  “That’s right,” Lyra told her husband. “It will if we position ourselves right. We just need to jump on the advertising right away, secure the best venue and really start pumping this up. We’ll invite all the industry execs so they can see how it’s done, plus key media people, bloggers and such.”

  “They might really be on to something,” Savian said, nudging Parker, who up to this point had remained quiet and casually intrigued.

  Well, he had up until the moment they’d mentioned the dating game and the actors from their shows. He’d immediately thought of Adriana, again. And had been just as instantly uncomfortable with the suggestion. He cleared his throat before speaking.

  “Positive exposure. Spotlighting our own. Getting our upcoming fall schedule out to the media in a bold and unique way. All fantastic ideas,” he said.

  “Then why are you looking like I just invited you to a funeral?” Regan asked, her face crestfallen.

  “Don’t get all bent out of shape,” he told her quickly, because Regan bent out of shape wasn’t a good thing, on a regular day. Parker especially didn’t want to go rounds with his sister today, when he’d much rather be figuring out how and when he could see Adriana again. The memory of last night’s kisses weren’t going to be enough, he’d finally decided. He definitely needed more.

  “I’m on board with the event and the advertising ideas, I’m just thinking that the dating game thing might be a stretch. I mean, do we really want to get into the personal lives of our employees? What if some of the actors already have someone in their lives? How do we ask them to go on a date with a perfect stranger?” he asked.

  The room was silent for a few seconds while everyone looked at him.

  “Are we talking about someone in particular?” Savian asked.

  Parker immediately looked to his brother who hunched his shoulders as if he had no clue what door he’d just opened for all their family to enter.

  “Are you dating one of our employees?” Regan asked.

  “Parker!” Lyra exclaimed.

  Dion chuckled, while Sean simply shook his head.

  “Wait a minute,” Parker told them, holding his hands up in surrender. “Just hold on, I didn’t say that. I just meant that we may be crossing some sort of personal line here.”

  “How?” Regan asked him. “What we’re suggesting is simply asking the actors to act like they’re finding a date. Then, they would bring that date to the party and act like a couple for one night.”

  “Really, Regan? We’re going to ask them to ‘act’ like they’re doing all this? Are we paying them too because depending on the couple, it might stretch to solicitation of some sort,” he countered.

  “What?” Dion interjected, his chuckling barely ceasing. “Back up, let’s go over this again.”

  “No,” Savian said, a slow smile ghosting his face. “Why don’t you tell them what’s really concerning you, Parker.”

  The glare Parker shot his younger brother was deadly and Savian knew it, that’s why the idiot was smiling.

  “Or rather,” Regan said sitting back in her chair, her gaze narrowing on him. “Tell us who is really concerning you.”

  “Nobody,” he replied instantly through clenched teeth.

  “Adriana Bennett,” Savian offered as an immediate follow-up.

  “Shit!” Sean cursed, sitting back in his chair and dropping his pen on the table.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Dion added while Lyra shook her head. “She’s like family, man.”

  “She’s not our family,” Parker replied seriously. “Not in the blood sense. Hell, none of you had even met her before she came to Miami last year. She’s a family friend, just like Lyra was.”

  “Oh no, don’t pull me into this,” Lyra said, looking to her husband for support.

  “That was totally different, Parker and you know it,” Dion, now dangerously serious, told him.

  Parker sighed, swiping a hand down his tie as he adjusted himself in his seat. He had not meant to offend either Lyra or Dion. The two of them had been through a lot together, going from best of friends who had grown up in the same house, to lovers who faced initial adversities such as the death of Lyra’s mother and then the loss of their first baby. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for the two of them, so he took another deep breath before speaking again.

  “Look, we all love you Lyra. I’m not saying anything bad about you and Dion hooking up after all the years of us growing up together. Hell, I’m happy for both of you. I’m just saying that me and Adriana—first, of all, there is no ‘me and Adriana’—anyway, it wouldn’t be a big thing because we aren’t blood relatives. We’re just like any other two people who met and like each other and…” He stopped, sighed and looked around at his family.

  “Oh no, don’t stop there, big brother. Tell us exactly what it is you and Adriana Bennett, the star of our hottest show, are doing that’s got you so nervous about a little blind date?” Regan lifted a brow, her lips trembling as she resisted the urge to smile.

  “Yes, please fill us in,” Lyra said leaning forward on the table, her eyes alight with excitement. “I mean, we should definitely know before the party and the media finds out.”

  “Definitely,” Sean added seriously.

  Savian nodded lending his own, “Definitely,” to the mix.

  “Ball’s in your court, dude,” Dion told his cousin, not bothering to hide the return of his amusement at all.

  Parker was no fool. The relentless bunch he was before now would only be the tip of the iceberg as far as family was concerned. These were his siblings and his cousins, the ones closest to him in the world. He could confide in them, he was sure and even though they’d joke around, they would also understand and back him up with the seniors if they had something to say about it. But there really was nothing to tell, at least right at this point.

  “There’s nothing to tell any of you,”
he began, then held up his hands when both Sean and Regan looked as if they were about to reply. “But when there is, believe me, you’ll be the first to know.” He’d said “when” and not “if” because he had every intention of making sure something developed between him and Adriana. It was simply going to take some time and finesse and Parker was definitely up for the challenge.

  “Besides,” he continued. “I think what we should really be concerned with is why the seniors weren’t here for today’s meeting.”

  With that announcement all eyes went to one end of the table and then the next, to the two seats that were not unoccupied by the heads of the company, Bruce and Reginald.

  #

  “I’m so glad you could meet with me this afternoon,” Jaydon said to Adriana after she’d closed the door to her office, extending her arm towards the white guest chairs across from her desk.

  This was a place she’d frequented often when she first arrived in Miami, with its crisp, clean walls and furniture. There was a huge white rug covering the majority of the tiled floor, silencing both their heels as they made their way over to the far corner where Jaydon’s desk was. A definite sleek and contemporary look here, clean lines accompanied by just the barest hint of femininity. That came in the splashes of yellow visible in the back board of the white bookshelf on the right wall and more color jolts via artwork strategically placed throughout the room and the huge crystal vase full of bright and cheery tulips sitting on her desk.

  For a moment Adriana thought her ankle-length black halter top sundress might be a bit too dour for this room. But the call from Jaydon had come only moments after she had arrived at the studio, and since Jaydon had mentioned she’d already spoken to Giovanni about wrapping up the day’s shooting early to accommodate her, Adriana had no choice but to meet with her as soon as she finished work. Shocked at Giovanni’s generosity she’d gone to the set with the intent of thanking him. Unfortunately, the second she’d seen him, he’d begun his normal round of degrading and complaining about her, which Adriana was still trying to understand.