A Perfect Caress

by Nana Prah

  Toshia pouted.

  “Promise me.”

  “Fine,” she said with more than a little petulance in her voice. “I’ve got to get going. I have a meeting across town in thirty minutes with a client. Get this—he wants to hold a five-story party with each floor having its own theme.” Toshia glowed. “It’s going to be my masterpiece.”

  Lanelle smiled at her friend’s joy. “I’m happy for you.” She walked Toshia to her car and hugged her goodbye. Just as Lanelle stepped into her house, her cell phone rang. At the name flashing on her phone, she smiled and answered. “Hello.”

  “Hi, Lanelle.” Then a pause. “It’s me, Vanessa.”

  They’d spoken almost every day since they’d met. She’d even taken Vanessa out to dinner. Lanelle couldn’t understand how they’d become fast friends in such a short time. The girl’s intelligence, sense of humor and zest for life fascinated her, even though she found their connection disconcerting. The young lady had become the little sister she’d never known she’d wanted. “Why would you think I haven’t saved your number? How’d class go this morning?”

  “I think I’m going to change my major.”

  Having grown up with a business magnate for a father, one she’d emulated, Lanelle had known what she’d study long before she went to college. She’d never wavered in her decision and couldn’t understand how Vanessa had changed majors three times. “Again?”

  “I’m having a hard time making up my mind.”

  Lanelle had nothing scheduled for the day except her weekly video chat to keep in touch with her parents when they traveled. She could postpone it to the evening. For once they’d taken a trip to Jamaica to unwind, rather than for business.

  She made a quick decision. Hanging out with Vanessa was like blowing bubbles: fun, light and easy. The young woman posed no threat. Her uncle, on the other hand...

  “How about I pick you up for lunch and we’ll talk about it?”

  “Sounds good. I’ll be waiting in front of the building with the golden dome like last time. Are you taking me to Azure again? Wait. How about I take you to lunch this time?”

  “You’re a student. I’m not in the mood for Burger King.”

  The harrumph of annoyance would’ve been more believable if not followed by a chuckle. “Goes to show what you know. I would’ve taken you to Wendy’s. Their value meals are better.”

  “Since I invited you, I’ll choose the place.”

  “I don’t care where we go—food is food.”

  Said like a true college student. “I’ll be there in thirty. Bye.”

  Every time she agreed to meet Vanessa, Lanelle wondered if Dante would show up. It unnerved her that she wanted to see him again. After two weeks, she hadn’t been able to get him off her mind. A man Vanessa adored couldn’t be a bad guy.

  The thrill of awareness she’d felt when he’d touched her had been unparalleled. She sighed. Maybe if she’d met Dante before her life had gone to hell, something good could’ve come from getting to know him. At this point, she could let no man in, not even a handsome, muscular, charming one who’d stolen her breath and ingrained himself into her daily thoughts.

  * * *

  In the middle of picking out his tuxedo for a fund-raising event two weeks from Saturday, Dante’s phone rang. He excused himself from the tailor after looking at the screen.

  He’d barely gotten out his hello when his niece shouted, “Get to campus right now. Lanelle’s picking me up in twenty-eight minutes.”

  “What happened to not telling me where she’d be?”

  “That was before I realized you’d be perfect for each other.”

  Besides their initial two chance meetings, Dante hadn’t run into Lanelle again. He knew nothing about her other than that she possessed the wit and intelligence he’d observed during those brief encounters. Over the past couple of weeks, an image of her beautiful face would pop into his mind at random. When he remembered the spark in her eyes when they’d touched, his skin would get flushed. Not a day went by when he didn’t regret not pushing her for a date, but she seemed as stubborn as he tended to be tenacious, so he’d played the game by her rules. “What makes you think so?”

  “I’m not going to say. I just know. Are you coming down?”

  And have her call me a cheater and renege on the offer of a date? No. “I’m in the middle of a tuxedo fitting.”

  “Can’t you do it later?”

  The salesman tapped his foot as he leaned against the counter. “I’ll be out of town for a couple of weeks. I’ll be back just in time to attend a formal fund-raising dinner I’ve been invited to. If I don’t get fitted now, then I’ll be wearing a suit to the dinner.”

  “Where are you off to now? I thought you gave most of your travel assignments to one of your executives.”

  His niece had a knack for remembering things he’d never expect her to, especially when it came to his work.

  “Is it Italy?” She sounded so excited Dante chuckled. “Can I go with you?”

  Vanessa had been hounding him for a trip ever since she’d been a little girl. Maybe he’d have to make her dream come to fruition. After the cancer scare, he knew life, no matter the person’s age, could be gone in a moment. “Listen, I’ve got to go. Have a good time with Lanelle. As she said, if it’s meant to be, it will be.”

  Vanessa sucked her teeth. “That philosophy is bogus. I like it better when you say that if you want something, go out and get it. What changed your mind?”

  I don’t want to piss her off and mess up a chance to get to know her. “I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Bye.”

  Dante turned to the salesman. “I’m ready.”

  Lanelle had starred in all of his fantasies since meeting her. It wouldn’t mean as much if they’d all been sexual. When he’d imagined them having a conversation over dinner, he knew she’d affected him more than a woman he’d just met should’ve. And yet he hadn’t made a move toward finding her. He’d give it more time. Maybe a month. If they didn’t meet by then, he’d do what was more in line with his nature and make it happen.

  In the meantime, he’d focus on his business. The hospital project had fallen into his lap, the perfect way to try his hand at a new type of flooring. This contract marked the beginning of a new era in his company. Once they completed the job to perfection, the referrals would flood in. Then he’d be able to get the wicked and greedy Calvano clan off his back.

  He ground his teeth at the thought of losing part of his business to them. A deep breath helped to clear the anger. With this hospital bid in his pocket, he no longer had to worry. He’d beat the deadline and maintain complete control of his company.

  Perhaps the only thing that would rank with beating the Calvanos would be dating Lanelle.

  Chapter 5

  Everything at the fund-raiser was perfect, from the food to the elegantly dressed patrons who’d donated generously to be part of the event. Of course it had helped that she’d let it leak that her paparazzi-beloved brother, Miguel, would attend. He loved the limelight more than Lanelle did her privacy. She watched her brother schmooze his way through the guests, encouraging them to further support the NICU by bidding in the silent auction they’d planned.

  “I wish Mom and Dad could be here to see what a wonderful job you’ve done,” Lanelle gushed as she took in the splendor of the ballroom. “Toshia, you’ve outdone yourself.”

  “Thanks. I tried to create a glamorous space without going crazy with the budget. Where are your parents now?”

  “You know them. They said they went to Jamaica to relax, but after a week they took off to the Dominican Republic for a tour of their sugarcane plantations and manufacturing company. Then they’re going to Columbia to check on their coffee investment.”

  Toshia shook her head.
“What aren’t your parents into?”

  Lanelle rolled her eyes up and to the right, pretending to think. “Staying in one place for too long, and drugs. Wait, let me clarify. Illegal drugs. They do own a pharmaceutical company.”

  Her friend dropped a piece of fresh cantaloupe wrapped in prosciutto onto her plate. “Good job getting Miguel to come.”

  She smiled as she found her younger brother laughing with a politically prominent man. Miguel was the antithesis of their oldest sibling, always seeking fun, while Leonardo took life much too seriously “I didn’t even bother to invite Leonardo. He would’ve claimed to be busy with work, and I wasn’t up for the rejection.”

  Toshia didn’t hide her frown at Lanelle’s antisocial brother’s behavior. “How far has the forensic accountant come with the investigation?”

  Lanelle shook her head. “Nothing yet. He’s thorough, too. He’s inquired into the contractors we used, but he hasn’t found anything out of the normal. It’s not as if anyone is going to confess to stealing the money, so it might take some deep digging to find out what we need. I still find it impossible to believe someone would embezzle from a hospital. Or at all, for that matter.”

  Toshia sucked her teeth. “First of all, you are such a sucker. You believe everyone is inherently good and all that crap.”

  “Toshia!”

  She ignored the outburst. “Secondly, we’ve always had money, so we never had to worry. You’d be surprised at what people will do to obtain it.” Toshia took a delicate bite of the meat-and-fruit combination. “Why don’t you ask your parents, or even Leonardo, for help?”

  Lanelle picked up a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and took a sip before placing it on the table. Her churning stomach hadn’t allowed her to eat much at dinner, so she needed to take it easy on the alcohol. “I can handle it.”

  “If you say so.” Toshia blew a kiss to someone across the room.

  Lanelle turned to see a tall, broad-shouldered man headed their way.

  “Brad and I are going to leave soon. Since the party’s winding down, there’s no need for me to stay. The caterers have their instructions.”

  Toshia’s husband slipped an arm around her waist, bent down and whispered something in her ear, eliciting a girlish giggle.

  The tiniest stab of jealousy made Lanelle avert her gaze from the happy couple. Five years of marriage and they still got so wrapped up in each other that no one else in the room existed.

  Through the good and the bad, Brad had stuck by Toshia’s side. Lanelle considered him to be a different breed of man from the rest. How can you classify all men as the same when you don’t get to know any of them? Just like Brad, not all of them are weak. Great. Now my subconscious sounds just like Toshia’s blabbing.

  Lanelle’s sharp inhale drew the lovebirds’ attention as her gaze settled on the one person she’d never expected to see again. Too late to turn and hide behind Brad. True to her obstinate nature, she hadn’t come with a date, so she had no one to use as an excuse.

  The slow saunter of slim hips, emphasized by powerful, tuxedo-clad shoulders, captivated Lanelle. She raked her gaze from his shiny black shoes up to his magnificent body to meet his eyes. With a single look, the man held her frozen, stopping her from running for her life.

  Lanelle resisted the urge to look down at her gold taffeta dress to make sure her hardened nipples weren’t poking through. Just in case, she crossed her arms over her breasts. With an ease that told of his utmost confidence, Dante reached for one of her hands and placed a kiss on her knuckles.

  “What a coincidence to see you again, Lanelle.” He tucked her hand into the crook of his left arm. She made a pathetic attempt to extract it, but the little tug ended up being useless.

  “Won’t you introduce us to your friend?” Toshia’s voice had risen a pitch.

  Shifting her gaze from Dante’s glittering light brown eyes, Lanelle felt the party filter back into her consciousness.

  Clearing her throat in an attempt to gain a few seconds to compose herself, Lanelle plastered on a smile before making the introductions. “This is my best friend, Toshia, and her husband, Bradley Covington. This is—”

  “Dante Sanderson.” Brad held out his hand.

  “Good to see you again.”

  Toshia’s mouth dropped open. “How do you two know each other?” Toshia asked.

  Brad encircled his wife’s waist. “We’ve worked together on a few projects. He’s excellent when it comes to supplying and installing top-quality marble and granite.”

  “I’ve branched into PVC floor installation.”

  “PVC?” Toshia asked.

  “It stands for polyvinyl chloride,” Lanelle answered. “They use it for plastic pipes and flooring. It can be created to look like wood, linoleum or anything in between. Depending on the look you want. You know the flooring they use in the gym? That’s PVC. It’s a rather versatile material.”

  Dante turned to her with his eyebrows raised.

  “What?” No need to tell him she’d come about the information while doing research on what type of flooring would be best for a hospital. “I can’t know things?”

  Dante flexed his biceps in response. “I’m pretty sure you know a whole lot.”

  Lanelle’s intake of breath didn’t go unnoticed by her friend as Toshia smirked.

  “Brad, if you have a project that needs vinyl, give me a call. And you know I’m always available for marble and granite.”

  “I’ll be sure to do that.”

  Lanelle found it impossible to calm her racing heart.

  “Isn’t the world just too small, Lanelle?” Toshia asked.

  “As a Ping-Pong ball,” Lanelle creaked out, placing a hand to her throat as she struggled to swallow. Where was a wandering champagne waiter when she needed one? Darn their competence at picking up her first glass. “I need a drink.”

  Lanelle released her arm from Dante’s prison and pivoted toward the bar.

  “I’ll join you. We’ll catch up later during the evening, Brad.”

  “Toshia and I are leaving, but I’ll give you a call.”

  Lanelle reached one of the strategically located bars within seconds. She forced a smile at the bartender. “Gin and tonic. Not too much ice, please.” She didn’t hear what Dante ordered and didn’t care. When the cold drink hit her hand, she downed half of it in gulps.

  She glared at Dante. “What are you doing here?”

  “I hope someone’s told you how stunning you look tonight.”

  Taking a step back from his magnetism didn’t help. “Flattering me isn’t an answer to the question. Did Vanessa tell you I’d be here?” Too late, she recalled she hadn’t told Vanessa anything about tonight.

  “It’s good to know you’re a little paranoid before we go out on our date.” A slow, sexy grin made an unwarranted appearance, weakening her knees. “I thought I’d imagined your graceful beauty, but my memory didn’t do you justice.”

  Lanelle lifted her straight shoulder-length hair off her neck, wishing she’d worn it in an updo so she wouldn’t feel so overheated. “Still not an answer.”

  He took a sip of the dark drink he’d ordered, placed it on the counter and then took her glass.

  “Hey, I was drinking that.”

  “For the record, I had no idea you’d be here, so you can calm down. If you dance with me, I’ll explain my presence at this,” he lowered his voice, “rather boring party.”

  She wouldn’t be able to withstand being so close to him. Even now his scent enticed her, drawing her closer. “Or...” She poked him in his chest, only to wince at the pain she’d caused herself. “You could save us the trouble of going to the dance floor and explain it here and now while I finish my drink.”

  Dante held out his arm. The man was an enigma. Sho
wing up at a last-minute fund-raiser gala. Late, too, because she was pretty sure she would’ve noticed him earlier. Plus, he knew Brad.

  The fact that he caused her body to react in incredible ways she could never recall happening before was beside the point. She had information to ascertain, and she would. Placing her hand in the crook of his arm, she went with him to the dance floor.

  The space he maintained between them as they danced to a smooth jazz song should’ve helped her to relax. Her gaze roamed the still-crowded ballroom. With the help of a few friends, she’d organized a silent auction. From the bids she’d seen earlier in the night, the guests had been generous.

  Her brother came into sight. She wasn’t happy about the wink he sent her. Miguel could see romance in anything. Sometimes a dance with a man who set her insides on fire with his touch was just a dance.

  Without warning, Dante invaded her space and tilted her into a dip. Gripping the shoulder of his tuxedo, she scowled into his smiling face as the blood rushed to her head. Before she could chastise him, he brought her upright.

  She hated surprises. Being out of control ranked number one on her never-to-do list. Dante threatened all of that. From the few stories Vanessa had told about him, they were as different as a waltz and a tango. “Talk.”

  Should she be feeling the deep rumble of his laughter against her chest? When had he pulled her so close? She tried to re-create space between them. His hand splayed against her back made it impossible.

  “Do you ever loosen up?”

  She snapped her head up. Even though she was wearing stilettoes, he loomed over her. “You’ve met me what, all of twice? You have no idea who I am.”

  He leaned in, his breath tickling her ear as he whispered, “But I’d like to.”

  All thoughts of why she’d come on the dance floor escaped as he pressed his cheek against hers. For once in her life, Lanelle lost herself in the gentle sway of a man’s embrace.

  Chapter 6