Page 44 of Devanté
“Can I help you with anything else, Devanté?” She stared right through me. Not in a way that made me feel invisible but in a way that told me she knew the real me.
Then why didn’t she know I’d never hurt her? Not now. Not then.
“You can,” I said sitting on the corner of the conference table beside Blake. She paused in the middle of snapping shut her Shaw briefcase and closing the luxury iPad cover. Once the last person left the conference room, the soft click of the door closing meant I had her alone. There were walls of glass surrounding us but I didn’t care who saw.
I drank her body in like rich hot cocoa. The white and blush dress she wore tied at her waist and flowed over her thighs but I could still make out the soft lines of her legs. It fit like it was tailored just for her.
“I have something for you. Promise me you’ll take it. Promise me you won’t turn your nose up at it. That would hurt my feelings.” I put my hand in my pocket and held the small gift I had for her.
“You’re worried about me hurting your feelings? Yeah, okay, Devanté. What is it?” She was so close to me. I smelled her shea butter vanilla-scented skin. I wanted to lick her. Instead, I grabbed hold of her pinky and tugged her into the V of my open legs. The silky fabric of her dress slid against my thighs.
I took the present from my pocket and put it in her outstretched palm. I expected her to smack her lips and roll her eyes but when she looked down and saw the Ring Pop in her hand, she paused. I watched her roll thick soft lips between straight white teeth.
“Wow,” she breathed, wrapping her fingers around the candy ring. “You really took it back. I thought maybe you forgot.” She raised her shoulders then let them fall.
“Now, how the hell could I forget my fiancé?” A crooked smile tilted my lips. She sucked in a quick breath and looked at me.
“Breakfast can’t go over an hour, Jodeci. I have things to do. Let’s go.” She moved from between my legs and grabbed her briefcase. When she shot a smile at me, I shot one right back.
“I’ll let you slide right now but you know I’m going to bust that ass for calling me Jodeci out of the blue like that.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m hungry. Where are you taking me?” She quizzed.
Wherever you want to go…
“You like The Belvedere?” I asked her, holding the door open.
“If you’re in the mood to spend that much money, you think I’m going to turn it down?”
“Of course not.”
“I see you still know me well.” She smirked.
“How could I forget?” I asked, dipping my head down to sweep her ear with my lips. I pressed my hand to the small of her back and she allowed me to guide her back to the lobby where Noa and Molly were busy laughing and talking. They barely noticed we came back.
“You guys still want to get breakfast?” Blake asked, clasping her hands around the Ring Pop. Both women jerked their eyes to her.
“Hell yeah,” the said in unison.
“Do we get to pick the place?” Molly asked.
“Eat wherever you want to, Molly. You have my card. Breakfast can’t go over an hour.”
“I’m down,” Noa said, clapping her hands together. Blake’s jaw dropped but I didn’t give her a chance to say anything. I took her hand and led her to the elevator. Once we were alone, she glared at me.
“You’re not taking them to The Belvedere?”
“I think they wanted to have their own conversation away from us. I didn’t want to impose.”
“You are so full of shit, Jodeci.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. Can you fault me though? I wanted to get you alone for a little while.” I slid my thumb along her knuckles and Blake shivered. I lifted my eyebrow at her and tried not to smirk. “You chilly?” I quizzed.
“A little.” She pulled her hand away from mine and folded her arms. “Are you riding with me or…” She looked at me when she stepped off the elevator and I tried to remember my thoughts. She was flawless.
“Yeah, it would be easier,” I told her. In reality, I wanted to be in the car with her and only her. I didn’t feel like involving my driver. She hesitated but she nodded then took me to her car in the garage. Finally, I was going to get her to myself. I didn’t plan on wasting any time telling her the truth about what happened that night in college.
…
