Beyond the Velvet Rope (14 page)

His hands were suddenly gone from her body. She had the vague memory of him collecting flutes of champagne from the tray of a passing waitress. He pressed one into her hand and watched her over the rim of his glass as he drank. Thandie sipped from her glass, neither tasting nor enjoying the bubbly chill. She was too busy trying to shield herself from becoming overwhelmed by him, but it was of little use.

Thandie was suddenly aware they were standing a few feet from the men who’d been hovering by them earlier. Elliot had maneuvered them back to the very spot they’d once stood. She had no idea how he’d accomplished it without her noticing. She glanced up at him, leery of what he might do next.

He wasn’t looking at her. Elliot’s gaze had drifted across the room, and landed on an exquisite woman. Their eyes met. She’d obviously been watching Elliot for some time. Thandie watched as something strong passed between Elliot and the woman. She had no idea what was exchanged, but whatever it was it had been potent. Unquestionably, this was a conversation between lovers.

Without further decorum, Elliot emptied his glass, placed the flute on a nearby tabletop and leaned close enough to whisper in Thandie’s ear. “No panties, pussycat?” His hand skimmed low on her hip, not low enough to capture the attention of anyone standing nearby but just low enough to make his point. “Very sexy.”

With that said, he excused himself and crossed the room to join the mystery woman. Thandie watched him, too shocked by his words, too aroused by his touch. He was too damned good, she thought. Had Thandie been made of ice, she would have been a puddle on the floor.

She could not help but follow his progress as he snaked his way through the crowd. Finally at his destination, he stared down at the woman, a look of quiet amusement on his face. Thandie considered the beauty. She was probably the most gorgeous woman she had ever seen. Standing next to each other, she and Elliot could have been twins; both were equally tanned, dark-haired and lovely. Thandie suddenly felt small and insignificant.

Without a word spoken, Elliot walked toward the front door, officially quitting the party. The stunning woman followed close behind, but not before pausing to flick her cool gaze over Thandie. Her red lips lifted into a smile. It was not a warm smile. She was curious of Thandie, but not intimidated. No, never intimidated. Her dark eyes gleamed. It was a look of total possession. She was marking her territory, making it clear to Thandie, and anyone else watching, Elliot belonged to her.

Thandie watched the departing couple disappear from sight, the front door slammed shut behind them. After having invested less than twenty minutes into the party, Elliot Richards had left the building.

Chapter Nine

T
he party continued well into the morning. Thanks to Warren, Thandie had been introduced to just about every guest present before retiring for the evening. With the party still going on below, it had been difficult to sleep.

Her thoughts kept drifting to Elliot’s arrogant face. She’d managed to doze off into brief ten-minute naps, but never fell soundly asleep. After hours of tossing and turning, Thandie finally surrendered. There was no way she would be able to get a good night’s sleep with thoughts of Elliot on her mind.

It was just after noon when she tapped on Raja and Len’s bedroom doors. She’d meant only to notify them she was heading to the beach. They took the announcement as an invite. Within half an hour, they were all wearing their bathing suits and packing oversize beach bags. Thandie was grateful for their company, as it kept her mind occupied.

They lucked out by finding a parking spot on Ocean Avenue, across from South Beach’s famed King & Grove Tides Hotel. After staking out a location to pitch their umbrella, they unrolled their beach blankets and began the arduous, but necessary, task of applying sunblock. Thandie and Raja lay close together, sharing the shade the umbrella offered, while Len, determined to get a deep tan, welcomed the unyielding blaze of the sun.

They’d been there less than a minute before spotting their first topless woman. At this, the girls were eager to discard their swimsuit tops. Thandie wouldn’t dream of being so brazen. She was proud of her trim body and received many compliments, but that was the result of a painfully strict diet and an expensive Pilates instructor. Despite these things, Len and Raja possessed something Thandie did not, youth. It was this, the seven years of separation, that kept her bikini top firmly in place.

Pulling her hair back into a sloppy ponytail, Thandie stretched out on her beach towel. She was admittedly tired. The restless hours were catching up with her. The heat of the sun seemed to slowly massage her energy away. Her limbs felt like lead weights and she suddenly felt lazy. Sunbathing was a peaceful experience. Back home, she was always on the run. There was always someplace to go, something to do, someone to meet. Sure, she’d been to the beach before. Plenty of times, in fact. She and a group of friends rented a house in the Hamptons every summer. There was no place more fashionable than the Hamptons in July, however, Miami seemed to hold a magic all its own. Everyone was young, healthy and beautifully tanned. It was growing on her.

The girls began a deep discussion about which Hollywood stars should become the new celebrity couple. This discussion required much deliberation. As their voices became raised and whiny at certain junctions, Thandie began to regret allowing them to join her for a restful day at the beach. To avoid adding fuel to the fire, she pretended to listen, supplying nods of agreement when required. Exhausted, it did not take long before she drifted into a black and most-welcome sleep.

All too soon, she was woken by Raja, who was frantically shaking her shoulder.

“Thandie! Wake up. You have to see this!”

“Wh-what?” she said sleepily.

“Wake up now,” Len squealed. “Oh, my goodness. Can you believe it?”

Thandie shook her head several times, immediately upset for having been awakened so abruptly. “This had better be good,” she warned.

“It’s better than good,” Len laughed. “It’s amazing.” She nodded her head down the shore. “Talk about being in the right place at the right time.”

Still groggy from her nap, Thandie tried to focus but was unable to immediately understand what had caused the girls’ excitement. She yawned loudly. “Let me guess. MTV is filming a show on the beach?”

“Egh, MTV is so last year. Look!” Again, Len pointed down the beach.

“What exactly am I looking for?”

“Don’t you see them?” Raja, too, jabbed her finger in the same direction. “It’s Carey Charming and Nate O’Conner. The two most beautiful men in the NFL.”

Thandie squinted her eyes to focus. Farther down the shoreline, she could see a photo shoot was in progress. Two men, clad in all-white suits, stood knee-deep in the bubbling waters washing in from the ocean. They each held footballs in their large hands, while makeup artists and stylists fluttered around them making last minute adjustments. The photo crew stood at an adequate distance, sun reflectors angled just so, to capture the perfect lighting. The scene was definitely eye-catching, and curious onlookers slowly crept closer, in an effort to get a better look at the two giants.

Len’s smile widened. “Can you believe it? Charming and O’Conner on the same beach with us? This is a miracle. They were both on the cover of
GQ
magazine last month.”

“Nate is so hot,” Raja murmured.

“What are they doing in Miami?” Len shaded her eyes with her hand. “Shouldn’t they be in training camp, or something?”

“Training camp doesn’t start until July, Len,” Raja said with a sigh of resignation. “The real question isn’t why are they here, but where are they going? Both Carey and Nat are free agents this season. With Carey managing to hold on to his numbers in spite of the team’s mediocre year, and Nate coming off a great season, they’re the most sought after players in the NFL. Carey and Nate played together in college and they’ve made no secret about wanting to play together again. Everyone is wondering which team can afford to sign both of them.” Suddenly aware she’d said too much, Raja cleared her throat. “I dated a guy a couple of years ago who worshiped football. I was forced to learn the game.” She shrugged innocently. “I kinda got into it.”

“Kinda?” Len snorted. “You’re practically sniffing their jockstraps.”

“Shut up, Len!”

“All right, you two,” Thandie warned. She was in no mood to listen to one of their colorful arguments. Thandie turned to observe the two men. They were giants in comparison to everyone standing nearby. Even from this distance, she could see their bulging biceps and tree trunk-thick thighs. Carey Charming, the leaner and taller of the two, was fair and blond. Nate O’Conner was a bit shorter, but he more than made up for it with muscle. His handsome good looks and dark skin made him instant eye candy. Coming to her feet, Thandie dusted sand off her bottom. “Well, there’s no time like the present.”

“Ah! What are you doing?” Len squeaked.

“I’m going to see what their plans are for tonight.”

“Are you crazy?” Raja screeched. “They’re NFL royalty.”

“Then it won’t hurt for them to mingle with their humble subjects.” She gave them a parting smile before heading toward the giants. Running into Charming and O’Conner on the beach was an opportunity she could not allow to pass her by. She had every intention of inviting them to Club Babylon tonight. The worst that could happen was they would blow her off. But her chances of success far outweighed the possibility of defeat.

* * *

There was a knock on the office door before Michelle opened it wide enough to stick his head through. “Elliot, Thandie wants to speak with you.”

Nico, who’d been having a whispered conversation on his cell phone for the last half hour, suddenly looked up. “Who’s Thandie?”

Elliot had not had time to tell Nico any details regarding the newest addition to his staff. Before he could prepare Nico, Thandie had already crossed the threshold of his office.

Thandie was wearing a terry cloth dress. It was strapless, displaying smooth golden skin across an enticing bosom and small feminine shoulders. The dress had clearly been meant for the beach, yet it could best be described as modest, even matronly, on the sandy shores of Miami. But indoors, under the slightly dimmed lighting of his office, the silly garment tormented Elliot. The hem fell an inch or so past her buttocks, presenting a delicious view of those beautiful shapely legs of hers. Elliot had to admit, he’d had a hard time forgetting the feel of his hand between her thighs that night in the Tower. If she only knew what scenes his mind was conjuring right now, she’d probably run screaming from the building.

But she stared at him with a determined look in her eyes. Her hip angled just so, mistranslating any attempt at appearing empowered to just looking damned sexy.

She stepped forward, bringing the scent of sunshine and fresh ocean air with her. Her hair was a bit disheveled, only adding to her appeal. She’d obviously pulled on her clothes in a rush, yet even in her casualness, she looked like a million bucks. Elliot couldn’t help but admire the view.

Thandie met his stare and then shifted her gaze to his friend. Elliot noticed them sharing an appreciative appraisal of each other. Nico shot a quick glance toward him, his brow peaked. With a sigh, Elliot pushed himself away from his desk and made the introductions.

“Thandie—” sweeping a gesture toward his friend “—this is Nico.”

Nico stood, wearing the same wicked grin he always wore. For some reason, it annoyed Elliot today. He shook Thandie’s hand. “Actually,” Nico said, “I’m Elliot’s heterosexual life-partner.”

“Nico,” Elliot continued in a bored tone, “is one of my investors.”

“I’m supposed to be a private investor,” Nico offered, “but I guess the cat’s out of the bag.”

Thandie smiled up at him, noticeably eased by his good nature. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Nico.”

He gave an airy wave of his hand. “The pleasure is completely on this side of the room.”

“You have an interesting accent,” Thandie observed. “Are you a local?”

“No,” he smiled. “I’m visiting from the coast.”

“Which coast would that be?” she asked.

“Take your pick.”

She gave him a slight grin, recognizing flirtation when she saw it. “Are you in town for business or pleasure?”

“Pleasure, of course.” Nico’s gaze drifted over her once again. “I must say, Elliot, your hostesses are getting prettier by the minute.”

“Actually,” he drawled, “Thandie is a staff member. She was hired to handle Babylon’s marketing prior to the reopening.”

Nico looked at Elliot before openly staring at Thandie, as if seeing her for the first time. “Seriously?” his voice now devoid of its earlier humor. “But you never hire women.”

“Warren insisted on it,” Elliot replied.

As if that answered everything, Nico gave a resolute nod.

Piqued by their conversation, Thandie planted her hands on her hips. Elliot knew if she had any idea that the action caused her skirt to hike up several vital inches and the thin material of her dress to stretch provocatively across her breasts, she might not have chosen such a stance. It only made her look sexy as hell, rather than formidable.

“If you two are finished talking about me as if I weren’t standing right here, I have some business to discuss.”

Evidently still bewildered, Nico just stared at her.

“Please—” Elliot nodded “—by all means, let’s discuss.”

Highly annoyed, Thandie drew herself up taller. “I’m escorting Carey Charming and Nate O’Conner tonight. They’ll have at least four people accompanying them. Will I have access to transportation?”

“You can have access to anything you like.” Elliot’s words hung in the air. He was baiting her, and she obviously hated him for it.

“I need transport,” she gritted out.

He nodded. “You have it.” Reaching across his desk, he pressed the numbers on his office phone, the room filled with automated ringing.

“Yes, Elliot?”

“Markie, Thandie is hosting guests this evening. She’ll need two SUVs available to her. Arrange for Ricky and Christo to be her drivers. They know the routine pretty well. Also, have Adam secure VIP.”

“You got it.”

Elliot pressed a button on the dial pad, releasing the call. Turning to her, he bowed his head slightly. “Is there anything else I can do for you?” He could tell the words “kiss my ass” were hanging on the tip of her tongue. He gave a wicked grin. “You have only to say the word.”

Her eyes went wide, and she swallowed hard. Giving a quick glance to Nico, she gave a nod and exited the room, her heels clicking with every step.

Nico laughed. “Why didn’t you tell me about her?”

Elliot shrugged. “There’s nothing to tell.”

Nico stared after her, able to study to her retreating figure through the glass wall that encased Elliot’s office. “So,” he began, “are you going to share her, or what?”

Elliot followed his gaze as Thandie crossed the arena floor. He thought for a long minute before answering. “There will be no sharing of Thandie Shaw.”

Nico nodded. “That’s a new one.”

Elliot met his knowing expression. “I’m the only one who’s going to be tapping that.”

Nico held up his hands in surrender. “Consider it done. I’m only appreciating the product.”

“Well, appreciate it from a distance.”

Nico laughed at the words.
“Touché!
Playing caveman now? I can respect that, but please remember this conversation when I discover a pretty face.”

Elliot smirked.

“May I offer you some advice?”

“No.”

Nico ignored the warning, and gave Elliot a brotherly clap on the shoulder. “Keep your charms to a bare minimum. I fear it might be the deal-breaker with Ms. Shaw.”

Elliot brushed off Nico’s hand. “Any woman can be gotten to. You just have to know which buttons to push.”

“And after you’ve pushed all her buttons, and she still doesn’t come?”

“Oh, she’ll come,” Elliot said quietly. “Of that I have no doubt.”

“Well, to your credit, I have yet to meet a woman who has withstood your charms.”

“You never will,” Elliot promised.

* * *

Several hours later Thandie found herself riding in the front seat of a gleaming black Escalade. Behind her, Nate O’Conner and Carey Charming sat casually chatting with each other. Surprisingly, they were both good-natured, and their boyish camaraderie seemed endless.

Thandie focused her attention on ensuring Carey was in good spirits. According to Raja, Carey was not big on clubs and rarely drank alcohol. Thandie had no trouble believing this. When she’d spoken to him today at the beach, she got the impression Carey would have refused to come had it not been for Nate convincing him. Nate O’Conner, however, apparently partied often. He was the more jubilant of the two and took great pleasure in flirting with Raja and Len.