Indiscretions (7 page)

Sighing, she tossed the paper back on the coffee table, rose from the sofa and walked toward the terrace. The cloudless sky promised a glorious day. Lush, stately trees dotted the pavement, and fragrant flowers graced the well-tended gardens. Khendra leaned against the wrought-iron railing and deeply breathed in the fragrant air, which brought back recollections of the last time she stood in the spot. The thought made her heart quicken.

This time her meeting with Sean was planned.

She was taking a planned risk, something she only felt comfortable doing in the courtroom. But strangely enough she was beginning to feel good about it. The anxiety was making way for excitement.

Turning back inside, she slid the glass doors shut just as the doorbell rang. Khendra checked her watch, a puzzled look creasing her brow. Who in the world could that be? It couldn't be Charisse, she concluded with certainty. She was rarely on time and definitely never early. She walked to the door and stole a quick look through the peephole. Her breath caught in her throat, and her hand flew to her mouth to stifle the gasp that slipped through her lips. She took a calming breath and swallowed hard, commanding herself to breathe in and out. The doorbell rang again, jarring her into action. She swung the door open and faced her unexpected guest with a defiant stance. “Mr. Counts, what an unexpected surprise.”

CHAPTER SIX

“May I come in?” Before the words were halfway out of his mouth, he had stepped over the threshold and was candidly assessing her apartment.

“Nice place. You have excellent taste.” He turned to face her.

Khendra didn't move, but spoke from the open doorway. “What are you doing here, Mr. Counts?” She tried to camouflage the indignation that tinged her voice. “I'm sure I explained to you that I have plans for today.”

“Yes, I don't doubt that you do,” he said, his blue eyes raking over her long, shapely legs. He walked slowly toward terrace. Turning, he added, “However, I felt that a personal invitation would help sway your decision.”

“I'm sorry you came all this way for nothing. Anyway,” she added, her temper rising, “I fail to see how accepting an invitation to go sailing with you has anything to do with my job.”

He began to move toward her. “It has everything to do with your job.” His voice became menacing as he continued. “And the sooner you recognize these invitations as little stepping stones, the sooner you'll get to the top.”

She felt her breath quickening as he drew nearer. Where was Charisse? “Stepping stones to the top for me means only hard work and dedication,” she said evenly. “Now I really appreciate your stopping by, Mr. Counts, but I'm expecting my friend any moment now, and I still have a few things to do.” She prayed he didn't hear the tremor she felt in her voice.

He moved into the open doorway. Khendra braced herself. He raised his index finger and trailed it down the small cleft in her chin. She immediately pulled back. Her eyes blazed with outrage. She opened her mouth to speak, but Alex cut her off.

“I know what you're thinking,” he said in a low voice. “You'll report all of this to the board.” He chuckled, but his eyes held no humor. “Who would believe you? You'd only end up hurting yourself in the long run. Remember, favors can be very valuable, Khendra.”

“I want you to—”

“Hey, girl, you ready?” Charisse said, appearing as if on cue. She looked from one to the other. “Something wrong?” She eased her way in between Alex and Khendra, which forced Alex to take a retreating step.

Khendra had never been so happy to see anyone in her life. Intense relief flooded through her taut body. “No. Mr. Counts was just leaving.”

“Is this
the
Mr. Counts?”

“Yes.” Khendra clenched her jaw. “Charisse Carter, this is Alex Counts, one of the senior partners at the firm.”

He turned to Charisse and flashed a smile. He extended a tanned hand, which she took. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Carter. Perhaps we'll have a chance to meet again.” He turned back to Khendra. “I hope you'll think about what I said.” He nodded his goodbye to Charisse and walked toward the elevator.

“What in the hell did I just walk in on?”

Charisse stepped into the apartment, tossed her bag on a chair and turned to Khendra. What she saw made her rush back to Khendra's side. “You're shaking all over.” Her eyes whipped around the room for any signs of disturbance. “What the devil did he say to you? What did he do?” She put an arm around Khendra, closed the door and ushered her into the living room.

Once she was seated, Khendra felt her heartbeat slowly return to normal. Charisse kept a protective arm around her until some of the trembling stopped.

“You just sit right there,” Charisse commanded, pointing a warning finger. She entered the kitchen and searched through the refrigerator and cabinets. “Don't you have anything stronger to drink in here than cranberry juice?” she called over her shoulder.

“You know I don't drink,” Khendra mumbled. “There's some Coke on the bottom shelf.”

Charisse grabbed a glass, loaded it with ice and poured the fizzling Coke over the cubes. Returning to the sofa, she pushed the glass into Khendra's trembling fingers. “Drink this,” she ordered. She stood over her, watched Khendra's shaky hands bring the glass to her lips, and waited until she had drank the last drop. “You feel like talking now?”

Khendra nodded. Slowly, she began with the veiled comments Alex had made at the office, and led up to his visit to her apartment.

“Why didn't you tell me about this before?” Charisse demanded, furious at Khendra.

“I had hoped I was mistaken, and I thought you'd think I was overreacting again.” She looked up guiltily at Charisse, who just shook her head.

“You should know better than that, girl. Especially when it comes to something like this. Did he threaten you? Did he put his hands on you?”

Khendra rose from the sofa and began pacing, her long, slender fingers dramatizing her words. “It wasn't so much what he said, Cee Cee. It was how he said it and what it implied. If you hadn't walked in when you did, I don't know what he may have tried.”

“I'm sure he's not a stupid man, Khen. He's choosing his words very carefully. That's why he's so sure you won't say anything. It would be your word against his. And if I take it at face value, he's actually said nothing or done anything that's threatening.'”

“I know. That's what's so frustrating and what makes me so damned angry.” She stomped her foot and turned pleading eyes on Charisse. “I have to find a way to deal him. This is all very touchy. If I say or do the wrong thing, I could be ruined. I'm finally beginning to understand how innocent people are painted as bad guys.”

Charisse sighed. “You just have to stand your ground. He wouldn't dare try anything at the office, and just don't let yourself be alone with him. You don't have anything on him unless he tries something.”

“I know,” she replied resignedly.

“Well, you know what you have to work with. In the meantime, I'd just say the hell with him.”

“You're right. I shouldn't let him shake me up like this. It was just that I felt so trapped. The way he looked at me.” She wrapped her arms protectively around her body.

Charisse got up and stood beside her. “You're getting yourself all worked up again. Let's get out of here so you can take out some of that hostility on the court. Anyway, I'm dying to see the man that finally plucked those rusty heartstrings.”

Khendra's face softened in a smile of gratitude as she embraced Charisse in a warm hug. Then, holding her at arm's length, she asked, “What would I do without you?”

“Is that a trick question?” Charisse teased, twisting her face in mock confusion.

“Come on, you,” Khendra said, grabbing her small duffel bag and giving Charisse a playful shove. “Let's get out of here.”

Sean stood in a phone booth at the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, listening to the hollow ringing of the phone on the other end. He checked his watch. It was two-thirty. His heart sank. She wouldn't wait, he just knew it. He helplessly watched the steam rise from the hood of his car, and looked at the twisted metal of the car that had cut him off.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Khendra sat on the long wooden bench and looked up at the huge wall clock. They had been at the club for nearly two hours.

“He's not coming, Cee Cee,” she said finally. “This was probably just a tactic to make me feel like an idiot, and it worked. I knew I shouldn't—”

“Come on, Khen. Maybe something happened,” Charisse reassured her, no longer sure she believed it herself.

“Sure.” Khendra sighed in disgust, trying to hide bruised pride. “Come on. I'm not going to stay any longer. If he does show up, which I doubt, he won't find me here waiting with bated breath.”

She grabbed her bag, marched down the carpeted corridor and out the glass doors. Charisse followed close behind, feeling almost as bad as her friend. Khendra had been so reluctant to involve herself with anyone. Now, when she finally took a chance again, she'd gotten humiliated. Charisse wanted to wring Sean's neck herself, but she had to keep her own spirits up for Khendra's sake.

As the doors swung shut behind them, the pert receptionist flipped on the microphone. “Would Ms. Khendra Phillips please come to the front desk? You have a phone call. Ms. Phillips—”

Khendra slunk back into the passenger seat of Charisse's Mustang, feeling completely humiliated, as Charisse gunned the engine and drove out of the parking lot.

A warm, early evening breeze gently stroked the patrons of the outdoor café. Khendra absently picked at her plate of shrimp and rice, the sting of Sean's stunt lingering behind her dark brown eyes. She should have trusted her instincts. He was no different from any of the other men who had tried to ease their way into her life. And to think she had been willing to give him a chance. What a fool she was.

Charisse watched the array of emotions flit across Khendra's face. She had to find a way to snap her out of her dismal mood. Especially since she felt partially responsible.

“Listen, why don't we drive downtown, do some shopping and then crash at my house? I haven't been on a wild shopping spree in ages, and I feel daring,” she said with as much gaiety as she could summon.

“No, I really don't feel like shopping,” she mumbled.

“Well, you ain't gonna sit around sulking all day. And anyway, I'm driving.” She dangled the car keys tauntingly in the air.

Khendra sighed in resignation. “All right. I give up. Let's go shopping.”

“A woman after my own heart. Just point me in the right direction.” Charisse draped her arm across Khendra's stiff shoulders. This was going to take a lot of shopping.

Sean hung up his phone for the last time. He had called Khendra's apartment through Saturday evening, all day Sunday and well into Sunday night. It was becoming obvious she wasn't coming home, or worse, she didn't want to talk to him.