Risking It All (21 page)

Quinton was at her heels. “You don’t really mean that.”

“I do.” She walked out of the door towards the elevators.

“Julissa, please…there is no one else, but you, and that is the only way that I will have it.”

She
pressed the down
arrow
button on the elevator.

“Julissa, do you honestly think I would move all the way here to give up what I had only to mess things up with you? Why do you think I am here?
Why do you think I moved here?”

When he reached up to caress her cheek, she did not move away. And he leaned in to kiss her and she did not move away eit
her.

Qu
inton’s glare pleaded with her.
“It was for you, Julissa.”

The doors to the elevator opened, signaling to her that it was time to go. She broke the embrace and stepped in.

Her throat burned from fussing with him, but she needed to put a stop to this.
Right now.
“Take your own advice…let’s not live our lives in vain. We all know that the thing we have here cannot last. Goodbye, Quinton.”

She pressed her lips together, and fought to see through the tears brimming in her eyes
as the elevator took her down to the ground floor
.

“Michael and I are having a get together this Friday at the house. He’s hosting a party for one of his
colleagues
. You can bring a date, if you want,” Julissa told Shanice while on the cell phone with her.

“Sounds like fun. I’m bringing Brian. What time do the festivities start?”

“Around seven.”

When she hung up, she added their
name
s
to the guest list. So far, a firm twenty peopl
e had already
RSVP’d
.

“You’ve got mail!” Her laptop spoke, informing her of the new mail in her inbox. She placed the guest list back in her planner and clicked to open the message.

Lissa,

It’s been four whole days since I last saw you. I had truly hoped by now that you would have had time to think things over and perhaps return my phone calls to discuss us.

I was surprised on Saturday when you sent a Jenna Barnes to show me properties that we had mapped out and planned to see together. The excitement of searching for my new home is nonexistent without you, therefore, I refuse to sign any real estate contract or purchase any home without your help. Either you help me as I would like it or I will go it alone myself. But, do not ever send someone in your place to help me.

When can I see you again? I’
m missing the hell out of you.

Love, Q.

Julissa sigh
ed, hit reply, and began responding to his message.

Q,

I have had time to think things over. And the reason that I have not returned any of your phone calls is because I stand firm about what I said last Wednesday night.

I fear that when we are together, we will follow the road to a dead-end over again. Dead ends are something that I do not want in my life, especially since I will soon be married to Michael. I feel guilty as it is for having such adulterous secrets even before wedding vows are exchanged.

And to your question, our relationship ended that night. I cannot promise you that we
will ever see each other again.

Julissa.

Before she could think about changing what she wrote, she hit the send button.
This should be the email to end it all.
For she knew that if she saw Quinton’s face one more time that she would still give in to temptation. In fact, it was Michael who had asked her hand in marriage and no one else. Michael was the one that she had given her virginity to. She and
Michael
had been together for three long years and made it through thick and thin. Michael was the man for her.
Sex wasn’t what bonded their relationship.

Julissa suddenly thought about something and got up from behind her desk. She knocked on Martha’s office door before entering.

“Good morning, Julissa. How are you doing, sweetheart?”

“I’m fine, Martha. And you?” She stood at the doorway.

“I’m just fine. Did you want to meet about something?”

Julissa took the invitation and sat in the chair in front of Martha’s desk.

“Martha? Remember when you covered for me about a week ago when Michael was looking for me?”

Martha seemed to be in thought, and then she said, “I do. That was the day you worked at home. I knew that Mondays were your half day, so I couldn’t figure out why Michael was calling here at the office for you.” Martha rubbed her hands together. “Your calendar was also
free, so I didn’t think you were
out showing properties ei
ther.”

“Martha, I admit that I told a little lie to Michael about where I’d been. But, the truth is, I just ne
eded some time away from him
. You know, to sort things out.” Well, at least it wasn’t a complete lie.

Martha reached out and grabbed her hands over the desk. “I know. Are you having doubts about marrying Michael?” When Julissa didn’t answer, she continued, “You don’t have to answer that. I had doubts about my marriage as well. I had been scared that I might have been giving my heart to the wrong man.”

“You did?” At least now Julissa could say that she wasn’t the only woman having doubts about marriage.

“Yes, I did. You will get over it, Julissa. From what I can see, Michael is a very good man. You both have done so well for yourselves.”

“Thank you, Martha.” Julissa got up.
“I needed that talk.”

“Anytime…”

“Are you still gonna be at out dinner party on Friday?” Julissa smiled.

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

Julissa felt much better. The rest of the day, she went over the menu and guest list again for this coming Friday. She would show her fiancé just how much of a good wife that she would be to him. No, she didn’t have time to think about what had happened in the past. She had a party to plan.

**

When Friday evening came along, she and Michael
had their hands full. People
started arriving shortly before seven, the planned start time. They began seating guests in the sitting room as they arrived with appetizers and light drinks and waited i
n the foyer for others
.

They were both dressed in Versace outfits that Julissa had purchased a couple days ago for the occasion. Michael was dressed conservatively in formal sport coat and pant suit. Julissa thought that he looked very handsome. She was weari
ng a striking red summer dress
and matching red stilettos. They had already gotten several compliments from the guests saying that their looks complimented each other. Several people also congratulated them on their new engagement.

“Think we have enough wine and
liquor to keep everyone happy?
” Michael asked her.

“Of course, baby. I have it all under control,” Julissa reassured Michael with a kiss on the cheek.

The
doorbell
rang again and Michael opened it. It was Shanice and Brian.

“Hi, girl.
” Shanice sm
iled. “Oooo, you two look nice.” They
hugged
.

“Thank you. Thanks for coming,” Michael said, shaking Brian’s hand.

“Michael, this is Brian. Brian…Michael, Julissa’s
fiancé
’.”

“Nice to meet you,” Brian greeted Michael.

“There are some other guests waiting in the sitting room. Drinks and appetizers, too. We’re waiting on a couple more people to get here,” Julissa said.

“Oh, great. Let’s go get a
drink, Brian.” Shanice said, and they
disappeared into the sitting room.

Julissa looked at the guest list in her hand and checked off Shanice and Brian. “We’re waiting on two more couples and we’re good to go.”

“Actually, I invited some other people that may not have gotten on your list in time,” Michael said, peeking out of the window.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I had to include the president of the company. I just forgot to let you know. It looks like there are some people pulling up now.” Michael opened the door and waited in the doorway for the last guests to arrive.

Julissa stood behind to check her reflection in the mirror on the wall in the foyer. She had worried a lot over the guests arriving and she needed to make sure that her hair wasn’t wild or her dress wasn’t out of place. Satisfied with her appearance, she joined Michael at the door. It looked like six people had just arrived and were now headed up the driveway. First, they greeted the president of Michael’s company and his neighbor. Next, they greeted Martha and her husband. Martha complimented them on their home and professionally manicured lawn. She also joked that she understood now why they never took vacations, living in such a lovely home.

When Martha and her husband stepped aside, Julissa could have had a mini stroke when she confirmed who the next guest was. Standing in front of them, in the flesh, was Quinton and another unknown
male. H
er mouth fell open.

“Hello. Michael. Julissa.” Julissa hadn’t heard his voice in a while, but it sounded like music to her ears.

Julissa watched in shocked as Michael extended his hands to Quinton.

“Gla
d you could come,” Michael said,
shaking hands with Quinton.

She knew Michael enough to tell he was putting on a front. The expression on his face told him that he didn’t care one way or the other if Quinton was there or not.

Who had invited Quinton?

“Julissa?” Michael
nudged her.

She was so frozen in place that she did not realize that Quinton had her hands extended to her.

“Hi.” Julis
sa took his hand in greeting.

H
e slipped his h
ands into hers and squeezed lightly.

Julissa made eye contact with him, her eyes filled with questions. If she thought Michael was handsome
tonight
, then Quinton was fine and sexy
as all get out
. The two were like night and day standing before each other. But only one of them outshined the other.

“This is Taron.” Quinton introduced his guest and Michael and Julissa shook hands with him as well.

“We have drinks and refreshments in the sitting room,” Michael motioned towards the sitting room and Quinton and Taron headed that way, but not before Quinton turned and gave her a seductive glance. That one
look caused nerves to shoot up
between her thighs.

When the two were out of earshot, Julis
sa looked at Michael.
“Did you invite him?”

“Yes,” Michael looked at her as if wanting to ask if she had a problem with that. “He and the president, Joe, went to college together. I didn’t know that until I was asked to attend a meeting this past Tuesday with Joe, some managers, and Quinton and his colleagues about designing some custom software for use by our firm.”

“Oh.”

“Anything else? I need to go make the speech for Ray, so we can get things started. Make yourself useful, please. Go and make the final touches to the food table.” Michael turned and walked away.

Now, as nervous as she had ever been in her life, she
headed toward the dining room. There was a
small buffet area for the food
set up along the wall
that they had catered for the event. Thank God, the only thing Julissa had to worry about making was the d
essert
.

“Julissa.”

She jumped at the sound of Shanice’s voice.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” Shanice came around the table as she was checking the dishes. “Michael said you may have needed a little help.”

“Yes. Thanks.” Julissa was glad for the help. Seeing Shanice’s smiling face calmed her down a little and her fingers stopped shaking.

What on earth had prompted Michael to invite Quinton to this party? Wh
en he first met Quinton, he hinted that
he didn’t
even
like the guy. Sure, he had a few connections w
ith the president, but
…

“Are
you okay, babe?” Shanice asked. “You look a little frazzled
. Don’t worry. Everything is going good in the sitting room. The appetizers are great and people are really taking advantage of the fully stocked bar you guys have.”

“Oh, great. I was a little worried about that.”

“Food looks delicious!” Shanice exclaimed, as she lifted the lid on one the dishes.