The Savvy Sistahs (12 page)

“Yeah, but still you can just sit and listen while I tell you everything. I need a reality check right now before I’m tempted to do something really stupid.” It wasn’t uncommon for her, Carla, and Brandy to seek out one another’s counsel, and in her mind Amber could see Carla’s eyes change from amused to concerned.

“Then how about coming over for dinner tonight. I’m fixing Craig’s favorite meal, spaghetti. Then after I put him to bed we can talk to your heart’s content.”

Amber thought about Carla’s offer. “Are you sure, Carla? I don’t want to impose.”

“And you won’t be. Besides, Craig will be glad to see you.”

After a few brief moments, Amber said, “All right. Do you need me to bring anything?”

“I would suggest a bottle of wine but since both of us have to go to work tomorrow, I wouldn’t dare. And I would invite Brandy to join us but she’s unavailable tonight. Her bodyguard is taking her out to dinner.”

“Have you met him yet?”

“No, but Brandy told me all about him when she called earlier. From what I hear, he’s an absolute hunk and she’s suffering the same plight as you. Overzealous hormones and sex deprivation is about to get the best of her, too.”

Amber laughed. “Oh, is that how you’re defining our problem.”

Carla’s giggle was a bright shiny spot on what Amber had begun to perceive as a rather gloomy day. “Yes, but you two have to hang tight and remember our sistah-circle principle from two meetings ago.”

“Please refresh my memory.”

“All right, here goes.
You have to refocus your mind in the direction you want it to go.
”

Amber rolled her eyes. That principle had sounded pretty good then, but it wasn’t doing a thing for her now. Mainly because her mind was determined to be focused on Cord Jeffries’ attributes and how he could use them to full potential in the bedroom.

“By the sound of your breathing, I can tell that you’re wavering, Amber.”

“Well, you haven’t seen this guy. Trust me, he would make any woman think of lifting her dress, quickly dispensing with her panties, and taking him on.”

On the other end Carla roared in laugher.

“Yeah, well you have a good laugh now, Carla Osborne, but I have a feeling that your day is coming,” Amber said, before hanging up the phone.

Chapter 11

G
rey shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind of the desire that suddenly rammed through him the precise moment Brandy stepped out of the bedroom, dressed for dinner. Her dress, a gorgeous blue silk, clung to every curve of her body, defining perfect, high-tilted breasts and a small waist. His body reacted with every step she took and he couldn’t help but stare in deep male appreciation.

“You look nice, Brandy.”

“Thanks.”

He finally pushed himself from where he’d been leaning against the breakfast bar and tried to focus on something else, which was easy enough when he saw her frown. She was still upset with him because he hadn’t told her about the note he’d received until today. She felt he should have told her immediately. He explained in a discussion that had nearly bordered on heated that he was there to protect her and she wasn’t supposed to be concerned about him. But she’d argued that it had been the principle of the thing.

He had come close, real damn close, to telling her that principles had nothing to do with anything, especially when your life was on the line. He wished he could dismiss the notes as insignificant, but he couldn’t. And although he knew she was probably scared shitless, he couldn’t help but admire her determination to keep her cool and remain in control. During his days as an agent he’d seen women who would literally freak out and run from their own shadow after receiving a first note, not to mention a second.

It seemed that everything he’d heard about Brandy Bennett was true. She was tough, tenacious, classy, and beautiful.

Another thing he’d been told about her was that she was a typical Bennett female, and hell knew no fury like a Bennett woman’s scorn. He couldn’t help but admire her spunk when she’d pulled that much-deserved fast one on her ex-husband. There were some who’d be quick to say she’d been manipulative, vengeful, and devious. And yes, he could probably think the same thing, but considering the circumstances, as far as he was concerned she’d had every right to be those things. Nothing hurt worse than finding out the person you loved had betrayed you. He knew firsthand how painful that could be.

“I’m ready to go.”

Her words captured his attention, not that she hadn’t had it already. She was the type of woman who would have that effect on a man the moment she walked into a room.

He slowly strode across the room to stand in front of her. He couldn’t ignore the warmth that touched his skin, bringing him in full awareness of her. Her scent was a fragrance he wasn’t familiar with, and it was not the same scent she’d worn that morning. This one was soft. Subtle. Woman.

He wondered, not for the first time since arriving, how her fiancé could have been such a fool to mess up the way he had. Some men were destined not to be trusted.

But then the same thing held true for some women as well.

“Do I have to go over our game plan tonight, Brandy?” he asked, deciding to get things back on the track. He didn’t need to get any fanciful ideas regarding this particular Bennett. The one his brother was married to was a handful enough, but then he knew Quinn was enjoying every moment of being married to Alexia.

“No, that’s not necessary, since you’ve done so already. But like I said, I think it’s a waste. Thomas wouldn’t do anything to hurt me or scare me. Why would he?”

Grey crossed his arms over his chest. He’d also heard of the Bennett women’s stubbornness. “You did say the two of you had been lovers?”

Brandy rolled her eyes heavenward. “Not lovers, Grey. When I think of lovers I think of two people engaged in something long-term and definitely more substantial than a one-night stand. That’s all Thomas and I had. He was lonely one night and I was grateful for his friendship. It was something that happened that I later regretted.”

“And you told him that?”

“Yes. Thomas and I have an understanding that what happened that night was a mistake and it would never happen again. Since then we’ve accepted that our relationship is based on friendship and nothing else.”

Grey wondered how she could think a man who’d had a taste of her body could ever think the two of them could just be friends. “Well, if he’s not guilty of anything then you have nothing to worry about.”

“Well, I don’t like deceiving him,” she said, making a frown form at the corners of her lips.

“Well, you
will
deceive him because right now that’s what it’ll take to figure out what’s going on. And since this person has made a threat against me, I’m more determined than ever to find out who he is.” What Grey refused to say was that he was anxious to see the man who had captured Brandy’s interest, even if had been only for a night.

Brandy sighed deeply as she shoved long tendrils of braids away from her face. Grey Masters was being difficult and if he could be difficult, so could she. “Fine, just don’t expect me to like it.”

Grey couldn’t stop the smile that touched the corners of his mouth. “I don’t expect you to like it.”

A sudden, involuntary shudder swept through Brandy with Grey’s smile. It had actually softened the lines of his mouth, making his lips appear more . . . kissable. She’d always had a thing for locking mouths with the right man and admitted to being one of those women who enjoyed kissing as much as she enjoyed the more intimate details of lovemaking. There hadn’t been a “right” man in her life in over two years and tonight her tongue was feeling rather hot and antsy.

“Do you have everything you need to get before we go?”

She tried responding to Grey’s question but for some reason her hot and antsy tongue didn’t want to participate. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Yes, I have everything.”

Moments later the two of them walked out of her suite.

Amber sat at Carla’s kitchen table waiting for her to return from putting Craig to bed. Being around Craig tonight reminded her of the child she had lost. Had the baby lived, it would have been just a few months older than Craig.

“How about if I make up a pot of coffee since we can’t hit the wine bottle tonight,” Carla said, reentering the room.

Amber looked up. “Coffee is fine with me. I’m going home and look through a few cookbooks for a good, simple recipe for cookies. I promised Jennifer and Eileen that I would bake a batch for the anniversary celebration. You are coming, aren’t you?”

Carla smiled as she went to the sink to prepare the pot of coffee. “Of course I’ll be there. We’ve always made it a point to be there to take a part in each other’s successes, remember?”

Amber smiled. She would always be grateful for having connected with Brandy and Carla and their support. Getting their lives back in order had not been an overnight thing and they were still working at it, since it was a chipping-away process and not one to bring instant gratification or immediate satisfaction.

Satisfaction.

Thinking of that one word brought Amber’s thoughts back to her present problem. She began rubbing her forehead.

Carla turned from the sink and cast a concerned eye at her friend. “What’s wrong?”

Amber lifted her head and met Carla’s gaze. “I need my mind stimulated.”

“Are you sure that’s all you need stimulated?” Carla asked, her voice deceptively light.

Amber couldn’t help but chuckle. Of the three of them Carla was usually the one who tried being serious-minded most of the time. “Hell, Carla, I won’t lie to you, girl. I could definitely used a good lay just about now.”

Carla shook her head thinking of a similar conversation she’d had with Sonya some nights ago. Was sex the only thing on everyone’s mind? “A good lay, huh? Can I guess a possible prospect?”

Amber shrugged, knowing Carla was studying her intently with those big, dark brown eyes of her. Eyes that saw everything but never placed judgment on anything. If she didn’t agree with something she diplomatically told you so. “Well, what do you think?”

Carla leaned against the sink. “I think you should go back and reread those scriptures that Pastor Thomas gave us at church a couple of months ago.”

Amber rolled her eyes heavenward. “Pastor Thomas can afford to talk since he has Sister Thomas. They have four kids, all under the age of eight, which means he’s not missing out on anything.”

Carla bit the corner of her lip to keep from smiling but failed miserably. “Amber, you’re totally awful.”

Amber blew out a frustrated breath. “That’s not all I am.” She looked up when she felt a touch on her shoulder and met Carla’s eye. She hadn’t known Carla had moved away from the sink. “Hey, will it be so bad for you to finally meet a guy and fall for him? Or for any of us to meet guys we might like and get serious? I think we agreed to be cautious in our next relationships, not turn into women who never want men in their lives again. If he’s a nice guy and you’re attracted to him then why not let yourself become interested in him?”

Amber frowned. She knew the reason she didn’t want to get involved with another man: fear. Gary had stripped her of so much self-esteem that the thought that she would be setting herself up for the same thing again scared the living daylights out of her. She cleared her throat nervously as she prepared to answer Carla’s question. Before she could do so, Carla’s phone rang.

“Whatever you were about to say I’d like you to hold that thought until I get back.”

Moments later when Carla returned Amber immediately noted the troubled look on her face. “Is anything wrong, Carla?”

Carla sank down in the chair across from Amber. “I’m not sure. That was Brandy, calling on her cell phone from the ladies room of the Commodore Restaurant. She was leaving the hotel for dinner and happen to pass the check-in desk as this man was registering.”

Amber lifted an amused brow. “What’s unusual about that? I’m sure plenty of men register at her hotel. What’s so special about this one?”

Carla met Amber’s curious gaze. “His name is Jesse Devereau.”

Amber remembered the name immediately. “Aw, hell.”

Sighing deeply after taking a sip of her wine, Brandy leaned back in her chair and met Grey’s gaze from across the table. “I hope you’re satisfied that this evening was a compete waste of both of our time.”

Grey shook his head. “If you believe that then you really do have blinders on.”

Brandy’s cheeks tinted and a degree of fury shone in her eyes. “What do you mean by that?”

“It means Thomas Reynolds is so damn jealous that if looks could kill then I’d be dead. The look on his face when we entered this place was outright rage, although I think he downplayed it rather well.” Grey leaned back in his chair. “He’s old enough to be your father.”

Brandy took offense at the censure she heard in his voice. “For your information, he’s older than my father and what I do and who I do it with is no concern of yours, Mr. Masters.”

“Thanks for reminding me of that, Brandy. And you’re right. My only business is finding out who’s sending those notes, and just for the record, your ex-lover stays on the list. In fact, he’s moved up a notch. I can pick up on his anger from across the room.”

They stared at each other for several long minutes before Brandy released his gaze. “Look, I know you’re doing your job, but don’t you think you’ve gone just a little overboard with your theory about Thomas? For the past two years he and I have been nothing but good friends. If what you think is a possibility, why would he wait until now to do anything?”

Grey shrugged. “I have no idea, but I do know there’s such a thing as obsessive love and although you may feel nothing but friendship for him, it’s very obvious that he’s kept his feelings in check because he knows that’s what you want. There’s a chance he may have gotten impatient and decided to play his hand. Or,” Grey said, meeting her gaze intently, “he may have come up with the idea that if you were frightened about something enough, he would be the one you would turn to for solace and protection.”

Brandy lifted a brow. She really hadn’t thought of that, but still what Grey was proposing wasn’t convincing as far as she was concerned. “But don’t you think someone would have noticed Thomas if he had caught the elevator to the administrative floor or to my suite? He’s not an employee and would have stuck out like a sore thumb.”

“Someone might have assumed that he was coming up to visit you. Have the two of you been seen together often?”

Brandy frowned. “No, and definitely not in the way you think, Grey. Like I said, my intimate relationship with him was only for one night. And it wasn’t at the hotel but his place. Until you showed up claiming to be my long lost lover there has not been any particular man in my life. I’ve been way too busy to become involved with anyone. If Thomas and I were seen together it was for business and nothing more. Being an alumnus of BCC, Thomas is an important member of the Florida Classic committee. In fact, he’s the one responsible for my involvement and my hotel being selected as a host hotel, which will bring in a lot of money.”

Grey picked up his wine glass again to take another sip. “So he looks out for you?”

“Yes.” Brandy leaned back in her chair, glad that Grey was finally getting it. Clearly sooner or later he would see that Thomas could not be “The Man.” But the more he looked at her while slowly twirling the wine glass around in his hand with his penetrating dark eyes on her, the more she was beginning to think he really didn’t see at all. “Why do you try so hard not to trust people, Grey?”

Her question evidently caught him by surprise, off guard. He placed his wine glass down and his gaze that was already trained on her became even more intense. “And why are you so gullible? You’ve been burned in the past. Didn’t you learn a lesson in that?”

For the longest moment Brandy didn’t say anything, and she couldn’t help but think back to the time, last week in fact, when she and Grey had had a conversation about trust. It was when she had mentioned what had happened between Lorenzo and Jolene.

“What they did hurt me, Grey,” she admitted softly now, wondering why she felt comfortable talking to him when he’d just called her gullible, which to her was another word for naive. “No one, not even my cousins, knew the pain I felt finding out I was betrayed that way. And then to go through the part where everyone watched that videotape and saw the man I was to marry and my best friend, the two people I had trusted the most, being deceitful was a very difficult time for me. I got through it because my family was there for support and comfort, and to show me their love. But then when it was time for everyone to return back to their homes and I decided to do the honeymoon without the groom, I found out just how bitter, spiteful, and hateful toward men I’d become. Not only that, I felt that other than Alexia, Rae’jean, and Taye, I couldn’t trust another female to get close to me as a friend.”