TheTemptationNotJustifiedAReFinal (5 page)

The
weekend tip money alone was worth it, and they made even more during the
playoffs because more men came in to imbibe expensive liquor with their friends
while they talked trash to each other. All the hostesses knew the tighter their
clothes and the more they flirted, the more money they could make. The regulars
were generous, and security taught the newcomers real fast what was and wasn’t
allowed.

“How’d
it go with that guy last night?” Gwen asked as Janet walked up. “Did you have
sex?”

“Don’t
be shy. Ask the tough questions,” Janet said dryly. She folded her arms across
her chest and gave Celeste an inquisitive look. “Did you?”

“She
can’t look at us, so that means yes!” Gwen crowed. “Details, details! What did
the
professor
teach you?”

Celeste’s
cheeks flushed with heat. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Oh,
come on,” Gwen wailed. “I didn’t get any last night. I thought maybe I had a
shot with Lucas, but I kept hinting all night, and he didn’t even ask for my
number before he and the married guy ran off.” She rolled her eyes in disgust.

“Do
you have to get laid
every
time we go out?” Janet asked.

Gwen
shoved her and then returned her attention to Celeste. “Please, just tell me
one thing.” Gwen clasped her hands together as if she were about to say a
prayer. “Please tell me that tall, sexy man was good.”

Celeste
bit the corner of her lower lip. “Amazing,” she admitted in a low voice.

The
other two women squealed. Celeste waved her hands for them to shush. “I’m not
telling you anything else. I can’t believe I even did it.” She covered her eyes
with her hand.

“So
you had sex with a hot guy the first time you met him. Please, that’s nothing.”

“Yeah,
Gwen does it all the time.” Janet hopped out of reach before Gwen could hit
her. “Are you going to see him again?”

“Um,
not exactly.” Celeste hesitated. “He was asleep when I left.”

“
You
left
him
?” Gwen looked at her as if she’d grown two heads and then
lifted her hand above her head for a high five. “Pretty good for a first-timer.
Don’t leave me hanging with your bad self.”

“Gwen
. . .”

“Come
on.”

Reluctantly,
Celeste slapped her palm against Gwen’s.

Janet
shook her head at Gwen. “What’s the latest on your ex?” she asked Celeste. “Did
he come through this time?”

“What
do you think? More empty promises, as always. He swore he would send the money
last week so I could send Arianna to science camp, but of course he never did.
It doesn’t matter to him that I’m struggling to take care of his daughter. He
doesn’t care she can’t have the experiences the other kids do because I can’t
afford to give them to her by myself.” Anytime she talked about her ex-husband,
a downtrodden feeling crushed her spirits.

“At
least you didn’t mention it to her, so she won’t be disappointed,” Janet said,
her voice filled with sympathy.

“I’ve
learned my lesson. I don’t believe anything he says.”

Celeste
tried to think about her ex-husband as little as possible. After their divorce,
he’d put enough distance between him and her and their two-year-old daughter as
possible, traveling northwest to Washington and disappearing as if he’d never been
a part of their lives.

After
a few months, he resurfaced and began a ritual of calling every few months. The
minute she mentioned child support, he became as scarce as rain in the desert.
Two years passed, and she didn’t even know if he was dead or alive. He didn’t
call to check on Arianna, nor did he provide any gifts for her birthday or
Christmas. Not even a card.

“Arianna
is six years old, and she hasn’t seen him in four years,” Celeste said.  “What
kind of man bails on his kid like that?”

“The
same kind of man who started back calling you a year ago but doesn’t offer any
kind of financial help,” Gwen said dryly. “That’s no real surprise, though, is
it? When you were married he never had any money, and what little he did earn
he spent it on partying and other women.”

Gwen’s
blunt words cut through her. Thinking it was the right thing to do, she had
tried to work through the broken marriage to her philandering husband, even
going to couples counseling. In the end, she realized he didn’t want a normal marriage.
She left him, taking the most valuable thing that had come out of their relationship—their
daughter.

Within
a few years after the collapse of her marriage, Celeste locked away her
adolescent dreams of finding love. She’d kissed so many toads on her way to
finding a prince, she didn’t believe in princes anymore.

She
scrimped and saved, going to school part-time so she could find a better job
than waiting tables. Despite the hardship of being a single parent, she
wouldn’t change her circumstances. She didn’t regret having Arianna, but she
did wish she’d been more prudent in her choice of husbands. It broke her heart
whenever Arianna asked about her father, and she grew tired of making excuses
for his absence and unfulfilled promises.

Janet
gave her back a comforting rub. “Everything will work out. You’ll see.”

Celeste
swallowed down the lump in her throat. Some days she didn’t know if she was coming
or going, and last night had been such a change of pace, several times this
morning she’d wondered if she had imagined the entire night.

“I
better go,” she said. She poured a glass of water with little ice and two
lemons, the way Derrick liked.

“I
would do him in a minute,” Gwen murmured, looking over at the booth where
Derrick sat.

“Word
is you already have,” Janet said.

“I
wish.”

Celeste
kept her head down to hide her amusement. Listening to the two of them go at it
often made her laugh.

She
made her way over to the booth where Derrick Hoffman sat. The atmosphere of the
club was high on pretension, but it allowed for relaxation with its dim lights,
mahogany walls, leather couches, and private rooms.

Some
of the other women developed sexual relationships with their regular customers,
thinking they could catch themselves a rich husband. The relationships usually
fizzled out after a short period.

Most
of the other hostesses had regulars, but none quite like Derrick Hoffman. He
dressed like money, smelled like money, and drove one of only eighty Ferrari SA
Aperta convertibles in the world—screaming money. They met at Georgia Tech over
a year ago, where he’d been earning a master’s in international logistics. They
became friends, and before long he was a regular at the cigar bar.

Despite
their friendship, she knew very little about his immediate family. His mother and
biological father died in a plane crash, and he never talked about his siblings,
a sister and two brothers. She sensed he didn’t get along with his brothers at
all, but he must have a slightly better relationship with his younger sister
because he mentioned her on occasion.

“Hi
there, lady,” Derrick said when she walked up. He lowered his cigar and stood
up. “How was your birthday?”

“Good.
You should have come.” Celeste returned the hug he gave her.

He
sat back in the seat, and she dropped down into the booth next to him. “Did you
go to Avery’s Juke Joint as planned?” As usual, his wavy black hair was combed
and brushed to perfection. His skin, the color of Caribbean sand, looked as
clear and spotless as if he’d had a facial.

Celeste
nodded. “We didn’t stay long. We ended up going to a small jazz spot named
Tito’s Lounge.” She purposely avoided mentioning Roarke.

Even
though she considered Derrick a friend, she wasn’t exactly comfortable talking
to him about her one-night stand. It was private. The idyllic night had come
and gone, and she would treasure the memory. She ignored the way her heart
contracted in her chest, as if cruel fingers curled around it and squeezed.

“Tito’s
Lounge? Never heard of it. But I’m glad you enjoyed yourself even though I couldn’t
grace you with my presence.”

Celeste
smiled knowingly. “Right, you were probably with a woman.”

He
ignored her, but his upturned lips hinted at the accuracy of her comment. “You
have plans next weekend?”

“Yes,
actually,” Celeste answered in a nasal French accent, “I’m off to Paris for
dinner and a dress fitting.”

“Don’t
get smart.” Derrick took a puff on the cigar and blew the smoke away from her.

“I
have to work. You know I hardly ever take time off.”

“I
have a wedding to go to, and I need a date.”

“Who’s
getting married?”

“My
younger sister. The wedding is taking place on St. Simons Island, at the
family’s property. Last time I attended a family event, there was a bit of a
ruckus, so I need everything to go smoothly next weekend.”

“I
don’t know,” Celeste hedged. “How can I help?”

“The
woman who was supposed to attend as my plus one canceled on me. I need someone
who’s poised, attractive, and knows me well enough to carry off being my
companion, and who won’t embarrass me. Consider it your belated birthday
present—an all-expenses-paid trip to St. Simons Island. We’ll fly down on
Friday and come back on Monday.”

It
sounded too good to be true. There had to be a catch.

“There’s
no catch,” he said, reading her mind. “I need a date, that’s all.”

She
sighed. “It sounds enticing, but I can’t afford to take off a whole weekend.”

“What
if I pay you whatever you would make here if you stayed at work?”

Celeste
frowned at him. “You must really need a date. Besides, I can’t ask you to do
that.”

“Why
not? You know I can afford it. And since I missed your birthday celebration, this
way I can make it up to you.” He fiddled with the cigar. “But, it’s more than that.
You’ll be doing me a favor. I’m tired of being the black sheep of the family,
and I need to make a good impression.”

Perplexed
by the thread of bitterness running through his words, Celeste asked, “What is
it with you and your family?”

“Don’t
you worry your pretty little head about a thing. I need to know I can count on
you to come with me and be on your best behavior. How about it?”

The
idea tempted Celeste. “What about sleeping arrangements?”

“You
want to sleep in my bed?” Derrick asked with a sly smile. Even though they had
a platonic relationship, he was prone to flirting from time to time.

“
No
,”
Celeste responded.

He
shrugged, as if he couldn’t resist asking. “You’ll have your own room.” His
mouth twisted into a remorseful smile. “The older folks don’t approve of us
younger folks sleeping in the same room unless we’re married.”

Celeste
propped her chin on her fist. “Okay, assuming I agree to this crazy plan,
you’re saying I don’t have to come out the pocket for anything? Just show up?”

Derrick
nodded. “Just show up.”

“Are
we taking the private plane?”

“Yes.”

“Oh,
goodie! I’ve never been in a private plane before.”

“Yeah,
it’s convenient, and there are perks to having one.”

“I
bet,” Celeste said dryly. She rose from the seat. “If Phineas found out what
you do with his plane . . .” She shook her head. Phineas Hoffman was Derrick’s
stepfather and the only father he’d known since the age of four. The one or two
times he’d mentioned his biological father, he always called him The Sperm
Donor.

“Is
it my fault so many ladies want to be inducted into the Mile High Club?” He
grinned, not even bothering to try to look innocent.

“You’re
a mess.” Celeste pulled out her pad and pen. “You want the usual, or are you
going to try something different on the menu this time?”

“The
usual,” he replied. “So we’re on for next weekend?”

“Yes,
sounds like fun. I could use a vacation. Thanks, Derrick.”

They
discussed the specifics before Celeste returned to the beverage stand to punch
in the order.

In
front of the computer, her thoughts drifted to Roarke and the hotel room. She
inhaled a shaky breath. The man was sexy, no doubt about it, and he knew his
way around a woman’s body. He must have made all A’s in anatomy. She smiled to
herself at the silly thought.

There
was no point in thinking about Roarke. Professor Hawthorne would go back to
Athens and academic life and forget all about her. She’d still be pining away
for him, as if something more special than great sex had taken place. Sure, he
made her feel beautiful and more special than she had in a long time, but so
what? And so what if she felt comfortable in his company and enjoyed talking to
him? More than likely, he was a charmer, like her ex. He’d driven into Atlanta
to have a good time, and he’d found it with her.

She
should be ashamed of her behavior, but she wasn’t. Her fingers shook slightly
as she punched in the order, her mind wandering back to the way Roarke had
kissed his way down her stomach and the sensation created by the short hairs on
his face as his lips traversed the sensitive skin of her lower abdomen.