Alluring Temptation (Bayou Stix #3) (3 page)

When I’m done, I turn on my heel and stalk down the hall and stomp up the stairs to my room.

I shower and fling things around and work myself up more and more as I get dressed for the day. I don’t know where I’m going, but I need to go somewhere and do something. I can’t just sit around here anymore. I need a change and I also need to find a job. I need something to do with my time. Sitting around here just waiting for the next time Liam pisses me off is not healthy and I need to take care of myself. I don’t need the money, but I do need something to do.

I remember it’s Tuesday and I’m supposed to meet Bradi for lunch. I have an idea. I make a phone call and set up an appointment at the local beauty school that my girlfriend from childhood is attending. In excitement, I text Bradi.

“Clove

Hey. About to leave the house. Heading to the salon. Want to meet me if you can?”

Grabbing my purse and a light jacket and scarf, I head out the door. Bradi texts back just as I’m getting into Dade’s Hummer.

“Bradi

I can take some time. What salon and when? What are you up to, Clove?”

I text her back and head to the salon. She meets me there twenty minutes later. She’s just as giddy as I am.

An hour and fifteen minutes later, we leave and I love my new hair. It’s just the change I needed. We decide to head to lunch and catch up. Once we’re seated near campus and waiting on our salads, I bring up needing a job. I’m not sure how to go about it, but I just finished culinary school in California, and I’m a great chef.

Once I tell her what I’m looking for, she tells me that she knows several stars in town filming, and that they are looking for a personal chef to deliver them three meals a day for the duration of their stay. I tell her I can absolutely do that, so she makes a call and sets up a meeting with an agent for tomorrow afternoon. Bradi knows everyone and everything going on in Baton Rouge.

We talk for a bit about nothing and I ask her if she’s heard from Lexi and Jude, who are on their honeymoon.

She laughs and replies, “Yes. She called me once and has texted a time or two. They are getting in lots of practice making baby Delecroix’s.”

I laugh too. They are so in love. I’m so glad they found their way back together after everything they’ve been through. Jude is such a nice guy. He gave me a place to stay when I moved to Los Angeles and has been a good friend. I’m so happy the misunderstanding between the three of us was cleared up. They were married about two weeks ago and the wedding was beautiful.

I ask Bradi, “When are they coming home?”

She shrugs and says, “I think next week. But I don’t really know. They’re scheduled to be back around the same time as Dade.” She leans back and sighs. “Speaking of Dade, have you heard from Mr. Sexy and Serious? Is he enjoying his island vacation?”

I make a face at her description of my brother. She’s so hilarious and a huge flirt, but she’s so in love with her boyfriend, Micah. They are like the perfect couple. I want that…
Dammit, enough of that, Clove!
Opening my phone, I show her a photo Dade texted of white sand, lush flowers, and a beautiful blue ocean with the caption, “I’m never coming home.”

As she looks at the photo, I play with my water glass. “He seems to be having fun. I know having me here has really put a damper on his routine, so I’m glad he took the trip.”

She looks at me and smiles. “Clove, stop. He adores you. He loves having you home. Besides, that house is big enough for you both. It’s not like you’re infringing on another woman’s turf.”

I laugh out loud at that. Dade is my big brother and I love him. He’s eleven years older than I am, and it’s just been the two of us for most of our lives, so he’s protective. He’s a bit of a playboy, but I wish he would settle down. He raised me for the most part, so I know he’d make someone an amazing husband and an even better father. But his house is not quite big enough for me, him… and Liam.

Damn Liam.

I must have made a sound because Bradi looks at me closely with her piercing green eyes and sets her chin in her hands. “How is that going? You and Liam being alone together? You doing ok over there?”

I sigh and clench my hands. “It’s going ok. He hates me. He hates that I’m there. I do my very best to stay away from him, but ugh…”

She cocks her brow. “What’s the deal with you two? Why are you so jumpy around him?” As she’s talking she’s just watching me. She’s so observant. I shrug. “Yes, I know he’s extremely gorgeous. I have eyes, but you jump a mile when he’s near and if you’re not jumping, you’re shrieking at him like a banshee. What did he do to you, Clove?”

I blush and manage to get out through my mortification, “Nothing.” I shake my head in denial. “He’s done nothing to me… ever. He just irks me. And I annoy him just as much. He looks at me like I have a disease.” I’m playing with my silverware and not looking at her. “He just makes me uncomfortable.”

She chuckles. “Uh huh. And does he annoy you more or less when he makes you tingly?”

I choke on the sip of water I just took and spit it out. “Wha-What?” I shake my head rapidly. “No. No. No. He does not make me tingle. Are you crazy?”

She’s looking at me with her brow arched and a smirk on her beautiful face. “Ok. Keep telling yourself that. People don’t act like that,” she points at me and swirls her finger around the air, “when they are
unaffected
.” She takes a sip of her mineral water and watches me.

Ok, so he affects me. I mean look at him. So what?! He’s gorgeous and he knows it.

I hate that. I hate men like that. But, no. No, he does not affect me. I don’t have time for that anyway. I need to find a job and get myself settled. No time to be tempted and distracted by Liam.

Right Clove. Keep telling yourself that. I’m sure one day you’ll believe it.

Bradi has been watching me the whole time I’ve been talking to myself like a crazy person. I’ve never had a poker face, so I’m sure everything was written as plain as day on my face. I take a sip of water and wipe my palms on my pants. “Ok, so he affects me. But he’s gorgeous and I’m not blind. So, what? I don’t like him. He doesn’t like me. End of story.”

She chuckles, “Right!” And winks. “Ok, then.”

Our salads come and we dig into them. I’m starving. I’m always starving lately. Once my plate is clean, we finish our drinks, and decide to head to Java and Sweeties so she can help me with my resume for tomorrow.

I follow her in Dade’s Hummer and as usual, the place is packed when we get there, so we have to park on the side. There is rarely a parking spot here. Erik and Lexi have really made a name for themselves in town.

Erik sees us walk in and gestures to our large table by the window. We walk over and sit. It’s always empty and is kind of “reserved” for when we come in. Within a few minutes, he’s walking over with my caffeine-free fruit and nut hot tea and Bradi’s grande skinny caramel mocha with extra whip cream. She’s so funny. Fat free with extra whip cream.

He pulls out a chair and straddles it as he looks at me. Reaching over, he plays with my hair. His brows arch and he smiles. “I like it, Clove. Very different and very sexy. Why the change?”

Running my hands through my hair self-consciously, I shrug and answer. “I just wanted to try something different. So, you like it, really?” It’s such a big change.

Laughing, he winks. “Yeah, I do. It looks great on you. But you could shave your head, doll, and still look beautiful.”

Bradi wads up a napkin and tosses it at him. We both look at her and she pretend pouts. “What about me? You haven’t told me how beautiful I am, E.”

We all laugh and he flips her off. “Why do I need to tell you that?! You already know. Doesn’t Micah tell you often enough there, Marilyn?”

“Oh, Marilyn. I love that. I’ll take it. And of course he does. He loves me oodles and oodles!” She winks and blows a kiss.

Propping his elbows on the chair back, Erik looks at both of us as he rests his chin on his hands. “So, what are you two lovelies doing here anyway? What have you been up to today?”

Bradi answers before I can. “We were scheduled to have lunch, but Clove asked me to accompany her to the salon. So, I took off the rest of the afternoon. We’re about to work on her resume. She wants a job and I have her an interview tomorrow as a personal chef for James Black while he’s filming in town.”

Erik coughs, “James Black? The James Black? I heard he was filming in town for the next few months.”

I pick at the chain around my neck. It’s a nervous gesture and I hate it.
Can I work for James Black?! He’s James Black. The current “It” Man in Hollywood.
Women love him. Men want to be him. And his movies sell out box offices. Stop it! Of course I can. I’m good! I mean my brother is Dade Rodrigue! I’m friends with the most famous rock band around right now. Yeah, I can do this. I’ve got this!

Bradi answers as she watches me. “Chill, girl. He’s just a man and you can cook. Besides, he’s not that bad. He’s a diva, but he’s also a nice guy. Well, sometimes. You can do it. I believe in you, so, you believe in you too. I wouldn’t send an innocent like you into the lion’s den.”

What the hell does that mean? “An innocent like me?” I’m not an innocent. Not even close.

Shaking off those thoughts, I smile at her. She’s right, I can do this. “I know. Thank you. I
can
do this! I
will
do this.”

Erik smiles and leans in to tweak my nose with his finger. “You have that, babe. I could eat your food every day! Well, I’ve slacked enough; I need to get back to it before I have a mutiny on my hands.”

I love how everyone is so protective and accepting of me, but I’m not a child and I feel like they think I am sometimes. I sigh and smile at him as he stands up.

Bradi throws another napkin at him and says, “Get that nice ass back to work. Slacker!”

He throws it back and laughs as he walks away. “I’m not the one who took the day off to play… Slacker.”

She chuckles and calls out as he walks back to the counter, “Yeah, I can do that now that I work for me!”

He salutes and winks as he re-ties his apron.

The truth is neither of them are slackers. Erik and Lexi have the most successful coffee shop/bakery in Baton Rouge and Bradi just started freelancing as a marketing agent/event planner. Who knew she’d be so good at both? She stays busy.

That leaves me… I live in my brother’s house and have no income, just a large bank account. Yes, I need to nail this interview tomorrow.

We work on my resume for two hours and when we’re done, I’m thoroughly impressed. Bradi is a genius!

As we’re wrapping up, her boyfriend Micah calls, and they make plans to meet for dinner.

I look at the time and see it’s almost 5PM.

I guess I need to head home too. I need to try to get ready for my interview tomorrow and I want to make a little something to showcase my talent to bring along.

Saying my goodbye’s and promising to let her know how tomorrow goes, I give Bradi a quick hug, we part ways, and I head home.

Liam

I
’ve been driving around Baton Rouge all day. Literally, just driving. I saw a few houses that caught my eye. I need to call Alec, my friend Erik’s boyfriend and a damn good realtor, and let him know I’m serious about moving into my own place.

I can’t stay at Dade’s with Clove there. She’s walked in on me with women twice now! I mean, yes, the first time was my fault since we were in the media room, but this morning I was in my room. My room. In private. But the look on her face… I don’t get it. I know I hurt her feelings, but shit! She’s so young and innocent. Everything I do pisses her off.

Yes, as soon as Dade gets home, I am moving into my own place. I don’t need to feel like an asshole when I didn’t do a damn thing wrong. Screw that.

As the sky is starting to darken, I pull into the driveway in front of the house. I don’t see Dade’s Hummer, so I’m assuming Clove is still out doing whatever she left to do this morning.

I’m starving and pizza sounds good. I’ll call Cruz. He might want to come hang out… a bonus is he can act as a buffer!

Whipping out my cell, I push the button and speak, “Call Cruz.”

Within seconds, the phone is ringing. I love modern technology! He picks up.

“What’s up, man?”

Laughing, I say, “What are you up to tonight?”

“Nothing. Just hanging out at home. Why? What are you doing?”

Shutting off my truck, I get out and grab the mail from the mailbox as I walk to the door. “I was thinking of ordering a pizza and watching shit on Netflix. I don’t feel like going anywhere. Want to come hang out?”

He chuckles.

“You mean do I want to protect you from Clove? Yeah, I need to shower. I just worked out. I can be there in half an hour or so. I want a super supreme. Thin crust. Order me a large.”

Throwing my keys down onto the foyer table, I head towards the kitchen for a beer. I hear humming.
Oh, great!
I answer Cruz. “Yeah, I’ll get you a large. See you in a few.” Walking through the door I plan to just grab a beer and head to the media room. Instead, I see Clove standing on the counter on her tip toes, trying to reach something on top of the cabinets. Her shapely legs are on display by her very short cotton shorts. My eyes travel to slim hips, and wait, why is her dark hair to the middle of her back?! What the hell?! I must make a noise, because she turns with a start and shrieks. She loses her balance and starts to fall.
Oh, shit!
Racing across the kitchen at almost inhuman speed, I catch her before she hits the ground. My pulse is racing.