Corporate Seduction (15 page)

In a few minutes Marla entered the living room with their new guest right on her heels.

“Happy Thanksgiving,” Sonya crooned.

Naomi was up and out of her chair instantly, going to capture Sonya in an overzealous embrace.

Danielle looked to Khalil.

Reka looked from the impeccably dressed young lady to the mean woman she’d just endured a meal with, to the sister that she’d found likable, then finally to Khalil, who looked as if he’d just witnessed a murder.

Khalil looked at his mother with annoyance. He didn’t look at Sonya at all.

“Isn’t this a lovely surprise?” Walking forward arm in arm with Sonya, Naomi came to stand in the center of the room.

“It’s a surprise, all right,” Danielle said blandly, not bothering to mask her disapproval.

Naomi disregarded her daughter’s comment, as if she’d said nothing at all. “Khalil, aren’t you going to say hello to Sonya?”

Reka watched as Khalil’s jaw clenched and he hesitated. Oh yeah, this woman was definitely somebody from his past. Somebody his mother happened to like a lot from the way Naomi Franklin was now smiling at her son. If she were in the club she’d simply move to Khalil’s side and claim her territory. But since she was out here in richville with these so-called classy people, she’d have to re-group. Taking a step in front of Khalil only seconds before Naomi and the woman named Sonya reached him, Reka extended her hand.

“I’m Reka Boyd. Sonya, is it? It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

For endless seconds the room was totally quiet. Reka could swear she heard Naomi’s intake of breath while they waited. Sonya, however, remained cool. With dark shifting eyes, she looked Reka up and down with what could only be described as amusement. Then she shocked everyone by extending her hand with a quick smile. “Sonya Davenport, Khalil’s fiancée.”

Reka’s hand stiffened as Sonya held on a few seconds longer than necessary. She wanted to spin around and slap Khalil, but then that would be giving Naomi what she wanted. She’d deal with Khalil later. “Really? Then you’ve got to be asking yourself why your fiancé would bring another woman to his family’s Thanksgiving dinner. I know I would.”

Danielle muffled a giggle. Andre quickly moved to her side, sensing fireworks about to begin. Donald, who was watching the events unfold, finally stood and took control.

“Khalil and Sonya were engaged, but broke up a few months ago. It’s always nice to see you, Sonya, but I have to admit I’m a bit shocked by your arrival, just as I’m sure the rest of the family is.” Donald cast a warning gaze at Naomi.

As if he’d finally been snapped out of his trance, Khalil stepped closer to Reka, putting a protective arm around her shoulders. “Reka and I were just leaving.”

Sonya grinned up at Khalil. “Please don’t leave on my account. I came especially to see you.” She wanted to get closer to him, to wrap her arms around him and convince him that being with this other person was below him and that they were so much better suited, but she refrained. “Can we talk for a minute? Alone?” She tossed Reka an ominous glare.

Reka was not one to be played with. If she was his ex, then she definitely wanted him back. Reka didn’t fight over any man, but she wasn’t up to being embarrassed by a cover girl reject either. “That sounds like a wonderful idea. Why don’t you walk with Khalil to retrieve my coat, and you can talk then.” Giving Sonya the sweetest smile she could muster, she waited for the woman’s response.

This could go one or two ways: Either Sonya was woman enough to accept her limitations with Khalil here today or, like any other jealous female, she would jump on the opportunity to go one-on-one with Reka. Either way, Reka was ready for her.

“Splendid idea.” Sonya smiled happily, grabbed Khalil’s arm and pulled him behind her as she headed out of the room.

Khalil looked over his shoulder at Reka but she glanced away. When Khalil and Sonya were out of the room, Reka moved towards Danielle and her husband. “Danielle, Andre, it was truly a pleasure spending this day with you and I look forward to seeing you again.”

Danielle pulled Reka into a hug, whispering in her ear, “Great job.”

Andre hugged her as well. Then she turned to Mr. Franklin. “Mr. Franklin, I enjoyed today. Marla prepared an excellent meal.”

Donald shook the young woman’s hand, uncertain what was coming next.

Then Reka turned to Naomi. The woman held her head up high, disdain for Reka clear in the way she looked down on her. Reka could cuss her ten ways from Sunday and it probably wouldn’t ruffle one silky gray hair on her head.
Kill ’em with kindness
, Grammy always said. “Mrs. Franklin, you’ve been a gracious host. I’m sure Khalil and I will be visiting more often.” She didn’t bother to extend her hand to be shaken because she knew the frigid old hag wouldn’t accept it. She simply smiled and turned to leave the room. Let her chew on that for a minute or two.

With confident strides she headed towards the hallway where she knew their coats were hung. As she drew closer she could hear angry whispers coming from Khalil and not so modest pleading from Sonya. They were definitely broken up, but Miss Thang couldn’t seem to accept it. She’d have no choice, though, when Reka got finished with her. Approaching them quickly, Reka put a hand on Khalil’s arm. “Baby, why don’t you go and get the car warmed up? I want to speak with Sonya a moment.”

“That’s not necessary. We’re leaving,” Khalil said through clenched teeth.

Reka took her coat from his arm and gave him a cool stare. “Oh it’s definitely necessary.”

“Actually, I’d like to talk to her, woman to woman. I’m sure she’ll understand what’s going on here.” Sonya folded her arms over her chest.

Khalil looked from one woman to the other.

“I won’t bite her, Khalil,” Sonya said.

Reka chuckled. “This won’t take long,” she assured him.

Reluctantly, Khalil walked away. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

“Take your time,” Sonya called.

Reka casually slipped her arms into her coat. “You know there is nothing more pitiful than a woman chasing a man who obviously doesn’t want her.”

Sonya gave a cold chuckle. “Sure there is. A woman with a man she knows is out of her league.”

Because Reka had been wrestling with that very thought the words stung for a minute. “Whether he’s in my league or not, he’s with me now.”

“That’ll be over soon enough.”

“Maybe so, but it’ll be fun while it lasts.” Reka buttoned her coat. “So you go on back in there with your partner in crime and have nightcaps or whatever it is you people do instead of communicating with each other. Khalil and I have a wonderful evening planned. I’d invite you to tag along but you might not like what you see.”

“You’re vulgar and common, and the sooner Khalil finds that out the sooner he’ll come running back to me.”

“My leftovers usually aren’t much, but if and when that happens, you’re welcome to him.” With that Reka turned, leaving her standing there to stare after her.

Khalil was just about to come back into the house when Reka opened the door and stepped out. “What happened?” he asked.

“Take me home.” She didn’t look at him, simply walked straight to the car.

For the first twenty minutes they drove in silence. Khalil kept his eyes on the road while his mind replayed the events at his parents’ house. It was obviously a mistake to take Reka there. He’d thought his mother would at least behave herself for one day. Inviting Sonya over was low, even for her. He’d sensed the moment Reka turned against him. What he couldn’t figure out was the exact reason she was mad with him. Did she think he’d planned it this way? Could she possibly believe that he still wanted Sonya? There was only one way to find out.

“We should talk,” he began.

“About what?” she asked stiffly.

“About what just happened.”

Reka turned slightly in her seat so that she was facing him. “What? Your ex-fiancée showing up, or the fact that you neglected to tell me you even had an ex-fiancée.”

Khalil inhaled a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. “I had no idea Sonya was coming today.”

“But you did know that you had an ex-fiancé. You simply forgot to give me that tidbit of information.”

“I’ve had past relationships just like you have, Reka.”

“Oh no, it’s not the same. I was never engaged and I never tried to hide any of my past relationships from you. Tell me, Khalil, what was the big secret? Is it prohibited information for the rebound girl?”

He sent her a quick look mixed with hurt and anger. “You’re not the rebound girl. Sonya and I had been over for more than a month when I met you.”

“Over for a couple is different from over for an engagement. You were going to marry her. What happened? Did you get cold feet?” She couldn’t look at him anymore. The thought of him loving another woman enough to propose to her hurt more than she was willing to admit. She turned her head to stare out the window.

Khalil drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, debating what he should say next. He should simply tell her the truth. But would she understand? There was only one way to find out. “Sonya and I dated for nine months. In that time we went to all the social functions and business dinners required of us. To the outside world we appeared to be the perfect couple. But I sensed something was wrong. We weren’t intimate.”

“So you broke up with her because she wouldn’t give you some?” she spat.

His lips going into a tight line, he tried not to overreact to her hurtful statement. “No. We had sex, but there was no connection. My feelings for her never went beyond a general liking. The proposal was more of an assumption than anything else. But it wasn’t long after the assumption was made that I called it off. I simply could not marry a woman I didn’t love.” Reka was silent. “I pictured a future with Sonya and I didn’t like what I saw. I didn’t like the person I was when I was with her.”

Reka heard his words and, unfortunately, could relate to them. While she was with Donovan she’d felt incomplete, as if anything else they did beyond sex wasn’t real or fulfilling. “You weren’t relaxed then, were you?”

Her voice had changed. That open hostility was no longer there. “No. I wasn’t relaxed. I felt like I was walking in my father’s footsteps and I wasn’t happy with that. I don’t want to live like them. I don’t want the cold, non-emotional relationship that he and my mother have. I want to love my woman with all my heart and I want to know that she loves me just the same. Can you understand that?”

Reka shook her head, speaking around the newly formed lump in her throat. “No. I can’t. I’ve never been in love like that.”

The rest of the drive was completed in silence. Khalil left her to her thoughts even as he made up his own mind. He pulled into the parking garage of his building. She looked at him in question but he didn’t respond. After parking the car, he simply got out and went to the passenger side door to let her out. She stepped out of the car and he took her by the hand, leading her towards the elevators.

She didn’t speak and neither did he. He knew what it was he wanted, and planned to get it. If she couldn’t understand what it was to love and be loved, then he’d have to show her.

Letting them into the apartment, he took her coat, hanging it with his in the closet. She didn’t walk further into the house but stood right there by the closet with him.

“Now what?”

She looked up at him with questions clear in her eyes. He could sit her down and explain it to her. He could admit all that he’d been feeling for the last few weeks and then some. But it wouldn’t have the same effect. With Reka, actions spoke louder than words. So he’d give her the words later, after the action.

Cupping her face in his hands, he brought his lips down on hers, taking her surprised mouth with a fierce passion. His lips spread over hers and he slid his tongue inside the warm contours of her mouth.

She didn’t resist him, she couldn’t. She should be mad at him. She should have demanded to go home but something in his eyes, something in the way he looked at her, kept her quiet.

She grasped the back of his head, and he thrust his tongue more deeply into her mouth, claiming its warmth, creating an erotic rhythm, a rhythm that played specifically for her.

Reluctantly, Khalil pulled away. “Now I’ll show you how it feels to be really loved.” Bending over, he scooped her up, cradling her in his arms as he walked towards the back of the apartment, towards his bedroom.

Because she was experiencing a flurry of emotions at this point, Reka simply lowered her head to his shoulder and allowed herself to be carried away. His bedroom was dark until he placed her on the bed and switched on a bedside lamp. She surveyed the room of the man she was with. It was decorated in shades of brown with big heavy pieces of furniture and bare walls that signified a man lived here. The soft feel of chocolate-colored silk beneath her head said that this was no ordinary man.

And she was in his bed waiting for him to come to her. This moment had been building since that first day in Cienna’s office. With each time they’d been together they’d laid another brick in the foundation of their relationship. She would be the first to admit she didn’t have a clue where they would go from here. But she’d also admit that at this moment she didn’t really care. He was in the room, looking at her as if she were the only woman in the world. No, at this moment bricks and rules and ex-girlfriends came in a distant second.

He went to his knees in front of her, lifting her feet to remove her shoes. Reka watched him as he unclasped and slipped away each shoe, then massaged the arch of her feet. His hands felt heavenly, so when he reached up to unbutton her jacket she didn’t say a word. Slowly he peeled her clothes away until only her bra and panties were left.

She propped herself up on the pillows as he stood and began to remove his own clothes. His body was gorgeous, and that one word didn’t really seem to do it justice. The taut muscles she’d felt numerous times through his shirt were revealed. Bulging, smooth, sinewy biceps gave way to rigid pectorals and a lean stomach. When his fingers went to the buckle of his pants, her eyes followed.

Stepping out of his shoes he let his pants fall to the floor. His erection was prominent, even through his boxers. Toned thighs led to muscled legs and she licked her lips in anticipation. His skin seemed to glow in the dim light, and her fingers itched to touch him.

From his view at the bottom of the bed she looked wanton and enticing. The curvaceous body he’d seen up until this point only through her clothes was now almost bare to him. Heavy breasts sat perched and ready for consumption, while a tiny wisp of material covered the place he longed to explore. Climbing on the bed slowly, he made his way to her feet, stopping to kiss the arches he’d just massaged. His tongue swirled around her ankles, up her calves to the backs of her knees.