Sugah & Spice (8 page)

“No problem young lady. I was just asking about you, now here you are. I am glad you feel better. Coffee and I were just discussing business. I am rea
ll
y set on purchasing this yacht. Do you have all the paperwork with you now or shall we set a meeting for next week? We can discuss everything over dinner.” Sugah smiled but Coffee didn’t find anything amusing. The old bastard was trying to get a date out of this.

“I always come prepared for business
,
Mr. Blakemore. If you follow me over to the table, I can go over everything with you today and I can get the keys,
bill-of-
sell,
and Marina
information from the yacht company and bring it to you personally, how does that sound,” she asked. The old man lit up like the streets of
Las
Vegas. “That would be great
!
”

“Coffee would you mind giving us a minute or two. This shouldn’t take long,” Sugah asked. She licked her lips at him and he couldn’t help but smile. “No problem. I have a few things to take care of also. I will be fine.” Deep down Coffee wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her passionately right in front of the old man to state his claim. But he was the bigger person and being professional was how he was able to keep his sanity. He would in fact be watching closely and if the old geezer made one fresh move, he would be on him like white on rice. Coffee shook those thoughts from his mind. Why was he acting like a jealous boyfriend? They weren’t even dating. He didn’t know much about her and he was already hooked. “She will be mine,” he said to himself. When he looked up, her eyes were staring right back at him. They smiled at each other. Sugah couldn’t wait to feel his mouth on her body again and use her mouth
on his
in return.

Chapter 6 

             
The sale of the yacht to Mr. Blakemore was smooth and stress-free, Sugah ad
mitted. She smiled admiring her
self in her full-length mirror. She looked good. Coffee would love seeing her. The form fitting pencil skirt hugged her hips and made her ass look delicious. The low-cut lavender blouse she wore added sexiness and sophistication to her outfit, but her six inch black stilettos completed her look to perfection.
Her hair was done in a perfectly sculpted bun.
Sugah smoothed the front of her skirt before walking over to gather her bag. Today was another meeting with the organization. Coffee would tell whether she was in or out, but Sugah didn’t have anything to worry about. She was a natural.

After that meeting, Sugah
was meeting with Mr. Blakemore to finalize a few loose ends. By next week, Sugah would have money in the bank, all of her books paid for, the start of a savings account, and money to send home to her mother.
The commission
from the yacht
sell
provided
Sugah with more than eight-hundred thousand dollars in the bank, after
everyone else received their cut
. Not too bad, she thought. Not bad at all for her first assignment. Yes, she could certainly get used to this.
School would be in session
in the next few days and Sugah didn’t have to worry about having money for anything ever again
.
At the rate she was going, she would be a millionaire by her next assignment, before her nineteenth birthday.

             
Sugah thought of her mother. They hadn’t spoken in over three days and that wasn’t usual for them. They always made a point to talk daily, but during their last conversation, Sugah got the strange feeling that the mother-daughter relationship they once had, was about to change and not for the better. Oh well, she didn’t have time to think about that now, she had other important business to attend to. Sugah looked around her newly furnished apartment
,
thinking she was finally getting to where she wanted to be in life. Although she was just eighteen, she was well on her way to great success. If she stuck with Coffee and his brilliant assignments for her, she would definitely meet her goal of becoming a millionaire
and then some
. That thought put a big grin on Sugah’s face and she strutted out of her apartment toward her destination.

When she arrived at the same office building she visited a few weeks ago, she wasn’t as overwhelmed by its beauty. She knew to go straight to the elevators but instead of the same floor as before, she was to go to another. When she stepped off the elevator, she was greeted by the color of blue, any
and
every shade. The receptionist smiled at her, as if knowing who she was. Sugah walked in her direction but was immediately distracted. It was Coffee. She was sure of it by the way her heart pounded in her chest. He was present, there in the same space as she. When Sugah turned around, she saw him standing in the doorway down the long hall. His smile greeted her and she walked toward him. A hand wrapped around her shoulder before she knew what was happening and then she heard his voice. It was Espresso.

“What up lil sis, so are you in or out? I’m guessing by the smile on Coff
ee
’s face that everything went well,” he
said
. Sugah looked over at her new brother. She did indeed like Espresso and his candor. “I guess you have to wait and see just like everyone else, huh. I did as I was asked and the client was happy. Now, it’s entirely up to Coffee and all of you.” Espresso squeezed her shoulder slightly. “Don’t worry! You know I got your back right. I knew from the first time I met you that you had something special, something we need in this organization. I hope that the others feel the
same way but either way, I got
cha, okay.”

S
ugah
and Espresso walked into the office together. Coffee eyed them suspiciously but gave Sugah a quick wink. They nodded their hellos. Everyone else where already seated in the huge conference room. Sugah greeted them with a quick nod and smile before taking her seat next to Espresso and Latte. They all looked happy for her, even Java. She smiled at the well-dressed newcomer to their group. Even though Sugah was young, she was wise beyond her years, polished, professional and didn’t seem fazed by any of this. Java would love taking the young one under her wing. And from
the way her brother spoke highly of her, she knew she didn’t have any other choice but to welcome the girl to their family. After all, she had always wanted a younger sister. Maybe her circle was now complete Java thought still admiring the young woman before her. Once all pleasantries were out of the way, Coffee got straight down to business. He informed everyone of Sugah’s assignment, praising her work. “This one here is something else. She not only completed the assignment, she closed the deal with a sale. She had the client eating out of the palm of her hands. I was highly impressed. If I didn’t know better, I would have been fooled beyond belief. Sugah, you are truly great. Will you do us all the pleasure of joining our organization? We are honored to have you on board.”

Sugah looked around the table at the smiling faces accepting her. She felt like someone important. She felt special, she felt hopeful, only if her mother where there. Sugah fought back tears of joy. She didn’t want to appear weak or needy in front of her new family. She barely knew them and she didn’t need to give them any impression that she couldn’t handle herself. She nodded and then finally said “yes”.

“I would be honored to join this organization. Thank you Latte for placing that card in my hands, you didn’t have to and I appreciate it.” Latte smiled. “I knew you would be good for us. Your life is about to change forever Sugah
or should I say Spice
, and I look forward to
you
being a part of that change for a very long time.” Cap, Mocha, Espresso and Java all agreed with their own nod to her. Coffee simply observed the interaction of his associates with their newest member. He didn’t know what to say or how to respond. His heart was racing and all he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her and kiss her endlessly. He cleared his throat getting anyone’s attention. “Sugah, can you please join me up here? It is time,” he said.

Everyone stood as she made her way to the front of the room to join Coffee. He held a large book in his hand. Sugah knew that it must have been of great significance. “Sugah, this is our book of
bylaws,
rules, regulations, principles, techniques if needed, responsibilities and codes of conduct. We take this organization very seriously and as a new member, you must learn and apply these principles to your daily life. Any one of us can call you, day or night and ask you anything regarding the contents of this book for the next ninety days. If you do not know it, there will
be
consequences. After three failed attempts to comply, you will be dismissed from this organization and we lose all contact with you. Do you have any questions before you take the oath?”

Sugah understood and she would guard that book with her life. She would learn each and everything in the book and beyond. It was crucial that she remain linked to them. Now that she got a taste of the good life, she didn’t dare do anything to jeopardize it. So
,
if knowing every detail, every word, the number of crossed t’s and dotted I’s of the book, then that wa
s exactly what she would do. The fact that she had photographic memory was an advantage she had and woul
dn’t share that bit of importance
with anyone.
Once Sugah took the oath as a new member of the organization, everyone mingled and enjoyed the rest of the evening.
When she left that night, she was on cloud-nine, worry free.

Sugah walked into the restaurant that
night to meet Mr. Blakemore with a radiant glow
. He was already waiting for her when she arrived. He looked handsome in his sports coat, khakis and loafers. His hair had been dyed and he smelled nice. He looked ten or so years younger than the last time she saw him on the boat. When the hostess showed her to their table, he stood as she took her seat. “Wow, Spice you look amazing,” he said. “Thank you Sir and so do you,” Sugah replied. He blushed. “Thank you. I have been doing a lot of soul-searching since I met you
,
and I decided to get back into the swing of things. I am still a very good catch
,
and I owe all thanks to you Spice for helping me to see that. My life has been very interesting for the past week.”

Sugah smiled. She was happy for him. If anyone else was experiencing the good things she was, she was happy for them. She reached across the table and squeezed his hands. “I am so glad to hear that Mr. Blakemore. You deserve the very best. I will keep my fingers crossed for you. I guess this is truly
a great celebration for the both of us.” With that being said, Sugah lifted her glass of champagne from the table and waited for her companion to do the same. She toasted, “to new friends and great endeavors.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Mr. Blakemore said taking
a
sip from his glass. They discussed the final details of purchase of the boat and then when business was out of the way, they talked about everything else. Surprisingly Richard, as he insisted she call him, wasn’t so bad. In fact, they had a lot of things in common, Sugah gathered. She felt herself loosen up and when she looked into his eyes, for the first time she didn’t see him as a client, old enough to be her father, but instead, someone she was slightly attracted to. She felt a spark between them. The thought scared her.
She then thought of her mother. Maybe she would introduce them. “Richard, I want you to meet someone. I think the two of you will be good for each other. What do you say?”

Richard was caught off guard but nodded in agreement. “Okay, who is this you want me to meet?” When Sugar mentioned her mother, he was intrigued. Now he didn’t have to feel bad or like a pervert anymore. If she was any indication as to how her mother looked, he was all
in. “When can I meet her, Spice
? Do you think she would mind if we called her
now
?” Sugah didn’t see any reason why her mother would be upset but she didn’t want to chance it. “Wait right here for a sec, I will be right back.” Sugah left and went into the ladies room for privacy. When her mother answered the phone like her usual self, Sugah was happy. She planned to come for a visit the upcoming weekend and meet Mr. Blakemore. When Sugah went back to the table and told him to good news, he gave her a light kiss on the cheek. He was hopeful that he and Charlotte hit it off and his life wouldn’t be lonely anymore.

Coffee watched in the distance as Sugah and Mr. Blakemore seemed to enjoy each other’s company. He was furious, but she wasn’t his. She didn’t owe him anything, so why did it bother him so much seeing her with another man. He wanted to make her suffer with pleasure. Coffee took a sip of his drink. When he couldn’t take any more of their interaction, he emptied his glass, paid his ta
b
and left the restaurant without being detected. Sugah however felt his presence. She wanted to get as far away as she possibly could from Mr. Blakemore. Before she excused herself, she thanked him again for his business and passed him one of her new business
cards
, compliments of Espresso.
She also couldn’t wait to introduce him to her mother. They would make a great couple she thought as she left the restaurant and headed home.