Promises to Keep

“Where is paradise for you, Courtney?”

Courtney lowered her lashes momentarily. “I haven’t given it any thought.”

Darius looked totally surprised. “You’ve never thought of paradise, of what it might be like or what you’d want it to be like?”

Courtney did everything she could do not to grit her teeth. Why did Darius care about her paradise? Why was he pushing her on the issue? She hadn’t given up on living an idyllic lifestyle. She just tried very hard not to think about it. Her illusions about heaven and love on earth had been shattered a long time ago. Love and happiness would come as a complete surprise if either found her, since she simply wasn’t searching for them.

He looked closely at Courtney. “I seemed to have hit a nerve. Who hurt you?”

Getting up from the table, Courtney walked across the room and stood at the window. As she looked out at what many would happily refer to as paradise, she fought to keep her emotions in check. As she glanced toward the Hollywood Hills, she saw the sun playing hide-and-seek with the jagged mountain range. The colors in the sky were the same soft ones she’d used to sketch one of the angels amid a lovely floral arrangement.

Courtney suddenly stiffened. Darius was right behind her, close enough for her to hear and feel his breathing. As his hands came down gently onto her shoulders, she balled her fists tightly. What did he think he was doing? Why was he touching her so tenderly?

He felt her go rigid and backed off. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I shouldn’t have gotten so personal. I promise not to do it again. Think we can get back to work?”

“I’d like that very much. I came here to work, Darius.”

“I understand. Can we sit back down now?”

Instead of a verbal response to Darius’s question, certain that her voice would quiver, Courtney claimed a seat on the sofa, hoping she could get back to the business at hand. He had unnerved her and her wild attraction to him only made things worse. Under different circumstances, she might have answered his personal questions with a daring remark or a passionate kiss. But he was a man about to be married and they shouldn’t be getting personal, period.

End of story.

Darius looked over the catering catalogues once again. “Candice loves seafood, but I’m afraid of it spoiling, not to mention the smell. What do you think?”

“All foods can only be kept out for certain periods. Seafood is kept on ice when it’s out. My staff and I will see to it that nothing is left out past the recommended time. Cooked seafood doesn’t smell bad. What types are you interested in?”

“Shrimp, cracked crab and lobster are her favorites. If I decide not to go with seafood, what other suggestions do you have?”

Courtney handed Darius a few menus she’d already put together, boldly typed on parchment paper. “Give yourself time to look these over before making a final decision. We have time. Maybe you’d like to get other opinions or even consult Jasmine.”

Darius smiled. “You’re very thorough. I feel I can trust your judgment. Too many opinions can sometimes cloud a vision. I’ll stick with your suggestions, but there’s one thing I’d like to say. I don’t want to order any alcoholic beverages. You may think it’s an unusual request, but Candice doesn’t drink.”

His request wasn’t such an odd one. She’d catered plenty of events where no alcohol was served. “I understand your request better than you think. You’re in charge of whatever we order. Once my staff knows our clients’ likes, we’re known for making the right choices.”

“Sounds like you’ve got it going on.” He loosened his tie and popped open the top button on his silk shirt.

Courtney wished she wasn’t thinking of what was under that shirt. She knew his chest was broad. Was it covered with hair? She’d like nothing better than to suckle his nipples and lick them like Popsicles. The idea of his areolas hardening beneath her tongue caused moisture to form at the core of her femininity. By the color of his skin, she imagined his nipples to be either a medium shade of brown or slightly darker.

“Hello, are you still with me?” Darius sang out, laughing at her dazed expression.

Courtney quickly returned to the here and now, fighting hard to hide her embarrassment. Losing herself to sexy thoughts of him had to stop immediately. “I’m still with you. Just thinking of a few more ideas,” she lied. Ideas of how I can seduce your fine body until you give in and eventually beg for mercy.

Courtney and Darius worked together for another hour and a half. They talked shop, mixed and mingled menu items and swapped ideas on the decorations. The color scheme and angels were definites. He chose the angel with the full wingspan, opting for lavender for the floral arrangements, just as he’d suggested from the beginning. He consulted her on a theme for the invitations, telling her he wanted gold-embossed angels on the front, but he was interested in handling the design himself.

Courtney put everything back into her briefcase then closed and locked it. “I’ll call you after I pull this all together. We can meet again when it’s time to get your approval. I hope you’ll love what we do for your reception. It’s coming together in my mind and now I need to get it sorted out on paper. Then we can draw up a contract.”

“You are thorough and confident. I like people who run their businesses efficiently.”

Courtney blushed, smiling at the same time. “Thank you. I like people who are willing to give credit where it’s due. When my customers are happy and satisfied, they recommend us to family, friends and colleagues. That helps the business grow. All my clients become salespeople and advertisers for my business if they’re treated right. Pleasing our clients is our top priority. If anything goes wrong, I’ll do my best to fix it.”

“Touché, my fair lady. You are indeed something else, a powerful force.”

Excited by his sincere praise, Courtney grinned. “Good night, Darius. Have a nice evening.”

“You, too.” His eyes narrowed as he watched her walk to the door and leave.

Darius felt like he’d just been steamrolled and bulldozed, all at the same time. Courtney Campbell was one hell of a woman. Where had she been hiding all his life? Women like her didn’t come a dime a dozen. This intriguing lady was one in a trillion, one of the rarest kinds. God had surely broken the mold and tossed it after creating her.

Courtney slipped into the driver’s seat of her Lexus. Once she started the engine, she laid her head on the steering wheel to give herself a few minutes to settle down. Darius had her so high she wasn’t sure if her feet would ever touch down on earth again.

The man is engaged to a beautiful, sexy woman, one whom he clearly adores.

The sobering thought did little to quash the euphoria Courtney felt inside. There was no harm in a bit of daydreaming about the finest man she’d ever met. She knew full well that Darius was romantically unavailable to her. That didn’t mean he couldn’t star in her fantasies every now and then.

Once she met Candice, Courtney hoped all these dizzying thoughts about him would vanish. The fiancée was real enough to her, but Courtney hadn’t met her face-to-face. After becoming acquainted with Candice, Courtney was sure dreams of Darius would die down and eventually disappear altogether.

This fine brother and his fiancée have promises to keep, promises to each other.

Clad in a navy blue double-breasted pantsuit and a red silk top, matching it with red leather heels and bag, Courtney had attracted a lot of male attention from the moment she’d entered the large ballroom inside the beautiful Hollywood Westin Bonaventure. She had spotted her brunch companions immediately but decided to check out the food offerings first.

The decorations set off the buffet in such a beautiful yet healthy manner. The deep purple eggplants and green, orange and yellow squashes exuded vibrancy. Various types of whole and sliced plump red tomatoes infused the table with even more color, as did a variety of fresh melon slices, red and green grapes and golden pineapple chunks. There were too many delectable items to choose from.

Sauntering over to the omelet station, Courtney checked out all the available ingredients. She then requested from the white-capped chef an all-vegetable omelet, consisting of button and sliced mushrooms, black olives, yellow squash, zucchini, chopped asparagus, slivers of green peppers and diced tomatoes.

J. R. Norman pulled out Courtney’s chair and then reclaimed his own. A physical fitness enthusiast, his body was tight and muscled, his waistline tapered. His complexion was soft and dark and his thick moustache was kept neatly trimmed. Sporting a close-cropped haircut, his waves were dark brown sprinkled with a bit of gray. By all standards, J.R. was a good-looking man and eminently charismatic when he decided to pour it on. Courtney liked how real and up-front he was and how deeply he loved his wife.

Monica had fallen in love with the professional music teacher and drummer in a matter of weeks, surprised to learn he’d fallen just as hard for her. Six months later they’d taken their vows in front of family members and very close friends. No bride was any more stunning than Monica on her special day. Courtney had been her maid of honor.

With a plate piled high, showcasing all sorts of delicious-smelling food, Monica was seated to her husband’s left. Dressed in a white pantsuit and a yellow silk shell, she looked gorgeous. Yellow patent-leather shoes and a matching purse complemented the stark white suit beautifully. Monica was a vision of loveliness. At times it was hard for J.R. to take his eyes off his woman.

A quick look at Courtney’s dish made J.R. laugh. “Is that all you’re eating?”

Courtney gave him a sideways glance. “I’m just starting out. There’s not a lot of room on this table so I didn’t want to fill too many plates at once. Don’t worry. My $34.99 will not go to waste, especially the way I love breakfast food.”

“I hope not,” J.R. countered. He looked over at his wife’s plate. “Now this sister knows how to pack it. What amazes me is she doesn’t gain an ounce after eating a ton of food.”

“J.R.,” Monica scolded lightly, “you should never talk about a woman’s weight in front of her or any other ladies. It’s rude and insensitive. And leave Courtney alone.”

J.R. hunched his shoulders. “I call it like I see it—and you already know that about me. What do you think, Courtney?”

Before Courtney could respond, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. “Had I known you liked this place, I would’ve invited you to join me. I eat here often. Hello,” he said to J.R. “I’m Darius Fairfax.” He then nodded at Monica. “I’m one of Courtney’s clients,” he told J.R. “She’s handling an engagement reception for me.”

J.R. wiped his right hand on a white linen napkin before extending it to Darius. “You got the right lady for the job. So nice to meet you, man. Care to join us?”

“As a matter of fact, I’d love the company. I’m alone. Since I haven’t filled a plate yet, I’ll do that first. Thanks for the invite.” With that said, Darius strolled off.

J.R. looked right at Courtney, though she felt as if he were looking right through her. “What’s up with this Darius Fairfax? He may be getting married, but he definitely has a thing for you. What’d you do to that man to make him go off the deep end? He’s spellbound. The brother couldn’t take his eyes off you.”