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“Well, well, well, looks like we have sexy company in the house.” Cameron grinned. Grant turned around and stopped breathing. He couldn’t make his brain and mouth cooperate and function so he could speak. Cameron started laughing at the scene.
“Who’s winning?” Aubree asked, but she got no response from Grant. She turned toward Grant, placed her hand on his forehand, and slowly ran it down to cup his cheek. “Grant, are you okay? I asked you a question.”
“Uh, yeah…sure. Uh…the…uh… team is winning.” Grant couldn’t string two words together. He noticed the men in the room watching both women but Aubree specifically.
“Come sit with us.” Grant stood up and led Aubree to the couch beside him. He kept looking at her like it was his first time seeing her. “So, where have you been today? Looking…”
“Damn sexy and stuff,” Cameron interrupted. Grant gave Cameron that ‘have you lost your damn mind’ look and the ‘don’t make me beat your ass’ look all in one. Cameron was having too much fun at his expense. He had entertained him enough in the last two days.
“I had a lunch date earlier, and I have date in about two hours.”
Grant frowned. “With who? I mean uh…Is it anyone that I know?”
“Yes, Marcus is taking me to a dinner theatre show and then we are going to NOLA Soul for the late jazz set.” As Aubree spoke to him, she looked for any sign that showed he cared. Anything that said he didn’t want her to go.
“I hope you enjoy your evening with Marcus.” Even as the words left his mouth, his eyes held the secret of what he really wanted to say. Grant took her hand and held it while he watched the game. Aubree wasn’t sure of what to make of his move, but she didn’t want to let him go. She sat and watched the game with Grant. Grant stepped away temporarily to bring more food out for his guests. He returned with a drink and plate of food for Aubree to enjoy. She gave him a huge smile because he had all of her favorites on the plate; seasoned wings, celery, meatballs, pasta salad, seafood salad, and Hawaiian bread. She was just beginning to indulge in the mini feast when Nova called her.
“Hey, we have to get you ready for tonight. I’m going to grab the bags from the car.” Nova rose and headed to the door.
Cameron stood too. “I’ll go with you to help.” Cameron and Nova walked out the door to her car. “What are you doing, Nova?” Cameron glared at her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I am helping my friend get ready.” Nova handed him the bags from the ruck. “That’s everything. Let’s go back in.”
Cameron stopped and stared at Nova. “I know you’re up to something. This has your name written all over it. But whatever you’re doing, you’re doing the right things. If we hadn’t walked in on Grant and Aubree last night, I’m sure he would have been balls deep inside your girl. Just remember Chanel is in the middle of all of this.” Cameron walked toward the door.
Nova adjusted the white ruffled one-shoulder sleeveless bodycon dress on Aubree’s body. She would have added a split if time permitted. Aubree changed her gold accessories out for turquoise accessories and shoes. She decided to wear her hair pulled back in a low messy bun.
“You really think this will work…” A knock at the door interrupted Aubree. She hoped it wasn’t one of the men from the party. “Come in.” Grant walked in the room observing her. She made eye contact with him through the mirror. Aubree watched as Grant made his way in her bedroom. The air became charged as the two regarded one another.
Clearing her throat, “You were saying,” Nova said as she finished up. Aubree was surprised he was there in her room instead of with his friends watching the game.
“Wow, you look gorgeous.” Grant moved closer to Aubree slowly running his finger down her arm. Aubree held her breath as Grant’s eyes roamed over her body. If he asked her to stay she would in a heartbeat.
“Aubree, you better get going before you’re late for your date,” Nova interrupted. Aubree turned with her face scrunched sending Nova a “what the fuck’ face.
“Yes, I guess I better get going to meet Marcus. I don’t want to be late for the show.”
As Aubree spoke, she observed Grant to see if he would give any sign she needed to stay. Grant stepped back giving one final look at Aubree before he turned to walk out of her door. Aubree exhaled releasing the breath she had been holding when the door closed. She didn’t know if she would be able to last living under the same roof with Grant and not be able to touch him, hold him. She knew this whole set up wouldn’t work because there was no way she could hold to her promise. Her grandmother was right this time as always; she was in over her head. She wanted to drown in the very essence of Grant and not be revived.
Nova stared at Aubree. “He has your nose wide open and could have your legs wide open if I wasn’t in the room. Don’t keep waiting on that man to make a move. If you want him go after him and put it on him. Let’s get out of here.”
Hours later, Aubree pulled around the circular drive around to the attached garage waiting for the door to lift. As she pulled in her spot, she thought about her date with Marcus and how he made sure the night was perfect. He took her to the exclusive restaurant, Femme Metisse, for a five-course meal and one of their most expensive bottles of wine. Next, they arrived at the theater to see the Broadway production of Ain’t Misbehavin’ which kept Aubree on the edge of her seat all night. After the show they went to NOLA Soul for the live Jazz performances where Aubree danced most of the night. Aubree felt Marcus was the type of guy that would try to impress a woman with his bank account and thought tonight was a bit much for a first date without any guaranteed pussy.
Marcus spent every opportunity he could telling Aubree how beautiful she looked in her dress and touching her on her arms or shoulder. She was pretty sure that if she had given Marcus the green light, he would have had her in the backseat of his Mercedes Benz without a single care. Even though Aubree accepted a date with Marcus she would not go there with him because she knew he ran in the same circle of people as Grant. He seemed like the bitch talking type of man that would brag about it to Grant and any other man that would listen. Having sex with Aubree would have been the ultimate prize for Marcus to one up a man of Grant’s wealth and stature, and she was not going to be in the middle of a dick slinging competition. On paper, Marcus was everything any woman would desire; handsome, successful, owned his own luxury condo downtown, no kids… He would be the ideal man for a single woman, but he wasn’t the man she wanted.
Aubree walked in the house with the game highlights blaring from the family room where Grant and his guests had been earlier. She didn’t see any cars outside in the driveway, so she assumed everyone had gone home for the evening. As Aubree made her way to the family room there was the man of her dreams asleep on the couch with the most peaceful look on his face. Smiling, Aubree grabbed the throw from the ottoman and covered Grant with it. She could get use to coming home to Grant and Chanel after her evenings at the studio spending time watching television after dinner before bed like a family. Dreams of having a perfect family plagued her thoughts as a child throughout her adult life. She loved her grandmother, but nothing could replace having a mother and father that loved and wanted her.
As Aubree stood there staring at Grant, she wished that for a moment she and Grant could have that perfect family. Grant stirred in his sleep stretching his muscular limbs out on the large sofa and turning over on his back as he settled back to sleep. Watching him sleep made Aubree imagine that she was on the plush sofa with Grant, lying on top of him sleep in his arms. Just for a moment she wanted to be close to him, so she took off her shoes, grabbed the other throw, and settling in at the opposite end of the sofa with him. Her mind was made up; if the opportunity presented itself again, Aubree was going to take whatever Grant was offering her and pray that she would survive the fall out.
Chapter 18
Grant entered the house from his morning run trying to figure out what he was going to do about Aubree. If her friend Nova hadn’t been in the room with her, he was pretty sure that he and Aubree would have been in her bed discovering new things about each other. But the presence of her friend brought him back to the reality that Aubree was going out with another man last night—one that he despised. Aubree was a single woman so she could enjoy the company of any man she wanted, but of all the men she could have selected Marcus Perry had to be the one. He knew Aubree wasn’t familiar with Marcus’s sexual exploits that he loved to broadcast to anyone that would listen. Most women that Marcus entertained were just barely over the age of 18 and under the age of 25, the body of an Instagram model, and young with little to no experience. Even though Aubree didn’t fit his norm, Grant didn’t want Aubree to be gossiped about at the Smoke Lounge like a whore. Because once Marcus ran his mouth like a bitch, every man wanted to sample the cookies in the jar. Grant knew he had no right to ask Aubree if she and Marcus slept together, but he hoped she didn’t fall for Marcus’s slick dick talk.
As Grant showered, he wondered where Aubree had gone since she wasn’t on the sofa where he left her. He hoped she was resting from the injury she had on Friday knowing that she had a full week of rehearsals. Aubree had become the object of his desire and the star in his daydreams and fantasies that he wanted to act out in HD living color. Walking around with a hard dick he could no longer hide from Chanel and Miss B could not continue. It was time for Grant to make a decision on changing the course of the employer and employee relationship. After dressing, Grant decided to grab some lunch before heading to the office for a while. Anytime Allie or his parents took Chanel for the weekend, Grant used that opportunity to catch up on work projects and work on his personal business interests, and he needed something to take his mind off Aubree. Grabbing his satchel and his lunch, Grant headed out to the waiting car.
Aubree spent most of the day resting in her room to avoid Grant. When she woke up on the sofa Grant had already left for his morning run so Aubree got in her bed back to dreamland. Miss Pearl checked on her a few times before leaving for the farmer’s market to restock the fridge with fresh fruits and vegetables for the week and prepare for the weekly meals. Grant made himself scarce most of the morning after their time last night. Aubree knew it was because of the injury Grant stopped, but she didn’t want him to. Nova called to remind Aubree to come pick up her outfits for her date tomorrow afternoon with Marcus even though she would rather be at home with Grant enjoying a movie or watching the game. They were meeting up to have a picnic at Dawson Rivers Park to enjoy the Sunday jazz concert at Mills Amphitheater which seemed like a very intimate second date. When Grant arrived home Aubree was sitting on the coach watching TV trying to act as if everything was normal.
“Hey, how was your day? You have been MIA… I thought you had plans for the evening or something.” Aubree watched Grant closely to see if he would give her any indication for the next move to make.
