Flames of Attraction

chapter 3



“So, Libby, how was the party?”

Olivia, who had been so entrenched in the memories of the night before, hadn’t noticed her father standing at the bottom of the stairs. She glanced down at him and smiled. “It was simply wonderful.” He didn’t need to know that she was speaking not of the party per se but of the intimate party she’d gone to at the Saxon Hotel, with her mystery man.

It had been just before six in the morning when she slipped into her father’s home, and knowing he was an early riser, she had dashed up the stairs and showered. She had also put in a call to Terrence, leaving a message on his cell phone that it was okay to delete the text message she had sent to him the night before. And then she had climbed into bed. By the time her head had hit the pillow in her own bed, she had heard her father moving around.

She had enjoyed the best sleep in years. She had awakened to a hungry stomach, and the last person she had expected to meet when she took the stairs to go pillaging in the kitchen was her father. Typically, after early morning church services on Sunday, he hit the country club with his buddies for a game of golf. So why was he still here?

Orin met his daughter on the bottom stair and gave her a hug. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself. I felt kind of bad that I couldn’t attend the ball with you, but I did have to work on that speech.”

She looked up at him and, not for the first time, thought that he was definitely a good-looking man, and she was glad he took care of himself by eating right and staying active. “No problem, Dad.”

Not wanting him to ask for details about the party, she quickly asked a question of her own. “So why are you home and not out on the golf course?”

He smiled as he tucked her arm in his and escorted her to the kitchen. “Cathy threatened me with dire consequences today if I left before she got the chance to come over and go over my speech.”

Olivia smiled but didn’t say anything for a moment. Cathy Bristol had been her father’s private secretary for almost fifteen years, and Olivia couldn’t help but wonder when her father would wake up and realize the woman was in love with him. Olivia had figured it out when she was in her teens, and when she’d gotten older had asked her brothers about it. Like her dad, they’d been clueless. But at least Duan and Terrence had opened their eyes even if her father hadn’t. Cathy was a forty-eight-year-old widow who had lost her husband over eighteen years ago, when he died in a car accident, leaving her with two sons to raise.

“So when is Cathy coming? I’d love to see her.”

Her father smiled. “Around noon. I’m treating her to lunch here first before I put her to work.”

“To review your speech?”

“Yes,” he said when they reached the kitchen and he sat down at the table. “She’s good at editing things and giving her opinion. As this is my first speech, I want to impress those who hear it. It will be one of those forums in which all the candidates speak.”

Olivia nodded as she grabbed an apple out of the fruit bowl on the table and sat down across from him.

Orin frowned. “Surely that’s not all you’re having for breakfast.”

“Afraid so,” she said before biting into her apple.

“You’re so thin,” he pointed out. “You should eat more.”

Olivia could only smile. There was no way she could tell her father that she had eaten quite a lot last night. After making love several times, they had ordered room service, eaten until their stomachs were full and then gone back to bed to make love some more.

Deciding to get her father off the subject of her weight, she said, “So, tell me something about this guy who has the audacity to run against my father.”

Orin leaned back in his chair. “He’s one of those Westmorelands. Prominent family here in Atlanta. He’s young, in his early thirties, and owns an accounting firm.”

Olivia nodded. She recalled the name, and if she wasn’t mistaken, Duan and Terrence had gone to school with some of them. They were a huge family. “So what’s his platform? How do the two of you differ?”

“On a number of issues, we’re in agreement. The main thing we differ on is whether or not Georgia can support another state-financed university. He thinks we can, and I don’t. We have a number of fine colleges and universities in this area. Why on earth would we need another one? Besides, he’s inexperienced.”

Olivia couldn’t help but smile at that, because her father didn’t have any political experience, either. In fact, she and her brothers had been shocked when he’d announced he was running for a political office. The only thing they could come up with as to the reason was that his good friend and golfing buddy Senator Albert Reed was retiring and wanted someone to replace him whom he knew and could possibly influence. Not that her father was easily influenced, but he was known to give in under a good argument, without fully standing his ground.

“And young Westmoreland will run on his name recognition since he has a couple of celebrities in the family. One of his cousins is a motorcycle racer, and another is an author.”

And your son just happens to be a very well-known former NFL player, she wanted to say. Who you have called upon to appear at a couple of rallies. So you are just as bad.

Olivia said nothing but listened as she took another bite of her apple. At least she tried to listen. More than once her mind took a sharp turn, and she found her thoughts drifting to breath-stopping memories of the tall, dark and handsome man she had met and spent a wonderful night with. She could vividly recall his kisses and the way he had been methodically slow and extremely thorough each time he’d taken her mouth in his, eating away at her lips, unrestrained, unhurried and not distracted.

And there were the times his mouth had touched her everywhere, blazing a trail from her nape to her spine, then all over her chest, tasting her nipples and making her intensely aware of all her hidden passion—passion he’d been able to wrench from her.

The only bad thing about last night was the fact that she had lost one of the diamond earrings she had purchased a year ago in Paris. The earrings had been a gift to herself when she landed her dream job. She would love to get it back, but knew that wouldn’t be happening. But she would be the first to admit that the night spent in her one-time lover’s arms had been worth the loss.

The ringing of the doorbell claimed her attention and brought her back to the present.

“That must be Cathy,” Orin said. He quickly rose from the table and headed to the front door.

Olivia studied her father and couldn’t do anything but shake her head. He seemed awfully excited about Cathy’s arrival. Olivia couldn’t help wondering if perhaps her father had finally awakened and smelled the coffee and just wasn’t aware he’d been sniffing the aroma. She had been around her brothers long enough to know that when it came to matters of the heart, men had a tendency to be slow.

She turned in her seat when she heard a feminine voice, Cathy’s voice. Olivia smiled when she saw the one woman she felt would be good for her father and again wondered why her father hadn’t asked Cathy to be his escort for some of these functions. Cathy was very pretty, and Olivia thought, as she glanced at the two of them walking into the kitchen, that they complemented each other well.

* * *

Brent Fairgate waved his hand back and forth in front of Reggie’s face. “Hey, man, are you with us, or are you somewhere in la-la land?”

Reggie blinked, and then his gaze focused on the man standing in front of him, before shifting to the woman standing beside him, Pam Wells. Brent had hired Pam as a strategist on a consulting basis.

“Sorry,” he said, since there was no use denying they hadn’t had his attention. “My mind drifted elsewhere for a moment.” There was no way he was going to tell Brent that he was reliving the memories of the prior night. Brent was the most focused man that Reggie knew. Reggie was well aware that Brent wanted him to be just as focused.

“Okay. Then let’s go back over the layout for tomorrow,” Brent said, handing him a folder filled with papers. “The luncheon is at the Civic Center, and both you and Jeffries will be speaking. The order will be determined by a flip of a coin. You got the speech down pat. Just make sure you turn on your charm. Jeffries will be doing likewise. Without coming right out and saying it, you will have to make everyone see you as the voice of change. You will have to portray Jeffries as more of the same, someone who represents the status quo.”

“Okay. Give me some personal info on Jeffries, other than he’s the Holy Terror’s father,” Reggie said.

Early in his professional football career, Terrence Jeffries had been nicknamed the “Holy Terror” by sportscasters. Reggie understood that Terrence was now a very successful businessman living in the Florida Keys.

“He also has another son, who’s a couple years older than the Holy Terror,” Pam replied. “He used to be on the Atlanta police force, but now he owns a private investigation company. He’s low-key and definitely not in the public eye like Terrence.”

Reggie nodded. “That’s it? Two sons?”

Pam shook her head. “There’s also a daughter, the youngest. She’s twenty-seven. An artist who lives in Paris. I understand she’s returned home for the campaign.”

Reggie lifted a brow. “Why?”

Pam smiled. “To act as her father’s escort for all the fund-raisers he’ll be expected to attend. From what I understand, he hasn’t dated a lot since his wife up and left him.”

Reggie frowned. “And when was that?”

“Over twenty-something years ago. He raised his kids as a single father,” said Pam.

Reggie nodded, immediately admiring the man for taking on such a task. He was blessed to have both of his parents still living and still married to each other. He couldn’t imagine otherwise. He had heard his siblings and cousins talk about the hard work that went into parenting, so he admired any person who did it solo.

“As you know, Orin Jeffries is a corporate attorney at Nettleton Industries. He’s worked for them for over thirty years. And he’s almost twenty-five years older than you. He’ll likely flaunt the age difference and his greater experience,” Brent added.

Reggie smiled. “I’m sure that he will.”

“Do you need me to look over your speech for tomorrow?” Brent asked.

Reggie met his friend’s gaze. “I haven’t written it yet.” Concern touched Brent’s features, and not for the first time, Reggie thought his best friend worried too much.

“But I thought you were going to do it last night, right after you came home from the Firemen’s Masquerade Ball,” Brent said.

Reggie sighed. There was no way he was going to mention that he hadn’t made it home from the ball until this morning, because he had made a pit stop at the Saxon Hotel. Actually, it had been more than a pit stop. The word quickie in no way described what he and Wonder Woman had done practically all through the night. They had refused to be rushed.

Before Brent could chew him out, Reggie said, “I’ll do it as soon as the two of you leave. If you want to drop by later and look it over, then feel free to do so.”

A stern look appeared on Brent’s face. “And don’t think that I won’t.”

Reggie rolled his eyes. “Just don’t return before six this evening.”

Brent raised a brow. “Why?”

“Because I need to take a nap.”

Brent chuckled. “You never take naps.”

Determined not to explain anything, Reggie said, “I know, but today I definitely need one.”

* * *

As soon as Pam and Brent left, Reggie called and checked in with his parents. Usually on Sunday he would drop by for dinner, and he didn’t want his mother to worry when he didn’t make an appearance.

After convincing Sarah Westmoreland that he was not coming down with a flu bug and that he just needed to rest, he was ready to end the call, but she kept him on the phone longer than he’d planned to give him a soup recipe...like he would actually take the time to make it. Not that she figured he would. She was just hoping he had a lady friend available to do his bidding.

He couldn’t help but smile as he climbed the stairs to his bedroom. His mother’s one wish in life was to live to see her six sons all married and herself and his father surrounded by grandchildren. A bout with breast cancer a few years ago had made her even more determined to see each one of her sons happily married.

Her dream had come true—almost. Jared’s recent announcement that he and his wife, Dana, would become parents in the fall meant that all of James and Sarah Westmoreland’s sons—with the exception of him—were married and either had kids or were expecting them. Quade had blown everyone away with his triplets. But then multiple births ran in the Westmoreland family.

When he reached his bedroom, he began stripping off his clothes, remembering when he had stripped for an audience of one the night before. He had been aware that Wonder Woman’s eyes had been directed on him while he’d taken off each piece...the same way his eyes had been on her.

As he slid between the covers, he promised himself that once he woke up, he would have slept off the memories and would be focused on the present again. That morning he’d thought about trying to find his mystery woman, and he still intended to do that, but he owed it to Brent and his campaign staff to stay focused and put all his time and energy into winning this election.

But still...

He thought about the lone earring he had in his dresser drawer. On the way into the office, he would stop by Jared’s favorite jewelry store, Garbella Jewelers, to see if they could possibly tell him anything about the earring, like who had made it and, possibly, from which store it had been purchased. Checking on something like that shouldn’t take too long and wouldn’t make him lose focus.

As he felt himself drifting off to sleep, his mind was flooded with more memories. He wondered how long this fascination, this mind-reeling, gut-wrenching obsession with his mystery woman, would last.

He wasn’t sure, but he intended to enjoy it while it did.

* * *

Olivia sat in the chair across the room, and her observant eye zeroed in on her father and Cathy. She tried not to chuckle when she noticed how they would look at each other when the other one wasn’t watching. Boy, they had it bad, but in a way, she was glad. Sooner or later, her father would realize that Cathy was the best thing to ever happen to him. Even now, after working as his secretary for over fifteen years, their relationship was still professional. She knew in time that would change, and she would do her part to help it along.

“Dad?”

Orin looked up from his seat behind his desk and glanced over at her. Cathy was standing next to his chair. They’d had their heads together while Cathy critiqued his speech. “Yes, sweetheart?”

“Why did you send for me to be your escort for all these fund-raising events when you had Cathy right here?”

As if on cue, Cathy blushed, and her father’s jaw dropped as if he was surprised she would ask something like that. Before he could pick up his jaw to respond, Cathy spoke, stammering through her explanation.

“T-there’s no way Orin can do something like that. I’m his secretary.”

Olivia smiled. “Oh.” What she was tempted to say was that secretary or no secretary, Cathy was also the woman her father couldn’t keep his eyes off. She couldn’t wait until she talked to Duan and Terrence.

And then, as if by luck or fate, since it also seemed to be on cue, her cell phone rang, and when she stood and pulled it out of her back jeans pocket, she saw the call was from Terrence.

Knowing it was best to take the call privately, she said, “Excuse me a moment while I take this.” She quickly walked out of the room and closed the office door behind her.

“Yes, Terrence?”

“What the hell is going on with you, Libby? Why did you text me from an unknown number and then call this morning and ask that the text be deleted?”

Olivia nervously licked her lips. One thing about Terrence was that he would ask questions, but if she gave him a reason that sounded remotely plausible, he would let it go, whereas Duan would continue to ask questions.

“Last night I went to this charity party in Dad’s place and met a guy. He asked me to follow him to a nightclub in Stone Mountain, and I did, but I felt I should take precautions.”

“That was a good idea. Smart girl. So how was the club?”

“Umm, nice, but it didn’t compare to Club Hurricane,” she said, knowing he would like to hear that she thought the nightclub he owned in the Keys was at the top of the list.

“You’re even smarter than I thought. So how’s Dad? He hasn’t dropped out of this Senate race yet?”

Olivia smiled. Terrence and Duan were taking bets that sooner or later, when Orin Jeffries got a taste of what real politics were like, he would call it quits. At first she had agreed with them, but now she wasn’t so sure. “I don’t know, Terrence. I think he’s going all the way with this one.”

“Umm, that’s interesting. I still think Reed pushed Dad into running for his own benefit. I’m going to give Duan a call. We might need to talk to Dad about this.”

“You might be too late. The first forum is tomorrow, and he’s giving a speech. He’s been working on it for two days. The only good thing coming out of all this is that he and Cathy are working together,” she said.

“Libby, they always work closely together. She’s his secretary.”

“Yes, but they are working closely together in a different way, on issues other than Nettleton Industries business. In fact, she’s over here now.”

She could hear her brother chuckle. “Still determined to play Cupid, are you?”

“I might as well while I’m here, since I have nothing else to do.” She thought of Jack Sprat. She had been tempted earlier to pull out her art pad and do some sketches to pass the time. She had thought about drawing her mystery man with the mask and then playing around to see if she could draw sketches of how she imagined he might look without the mask. She had eventually talked herself out of it.

“Well, I’ll be coming home in a couple of weeks, so stay out of trouble until then, sport.”

She laughed. “I can’t make you any promises, but I’ll try.”