Читать книгу Rival's Desire - AlTonya Washington - Страница 11

Ican’t fall for him, but I’m not doing a very good job of resisting. Viv had been telling herself the same thing since she left work. As she parked her Porsche at Tony’s, a small sports bar not far from the office, she began to chant the phrase. She checked her reflection in the rearview mirror. Clearing her throat, she made a silent decision to try harder to resist Caesar Morrison’s potent charm, unique good looks and undeniable sex appeal.

Meanwhile, Caesar was inside the restaurant ordering himself to do the same thing. He told himself he couldn’t afford to let Viv into his heart any more than she already was.

He tossed back the rest of his beer and looked up just in time to see her walk into the dining room. He shook his head slowly and asked what it was about her. Sure, she was the most sultry member of Intrigue, she was smart, lovely and strong-willed, but she was just too quick-tempered and nerve-racking for him. At least, that’s what he told everyone. The truth was he enjoyed bickering with Viv—mainly because it was usually all on her side. Caesar knew if they started on a serious relationship, the one-sided bickering could easily turn into something more intense. Sooner or later, they would have shouting matches about her and how her fame was upsetting the relationship or vice versa. It would be too much and he would probably lose her all together. There was no way he could allow that to happen, best to keep things the way they were.

Vivian stopped by the bar and ordered a drink before making her way through the dining room. “Hey, Caesar,” she whispered, taking a seat at the secluded round table.

Caesar tilted his head back in greeting and watched Viv get situated.

Viv took in the quiet atmosphere of the practically empty restaurant.

Caesar looked around the dining room, as well. “I took a chance it’d be quiet around this time.”

Viv only smiled and turned her attention to her drink. She didn’t know what they should’ve been discussing: the deal or the kiss. Luckily, the waitress arrived with her drink and to take their orders.

“Let me have another Killian’s lager and I’ll have the chicken fettuccine with a lot of bread and salad.”

The waitress smiled at Caesar, nodding at his request.

“Let me have the T-bone steak, well-done, a big baked potato with cheese, sour cream and heavy butter, two rolls and a large tossed salad.”

“Thank you, Ms. Desmond,” the waitress replied, leaving the two celebrities alone.

“I guess the salad helps with the guilt, huh?”

Viv looked up at Caesar and frowned. “Excuse me?”

Caesar tapped his strong fingers against the table and shook his head. “I guess the salad is supposed to make you feel healthy after eating all that crap?”

“Crap?”

“Come on, Plum. AT-bone? All that red meat isn’t good for you.”

Viv couldn’t have been more surprised by his statement. “I know you didn’t just say that,” she scoffed.

Caesar shook his head. “And what about that potato? Cheese, sour cream and heavy butter? Are you tryin’ to kill yourself?”

“Well, considering the way football players eat, what I ordered was only a snack!” Viv snapped, her temper rising to full steam.

“All ball players don’t eat like that, Plum.”

“Humph, well then explain how most of you end up fat and sloppy?”

Caesar shrugged. “I didn’t say we all eat right, but the majority of us are in prime shape. We have to be.”

Viv laughed. “Mmm-hmm. You have to look good when you fumble the ball.”

Caesar threw his hands up in the air. “I don’t know why I even bother.”

The two of them retreated to their respective corners after that. Luckily, the food arrived quickly.

“Plum, I think we need to lay down some ground rules,” Caesar announced after they had been eating for a while.

Viv wiped her hands and sent him a cool look across the table. “Ground rules for what?”

“For the office. We got some issues that need to be addressed before we continue this…partnership.”

Viv took a sip of her white wine and frowned. “Caesar, what are you talkin’ about?”

“I’m talkin’ about you having lunch with Ray Warren.”

Viv groaned and buried her face in her hands. “I thought we had finished this conversation.”

Caesar’s brows drew close as he glared at her. “I don’t think we should have dates with the employees.”

Vivian’s gasp sounded loud in the quiet dining room. “What kind of stupid ground rule is that?”

“I think it’s an important one.”

“Ha!”

“Excuse me?”

“Caesar, cut the crap. You’re only making this rule because I beat you to the punch.”

“What the hell are you talkin’ about?”

Vivian’s glare faded into a cool stare and she smiled. “You’re only making this rule because my lunch date with Ray cut into whatever business you wanted to discuss with me and you’re still angry about it. If it was the other way around, you’d expect me to accept it. No questions asked.”

Caesar swirled his fork in the fettuccine and stabbed a plum morsel of the seasoned chicken. “I hoped we’d be able to agree on this.”

“Oh, we can,” Viv assured him, pushing her plate aside. Standing, she pointed a finger in his direction. “Let me tell you this, Caesar Morrison, if I see or even hear about you dating anyone in that office, you’ll regret the day you ever came to me with this bull.”

Caesar leaned back and toyed with the silky whiskers of his mustache. “I tell ya, Plum, you’re a hard one to figure out. I thought you’d like the idea of not having to see me with other women.”

Viv stood straight and planted one hand on her slender hip. “Why would I give a damn about who you see?”

Instead of responding, Caesar just watched her. His enticing brown stare raked her body suggestively. It was impossible to mistake the meaning in the gaze.

Vivian’s lashes fluttered slightly as images of the kiss they’d shared less than three hours ago came to mind. Shaking her head, she snatched her bag out of the empty seat.

“I can’t believe I was starting to soften toward you.” When Caesar shivered, pretending to be disgusted by the idea, she pursed her lips and stormed away from the table.

“Plum? Don’t forget our breakfast meeting in the morning!” Caesar called, humor etched on his handsome face as he watched her leave the restaurant. When she was gone, his smug smile disappeared and he heaved a deep sigh. Things were back to normal.

“Cocky, arrogant son of a—I can’t believe I actually kissed him. Ugggh!” Vivian walked through her front door, cursing Caesar Morrison to the highest. She called him every name she could think of while jerking out of the suit she had worn that day. She was positive he would drive her crazy if she had to be around him any longer than necessary.

“Wait a minute…” Viv whispered, her full lips curving into a wicked smile. “Maybe I can fix that,” she said, reaching for the phone on the end table.

“Hello. You’ve reached the desk of Sandra Weathers, executive assistant to Caesar Morrison and Vivian Desmond. Please leave a detailed message and I will return your call.”

“Sandra, this is Viv. Caesar and I decided it would be best if only one of us used the big office. He wants you to have his things moved out during our breakfast meeting in the morning. Put him in a vacant office on the same floor. If you have any questions, give me a call. Thanks.”

Shivering with delight and excitement, Viv set the phone down. Then she curled up on her sofa. “Ground rules, huh? Well see how you like this, Number Twenty-eight.”

The next morning, Caesar and Vivian met with their marketing department. The group was in the midst of discussing plans for the Island Doll collection. The large round table they sat around was filled with plates of fluffy pancakes, muffins and various omelets.

Caesar and Viv conducted the breakfast meeting with the skill of seasoned business people. No one would have ever known they’d had such an awful evening the night before.

A ringing cell phone caught everyone’s ear at the table and they all went to check their purses and briefcases.

“I left mine in the car,” Viv announced, glancing at Caesar.

“It’s mine,” he said, settling the pocket-size phone to his ear. “Yeah?”

“Hey, Caesar, it’s Sandra.”

“Hey, what’s goin’ on?”

Sandra sighed heavily on the phone. “Well, I’ve been trying to get in touch with Vivian all morning.”

Caesar frowned. “Something wrong?”

“Well, not really. I guess I should be talking to you anyway.”

“What is it?” Caesar asked again.

“Well, it’s about moving your stuff.”

Caesar’s light stare immediately shifted toward Vivian. He leaned back in his chair and gnawed the inside of his jaw. “Is that right?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m sorry to bother you during your meeting,” Sandra said.

“That’s okay, hold on a minute,” Caesar told her as he pushed his chair away from the table. “I’m gonna take this out in the lobby,” he announced before heading out of the room.

“All right, Sandra, what’s the problem?”

“Well, Viv told me you wanted your things moved out of the president’s suite. I’ve got two offices available but I don’t know which one you prefer.”

Caesar pushed one hand into his pocket and frowned. “What do you have?”

“I’ve got one right down the hall and one on the other side.”

Caesar hesitated to respond as a new idea formed in his mind. “Sandra, Viv was obviously mistaken. She’s the one who decided to have her things moved. She was just talking about having that office down the hall.”

“Oh,” Sandra said, quite surprised. “Well, I’m glad I called you before anything was moved.”

“So am I,” Caesar replied, pretending to sound relieved.

“I’ll have everything moved to Viv’s new office by the time the two of you get back from your meeting.”

“Great. Thanks, Sandra.”

“No problem.”

Caesar ran one hand through his silky crop of curls and shut off the phone. “Nice try, Plum,” he whispered.

“Everything okay?” Viv asked when Caesar took his seat next to her.

He smiled, taking in the wide, innocent gaze. “Yeah, I’ve just got a lot to handle when I get back to the office,” he explained, his light eyes settling to her full breasts straining against the gray, spaghetti-strapped top she wore.

Viv nodded and turned back to the table. “So do I. That office is gonna look like a whirlwind hit it.”

“I don’t think anything could make that office look bad,” Caesar bragged, brushing a crumb from the crease of his rust-colored slacks. “Have any of you had the chance to see the president’s suite?” he asked their breakfast companions.

“Several times. The last time I saw it, I couldn’t believe how gorgeous it was,” one executive recalled, smoothing a hand over her short hair.

“Well, I love it,” Caesar raved, “You don’t mind coming to work in a place like that.”

A faint yet genuine smile played around Viv’s mouth. Caesar was far more overjoyed than usual and she relished it. Suddenly she began to laugh and everyone stared at her. “Sorry, I’m so sorry,” she gasped, “I’m just happy our grannies entrusted us with the company.”

“And that plush office, right?” Caesar added, a knowing look on his gorgeous face.

Viv’s long lashes fluttered closed as she nodded. “Oh, yes.”

Vivian and Caesar had taken separate cars to the breakfast meeting. Still, they arrived at the office within minutes of each other. Caesar managed to get inside and race to the president’s office just before Viv walked through the door.

“No-o-o!” Viv moaned when she stepped into the posh suite to find Caesar lounging behind his desk. Her desk, files and other essentials were gone. “What happened in here?”

Caesar moved out of his seat and rushed toward Viv with his arms outstretched. “Ah, Plum. Girl, you always surprise me!” he said, pulling her against him for a tight hug. “I had no idea you were giving me the big office!” he bellowed, planting a loud kiss to her cheek. He laughed when Viv pulled away and wiped the kiss from her cheek.

“I can’t believe this!” she whispered in a fierce tone, dropping the leather bag she carried. Her fingers shook madly as she ran them through the glossy curls brushing her cheeks.

“I know. Looks good, doesn’t it?” Caesar asked as he strode around the office like a king surveying his castle. “I think I’ll put my bench press here,” he declared, waving toward the spot where Viv’s desk had been.

“How did this happen?” Viv asked as though she were speaking to herself. “I was very specific.”

“Specific about what, Plum?” Caesar asked, smirking a little as he leaned back against the bar.

Vivian shook her head, mentally replaying the message she’d left Sandra. “I know I told her to have his stuff moved.”

“Speak up, Plum,” Caesar prompted, his intense, deep-set eyes narrowing to thin slits.

Viv raised her hand, pleading for silence.

Caesar pushed himself from the bar and closed the short distance between them, standing behind her. “You know, if you hadn’t left your cell in the car, all this wouldn’t be mine.”

“What are you talkin’ about?” Viv asked as she whirled around to face him.

Caesar walked away and took a seat on top of his desk. “Sandra called during the breakfast meeting,” he announced, seeing the light of realization dawn in Viv’s dark eyes. “She had two free offices and wanted to know which one I preferred.”

Vivian was so angry, she could not speak. Her hands clenched into tight fists as she imagined herself smashing them into Caesar’s smiling face. “You sneaky oaf,” she whispered.

“Me?” Caesar cried, pressing one hand against the front of his cream-colored shirt. “I didn’t try to have you thrown out of here while you were away.”

“What the hell do you call this?” Viv rebutted, spreading her arms.

Caesar moved off the desk. “Payback.”

“I hate you, Caesar Morrison,” Viv stormed, stomping to the office door. “But I promise you this,” she warned, grabbing her bag off the sofa and pointing it in his direction, “you won’t have the last laugh.”

Of course, Caesar’s roaring laughter followed Viv down the hall.

A soft tune filled the small, cozy corner office as Viv stood in the center of the room later that evening. She had just hung the last painting and was admiring the decor. Surprisingly, she found that she loved her new surroundings.

That was more than evident to Caesar when he stepped into the room. Stepping just inside the door, he watched as she surveyed the office. Pure male desire radiated from his incredible gaze as he appraised the outline of her long legs and full bottom beneath the snug-fitting pants she wore.

Vivian turned just then and saw him standing in the doorway. “Come on in, Caesar,” she urged.

Surprised by the polite invitation, Caesar looked around for any sudden dangers awaiting him. Viv noticed his actions and propped one hand on her hip.

“Will you come on?”

With a cool grin on his face, Caesar walked further inside the office. He took in the off-white walls, the small couch and matching cushioned armchairs that were mauve, lavender and cream in color. Tall, healthy green plants stood in every corner. The coffee table was finished in the same rich maple as the desk and frames of the pictures decorating the room.

“You seem to be settling in just fine…or is it an act?” Caesar queried, taking a seat on the arm of the sofa.

Vivian laughed, stepping behind her desk to get started on arranging her file cabinet. “It’s no act.”

“Ah,” he sighed, tilting his head back. “It won’t last.”

“If you say so,” Vivian sang. She refused to let him goad her into another argument.

“Don’t hold your breath waiting on me to return your half of the office,” Caesar advised.

Viv uttered a tired sigh and did not pull her eyes off the folder she held. “I hadn’t planned to.”

Caesar’s brows rose. He was more than a little impressed by the way she handled the defeat. Unfortunately, he knew Viv too well to believe she would just let things go without some form of retaliation.