Читать книгу A Malibu Kind Of Romance - Synithia Williams - Страница 12

Chapter 3

Julie sat in the backseat of the car Raymond had waiting for her at the airport and reviewed the list of reputable contractors in and around Malibu, California. Paying attention to the details instead of taking in the beautiful sights along the Pacific Coast Highway was proving difficult for her. Between the awe-inspiring mountains and sparkling sea, she really wished she was there for pleasure instead of business. But business was the reason she’d left Evette in Atlanta, so she tore her eyes away from the views and scanned contractor websites.

Picking contractors before actually being vetted as Raymond and Dante’s final partner was presumptuous. Raymond basically wanted her to come and talk about possibly working with them. She’d mainly gotten her jobs by acting as if she already had them. The tactic hadn’t failed her yet.

Later, when the car pulled down one of the gated entrances that she assumed blocked the way to the homes of Hollywood’s rich and famous, her stomach churned like the waves against the bluffs she’d admired on the drive up. She was actually about to meet Dante Wilson. Thanks to her friendship with Raymond and her work opening popular nightclubs, she wasn’t easily starstruck. However, she’d listened to and loved Dante’s music for most of her life. From her preteens through her bad breakup with Antwan, the guy always had a song on the radio rotation that seemed to fit the mood of her life.

She’d dressed nicely for her flight. Albeit her black trousers, white cowl-neck blouse and tailored red blazer were travel worn, she still looked casual but professional. While the driver announced their arrival at the gate, Julie pulled out her compact to double-check her makeup and smooth her hand down the back of her stylish pixie cut.

The gates opened, and the driver maneuvered the car down the long drive and parked in front of a huge stone villa. She would have been impressed by the house and its magnificent views if not for the obvious signs of a party going on. She frowned in confusion when the driver opened the door, where she was greeted by music coming from the back, along with laughter and voices. Three women in skimpy bikinis and two men in board shorts stood out front. Another car pulled up, and the group got in.

She glanced at the driver. “Are we at the right place?”

“Yes, ma’am. This is Dante Wilson’s residence.”

Julie nodded, then turned back to the sounds of revelry coming from the villa. She crossed the stone-tiled entrance to the front door. Julie rang the doorbell, unsure if the chime would even be heard over the sounds of the party. Hell, did she even need to ring the bell?

A guy wearing blue-and-red swim trunks opened the door. “Hey, come on in,” he said, waving her inside.

Julie thanked him, entered the home and immediately felt overdressed. Men in swim trunks and women in bathing suits filled the house. The main area, with tan stone walls, dark walnut floors, modern furnishings and expensive decorations, was completely open to the outside, where a crystal-blue infinity pool overlooked the ocean. Even more people in bathing suits milled around the expansive outdoor living space.

“Are you here for the party?” the guy asked.

“Umm, I’m meeting with Raymond,” she said.

“Oh, come on—he’s out by the pool.”

Julie followed him through the crowd out to the pool. “He’s there.” He pointed.

Raymond was in the middle of the pool, playing water polo with several bikini-clad women. Of course he would be. Julie rolled her eyes, but she smiled despite her disappointment that he wasn’t prepared for a real meeting. Raymond would never change. They’d met freshmen year in college at a party. Though she’d flirted with him, she’d turned down his attempts to get her in bed. She’d never felt that way about Raymond. Eventually, their flirty relationship had become a close friendship by the time they graduated and Raymond’s music career kicked off. She knew if there was a party to attend or a good-looking woman to get with, Raymond was there.

Still, as she stood by the pool, sweltering in a blazer while everyone else was clad in swimwear, a strong pull of annoyance that Raymond hadn’t mentioned she would be walking into a pool party and not a business meeting swept through her. She really hoped he wasn’t wasting her time. She loved Raymond like a brother, but she wouldn’t hesitate to wring his neck if he pulled her away from Atlanta over a whim of his.

“Hey, Raymond,” she called. Her voice, and the annoyance in it, carried above the music and female laughter.

Raymond turned away from the game to look her way. His grin widened. “Julie!” he exclaimed with slight surprise.

She worked very hard not to roll her eyes again. The volleyball hit him in the side of the head, and a chorus of chuckles came up from the various women in the pool.

Raymond shook his head and blinked several times. “I’m coming out now.” He swam to the edge of the pool and pulled himself out of the water. Every woman in the pool eyed his muscular body with desire and enthusiasm—chiseled muscles beneath smooth tan skin, a pretty-boy face with green eyes to boot. Julie understood their admiration, though she didn’t share their desire.

He took a few steps to her and tried to hug her. Julie jumped back and held up a hand. “No way, you’re soaking wet.”

Raymond’s eyes flashed with mischief that Julie knew all too well. “I’m serious, Raymond—this is a new blazer, and you can’t mess it up with a chlorine-filled hug.”

He chuckled and edged closer. “I haven’t seen you in ages, and you won’t hug me because of a jacket.”

Julie took a step back. “No, I won’t hug you, but I do feel like punching you.”

That stopped his movement. “What did I do this time?”

Julie raised a brow and looked around. “Ray, I thought we were meeting to discuss business. Instead you’re having a party.”

“Oh, that,” he said with a shrug. “We can still talk.” He waved over a woman lounging nearby. The beauty stood and brought him a towel. “Thanks, baby.” Raymond slapped her behind as she walked away, then wiped the excess water from his face.

“You know, I’d rather talk when you’re not in the middle of an orgy. I’ll check into the hotel, and we can meet up tomorrow.”

She’d booked the hotel suite for a month with plans to extend that or possibly rent someplace if it seemed the club opening would take a long time. If it fell through, she would make Raymond pay any hotel cancellation fees.

“No! Sorry, Julie, this party just kind of happened.”

Julie doubted that. There were too many people here for the party to kind of happen, but she kept that thought to herself. “All the more reason to wait until we can really talk about things.”

“Seriously, we can. Dante is here. I told him you were coming today.”

Julie glanced around at the people present. She recognized some celebrities and reality stars, but Dante wasn’t in the mix.

“He’s inside,” Raymond said. “Come on. At least say hello, since you got all dressed to impress, and then stay and relax for a while.”

“Raymond, I’m here on business, not to relax.”

“Not all business is handled in a boardroom, Julie. Chill out for a second and come meet Dante.”

He took her hand and gently tugged her toward the door. Julie twisted her lip but let him lead her. Honestly, she shouldn’t be surprised that Raymond asked her to meet him to discuss business at the same time Dante “accidentally” threw a party. His fun personality and spontaneity were part of the persona that had turned him into a star.

“How was your flight? Did the driver get to the airport on time? I gave him your arrival and told him to be there on time.” Raymond fired off the questions.

Julie answered those and the half-dozen others Raymond threw her way as they walked through the crowded living area toward the back of the house. His questions reminded her of their college days when he always worried about her walking across campus at night by herself. His concern for her welfare was why she’d eventually viewed him as a brother. His concern grew after her breakup with Antwan. She knew Raymond blamed himself for introducing her to the guy, and she believed that was why he was so forthcoming with her about all the sleazy ways men thought and the tricks they pulled.

In the back of the house, the sounds of the party were replaced by the sound of piano music along with Dante’s smooth tenor singing.

“Let me hold you in my arms. Let me comfort you all night long. Let me be the man to kiss away your fears.”

Julie’s heart ached as the words took her back to the time after the Antwan breakup when she’d listened to this song and yearned for a guy to be all those things. She’d listened to the song repeatedly. She hated herself for moping so much over a man who didn’t deserve it, and hearing Dante sing stirred up the longing she’d thought was long gone.

She and Raymond stopped at the open door of the room where the music came from. A large grand piano stood in the center of what she could see was a music room with other instruments, framed albums and pictures of the Wilson family lining the walls. Dante sat behind the piano; four women in colorful bikinis surrounded him like beautiful birds. She hadn’t listened to the song in ages. His voice swept her up in thoughts of how nice having a man actually kiss away her fears would be.

She’d known Dante was handsome and that he could sing, but to witness his talent and his beauty up close and personal took her breath away.

His eyes were closed, and the flash of his perfect white teeth gleamed between lips that made her think of marathon rounds of kissing, touching and sexing. His head swayed gently back and forth to the sound of the music. His curly dark hair was tapered at the sides and thicker on the top. A dusting of hair covered his square jaw. Julie’s gaze slid over wide shoulders in a white shirt unbuttoned just enough to give a glimpse of a smooth muscled chest and warm brown skin. As if she were still standing beneath the sun, Julie’s body burned. Her nipples hardened, and a slow, sultry heat that matched the smoldering sound of Dante’s voice slid through her body.

Julie shifted from one foot to the other. This was not good. She could not be attracted to him. She tried to ignore her primal response, but the concentration of heat between her thighs continued in a mocking sucks for you kind of way.

The music stopped, and no one spoke until the last note drifted away. Dante opened his eyes, and the ladies clapped and squealed their praise. His lips spread in a wide-open grin. His sexy dark eyes sparkled with a look that made a woman want to forget every lesson about acting like a lady. A sound, part whimper, part suppressed giggle, rang in her ear; a second later, she realized she’d made the sound.

Raymond shifted beside her. Dante looked up, his dark gaze connecting with hers so hard she gasped out the little bit of air that remained in her chest. Oh, hell, I’m screwed.

“Raymond,” Dante said, his very interested eyes still on Julie, “please introduce your beautiful friend.”