queen.”
Antonio stepped in the doorway. “Hi, Emily. I just wanted you to know I’m here, and Ryan’s gone.”
“Hi!” She stood and gave him a hug.
The affection took him by surprise, but he gladly accepted. Her body was soft next to his. “Are you okay?”
She pulled back and held up her thumb and index finger. “Maybe a little bit tipsy.”
“Uh, um,” the blonde cleared her throat.
Emily looked behind her. “I’m sorry. How rude of me. Antonio this is my best friend, Janet.”
The tanned blonde smiled at him. Ryan was right. She was hot, but the woman next to him was gorgeous. He looked at Emily out the corner of his eye. Her hand was on her hip and hair flipped to the side, exposing her neck, as she smiled at her friend.
“I’ll be downstairs if you need me.” He backed up to the door.
“You know what?” Her friend stretched. “I’m kind of tired. I’ll go to my mom’s house and then see you tomorrow.”
“You’re more than welcome to stay here,” Emily said.
Antonio took notice of the bottom lip she poked out. She was sexy even when pouting.
“Oh, no, you have too much going on here. I’ll leave you to your business.”
“Okay…I’ll walk you out,” Emily said.
“That’s what you pay me for,” he suggested. “It’s late.”
Emily looked from him to Janet. He could tell she had more to say, but she just nodded.
He waited for Janet to gather her belongings and then walked her to the car. When he returned, Emily was making a sandwich in the kitchen.
“You don’t go out on the weekends?” he asked.
“Every once in a while. I haven’t had much time with The Playhouse.” She closed the lid on the Miracle Whip and put it back in the refrigerator.
“You should make time. From what I see, your days consist of meetings.” He took a seat on a barstool at the island.
“You’re one to talk. It’s the weekend, and you’re working. Would you like half my sandwich?” She sliced the honey wheat bread in half. Put it on a paper towel and handed it to him.
He took a bite of the food. “True, but I don’t like going out alone.”
“Then maybe we should go together.” She put her hand over her mouth and blushed. “I didn’t mean like a date. I-I was just meaning since you don’t like—”
“I’d love to. How about tomorrow night?” he cut her off before she had a chance to talk her way out of it.
“I’ve never been on a date with a white guy,” she said just above a whisper.
“You just said it wasn’t a date so your reputation will remain intact.” His words came out harsher than he intended.
“I don’t care about my reputation. I’ve just never been asked by anyone who wasn’t black.” She finished off the last of her snack, then took her paper plate and threw it in the trash. “Good night, Antonio.”
The thought of her rejecting him bothered him a little more than he anticipated. Actually, the entire thing threw him off. When had he decided it was okay to take her anywhere? She was his client, and he didn’t mix business with pleasure. Not once had he ever heard a story of things turning out good with it. “Good night, Emily.”
Antonio watched as she headed upstairs. He waited a few moments before going up to the office. When he passed her room, he could hear her TV on. It took all he had not to knock on her door. Instead, he continued to the office and did his job.
Chapter Five
The next day, Emily took Janet with her to check on the club’s progression and to a meeting with the some of the models. Emily wanted to get a tally on who wanted to be in on her newest idea: The Playhouse calendar. She thought it would be a great way of promoting her website a little more and pre-promoting the launch of the lounge. Keeping things fresh and seeking out new clientele was the key to keeping business booming.
All the girls were excited about being in the calendar. Most saw it as an opportunity to be noticed and a chance to rub it in
Antonio stepped in the doorway. “Hi, Emily. I just wanted you to know I’m here, and Ryan’s gone.”
“Hi!” She stood and gave him a hug.
The affection took him by surprise, but he gladly accepted. Her body was soft next to his. “Are you okay?”
She pulled back and held up her thumb and index finger. “Maybe a little bit tipsy.”
“Uh, um,” the blonde cleared her throat.
Emily looked behind her. “I’m sorry. How rude of me. Antonio this is my best friend, Janet.”
The tanned blonde smiled at him. Ryan was right. She was hot, but the woman next to him was gorgeous. He looked at Emily out the corner of his eye. Her hand was on her hip and hair flipped to the side, exposing her neck, as she smiled at her friend.
“I’ll be downstairs if you need me.” He backed up to the door.
“You know what?” Her friend stretched. “I’m kind of tired. I’ll go to my mom’s house and then see you tomorrow.”
“You’re more than welcome to stay here,” Emily said.
Antonio took notice of the bottom lip she poked out. She was sexy even when pouting.
“Oh, no, you have too much going on here. I’ll leave you to your business.”
“Okay…I’ll walk you out,” Emily said.
“That’s what you pay me for,” he suggested. “It’s late.”
Emily looked from him to Janet. He could tell she had more to say, but she just nodded.
He waited for Janet to gather her belongings and then walked her to the car. When he returned, Emily was making a sandwich in the kitchen.
“You don’t go out on the weekends?” he asked.
“Every once in a while. I haven’t had much time with The Playhouse.” She closed the lid on the Miracle Whip and put it back in the refrigerator.
“You should make time. From what I see, your days consist of meetings.” He took a seat on a barstool at the island.
“You’re one to talk. It’s the weekend, and you’re working. Would you like half my sandwich?” She sliced the honey wheat bread in half. Put it on a paper towel and handed it to him.
He took a bite of the food. “True, but I don’t like going out alone.”
“Then maybe we should go together.” She put her hand over her mouth and blushed. “I didn’t mean like a date. I-I was just meaning since you don’t like—”
“I’d love to. How about tomorrow night?” he cut her off before she had a chance to talk her way out of it.
“I’ve never been on a date with a white guy,” she said just above a whisper.
“You just said it wasn’t a date so your reputation will remain intact.” His words came out harsher than he intended.
“I don’t care about my reputation. I’ve just never been asked by anyone who wasn’t black.” She finished off the last of her snack, then took her paper plate and threw it in the trash. “Good night, Antonio.”
The thought of her rejecting him bothered him a little more than he anticipated. Actually, the entire thing threw him off. When had he decided it was okay to take her anywhere? She was his client, and he didn’t mix business with pleasure. Not once had he ever heard a story of things turning out good with it. “Good night, Emily.”
Antonio watched as she headed upstairs. He waited a few moments before going up to the office. When he passed her room, he could hear her TV on. It took all he had not to knock on her door. Instead, he continued to the office and did his job.
Chapter Five
The next day, Emily took Janet with her to check on the club’s progression and to a meeting with the some of the models. Emily wanted to get a tally on who wanted to be in on her newest idea: The Playhouse calendar. She thought it would be a great way of promoting her website a little more and pre-promoting the launch of the lounge. Keeping things fresh and seeking out new clientele was the key to keeping business booming.
All the girls were excited about being in the calendar. Most saw it as an opportunity to be noticed and a chance to rub it in
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