sexy phone voice. “I’m ready.”
He ended the call, and she glanced around at her luggage. It was more than she’d planned to take, but her sisters had come by last night to help her pack and they’d claimed she needed everything she was taking with her.
She heard a car pull up outside and knew it was D’marcus. Inhaling deeply, she headed for the door when she heard the bell. She couldn’t wait to see his reaction to her new look. Her tongue flicked over her lips in anticipation, reminding her of the beauty consultant’s guarantee. “This brand will stay on all day—unless your man should lick, eat or kiss it off.”
She took another deep breath then slowly opened the door. “Good morning, Mr. Armstrong.”
D’marcus stared at Opal. Speechless.
Gone was the knot of hair on top of her head. Instead, her hair hung loose, framing her shoulders with a mass of feathered waves that capitalized on her high cheekbones, straight nose and oval face. Her beautifully arched eyebrows emphasized her dark eyes and long lashes, something he hadn’t noticed before. And she was wearing makeup that was so light you barely noticed it was there, but it seemed to make her features that much more striking.
He inhaled deeply. In his opinion, Opal Lockhart had always been an attractive woman, one who’d definitely gotten his attention at times when he’d wished otherwise. But now he found himself in really deep trouble. Whatever she’d done had only enhanced what had always been there. This new Opal had him totally mesmerized.
It didn’t help matters that things hadn’t worked out as he’d planned with Priscilla this past weekend. The real gist of his problem was that all of his sexual frustrations were centered on one woman. The one standing right in front of him.
“Ms. Lockhart,” he said, clearing his throat. “You look different.”
Opal tried not to frown. Was that all he was going to say? She nodded, thinking maybe she should be grateful. After all, he was her boss and not her boyfriend. She wouldn’t want him checking her out too much. But she was dying to ask, “Different how?” Instead, she took it as a compliment and said, “Thank you. My bags are over there.”
She stepped aside when he entered her apartment. He glanced around before crossing the room to where her three bags sat. “Nice place.”
“I’m moving in a few weeks.”
He glanced back at her over his shoulder. “Why?”
“Too much noise. I’m sandwiched in by party animals and I’m not getting sufficient sleep at night.”
“Oh.” A vision suddenly flowed through D’marcus’s mind. He would love having her sandwiched between him and his mattress and she wouldn’t get sufficient sleep then, either. He glanced down at her luggage. “You’ll only be gone four days, Ms. Lockhart, not four months,” he said jokingly.
She heard the teasing glint in his voice and relaxed. She hadn’t been sure what type of mood he was in, although, since promising to improve his attitude, he had done a good job. “I know, but I’m not one to travel light. Besides, don’t you know that a woman always takes more than she needs?”
“That’s what I’ve heard. If you want to make sure everything is locked up, I’ll start loading your luggage in my trunk. And, if I suddenly develop back trouble,” he said as a smile touched his lips, “I’ll have my attorney sue you.”
His smile almost made her heart miss a beat. “All right, you do that. But I may as well tell you that I have limited funds, so you won’t be getting any money out of me.”
She moved around the apartment and checked to make sure everything she needed turned off was and that a message was on her answering machine. Her family was fully aware that she was going to California on business, as were a couple of her church friends, including Reverend Kendrick. She didn’t want anyone to panic when she didn’t show up for prayer meeting on Wednesday night.
When she
He ended the call, and she glanced around at her luggage. It was more than she’d planned to take, but her sisters had come by last night to help her pack and they’d claimed she needed everything she was taking with her.
She heard a car pull up outside and knew it was D’marcus. Inhaling deeply, she headed for the door when she heard the bell. She couldn’t wait to see his reaction to her new look. Her tongue flicked over her lips in anticipation, reminding her of the beauty consultant’s guarantee. “This brand will stay on all day—unless your man should lick, eat or kiss it off.”
She took another deep breath then slowly opened the door. “Good morning, Mr. Armstrong.”
D’marcus stared at Opal. Speechless.
Gone was the knot of hair on top of her head. Instead, her hair hung loose, framing her shoulders with a mass of feathered waves that capitalized on her high cheekbones, straight nose and oval face. Her beautifully arched eyebrows emphasized her dark eyes and long lashes, something he hadn’t noticed before. And she was wearing makeup that was so light you barely noticed it was there, but it seemed to make her features that much more striking.
He inhaled deeply. In his opinion, Opal Lockhart had always been an attractive woman, one who’d definitely gotten his attention at times when he’d wished otherwise. But now he found himself in really deep trouble. Whatever she’d done had only enhanced what had always been there. This new Opal had him totally mesmerized.
It didn’t help matters that things hadn’t worked out as he’d planned with Priscilla this past weekend. The real gist of his problem was that all of his sexual frustrations were centered on one woman. The one standing right in front of him.
“Ms. Lockhart,” he said, clearing his throat. “You look different.”
Opal tried not to frown. Was that all he was going to say? She nodded, thinking maybe she should be grateful. After all, he was her boss and not her boyfriend. She wouldn’t want him checking her out too much. But she was dying to ask, “Different how?” Instead, she took it as a compliment and said, “Thank you. My bags are over there.”
She stepped aside when he entered her apartment. He glanced around before crossing the room to where her three bags sat. “Nice place.”
“I’m moving in a few weeks.”
He glanced back at her over his shoulder. “Why?”
“Too much noise. I’m sandwiched in by party animals and I’m not getting sufficient sleep at night.”
“Oh.” A vision suddenly flowed through D’marcus’s mind. He would love having her sandwiched between him and his mattress and she wouldn’t get sufficient sleep then, either. He glanced down at her luggage. “You’ll only be gone four days, Ms. Lockhart, not four months,” he said jokingly.
She heard the teasing glint in his voice and relaxed. She hadn’t been sure what type of mood he was in, although, since promising to improve his attitude, he had done a good job. “I know, but I’m not one to travel light. Besides, don’t you know that a woman always takes more than she needs?”
“That’s what I’ve heard. If you want to make sure everything is locked up, I’ll start loading your luggage in my trunk. And, if I suddenly develop back trouble,” he said as a smile touched his lips, “I’ll have my attorney sue you.”
His smile almost made her heart miss a beat. “All right, you do that. But I may as well tell you that I have limited funds, so you won’t be getting any money out of me.”
She moved around the apartment and checked to make sure everything she needed turned off was and that a message was on her answering machine. Her family was fully aware that she was going to California on business, as were a couple of her church friends, including Reverend Kendrick. She didn’t want anyone to panic when she didn’t show up for prayer meeting on Wednesday night.
When she
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