All I Want... Is You (5 page)

I sat down in the chair next to Kyra, deliberately positioning myself away from Derrick, but not too close to him, either. It was all a part of the cat and mouse, and I could tell from the smirk on his face that he enjoyed the play, and wanted to keep it going until one of us gave in to the other.

I was not going to give in.

He was going to earn this pussy.

Mr. Richton took out his cigar cutter, taking his time clipping the cigar before taking a match and lighting it. As he waived the flame out and pulled a couple of times on the cigar, he looked at Cheryl with a smile on his face. “Cheryl, I think you’ve got a great group on your hands!”

That statement was music to my ears, but it always came with a ‘but’.

Not this time. Not the way that he was smiling.

“Here’s what’s going to happen: we’re going to take a tape for tonight’s event of the ladies singing, I want Parker to hear you to make sure we’re on the same page,” Mr. Richton explained. “He’s currently out of town until next weekend, but I will personally messenger a copy to him so that he can be prepared for a meeting with you and the ladies in about ten days. Does that sound agreeable to you?”

“Mr. Richton, my girls might have other deals on the table by then,” Cheryl tried to take up for us by calling Mr. Richton’s bluff. We trusted her to handle the hard-nosed stuff because she was tough as nails. “I can’t promise anything at this point, especially after tonight’s performance. My girls will be on fire by Monday morning.”

Mr. Richton raised an eyebrow for a second or two, and then he leaned back in the chair as if he pondered his next move.

I was almost sure that we were sunk, and I simply waited for the hammer to come down on yet another potential album that would never happen.

But Mr. Richton instead, while smoking the cigar the entire time that Cheryl spoke, gave a knowing wink towards Derrick as if they’d been down this path before, then he flashed his eyes, locking them with Cheryl’s. I could have sworn I saw our manager turn beet red from blushing from the look that he gave her.

“Cheryl, I’m ready to make your girls into a superstar group. They have the sound, they have the appeal, and they have the drive, thanks to you, to do what it takes to hit the next

level,” Mr. Richton stated flatly and very matter-of-factly. “I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but my time is precious to me, and I don’t like to waste it. Your girls weren’t the only talent that my group was told about tonight, but they have told me that your group was the group to see. Now, if you know anything about me, and your sources probably do, then you know that once I’m convinced, Parker is convinced, and vice versa.”

“Mr. Richton, I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but I have to protect my group,” Cheryl tried to make it look like she wasn’t about to back down, but the elbow from Kyra let me know that she was about to cave in.

Mr. Richton leaned in, said something in Cheryl’s ear that made her blush even more. That wasn’t business, from what I could tell, and there would be no way to find out if it was business, or just Mr. Richton being a silver tongued devil of a man getting his way.

I looked over at Derrick, who took the whole scene in. His face didn’t give him away at all, and I suspected it was that way because he’s seen it happen before. I wondered to myself if Mr. Richton would still be able to be this smooth if our manager were male.

Either way, he had his effect on her.

“So, we’ll see you in ten days, then, yes?” Mr. Richton confirmed.

“We’ll see you in ten days.” Cheryl’s replied, locking the date in her Crackberry. “Monday, 10 a.m. sharp, in your office with Mr. Parker in attendance. We’ll be there.”

Ten days.

That felt like an eternity already.

“Derrick, my boy, I want you to have the ladies over to the house for the pool party tomorrow,” he turned to Derrick and told him, still grinning the whole time. “I’m sure they need to relax a little after putting in the work tonight, don’t you think?”

“Yes, sir, consider it done,” I heard Derrick answer, cutting his eyes at me, almost pleased with himself. “I’ll make sure they are there, no problem.”

We got up from the table and said our goodbyes to Mr. Richton and the rest of the group. Derrick stood up and locked eyes with me again, letting me know that he would be following us out of the club so that he could talk to me.

I wasn’t sure I wanted him in my space so soon after a set. But I couldn’t resist the urge to want him there, just to see if I could resist. With the way that the other men were gawking at me and the rest of the girls, it wasn’t like I couldn’t have my pick of the litter.

Derrick escorted us out to the front of the building, along with a couple of other men that I would have assumed, based on their sheer size, were Mr. Richton’s bodyguards. He walked close to me, trying to figure out if he should invade my space any further or not.

He slowed me down before I got to my car, as if he were trying to find the right moment to push through whatever wall he thought I might have had up.

“Well, I guess this would be an awkward moment to ask for your phone number, Corina,” Derrick flashed that grin at me once we were outside and I could actually hear him without having to yell over the music. “But the boss is the boss, and I would love to have you and the rest of the girls at the pool party tomorrow evening.”

“
You
would love to, Derrick?” I queried, trying to figure out if he meant what he said or if he was just toying with me to get a reaction. “I thought this party was at Mr. Richton’s estate?”

“I
know
what I said. Corina, I would love to have you at the party,” Derrick replied again, this time with a force that nearly made me swoon. “I don’t stutter much, and being a part of the staff at RP has its perks.”

So I’m beginning to notice
, I silently countered in my head. I looked in his eyes again, trying to find some reason to say no to his request to attend the party.

Then he did something that I didn’t expect to happen.

His eyes softened, almost silently wanting me to say yes.

Maybe he wasn’t as bullet-proof as I thought he was. I couldn’t resist teasing him further, so I changed my stance to see what his reaction would be.

“So, will you be our guest at the estate tomorrow?” Derrick asked again, this time making sure that our eyes made contact. He held my gaze for what seemed like only a few minutes, but by then, the damage was done. My defenses began to crumble, and I couldn’t refuse him.

“Yes, Derrick, we’ll be there,” I replied. “We need to have a little fun for a change.”

We stood there staring at each other, and I wanted to kiss him so badly I was shaking. My energy was always high after doing a performance, and having him in front of me only added to the rush.

He wouldn’t release me from the glances he gave me.

I couldn’t take my eyes off him the entire time.

Damn.

Now I knew I was in trouble.

But this time, I was going to make damn sure that I had some control. Some power you just don’t completely turn over.

“Thank you, Corina,” Derrick almost seemed relieved. “Mr. Richton would have had my head if I didn’t have you there.”

I grinned when he said that, realizing that he still had a professional duty to take care of, even though I knew he had to have me for personal reasons, too.

Just as I was about to tease him further to see how much I could make him squirm, I heard my car horn blaring behind me.

“Come on, girl, you can play mack mama later!” I heard Kyra yelling from the car. “Just give the man the digits so we can party, please?”

“Okay, my girls are a little impatient, they want to celebrate,” I told him, typing my number into his cell phone. “Call me tomorrow so we can set up a time to be there.”

As I put his phone in his hand, I moved in close to inhale his scent; it was different from the cologne he wore the other night, but it was as hypnotizing as what caught me then.

Derrick smiled again, tucking his phone in his pocket. “I’ll give you a ring around noon. I don’t want to ruin any beauty sleep that you may need in the morning.”

That smart ass remark earned him a pop on his shoulder.

“Oh, and by the way, Derrick,” I shouted back at him as I walked away. “My friends call me Cori.”

~Derrick~

“
I told you to be here an hour ago, Derrick.”

Toni was already in my face the minute I walked through the door. Not that I minded too much, she was always so cute when she was mad at me. In fact, it was damn near sexy as hell sometimes.

Antoinette Richton and I had been best friends since elementary school. We dated a little bit in high school before we finally realized we were better off as very close best friends. Once we got older, our relationship had blurred the lines between what friends should be and what lovers tend to be.

She’s my heart, and there aren’t any women who hold that distinction. Outside of family, that is.

“Sorry, baby, I got home late last night. Your father had me at one of the showcases taking a look at talent again,” I offered my excuse as if I’d prepared for a few hours. “Besides, we’ll be able to get everything under control soon.”

I gave her one of the hugs that I normally give her when I wanted her to forgive me.

“Do you still love me?” I asked, staring into her eyes.

“Yes, I still love you, and what trick do you have coming to the house?” Toni was insistent on knowing.

“I ain’t got nobody coming to the house, baby,” I tried to lie about it, knowing good and well she would be able to see right through it. “You know you are the only woman I adore, and you know that, Toni.”

“You know, D, you’re a lousy liar,” Toni pointed out, popping me across the back of my head. “I always know you are because you always try to sweet-talk me, with your smooth ass. You are also wearing my favorite cologne. You know the one I bought you for your birthday earlier this year?”

Damn, she busted me, and the scent of that perfume lingering on my skin was a dead giveaway. I forgot about how closely she pays attention to me.

“Damn, Toni, okay. Her name is Corina. Her group was one of the groups that your father is looking to sign in the next week or so, and he wanted them to come to the party tonight,” I finally confessed. “And for the record, Toni, she’s not a trick.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. Stacy couldn’t fool me, and neither will this one. Just introduce me to her and I’ll let you know at the end of the night if she’s cool, alright?” Toni asked.

“Yes, mommy, and I’ll even make sure I have protection when she gets ready to hop in bed with me later on tonight.” I laughed as I said it. I couldn’t keep a straight face.

Toni popped me again, saying, “Forget you, D. Now, hurry up and get dressed, dammit, guests will be showing up in the next couple of hours.”

I headed upstairs to one of the spare bedrooms so that I could change clothes and get prepared to perform my usual co-hosting duties with Toni when my cell phone started ringing.

“Are you telling Omar or what?” Brian barked over the phone.

I just shook my head. I knew that this subject would eventually come up.

I told him not to tell Omar about the party for two reasons. First, Toni can’t stand him, due to an incident with one of her girlfriends about a year ago. Second, Toni’s a straight arrow, and that meant that Mary Jane would not be allowed onto the estate under any circumstances.

And “she” and Omar have been tight lately.

Toni always wondered why Brian and I still hung out with Omar, and that incident strained my relationship with her for a few months, too. To be honest with myself, I had been asking

myself that same question for the past year.

It was hard to put my finger on it, but we’ve been boys for a decade, through thick and thin.

“That’s a negative, B, you know that Toni wouldn’t go for it anyway,” I told Brian, trying to tie up my boots. “I’m gonna need you to keep this on the low, too, bruh. As a matter of fact, it’s all on a need to know basis right now.”

“You know this shit is foul, D,” Brian stated flatly. “We’ve been boys for too long with all this cloak and dagger shit whenever we go out without him.”

“So, what do you suggest, B?” I confronted. “Hey, O, we’re doing a set out at Mr. Richton’s estate, and we can’t have you roll out with us because Toni’s gonna be there and you’re still
persona non grata
as far as she’s concerned, so, we’ll come by and scoop you another time?”

I heard Brian exhale over the phone. “Yeah, I forgot about the shit that went down with him and Samantha. Do you think that Toni’s still hot about that?”

“You should know the answer to that question, bruh,” I coldly replied. “So, need to know, got it?”

“Yeah, I got it, D, but sooner or later, Omar’s gonna feel like the third wheel and shit,” Brian explained. “If you don’t find a way to let him down easy, then this shit will snowball out of control, and even you don’t have the skills to stop the flood once the dam’s broken.”

I took Brian’s words into account, and I realized that he did have a valid point. Sooner or later the hammer’s gotta come down, and it was better that he sees it coming than to get blindsided by it.

I was upset that I was the one that had to do it.

What pissed me off more than anything was that Brian didn’t want any parts of being the heavy.

I wasn’t cool with that at all.

Didn’t surprise me anyway; Brian’s always been a punk when it came to confrontations. It was almost to the point where you had to push him to the point of no return before he snapped.

I had my limits, too, but they weren’t anywhere as high as his tolerance level. I think my problem had become the fact that I’d been enabling Omar’s habit instead of being a real friend.

As far as I was concerned, I didn’t abandon my boys, no matter how low things may get with them, because I wouldn’t want them to abandon me when it counted the most.

There had to be a way to keep from losing Omar.

I just hope I could find it before it was too late.