Five-star Seduction (8 page)

“Could we talk about this another time? Our interview's about to start and I'm trying to wrap my mind around all of this.” She waved towards the bustling happening behind them.

He leaned closer. “You can't run forever, Langalethu.”

Her eyes widened at that. “I don't know what you mean.”

“Yes, you do. You're sitting here, acting like we're strangers when we both know better. We need to talk about us.”

“No, I'm acting like we're not together. Because we're
not
. There is nothing between us.”

He ignored her venom. “In my arms you are something else. You're free and ardent, and I think that scares you. Constant control may be safer, but it's also a whole lot lonelier. It's okay to lose control sometimes. It's okay to trust me to never let you fall, honey.”

Her eyes lifted to his, aflame. “Don't call me that.”

“Perfect! This is perfect!”

Neither of them had heard the director approach. Langa started visibly and looked up to find an enormous man with dreadlocks grinning down at them. He turned to the confused crew members behind them, waving his arms and making the thick bangles and bands he wore on his wrists jingle up and down.

“Move everything! We must do the interview on the couch. But no lights, the sunlight here is fine – the reflectors will lift any shadows. Bring the flowers over and set them on this little table and let this gorgeous couple do the rest.
This
is what love looks like!”

It took all of twenty minutes to relocate what they needed and all the while Langa's mind was a blank. When the questions finally started, Lazola fielded the first two, smiling confidently. Soon Langa relaxed enough to join in. Talking about her involvement in the ROCH project made her realise that she did indeed know a lot about the hotel.

She was so deeply lulled by discussing the work she had done that the next question took her completely by surprise.

“Now, Langa, I'm sure all our viewers are curious about the type of heart that goes with that brilliant mind of yours. Are you currently seeing anyone?”

The presenter was a stunning woman with flawless skin. Langa blinked into her blinding smile. “Um, no. I don't really have the time.”

The woman raised an eyebrow. “Are we to assume you're to blame for this, Lazola?”

His powerful shoulders lifted in a self-effacing shrug and he smiled charmingly. “Not entirely, Nadia. Langa is very dedicated to her work and delivers more than is expected of her at all times. But none of that will stand in the way of her finding love. What man wouldn't do anything it takes to win her heart?”

“Yourself included?”

Langa felt her jaw drop. Was this not a disaster begging to happen? Nadia seemed to notice her shock and turned her radiant smile up a notch.

“I'm sorry but I simply had to ask. You two look perfect together, you work remarkably well as a team and you seem so in sync, it's no surprise there's been some speculation about how much you truly mean to each other.”

Lazola laughed sexily. “I see your point. People love seeing people in love. I think the amount of time Langa and I have spent in the spotlight together was bound to cause some curiosity. We do work very well together. Langa is intelligent, passionate and a whole lot of fun. I respect that and enjoy whatever time we have together.”

Langa marvelled at how smoothly he managed to give an answer without actually answering the question.

“And Langa,” Nadia was leaning towards her like an old girlfriend, “how do you feel about romance in the workplace? Do you agree with those that say it never lasts?”

Langa shook her head. “I don't think your physical environment has much to do with how long you love someone. External factors will impact your relationship to whatever extent you allow them to do that. Love is mainly about the people involved – their connection and commitment to each other.”

“And your views on love at first sight? Is it real or just crazy hormones?”

It's most definitely real, Langa thought.

She floundered, praying for any other words to come to mind, anything that wouldn't reveal her secret.

Fortunately Lazola saved her. “I think it depends on what you're looking at, Nadia. With people, each story is unique and personal and I don't believe there is a right or wrong answer in those cases. With the ROCH, however, it's love at first sight every single time, without a doubt.”

They both laughed and Langa joined in gratefully.

9

“Eagle Eye sent through the quotes, availability dates and treatment breakdown you requested. They weren't impressed with the short notice, but whatever you told them on the phone yesterday had them shaking in their boots. Khaya said they have worked out a way to shoot a virtual tour of the Sandton ROCH before Christmas. It's all in here.”

Langa nodded at the yellow folder her assistant placed in front of her. “I'll get these to Lazola or Thomas later today.”

Marie's lips twisted. “You really rubbed Khaya the wrong way, pushing this project so urgently. I wouldn't expect a Christmas present from Eagle Eye.”

Langa smiled grimly. “Khaya should be thanking me for the lesson in professionalism instead of griping. My aim is to have the ROCH's virtual tour on the website in time for the summer rush. So let's concern ourselves with pleasing Lazola and Thomas, shall we?”

“What's he like?”

Langa blinked. “Who?”

“Mr Rhadebe.” Marie's eyes were sparkling. “I've seen him here once or twice – he's such a looker. He seemed pretty intimidating when I first saw him, but then he talked to me and turned out to be quite charming.”

Not another one . . .

Langa smiled slightly. “I thought you were happily married, Marie.”

“Oh, I am!” The woman's cheeks went pink. “I'm not blind, though.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Nor deaf. I heard his assistant speaking to someone on the phone the last time. Someone calling from a jewellery boutique – about the engagement ring he'd ordered being ready for collection.”

Langa's hands froze in midair, but Marie chatted on, oblivious. “Miss Bala said she'd been with him for years and he'd never dated seriously before. She said his work has been his whole world for a long time now. So can you imagine the type of woman who's managed to make him want to settle down?”

How could it still hurt so much?

“And,” Marie now wore the overexcited grin of one who survived on large helpings of gossip, “can you imagine how much he must've spent?”

Langa grimaced at her assistant. “A whole lot, would be my guess.”

“I'm sure the diamond will be enormous! He strikes me as the type of man who would go all out for something he wants.”

“Yep. That about sums him up.”

“Especially the woman he loves. That's a once-in-a-lifetime deal. A man like him would love the woman he chose wholeheartedly and give her everything . . . So, what's it like?”

Langa's heart exploded in her chest. “I'm sorry, what?”

“The ring! I figured you must have the inside scoop since you were with him on the ROCH shoot. Have you met his woman?”

“His . . .? No. No, I don't know anything. We were far too busy, remember? Besides, he wouldn't share something that personal with me.”

“Oh.”

Langa used that disappointed silence to wrap up the tasks at hand. “Could you call Mandy at Board Room before you break for lunch? Let her know that I liked the locations of the ROCH's first set of billboards. We'll use the electronic ones to advertise next April's haute couture celebration at the hotel, but the rest can remain the same.”

Marie recognised the tacit order to return to work and nodded. Langa rubbed her eyes. It was hard enough acting like Lazola's recent engagement meant nothing to her. Enduring Marie's probing on top of that was simply too much.

Once her assistant got back to work, Langa immersed herself in the numbing monotony of crunching over her department's numbers, steadily tackling the pile on her desk. Everything had been accomplished well within budget. Eight months ago an achievement like that would've been a reason for her to celebrate. Today it wasn't even enough to keep her from fantasising about what her dream ring would look like.

One day.

* * *

“SURPRISE!”

Her colleagues were all wearing party hats and raising their glasses in glee. At five o'clock on the dot Langa had stepped out to find the other offices deserted. Before she could figure out what had happened, Robert had called her to his office. His stern tone had set butterflies loose in her stomach; he'd never used that tone with her before. Then she'd walked right into the chorus that had almost made her jump out of her skin.

Robert started a speech about how proud he was of his permanently appointed Head of Marketing, while Marie perched a purple party hat on Langa's head. She found herself grinning at the familiar faces around the room. The top floor's lounge area was filled to the brim and everybody there congratulated her with respect.

Ben grinned at her from across the room and waved. Langa made a threatening gesture to show that she'd kill him later.

“It was the only way, you know.” Robert was standing just behind her.

“The only way?”

“We had to sneak this celebration on you, or you'd never have agreed.”

“You're right.”

“My favourite words. Say it again.”

Langa smiled at him. “I said you're right. I haven't been very considerate of myself and my team in the past, but I've come a long way since then. And I appreciate the effort you put into this surprise.”

He watched her speculatively before nodding. “You certainly have grown up plenty this year.”

* * *

Finally the week drew to an end. Langa sipped her iced tea and enjoyed the view from the terrace of the restaurant at which she'd agreed to meet her friends. It had been a beautifully sunny day and the jacaranda trees made the evening air smell sweet. The scent reminded her of that first night with Lazola, the kiss neither of them had had any power to resist.

She shook her head and checked the time once more. She'd put money on Noluvuyo being the cause of her friends' tardiness. Langa had never met another person quite as spontaneous and freewheeling as Vuvu. Yet she was all concentration during her work hours, and the success of her estate agency was testimony enough to her astute business savvy. The rest of the time she blazed from one adventure to another.

For the umpteenth time Langa wished she could be as carefree as her friend. She'd have so much more fun that way. More excitement, less complications – and certainly no bruised heart to nurse.

A feminine laugh made her lift her head. Expecting to see her approaching friends, her eye was instead caught by the couple making their way to the opposite end of the large terrace. Her heart slammed about in her chest.

Lazola had his back to her, but she'd know those shoulders and that walk absolutely anywhere. She'd been held in those arms often enough, heard that voice in her dreams more times than she cared to count.

It was him.

He pulled out a chair for the woman beside him, then seated himself. After a brief word to the waiter he turned back to the woman, giving her his undivided attention. The woman leaned in to murmur something that made him smile and Langa couldn't help noting how handsome they looked together. It was impossible to miss. They both had such striking looks that she couldn't help but to gawk at them. Langa tapped her fingers subconsciously while she considered the best way to make an unobtrusive escape.

“Sorry we're late – it was all her fault.” Angela materialised in the chair to Langa's right.

“Just toss me in the line of fire, why don't you!” Vuvu bounced into the other seat with a smile on her face.

“Any time. Especially when you really are to blame. Can you believe that she made me wait while she seduced some poor, unsuspecting man?”

Vuvu's grin widened. “How're you doing, sunshine?”

For a moment Langa forgot about Lazola and the other woman. She had promised herself that she'd be stern with her friend about her terrible timekeeping, but she felt the corners of her mouth curling upwards instead. “I'm well. Spontaneous seduction, huh?”

“Nothing of the sort. Ang needed to make a stop before we got here and had the audacity to leave me unattended. Next thing I knew, the most divine man walked past me and disappeared into one of the offices. So I followed.”

Langa's eyes widened dramatically. “Vuvu, you didn't . . .”

“Hayi wena, man!” her friend scoffed indignantly. “I just went to ask him if he was single or not, and then I gave him my phone number. I took long 'cause I first had to figure out which office he was in.”

Angela sighed. “It's getting to the point where I'm afraid to go out in public with you. You can't just go knocking door to door like some love scout, particularly around the people I do business with.”

Vuvu's triumphant smile remained undiminished. “Why not? Did you see him, angelface? That was a man no sane woman would pass up.”

Langa couldn't help her curiosity. “So how did it go?”

“We're going out tomorrow.”

Angela's second sigh was made less impactful by the smile in her eyes.

Unfortunately the distraction her friends provided didn't last very long. Soon Langa's gaze skated to the couple at the other end of the terrace. The woman was chatting animatedly while Lazola listened patiently. She touched his arm at one point and Langa's stomach tossed queasily.

“Langa?”

Langa blinked. Angela's wide grey eyes were questioning; she must have been trying to attract Langa's attention for a while now. Darn.

“I'm sorry. What were you saying, Ang?”

“You were miles and miles away. What were you thinking about?”

“I think I can guess.”

Vuvu's brown eyes were shooting daggers across the terrace. Soon Angela turned as well, and her jaw dropped. Langa would have laughed, had she not been panicking silently.

Angela turned back to her. “How long have . . .? Would you like to leave? We could go somewhere else if you'd prefer.”

“Um, no. I'll be fine.”

“Of course you will!” Vuvu hissed. “You can't live your life running from him. He's not worth the stress. And it's definitely not worth hiding from the world because of what he put you through. Let's order.”

Langa had just convinced herself that her friend was absolutely right when Lazola looked up and saw her. Her world came to a standstill. He gazed at her intently, not even bothering to pretend to be paying his companion any attention. Langa tried not to stare but found that her eyes would not obey.

The waiter arrived to take their orders, and the spell was momentarily broken. Langa was surprised to find that her breathing had deepened and her friends were warily watching her. She focused on them resolutely. She would not give them any reason to think she might be cracking.

She made it through a few more minutes before her eyes wandered over to Lazola without her permission. He was still watching her. What was wrong with him? Did he
want
to get caught out? She made a decision, quickly pushed her chair back and got up.

“Ladies' room. Be right back,” she mumbled.

Langa walked away before her friends could respond. All she needed was a few minutes to collect herself. She made it down an empty, carpeted hallway and huffed in relief when the door to the ladies' room finally clicked shut behind her.

In front of the mirrors, she tossed her purse on the counter and studied her reflection. With a grimace she evaluated what she saw. A grey shirt and business pants were hardly attractive. And why hadn't she put on more than mascara this morning? And her
hair
! She was in the middle of digging in her purse for a comb when she suddenly stopped.

What was she thinking?

Lazola was here, flaunting his new fiancée to the world, and all she could do was wonder if he liked the way she looked? Langa braced her palms on the counter and leaned towards her flushed reflection.

“Pathetic. You, my friend, are smarter than that. Go out, enjoy yourself, and then leave.”

It may have been the world's shortest pep talk, but it did help. She splashed her face with some water, then dried herself and shook out her soft hair. The woman with Lazola, the same one from the ROCH, was groomed to the nines. What had ever drawn him to Langa if that was the type of woman he preferred?

The empty ladies' room held no answers and Langa was tired of asking the same questions over and over again. She reapplied her gloss and straightened her shirt before grabbing her purse. Her friends were waiting.

She had barely made it through the door when a strong hand grabbed her and spun her around. Her back thudded into a wall and the most incredible heat covered her front. Her golden eyes snapped up to the handsome face that had been torturing her for almost an hour.

“Lazola, what are you doing? We can't –”

“Hush, woman.” His lips mated with hers before she could protest.

No . . .

She'd spent a lot of time working out how she would get over him. She'd come up with answers to anything he could possibly say to her; she'd thought of responses to being around him; she'd figured it all out. All except for this.

His hand clasped both her wrists above her head while his chest pressed into her. His scent, his strength – her body recognised it all and answered with an acquiescence that made her moan. His teeth nipped insistently at her full lips and his tongue drove forward the moment access was granted. He overwhelmed her with a hunger that amazed her. Passion licked through her limbs and raged brighter when his free hand stroked at her hip before circling her waist.

He drew out a fervour she'd been sure had been doused a long time ago. Her hips gyrated against him and she whimpered when he cupped her breast through the thin material of her shirt. He pinched her aching nipple and smiled against her lips when she cried out.

His hand rose further till his fingers were buried in her hair. Langa was so lost in kissing him that it came as a shock when his entangled fingers tightened and pulled her away from his lips. She could barely lift her lids to meet his enigmatic scrutiny. His eyes were dark with lust and a possessiveness that made her yearn for his arms around her.