Ineffable (9 page)

“Yeah. Reiko is his muse. She’s a singer, and she’s working on his latest album with him, then he’s gonna produce hers. Her first. She was a backup singer back in the day. Very in demand too. But some years ago she had a family tragedy, and she had to give up the business, come home and run her family’s club.

“Since then she’s expanded the family’s holdings. They own a Dunkin Donuts franchise downtown, several apartment buildings, a car wash, and she’s saving up to buy a Dollar Tree franchise. She’s planning to partner with another good friend of ours, Steele. You remember her?”

He nodded. “But?”

Margot shrugged.

“Come on,” he coaxed. “I know there’s something else.”

She shook her head.

“I will keep the secret, Margot. I would never hurt you or your friends.”

She eyed him. He grinned encouragingly. “She’s saving by selling drugs.”

His eyebrows went into his hairline. “It seems risky. She has a lot to lose.”

“She knows that. But the franchise she wants has a time tag attached to it. The person wants to sell in the next year ‘cause he’s retiring. He told her he’d wait – he’s an old friend of her father’s – but she only has a certain amount of time to get the money together and no longer.

“You already know we smoke, and we’ve all been known to facilitate others with the same habit. One thing led to another, and,” Margot shrugged. “It’s fast, easy money, and they been doing it on and off for a long time. She got out of it for a while, but with this deal, you get the picture. She and Steele promised us as soon as they get enough for the business, they’re out, permanently. And you are not to tell anyone about this. Got it?”

He nodded.

“Say it out loud.”

He rolled his eyes. “I promise not to tell anyone that Reiko is selling drugs.”

“Or Steele.”

“Or Steele,” he agreed. “Is she coming back?”

“Nope. I tried, but she’s off making money now.”

“I’m sorry I ran her off.”

She waved it away. “You didn’t know. But now you do,” she said, warningly. “Reiko’s my girl. So is Steele. They’re one of the few in my crew not obsessed with clothes and shit. They’re totally down to earth. They were there for me when I was down, and they’ve never lied to me, never hurt me, not once in all the years I’ve known them, and we go back to elementary.”

“I get it. I’ll make it up to you, and to her. I’ll take you guys to dinner. Whenever you say, wherever you want.”

She nodded. “And dancing.”

He grinned and rolled her under him on the bed. “Okay. I’d love to dance with you.”

“Good.”

“When shall we go?”

“Sometime,” she said, suddenly very busy getting him out of his clothes.

“Soon, I hope. I’ve been told I’m a very good dancer,” he whispered, sucking rhythmically on her neck as they moved into position.

“I know you are.”

“How? We’ve never gone.”

“Some things you know. You’re very graceful and quite skilled in bed; it’s not that big a stretch.”

She was kissing her way down his body now, and he arched happily, his heart thumping fast as her fingers pinched his nipples and nosed around his groin.

“Thank you,” he rasped, hands clenching on the sheets as she licked the head of his cock. “I owe much to a skilled partner.”

“Me.”

“Yesss.” He groaned in disappointment when her hard suck on the broad cap of his cock stopped abruptly. Thankfully it was temporary.

“Honey,” she whispered, licking his balls with a long, wet sweep of talented tongue. “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”

Chapter eight

The next day she and Nori had a fight.

Tommy paid her a visit and sucked up primo work time in the middle of the day. Unfortunately for him, her muse called not long before he walked in the door. Nori, of course, wanted to make love, and barring that to lounge in bed with her under his arm while they watched the Notebook. He’d never seen it and was apparently feeling romantic.

“I gotta work,” she yelled the third time he called her into the bedroom.

When he stomped out looking pissy she snapped.

“What’s with that stank ass look? I gotta work,” she repeated. “I don’t come to your fuckin’ office throwing my weight around during business hours.”

“You don’t have fucking business hours. If you did you’d put that shit down and come to fucking bed!”

“Shit? Did you just call my work shit?”

“I didn’t mean it like that, I –”

“You know what? Fuck you. Why don’t you go home and sleep in your bed tonight.”

“What fucking bed?” He yelled, his French coming out as he waved his arms and glared at her. “I can’t sleep without you. I can’t half fucking breathe unless you’re near, touching me. I wait all day to see you, refrain from calling to give you time to work, and now you banish me for pliers and unfinished metal? Fuck you!”

Margot tossed her tools down and sighed. “What do you want?”

“You,” he said promptly.

“No, not right now. What do you want, Nori.”

“I want you to be mine.”

“Your girlfriend?”

“For now.”

She stared at him as she considered. “Okay.”

Nori released a harsh breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “You are mine.”

“Yeah.”

“Faithful only to me.”

“Yeah, and vice versa.”

“Yes,” he agreed impatiently. “Of course.”

He made a move toward her, but she held up a hand.

“But if we do this? You can’t come between me and my work. I’ll try to save my nights for you. But sometimes you’re gonna have to share me with my muse. I can’t be aggravated like this. You’re fucking with my livelihood. Understand?”

He nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m fuckin’ sorry. Tommy’s bubblehead ass sucked up hours today with a bunch of fucking dresses. She’s nuts.”

Nori chuckled softly, and came forward to pull her into his arms. He nuzzled her neck, and she shivered as his soft, warm lips touched his favorite spot beneath her ear. Suddenly she didn’t feel much like working. Of course, now that she’d changed her mind, his phone buzzed.

He read the incoming text with a frown.

“Will you come to my house tonight? I now have a meeting early tomorrow morning, and there are some papers there that I need.”

“Okay.”

“Okay,” he agreed. “And bring your shit.”

She gave him the side eye. “Watch it.”

He just laughed.

“What’s up?” she asked the doorman.

“He’s met you twice and asks about you every time he sees me,” Nori told her as they rode up in the elevator.

Margot just smirked. Then she stared. She’d seen it before, but it was still impressive that there were only two doors on his floor.

She walked into his living room, re-admiring his stunning view of the lake. “You ever go out on the water?”

“Yes. Shall I take you out this weekend?”

“You have a boat?”

“No. My father does.”

“Forget it.”

“He won’t be there!”

“Just the two of us?”

“We could invite Tommy and co. if you like.”

He was pleased when she shook her head. “Nah. Tommy’s not a big boat person.”

He sighed soundlessly. It would have been nice had her primary concern been to be alone with him. But he forgot his momentary pique as he watched her walk around. He smiled, smug and pleased when she kicked off her sandals and padded barefoot.

“You want something to drink?” She opened the refrigerator.

“Water, please.”

She came back to the window with two bottles. “I thought you had to work.”

“After I give you the tour. You weren’t here long enough before.”

He led the way, opening doors for her to peek her head in. Gym, office, two guest bedrooms and bathroom, laundry room. When they got to his room, he had to rein in a laugh when she lay down on his perfectly made bed and made a snow angel with her arms and legs. It was her way of saying the bed was huge.

“Make yourself at home.” He left her to it, wanting to finish work so he could take her in his bed for the first time.

His phone rang. His assistant was trying to cram in as many details as possible now that she finally had his attention. “Yani. I got the email from Scott.”

Three hours later, having crammed in nearly a days’ worth of work thanks to Yani’s skill and efficiency, and prepped sufficiently for his morning meeting, he sought her out.

She was asleep, one of the books he’d given her under her cheek, a half completed earring and a clutch of jewelry making paraphernalia nearby. He lay a hand on her back. She looked tired. “You’ve been working too hard.”

She yawned and stretched. “I got a lot on my plate.” She gathered up her things and stored them in the large purse she favored. “I’ve been thinking about taking a vacation come winter.”

“Yes? Were you thinking of Mexico? I know the perfect place for us to go where you could rest, relax, and I can watch and fuck you every chance I get.” He laughed when she grinned.

“When?”

“We could go for Christmas.”

“Where is it? In Mexico, I mean.”

“Cancun, but it’s on an island, not in the hotel zone.”

“Then it’s not La Blanc.”

“No. It’s smaller, more exclusive, only accessible by boat. Do you want to go to La Blanc?”

She shook her head. “It’s beautiful, but it was too crowded when I went. We went around to all of the big hotels, and there were kids everywhere.”

“I thought you liked children?”

“I do. But not screaming and running all over my feet like savages.”

He laughed. “This resort is adults only.”

“Sybaris?”

“Very funny.”

She laughed softly. He followed as she went into the bath, taking her clothes off as she walked.

She never spent long in the shower at night, just long enough for a good rinse, to wash her face and the important bits, she said when he first commented on her speed. In the morning she took forever. He saw she’d already put her toothbrush in the holder beside his. Her floss was on the vanity beside her travel tube of Sensodyne toothpaste.

He stepped into shower but she was already getting out. He sped through his ablutions, brushed and flossed and found her already abed, with the light out. She’d left the curtains open though. He slid into bed and picked up the remote to close them.

“No. I like the starlight.”

And between one word and the next, she fell asleep again. So much for his plans to christen the bed. Margot was the first woman he’d ever brought here. His last almost girlfriend had pushed and pushed to see the place, and it was her pushing that made him realize he didn’t want to date her anymore.

His father had trained him to always visit the lady’s home first.

“You need to see how she lives, to evaluate whether or not she’s worth sleeping with,” Aro said when he was 14 or 15. “If she lives like a savage, drop her immediately. You want a woman who knows how to build a comfortable nest. Or at least has enough sense to pay someone else to do it for her.

“If she doesn’t keep a ready home where she can throw an impromptu dinner party, or entertain close friends without relying on paper cups, she’s not worth sleeping with more than once. And only that if you’re desperate, which you should never be. And remember, never bring a woman to your home until you’re sure she’s going to stick around. You don’t want a lot of women knowing where you live. Females have a way of possessing a space. And every man needs a place to go where he can be free of unwanted influence.”

Then he’d thought his father was an old-fashioned snob, but he realized now he’d unconsciously been acting on those old dictates. Nori had been excellent at compartmentalizing his life. Even reserving certain cars for women, not wanting that unwanted influence, as his father called it.

He recalled the girl he dated throughout his first year of college. It was no great love affair. She was pretty and funny and an excellent lay, and he’d liked that she was rather dim. Not dumb exactly, more spoiled. Oblivious. It meant that he could do what he wanted without a lot of interference or questioning. It also meant after the novelty of the sex wore off, she bored him.

He broke off the relationship after he dropped her at home one night, walked her to the door and got back to the car to find her perfume lingering in the air. The smell made him faintly nauseous, and he knew he’d never sleep with her again.

Now he lay staring at Margot. He considered waking her, but once he had her in his arms he too fell fast asleep.

The next morning when she woke he was gone. There was a key on the pillow where he’d lain, along with a note that read, “Have breakfast at the little hotel around the corner. It’s called Volta. They have my credit card on file. I’ll see you later.”

She thought about snooping in his lovely apartment. But without him in it, the place felt cold, and she showered and headed out for breakfast on him.

Margot wondered if she should be going along with his wishes like a docile little cow. But lately she hadn’t felt much like asserting herself. She liked not having to make decisions all the time. She’d probably always liked that, but before him no one had ever carried through to her satisfaction – or with such flair – and she got used to taking care of things herself.

But she trusted Nori, which was probably stupid as all hell since they were in business together, and he was a man. A rich, beautiful man. But he hadn’t let her down yet. He’d actually been working overtime to please her since she pointed out his “negligence” in taking her out on dates or contributing to a household where he spent most of his time.

But it was more than nice dinners out, presents and groceries. He made her feel calm. Protected. Until they hooked up, Margot hadn’t realized how often she felt threatened. It was never as simple as plain, ordinary fear. The threat always had another name – disrespect, maybe, or, stupidity – but with Nori standing beside her, a 6’2” buffer between her and the rest of the world, there was no need for fighting.

Number one, no one ever fucked with her when he was around. And number two. Well, number two was complicated. And scary. And who needed either one of those when there was a free breakfast at hand.

He called as she was spreading blackberry jam on her toast.

“’Lo?”

“Are you at Volta?”

“Mmm.”

She chewed, waiting for him to speak. He didn’t, and she listened to him rustling papers at his desk.

“I’ll be in the office all day. I have a dinner this evening.” He paused, waiting for her to respond, but she remained quiet beyond another, “Mmmm.”

“Come with me.”

“To a business dinner?”

“Yes. We’re meeting at Catch 22 at 7. I’ll pick you up.”

“No. I’ll meet you.”

“Perfect,” he said, and Margot suspected she’d been played. “I’ll see you later.”

He hung up and she cursed softly. Now she had to find something to wear. She called Tommy. She so didn’t want to, but if she tried to dress herself and someone took a picture it would be the living end.

The dinner went well. She’d been a little nervous. This wasn’t his father, but their last dinner party had ended so badly, she figured it was reasonable for her to be skittish. But Nori’s associate was a gentleman, even after nearly a bottle of excellent merlot he remained charming, though some words became a challenge.

At the end of the meal, he paid with a drunken flourish, needed Nori’s assistance to get into a cab, and waved a boozy goodbye out the window before he blew Margot a kiss.

“He’s going to be mortified when I tell him he did that later.”

Margot laughed softly. “Then don’t tell him. No harm done.”

Nori snorted. “Of course I shall tell him. He shouldn’t be blowing my woman kisses. Besides, he needs to stop drinking so much. He only does this when he’s in a couple’s dynamic. His fiancé broke things off with him about six months ago.”

“Oh, poor thing. Why did she do it?”

“She’s a bitch. She found someone richer, and now she’s engaged to him.”

Margot whistled. “Damn. That sucks.”

“Why? He should be glad he found out she was a slut before the wedding. He had a lucky escape. If he had any brains, he’d go out, find someone new and forget about her.”

“How long were they together?”

“Maybe a year, if that.”

“Well, a year’s not so long to meet someone and then decide you want to spend the rest of your lives together. The relationship must have been pretty intense.”