Rhythm of their hearts

Slick lines and sweet nothings have zero effect on ambitious real estate developer Julie Dominick. Her love rules have thankfully saved her from dealing with messy relationship complications. But since R & B superstar Dante Wilson hired her to open his new Malibu nightclub, he’s determined to add some pleasure to their business dealings. And Julie’s strategy to protect her heart may not stand up to his seductive appeal.

Growing up in a music dynasty, Dante enjoys all the female attention that comes with his fame. For the first time, he knows what it feels like to be brushed off by someone he’s falling for. When his usual moves fall flat, he has to show Julie the real man behind all the glitz and glamour. Will it be enough to convince Julie that it’s better to break the rules rather than risk losing love’s passionate melody?

She slid her foot back to step away. His hand shot out and latched on to her waist. Dante closed the scant distance between them and pressed his solid body against hers.

“Don’t stand so close if you don’t want to get caught.”

Desire coated every nuance of his voice. The air around them shifted, crackling and sparking with the anger, annoyance and attraction simmering between them. The line between anger and desire was thin, and when his long fingers flexed against her waist, the line snapped. He infuriated her. The audacity of him paying for the meal, declaring himself competition, insisting that being zapped by the electric current between them was inevitable. Yet she couldn’t listen to the faint voice in her mind that said to pull away. Sucking in a breath, she didn’t smell cologne; instead, the clean smell of masculine soap and the intoxicating heat of his body made her mouth water.

“Now that I’ve got you,” he said, his tenor lowering to a seductive bass, “what are you going to do?”

Dear Reader,

If you have young kids you probably spend a lot of your television time watching cartoons and kids’ shows (it can’t be just me). Little did I know that a guest appearance by a group called Nuttin’ But Stringz on my kid’s favorite show would not only inspire me to create a Pandora station, but later a book. Dante Wilson is the hero in A Malibu Kind of Romance and an R & B superstar. He’s been in the music industry since he was thirteen, and now he wants to try something new. I knew immediately the music he wanted to play would be similar to the music of Nuttin’ But Stringz, who play a blend of classical, hip-hop, jazz and R & B.

While you’re reading A Malibu Kind of Romance, if you have a hard time “hearing” the music, check out the group. Maybe you’ll get a little inspiration, too.

Synithia

A Malibu Kind of Romance
Synithia Williams

www.millsandboon.co.uk

SYNITHIA WILLIAMS has been an avid romance novel lover since picking up her first at the age of thirteen. It was only natural that she would begin penning her own romances soon after—much to the chagrin of her high school math teachers. She’s a native of South Carolina and now writes romances as hot as their southern settings. Outside of writing, she works on water quality and sustainability issues for local government. She’s married to her own personal hero, and they have two sons, who’ve convinced her that professional wrestling and superheroes are supreme entertainment. When she isn’t working, writing or being a wife and mother, she’s usually bingeing on TV series, playing around on social media or planning her next girls’ night out with friends. You can learn more about Synithia by visiting her website, www.synithiawilliams.com, where she blogs about writing, life and relationships.

To my parents, Lisa and Sam,

thank you for always supporting my dreams.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Copyright

Chapter 1

Dante Wilson stared at the supermodel twins dancing together at his post-concert party in Vegas and had one thought: he loved his life! What wasn’t there to love? He was one of the world’s bestselling artists, his family ran a music dynasty, he’d finished a sold-out world tour and he was pretty sure he’d be going home with one or both of the twins. He leaned back against the plush leather sofa, took a sip of the champagne in his hand and grinned.

The Vegas strip was a colorful backdrop outside the window of the penthouse suite, which was filled with celebrities, their entourages and musicians—all there to help him celebrate. The guy to Dante’s right, basketball star Jacobe Jenkins, pulled his long designer-jean-clad legs in and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I know what you’re thinking.”

Dante shifted in his seat. He’d lost his dress shirt earlier while dancing, and wore only a white T-shirt and black slacks. “If you’re assuming my thoughts have something to do with the twins, then you’re right.”

Jacobe chuckled. “I should have bet money on that. You go through more women than any other guy I know. And I’m surrounded by professional basketball players all day.”

“Perks of the job,” Dante said. “But after tonight I’m slowing down with the female distractions. Tonight’s about releasing some steam after the tour before getting back into the studio. Though I love partying, I’m going to have to do less of this for a while.” He waved his hand to indicate the energetic crowd.

“Damn, Dante,” Jacobe said, once again stretching out his legs. “You just got back in the country, and you’re going back to the studio.”

“To stay on top of my game, I can never really take a break. Plus, I’m excited to get back to Malibu and get to work on the music I want to do.”

Jacobe raised a brow. “That classical stuff?”

Dante shook his head. “It’s not classical stuff. It’s a fusion of hip-hop, jazz and rock with classical influence. Wait until you hear it—you’ll dig it.”

Jacobe gave Dante a skeptical look before he turned to watch one of the many beauties at the party walking by. Jacobe’s skepticism didn’t deter Dante’s confidence in his next move. Not much anyway. Dante had built a solid career using the Wilson family legacy and his own talent. He could sing, play several different instruments and dance. After seventeen years doing the music his family and their label wanted him to do, Dante was ready to do his own thing.

Not that he regretted seventeen years of pop stardom. Show business was in his family’s blood—starting with his great-grandfather, who’d performed on the Chitlin’ Circuit in the 1950s, to his grandfather, who’d started his own record label in the 1970s. Then to Dante’s father, who with a smooth baritone singing voice, hit songs and a shrewd business sense, turned that label into one of the country’s most successful. The biggest names in music signed with W. M. Records.

Dante was fiercely proud of his family’s legacy. But pride didn’t diminish a growing frustration with the pressure to keep doing the same type of music that everyone else was doing.

“Are you sure the music you’re doing will be successful?” Jacobe asked.

Dante shrugged. “I can’t say one hundred percent, but I know there’s an audience. The group I’m working with, Strings A Flame, they’ve got a following. If I sign them to W. M. Records and record an album with them, then that’s all it’ll take.”

“You’re pretty confident in your pull,” Jacobe said, turning away from the woman he’d been watching.

“I’ve been around for nearly twenty years. I’m allowed to be confident in my staying power. I know the market isn’t as big—that’s why I’m opening a nightclub. I’ll debut the music there, see how the fans react, then go from there.”

“You’ve got it all planned out.”

“Always,” he said with a confidence that he couldn’t allow to waiver. The only hitch in his perfect plan was his dad. Otis Wilson wanted hip-hop and R&B right now, the more commercial the better. He’d originally brushed off Dante’s plans to sign S.A.F. and hadn’t shown any interest in backing an album. He needed the nightclub to be successful to convince his dad otherwise.

Jacobe looked at Dante. “What do you know about opening a nightclub?”

“Nothing. I’m partnering with Raymond, but we may still need someone to come in and handle the day-to-day.” Dante pointed to Raymond, who was walking over to where he and Jacobe were sitting.

Raymond was an up-and-coming star in the R&B world with two hit albums in the past five years. He had enough popularity to make some people think Raymond’s future in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was set, but Dante had seen enough artists crash and burn to know two hit albums didn’t mean a thing. However, the kid was smart and had invested his money in other ventures outside the entertainment industry, including a nightclub called Masquerade in Atlanta that he and another rapper opened a few years ago. It was now the hottest spot in the city. When Raymond mentioned opening a place on the West Coast, Dante immediately brought up his idea. Raymond had agreed after listening to some of the music Dante and S.A.F. had put together.

“Dante,” Raymond said with a grin on his face. He held out his hand and gave Dante a fist bump before doing the same with Jacobe.

“This party is where it’s at,” Raymond said.

“I told you the best way to celebrate the end of a tour is with a party in Vegas,” Dante said as he and Raymond slapped hands again.

The song changed, and the same twin models who’d had Dante’s attention before gyrated to the music. Dante sipped the champagne in his hand and grinned at the women, who both blew kisses his way.

“Most definitely the way to end a tour,” Raymond said, grinning. “Did you tell Jacobe about our plans for the club?”

“I was just telling him about that.”

Raymond nodded and grinned. “It’s going to be hot, right?”

Jacobe lifted his chin in agreement. “Nothing Dante has done thus far has failed. I don’t see why this would. Even though I’m still trying to imagine the music. I keep imagining symphonies with rapping when I think about it.”

“I’ll send you one of our songs. That’ll help,” Dante said, still not bothered. Jacobe was a die-hard classic hip-hop fan, and he had a hard time with any other variation in the genre.

Dante looked at Raymond. “It wouldn’t hurt to find another partner to come in and help oversee the details of the development,” he said. “W. M. Records has a firm it’s used for the other nightclubs the label has invested in, but I don’t want to use them. They’ll go to my dad for his influence, and he’ll turn the place into another carbon copy of an LA club. That’s not what I’m going for.”

Raymond snapped his finger. “I’ve got someone in mind.”

“Really? Who?”

“You ever heard of Julie Dominick?”

Dante ran through the females he may have heard about but came up empty. “Should I know her?”

“She’s the woman that handled the development of Masquerade.”

Dante’s brows rose. “Really?”

“That’s my girl, Julie. She negotiated the deal to land that prime location in Buckhead and kept other investors from snagging it up. She oversaw the entire operation, from acquisition to construction, and did a damn good job.”

Jacobe chuckled. “What, is she paying you to be her public relations person?”

Raymond shook his head. “Nah, I just wanted you to know the type of work she can do. We should consider her.”

“Working her magic in Atlanta isn’t the same as working her magic in California,” Dante said. “I’d rather go with someone who knows the ins and outs on this side of the country.”

“I know Julie—she can do it.” Confidence and affection filled Raymond’s voice.

Dante’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know her? This isn’t some old girlfriend you’re trying to give the hookup to?”

“Nah, not like that. Julie and I are cool. We met in college, and she’s been my homegirl ever since. She got me started in music actually, promoting my music and getting me gigs in and around Atlanta. Now she’s started her own development firm, and I want to help her out.”

“Is that all? No guy I know just helps out a female for no reason.”

Raymond rubbed his jaw and lifted a shoulder. “I wouldn’t mind if Julie and I became more than friends one day.”

“I figured.”

“But it’s not like that. Julie is the kind of woman you make your number one chick. We’ve talked about finally getting together if both of us were single when we turned thirty. That’s only a few years away. Who knows—this may bring us together.”

A sexy woman in a skimpy red dress walked past. Raymond and Jacobe both went slack jawed and watched her walk by with more than a little interest. Raymond, ever bold, reached out and took her hand, then pulled her against his side. The woman giggled, wrapping her arms around Raymond’s neck.

Dante chuckled and shook his head. “You’re ready to settle down, huh?”

Raymond wiggled his brows. “I said a few years off. Come on—look up Julie. She’s opened some other spots on the East Coast. We can at least meet with her and then decide.”

Dante’s cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out to find a picture of his father, in his best blue pinstripe suit sitting behind his desk at W. M. Records, on the screen. “I’ll think about meeting her. Excuse me, fellas.” He stood and punched the button to answer the call.

Dante put the phone to his ear. “Dad, hold on a minute.”

He walked away from the main area of the party and into the suite’s master bedroom, which was, thankfully, empty. “You still there?”

“Sounds like one hell of a party.” Otis Wilson’s deep baritone, which was the hallmark of his career, came through the phone.

“You know I like to celebrate the end of a tour in style.”

Otis laughed. “I don’t blame you. Man, if you could have seen the parties we had back in the day.”

“I heard the stories. You guys partied too hard for me.”

“That’s the truth,” Otis said, his voice laced with nostalgia. “What are you doing after you leave Vegas?”

Dante fought not to sigh. He’d told his dad during the entire concert tour what he planned to do. “I’m going to Malibu to look into opening my club.”

“You’re still on that? Come on, Dante—why are you wasting your time?”

“It’s not wasting time. I’ve spent seventeen years doing what the market told me to do. Now I want to pursue my own things.”

“Dante, you can dabble in that classical–hip-hop fusion mess on the side, but the money is in mainstream music. I just left a meeting with Antwan, and he’s interested in doing a joint album with you.” Antwan was the biggest name in hip-hop, and the fact that he was unhappy with his label was no secret. Ever since that news had gone public, Otis had let Dante know he would try to recruit Antwan to W. M. Records. Hard.

“Having Raymond on your concert tour gave you a boost with the younger generation. If you do an album with Antwan, then follow it with your own R&B, you’ll sell even more.”

The same song Otis had sung since Dante announced his tour. Otis always followed the money, which normally meant following the mainstream trends.

“I’ve sold enough that I trust being able to try something new. I’ll consider a collaboration with Antwan after the club is up and going.”

“You put out that crappy music and your name will be nothing. We can’t afford the hit. Not after what your sister pulled last year.”

Dante pinched the bridge of his nose. His sister had a strong pop music career, but, for some reason, she’d tried to go hard-core hip-hop the previous year. The only thing hard about her album was how hard it hit the bottom of the charts.

“What Star tried and what I’m trying are not the same.”

“Dante, I need you to do the album with Antwan.” The urgency of Otis’s tone was unexpected.

Dante frowned. “What’s going on?”

“The thing with your sister was just the icing on the cake. We’ve got artists that are considering not resigning, and sales are down. We need Antwan to breathe new life into W. M. Records and another set of hit albums to rebuild confidence with our current artists.”

“How bad are sales?”

“I didn’t want to get into this, but we’ve gone down about five percent the past two years. I wouldn’t worry, we’ve had down years before, but if we lose some artists and can’t sign a big name, then we may be talking double-digit losses. They haven’t crucified us in the business news yet. But another year with profit losses, and they will.”

“Damn,” Dante grunted and ran a hand over his forehead. He sat back on the bed while his dad’s revelation took root in his brain. The Wilson legacy, and the success of W. M. Records, was what he’d lived for and built his career on. If they had multiple years of losses, even small ones, pretty soon the speculators would begin to spread rumors that things weren’t going well at W. M. Records. Artists would jump ship. Sales would dwindle. Best case, they’d take several years to rebuild. Worst case, they would fold or have to consider a merger with another label just to stay afloat.

“Go ahead and open the club,” Otis said. “You mentioned that Raymond wants to put his name on it. Fine, that’ll help. But before you turn it into some hippie hangout, think about doing the album with Antwan, and maybe booking some of our commercial artists there instead.”

Dante hated the idea of his dream becoming something else, but he also hated the idea of his family’s legacy suffering. “I’ll think about it.”

“Good.”

They talked for a few more minutes. Afterward, Dante tossed his phone on the bed. The fate of W. M. Records and the good argument Otis had for Dante to continue making the music that sold swirled in his brain. He’d never considered that what happened to Star could happen to him, but with the state of affairs at W. M. Records, it was a real concern. As much as he wanted to try his hand at new, different music, he honestly loved his lifestyle and the perks of being famous. One bad album wouldn’t ruin him, but it could take him from being one of the most celebrated men in the music industry to a laughingstock.

Dante swore and rubbed his temples. Damn. He really didn’t want to think about that.

There was a knock on the door before it opened. The two models he’d watched dance before peaked their heads in. Their grins promised a welcome distraction from his shaky confidence—something he’d never felt before. Smiling, Dante waved the women in. Tomorrow he’d worry about what to do with his music career. Tonight his music was still popular and so was he. Time to get back to relaxing after another successful tour and worry about reality later.

Chapter 2

Julie Dominick hung up the phone on her desk and jumped up from the leather chair. Her red high heels tapped on the tile floor as she rushed across the hall to the office of her business partner, Evette Dean. She gave two swift knocks on Evette’s open door before hurrying in.

“You’ll never guess who I just talked to,” Julie said in a rush.

Evette slowly turned away from her wide-screen monitor and raised a brow—her natural response whenever Julie came to her bouncing in excitement. Evette’s light brown hair was twisted in the usual no-nonsense bun at the back of her head, and her polka-dot tan blouse and matching black pencil skirt were flawless, as always. If not for the spark in Evette’s dark eyes, Julie would think she hadn’t garnered her friend’s interest.

“Then you better tell me.”

Julie stood before Evette’s neatly arranged desk. “Raymond just called.”

Evette’s raised brows lowered into a frown. The spark of interest was gone. She waved a hand and turned back to her monitor. “I thought you were talking about someone.”

Julie reached over and placed a hand over Evette’s hands, which were already typing away on the keyboard. “You will never guess what he wanted.”

Evette sighed and turned back to Julie. “What did he want?”

“He’s opening a nightclub, and he wants us to manage the development.”

The interest returned full force. Evette sat forward, her eyes wide. “Are you serious?”

“There are two things I don’t play around with, and that’s business and money.”

“That’s great! When, where, what type of club?”

Julie waved her hands back and forth to stop the flow of questions. “He’s finished the concert tour, and now he’s in Malibu, California. He wants someplace upscale but with a casual vibe where they can host live performances. He’s already bought the location and needs another partner to help oversee the day-to-day operations.”

“When are you going?” Evette’s voice indicated that Julie should be packing instead of talking.

Julie took a deep breath and fell into the leather chair across from Evette’s glass-top desk. “I’m not sure if I’m going.”

Evette’s excitement morphed into confusion. Not surprising. Out of the two of them, Julie was definitely the one who didn’t hesitate when the time came to make bold decisions. “You’re not sure?” Evette asked. “When have you ever not been sure about doing something this big?”

More times than Julie would ever admit. Faking confidence after walking away from Nexon-Jones, a powerhouse in the nightclub and restaurant development world, to start her own firm was proof of that.

Some thought she was crazy for leaving Nexon-Jones, where she was on the fast track to being one of their most promising agents. The decision had been easy after her boss had asked her to get a little more comfortable with a potential client. Julie walked and started Dominant Development. A bold name for a bold move. Go hard or go home.

The bold move worked enough to get Evette to walk away with her, and their combined determination had led to Dominant Development’s name being behind the openings of nightclubs around the southeast with more than a few celebrities tied to them. Having one of R&B’s newest stars as a best friend didn’t hurt either. Raymond had helped her get her first nightclub opened at the start of his career and later had introduced her to his celebrity friends. This was the first time he’d brought up opening a new place with her.

“We need to fix the situation in Miami,” Julie said.

“All the more reason to go,” Evette countered. “If you do this, everyone will forget about the failure of the Miami club.”

Julie winched. “We don’t say failure. We say setback.”

A big setback in the case of their small firm. They had started strong, opening successful nightclubs in Atlanta, Charlotte and Nashville. The name Dominant Development was garnering respect until the Miami nightclub. Crash-and-burn failure was an understatement. The place hadn’t stayed open for six months before fights between rival gangs and rumors of drug trafficking shut it down. Julie had been leery of working with the newly rich rapper who had wanted the club, but the guy was at the top of the charts at the time, and she’d fallen back on her go all in or go home rule. Regardless of how well her other nightclubs were doing, the disaster that was the Miami club is what people were talking about now.

“Setback, failure, call it what you want. We need another big opening,” Evette said.

“Yes, but we also just landed two new clients, and those projects are going to take a lot of effort. We are on the verge of needing one more agent.”

Evette raised her pointer and middle fingers. “Two.”

“Fine, we need two more people to handle the workload. It’s not a good time for me to hop on a plane and fly across the country to open a new nightclub.”

Evette took a deep breath, which meant she was trying hard to think about Julie’s arguments instead of just blowing her off. “I hear what you’re saying, but I think this is the perfect time. If you open a nightclub associated with Raymond, and it’s successful, it will wash away the mess that was Miami and get us in the playing field on the West Coast. The jerks at Nexon-Jones will lose their minds. Isn’t this why you started this place?”

No truer words were spoken. After leaving Nexon-Jones, Raymond had introduced her to rapper Antwan Harmon, who went by just Antwan. Her attraction to Antwan was immediate; she’d fallen for his swagger and intensity, and was even a little thrilled by his street appeal. When he’d stopped talking with Nexon-Jones about opening a club in Atlanta and trusted her to open the place instead, she’d fallen in love. She’d stolen a major client from her former employer and found the man she’d spend the rest of her life with. The former thought had worked out, the latter not so much. Opening night, she’d found out she was just one of many women in love with Antwan.

Her heartbreak was coupled with the knowledge that her former boss started spreading the word that she’d only landed Antwan’s account because she was sleeping with him. She’d also heard that some blamed her for making the decision about the Miami club because of her “relationship” with the client. Now she made sure to keep a very wide distance between her and any person she worked for.

“I’d feel guilty if I left you alone in the midst of this.”

“Girl, quit being crazy. We’ve already narrowed down the agents we want to interview. I’ll handle bringing on the new agents.”

“I wanted to be involved.”

“Why? You don’t trust my judgment?” Evette asked without any indication that she believed the statement.

“Of course I do,” Julie said with sincerity. She trusted Evette more than anyone. “If this pans out, I’ll be out there for several months, at least until the club is opened.”

“You can come back once or twice a month if it gets really crazy back here. Let go of some of that control freak, and go get us more business. Besides, isn’t the point of having a famous friend is so he can help you out?”

“Says who?”

“Says me. Let your friendship with Raymond be useful for once.”

Julie chuckled and leaned back in the chair. “I don’t know why you dislike him so much. Raymond has been a great friend. He helped me out when I was turning into a poor, sad basket case. He taught me how to—”

“Guard your heart,” Evette finished with a hand wave. “I know. You and those crazy dating rules.”

“They aren’t crazy. I got caught up in that relationship with Antwan and thought there was more to us than there was. You remember how pathetic I was. If it weren’t for Raymond schooling me on the way men think, I would’ve fallen for more pitiful lines and believed I was in a relationship with a guy when I was actually a booty call.”

“Raymond’s so-called education—” Evette made air quotes with her fingers “—has given you a convenient excuse to keep men at arm’s length.”

“I date.” Julie shrugged. “Guys love me. Unfortunately, they love me for all the wrong reasons.”

The few celebrity men she met were just as conceited and into playing games as Antwan. She preferred dating men outside the entertainment industry. Sadly, the few she had dated either played the same games or thought she was a good route to meeting famous people.

“Guys love trying to break through the wall you’ve surrounded yourself with. You’re a challenge.”

“Which is ten times better than being an easy conquest.”

“I still think Raymond’s education is just a way for him to keep you single.”

This time Julie waved away Evette’s words. “We’re just friends, Evette. For the hundredth time, Raymond only gives advice on men when I ask for it, and he’s spot-on every time. He’s not keeping me single—the lack of available men is keeping me single.”

Evette grunted. “I can’t argue with that. Anyway, back to my original point. If Raymond wants you to oversee opening his nightclub—regardless of how busy we are here—I think you should go. At least see what his plans are and make sure it’s worth our time.”

“There’s one more little thing.”

“What’s that?”

Julie studied her perfectly polished nails. “He’s opening the place with Dante Wilson.” Her voice was blasé when she knew this news would shatter any sense of calm Evette had.

Evette slapped her desk with both hands, her eyes as wide as saucers. “Dante Wilson?” Julie nodded. “The Dante Wilson? Mr. I Can Sing, Dance and Play a Dozen Instruments Dante Wilson? Dante Wilson of W. M. Records, whose parents, grandparents and great-grandparents were music legends?”

Julie chuckled. “The one and same.”

Evette pointed at Julie. “You’re getting on that plane, today, and you’re checking out this lead. Why didn’t you say that first?”

“Because I didn’t want it to sway your decision. This is huge, but if you had any hesitation about handling the two new accounts, hiring new staff and our current projects while I was on the West Coast, I would have said no.”

Evette took another deep breath. “Julie, I appreciate you thinking of me, seriously, but if you are not in Malibu by the end of the week, I swear I’m going to strangle you.” Her calm tone gave way to excitement by the end of the sentence.

Julie grinned and stood. “No need for violence. I’ll go back to my office and finally click Submit.”

“On what?”

“The purchase of the plane ticket I started buying before coming in here.”

Chapter 3

Julie sat in the backseat of the car Raymond had waiting for her at the airport and reviewed the list of reputable contractors in and around Malibu, California. Paying attention to the details instead of taking in the beautiful sights along the Pacific Coast Highway was proving difficult for her. Between the awe-inspiring mountains and sparkling sea, she really wished she was there for pleasure instead of business. But business was the reason she’d left Evette in Atlanta, so she tore her eyes away from the views and scanned contractor websites.

Picking contractors before actually being vetted as Raymond and Dante’s final partner was presumptuous. Raymond basically wanted her to come and talk about possibly working with them. She’d mainly gotten her jobs by acting as if she already had them. The tactic hadn’t failed her yet.

Later, when the car pulled down one of the gated entrances that she assumed blocked the way to the homes of Hollywood’s rich and famous, her stomach churned like the waves against the bluffs she’d admired on the drive up. She was actually about to meet Dante Wilson. Thanks to her friendship with Raymond and her work opening popular nightclubs, she wasn’t easily starstruck. However, she’d listened to and loved Dante’s music for most of her life. From her preteens through her bad breakup with Antwan, the guy always had a song on the radio rotation that seemed to fit the mood of her life.

She’d dressed nicely for her flight. Albeit her black trousers, white cowl-neck blouse and tailored red blazer were travel worn, she still looked casual but professional. While the driver announced their arrival at the gate, Julie pulled out her compact to double-check her makeup and smooth her hand down the back of her stylish pixie cut.

The gates opened, and the driver maneuvered the car down the long drive and parked in front of a huge stone villa. She would have been impressed by the house and its magnificent views if not for the obvious signs of a party going on. She frowned in confusion when the driver opened the door, where she was greeted by music coming from the back, along with laughter and voices. Three women in skimpy bikinis and two men in board shorts stood out front. Another car pulled up, and the group got in.

She glanced at the driver. “Are we at the right place?”

“Yes, ma’am. This is Dante Wilson’s residence.”

Julie nodded, then turned back to the sounds of revelry coming from the villa. She crossed the stone-tiled entrance to the front door. Julie rang the doorbell, unsure if the chime would even be heard over the sounds of the party. Hell, did she even need to ring the bell?

A guy wearing blue-and-red swim trunks opened the door. “Hey, come on in,” he said, waving her inside.

Julie thanked him, entered the home and immediately felt overdressed. Men in swim trunks and women in bathing suits filled the house. The main area, with tan stone walls, dark walnut floors, modern furnishings and expensive decorations, was completely open to the outside, where a crystal-blue infinity pool overlooked the ocean. Even more people in bathing suits milled around the expansive outdoor living space.

“Are you here for the party?” the guy asked.

“Umm, I’m meeting with Raymond,” she said.

“Oh, come on—he’s out by the pool.”

Julie followed him through the crowd out to the pool. “He’s there.” He pointed.

Raymond was in the middle of the pool, playing water polo with several bikini-clad women. Of course he would be. Julie rolled her eyes, but she smiled despite her disappointment that he wasn’t prepared for a real meeting. Raymond would never change. They’d met freshmen year in college at a party. Though she’d flirted with him, she’d turned down his attempts to get her in bed. She’d never felt that way about Raymond. Eventually, their flirty relationship had become a close friendship by the time they graduated and Raymond’s music career kicked off. She knew if there was a party to attend or a good-looking woman to get with, Raymond was there.

Still, as she stood by the pool, sweltering in a blazer while everyone else was clad in swimwear, a strong pull of annoyance that Raymond hadn’t mentioned she would be walking into a pool party and not a business meeting swept through her. She really hoped he wasn’t wasting her time. She loved Raymond like a brother, but she wouldn’t hesitate to wring his neck if he pulled her away from Atlanta over a whim of his.

“Hey, Raymond,” she called. Her voice, and the annoyance in it, carried above the music and female laughter.

Raymond turned away from the game to look her way. His grin widened. “Julie!” he exclaimed with slight surprise.

She worked very hard not to roll her eyes again. The volleyball hit him in the side of the head, and a chorus of chuckles came up from the various women in the pool.

Raymond shook his head and blinked several times. “I’m coming out now.” He swam to the edge of the pool and pulled himself out of the water. Every woman in the pool eyed his muscular body with desire and enthusiasm—chiseled muscles beneath smooth tan skin, a pretty-boy face with green eyes to boot. Julie understood their admiration, though she didn’t share their desire.

He took a few steps to her and tried to hug her. Julie jumped back and held up a hand. “No way, you’re soaking wet.”

Raymond’s eyes flashed with mischief that Julie knew all too well. “I’m serious, Raymond—this is a new blazer, and you can’t mess it up with a chlorine-filled hug.”

He chuckled and edged closer. “I haven’t seen you in ages, and you won’t hug me because of a jacket.”

Julie took a step back. “No, I won’t hug you, but I do feel like punching you.”

That stopped his movement. “What did I do this time?”

Julie raised a brow and looked around. “Ray, I thought we were meeting to discuss business. Instead you’re having a party.”

“Oh, that,” he said with a shrug. “We can still talk.” He waved over a woman lounging nearby. The beauty stood and brought him a towel. “Thanks, baby.” Raymond slapped her behind as she walked away, then wiped the excess water from his face.

“You know, I’d rather talk when you’re not in the middle of an orgy. I’ll check into the hotel, and we can meet up tomorrow.”

She’d booked the hotel suite for a month with plans to extend that or possibly rent someplace if it seemed the club opening would take a long time. If it fell through, she would make Raymond pay any hotel cancellation fees.

“No! Sorry, Julie, this party just kind of happened.”

Julie doubted that. There were too many people here for the party to kind of happen, but she kept that thought to herself. “All the more reason to wait until we can really talk about things.”

“Seriously, we can. Dante is here. I told him you were coming today.”

Julie glanced around at the people present. She recognized some celebrities and reality stars, but Dante wasn’t in the mix.

“He’s inside,” Raymond said. “Come on. At least say hello, since you got all dressed to impress, and then stay and relax for a while.”

“Raymond, I’m here on business, not to relax.”

“Not all business is handled in a boardroom, Julie. Chill out for a second and come meet Dante.”

He took her hand and gently tugged her toward the door. Julie twisted her lip but let him lead her. Honestly, she shouldn’t be surprised that Raymond asked her to meet him to discuss business at the same time Dante “accidentally” threw a party. His fun personality and spontaneity were part of the persona that had turned him into a star.

“How was your flight? Did the driver get to the airport on time? I gave him your arrival and told him to be there on time.” Raymond fired off the questions.

Julie answered those and the half-dozen others Raymond threw her way as they walked through the crowded living area toward the back of the house. His questions reminded her of their college days when he always worried about her walking across campus at night by herself. His concern for her welfare was why she’d eventually viewed him as a brother. His concern grew after her breakup with Antwan. She knew Raymond blamed himself for introducing her to the guy, and she believed that was why he was so forthcoming with her about all the sleazy ways men thought and the tricks they pulled.

In the back of the house, the sounds of the party were replaced by the sound of piano music along with Dante’s smooth tenor singing.

“Let me hold you in my arms. Let me comfort you all night long. Let me be the man to kiss away your fears.”

Julie’s heart ached as the words took her back to the time after the Antwan breakup when she’d listened to this song and yearned for a guy to be all those things. She’d listened to the song repeatedly. She hated herself for moping so much over a man who didn’t deserve it, and hearing Dante sing stirred up the longing she’d thought was long gone.

She and Raymond stopped at the open door of the room where the music came from. A large grand piano stood in the center of what she could see was a music room with other instruments, framed albums and pictures of the Wilson family lining the walls. Dante sat behind the piano; four women in colorful bikinis surrounded him like beautiful birds. She hadn’t listened to the song in ages. His voice swept her up in thoughts of how nice having a man actually kiss away her fears would be.

She’d known Dante was handsome and that he could sing, but to witness his talent and his beauty up close and personal took her breath away.

His eyes were closed, and the flash of his perfect white teeth gleamed between lips that made her think of marathon rounds of kissing, touching and sexing. His head swayed gently back and forth to the sound of the music. His curly dark hair was tapered at the sides and thicker on the top. A dusting of hair covered his square jaw. Julie’s gaze slid over wide shoulders in a white shirt unbuttoned just enough to give a glimpse of a smooth muscled chest and warm brown skin. As if she were still standing beneath the sun, Julie’s body burned. Her nipples hardened, and a slow, sultry heat that matched the smoldering sound of Dante’s voice slid through her body.

Julie shifted from one foot to the other. This was not good. She could not be attracted to him. She tried to ignore her primal response, but the concentration of heat between her thighs continued in a mocking sucks for you kind of way.

The music stopped, and no one spoke until the last note drifted away. Dante opened his eyes, and the ladies clapped and squealed their praise. His lips spread in a wide-open grin. His sexy dark eyes sparkled with a look that made a woman want to forget every lesson about acting like a lady. A sound, part whimper, part suppressed giggle, rang in her ear; a second later, she realized she’d made the sound.

Raymond shifted beside her. Dante looked up, his dark gaze connecting with hers so hard she gasped out the little bit of air that remained in her chest. Oh, hell, I’m screwed.

“Raymond,” Dante said, his very interested eyes still on Julie, “please introduce your beautiful friend.”

Chapter 4

Dante’s smile widened as the woman with Raymond snapped her mouth closed and lifted her chin. He didn’t miss the blatant desire burning in her wonderful light brown eyes before she’d hidden the emotion behind a professional mask. His gaze slowly traced over her body, and his abdomen tightened with anticipation. Forgetting the beauties who’d dragged him to the music room, and the fun he’d planned to have with them, Dante stood and crossed the room.

He took in more of her appearance the closer he got. He liked everything he saw: short, stylish hair highlighted blond, the bangs just long enough to brush arched brows; clear, direct amber eyes; and a full, sensuous mouth. Her black pants didn’t hug her curves, but the material didn’t hide her shapely figure either. The red blazer brought attention to her waist and the scooped neckline of her shirt drew his eyes to her sexy cleavage. Sexy cherry-red heels brought her to almost his height.

“Dante,” Raymond said. “This is Julie Dominick.”

Dante held out his hand. “Julie Dominick.” He said her name slowly, enjoying the sound. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

He took her hand and kissed the back, catching a whiff of her perfume. The warm scent brought to mind dark rooms and Julie sliding across satin sheets beneath him.

“It’s a pleasure meeting you, Dante,” she said, and she didn’t pull her hand away. “Out of all your songs, that is my favorite.”

Her gaze was straightforward—no batting lashes or shy glances. He liked that immediately. She was a woman who wasn’t hesitant. Despite her directness, that hot spark from when their eyes first met was nowhere to be seen. He wanted the spark back.

“I’d be happy to sing it for you anytime you’d like.”

Her smile tipped up at the corners, and she slowly slid her hand out of his. The gentle glide of her slim fingers sent shivers down his arm. “Raymond didn’t tell me you were having a party. I expected a business meeting.”

She’d ignored his obvious flirtation, which meant she was going to try to ignore what he’d noticed and felt between them. He should do the same, but direct and beautiful women were his weakness.

“A friend came over, and before we knew it there was a houseful of people. The whole party happened on a whim.”

“Hmm, is opening your club also due to a whim?” She looked from Dante to Raymond. He heard the insinuation that they were wasting her time. Dante grinned. Direct, beautiful and bold. Ballsy for a woman trying to go into business with him. He liked her even more, even if he didn’t like the assumption that he wasn’t serious about opening the club.

“I promise you, I’m very serious about the opening of my club. I’d like to debut new artists under my own label there. My family wouldn’t support these artists at venues owned and managed by W. M. Records.”

Her brows rose. He’d surprised her.

“Then I’ll do everything I can to make sure this place opens smoothly.”

Raymond smiled at them both. “I’m telling you, Dante, Julie is the right person for the job.”

His body was definitely on board with Julie handling this project, but his brain interjected. This was important to him for multiple reasons; he couldn’t just go with the decision the head below his belt was trying to get him to make.

“We’ll see. I’m talking to a few other developers.”

The corner of her inviting lips lifted, and her head tilted to the side. “Talk to them all you want. I know I’m the right person. In the next few days, you’ll know it, too.”

Dante added “confident” to the things about Julie Dominick that were making ignoring the head below his belt harder.

One of the women from the piano came over. “Are you ready to sing for us again?” she asked with a bright smile.

Julie stepped back. “I mentioned to Raymond that I can come back tomorrow to discuss business. I’m more than happy to do that.”

Raymond placed a hand on her arm. “Don’t leave, Julie.”

Dante zeroed in on Raymond’s hands on Julie, so familiar, without a bit of hesitation or awkwardness between them. Raymond said nothing was going on between him and Julie, but he’d also said she was the woman he could consider settling down with later, which meant Dante should pull back. No matter how his body reacted to her, he shouldn’t step on Raymond’s toes that way.

“Stay,” Dante said. “Change and join the party.”

She shook her head. “I’m not prepared for a pool party.”

Raymond chuckled. “You can’t tell me you came to Malibu and didn’t bring a swimsuit. Get the thing out, and come sit by the pool. I know this is a business trip, but you can have a few minutes to enjoy yourself.”

She glanced at Dante, and he nodded. He may not step on Raymond’s toes, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want her to stick around so he could see her in a bathing suit. Maybe the desire caused by that thought showed in his expression because the spark he’d witnessed earlier made a brief appearance in Julie’s eyes. It was quickly hidden when she turned to Raymond. “Fine. I’ll change and join you.”

Raymond dragged Julie away to get her bags and showed her where to change. Dante would have preferred to do that himself, but she was Raymond’s friend. Better for Dante to keep his distance.

He sang another song for the ladies in the music room but wasn’t really into having fun with them anymore, so he ushered them back to the pool. They kept him company, and he listened to them talk about inconsequential things. Each one tried to gain his attention and figure out who he’d spend the rest of the day with. It was a question he’d been debating before Julie walked through the door and broke his thoughts, scattering them like balls on a pool table.

The source of the scattering came out onto the patio, Raymond with her. Dante took a sip of beer that stuck in his throat. He coughed and sat up in his chair. Julie in a business suit was a man’s fantasy; Julie in a bathing suit was a man’s erotic dream. The red one-piece suit was plastered to full breasts and a flat stomach. It rose high on her hips; no sarong or wrap hid the perfection of her thighs and legs. Confident with a capital C. She’d switched the heels for a pair of red sandals. Dante took another gulp of his beer to stop his groan of appreciation from escaping.

She and Raymond settled into chairs across the pool. They talked and laughed, looking every bit the close friends Raymond said they were. She glanced around the space. Her gaze stopped several times as she took in the various people. When she stopped on him, a small smile lifted her lips and made his heart jump before she continued her perusal. What did that smile mean? Did she feel the same knocked-out-of-breath feeling when their eyes met, or was she just smiling at a potential business partner she had to acknowledge? He couldn’t say she was looking only for him because she seemed to check out everyone there.

He ran a hand over his face. What the hell? When did he become the guy obsessing over what a woman was thinking? Julie’s closeness with Raymond meant he had to keep his hands to himself. If she did get the job, getting involved with her might cloud his judgment about the club. He should ignore her.

A woman that Raymond had hooked up with came over to him and Julie. Raymond introduced her. Julie smiled and held out her hand. Dante noted her friendly and jealous-free greeting. The woman clung to Raymond’s side. After a few minutes of talking, Julie waved Raymond and the woman away. They strolled toward the door. Julie watched them, but there was no hint of regret, anger or disappointment on her face. Okay, maybe they are just friends.

Her eyes lifted and met his. Dante’s heart danced behind his rib cage. Again, she gave him a small smile, then looked away. He was up and out of the chair in an instant.

“I’ll have to tell Raymond to never leave a beautiful woman alone at a party,” he said as he sat next to her. “Someone else may slip in.”

Her smile was good-natured, not flirtatious. “Actually, I was waiting for him to leave. He has a way of unintentionally blocking. Now I’m free to talk with whomever I want.”

Dante liked the sound of that. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Anyone here you’re interested in having a conversation with?”

Her smile made him hot all over. “Actually, there is a guy I wouldn’t mind talking to.”

Dante’s grin widened. He slid his arm across the back of the chair and moved closer. “I’d love to know who.”

She looked over his shoulder, then used her head to indicate behind Dante. “Him. The guy in the green trunks.”

Dante frowned and glanced around. Carlos, the drummer they’d had to call in on the last leg of the tour after Dante’s original drummer got sick, stood on the other side of the pool. There was something about Carlos that Dante didn’t really like, but he’d chalked his feelings up to his dislike of unexpected changes. Carlos played well and hadn’t caused any problems on tour, so Dante ignored his weird feelings toward the guy.

“Him?”

“You sound surprised,” she said, and he swore amusement filled her voice.

“I thought you might be interested in someone else.”

“Really, who?”

There was definite humor in her amber eyes.

“I thought you’d want to spend more time with Raymond.”

She shook her head, then crossed her long and shapely legs. “Oh. Not really. Ray and I have plenty of time to catch up while I’m working with you two.”

Spoken as if she already had the job. “Him leaving with another woman didn’t bother you?”

Her eyes sparkled with amusement and she waved a hand. “That. No. I’ve known Ray way too long to get upset when he ditches me for another female.”

“Did it used to bother you?”

She shook her head. “No. Ray is cool, but I know him too well to fall for him.”

“That’s good to know.”

“Why? Did you think my relationship with him would compromise my ability to do the job?”

“I just like to be sure.”

“You can be sure. I don’t mix business with pleasure, and I never date partners.”

He leaned in and stared into her beautiful eyes. “I’m sure exceptions can be made.”

Her smirk was cute, and the twist of her full lips made him want to kiss her. “Ray and I are not worth an exception.”

Dante rubbed his chin. “What if I’m the exception?”

A spark flashed in the depths of her eyes. She shifted, then looked away. When she looked back at him, the spark was gone, all interest hidden.

“I’ll admit I used to drool over your posters in my music magazines when I was a teen. You once occupied a fair amount of space in my fantasies, but that was fifteen years ago. Girlish fantasies gave way to adult responsibilities.”

He leaned forward until only a few inches separated them. “Forget the girlish fantasies. I want to be a part of your very grown-up thoughts.”

She held his gaze for what felt like hours. Despite the neutral expression on her face, he noticed her quick inhale. The rhythm of excitement he got when pursuing a new woman quickened his pulse.

Her brows rose, and her head tilted to the side. “Have brunch with me tomorrow. I’ll tell you about my grown-up thoughts.” There was no flirtation in her voice; she sounded almost businesslike, but the humor remained in her eyes.

Dante wasn’t sure what that meant, but he wasn’t about to deny a chance to be with her tomorrow. “I know a place.”

She shook her head. “I’ve already looked up local restaurants, and I’d like to go to Geoffrey’s. I’ll meet you there at nine.”

This woman knew what she wanted, meaning she was going to be damn difficult to resist. “I’ll be there.”

Her devilish smile made him feel as if he were missing something. “It’s a date.” She stood and walked away.

Dante watched the sexy sway of her hips, his body hardening with each one of her assertive steps. His desire was quickly doused when she crossed over to speak with Carlos.

What the...? Women didn’t typically leave him to talk to another man. For the first time, he’d been thrown off by a woman.

Julie shifted her position next to Carlos, and her gaze flitted to Dante for a second. Dante grinned and leaned back in the chair. Her quick look got him back on balance. Julie Dominick may play impartial toward him, but she was interested. He couldn’t step to Raymond’s girl like that, but he damn sure was going to enjoy the heat sizzling between them.

Chapter 5

Julie casually sipped ice water and stared out at the magnificent ocean view from the patio at Geoffrey’s Malibu. Immediately after booking her trip, she’d looked into places that would work for relaxed business meetings and that offered superb food. As she looked over the brunch menu, she was pleased with her choice.

After putting down the water, she pulled out her tablet and navigated to the website of the contractor she was considering hiring for the club. The sun was hot, and she wore a sleeveless beige blouse with a tan pencil skirt, so she wasn’t sweltering like yesterday. She leaned forward to get more shade from the white umbrella over the table to see the screen better. She’d gotten a list of reputable contractors from the coworkers who didn’t hate her for her abrupt exit from Nexon-Jones. She’d narrowed her choices down to three firms, and, depending on their availability, along with Dante’s and Raymond’s schedules, she hoped to have one secured by the end of the week.

“She’s right here, Mr. Wilson.” The host’s voice came from behind Julie.

She glanced up from the tablet to where the young man indicated to her. Dante smiled and thanked the host, looking every bit the sex symbol that he was in a fitted dark gray T-shirt, white pants and dark shoes. Julie swallowed hard and sucked in a breath. The man had thrown her off yesterday. She’d assumed Dante would be charming, flirtatious even, but when he’d indicated that he should be the exception to her no-mixing-business-and-pleasure rule, her mind became slushy.

How badly she’d wanted to take him up on that offer was almost embarrassing. Getting involved with a guy in the entertainment industry, and a business partner at that, went against many of the rules that prevented her from being played by a man.

“Good afternoon,” she said with what she envisioned to be a professional, I’m-not-drooling-internally smile.

“You’re early.” He pulled out a chair and sat down.

“I’m typically early when I have a meeting.”

He raised a brow and placed his forearms on the table. The breeze brought over the scent of the sea and his enticing cologne. Dante leaned closer to her. “Meeting. I thought this was a date?”

She had left him with that impression, and she had to admit, there were plenty of things worse than going on a date with him. Too bad for him. She wasn’t here to have a fling with Dante or jeopardize her reputation.

But she would flirt. Flirting went a lot further and got her a lot more than being an ice-cold superbitch. From what she knew about men, flirting was just another tactic they used to throw a woman off her game.

“This isn’t a date,” she said with a smile.

“You promised to give a little insight on your very adult thoughts.”

The way he said “adult thoughts” had her imagining all types of adult things—things that involved him, naked and smiling.

Julie leaned back in her chair. “Are you sure you’re ready to hear them?”

“Oh, I’m very sure.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Because I’ve thought about this all morning.” She leaned forward.

Excitement entered his eyes. “You have?”

“All night, honestly. I can’t get the thoughts out of my mind.”

“Sometimes talking about things helps, or having a helping hand.” His warm hand covered hers. The touch nearly made her forget this was supposed to be harmless flirting.

“Are you willing to help?”

“In any way possible.”

“I thought you would be.” She glanced down at his long fingers casually brushing the back of her hand. Each light stroke was like a dose of steroids to her pumped-up hormones. “You’ve got nice hands.”

“They’re willing to help you in any way.”

The muscles of her thighs clenched. Julie pulled her hand away. Time to remember this is supposed to be harmless flirting. “Good, because I’m meeting with a contractor that I’m considering hiring to help with the renovation of the building you’ve picked out for the club. I’d like to get your opinion.”

His smile froze for a second before his brows drew together. “Excuse me?”

“I’ve narrowed the choices down to three, and, of course, I won’t pick one without discussing the details with you and Raymond first. I’m glad you’re so willing to help.”

“So that’s why you invited me here?”

“Of course. Why else would I?” She tried to look innocent but knew he had to see the humor in her expression. She was having a hard time not chuckling at his confusion.

Julie quickly turned and nearly sagged with relief when she saw the hostess bringing the contractor to their table. She stood and held out her hand to the man beside the hostess.

“Orlando Salvatore,” she said.

Orlando nodded and took her hand. He was tall with wavy dark hair, gleaming straight teeth and a body honed from working in construction. His white shirt and dark brown pants accentuated broad shoulders and strong legs.

“And you must be Julie Dominick.” His handshake was firm but not too tight.

“I am. Thank you for meeting me this morning.”

“No problem at all. I’d love to work on this project.”

Julie grinned, then held out her hand to Dante, who watched her with slightly narrowed eyes. “He needs no introduction, but this is Dante Wilson. Obviously, he’ll be involved with choosing the contractor for the job.”

“Of course,” Orlando said. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Wilson. I’m a big fan.”

Dante slowly stood and shook Orlando’s hand. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”

Orlando grinned. “I only speak the truth.”

Julie sat, and then Orlando and Dante followed suit. Julie ignored Dante’s direct gaze on her. Outwardly, anyway. Inside, her body was a ball of nerves. She hoped to impress Dante with her proactive approach to handling the development of the nightclub. It was the reason she’d invited him here this morning. Go hard or go home.

“I’ve been looking at your website, Orlando,” Julie said. “I’m impressed with the jobs you’ve handled. I see that you’ve also been chosen to open a nightclub in LA. Will you be able to handle another job?”

She didn’t like small talk and preferred going directly into any concerns. She trusted the recommendation she’d gotten from her former coworker, but she couldn’t forget he still worked for Nexon-Jones.

Orlando handled her direct question easily and went right into the number of crews he had working for him and how he scheduled his workload. He answered all Julie’s questions easily and impressively while they waited on their food. Dante perked up and stopped glaring at her long enough to ask Orlando some of his own questions. From the interest and satisfaction that flashed on Dante’s face, she guessed he was also impressed by Orlando.

By the end of the meal, her questions were done. After a few minutes of small talk, Julie wrapped up the meeting.

“Thank you again for meeting with me, Orlando,” Julie said. “I’ll be in touch before the end of the week.”

She stood and so did the men. Orlando shook Dante’s hand, then hers. When she would have pulled back, he held on. “The pleasure was all mine. I hope to hear from you soon, regardless of the outcome.”

Orlando’s smile and the flirtatious tone were clear. Julie returned his smile with one of her own and nodded. “I’ll be sure to give you a call.”

“Do that,” Orlando said before leaving.

Dante looked at Orlando’s retreating back and then at Julie. “What was that?”

“What was what?” Julie sat back down.

Dante sat and motioned his head in Orlando’s direction. “That?”

“That was me thinking I’ve found our contractor. Didn’t you like him?”

“He was all right.”

“All right? Did you look at the work he’s done, all on time? That’s big when it comes to contractors. Of course, I’m going to check his references.”

“You’re ready to hire him already?”

“He was my top choice, but we’ve got another interview later today.”

His brows rose. “We do?”

“Yeah.” She checked her watch. “I agreed to meet her for a late lunch. Are you available?”

“Her?”

Julie raised a brow. “Do you have a problem with a woman?”

He raised his hands. “Not at all. At least this time you won’t spend the meeting grinning and giggling over the guy.”

“I don’t giggle.”

“Yes, you do.” He quirked a brow. “It would be cute. If you were giggling over me.”

She laughed. “Still want me to make you my exception to the no-business-and-pleasure-mixing rule?”

“I’d like to know if you were considering it.”

She eyed him from head to toe. “I’ve already considered it.”

“And?”

“And you’re talented, sexy and very smug. I’m not interested.”

Dante rubbed his jaw. “If you would have let this be a real date, I think you would be. I envisioned this morning going a lot differently.”

“What did you envision?”

“Brunch, sightseeing, maybe a kiss.”

She glanced at his lips, imagined them on hers and was hit with a wave of longing, which she quickly pushed aside. “I’m here to work. I promise—I will not be kissing you.”

“I believe that not only will we kiss but that you’ll initiate it.” He looked so arrogant and sure of himself that, for a second, her heart trembled, and she believed he might be right.

Chapter 6

Dante met up with Raymond at the end of the week at a jazz club in Los Angeles. When he wasn’t on tour or working on an album, Dante preferred the laid-back atmosphere of his villa in Malibu over the constant hustle of LA, unless there was a party worth attending. Tonight there was a huge party planned after Jacobe’s basketball game. Dante never refused a chance to party.

He found Raymond in the club’s VIP section, watching a lovely and curvy woman singing onstage. They’d agreed to meet here before going to the game and then the party. After sitting in an interview with another contractor and Julie that morning, and after she’d made it obvious, yet again, that she wasn’t giving him any play, Dante was more than ready to spend the night partying.

Dante strolled over and sat next to Raymond. “What’s up with your girl?”

Raymond raised a brow. “Who?”

“Julie.”

Raymond grinned and sipped on the drink in his hand. “Nothing, she’s just trying to do a good job.”

“When did we officially make her a partner?”

Raymond chuckled. “We didn’t. Julie always tackles a job like she’s got it. By the time she’s finished putting the pieces together, people wonder why they wouldn’t partner with her.”

Dante was in that exact predicament. She had pulled together the best contractors in the area and drilled them on their ability to perform. After seeing her in action, he wondered why he should look for anyone else.

“She knows her stuff. I thought we were meeting for brunch the other day, and she’s setting up interviews with potential contractors.”

Raymond frowned. “You met her for brunch? When?”

“Tuesday. I thought you knew?”

“I knew she was checking out some contractors but not that she was meeting with you to do that.”

Dante leaned back on the black couch and spread his arms across the back. “I thought she had agreed to a date.”

Raymond sat up straight and put his drink on the table. “You asked her on a date?”

“After you left her at the pool to hang out with that other woman, I didn’t think you’d have a problem.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you thought you were going out with her? I told you about us.”

Dante raised a hand. “Hold up. Us—what us? She was at the party for a second, and you walked away with another woman.”

Raymond slid forward on the chair and tugged on his black leather pants before holding out his hands. “That woman from the party doesn’t mean anything. Julie is the one. The one I’m going to settle down with. After I finish, you know.” Raymond popped his collar. “Enjoying myself.”

“What makes you think she’s going to want to settle down with you after you finish sleeping with half of the female population?”

“Because of the pact we made in college. If we’re both single, then we’ll get together.”

“So you think she’s just going to sit around being single waiting on that day to come?”

“She has so far,” Raymond said smugly. “Julie hasn’t gotten serious about any guy since getting her heart broken a few years back. I was the guy who helped her get through that. We would have hooked up then, but, you know, my career was just starting. She said she didn’t want to hold me back or make me keep promises. So we agreed to be friends.”

“Why does that make you so sure she’s waiting for the day you two can finally be together?”

Raymond grinned and sat back in his chair. He crossed one ankle over the opposite knee, the epitome of someone used to getting his way. “Whenever I need her, she’s there. Don’t get me wrong—I’m there for her, too. We’re cool. She doesn’t bug me about the women I date, but she still calls me when she’s having trouble figuring out a man’s she’s with. I give her advice.”

Dante’s eyes narrowed. “What type of advice?”

“I tell her rules that men date by. Then she ends up calling a dude on his crap, breaks things off and lets me know that, yet again, I helped her out.”

“You’re sabotaging her relationships.”

Raymond shook his head. “No. I tell her what men think. Julie’s smart enough to figure out the rest. Every once in a while she meets a decent fellow, and I tell her that. In the end, she breaks up with them.” Raymond smiled. “Now you understand?”

“Understand what?”

“She’s breaking up with ratchet dudes and good dudes. She’s waiting on us.”

“I see that you’re keeping her waiting in the wings. Besides, I don’t think she sees things the same way you’re seeing them. She says she’s not interested in you.”

“What’s she supposed to say? ‘I’m waiting for the day that Raymond and I can finally be together’?”

Dante knew no woman would admit to holding a torch for one guy for years, but he didn’t believe that was the case with Julie. He’d watched her and Raymond. Granted, it was just one time, but he could tell a lot about what a woman was thinking by watching her. Julie had been happy to see her friend but also annoyed there was a party going on instead of a business meeting. She hadn’t watched Raymond with any sense of longing, and no telltale signs of desire or attraction popped up when they were together. If anything, Dante figured Julie had listened to Raymond’s advice enough to know he was trying to keep her waiting in the wings. Maybe she was doing the same with Raymond, letting him think there was a chance one day so that she could still rely on her friend when she needed him.

Or maybe you don’t want to believe she’s really not interested in you.

“I take it that you’re telling me this because you want me to stay away from Julie,” Dante said.

“I’d prefer it if you would. I really like Julie, and while I don’t think she’ll fall for you, it would be weird later when she and I get together for you two to have history.”

“Do you really like her, or are you just trying to hold on to her?”

The smug look left Raymond’s face. “I do really like her. She’s beautiful, hardworking and confident. I’ve only seen Julie cry once in the years I’ve known her. Once. You know how often women like to throw around tears. I’ve had a crush on her for years, have wanted to get with her just as long, but the timing is never right. If we would have hooked up back when she was hurt, it would have worked for a while but not long.”

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