“Why did you comehere?” Shane advanced on her slowly.
“W-what?”Celeste stuttered, completely flummoxed by the sudden change insubject. Unable to beat a fast retreat, she allowed him to box herinto the side of the building. His skin glistened with sweat and apleasant manly musk tweaked her nostrils. Suddenly needing somesupport, Celeste leaned against the wall.
“To apologize,”she reminded.
“In a city this big,you could’ve just written me off.”He crowded her somemore. He was so close his body heat permeated her clothes. It wasnice. Really, really nice.
“Then what kind ofperson would I be?” she barely choked out. His very closenessmade it difficult to breathe.
“Then I’m just acharity case?”
Celeste shook her head. “No,no! I-I didn’t say that.”
Geesh!She was fumbling like a silly school girl. Irritated by herpubescent reaction to him, Celeste countered with a little more saltthan was warranted. “Stop putting words in my mouth, Brennan!”
“Can’t help it,it’s a pretty mouth.”
Without any warning, helifted his hand and thumbed her bottom lip. With each stroke,Celeste was reminded of their first kiss. Despite the chillyweather, she was burning up.
“You came here formore than an apology. Admit it.”
“I have don—”
He kepther from lying by pressing his index finger against her lips. Heseesawed it up and down as if he wanted to stick it between her lips.If he did, Celeste knew she’d suck on him until the cows camehome.
“Admit it,” Herepeated, slowly lowering his head. “Or I’ll kiss it outof you.”
The warm caress of hisbreath and the deep timbre of his voice made her nipples suddenlysensitive.
“I wanted to see youagain,” Celeste blurted. Considering her strong attraction tohim, his lips would probably hit her like lightning. “Happynow?”
“Pleased as punch.”He cocked his head, aligning his lips with hers. “But I thinkI’ll still kiss you.”
“Hey,Shane. Ollie was wonderingif you’re done for the day.”
Irritatedby the interruption, Shane pushed away from her with a loud grunt. “Ican go another round, Luis. How about you?”
Dipped in dark chocolate,the other man was Shane’s foil. Tall, pumped with muscle andjust as handsome.
“One, two, three andthen some.” The pugilist grinned at Shane, but when his gazemet hers his smile faded. Celeste mentally shrugged. She and Shanewere none of his business.
“Okay,I’ll be right there.” Shane glanced back at Celeste. “I’mnot done here.”
Despite being summarilydismissed, the boxer didn’t leave.
“Ibetter go.”
“You don’t haveto leave.”
In all honesty, she didn’twant to leave either, but his sparring partner didn’t look likehe was going to afford them any more privacy.
“I know, but I thinkit’s better if I do. I’ll see you around.” Insteadof going back through the gym, Celeste opted for Market Street’sfresh air and its quick accessibility to Flatbush. As she took thestairs, she paused for affect, “maybe at Countess Vaughn’s.”
“Bet on it.” Hereached up and tapped his brow. “Got the date and addressmemorized.”
Half wayup the block, Celeste could still feel his hot gaze on her. It feltgood— really good—like an afternoon bender.
chapter eleven
“Should I wear thegreen one or the lavender?”
Celeste held up each dressfor her cousin’s approval. Unfortunately, Trudy had anotheragenda like her newest flavor of the month, Lenny, a saxophone playerrecently relocated from New Orleans.
“The green one, itshows way more cleavage,” Trudy said before leaning into herbeau for a kiss. They’d been cavorting and pawing each othermost of the afternoon.
Celeste hung the green dressback in the closet.
“Why’d you evenask my opinion?” Trudy balked.
“And I’m takingit. “ Celeste slipped the lavender number over her head and thesatin gown fell into place like a waterfall. “I’mturning over a new leaf, remember.” Cleaning up her image wasone of them.
“Less is more anyway,”Lenny vouched.
Celesteagreed. Despite the missing waistline, the floor-length numberskimmed over her slim frame and accentuated her flat stomach andample hips. The blouson sleeves added a touch of drama and theruched bodice called attention to her girls. Small, yet perky theywere one of her best assets.
As she took a seat at thevanity, Celeste picked up a pearl handle brush and began brushing herhair in time to the music blaring from the radio.
“When are you twogoing to get ready?” she asked, eyeing the two of them in thevanity mirror.
“Someone’smighty eager to get to Countess Vaughn’s.”
Lenny slid his arm aroundTrudy’s shoulders. “She’s not the only one. I hearthe Countess really sets things out. I’m already in line forthe free booze and reefer.”
Chuckling, Trudy dropped herhead in Lenny’s lap. “My cousin’s going for a morenatural high. She’s sweet on a certain prize fighter. Shestood him up you see and she’s hoping to run into him attonight’s party especially since her old beau, Ralph Long, willbe there as well.”
“Plan to kill twobirds with one stone?” Lenny drawled.
“More or less.”
Lennychuckled as he stroked his goatee. “Wicked.”
“We’d better getmoving,” Trudy stood bringing Lenny with her. “See youdownstairs, Sugar Foot.”
Sheplanned on being really wicked,Celeste conceded after they’d left. What better way to putyour past behind you, than to meet it head on with your future?
* * *
Located on West 144thStreet, Countess Vaughn’s four-story townhouse was one of threeresidences she owned in the Tri-state area. Located in the highlydesirable Sugar Hill neighborhood, the home sported a slightly curvedstaircase that led up to double black oak doors containing lead glassetched with palm trees and flamingos.
As they ascended the stairs,the doors swung open, blinding them with lights and blaring music. Partygoers intent on seeking their pleasures, squeezed past the frontentrance, oblivious to the trio on the front stoop.
Coughing in a gloved hand,the butler, a dark-skinned Negro of indeterminate age, gained theirattention. “Who’s your sponsor?” he asked, lookingdown his nose at them.
“Our sponsor?”Trudy hissed in Celeste’s ear. “That’s how they doit in
