Chapter Two
Mr. Baxter was having a time trying to contain himself as he watched the two engage in a sparring of words. He would have patted himself on the back, which he still might do after they left his office. The tension between the two was palpable, but it wasn't just dislike or the fact that neither one was willing to be denominated by the other; there was more. There was a sexual energy that was present, too. He was hoping that after Edwin had gotten over the shock of his daughter's scars that his male instincts would have kicked in. And thankfully, they did. The way the young man was gazing over Janelle's body, his wicked smile, and his show of male strength were all Edwin’s way of strutting before the woman he was hoping to entice.
And by all accounts, it seemed as if Janelle wasn't too unmoved by the man's arrogance. Yes, he had done well by picking this one for this mission. She wasn't going to be able to shake this one so easily.
“I would love to continue to play referee here, but I do have things I must attend to. Honey, be a dear and take Edwin along with you. You can show him around and explain some of our businesses we control,” said Clifton. Not giving her the chance to cry foul, he picked up the phone and pretended to make a call.
“It would be my pleasure,” she said with a tight smile.
If she is happy with the task, her leaving me behind is not the way to show it, thought Edwin as he slipped back into his suit jacket.
She opened the door and was down the hallway without even a glance to see if she had lost him or not. He followed her quietly with his hands clasped behind his back as he watched the sway of her ass in her black high heels. The eggplant-colored wrap dress hugged her body to perfection. Her strong, shapely calves look good in her sheer hose. He narrowed his gaze and was able to make out the lacy outline of her thigh highs. He bit down on his lip and wondered if she was wearing a thong, or maybe a pair of high-cut panties.
Janelle greeted people in the hall, asked questions, and laughed with the other employees as if her shadow wasn't close behind her, but she could feel the heat of his presence and the smell of his cologne. Annoyed by the situation, she walked into her office and swung the door hard, closing it right in his face. She marched over the thick carpet to her desk. She sat down, only to stand back up as she began to pace in front of the large window that over looked Yamata Road and Military Trail.
Dad thinks his ass is slick, she fumed behind her desk. And the minutes passed without Edwin coming into the room after her, only causing her anger to mount.
Fuck him . But as hard as she tried, she couldn't focus on the contracts and business reports that was laid out on her desk. That man, in such a short time, had gotten under her skin. His answer about her face had pissed her off. 'I don't need your permission to look' and then calling her trash top it off. What an asshole .
Just the fact that his father was giving him a winery and vineyard said a lot. He was just another white, spoiled boy trying to be a man.
Not being able to take it any longer, she opened the door to her office and looked out and frozen in utter disbelief. It was the female laughter mixed with the sensually deep sound of a male's voice that caught her attention. Like bees to sweetness, the women, some single and some married, were laughing and hanging on the fine ass man's words. She watched as he put his hand on the small of Jasmine’s back and whispered something low that made her giggle like a dumb fool. For the second time, Janelle doubted her first thoughts about the strange man. Maybe she had misjudge the situation entirely.
Edwin had known the second her office door had opened and with her looking on, he really put on the charm. He had no real interest in the cackling bitches that were all but begging for his attention. They all would have probably happily formed a line outside the storage closet and waited for their turn to be fucked. It was so sad. But now that she was watching, he stood closer to the women, touched them on the shoulder or their backs, or talked low as if he was saying something sensual and secret. He wasn't going to let Janelle play him like a fool, like he was a dog chasing a bone.
“Ladies, I see you have all met our visitor,” said Janelle tensely. The look of lust on the women’s faces were shameful and his expression was no better. “Now, if you all don't mind, you'll all have your turn to be molested by him later.”
“Me first!” Jasmine winked before she walked off with the other women.
“Hey, that wasn't nice,” he said as if he was upset as the crowd broke up. “I was just giving you time to get your work done.”
“But aren't you supposed to be learning by watching me?”
“You were the one that had me following you around like Orphan Annie, and then you shut the door in my face. I'm not going to beg you to be allowed in your presence.”
“Yes, I see that begging isn't one of your traits.”
“No, it's usually others that are doing the begging,” he responded slowly with a wicked smile on his full lips. The way that his blue eyes looked her head-to-toe sent a strong unwanted current through her body. He lifted his eyes up from the floor and this time his eyes paused at the apex of her thighs for a few seconds before he returned his gaze to hers.
“I'm ready for you now,” she said, trying to remain calm as she gestured toward her office door.
“I don't know,” he responded. “I'm hungry now. It's almost lunch time. Why don't we go get a bite to eat?”
Janelle bit her lower lip in frustration. “Why are you here, really? Anyone with eyes can see that you've never had to work a day in your like. So, what's your end game?”
“No game, just hungry. And for the record, just because I don't have to work for money doesn't mean I haven't chosen to do so. I've already booked us a table at the Bamboo Club in Wellington.”
“You know, I am starting to feel a little peckish, but I have a few reports I have to sign off on first. Tell you what. You go ahead of me. They give those tables away real quick if you're late,” she suggested, sweetly. “I think getting away from the office is a great idea,” she said for good measure.
One point, for me , Edwin thought smugly as he watched her until the elevator door closed.
When the doors closed, Janelle rolled her eyes in distaste before she turned away. She smiled to herself as she wondered just how long it would take for the arrogant asshole to figure out that she wasn't coming! The thought was the wind beneath her wings that kept her going for the rest of day. She didn't even let Jasmine bug her with the many questions she came into her office during her lunch break to ask about Mr. Edwin Gibbs as she planned her next move to get him into her bed. The girl was a beast.
*
Edwin got up from the chair and walked over to look out at the nicely manicured garden. He had heard Janelle call out to her parents upon entering their home. He felt his anger rise in his chest and he could almost imagine the smug smile on her twisted mouth. The thought of her laughing behind his back was enough to make him want to beat the shit out of her. The woman was a bitch! He had sat at the bar, drinking until he finally got up and left. He was in no state to return to the office with the buzz that he had developed.
Calm yourself! You know there's always a chase before the reward. A chase, yes, but she is raging a fucking war!
Edwin closed his eyes and thought of all the money that would be under his control after this was all done. That vision was more than enough to calm him, and when she walked into the room to join them, he had his world class smile in place.
At least he had the pleasure of seeing her cheerful expression fall from her face at the sight of him.
That's right! I'm still here.
“Don't just stand in the doorway, honey. Come on in and make yourself friendly,” Janelle's mother, Camilla, commanded sweetly. “I taught you better than that.”
Janelle drug her body into the room. It was very obvious to all that she had no desire to be there. Not caring about upsetting her parents, she plopped down onto a soft, high back arm chair.
“What are you doing here?” Her words dripped with disgust.
Clifton grabbed his wife's arm to signal for her to stay quite. He knew that the young man could hold his own with his daughter. He was actually looking forward to witnessing part two.
“Oh, I guess you thought I was still at the restaurant looking like an ass?” Edwin said lightly with a smile on his lips that didn't erase the anger that was reflected in his eyes. “Well, don't worry. After waiting for an hour, I got the hint,” he finished as he took the seat on the other side of the oval-shaped glass coffee table.
“Hm, the fact that it took you an entire hour to get the hint says a lot about you,” she responded just as sweetly.
“You know, just because your face is ugly doesn't mean you have to be ugly on the inside, too. Some men could over look all of...that,” he said as he waved his hand in front of her face.
Her mother's sharp gasp was echoed by her own. Janelle worked her mouth in an attempt to say something, but nothing seemed fitting at the moment.
“How dare you talk about her like that?” her mother said, coming to her defense.
“I really am sorry, Mrs. Baxter, but I have been trying all day to make nice with your little girl, but she isn't paying fair. All I'm trying to do is get to know her, but she won't let me in,” Edwin said softly.
That little fucker , Janelle thought. He was trying to divide and conquer.
“Well, I find that hard to believe. How the hell were you trying to be my friend? Was that when you were spitting game to every woman in the office?” she asked hotly.
“How could you blame me? You tried to lose me on the way back to your office, during which you didn't say one word to me. And then you slammed the door in my face, leaving me standing like a clown in the hallway. And in spite of you standing me up at the Bamboo Club for lunch, I still ordered food for all of us tonight.”
Edwin sat back and smiled. He had won this round. He took great joy in watching Janelle's mother read her daughter before turning to him and praising him for his kind-heartedness. Sure, he would have preferred slapping her when she entered the room, but he would take this happily.
Janelle watched him and bobbed her head in response to her mother’s words. She really couldn’t care less what the woman was saying. She was so livid at that moment that she didn't trust herself to speak. It was when he had the nerve to throw her a kiss over her mother's unsuspecting head that she had had enough of his shit. She sent her purse flying to the floor when she got to her feet.
Any other time, Edwin would have enjoyed wrestling with the woman, but this wasn't the time or the place. His cock had hardened at the sight of her getting to her feet. If they were alone, he would have turned her rage into something that they both could enjoy, but that wasn't the case.
“That's a great idea. Why don't your parents go to the dining table and we'll bring the food?” he suggested to a confused Janelle.
She walked with choppy movements into the kitchen and got to work of putting the food onto the crystal platters that were stacked on the granite counter top.
“You know, I would love to peel that dress off of you and fuck you,” he said calmly as if he was asking for the time.
She had been so focused on getting dinner over with, she hadn't even noticed that he had stopped and was just standing there, watching her.
“I like it when you're mad. I wonder if you're that emotional in bed,” he said as he tilted his head to the side.
Is this man crazy?
“Shit, don't do that. You standing there with your mouth open is just too damn tempting. I think he's going to jump out of my pants,” he said in a low voice.
Beyond her better judgment, Janelle's eyes followed his eyes to his crotch. He could hear her intake of breath at the sight of his bulging cock against his black suit pants. It strained the fabric and it reached all the way up to his leather belt and beyond, to stop along his waist.
“I didn't get a chance before to tell you just now nice you look. I like that dress. Is that stretch material? I bet it is. I like how it hugs your body and this part...” he said as he took a step closer. He licked his lips seductively reached out a finger and trailed a feathery line over the side of her breast that was revealed.
“You cocky bastard, I would fuck my mom’s dog before I fucked you,” she said hotly, slapping his hand away.
Edwin blinked a few times before her response registered. He threw his head back and let out a gut retching laugh.
Getting the platters filled, they rejoined the others at the table.
This man has got to g o! Janelle thought as she fed herself out of habit, not actually tasting any of the food.
He struck a very powerful poise, she noticed. She realized his good looks, his wick humor that promised of hours of sexual play, combined with his confidence, were all creating a mighty temptation that she might not be able to resist. Then again, what was the harm in it? It wasn't that she wasn't engaging in sex; God knows she was. But it was sex on her terms, nothing messy. For some reason, she doubted that this man would appreciate her terms or would even care. Just the fact that he wasn't taken aback at the sight her face was enough to make her wonder about Edwin.
“Thank you again for letting me stay here.” His words were like a bucket of cold water being thrown on her.
“You're staying here?” she asked in shock.
“Well, yes. His father is a very close friend, and we do have the room. It just makes sense,” her father explained.
The Baxters’ Mediterranean-style home in a gated community in Delray Beach was over five thousand square feet with four bedrooms, a three car garage, four and a half baths sat on large grounds and included a huge three bedroom, three bath guest home that sat on the other side of the garden
“But, you needm’t worry. He'll be in the main house, not in the guest house with you,” her mother chimed in.
“Oh, you have your own place?” Edwin asked. The hopefulness in his voice was so clear to hear that her parents put their heads down in feigned ignorance.
“Yes, I moved into the guest house a few years ago. It has many rooms and a full kitchen, but I still eat over here,” she answered.
“Well, I look forward to seeing the guest house one day.”
“It's getting late,” said Janelle, choosing to overlook his comment as she got up and left the room.
Edwin chuckled when he heard the front door close.
“She's a hard nut to crack, but I think you're up for the challenge.”
Edwin turned and regarded Mr. Baxter, “I have to say that her face was a shock; however, it’s nothing that I can't overcome.”
The man let out a sigh upon hearing his words.
“And you, Mrs. Baxter, you aren't bothered about what's going on here?”
“At first, yes, but I know Cliff is doing what he thinks is best. After trying all the other methods and failing, I'm open to suggestions,” she said with a shrug of her beefy shoulder. The graying woman picked up the plates from the table and walked into the kitchen.