Courting Justice. Brenda Jackson
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places to eat, but she liked this one. The items on the menu were simple, and she wasn’t tempted to purchase anything she might not like. Upon reaching the café, she glanced around, grateful it wasn’t crowded and that there were several empty tables. She would grab something to eat and then walk around a bit and check things out. Since she liked to swim she thought about hitting the pool later.
When she moved toward an empty table, a guy passed by her and met her gaze, but then quickly turned away, seemingly picking up his pace as he walked out of the café. She realized they’d met just last night. He’d been the one trying to get her drunk. She wondered if he was in such a hurry because he thought she was going to confront him about last night. Well, he was wrong if he thought so. She was just as much to blame. But like she’d told Angelo, she had come here to have a good time.
She was studying the menu when a sudden rush of heat suffused her. She glanced up. “Angelo.”
He slid in the chair across from her. “Glad you finally came down to grab something to eat. And I forgot to mention that I like your new hairstyle.”
A wave of pleasure skimmed across her skin at the sound of his deep, husky voice. She had just seen him a few hours ago, so why was she reacting to him this way? She was convinced it had everything to do with that kiss from last night, and it was a kiss that she was still trying to figure out.
She shifted in her chair and slid her fingers through her hair. Usually she wore her dreadlocked hair down her shoulders, but for the trip she had gotten them done up in lush curls that brought out its fullness, body and gloss. She had gotten a lot of compliments and had to admit she liked the style as well.
“Thanks. The hairstyle was Sam’s idea.”
He chuckled as he pulled a menu out of the rack on the table. “Now why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“It shouldn’t. You know your sister. She jumps at the chance to give anyone a makeover.”
“Yes, and was the dress last night her idea as well?”
Peyton smiled. “Yes. But I have to admit I like it.”
“So do I. You looked good in it.” He leaned over the table. “But between us, you looked pretty darn good even before Sam’s makeover.”
“Thanks.” She tried to fight back how her heartbeat had quickened with his compliment. She took a sip of the water the waitress had placed on the table and then glanced over at him. She could actually breathe in his scent. Whatever cologne he was wearing had his name on it.
“Angelo?”
He glanced over his menu and his gaze met hers. “Hmm?”
She thought he sounded good. Even his hmm had a sexiness that made her shift in her chair and cross her legs. “All this isn’t necessary, you know,” she said.
An innocent-looking expression appeared on his face. And was there a little mole on the side of his nose? Why hadn’t she noticed it before? Why on earth was she noticing it now?
“What isn’t necessary?” he asked.
“Telling me how nice my hair looks and complimenting me on the dress I wore last night, especially since I know you barely had a chance to notice it before whisking me off to my room. And saying I looked good even before my makeover was really pushing it.”
“I take it you don’t believe I was sincere in what I said.”
She leaned over closer toward him. “Look, this is Peyton and not some woman you feel you have to impress. Not sure what’s going on with you but—”
“What do you mean you’re not sure what’s going on with me?” he asked, before taking a sip of his water.
She shrugged. “I think you feel that by being here you need to practice your player lines. You’re trying to steer clear of Lela, and you think I’m safe. Good old safe and reliable Peyton Mahoney.”
He set his glass down and leaned back in his chair. “Is that what you think?”
She decided to come clean. “Honestly, I don’t know what to think. But I believe whatever is going on here started with that kiss last night.”
A smooth smile touched his lips. “No, it all started when you said you wanted me to remember you weren’t Sam.”
His words should have kick-started her memory of last night and what she’d said but they didn’t. “I don’t understand.”
“And you have no idea what that kiss was all about?”
She frowned, trying to recall if there was any part of last night she had forgotten. She swallowed deeply before saying, “Please tell me that in my delirious state I didn’t come on to you or something.”
He chuckled. “Or something?”
She frowned at him. “You know what I mean.”
He placed his menu back on the table. “No, you didn’t come on to me, but evidently you think I came on to you.”
No, she really didn’t think that. But they had shared a kiss, and she needed to know why. “I really don’t know what to think,” she said, deliberately keeping her voice low when she saw one of the groups of women from the elevator walking in and taking a table not far away. They gave her a surprised look, as if it was hard to believe someone who looked like Angelo would be spending time with her. She might not be all dolled up like they were, but she didn’t look bad.
She glanced back over at Angelo and a thought suddenly entered her mind. Maybe the kiss hadn’t been all that hot and heavy like she assumed it had been. Maybe it was nothing more than a brotherly peck, and she had dreamt that it was something else.
“What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours, Peyton?”
Pretty little head? Boy, he was full of compliments today. She held up her hand to cut off any further words from him. “Let’s just forget it.”
“Forget what? The kiss, or your thinking that I have ulterior motives for complimenting you?”
“Doesn’t matter. Have you forgotten about Lela Stillwell and what you asked me to do?”
“No.”
“Okay, then,” she said, deciding that now they were finally getting somewhere.
“Will you do it?”
Peyton hesitated. She was certain she had fully slept off her hangover, so why had her head begun spinning again? She wondered if she should let Angelo know he was practically making her dizzy. “I’ve given it some thought.”
“But you haven’t made up your mind.”
Actually, she had. She wouldn’t do it since she wasn’t sure if she could keep her infatuation with him from resurfacing. It had been bad enough two years ago when he’d stayed at her place those few days. She had told him to make himself comfortable and feel right at home. He’d done just that. He had thought nothing of walking around shirtless and letting her see him in just his pajama bottoms.
“Actually, I have. I don’t think doing something like that will work. Who in their right mind would believe we have something going on?”
He glanced over at her, seeming surprised that she would say such a thing. “Why wouldn’t they?”
She rolled her eyes. “Trust me, nobody would think of us as a couple.”
“I disagree.” He glanced around the café. “There’s not a woman in here who I could imagine myself with besides you.”
Following his gaze she glanced around the room, too, studying the various groups of women. Not surprisingly, the majority of them were staring right back at them. They were probably wondering why he was sitting with her instead of them.
She returned her gaze to Angelo and her heart rate increased when she saw he was