quickly introduce her to the burly black man who stood guard outside the office door. She learned his name was Vincent Michelle, but preferred to be called Michelle.
Thandie crossed the threshold and stepped into a spacious, sleekly decorated office. The walls facing the arena were made entirely of one-way glass, providing an uninhibited view of the club without being seen. Oddly shaped lamps lit the room, which softened the modern furniture and created an intimate atmosphere.
Thandie’s gaze continued to sweep over the room, and then she faltered. There he was. The man she’d flown over a thousand miles to meet—Elliot Richards. He was leaning casually against the edge of a large glass desk, staring at her. It was as if he’d been patiently waiting her for the entire time, and not the other way around.
The instant her eyes met his, Thandie froze in place. She watched, spellbound, as the sinfully handsome man pulled himself up to his full height and approached them. He was tall, tanned and mouth-watering. A one-of-a-kind Ferrari. He was perfection in motion. With every step he took, Thandie became more convinced of one thing: Elliot Richards had been well worth the wait.
He had satin black hair, captivating silver eyes, a strong chin and kissable lips. He was dressed in a crisp white button-up shirt and black slacks that could only be tailor-made to fit. His shirt pulled tightly across a muscular chest, his golden skin a stark contrast against the crisp fabric. He had a cool air that drew her to him, with very little effort on his part. Now, she understood why Adam had warned her.
“Hello.” He gave her a slight grin, one that was all business and too damned sexy to be permissible. “I’m Elliot Richards. You must be Thandie Shaw.” He held out his hand. “Finally, we meet.”
Thandie struggled not to gawk at him as she shook his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Richards.”
He blessed her with a dazzling smile. “Believe me, Ms. Shaw, the pleasure is all mine. You must forgive my tardiness. My meeting ran long; however, my delay doesn’t in any way reflect your importance. I’m eager to see what you can do for us.” He waved his hand toward the couches. “Please, have a seat.”
Thandie walked toward a long leather couch, feeling Elliot’s gaze on her the entire time. He waited for to take her seat, before sitting down himself. Adam took the opportunity to excuse himself, mumbling he had some things to see to.
Elliot waited until Adam left before turning to her. “I trust the tour you received was sufficient.”
“Yes, very much so.” She said with a guarded, yet nervous smile. “You have an amazing place.”
“Thank you. It was quite an investment, but I’m happy with it.”
Thandie had to force herself to concentrate on the conversation. Elliot Richards was gorgeous, alarmingly so. It was hard to believe this charming and very handsome man was the same person who’d hung up on her weeks before. When his lips began to move, Thandie became transfixed.
“I’m sure Warren has already spoken to you, but please allow me to reiterate.” He checked his watch before continuing. “I currently own three night clubs. Lush, Red Door and Club Babylon. Lush is a fetish club, with very select membership. Red Door is a nightclub marketed toward the lesbian persuasion. It’s the smallest of my businesses, but it holds a consistent clientele. Then, there is Club Babylon. It’s my largest undertaking. The club has done very well on the strip, but we recently decided to update the look to grow our service capabilities. We reopened our doors last month. The changes have been received quite well, particularly the amenities marketed toward our members. However, we want to see major returns in a relatively short time. I expect to see a return on my investment in three months’ time.”
“Three months sets a vigorous schedule,” Thandie warned.
Elliot nodded. “Yes, it does, but I’m confident we’ll hit our mark on time. With your help, of course.” He smiled. “Warren sang praises of your abilities. He was quite vocal that you are the person we need.”
She blushed slightly. “Warren is very kind.”
“If that were all it was, you wouldn’t be here.” He looked at her seriously. “Please allow me to be frank.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“I don’t normally employ women, and for good reason.”
“May I inquire why?”
His gaze was level. “In my experience, women become...unfocused.”
She immediately understood. He was the reason for his previous female employees losing their focus. How could they not? He was a walking, talking, breathing distraction.
“In all honesty, Ms. Shaw, I’m not entirely sold on the idea of you being here. Club Babylon is quite the exception to the typical club expirence. This is not a place for emotional beings and and from past experiences, women often get attached to the wrong thing. Which is why working with an all-male staff is not only beneficial but necessary in my line of business.”
She stared at Elliot. His sharp profile and flawless skin made it very clear what those “wrong attachments” might be. Fixing him with a hard stare, she said, “May I ask you a question?”
“Please.”
“What the hell am I doing here?” She could tell her frankness momentarily shocked him. “As you can see, I’m not a man.”
Elliot’s silver gaze roved over her body slowly and intentionally. “That is a fact I have been unable to ignore.” His stare was heated when he added, “And neither will the rest of my staff.”
“I assure you I’m a professional. As long as your staff operates on the same level, then we should have no problems.” She smiled thinly. “You’ve reviewed my portfolio; you know what I’m capable of. So if there is an issue with my gender, again I ask, what the hell am I doing here?”
“You’re here because Warren insisted on it,” he said simply.
He flashed her a devilish grin that made her mind conjure up every dirty thought imaginable. He really was too handsome for his own good. Her gaze unwillingly floated over his body, and there was no doubt in her mind the man was created for mind-numbing, can’t-walk-in-the-morning sex.
“Although I appreciate Warren’s confidence in me,” she began, licking her lips in a struggle to tear her eyes away from his body, “I assure you I come highly recommended. Feel free to check my references.”
“I have.”
“And?” she prodded when he did not elaborate.
His eyes sparkled. “As you said, you come highly recommended. You wouldn’t be here otherwise.” He crossed his legs in one fluid motion. Somehow, he managed to make the action appear very masculine. “I thought it only fair for you to know where I stand.”
She felt as if he were studying her unemotionally, as if he were shopping for a new car, mentally accessing value versus usage and lastly, appeal.
“I appreciate your candor,” she said, somewhat irritated.
“I promise you I have an abundance to give.” He disarmed her by giving a boyish grin. “Babylon is my woman. I love her to
