When she ended her call, Thandie looked at her minutes. One hour and fifty-five minutes. Had she really talked to Amanda that long? She groaned and gave herself a quick once-over in the mirror, then headed for Elliot’s office. She smiled at Michelle as she ascended the stairs. He nodded to her before holding the door open. She could almost feel his eyes on her backside. Obvious as it may have been, Michelle’s attention was nothing compared to what she faced next. Elliot stopped mid-sentence when he looked up at her. The men lounging on the couches turned to see their visitor. For a moment, no one said anything. They just stared at her.
* * *
Elliot was outlining the next day’s schedule when Thandie walked into his office. The first thing that caught his attention was her legs. She was wearing satin hot pants that were so short, they might as well be considered panties. They drew his eyes right to the space between her thighs. Her blouse was nothing more than a shiny black handkerchief, with thin strings tied around her neck and behind her back. As she stepped farther into the room, her shapely legs, slender figure and curvy hips fell under his appraisal. They were incredible. The closer she got, the more apparent it became that her shirt was nearly see-through.
She put a spell over the room. No one was able to speak. They were too busy gaping at her attributes to say anything appropriate. Elliot had to force himself to break away from her magic. He cleared his voice. “Everyone, this is Thandie Shaw of Shaw Public Relations in New York. Her firm will be helping us promote the club for the grand reopening.”
Before he could say more, Adam jumped up to offer her his seat. Markie, Tom and Eddie stumbled over each other to introduce themselves. They each fought to tell her what their responsibilities were and why they would be working closely with her. Even his assistant Romero, who rarely went out of his way to speak to anyone, made a stiff introduction. Tom Comber, his director of food and beverage, and Eddie Bloom, his efficiency expert, were struggling to get a word in, being that their positions had little relevance to her job. Thandie didn’t appear to be overwhelmed by their attention. Elliot imagined she always had men chasing after her. With a body like hers, he was almost certain.
Elliot folded his arms across his chest, having grown tired of watching his management team gush. “Now that introductions have been made,” he said coolly, “let’s finish up, shall we? Tom, please present our sales goal tonight.”
The remainder of the meeting followed suit. Every manager took turns giving updates. Reports were made quickly, to allow themselves ample time to get back to the task of drooling over Thandie. By the time Elliot called it quits, he was royally annoyed by his team’s behavior. He watched Adam and Markie follow Thandie out of his office like protective puppies. They were clearly guarding her from him. It was just as well. He had a strict policy not to sleep with his employees. That is, until now. Seeing her tonight, dressed as she was, made him forget himself for a minute. She was damned sexy.
He was suddenly looking forward to the next few months.
* * *
Thandie was enjoying herself. The music was great, and everyone was lively. Adam kept her busy by introducing her guests. There was something to be said about the partygoers of South Beach. Everyone looked great and loved to dance. She now wished that Len and Raja were here with her. This would have been the perfect opportunity to become acquainted with their clients.
She moved through the different levels of the VIP area, introducing herself to as many people as she could. The lights in the room changed from blue to a glowing red. Everyone went crazy as the dancers took to the stage. The party went into full swing as the music climbed to a new pinnacle.
In spite of her good time, Thandie was ever aware of Elliot’s presence. Her gaze sought him out with an impulsiveness she could not control. She mentally combed the crowd until she finally spied him. Elliot was making slow progress, moving across the VIP area. Everyone either knew him or wanted to know him. It was impossible not to marvel at his ease of socializing, and the charisma with which he did it. Men and women alike were charmed by him. Women, of course, for his good looks. Men were easily won over by his unwavering air of confidence. Elliot Richards seemed like the coolest person in the room, and everyone wanted a piece of him.
As he was leaving the upper level, two men called him over. Thandie watched this interaction and was not surprised by what she saw. Apparently, gay men were not excluded from his appeal. Unlike most heterosexual males, Elliot did not appear the least bit guarded as he mingled with the men. Instead, Elliot engaged them warmly. In fact, it bordered on mild flirtation. Of course, it was not as obvious as it was with women but it was just enough to make them walk away thinking maybe, just maybe, they stood a chance of warming a place in Elliot’s bed.
With easy skill, Elliot broke away from the group and continued his rounds of greeting VIP members.
Just then, Adam sought her out in the crowd and waved her over to a table on an elevated level. From this perch he was able to point out regular customers, whom he referred to as members. Thandie listened avidly as he distinguished the rich from the hangers-on. There were telltale signs Thandie would have been able to figure out for herself, but Adam had the advantage of experience. He knew these people by name and face, oftentimes by financial records. He was vague on these details, but he revealed just enough to let her understand the clientele.
From the corner of her eye, Thandie spotted Warren entering the VIP lounge. A wave of interest swept over the rooms as he made his way through the throng. A celebrity in his own right, Warren’s arrival was warmly received. He shook hands and issued nods of acknowledgment with the masterful finesse of a seasoned politician. No one was immune to Warren’s charm.
A break in the mass occurred and Thandie was able to see Warren fully. His Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts had been replaced by a fine dark suit and silk tie. His thick white hair, although stylishly brushed to the side, caught the hold of the mood lighting and now glowed a soft lavender purple. Not surprisingly, a young woman clung to his side.
Thandie waved her hand to signal him. Catching sight of her, Warren grinned and began making his way toward them. “Hey, kiddo!” he said as soon as he reached her. “I see you made it to school just fine.”
Thandie hugged Warren in greeting. “Yes, I made it here in one piece.”
“How did the management meeting go?”
“She made quite an impression,” Adam volunteered.
Warren’s white brows raised. “Oh, really?”
“I don’t think the boys are excited about sharing their sandbox with a girl,” Thandie suggested.
Adam gave a snort. “I beg to differ.”
“No one gave you a hard time, did they?” Warren asked, a trace of concern in his eyes.
“No,” she assured him. “It was painless enough.”
“Well, then,” Warren said happily, “no harm done.” He snapped his fingers as if remembering something. “Where are my manners?” Turning to the young woman at his side, he said, “This is Thandie, an old friend of mine.” He put special emphasis on the ‘old friend’ part. “And that’s Adam,” he added flatly. If Adam was offended by Warren’s lack of embellishment, he did not show it. “Thandie and Adam, this is Kara.”
“Tara,” the woman corrected.
“Right,” Warren said quickly. “Tara.”
Tara made a childish pout
