Joy Avery - In The Market For Love

“Jobs.”

By the slight softening of her features, it was the last answer she’d expected. He placed his fork down and dabbed at the corners of his mouth. “You have me all wrong, Vivian. May I call you Vivian?”

She nodded.

“There are many things you don’t see when you look at me. Just as I’m sure there are many layers to you.” And he’d like to peel them all away.

“Maybe. What forms will these jobs—”

In a bold move, he reached across and brushed a crumb from her cheek. When his finger grazed her warm skin, she stilled. Yeah, they had something going on, sparks. By her bewildered expression, she realized it, too.

She jerked away from his reach, then placed her napkin on the table. “Well—” She cleared her throat. “Well, Alonso. May I call you Alonso?”

He nodded.

“Thank you for lunch. I should really be going.” She scooted her chair away from the table, stood, and started to walk away.

Alonso stood. “Would you like your purse?”

Vivian stopped. When she turned, a sheepish expression lingered on her beautiful face. If he didn’t know better, he’d rattled her. The notion caused an inward smile. He passed her the black patent-leather bag. “You’ll think about my offer?” And me? Of course, he didn’t say the latter aloud.

“No.”

No. “No?”

“Your attempt at softening me, then swooping in for the kill failed.” She shrugged. “Sorry. Better luck next time. And by next time, I do mean with someone else, because my answer is final.” She smiled and made a hasty escape from the building.

Alonso massaged the side of his face as if he’d been slapped. In a way, he had. Seemed he’d met his match in Vivian Moore. In more ways than one. But he was Alonso Wright. He wouldn’t allow this minor roadblock to trouble him. Everyone had a price. He just needed to discover hers.

He smirked. Doing so could be fun.

Chapter 4

Alonso stood at the 3-D table model of his newest development venture: a luxury hotel, condos, eateries and, most important, an event center named after his late grandfather. This was truly the one thing that made the project worthwhile.

He moved away from the table and stood at the floor-to-ceiling window, homing in on one area in particular. “No other location will do,” he whispered to himself. To be able to stand in this very spot and glance out to see his grandfather’s name featured prominently on the event center... “No, no other spot will do,” he repeated to himself. A wave of emotion crashed over him when he thought about how much he missed the man.

Phalonius Wright had been a good man—a great man—and the fact that Alonso was able to honor his grandfather in such a manner swelled him with pride. He’d come a long way and had the man who’d raised him to thank. And this was his way of doing so.

He folded his arms across his chest, his thoughts shifting to Vivian. Why in the hell was the woman being so stubborn? The damn house was falling down. And it wasn’t like anyone had occupied the dilapidated dwelling for years. Plus, he was offering her far more than the hovel was worth.

“What’s up, bro?”

He turned to see Roth Lexington, his best friend since kindergarten, stroll through his office door. When the tall man stood within arm’s reach, Alonso exchanged a manly hug with him. “What’s up, man? I thought you were out of town.”

“Got back last night.” Roth’s attention shifted to the layout. “Damn. When you said you were honoring your grandpops, you really meant you were honoring your grandpops. Man...this is amazing.” Roth eyed him. “I’m proud of you, dude. And you’re making your grandpops real proud, too.”

Alonso nodded. “Thanks, man. That means a lot.” He eyed his brainchild again. “Out of every project I’ve done, this is the one that means the most.”

“Any luck with the house you need to acquire to seal the deal?”

Alonso sighed heavily. “I’m in trouble, man.” He dropped into one of the two coffee-colored leather chairs.

“What do you need?”

This was one of the things Alonso respected most about Roth. He was a helluva friend. It was never What did you do? or What did you get yourself into? or any bullshit like that. It was always an instant How can I help? response.

Alonso leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I’ve finally met her.”

“Met who?”

“The woman who’s going to be my ultimate demise.”

“Damn.” Roth took a seat adjacent Alonso. “This I’ve got to hear.”

Alonso spent the next hour telling Roth all about Vivian. From his horrible first impression at the hospital, to his scaring her off at the restaurant, and ending with his overwhelming attraction to her.

“Damn. That’s wild. The nurse turns out to be the same woman who owns the house.”

“I know, right? Sounds like something you’d see on a damn soap opera.”

“Sounds like destiny to me. Like it’s been determined for you two to connect with each other.”

“You sound like Ham. He all but told the woman I wanted her.” Alonso ran a hand over his head. “The strange part about it, I can’t stop thinking about her. I even dreamed about her last night.” He’d awakened harder than a piece of steel.

“Oh, yeah, she’s under your skin. You gonna pursue it?”

Alonso shrugged. “Nah. You know I never mix business with pleasure. But there’s something about this one I’m having a hard time ignoring. And damn, I’ve tried.”

Roth grinned. “Maybe she’s the one.”

Alonso laughed. “I don’t know about all of that. And I’m damn sure not looking for a relationship. I’ve traveled that dark road before. But I won’t lie, I did enjoy spending time with Vivian.” Despite how brief it may have been.

“Inez was a long time ago, Lo,” Roth said, using the nickname he’d called Alonso since they were tykes. “You can’t run from love—or destiny—” he smirked “—forever.”

“Says the man who dodges relationships like bullets.”

“I’m not dodging. I’m just waiting on the right one. She’s out there. But this ain’t about me. You gotta stop living in the past. Yeah, it was low-down what Inez did to you, but let it go. You’re a good brother, one of the best brothers I know. You deserve a happily-ever-after.”

“You sound like a greeting card.”

Alonso pushed to his feet and stood in front of the window again. Inez. Damn, some women knew how to really break a man. “I trusted that woman. Trusting a woman. My first mistake.”

“You didn’t make the mistake. She did. You should have been able to trust her. She was your lady.” Roth came to stand by Alonso. “You can’t condemn every woman because of the actions of one.”

Alonso didn’t argue because Roth was right. However, Alonso would have never pegged his ex as someone who’d poke holes in his condoms in hopes of securing a wedding proposal—or a payday. He still wasn’t truly sure which one she’d been after. She got neither, a wedding nor a baby.

Dammit, he did get to condemn, even if inside he knew he was wrong for doing so. All women weren’t the same. He knew that. But remembering what Inez had done to him made that hard to remember.

“I have to stay away from this woman. I fade when I’m near her and become this sensitive, all-in-my-feelings brother. I don’t know what she does to me, but I don’t like it.”

“Sounds to me like she’s tapping into the true you. The one you try so desperately to hide from the world.”

Roth knew him better than anyone, so there was no use in trying to dispute the claim. He did hide himself. And for good reason. The only side people needed to see of him was his fearless businessman persona. Revealing any other side made him vulnerable. Not even his ex had seen the true depths of him. Why would he allow Vivian to? “I would never give a woman that kind of power over me.”