Kianna Alexander - A Sultry Love Song

Joi wandered over to the narrow hallway beyond the offices, to where she assumed the vault was located. Just as she approached the round metal disk-shaped door, someone tapped her on the shoulder.

Joi whirled around, poised to act.

A chocolate-skinned man of average height stood there. Apparently he sensed her agitation, because he took a large step back as he spoke. “I’m Roosevelt Hunter. Are you Ms. Lewis?”

She relaxed her stance right away. “Yes, I am.” She stuck her hand out. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Hunter. Sorry about that.”

Roosevelt offered a smile. “It’s fine. Impressive reflexes, Ms. Lewis.”

Inside she was mortified, but outwardly she smiled. “Thank you.”

“Mr. Alvarez is ready to see you.”

Joi followed the branch manager as he led her farther down the hallway she’d been exploring. Turning a corner they came to a sizable office. The glass-paned door to the office stood open.

With a nod to Mr. Hunter, Joi stepped inside the office, with her free hand extended. “Good afternoon, Mr. Alvarez. I’m...”

The dark-haired man seated behind the desk looked up. His bronzed face held eyes that were dark, assessing and familiar.

Fixing her with a piercing gaze, he stood to his full height and cut her off midsentence. “I know who you are.”

* * *

Marco stared at the woman standing in front of his desk, torn between disbelief and irritation. Could the woman who’d abandoned his friend Ernesto at the altar really be there, in his office?

“I, um. I...” she stammered, as if she were still attempting to identify herself.

He folded his arms over his chest, taking in the sight of her shapely, smartly dressed form. “Like I said, I know who you are. Why are you here, Joi?”

She seemed to recover her professional demeanor then. She tucked her shoulders back and stood tall. “It’s two o’clock. I am the owner of Citadel Security, and we have an appointment.”

“Is that so?” He felt his brow furrow. If someone in full makeup and a clown suit had shown up for the appointment, he would have been less surprised.

“Yes, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to make my presentation.” She handed him a dark blue folder. When he opened it, he found several pages of neatly typed facts and figures.

His eyes drifted from the carefully prepared report and back to her face. Her earlier discomfort had disappeared, leaving behind nothing but confidence. If she were intimidated by his standoffish manner, she didn’t let on.

He returned to his seat, straightened his tie. “Yes, Ms. Lewis. Go ahead.” If she could keep things strictly business, then so could he. Based on her demeanor, his expectations for her proposal were very high.

Mindful of the edict he’d received from Sal, Marco paid close attention to Joi’s presentation. He took a few moments to leaf through the pages inside the folder she’d given him, which provided a written representation of everything she was saying. He noted how astute she was, and how thorough a vision she had for serving Royal’s security needs. He also noticed the way the soft fabric of her suit hugged the lines of her body, which was far curvier than it had been six years prior. Looking at her now made it seem as if that had been a lifetime ago.

Feeling a building warmth in the room, he loosened his tie. He watched her glossy, cherry-red lips move as she spoke.

Her mouth stopped moving, and she watched him, an expectant look spread across her face. Suddenly, he realized she’d asked him a question. “Pardon me?”

“I asked if you had any questions for me, Mr. Alvarez.” Annoyance registered in her expression, only for a moment, before she returned to her convivial smile.

Drawing his focus away from her appearance, he sat back in his chair and tented his fingers. “You’ve given a thorough proposal, and I’m impressed. The only thing I need to know now is your bid.”

She quoted him the amount.

His brow hitched in surprise. Her bid was within a few thousand dollars of the budget the board had approved for him. Only one other company had bid today, and their offer had so far exceeded the budget, Marco already knew he wouldn’t be calling them back. By his own honest assessment, if Citadel could deliver all the benefits that Joi had promised, Royal would be getting them for a steal.

“How does that sound to you, Mr. Alvarez?”

He was thrilled, but he knew better than to reveal that in a business negotiation. Tempering his reaction, he offered a slow, noncommittal nod. “I think it’s a reasonable offer.” Since she was still standing, and he planned to draw the encounter out a bit more, he gestured to the guest chair near her. “Please, have a seat.”

With a curt shake of her head, she replied, “I prefer to stand.”

He had to assume she was making a show of dedication, or of stamina. Something told him that even with the specter of their past history hanging between them, she was too serious about her business to let anything petty interfere with their interactions.

Deciding he’d test that, he asked her, “What have you been up to these past few years, Ms. Lewis?”

Her lovely brown face crinkled a bit. “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what that has to do with my proposal.”

He shrugged. “I’m simply curious as to what path you took after we parted, and how it brought you into my presence again.”

She blinked a few times, her soft brown eyes darting around the interior of his office. “I took a few continuing education classes and opened an office for my security firm. Basically, I’ve been working on my dream since the last time I saw you.”

He thought back on those days, when he’d known a totally different Joi Lewis than the one standing before him now. But she’d always been tough, and that hadn’t changed. “I see.”

As if she sensed where the conversation was headed, she squared her shoulders. “Let me level with you, Mr. Alvarez. I know you may have a negative opinion of me, due to what happened in the past. But I stand behind my decision, and I hope you’ll respect me enough as a professional that you won’t let that incident affect your decision.”

He watched her, noting that she’d only referred to her abandonment of Ernesto at the altar as an “incident.” It came across a little crass, but she was right. They were both professionals, and it would be unethical and ill-advised for him to flatly deny Citadel’s bid because of something that had happened years ago.

A few silent moments passed with each of them assessing the other.

Finally, he spoke. “Ms. Lewis, I’m not going to allow anything to shape the decisions I make for Royal, except for my best judgment of what is most beneficial to the company.”

She nodded, keeping her expression flat.

“I noticed in your material that Citadel has an all-female staff. Why is that?”

“My guards are all accomplished women, decorated military veterans or experienced former law enforcement officers. Despite their credentials, it’s difficult for them to find work. I aim to remedy that.”

“Out of altruism?” He watched her, anticipating her answer.

She held his gaze. “Out of good business sense.”

He offered a smile, impressed by her savvy. “That’s why I’m going to offer Citadel the contract right now. But be aware, your company will need to complete a thirty-day trial period, and if for any reason I or my branch manager are dissatisfied, we’ll have to rescind our offer.”

For the first time since she’d stepped into his office, she gave him a full, genuine smile. The wide spread of her ruby lips showed off two rows of pearly-white teeth. “I understand completely. Thank you, Mr. Alvarez. Citadel will go above and beyond your expectations, I promise.”