AlTonya Washington - Rival's Desire

“You’re welcome.”

Vivian sent him a disgusted look, then got in her car and sped down the long, gravel driveway.

Caesar watched her drive away until the Porsche disappeared around the curve. The easy, humorous expression on his handsome face was replaced by a more pensive look. He had often wondered what being in a relationship with Viv would be like. Every time he saw her, he toyed with the idea while imagining her in his bed.

“Forget it, man,” he ordered himself with a shake of his head. Just before his fingers brushed the front doorknob, his deep-set stare narrowed and he cast one last look toward the driveway. A slow, mischievous smile tugged at the sensuous curve of his mouth before he went into the house.

“Hellooo?” Vivian called as the express elevator doors opened and she stepped into a plush living room. Intrigue rehearsed and composed most of their songs out of Viv’s rooftop studio. When Vivian arrived, everyone was lounging, having snacks and watching TV. She had given them an extra key so they could enter if she wasn’t home yet.

“So, how was lunch, Viv?” Dacia Cartright asked as she and Ivory exchanged glances.

Vivian hung her purse and scarf on the rack near the elevator. When she turned to see the knowing smiles on her partners’ faces, her eyes narrowed. “Lunch was good.”

“Alindo’s was the place to be today, huh, Viv?” Anna Williams asked.

Viv frowned and leaned back against the paneled elevator doors. “How’d y’all find out about that?”

The four young women in the room burst into laughter at their friend’s discomfort. Vivian’s sour expression remained as she watched them practically fall over each other, tears of laughter rolling down their faces.

“Girl, it’s been previewed as one of tonight’s top entertainment stories!” Diane Melon informed her between the laughter. “The lunch spat between the diva and the jock.”

“Dammit!” Vivian snapped, stomping into the living room. “Please don’t tell me they’re makin’ this out to be my fault.”

Anna shrugged and toyed with a strand of her waist-length black hair. “Honey, from what we hear, you started it.”

Viv slammed her fists to the table. “Damn him!”

Ivory grinned and tapped Dacia’s shoulder. “I think they said that was how it started, Viv slammin’ her fists to the table.”

Dacia chuckled and propped the side of her round face against her palm. “Viv, what the hell did you all do to get thrown out of that place?”

Vivian let out a long dramatic sigh and flopped down on the sofa. “It was all Caesar’s fault.” She grimaced at the chuckles of doubt surrounding her. “Our grandmothers wanted us to have lunch with them to talk about running their company.”

“Running their company?” Diane asked, her large brown eyes widening. “For how long?”

Vivian shrugged. “We didn’t get all the details. The moment they told us we had to do it together, Caesar went off.”

“Mmm-hmm. So you just accepted it, huh?” Anna asked.

“No-o-o,” Vivian sourly replied. “But I didn’t act as badly as Caesar. After a while there was nothing I could do. I had to defend myself.”

Dacia pushed herself out of the armchair she occupied. “Well,” she sighed, “it looks like you both did a great job.”

“Look, can we just get to work?” Viv snapped, raising her hands in the air.

The girls sent each other knowing looks as they followed Viv upstairs to the studio. They decided to start that day rehearsing a song they were considering for the release party of their latest CD.

Viv did her best, but her timing and pitch were way off. Caesar had gotten to her more than she cared to admit. He was all she could think of.

“You know, Viv, I can’t understand why you’ve never been able to get along with that man,” Anna noted, propping one hand on her hip.

Dacia nodded. “I can’t, either. I mean, Caesar Morrison is…mmm, Caesar Morrison.” She sighed.

“Sexy,” Diane added.

“And, mmm…delicious,” Ivory concluded.

“And you sluts have one-track minds,” Vivian retorted, giving them each distasteful looks. “Caesar Morrison and I have hated each other since we shared the same playpen.”

“But, Viv, girl, that was when you two were kids. The playpen could be a lot more exciting now.”

The entire studio came alive with laughter over Diane’s comment. Even Viv couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at her full lips.

“Listen—” she reached for her glasses “—I will admit that Caesar is fine, sexy and all that, but it could never work for us.”

“Why not?” Ivory asked. “He knows you’re not after him for his money. The two of you have known each other all your lives.”

Vivian shook her head at Ivory’s reasoning. “The man is just too pigheaded and too much of a sexist.”

Everyone groaned, but Viv stood firm. Luckily, they were able to get some real work done before parting ways for the evening. Vivian thought about all the advice her partners had given her during rehearsal. Of course, a relationship with the gorgeous athlete was out of the question.

“I hope that cools you down a bit,” Francine remarked, pulling the stylish sunglasses away from her face.

Caesar hoisted his muscular frame out of the pool. He reached for the thick towel hanging off the back of a chaise longue. “Funny,” he replied as he dried droplets of water from his body.

“Sweetie, is it really that hard to get along with Vivian? She’s so lovely and lively.”

“That’s it right there,” Caesar replied, holding out one hand. “She’s too lively. The girl is loud and pushy…nothin’ but a headache I don’t need.”

“I think you’ve met your match.”

“My match?” Caesar mocked, his deep voice muffled by the towel covering his head.

“She’s a woman who isn’t so in awe of your looks and stature that she literally falls over herself to get your attention.”

“Granny, you know I don’t date stupid women,” Caesar proclaimed, tucking the towel around his lean waist before taking a seat next to Francine. “Besides, I don’t think Plum’s ever seen me that way.”

A look of disbelief crossed Francine’s lovely caramel-toned face. “Baby, if you believe that, you’re crazy,” she said, patting Caesar’s cheek. “You know, it would be so nice if the two of you came to an agreement before dinner.”

Caesar’s long, light brows drew close. “Go see Viv again? No thanks!”

Francine just smiled as she shifted position on the comfortable lounge. “I think it would be very nice if the two of you showed up on my doorstep ready to cooperate. Together.”

Caesar’s mouth fell open as he stared at his grandmother.

Viv began running a bath in her sunken Jacuzzi tub. Just as she was about to add a bit more bath foam to the bubbling water, she heard a loud commotion. The bottle fell into the bath as she rushed out of the room. She flew down the burgundy-carpeted staircase and through the living room. Obviously the deafening boom had come from outside, so something major must have happened. When she pulled open the front door and saw her neighbor seated amid a group of boxes, she almost laughed.

“If I see one smile, your butt is mine,” Alex Trevor threatened.

“What happened?” she asked, gathering her long, emerald silk robe in one hand as she stepped out into the hall.

Alex smashed one of the huge boxes with his fist and grimaced. “I put the damned wedge in the door to hold it open, but when I got back with all these damned boxes, the heavy-ass door must’ve closed on the wedge. Thereby, producing the loud boom you heard when I slammed into the door.”

“Well, it looks like I’m the only one that heard it,” Viv noted, looking down the long, empty corridor.