Billionaire Romance: MAXIMILIAN (An Alpha Bad Boy Contemporary Mystery Romance) (Mysterious Billionaires Book 3, Anthologies & Collections) (37 page)

              “Nice try, Caleb.”  Victor approached him from behind and gave him a playful slap on the back.  “She’s definitely a hot commodity.  You didn’t really think she’d give you her number already, did you?”  He chuckled and then looked at Rio who just smirked.

              “Well I’m no slouch.”  Caleb laughed and then put his hands on his hips.  He didn’t want to be boastful, but he had dated plenty of models, and some that were almost as beautiful as Angelique.  His rugged good looks and his subtle charms had an effect on most of the women he met.  Most of the time he never even mentioned that he was a billionaire.  It was just an added bonus.

              “Rio over here tried asking her out a few months ago, right?”  Victor jabbed Rio in the ribs and then chuckled.  “So don’t feel bad.  She shot him down, too.”  Victor shook his head and grinned. 

              “So what’s her deal?  Is she seeing someone?”  Caleb wanted to know if either of them knew more.

              “As far as I know, she’s single but rumor has it she’s involved with John Legend.  You know him.  That black singer and songwriter.”  Victor spoke to Caleb as the man made their way to the door.  The sky had grown dark and a cluster of stars dotted the sky.  They walked out to the parking lot and then got into their cars.  Caleb waved goodbye and then started his ignition.

              As he drove home to his goliath mansion, Caleb wondered what Angelique was doing.  Had she gone to the movie like she had said she was going to?  Was she out with a man?  He shook his head and told himself that it was stilly to be so preoccupied with a woman he had just met, but he couldn’t shake her.  Something told him that he needed to try and find her and ask her out one more time.

              Caleb let Romeo out and sat on his back steps.  He was buzzed from the drinks at Salvio’s and he was nostalgic for someone to share these kinds of nights with, someone that he could lie in bed with after a nice dinner, someone he could make love to and shower with affection.  He realized it had been a long time since he had even seen a woman that he was attracted to.  Angelique was perfect.  She had the body, mind, and spirit that he desired in a woman. 

              Caleb whistled for Romeo and the two stepped back in the house.  He shut off the lights and took off his clothes.  Then he slipped on a pair of lounge pants and climbed into bed.  He lied in silence, listening to the faint hum of crickets from the window that was cracked open in his bedroom.  Then he turned over and drifted off to sleep.

              “Hey, Victor.  It’s me.  Does she work at the Ford agency down on Vasque and Fifth?”  Caleb was sitting at his desk inside his study, sipping on a coffee and gazing out the window.  Victor let out a chuckle.

              “Boy, you are persistent, aren’t you?  Yes.  She works at their main headquarters.  I have no idea when she’s there, so don’t go asking me for her schedule.”  Victor laughed again and then played with a pen that was on his desk.  “Good luck, buddy.”  He smiled and hung up.

              Caleb sipped his coffee and smiled.  He was going to make sure that he got what he wanted, whether it came easily or not.  He took a shower and dressed in his khakis and a white button down.  Then he brushed his hair and splashed on some cedar wood cologne.  He walked to Galaxy Spa and ordered their Deluxe Treatment Package which included a massage, a facial, and a body wrap.  Then he walked down to the Ford Modeling Agency.

              “Good morning, sir.  How can I help you?”  A sophisticated blond who appeared to be about fifty greeted him when he walked through the double doors. 

              “Hello.  I’m looking for a woman named Angelique.  She’s one of your models.”  Caleb smiled and then looked around.  The office space was well lit and various large plants added to the modern décor. 

              “Do you mean Angelique Sevaugn?”  The woman gave Caleb a curious smile and then placed her hands on her hips.  Caleb nodded and shifted casually on his feet.

              “Oh, sweetheart, she’s in the middle of a shoot right now, and she doesn’t usually accept on-site visitors.  She’s one of our most highly sought super-models right now, so you aren’t the first in line.”  The woman was polite but Caleb detected a condescending air.

              “Look, I know her.  We were at dinner together last night.  I understand if she’s busy, but could you do me a favor?”  Caleb was hopeful.

              “Perhaps.”  The woman looked at him with a wry smile.

              “Here.  I wanted to give her this.”  Caleb handed the woman the gift certificate.  He slid his business card inside the envelope and then handed it to her with a smile.  “It’s just a little something.”  He glanced around the lobby, wondering if she might just appear.  The woman took the envelope.

              “I’ll make sure she gets it.  And your name is?”  She eyed Caleb with curiosity.  He smiled and then ran his hands through his hair.

              “My name’s Caleb Montgomery.”  He straightened his posture and extended his hand.  The woman smiled and extended hers.

              “Marjorie Fanslow.  Nice to meet you.”  She smiled and then tucked the envelope under her arm.  Caleb hoped that she was honest, and that Angelique would actually receive the envelope.  He turned around and then made his way back to the door.  Before leaving, he glanced over his shoulder one last time to see if she was there.  Then he sighed and headed out the door.

              At eight o’clock that night, after he had made himself a vegetable stir fry and had watched the sun set from his wrap-around deck, Caleb heard his phone ring.  He didn’t want to get his hopes up, so he told himself that the private number was probably just a client calling him to ask about an upcoming project.  He answered and then smiled when he heard Angelique’s voice.

              “Caleb?  It’s Angelique.”  Her voice was soothing and kind.  Caleb sat down and gave Romeo a pat on the head.

              “Hi, Angelique.  How are you?”  Caleb was impressed that Marjorie had followed through with her words. 

              “I’m doing well.  Thanks.  Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I’m a hug fan of Galaxy Spa.  Thanks for the gift.”  She smiled and Caleb wondered if he should be so brazen as to ask her out a second time.

              “Well, I’m glad that you’ll enjoy it.  I just wanted to let you know that I think you’re a beautiful woman, and even though you aren’t interested in dating right this second…”  His voice trailed off and he ran his hands through his hair, trying not to talk so much as to sound like a fool.

              “Well, actually…”  Angelique paused and then smiled.  “I was thinking about it and I have a day that just opened up next week.  They cancelled one of our travel shoots, so I’ll be in New York on Thursday instead of Patagonia.  Would you like to meet up for lunch at Zuba’s on South?”  Angelique lounged on her chaise and waited for Caleb’s response.

              “I’ve wanted to try out Zuba’s on South for the last year.  I’m not kidding.  My buddy told me that they get great bands and that they have a killer menu.”  He smiled, the feeling of satisfaction permeating his inner core. 

              “Sounds like a date, then.”  Angelique grinned and then stood up and walked onto her balcony.  The sky was now dotted with stars and a cool breeze shifted through the valley.  She leaned her arms on the railing, then twirled around and flitted back inside.

              “What time would you like to meet?”  Caleb didn’t even check his schedule to see if he had any clients booked for that afternoon.  If he did, they’d have to be rescheduled. 

              “Does noon work for you?”  Angelique was always good with suggestions.

              “Perfect.  I’ll see you there.”  Caleb smiled and then hung up the phone.  He gave Romeo another pat on the head and then looked up at the New York sky.  Something told him that his life was about to change for the better. 

              When he got up the next morning, he thought about calling Victor and telling him that he finally got a date with Angelique.  Then he decided that he’d just keep it to himself.  He wanted to make sure that she actually had an interest in him before he went broadcasting his personal life.

              It felt like it took forever for Thursday to arrive.  Caleb was generally a patient man, but having to wait all week to finally see Angelique made him anxious.  He shook his head and laughed as he tried to concentrate on his work.  He was falling hard, and he had only met her once.

              Zuba’s on South had a local jazz band on Thursday.  Caleb parked in the lot and watched as a few of the musicians carried their instruments in the back door.  He felt nervous which made him chuckle.  He had always been overly confident on dates, and had often found himself bored easily.  He already knew that an afternoon spent with Angelique Sevaugn would be anything but boring. 

              When she showed up in her black convertible Mercedes, Caleb whistled softly under his breath.  She parked and got out, turning heads as soon as she did.  She wore a silky red shirt and a pair of black leggings with leather boots.  Her hair was down and it looked thick and wavy.  Her stride was long and deliberate, and he watched her for a few more minutes before climbing out from behind the wheel.

              “You look amazing.”  Caleb met her at the door and held it open so she could walk inside. 

“Thanks, Caleb.  I’m glad we could get together.”  She adjusted her purse and was about to say something else when one of the jazz musicians approached her.

“Excuse me, miss.  Aren’t you the model whose face is on the billboard coming into Brooklyn?”  He cocked his head to the side and Angelique smiled and nodded her head.

“Yes.  That’s me.”  She looked at Caleb and then looked back at the musician. 

“My name’s Sachi.  Feel free to visit us when the show is over.  Drinks are on me.”  He winked and then strutted way.  Caleb pretended not to be irritated, but it was hard to hide his emotions.  He knew that dating a woman like Angelique would probably test his self-confidence and his trust.  Clearly, she received attention anywhere that she went.  He told himself to just take it one step at a time, instead of worrying about situations that he’d likely never have any control over.

The hostess showed them to a window table that was seated right in front of the band.  Jasmine sat down and then Caleb pushed in her chair.  She smiled at his chivalrous gesture.  The band warmed up and the waiter dropped off menus.  Caleb folded his hands and gazed in Angelique’s eyes.  “I’ve been looking forward to this all week.”  He watched as she got comfortable in her seat.

“You know, I didn’t mean to come off so uninterested that night at Salvio’s.”  Angelique lowered her voice and rocked forward slightly in her chair.  “It’s just that I haven’t dated much lately, and I really do have limited free time ever since signing on with Ford.”  She straightened her posture and the waiter reappeared with drink menus. 

“I completely understand.  I have a pretty busy life, myself.  But I wanted to make sure that I took time out for a woman like you.”  Caleb smiled and then opened his drink menu.  He ordered a Jack and Coke and then watched as Angelique ordered a glass of white wine.

“Thanks for understanding, Caleb.  You really do seem like a great guy.”  She batted her eyelashes and Caleb’s heart fluttered once again.  He could pick up the faint scent of almonds mixed with honey and assumed that it was Angelique’s perfume. 

The two sat quietly for a minute, sipping on their drinks when they arrived, and watching as the band tuned up its instruments.  Caleb wanted to ask Angelique so many questions, but the also didn’t want to come on too strong.  He took a deep breath and then smiled.  “You know, I could tell as soon as I saw you that you’re different.  I mean, you are obviously a stunning woman.  I know that you probably hear that all the time.  But, I can sense something else with you, and I feel like I need to explore whatever it is that has me so attracted to you.”  He nodded his head with enthusiasm. 

Angelique looked away and blushed.  As frequent as it was that she received compliments, there was something about hearing such flattery from Caleb that made her warm inside.  “I appreciate that.  The modeling life is definitely grueling sometimes.  You know, with all the egos and the superficiality.  So, I have an agreement with myself that I’ll never forget my roots.  I have a lot to be thankful for.”  She nodded her head and then sipped on her wine. 

Caleb could feel Sachi watching Angelique from his position on the stage.  The band drew a large crowd and soon the small space in front of the stage was filled with people drinking and dancing.  Caleb stood up and reached for Angelique’s hand.  She got up as well and let Caleb take her to the dance floor. 

Caleb drew Angelique close to his body and moved to the beat of the music.  Angelique was impressed with his style and soon fell into a rhythm, dancing and laughing as the band played on.  She held his hand and let herself go for what seemed like an eternity.  There were no thoughts of work, of schedules, or of obligations.  She closed her eyes and a feeling of warmth and connection washed over her spirit.

“You smell so good.”  Caleb pressed his face against Angelique’s hair for a moment, unable to resist the urge to touch her in some fashion.  She smiled and continued to dance with him in front of the band.

The crowd on the dance floor slowly dispersed when the music slowed down in tempo.  Caleb drew Angelique closer and whispered in her ear.  “I’d love to see you again.  I want to spend more time with you.”  He held her hand and they danced slowly, like they had known each other for much longer than a week.