His Sexy Bad Habit (2 page)

She’d raised her eyebrow and asked, “Why not? We’re both adults.”

“I can’t do this. We’re about to start working together.”

Serena had risen to her feet and paced back and forth. “And? You’re married, aren’t you?”

Antonio held up his left hand. “I’m not married. But, like I said, we’re about to start working together and I don’t want to complicate matters with sex.” He’d stood up and closed the space between them. He’d wanted to have sex with her,
wanted to lift that little black dress above her head and see the splendor of her naked body.

Serena had seemed to notice his desire as she glanced down at the fly of his slacks. “I’m not a woman who plays games and I go after what I want,” she’d said. “Since I know for sure this isn’t one-sided, I’m telling you, again, we’re adults.”

“I know this,” he’d replied. “But I have to try and be professional.”

Serena had offered him a sly smile and pressed her body against his. “But I don’t,” she’d said and leaned in to kiss him again. Unable to resist, he’d cupped her bottom and started to inch up her dress. Before anything else could happen, the door had opened and Jade had walked in, causing them to break off the kiss.

That kiss still kept him up at night, even after all the time that had passed. It kept him yearning for more from Serena, but he couldn’t get caught in her sexy web when he had A.J. and his business to run. Still, how much longer could he deny what he wanted?

Two days after Kandace and Solomon were whisked away to Dundret in Sweden for their snow-filled honeymoon, Serena stood in the townhouse that Kandace used to rent, unpacking her things, since she was going to staying in Charlotte until the restaurant was redesigned. She was happy that she’d allowed movers to bring in all of the heavy items like her bedroom suite, her leather living room sectional, and her heavy bookcases. Had she been smarter, she would’ve allowed them to unpack her books and set up the entertainment center.

“Why did I bring all this crap?” she muttered as she looked around the maze of boxes. “It’s not as if I’m going to live here forever.” Serena plopped down on the edge of the sofa and reached for her cell phone to call Alicia and Jade. They could at least come over and help her unpack since they suggested she move into the townhouse, rather than take a suite at a hotel. Honestly,
Serena knew she needed a place of her own if she was going to enact her plan of cracking Antonio Billups.

Since the wedding, she’d only gotten a glimpse of him as he worked gutting the dining room of the restaurant. So far, Alicia and Jade had handled most of the business meetings because she’d been wrapping up her business in Atlanta. Now that she was in Charlotte she was ready to mix a lot of pleasure with a little business.

“Hello,” Jade said when she picked up the phone.

“What are you doing?” Serena asked.

“I just tucked my son in for a nap. Are the movers done with you?”

“Yes. I’m calling so you and Alicia can come and help me unpack.”

“Alicia’s on her way back to Atlanta and Jaden just went to sleep, so it looks as if you’re on your own right now,” Jade said. “I’m actually surprised you’re not at the restaurant.”

Serena smiled. “You know, I will go over there and take a look at what’s going on. By the time I get home, your son should be awake and you can come over.”

“Serena, what’s so special about Antonio Billups? I’ve never seen you go out of your way for a man. Hell, they normally fall at your feet. This is more than about you wanting to sleep with him.”

“No, it isn’t,” Serena said. “Don’t make it seem like I’m some man eater. He’s different. I just can’t
put my finger on it right now. But I’m going to have fun trying to figure out just what’s going on.”

“Please be careful. He’s the best contractor in town and the last thing we need is for you to give him a reason to quit on us,” Jade cautioned.

“Trust me, what I want from Mr. Billups has nothing to do with our business,” Serena said. “And since you’re watching your sleeping baby, I’m going to the restaurant.”

“What happens when a man sweeps you off your feet and you fall in love?”

“I don’t believe in the whole fairy tale thing,” Serena said. “I can stand on my own and I like my feet just where they are, firmly planted on the ground.”

“That’s what you say now,” Jade said. “Maybe Antonio is what you need—a challenge.”

“A challenge? What are you talking about? He’s a man and soon enough, we’ll do what both of us want to do. Had it not been for you, it would’ve happened already.”

“How is your quasi-obsession with this man my fault?” Jade asked.

“We were close to sealing the deal that night when you walked in at the Westin,” Serena said, closing her eyes and reliving that kiss.

“There have been other times for you to seal the deal. I swear, talking to you is just like talking to a man sometimes,” Jade said in an exasperated tone.

“Please, I’m not as stupid as those so-called players you’re always comparing me to. I don’t believe in stringing people along,” she said.
Been
on the other end of that and I’m not trying do that to anyone else.

“Just be careful and don’t mess things up until we get the restaurant done,” Jade said.

Serena sucked her teeth, then told her friend she’d see her later. After hanging up, she maneuvered through the boxes and headed upstairs to change into a pair of dark blue jeans, a fitted white T-shirt and a pair of red stilettos. She glanced at herself in the mirror and fluffed her hair. Serena knew her shoes weren’t exactly the best ones to wear to a construction site, but she wasn’t trying to be Miss Safety, she was trying to turn Antonio Billups into mush. Smiling, she grabbed her purse from the cluttered bed and headed downstairs.

“This was a perfectly good dining room,” Norman complained as he loaded pieces of the stripped floor into the metal waste can. “Why are these women redoing it already?”

“They want a new start after everything that happened here,” Antonio replied as he wiped his brow with the back of his hand. Part of him wondered if Serena would be involved in this renovation project. He looked for her every day he came to work, but he hadn’t seen her yet. Since they’d already been at the restaurant for about six hours, he’d given up seeing her today.

“So, a beer after we finish up here?” Norman asked.

“No, I got to take A.J. out to dinner since I
missed his football practice yesterday,” Antonio said, reaching down and grabbing another pile of debris. As he rose to his feet, he saw a pair of red shoes walking into the restaurant. When he saw those shoes were attached to curvy legs in tight jeans, his breath caught in his chest and he nearly dropped the debris from his hands.

“Hello, gentlemen,” Serena said. The sound of her voice sent chills throughout his body. It had a husky quality he imagined was like that of the mythical sirens who seduced the sailors of ancient Greece.

Norman smiled at Serena like a Cheshire cat. “Well, hello,” he said. “You’d better be careful walking in here in those shoes.”

Looking at Antonio, she said, “I’m sure you guys can take care of me if I fall.”

“That’s a chance we don’t want to take,” Antonio said as he dropped the trash in the metal container. “Don’t come any further. The floor is uneven.”

“Okay,” she said, then smiled at him. “It looks as if you guys are going to finish on schedule. That’s good for our business.”

“We aim to please,” Norman said. “I’m going to step outside for a cigarette.”

Antonio shot him a questioning look, but kept quiet. Norman didn’t smoke.

When Norman was outside, Serena cautiously crossed over to Antonio. “It’s good to see you again,” she said.

“Good to see you, too,” he replied as he inhaled
her scent. She smelled like roses and jasmine, intoxicating. “How was the wedding?”

Serena shrugged. “Good, if you’re into those big affairs,” she said.

Antonio folded his arms and shook his head. “Come on. You mean to tell me you’re not one of those women who attends a wedding and starts dreaming of her own?”

She rolled her eyes and laughed. “Not at all. Maybe when you’re finished here, you can help me in my townhouse,” she said. “I could use a good pair of hands.”

“Wish I could, but I have plans tonight,” he said.

“Well, the entertainment center will hold, if you don’t mind putting it together for me.” Serena pouted and her lips looked so sexy.

His mind instantly flashed back to their kiss and he felt his desire growing in his pants. “So, you’ve moved to Charlotte?”

“For now. Jade isn’t going to be able to be hands-on during the renovation, Kandace is on her honeymoon, and Alicia is putting together these business seminars trying to get Oprah’s attention or something,” she said. “So, you’re stuck with me looking over your shoulder.”

“That doesn’t seem so bad,” he replied with a smile. “Why don’t you greet us with breakfast in the morning?”

“I could always serve you breakfast in bed,” Serena said boldly.

“Is that so?” he said with a smirk on his face. “I’m going to take you up on that one day.”

“Can I get a specific date on that?” Serena asked as she ran her index finger down his bare arm. Antonio took her hand in his and lifted it to his lips. Her skin was so soft. Silk had nothing on her.

“Make sure you wear sensible shoes in the morning,” he said after letting her hand go. “I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

“Yes, sir. What time do you and your crew get here tomorrow?”

“Around six. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day because we’re laying the floor,” he said.

Serena took a step toward the door. “Then I’ll see you at six,” she said.

“All right, Miss Serena,” he said as she walked out the door.

It wasn’t until Serena was in her car that her breathing returned to normal. Antonio was now bald and his head would look perfect in her hands as he buried his face between her thighs.
Stop it,
she thought.
For all you know, his plans tonight could be with his girlfriend. I find it hard to believe that man is single.

Serena started the car and headed back to her townhouse. As she pulled up, she saw Jade’s car at the curb. “I’m going to have to get the key back from her,” Serena said as she placed the car in park and hopped out. When she walked in, Jade was sitting on the cluttered sofa.

“Where’s Jaden?” Serena asked.

“At home with his father,” Jade said. “You obviously need a lot of help. Are you planning on leaving Atlanta for Charlotte?”

“Maybe,” Serena said with a slick smile. “The restaurant is coming along great. They took the floor up today and the new one goes down tomorrow.”

“And you walked in there in those shoes?” Jade said as she rose from the sofa and grabbed a box marked
MOVIES.

“I was sure Antonio would’ve caught me if I had fallen,” Serena replied, then took the box from Jade’s hands. “My entertainment system isn’t ready.”

“So, what am I here to unpack?” She looked around at the boxes and shook her head. “Serena, what if you don’t get what you want and have to go back to Atlanta?”

“Jade, darling, I’m going to get what I want. The first thing I want is your key,” she said as she extended her hand to her friend. “Can’t have you walking in when I get Mr. Billups in here to put my entertainment center together.”

“Damn, you’re fast,” Jade said as she pulled the house key out of her pocket. “I hope he turns out to be the man to tame you.”

“I’m not a horse and if I were, no man could tame me,” she said. “Let’s get busy.” As the women opened boxes containing art, knickknacks, and books, Jade looked at her friend and shook her head.

“What’s that look for?” Serena asked.

Jade sighed and Serena knew what her friend
was going to bring up. “Five years ago you weren’t this bad,” she said.

“Well, I’m a lot older and wiser. After seeing what all you guys have been through with men, why would I sign up for that?” Serena said, masking the real reason she’d closed her heart to love.

“Let’s see, I’m happily married, Kandace is honeymooning with a man who loves her more than anything and—”

“And what? Two out of four aren’t very good odds of love. I’d rather not take the chance,” Serena said with finality in her voice.

“Sounds like someone has been hurt,” Jade said as she placed an arrangement of pictures on the mantel above the fireplace.

“Whatever, Jade,” Serena said as she began placing her books on the bookshelf. Even though she was over any feelings of love for Emerson Bradford, she didn’t want to relive the way he crushed her heart as she stood at the altar waiting for him and he never showed up.

They’d wrapped filming on the movie the night before and Serena’s final scene had been one where she was intimate with the lead character and his wife. It had been a sensual scene, once it was edited. Watching herself on screen had turned her on so much that when the crew had left the set, she’d planted herself in Emerson’s lap.

“Who knew it took that much to get great sex
on the big screen,” she’d said as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

“I just hope the scene actually stays in the movie,” he’d replied as she’d untied her robe. “You are going to be a star, you know that.”

Serena bit her bottom lip. “This was never my intention,” she’d said. “I wanted to write scripts and let someone like you bring them to life.”

“But I knew where you belonged,” he’d said before taking her swollen nipples between his lips.

She’d moaned, ready to have some actual sex with her future husband, but Emerson had stopped teasing her taut nipples and gently removed her from his lap. “As much as I want you, I have to get this rough cut to the studio heads tonight. But after tomorrow we will have the rest of our lives to make love and hit movies,” he’d said. “My beautiful muse.”

“But Emerson,” she’d protested, her voice sounding like a purr. “They don’t need that movie right this second and I need you.” Serena had dropped her robe and pressed her body against Emerson’s. “And you need me.”

The sound of glass breaking brought Serena back to reality. “Damn it,” she muttered as she looked at the Tiffany lamp she’d smashed.

“Are you all right over there?” Jade asked.

“I need to pay more attention,” she said. “I’ll get the broom from the kitchen and clean this up.”

“Stop thinking about seducing that man and
maybe you’ll stop breaking things,” Jade called out after her friend.

Antonio kicked off his boots at the front door then shook his head.
Some habits die hard,
he thought. Marian had always fussed about him tracking dust and dirt in the house, so to stave off an argument, Antonio just took his shoes off before walking inside. Though it had been three years since her death, he still did it.

“Daddy,” A.J. called out when he heard the door close behind his father. “Are we going to have pizza? Aunt Casey said you were taking us for pizza. I want pepperoni and cheese.”

“No on the pepperoni,” Antonio said as he enveloped his son in his arms. “How about we get cheese, chicken, and green peppers?”

“All right,” the boy said as he pouted. “But Aunt Casey said—”

“Aunt Casey didn’t promise you anything,” Casey Wallace said as she walked into the foyer. “You know your dad doesn’t eat pork.”

Antonio let his son go and told him to wash up so that he’d be ready to eat when the pizza arrived. “Thanks for staying with him today, Case,” Antonio said.

“You know I don’t mind,” she said. “I thought you were going to take the boy out, though.”

Antonio shook his head. “I’m wiped. The only person who showed up to work today was Norman and we had to take up the floor.”