More Than A Four Letter Word (9 page)

He knows that Clarissa is attracted to him
because he sees the desire in her eyes and erect nipples don't lie.
Problem is he doesn't know how far those feelings go. Sure, she
ended a long-term relationship almost six months ago, but it's his
job to make sure she gets back in the saddle. Julian knows that
Clarissa is his type of woman. She's a smart career oriented, loves
children, and she's sexy as hell. With just the right amount of
pressure, he can have her eating out of the palm of his hand.

It isn't necessary to have a house warming
party, but it's good for business, and it's a way to get Clarissa
to see him after business hours. Julian would like to spend the
evening getting to know her better at an intimate restaurant. He
hasn't been in a serious relationship since his wife Donna died,
and he misses the intimacy of being involved in a relationship.
Julian has his share of women friends, or one night stands, but
they aren't enough anymore.

When his wife was murdered, he felt so guilty
for her death. He was thankful that the murderer didn't kill his
son Micah too. The police pulled him in for questioning; they let
him go after it had been confirmed that he was out of town on
business. Maybe he didn't deserve a second chance at love. Julian
blamed himself for his wife's death. If he'd been in town, Donna
would be alive today.

He stepped into the shower and tried to drown
out his sorrows. Julian's best friend, Harlan, and his boss at the
time came to him with a business proposition. He convinced Julian
to come to Chicago and go into business with him. Julian wanted to
get away from Kansas City.

Julian took Harlan up on his offer, joined
him in business and eventually branched out starting his own
business never looking back. Rosscom is a very successful Fortune
500 company. It has so many subdivisions that he has to delegate
his work to senior management. Julian steps out of the shower grabs
a towel and walks back into his bedroom.

He thoroughly dries himself before getting
dressed. His main goal tonight is to get Clarissa in his arms by
any means necessary. Asking her to be the hostess at the last
minute is a stroke of genius. "Clarissa Marks you are mine."

***

Clarissa just stepped out of the shower when
her phone rang “Hello.”

“
Damn! You sound out of
breath. What have you been doing?”

Clarissa’s mood lightened as soon as she
heard Alison’s voice. “Oh I’m getting ready for a business party at
Julian's house.”

“
Really! Uhmm, is there a
chance you might be spending the night. If so you better bring
plenty of condoms.”

“
Ali! Julian and I don’t
have that type of relationship.”

“
I’ve seen him okay, Julian
Ross is one fine piece if I’ve ever seen one."

Clarissa frowns at the phone. "When did you
see Julian?"

"The day you sold Lariat I dropped something
off for Jonesy. I spied you two in the conference room. The way he
looked at you gave me goose bumps, that man wants you badly. You
need to forget your missish ways and jump him at your first
opportunity. When is the last time you had sex anyway?”

“
I don’t know anyone here in
Chicago except for the people I work with and it’s not appropriate
to engage in an office fling. You know that office affairs never
end well.”

“
Are you trying to tell me
that the last person you had sex with is Lawrence? With all those
magnificent men in Chicago, you’re telling me that you're not
getting any! Have you lost your mind?”

Clarissa sighs into the phone. “Okay I admit
that I miss sex. Lawrence is a sleaze, but he's marginal in bed. I
know that I don’t date enough. I’m just not the screw them and
forget about them kind of woman.” There is no way in the world that
Clarissa would tell Alison of her interest in Julian. Alison would
talk her to death for at least another hour.

“
Rissa I know that you have
trust issues with men, but girl it’s unnatural for a woman your age
to be living a life of an old maid. When you get to the party
tonight I want you use your dormant womanly skills and attach
yourself to a man and sex him up.”

Clarissa couldn’t help laughing at her
friend, “I just might do that, I have to call you this weekend and
tell you how it went. I have to get off the phone before I’m late
for the party.”

“
Okay, but don’t forget to
wear something sexy…”

"Good night Ali." Clarissa hung up the phone
before Alison could finish her sentence. If Alison has her way, she
will vamp every available man in Chicago.

The call from Ali has her thinking about her
move to Chicago. She wanted to distance herself from family
problems and didn’t fully think about the ramifications of her
actions. Chicago's a beautiful town; it’s exciting, pumping with
life and vitality. There is always something to do, but if don’t
know anyone it can be a lonely place.

Talk about being ill prepared for the winter.
Wen she first arrived in Chicago, she had only seen snow once in
her life at a gamers' conference in Atlanta. The city shut down
after receiving a paltry two inches of snow. Chicago doesn’t shut
down after a foot of snow hits, business may be slow, but
eventually they open. It takes a lot to shut the city of Chicago
down.

She didn’t even have a decent pair of winter
boots; she had to do some serious shopping to prepare herself for
the extreme cold and high winds bouncing off Lake Michigan. She
weathered her first winter in Chicago with the grace of a southern
belle. Now, spring was rolling in with much fervor. Every day in
April so far had been close to 75 degrees or above. She was used to
the even keel spring days in Florida. She would have to prepare
herself for the hot Chicago summers because in her mind moving back
to Florida wasn't an option.

***

Clarissa looked at herself one more time
before leaving for the party. She selected the fabulous flame red
dress she bought earlier today. It has a split that ends mid-thigh,
the front of the dress shows a little cleavage and the back of the
gown dips to the base of her spine. Clarissa decided to wear the
jacket that went with the gown. As much as she wants to knock
Julian's socks off, exposing her back is a little too much.

She couldn't her running her hands through
her short hair; she loved the cut and decided that she was done
with long hair forever. She took out the diamond earrings and
necklace that her parents gave her when she graduated from college
and put them on. This is the first occasion in a long time that has
warranted such finery. Clarissa rarely goes out, but when she does
she makes her appearance worth the effort. She wants to get
Julian's attention, but she damn well isn't going to chase him.

Julian recently purchased a home in Glencoe.
She didn't understand why Julian bought such a large house. The
house has seven bedrooms, five bathrooms, and it even has a
guesthouse behind the swimming pool. The kitchen alone is bigger
than Clarissa whole condominium.

Clarissa parks her on the enormous circular
driveway fifteen minutes before seven o'clock. As she walks towards
Julian's house, she wonders if she were making a mistake by being
here. Clarissa's hand barely touches the door before it's opened by
a huge, somber looking man. He took her wrap and showed her into a
large sitting room.

A black baby grand piano sat in front of the
bay window and took up a third of the room. The sitting room was
tastefully decorated in black and white. Above the fireplace is a
painting of a beautiful woman holding a baby. There were other
displays of artwork all over the room, but nothing touched her as
much as the painting.

Clarissa could hear someone running down the
stairs, she turned around in time to see Julian's son came running
towards her. He seems anxious as if he were afraid she would try to
leave before he could reach her. There's something unique about
Micah makes her yearn for children of her own. She doesn't know
what she did to earn his favor, but he always seems excited to see
her. He's such a rambunctious child, and no one is a stranger to
him.

"Hi Micah I see you're dressed for the
occasion." Wearing a tuxedo with a little bow tie, he looks like a
pint size version of his father. When he grows up he’s going to be
a heart breaker.

"I'm glad to see you Rissa. I got a new video
game today, would you like to play a game of Wu Chan: Beast Slayer
before the party starts?"

"Clarissa ears perked up at the mention of
the last game she created for Lariat before selling the company. I
don't think your father would appreciate us sneaking off to go play
Beast Slayer." Clarissa watches Micah closely as he absorbs the
implications of what she's saying.

"It's not like either one us wants to be at
this party. I really don't think that Dad would mind. Besides Dad
says that I only have to stay at the party for an hour then I can
go to my room. You can join me if you'd like to play my new video
game."

"I have an idea. Why don't you give me a tour
of the house? I haven't been here in a while, and I'm sure your
father has made many changes."

"Okay," Micah said as he grabs Clarissa by
the hand and drags her out of the room. "Let's start
downstairs."

Micah proceeds to show her every room in the
house. They walk into one of the rooms and saw Julian and a woman
kissing. Clarissa felt as if she's been doused with a bucket of
cold water. Julian is a charming, sexy man, of course he has a
lover. How dare he play seduction games with her, while sexing this
trollop on the side. Julian has another thing coming if he thought
that she would join his harem. "I'm sorry Julian for the
interruption. Micah is just giving me a tour of the house."

"That's quite all right Clarissa, what you
just interrupted got out of hand. Let me introduce you to an old
friend of mine. Karen Nash this is Clarissa Marks, she's one of the
best security engineers at Rosscom."

"Nice to meet you Karen." Clarissa holds her
hand out to Karen; she touches Clarissa's hand as if she were
afraid of catching a disease. When Karen pulls her hand back, she
grazes Clarissa hand with her fingernails.

"Please, excuse me, I can be so clumsy
sometimes."

Clarissa knows without a doubt that Karen
deliberately scratched her hand. There’s nothing worse than a
possessive bitch who thought every woman is out to get her man.
"Don't worry about it, when one deals with feral cats, she should
avoid the claws." Clarissa couldn't stand there any longer. She has
to get away before her emotions took control, and she beat this
trick as if she stole something. "Come on Micah, why don't you show
me the rest of the house."

Julian didn't get a chance to tell Clarissa
how incredible she looks. If the expression on her face were
anything to go by, he guessed that he wouldn't get the chance.
Clarissa obviously has the wrong impression about him and Karen.
Julian invited Karen to the party because she's always been a good
friend and business associate. He has to get the message across to
Karen that he isn't interested in a personal relationship with
her.

"I see that I have a rival for you affections
Julian. Stupid me, I thought you invited me to your party to play
hostess. She's rather homely for your taste isn't she darling. When
are you going to realize that a man in your position needs a woman
like me?"

"It's not going to happen Karen, I'm just not
the right man for you."

"You wanted me once. I have to tell you
Julian it was the best loving I ever had and I want a second
chance."

Julian thought about the mistake he made by
sleeping with Karen years ago. "We had sex a couple of times, and
that was all. Excuse me, I need to speak with my other guests."

Karen watches as Julian leaves the room. He's
the only man she has ever loved, and she can't believe that he
doesn't reciprocate her feelings. Deep in her heart she knows, that
one day Julian would realize that she is the only woman for
him.

Karen would find Clarissa and make sure that
she knows just how intimately involved she has been with Julian.
Karen is a woman on a mission she doesn't know why Julian is
denying his feelings for her, but she will make sure that Clarissa
is out of the picture.

***

By the time Micah and Clarissa make it back
to the sitting room, Clarissa's anger hasn't abated; she's upset
with herself for taking Julian seriously. She excuses herself and
goes into the nearest bathroom. It isn't possible for a man who
exudes sex like Julian to remain celibate for the last five months.
He probably is serious about his intentions to seduce her, but that
doesn't mean he didn't have lovers on the side. Clarissa isn't
anybody's fool, and she refuses to play the fool for Julian. Well
she's determine that Julian will never finds out about her plans to
proposition him.

Clarissa touches up her makeup and goes back
out to enjoy the party. She doesn't want to see Julian for the rest
of the evening. Unfortunately, Clarissa's luck didn't hold, as soon
as she walks back into the sitting room, Julian came to her
side.

Julian wraps his arm around Clarissa's waist
pulling her close to his body. "Let's get one thing straight, Karen
is not my lover, she's just a friend. The only woman I'm interested
in being with is you."

Clarissa tries to move out of reach, but
Julian tightened his arm around her. "Is it necessary for you to
hold me so tight?"

Julian brushes his cheek against hers. "Not
necessary, but it feels good doesn't it."

"More like torment. Do you plan on being
glued to my side for the rest of the evening?"

"Yes. I should have claimed you months ago. I
didn't want to be the rebound man because those relationships never
last. Make no mistake Clarissa I want you, and I'm going to show
you how much. Come with me, I have some people I want you to
meet."