Promises to Keep. Linda Hudson-Smith

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СКАЧАТЬ She had yet to put her personal stamp on her 3,200-square-foot home. The decor she had in mind would one day reflect her serene, warm and colorful personality. She had extensive plans for her space, but limited time to make them a reality.

      Totally blank, swirling ecru-textured walls were featured throughout. Only the master suite, laundry and kitchen were fully furnished. Surfing online had given her some terrific decorating ideas: a mix of antique, European and modern-day furnishings was her dream for ideal living quarters. Courtney planned to purchase items for the formal areas as soon as possible. The emptiness had begun to get to her.

      She had already decided to eat leftovers from the tasty meal her grandmother had prepared yesterday: roast chicken stuffed with cornbread dressing, plus a vegetable medley of steamed broccoli, pearl onions and cauliflower along with a side garden salad. She planned to shower, eat and go straight to bed. The day had been a long, tiring one.

      Just as Courtney slipped into the beautifully draped king-size bed, her cell phone rang. Her first thought was not to answer it. She then thought of her clients, as always. Someone might have a problem and need her help. She immediately reached for the cell.

      “Sorry to call so late, but I was wondering if you’d come to my office tomorrow to get started on the event plans. I know it’s a Friday and I’ll understand if you can’t.”

      Darius hadn’t identified himself—and he hadn’t needed to. She recognized that sexy voice instantly. Courtney took in a deep breath to try to settle the butterflies in her stomach. “I’m working an early-evening event tomorrow. We’re contracted for three hours. I can meet you afterward.”

      “Good. I’ll order take-out food for us to eat in my office. Okay with you?”

      “Well, yeah, I guess so. I’ll make sure I don’t eat too much at the shower. It’ll be hard to do. Several of my grandmother’s specialties are on the menu.”

      Darius chuckled softly. “I don’t want you to miss out on Grandma’s delicious cooking. Hope you won’t mind if I eat while we work. I know I’ll be ravenous by then.”

      “Not a problem. Six-thirty is good for me. If something unexpectedly pops up, I’ll call right away. Otherwise, I’m there.”

      “Six-thirty it is. Is there anything special you’d like to drink?”

      “Whatever you have on hand will be fine. I’m not hard to please.”

      “If it’s true, you’re the first woman I’ve met who can lay claim to that.”

      “There are plenty of us out there. Talk to you later, Mr. Fairfax.”

      “Darius works just fine for me. Is it okay if I continue calling you Courtney?”

      “Absolutely! Have a great evening, Darius,” she said, trying on his request for size. She liked the way her tongue caressed the pronunciation of his name. Courtney disconnected before he had a chance to say another word. Talking to him turned her on every bit as much as seeing him face-to-face. She moaned softly.

      Darius cradled the phone, unable to believe how wildly his entire being reacted to Courtney. He felt like a starstruck lover. How was that possible? He didn’t know her, yet he was drawn to her the moment he’d stepped into her beautifully appointed office. Courtney’s melodic, slightly husky voice made him want to hear it over and over again. Her pretty face and sexy body were desirable, but it was more than that for him.

      No woman had affected Darius the way this one had, especially not on a first meeting. He hadn’t been able to think of anything but Courtney since he’d left her office. He had a ton of work on his desk, but concentrating on anything but her was difficult. His steamy thoughts of her were totally inappropriate. He knew he had to snap out of this dream world.

      As the intercom on his desk buzzed, he instantly picked up the receiver and pressed the red button. “Yes, Jasmine, what is it?”

      “There’s a Mr. Meyer Chandler on the line for you. He says he’s from See-Through Films. Should I put the call through?”

      “I’ve been waiting to hear from him. Remember his name. It’s an important one.”

      “It’s already stored in my memory bank. I’ll transfer him to your private line.”

      Jasmine Parker, Darius’s administrative assistant, was young and pretty, possessing a nearly flawless brown-sugar complexion. It was rumored by other employees that she had a big crush on her boss, but that simply wasn’t true. Jasmine never gave any hint of her purported love-jones for him. Her longtime boyfriend was a professional football player, a linebacker.

      Darius never thought of Jasmine as a possible romantic interest. At twenty-one, she was too young for him, though she acted very mature. It didn’t matter that she had the kind of body that stopped men dead in their tracks. Jasmine was smart as a whip and ran his office with extreme professionalism. She stayed on top of everything. He loved giving her well-deserved bonuses and a semiannual raise. Jasmine gave a whole new meaning to the term girl Friday.

      Darius pushed the button on his private line. “Meyer, how are you? It’s good to hear from you,” he said with tremendous enthusiasm. “I’m glad you called.”

      “I’m fine. I’ve been eager to get in touch with you. I’ve done a lot of research on you and your company. You run quite an impressive operation. Your stellar reputation precedes you. You come highly recommended by the powers that be.”

      Darius beamed. “Thank you. That means a great deal coming from someone like you. So do you think we might be able to join forces on a few movie and television projects in the near future?”

      “By all means, Darius. I’d love to hear whatever you have in mind. When can we get together to discuss some ideas?”

      “Why don’t you set aside a few dates and times when you’re available. Then call my assistant, Jasmine. She’ll check my schedule against yours. I want to make things convenient for you. I’d like this meeting to happen as soon as possible.”

      “I appreciate it, but I should be the one trying to make it convenient for you. You’re the one who’s set this town on fire.”

      Darius was pleased with what he’d just heard. “I’d like to think so, but I haven’t set off enough alarms yet. I look forward to hearing back from you.”

      “Count on it. Is sometime next week too soon?”

      “Not at all, Meyer.”

      “Talk to you soon, Darius.”

      Once the line was cleared, Darius buzzed Jasmine on the intercom to tell her about his conversation with Meyer. “Do everything you can to set up an appointment on one of the dates and times he or his assistant gives you. If you can’t find any free space for next week, let me know. We’ll go over my schedule and do some clever juggling.”

      “No problem,” Jasmine assured her boss.

      “Thanks, Jasmine.”

      “You’re welcome, D.F. Buzz me if you need anything else.”

      Several of Darius’s employees and associates referred to him as D.F., but Jasmine had been the first one to call him that СКАЧАТЬ