OBSESSED WITH TAYLOR JAMES Read online

  Freaking great! She hissed.

  She worried if Dillon or her boss had seen her networking with Mario. There had to be over a hundred people in attendance and many women wore red. She would have blended into the crowd easily except there weren’t many black women at the event.

  Mario tapped her on the shoulder. “How about a dance before they seat us for dinner?”

  “Sure,” she said downing the champagne in the glass. The three glasses of the bubbly beverage had worked its magic and loosened her stiffness but not her boredom.

  The live band played a waltz-like number. Taylor shook her head. She did not ballroom dance. She presented herself as chic and classy, but she was a line-dancing, hip shaking kind of dancer that loved R&B and hip-hop. She was out her element and it was awkward.

  She embraced Mario as he led her through the dance. He surprised her. He’d obviously learned to ballroom dance at some point in his life.

  “You are good at this,” she said to him. “Did you take ballroom dance lessons?”

  “No, but I’ve been to enough of these uppity parties to pick it up naturally.”

  “Good. Hopefully you can cover my mistakes because I have no clue what I’m doing,” she joked.

  “You’re doing great. You will have this down just like salsa dancing.”

  “I’d prefer to do that. Could you imagine the look on their faces if we did a Merengue for them?”

  He laughed. “I’ve had that happen before. I'm usually one of a few Hispanic in attendance and it was expected we knew every Latin dance. Therefore a song would be played for us to show off our talents.”

  Taylor clicked her tongue. “How incredibly racist of them.”

  “That kind of racism is everywhere and I had to learn to ignore it laugh it off,” he said spinning her around on the dance floor.

  “Another reason I’m glad I’m not invited to these things. I’m too down to earth to treat people like that.”

  He looked her in the eye. “You are down to earth. Taylor you remind me of Cinderella in that dress. You are so beautiful.”

  She rested her arm on his shoulder as he slowed the pace of the dance. “You are my debonair prince in a tux.”

  Mario drew her closer to him as they danced. The whips of her hair tickled the side of his face. He whispered in her ear, “I find it hard to believe we have never crossed paths before.”

  “We might have but not noticed each other.”

  “No, I would have noticed you.”

  She pulled back enough to look at him. “We are together now; that’s all that matters right?”

  He wanted to kiss her but knew she would object. “Exactly; we are together now.”

  “Umm, I saw Dillon. He and Kelly were talking with Anderson Cartwright. I don’t know if they saw me.”

  “Taylor, my invitation included a guest. You are my guest; Anderson doesn’t decide that for me.”

  “Anderson wants me out of the firm, Mario. This will give him the advantage to use against me. And, with Dillon pissed with me, who knows what he is telling Anderson behind my back.”

  It was his turn to pull away to look her in the eye. “What happened to you not caring what Anderson thinks?”

  “I don’t care. I didn’t want you drawn into the black hole with me. The firm could really benefit from your experience, Mario. I’m dispensable.”

  “I can take my talents anywhere, Taylor. I won’t sit by and watch you be raked over the coals and not say or do anything; get that out of your head, okay?”

  She shrugged her shoulders. “Okay. It’s out of my head.”

  He smiled. “We’ll make it through dinner and leave. I had not planned to stick around long. It’s Saturday night, and we should be out doing something fun.”

  She inhaled his scent. “Baby, the way you smell and look, I’m ready to go whenever you are and get our own party started.”

  “No me tientes mujer.”

  The music stopped for the announcement of guests to return to their seats for dinner. Taylor and Mario got to their table and surprised to see Dillon, Kelly, and Anderson and his wife, plus Todd and his wife seated at the same table.

  Taylor legs wobbled as she made her way to Kelly giving her a hug. “Kelly, how are you?”

  “I’m good, Taylor. I didn’t know you would be here tonight. You look beautiful.”

  “Thank you. You look great also—I love the dress.” She looked around the table noticing all the men standing. “Please sit down,” she said making her way back to her seat next to Mario.

  Seated she placed her hands in her lap to greet everyone else. “Dillon, Anderson, Todd, how are you? Mrs. Cartwright, Mrs. Brantley, it has been a while since I’ve seen you. You both look well.”

  Anderson’s unpleasant look did not change as he spoke to Taylor. “Ms. James, I didn’t expect to see you here tonight. Associates aren’t usually invited to the Mayor’s ball.”

  Taylor’s heart pounded from his harsh stare; she could not stand the short and doughy man wearing a penguin suit talking down to her like she was dirt under his shoe. “I was invited, Anderson.”

  Dillon leaned back in his chair with a look of coy on his face. “I guess you came with Mario Infante.”

  Mario shot him a look. “I’m sitting here and capable of speaking, Mr. Stevenson.”

  “Well, then I guess it’s no secret that you two are sort of dating.”

  Mario narrowed his dark eyes at Dillon. “I'm sure, if Anderson is interested in knowing about my love life, he would ask.”

  Anderson’s authoritative scowl turned to Mario. “I’m asking, Mr. Infante. Are you dating Ms. James? We have a strict policy against dating at the firm.”

  Mario did not let it concern him that Anderson was the controlling partner of the firm, and the person who signed his paycheck. Unbuttoning the jacket of his tuxedo, he got comfortable. Taylor sat quietly waiting for the ceiling to fall as Mario answered. “Quite frankly, Anderson, it is none of your business what I do outside of the firm.”

  Anderson’s graying crown of hair did not show any signs of thinning for a man his age. “What you do while employed at Cartwright & Associates is my business.”

  “I disagree my personal life is not any of your business. But, yes, I do enjoy the company of Ms. James outside of the firm. And if Mr. Stevenson or you have a problem with that, then that’s a personal problem you will both have to deal with.”

  “Watch yourself, Mr. Infante. Everyone is replaceable.”

  Mario nodded. “Yes we are, and you may want to get a few candidates in mind. I may need to be replaced sooner than you think.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Anderson asked.

  “It means exactly how it sounded. Anderson, I don’t take threats kindly, and I won’t subject myself to being controlled by anyone for a paycheck. I’m a self-made millionaire and don’t need your money or bullshit.”

  The other guests seated at the table fell silent. Dillon’s face reddened as he witnessed the smoke seeping from Anderson’s thick ears. Kelly gave Taylor a glance quickly looking away knowing Dillon had started a war and Mario Infante was not going to walk away defeated.

  Todd picked up his glass. “Come on, people, this is a party. No shoptalk tonight. Let’s just relax and have fun…okay. We can settle this on Monday.”

  Mario raised his glass and drank slowly staring at Dillon. Taylor squeezed his thigh under the table hoping to calm him down. Dillon had crossed the line making a big mistake. She would warn him to back off Mario before he got hurt.

  *****

  After dinner, Mario and Taylor said their goodbyes and departed the party before after dinner drinks were served.

  Inside the garage, Mario held the car door open for Taylor to get in. He saw Dillon and Kelly walking to their car. He bent down looking inside the car. “Babe, I’ll be back in a second.”

  “Where are you going?” She asked pulling the gloves off her hands and shoving them in the small clutch pur
se.

  “I want to exchange information with a friend. It will only take a second.” He tossed her the keys. “Listen to some music and get in the mood for me.”

  He closed the car door before she could protest. The many glasses of champagne had put her in a mellow zone.

  Mario walked across the garage until he was face to face with Dillon. Giving Kelly a smile, he spoke. “Kelly, do you mind if I speak with Dillon, alone? I promise I won’t keep him long.”

  “No problem,” she said walking to the back of the car. Apparently, she had not given Mario enough privacy. She saw him escort Dillon by the elbow and walk with him to make sure she did not overhear their conversation.

  “What do you want, Mario,” Dillon asked loosening his tie.

  “What do I want? I want you to know you crossed the line at dinner. I don’t know what you were trying to prove by mouthing off to Anderson, but I’m too old for games.”

  “I didn’t lie. Taylor told me you two are dating.”

  “That doesn’t give you the right to announce it. I know you are hurt and can’t accept Taylor is with me, but my advice to you is to move on and get over it. You have a beautiful woman; shower her with affection for a change and leave Taylor alone.”

  “I know what I have with Kelly. I’m looking out for Taylor. She doesn’t know how big of a mistake she is making getting involved with you. You are pushing her into a relationship too soon.”

  “Oh, so you want to get her fired in order to keep her away from me? I see how that would help her.”

  “You could leave and she wouldn’t get fired. You have connections…go somewhere else and practice law. Then again you have no need to work, you’re a millionaire and don’t need the money.”

  Mario thinned his lips holding in his anger. “You would like that but I won’t give you the satisfaction of quitting.” He poked a finger in Dillon’s chest. “Accept Taylor is a grown woman and not easily persuaded to do anything she doesn’t want to do. She is with me because she wants to be and your interference in her life will only push you further away. I’m all for you being gone, but for some reason she values your friendship. If you value the same with her, then back off and leave her alone.”

  Dillon released a crooked grin. “It won’t last. She has dated your kind before. All of them were successful, handsome, and losers. You will fuck up and have her running back to me crying. I’ll bide my time and wait like I always do.”

  “Don’t hold your breath waiting for that happen. Taylor is onto you.”

  Dillon rubbed his right temple. “I know Taylor; you don’t. I’ll give it another month before she serves you with walking papers.”

  Mario balled his fists at his side. “Look, you may think you are one of the big boys by hanging out with Anderson tonight, but you don’t want to mess with me or…”

  “Or what, Infante! What are you going to do to me?”

  Mario chuckled putting his arm around Dillon’s shoulder. “I’m not going to do anything. I’m going to sit back and watch you bury yourself chest-deep in your own shit trying to find ways to break me and Taylor apart.”

  Dillon swallowed hard. “I’m not scared of you, Mario. Your dark side you are hiding from the world doesn’t faze me.”

  “Trust when I say, you do not want to bring that dark side to the surface. I know where you are coming from, but you have no idea where I am coming from.”

  “What are you supposedly dangerous now?”

  “Let’s just say as a former criminal attorney, I’ve made friends who owe me favors.”

  Dillon’s eye twitched and his breath stuck in his throat. Before he could control it, he let the words fly from his mouth. “Fuck you, Infante….fuck you! Taylor will open her eyes, and you will be gone….I promise you that!”

  Mario smoothly spun on his heels to walk away. The bright lights of the parking garage bounced off the high gloss of his Armani shoes. He got in the last word saying, “The countdown to self-destruction has begun Dillon. Tenga una buena tarde.”

  He got in the car and was instantly met with the burning sting of Taylor’s hard glare. “Why, Mario. Why did you have to say anything to Dillon?”

  “It’s a man thing, baby,” he said backing from the parking space.

  Taylor gave a wistful sigh. “I hate I consented to go on vacation with them. How is this going to work with the four us not even speaking?”

  “Does he know I’m coming?”

  Taylor lowered her head. “No, I didn’t get a chance to tell him. Mario, you were taunting him. He is so close to falling over the edge. I don’t want to see him go over, and it’s my fault.”

  He tapped her temple frowning. “Dillon is playing with your emotions, Taylor. He is not about to crack! He didn’t have a problem throwing you under the bus at dinner.”

  “He’s not right, baby.”

  “He knows what he is doing and now he’s involved Anderson. Do not think Anderson will forget about tonight. I can walk away and survive. I’m worried about you being able to do the same.”

  “Dillon did surprise me by doing that, and I was too outdone by his behavior to address it at the table. I will talk to him.”

  “Dillon is gunning for blood. You and Kelly had better watch yourselves. It is no telling what he will to either of you.”

  “I agree Dillon is acting vindictive. I hardly believe he would hurt Kelly or me.”

  “Really? What do you know about her miscarriage? Was Dillon in the house when it happened?”

  The lump in her throat rose. The alcohol buzz clouded her memory and ability to think. “I don’t know. He might have been home when it happened.”

  “It is time to investigate what is going on in that house. Kelly is holding something over his head; that’s why he can’t break free of her.”

  “If that were the case, she would be glued to Dillon’s side. He comes and goes as he pleases. Hell, if he wanted to get away, he could take a business trip and never return to Cleveland.”

  “Not necessarily. If she is holding her miscarriage over his head, that is stopping him from leaving. If he dumps her, she might take it upon herself to go to the police and tell what actually happened that day. He has to stay close to her to make sure that won’t happen.”

  Taylor rubbed her forehead. “I’ve had too much to drink for my brain to filter all this investigation stuff. Can we discuss this tomorrow?”

  He let her rest her eyes, and he concentrated on the road. The pieces were falling together. Once on the cruise, he would observe Dillon and piece more of it together.

  Chapter 11

  After flipping on the light in her office, Taylor powered on the computer. While it did the grunts and sputters to get the programs up and to run, she went to the lunchroom to fix her usual morning coffee. Removing her personalized mug from the cabinet, she stirred in the standard two packets of Splenda and three half- & -half creamers and waited for the strong Columbian coffee to brew.

  Leaning her body across the counter, she paged through the outdated Plain Dealer newspaper left on the counter. She let her mind drift to the night of the party.

  What a disaster. The night had such promise until Dillon opened his mouth causing Mario to react. Sighing, she took the section containing the real estate and folded it in half. Opening Legal Minds, the name she had chosen for the firm, moved from the bottom of her list to a priority.

  *****

  The aroma of freshly brewed coffee had a way of luring people to the lunchroom. Only Taylor was early, and not many people were around at 7:00am on a Monday morning. Engrossed in the article she was reading, she didn’t look up from the paper to see who’d entered. Dillon’s breath caught in his throat seeing Taylor leaning over the counter reading the newspaper. “Damn” was the unheard communication that crossed his lips. The tight navy blue skirt stretched across her firm behind screamed smack me. She wore a light blue silk blouse tucked in the waist and secured by a wide silver belt. Her hair was free of curls with a sil
ver hairclip holding her bangs in place. He knew the belt matched the hairclip because he’d given them both to her as a Christmas present last year.

  His eyes lowered to examine her shapely legs. They were fantastic as usual. Taylor was the most beautiful black woman he’d ever laid eyes on. And, a woman he could not get out of his mind no matter how hard he tried. What they shared went deeper than friendship; only she refused to let nature take its course and join him on a quest to pure bliss. She had convinced herself that was what she wanted with Mario Infante.

  Staring long enough, he cleared his throat. “Good morning, Taylor,” he said, taking the mug from the counter and filling it with cream. When she turned to look at him with those eyes he adored, he became aroused.

  “Good morning, Dillon,” she said politely but coldly.

  Taylor did not offer her trademark smile as she moved from the counter to the coffee machine. “Excuse me,” she said stretching her arm across him to get the coffee pot.

  Her arm brushed across his chest arousing him more. He knew she was upset and giving him the silent treatment, but it wouldn’t last long. She never stayed mad with him long. “Taylor, I can’t stand this tension between us. Please, curse me out, hit me, do whatever you need to do but don’t give me the silent treatment.”

  She turned her head to look at him. She saw his color was chalky, and the area around his eyes sagged with heavy bags. He must not have slept a wink the whole weekend. He let his petty vengeance eat at his conscious but not enough for her to withhold the guilt she was about to lay on him.

  She took a spoon and stirred her coffee. “Your display of ignorance last night was new even for you. Dillon, you got me fired!”

  “Anderson is not going to fire you as long as Todd is in your corner.”

  Her eyebrow rose. “What spirits from the heavens is channeling you this information?”

  “C’mon, Taylor. Anderson forgot all about it after Todd stepped in and calmed the hostility.”

  “Oh, please! Again, at what table were you sitting? When Mario said what he did, you could see the veins in Anderson’s head throbbing through his hair.” Taylor shuffled sideways to get to the door. The tiny space between the coffee station and the center counter dividing the room in half didn’t leave enough space between them to pass without touching. “You won’t have to worry about Mario flaunting me under your nose. If I’m not gone by the end of the day, I will be by the end of the week.”