“Joel,” Xavier answered. “He does private parties, and Marjorie hit me up about needing some people to cater this dinner.”
“Everyone here works for you?” I asked, looking around the spacious backyard at the people preparing the food.
“Most of them work in one of my spots, but not everyone. You didn’t give Tori too much hell out there, did you?”
I grinned as I finished a swallow of my margarita before answering. “What makes you think I’d give her hell?”
A knowing expression covered his face but slowly morphed into a sensuous one as he watched me raise my drink to my lips for another sip. When his lids lowered and his tongue came out to lick his bottom lip, I felt my belly quiver.
“You have no idea what I’m going to do to you tonight.” His voice was a borderline growl, and I damn near choked on my drink.
“Xavier!” I scolded, looking around to see if anyone was close by. This was my father’s home! This man couldn’t be saying those types of things out loud like that. Or giving me that look he was giving me.
He shrugged nonchalantly. “Everyone here can see how fine you are in that damn dress. It ain’t my fault.”
I had to take another swallow of my drink to cool off the way his words had heated my body. His eyes continued to rove over me as if he knew exactly what was under this dress and wanted to see it again.
I had to look away. I was doing my best to convince myself I didn’t want this man, at least not anything serious with him. But those damn brown eyes of his and the way his dimple was peeking out as he grinned, knowing he was getting to me, had the seam of my panties moist.
“Um, have you seen Marjorie or my father?” I asked, avoiding eye contact with him.
“Yeah, they were inside with Jason for a minute. They’ll be righ—”
His words were cut short as my father and Marjorie emerged from the back door, his arm wrapped around her waist as if he didn’t want her to get too far from him. Once again, I found myself staring at the couple who seemed to naturally fit together. They made their way around the backyard, greeting the guests.
“You all right?”
I shuddered as the warmth of Xavier’s breath kissed my bare shoulder.
“Y-yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?” I asked, more defensively than I meant to.
“Because you have that look.”
“What look?” I frowned.
“That far-off, sad look you get sometimes.”
I shook my head, denying his words, even though I knew them to be true. “I don’t have a look. I’m just taking in the scenery,” I shrugged.
He stared at me for a few moments in a way that unsettled me. I waited, but he remained silent, telling me I was lying with just his look.
“Chanel, you came?” A masculine voice sounded off behind Xavier. He stepped to the side, and my father and Marjorie came into full view. They both appeared to be glowing, and that irritated me even more.
“Hey, Dad,” I greeted, surprised when he pulled me into a hug. “H-hey Marjorie.”
“That dress is gorgeous. I was just telling your father how African prints are becoming very popular,” she greeted, ogling my dress. “Elliott, doesn’t she look gorgeous?” She beamed.
“Sure does.”
I tried to hide the surprise on my face when I realized he meant it, and there was no follow-up. He simply let the compliment stand on its own.
“Thank you.”
“Chanel, can I speak with you, privately?” my father asked.
I turned to Xavier, who simply raised an eyebrow and gave me an encouraging nod. Marjorie’s smile fell for a second, but she remained silent.
“Uh, sure.” I turned, placing my now-empty glass on a nearby table and let my father lead the way. I became even more surprised when he led me through the backdoor of the house and down the long hall to his study. He closed the door behind us and motioned for me to sit in the chair in front of his desk.
