“A’ight. Let’s head to the beach.” I stood, pulling my money clip out to pay.
“Are you mad?” she asked.
“Mad? No.” I shook my head. A little disappointed that she didn’t leap to say yes, but I kept that to myself. I pulled her into me and kissed her lips. “I’m good.” I wrapped my arm around her waist. “Let’s go.” I slid on my sunglasses began strolling to the beach. After that conversation, I needed the sun and saltwater to distract me from my disappointment at her reluctance…yet, all the same, I had no doubt Chanel would be moving in with me, and soon.
Chapter Fifteen
Xavier
The music was blasting as soon as we walked into the club, and by the way the bartenders were running around, I could see business was doing well. Chanel and I were attending my nightclub’s party for the city’s basketball team. The bouncer stood to the side to allow us entry, nodding at me. I held my arm out to let Chanel pass in front of me. Yes, it was a gentlemanly gesture, but the way the sleeveless dress she wore stopped about midway down her thighs and hugged every inch it touched like white on rice, I was enjoying the view.
“You smell delicious,” I growled low in her ear as we both entered the club.
She turned over her shoulder to give me a mischievous smile. “It’s my new pomegranate acai sugar scrub. You like?”
“You could say that,” I answered, placing my hand on the small of her back. I looked up to see the co-owner of this spot approaching us.
“X-man, what’s up?” Leon greeted, holding his hand up to give me dap.
I extended my hand in return, giving him the one hand, one shoulder man-shake while keeping my left hand on Chanel’s back.
“This is my lady, Chanel,” I introduced. “This is Leon, co-owner of this place.”
“Pleasure to meet you, miss,” Leon’s flirting ass began, holding up her hand to his lips.
My chest tightened at the laugh that spilled from Chanel’s lips at his antics. Leon was a smooth dude. He rarely had just one piece of eye candy around him at all times. And I’ll be damned if he wasn’t trying to turn up the charm on my woman right in my damn face.
“That’s enough of that,” I interceded, pulling Chanel’s hand from his grasp.
“It’s nice meeting you, Leon. Xavier’s told me great things about you.”
“Oh, yeah? Like what?” He had the nerve to step in closer, grinning that fifty-watt smile in my lady’s face.
“If you don’t take two steps back, you won’t get the opportunity to enjoy the rest of your evening,” I advised him.
Turning to me, Leon must’ve realized that even though there was a grin on my face, I was serious. He took those two steps back. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Chanel tilt her head to look up at me. I felt her glare but didn’t acknowledge it.
“My bad, partner. You know how I am.”
“I do.”
“Anyway,” Leon began. “Some of the athletes have arrived. Let us go make their acquaintance.” He turned, and we followed suit. We made our way through the crowd and up the staircase to the VIP section. The music was a little less overwhelming here, but still audible. The athletes, as usual, were already having the waitresses refill their glasses of champagne.
“You want a drink?” I asked Chanel. When she nodded, I stopped one of the passing waitresses and requested her favorite drink along with a scotch on the rocks for me.
“Let me introduce you to some people,” I told her. I took her hand in mine, pulling her towardsthe first table surrounded by three athletes, two of which were all-stars from the previous season. We all talked and laughed once introductions were made. None of the athletes tried to get too cozy with Chanel. Of course, it could’ve been my protective hand around her waist at all times.
A few minutes later, our waitress arrived with our drinks. We made our way through the throng of athletes and their entourages that arrived over the course of the next half an hour until Leon approached me, saying he needed my attention for something.
“Go on,” Chanel shooed me away, assuring me she’d be all right for a few minutes alone.
“Hey.” I grabbed one of the security staff guarding the VIP section. “Keep an eye on her,” I pointed at Chanel, who was then engaged in conversation with one of the dates of the athletes. I eyed him until he nodded in understanding. I then went off to follow behind Leon, who needed to discuss some expansion matters at the club. We were supposed to discuss it earlier in the day, but I’d canceled our meeting in favor of spending more alone time with Chanel.
Once I was done with Leon, instead of heading back to VIP, Leon and I opted to make our rounds in the main part of the club. I glanced over in the VIP section and spotted Chanel now holding court with a group of women. She looked comfortable. We greeted and made conversation with a few businessmen who’d come out that night to celebrate the team’s accomplishments.
While speaking with a group of people, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I didn’t know what caused that reaction; we were all having a good time, and I knew security in my place was tight. Still, something had put me on high alert. At the same time, my phone started buzzing in my pants pocket.
I reached in my pocket the same time I leaned over toward Leon. “Yo, I’m getting a call. I need to step out for a sec.”
