Southern Seduction ; Pleasure in His Arms Page 8

  Maggie’s insides beamed. Her mother used to say the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach. Maybe she was right after all. But was she trying to get to his heart or to the head of his mother’s pageant? Ever since her aunt had planted the idea, Maggie couldn’t let it go. She wanted to try for that position.

  “Damn, this is good.” He pointed at the dessert with his fork.

  “Thanks,” she said. “So tell me, Caden, how is the sports agency world treating you?”

  Aware she’d changed the subject, Caden shook his head. “Being a sports agent is fulfilling.”

  “You just had a few prospects go up in the draft, didn’t you?”

  Eyes wide, Caden set his plate down on the coffee table. “I’m impressed. I didn’t peg you as a sports fanatic.”

  “More like a cousin fanatic,” she answered. “You’ve met Erin, but her sister and our cousins have a company together.”

  “The Hairston Sports Authority,” he replied, then added with a wink that fluttered her heart, “I like to keep tabs on the competition.”

  “So are you sleeping with the enemy?” Maggie asked casually, pinching a piece of brownie off with her fingers.

  Caden stroked the side of her face with the back of his hand. Without thinking, she curled her cheek into his touch. “We haven’t slept yet.”

  “We fell asleep once,” Maggie said. “I distinctly recall collapsing in the bed together and waking up alone.”

  The corners of Caden’s eyes crinkled. “If memory serves me correctly, you were the one who said you didn’t want any attachments.”

  “I was dumb.” She shrugged her shoulders and sat up. “But I’m not anymore.” What she didn’t bother telling him was how his brothers trashed her and her tiara colleagues after she rebuffed their advances. What was more embarrassing, ironically, was that one of the comments said something about her sleeping with anyone she could to win. She’d been ashamed by their accusations but more so because she had indeed slept with Caden.

  She and her roommate Rochelle and a group of other contestants had their own naughty giggle parties and talked about the men they wouldn’t mind sleeping with. Maggie always wanted Caden. She made sure they made eye contact and flirted wordlessly with him until she got his attention. In her defense, she hadn’t known prior to going back to her hotel room with him who he was. He was just some hot college guy in a Stanford sweatshirt. What pissed her off now was living up to his brothers’ expectations.

  Caden’s hand slid down to her shoulder for a little squeeze. “Me either.”

  Maggie realized he’d misread her words and went into deep thought about Chase and Jason. She’d heard Kit suspended them in the wake of suspected inappropriate behavior. Nothing had been proven, other than rumors of contestants claiming to have been hit on by them.

  “So tell me more about your business. I read about you in the paper,” Maggie prompted with a push of her hand on his thigh when he raised a questioning brow at him. “What? People read newspapers, including me. Are you guys in trouble for not representing women?”

  Coughing, Caden sat up straight. “What?”

  “I’m curious. Why don’t you represent women or even have one working in your office?”

  “I see I’m not the only one who has kept tabs.” Caden leaned forward for his wine. Maggie held her breath, knowing good and well he’d notice the difference. He never said a word. She didn’t, either, and she just sat there staring at him waiting for an answer. “Okay, fine. I never thought about it being a problem.”

  “Seriously?”

  “I mean—” he shrugged his shoulders “—your cousins represent women. Why do ladies have to come to my agency?”

  Maggie gasped. “You aren’t serious?”

  “Don’t judge me, Maggie,” Caden chuckled. “I didn’t give it much thought. I have been successfully running my agency for a while now. I’m successful because I do what I know best. And I know men’s sports. It would be a disservice to women athletes to rep them if I’m not as up on their business.”

  “And women would like to be a part of your success. What about Becky?”

  “Who?”

  “The woman you were ogling at the fair today.”

  At least Caden had the decency to turn a slight red shade. “It wasn’t like that. I caught her basketball talk. Sounded like she has skills.”

  “She’s just out of college and didn’t get picked up by a pro team because she didn’t have the proper representation.” Maggie ticked off more of the stats she remembered her cousins mentioning. “The Hairston Agency wanted to sign her, but Becky didn’t think they have enough pull.”

  “They do,” said Caden. “They might be one of our biggest competitors. Because they are women, the men who sign with them are getting better deals to appear more marketable for consumers.”

  “All the more reason why you need to bring on women.”

  Caden shrugged his shoulders. “Do you understand that we’d have to do a lot of traveling with our clients?”

  “So?”

  “Okay fine, no judging?”

  “Never,” Maggie said, crossing her heart with her index finger.

  “I just don’t think men and women can work together without something happening.”

  The revelation shocked her. Maggie sat back and did a double take. What century was he living in? “We’ve been working together all day.”

  “My point exactly,” Caden responded with a dull shrug. “Look how our evening ended.”

  “Oh, come on now,” Maggie laughed. “This is not the same thing.”

  “Is it?”

  When he didn’t respond, Maggie realized he was serious. On one hand, she couldn’t deny what he said. They’d worked together today, but they were also attracted to each other. What was going to happen when she took over the pageant? She was already mentally claiming the unannounced position. Was this going to be the last time they would have together if he stuck to his attitude?

  “I can’t believe what I’m hearing.” Maggie pushed away from the back of the couch.

  “Trust me, Maggie,” Caden said with a sigh. “I can’t explain it, but I learned early on about men and women working together.”

  Silence filled the room. Maggie drained her wine. “I need more.”

  In a swift move, she stood up and walked behind the couch. Caden caught her by the wrist. “Don’t ask me to explain it, Maggie. But I’m not a bad guy for this.”

  “You’re not a bad guy for admitting you won’t take on women as clients, but it does make you an ass.” Maggie shook her head. “Grow up.”

  Maggie couldn’t believe, coming from a pageant household, he held such an insulting and outdated view. Her gut told her there was more to this story. Something must have happened. She tried to focus on his mixed-up outlook, but the only thing on her mind as she stared at him was how sexy Caden was with his semivulnerability. He tugged her arm, and without any further prompting, Maggie dipped her head lower and fitted her mouth to his in an upside-down kiss. He was wrong in his views, but his mouth felt so right. Closing her eyes, she fell into the kiss. Caden took hold of her glass and set it down on the floor beside the couch. Maggie ran her hands along his bare chest. His heart thumped into her hand. Her fingertips toyed with the ridges of his abs. Once again she found herself reaching beyond his waistband. Without a change of clothes, there wasn’t a pair of briefs to block her touch. The back of her hands tented the material of the shorts, and his erection bounced into her hands. Caden’s hands sank into her hair then stroked her back.

  Still standing behind the couch, Maggie leaned forward, broke the kiss and started a trail along his square jawline, against his Adam’s apple, and as she crawled down his body she got on her tiptoes. Caden took the opportunity to fasten his mouth on her nipple through the opening of her robe. A pleasurable river
of sensations rolled through her veins. Maggie’s big toe dug deeper into the white carpet for balance. She pulled the waistband farther down and snaked her tongue around the tip of his head. Her body rose as he inhaled deeply. Caden lifted the hem of her robe and massaged her rear. Another river began in her body. He lifted her over his shoulder by her hips and maneuvered her legs so her inner thighs touched his ears. The position gave her a better angle to take him into her mouth. Her mouth worked him while his tongue did numbers on her. How was it possible to feel so heavenly. Chills ran down her spine. Caden’s tongue swirled around her bud. His left hand caressed her rear again. The other hand reached down and guided Maggie’s head up and down. She used the cues of the reins he held on her tresses when it was clear that felt extremely good to him. Caden moved faster with her head bobbing up and down. His tongue fastened around her and lapped up her juices.

  “Caden,” she cried just as she quivered.

  In another swift move, Caden moved her body around. One minute her hands were on his knees and she was on top of him, the next she faced the cushions of the couch and Caden entered her from behind. His hands cupped her breasts. For a deeper feel, Maggie pushed her behind back. Caden groaned in her ear and nibbled on her shoulder. There was a crash behind them. She pictured the brownies hitting the floor, but right now she didn’t care. She just needed Caden to fill her deeper. Maggie came to her knees and felt his huge cock fill her walls. Coupled with his fingers kneading her breasts, Maggie came again with a steady thrusting session. The wave of moisture coated him. She came to her feet and bent straight over for him.

  “Oh my damn,” Caden grunted. His hands gripped her butt, and he pulled all the way out then pushed back in, over and over until it sounded like he stopped breathing. Maggie came once more. A gasp escaped Caden’s throat. Seconds later a warmth spilled on her back side. “Oh shit, Maggie.”

  Maggie eased the situation and gave a laugh. “Perfect timing for me to take a shower.”

  Caden pulled her hair off her back and kissed the nape of her neck. “Is that an invitation?”

  “I think it might be counterproductive, Caden.” Maggie spun around and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “I’ll be right back.”

  The small bathroom in her apartment opened from the hall and also her bedroom. Since her bedroom door was closed, she entered from the hallway. Steam still covered the mirrors in her bathroom. Maggie wiped the spot in front of her face and found her cheeks flushed red. Her heart raced, and she couldn’t ignore the smile spreading. Because the water sometimes took a moment to heat up, Maggie turned the knobs on the shower and got the pressure just right. Then she remembered she needed to grab a towel. She knew a fresh batch sat folded in the basket in her bedroom, so she went to get one.

  Through her bedroom door she heard voices. One voice in particular.

  “Dude, did you find her?” someone asked.

  Caden’s voice answered. “I did.”

  “And is she coming?”

  Caden chuckled and paused for a heartbeat. She wondered if both their minds went in the gutter. “Look, man, I need time. I’ll get her there.”

  “Caden,” the other deep voice pleaded, “our company depends on this.”

  “You still haven’t convinced me,” said Caden.

  “Once we become rightful owners of the Southern Style Glitz Beauty Pageant, we’ll get all the contestants with real talent to sign with us. I’ve been digging around with our producer friends, and they’ve got some projects coming up in the future. If we secure those contracts, we’ll be in like Flynn.”

  Caden didn’t answer right away. Maggie prayed for him to hang up with the person on the other line. “Tell me again why we have to have them sign with us?”

  “We can keep our other clients who are threatening to boycott if we don’t start representing women,” said the guy. “But what I’m saying is that the pageant is going to be a pond of talent. Women are going to sign up not caring if they win the crown or not—they’ll know we’ll handle them right after the pageant.”

  Maggie’s head spun and hands clenched together in a fist. So Caden would get the job? Was it already set in stone? Surely Auntie Bren would have said something about him being a strong possibility for the position. From the way she’d talked, though, it had sounded as if Maggie had the best shot. Caden, however, seemed to be working under the supposition that getting Maggie to the meeting with his family would enhance his chances. Had she been a fool?

  “I don’t know, man,” said Caden. “Give me a few days to work on her.”

  Work on her or seduce her? Maggie fumed. She needed answers and knew she wouldn’t get them from Caden.

  Chapter 6

  Caden’s morning did not start off as he’d planned. Backing up his thoughts further, he hated the way he’d had to fall asleep. After Maggie’s shower last night, she wasn’t feeling well. He put her to bed and slept on the couch just in case she needed him.

  The shrill tone of his cell phone going off didn’t help his mood. Any time a 912 area code flashed across his screen, he worried something was wrong. Jason at least started off the call stating their mother was okay but that an emergency meeting had been called at their home in Savannah. Caden needed to think fast, because he still hadn’t convinced Maggie to come with him.

  Caden hated to leave without her. He’d cracked open her door and found her fast asleep on her bed and decided to leave her a note. She’d worked hard yesterday and needed her rest. If he and Kofi were going to inherit SSGBP, they were going to have to do it on their own merit, not because he brought a dinner guest. The drive out of town began to irritate him further. He wanted to be mad at Maggie.

  Who wouldn’t want to do something for Kit? She was the most perfect mother in the world. By the time Caden arrived at the gates of his mother’s Isle of Hope home, he decided he was angry with Maggie. If she’d just said yes to coming here this weekend, things wouldn’t be rushed now. He prayed his mother just wanted to meet with everyone instead of making her retirement announcement.

  Caden drove his car past the waiting media outside the wraparound porch. Whatever was planned, it must be good. He noted the media, especially MET, out to cover the announcement with two news trucks—their real news team as well as the colorful purple van for their tabloid show, Gossip with Gigi. MET, Multi-Ethnic Television, had sponsored this year’s draft in Miami and put everyone up in swanky hotels. The company had been around for decades and stood out from competitors by incorporating all nationalities and cultures.

  A valet met Caden at the drive and took the car off to the compound. Caden dashed in through the side door that led to the downstairs entrance. The floor-to-ceiling windows of the hallway led to the view of the chaos outside on display for the Freedom River, which most people knew as Runaway Negro Creek. How many dinner functions had his parents hosted to help fundraise to change the name?

  His childhood home was like most of his neighbors’. Their house sat back from the water. The brick porch, lined with wrought iron gates, led down in a double staircase on either side to the manicured lawn. Waitstaff scurried around fitting white linens to the extended rectangular table positioned in front of a half dozen eight-seated tables out on the grassy yard. Moss dangled from the cypress trees and framed the property of the massive backyard. Tea lights waited to be lit on the pier. He loved this view and had chosen his town house for the similar windows.

  Since before he could walk, Helen Davenport had cooked her hearty meals in this very kitchen. So when Caden spotted her at the sink snapping fresh green beans, he rushed to her side and kissed her cheek before snagging a vegetable.

  “Boy,” Helen said in her warning voice, the one she often used just before he got get swatted with a dish towel, wooden spoon or whatever she had on hand, “don’t ruin your appetite.”

  Realizing the kitchen smelled like heaven, Caden headed toward the stove
top, where steam billowed from under heavy lids. “What are we having?”

  “Something your fancy personal chef can’t make,” said Helen with a roll of her eyes.

  “Aw, Helen,” Caden teased, coming back to her side, “are you jealous?”

  “I am insulted more so,” she said.

  “Don’t be.” He kissed her once more on her rosy cheeks. “I only have taste buds for you.”

  Helen shook her head and swore under her breath. “Aren’t you too old for all this flirting?”

  “Flirting?” Caden mocked. He stepped over to the fridge for a bottled water before settling in the corner of the counters to look at her. “Who says I’m flirting? I will never settle down until you’re ready.”

  Helen reached for the wood rolling pin from the sink and shook it at him. “Don’t make me hit you over the head with this.”

  “Fine,” Caden laughed. “What’s going on in there?”

  Through the French doors, he spied his mom at the table with a woman he’d swear had red hair. He did a double take, but the other woman his mom spoke with disappeared to her side of the table. Maybe he had Maggie on the brain and was seeing things. Or wanted to. She needed to be here.

  “Your mom has a big announcement,” she said with a shrug of her wide shoulders. “That’s all I know. She wanted me to fix a big meal.”

  “So I smell.”

  Helen looked him up and down. “Speaking of smelling, you may want to run up to your room and shower and change before the cameras start rolling.”

  Cameras, he thought with mixed feelings. Surely this was going to be the big moment. Was his mother truly ready to retire? Was he ready to take over? He owed Kofi that much. Kofi was his family.

  “There’s no need for him to look pretty,” said Chase Archibald, strolling into the kitchen. Dressed in a dark blue suit and a shiny slick yellow tie, he dutifully gave Helen a kiss on the cheek. “After Mama names me her successor at SSGBP, everyone is going to want my picture.”