A Malibu Kind Of Romance. Synithia Williams

thought you’d want to spend more time with Raymond.”

      She shook her head, then crossed her long and shapely legs. “Oh. Not really. Ray and I have plenty of time to catch up while I’m working with you two.”

      Spoken as if she already had the job. “Him leaving with another woman didn’t bother you?”

      Her eyes sparkled with amusement and she waved a hand. “That. No. I’ve known Ray way too long to get upset when he ditches me for another female.”

      “Did it used to bother you?”

      She shook her head. “No. Ray is cool, but I know him too well to fall for him.”

      “That’s good to know.”

      “Why? Did you think my relationship with him would compromise my ability to do the job?”

      “I just like to be sure.”

      “You can be sure. I don’t mix business with pleasure, and I never date partners.”

      He leaned in and stared into her beautiful eyes. “I’m sure exceptions can be made.”

      Her smirk was cute, and the twist of her full lips made him want to kiss her. “Ray and I are not worth an exception.”

      Dante rubbed his chin. “What if I’m the exception?”

      A spark flashed in the depths of her eyes. She shifted, then looked away. When she looked back at him, the spark was gone, all interest hidden.

      “I’ll admit I used to drool over your posters in my music magazines when I was a teen. You once occupied a fair amount of space in my fantasies, but that was fifteen years ago. Girlish fantasies gave way to adult responsibilities.”

      He leaned forward until only a few inches separated them. “Forget the girlish fantasies. I want to be a part of your very grown-up thoughts.”

      She held his gaze for what felt like hours. Despite the neutral expression on her face, he noticed her quick inhale. The rhythm of excitement he got when pursuing a new woman quickened his pulse.

      Her brows rose, and her head tilted to the side. “Have brunch with me tomorrow. I’ll tell you about my grown-up thoughts.” There was no flirtation in her voice; she sounded almost businesslike, but the humor remained in her eyes.

      Dante wasn’t sure what that meant, but he wasn’t about to deny a chance to be with her tomorrow. “I know a place.”

      She shook her head. “I’ve already looked up local restaurants, and I’d like to go to Geoffrey’s. I’ll meet you there at nine.”

      This woman knew what she wanted, meaning she was going to be damn difficult to resist. “I’ll be there.”

      Her devilish smile made him feel as if he were missing something. “It’s a date.” She stood and walked away.

      Dante watched the sexy sway of her hips, his body hardening with each one of her assertive steps. His desire was quickly doused when she crossed over to speak with Carlos.

      What the...? Women didn’t typically leave him to talk to another man. For the first time, he’d been thrown off by a woman.

      Julie shifted her position next to Carlos, and her gaze flitted to Dante for a second. Dante grinned and leaned back in the chair. Her quick look got him back on balance. Julie Dominick may play impartial toward him, but she was interested. He couldn’t step to Raymond’s girl like that, but he damn sure was going to enjoy the heat sizzling between them.

       Chapter 5

      Julie casually sipped ice water and stared out at the magnificent ocean view from the patio at Geoffrey’s Malibu. Immediately after booking her trip, she’d looked into places that would work for relaxed business meetings and that offered superb food. As she looked over the brunch menu, she was pleased with her choice.

      After putting down the water, she pulled out her tablet and navigated to the website of the contractor she was considering hiring for the club. The sun was hot, and she wore a sleeveless beige blouse with a tan pencil skirt, so she wasn’t sweltering like yesterday. She leaned forward to get more shade from the white umbrella over the table to see the screen better. She’d gotten a list of reputable contractors from the coworkers who didn’t hate her for her abrupt exit from Nexon-Jones. She’d narrowed her choices down to three firms, and, depending on their availability, along with Dante’s and Raymond’s schedules, she hoped to have one secured by the end of the week.

      “She’s right here, Mr. Wilson.” The host’s voice came from behind Julie.

      She glanced up from the tablet to where the young man indicated to her. Dante smiled and thanked the host, looking every bit the sex symbol that he was in a fitted dark gray T-shirt, white pants and dark shoes. Julie swallowed hard and sucked in a breath. The man had thrown her off yesterday. She’d assumed Dante would be charming, flirtatious even, but when he’d indicated that he should be the exception to her no-mixing-business-and-pleasure rule, her mind became slushy.

      How badly she’d wanted to take him up on that offer was almost embarrassing. Getting involved with a guy in the entertainment industry, and a business partner at that, went against many of the rules that prevented her from being played by a man.

      “Good afternoon,” she said with what she envisioned to be a professional, I’m-not-drooling-internally smile.

      “You’re early.” He pulled out a chair and sat down.

      “I’m typically early when I have a meeting.”

      He raised a brow and placed his forearms on the table. The breeze brought over the scent of the sea and his enticing cologne. Dante leaned closer to her. “Meeting. I thought this was a date?”

      She had left him with that impression, and she had to admit, there were plenty of things worse than going on a date with him. Too bad for him. She wasn’t here to have a fling with Dante or jeopardize her reputation.

      But she would flirt. Flirting went a lot further and got her a lot more than being an ice-cold superbitch. From what she knew about men, flirting was just another tactic they used to throw a woman off her game.

      “This isn’t a date,” she said with a smile.

      “You promised to give a little insight on your very adult thoughts.”

      The way he said “adult thoughts” had her imagining all types of adult things—things that involved him, naked and smiling.

      Julie leaned back in her chair. “Are you sure you’re ready to hear them?”

      “Oh, I’m very sure.”

      “I’m glad to hear that. Because I’ve thought about this all morning.” She leaned forward.

      Excitement entered his eyes. “You have?”

      “All night, honestly. I can’t get the thoughts out of my mind.”

      “Sometimes talking about things helps, or having a helping hand.” His warm hand covered hers. The touch nearly made her forget this was supposed to be harmless flirting.

      “Are you willing to help?”

      “In any way possible.”

      “I thought you would be.” She glanced down at his long fingers casually brushing the back of her hand. Each light stroke was like a dose of steroids to her pumped-up hormones. “You’ve got nice hands.”

      “They’re willing to help you in any way.”

      The muscles of her thighs clenched. Julie pulled her hand away. Time to remember this is supposed to be harmless flirting. “Good, because I’m meeting with a contractor that I’m considering hiring to help with the renovation of the building you’ve picked