Diamond Dreams. Zuri Day

stylist, who was located in San Diego. “Lecia, it’s Diamond.”

       “And let me guess,” Lecia said, as she sewed a track of hair into the head of her current client. “You need to see me ASAP, and I’m supposed to fit you in.”

       Diamond laughed. “Something like that. But it’s an emergency. I need a makeover.”

       “Oh, Lord. Sounds serious. What time can you be here?”

       “In about an hour, hour and a half?”

       “You’d better be glad I consider you a friend.”

       “Plus I tip well.”

       “Ha! That, too. Which I appreciate, since some of these fools hand me an extra dollar and call it a day.”

       “You hook me up, and I’ll make it worth your while. See you soon.” Diamond ended the call and was soon speeding down the boulevard to the estate where the entire Drake family still lived. Initially, she’d not been looking forward to a night of gowns and tuxes and rich men trying to impress her with their portfolios. But a certain assistant had suggested change, and a certain well-built construction worker had whetted her appetite. Before the night was over, she decided, she’d find someone to get back in the game with, and try to forget about the man with whom she’d really like to score.

      Chapter 6

      Jackson pulled up to the valet and exited his latest toy. Next to women, cars were one of his favorite things to collect, and the newly purchased top-of-the-line Maserati GranTurismo fit him to a T. Like him, it was sleek, powerful and stood out in a crowd. He unfolded his tuxedo-clad six-foot-five-inch frame from the sports car, cutting a distinctive swath across the five-star hotel’s well-appointed lobby. Envious glances and flirty stares followed him as he walked to the meticulously landscaped garden, where gloved waiters carried trays of bubbly and hors d’oeuvres. Taking a flute from a passing waiter, he surveyed the grounds quickly filling up with the beautiful people: silk, diamonds, cloying perfume and smiles abounding. For a fleeting second the boy he used to be—poor, insecure, troubled—rose up within him. He wondered how these people would react if they knew where he’d grown up, the things he’d done to survive that childhood and where his mother now resided. A beautiful woman coming toward him distracted him from these uncomfortable thoughts. By the time she arrived at his side, the bravado Jackson had often called upon to mask his fears was firmly back in place.

       “Jackson, thanks for accepting my invitation.” Her sparkling blue eyes drank him in much faster than he sipped his champagne. “You look delicious. I’m so glad you came.” She reached up and planted a soft kiss on his chin. “And unaccompanied no less,” she whispered seductively. “A virile man such as yourself shouldn’t spend the night alone.”

       Jackson smiled at Erin Bridges, the daughter of a real-estate mogul with whom Jackson had partnered on occasion. No one could deny her classic beauty: shiny blond hair cut into a flattering asymmetrical bob, bright doe eyes framed by ridiculously long lashes and a pouty mouth covered with just the right amount of shimmering gloss. She’d definitely caught his eye when they met five years ago, but after realizing that the business relationship with her father would be an ongoing one with lucrative potential, Jackson had decided that they should not date. Again, his uncle’s warning to not use his workplace as a playground helped him put on the brakes. She’d been less than happy with his “let’s just be friends” suggestion. But what could she do?

       “I see you’ve pulled off yet another top-notch event,” Jackson finally said, waving his hand in acknowledgment of the well-heeled crowd.

       “It’s easy to do when you have friends in high places,” Erin responded. “Besides, this cause really feels good. With the fundraisers planned, we’ll be able to send at least twenty-five students to highly accredited colleges and, after graduation, through our partnerships with local businesses such as yours, help some of them get started in their professional careers. Oh, speaking of local businesses, someone has just come in that I want you to meet.”

       Jackson turned to see to whom Erin referred and saw a vision that took his breath away. Diamond Drake lived up to her name, lighting up the courtyard as she waltzed in, the epitome of grace and beauty. Her dress was a simple one-shoulder design, the deep-red iridescent fabric perfectly complementing her sun-kissed sienna skin. Jackson’s eyes continued to travel upward, taking in a long neck and what? She cut her hair! The short hairdo fit her spunky personality, he immediately decided, noting that it emphasized her high cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes. Her makeup was simple, as was her jewelry. When you are a diamond, you don’t need to overaccessorize. His gait was strong and purposeful, his thoughts predatory, as he walked toward her.

      * * *

       Later, Diamond would pride herself on not having tripped in her four-inch heels as shock consumed her. What is he doing here? This was a five-thousand-dollar-per-person gathering of the county’s most elite players. How did a construction worker, even a foreman, wrangle an invite and then afford such an expensive one? And how did one transform from looking perfectly at home on a construction site, complete with sweaty T-shirt and dusty jeans, to looking as if he owned the world in a tux that emphasized his broad shoulders, narrow waist and long legs, and a stark white shirt that highlighted caramel skin? Diamond’s eyes narrowed as they finally settled on the woman walking beside Jackson, La Jolla’s premiere socialite, Erin Bridges. She felt as if she were looking at the answer to how Jackson got invited to the event and didn’t try and ignore the stab of jealousy that arose at the prospect that the construction site might not be the only place Jackson was making use of his skilled hands.

       “Diamond, you look lovely!” Erin reached Diamond with arms outstretched and gave air kisses to both cheeks. “You cut your hair. I love it!”

       “Decided it was time for a change,” Diamond said, running a hand through the shortened crop she was still getting used to, and feeling suddenly shy under Jackson’s intense gaze. With effort, she kept her eyes on Erin. “You look amazing. That dress is stunning.”

       “Oh, just a little something I picked up last week in Italy. It’s a Roberto Cavalli original.”

       “Roberto…of course.” Diamond’s statement was to Erin, but she’d lost the fight to keep her eyes off Jackson. Or was his name Magnet? By the way she was drawn to him, she couldn’t tell.

       “Diamond, I’d like you to meet Jackson Wright, the ‘Boss’ of Boss Construction and philanthropist to a variety of worthwhile causes.”

       Diamond’s eyes narrowed as realization dawned. Her father and brothers had always referred to the owner of the construction company as Boss, not Jackson. Diamond had assumed they were simply referring to him by his title and had never considered that the name of the company actually referred to a person. It had never mattered to her one way or the other—until now. “So…is your name Jackson or Boss?”

       “Jackson, but most of my friends call me Boss.”

       “Making sure that everyone knows you’re the head honcho?”

       “That’s what my mom called me. She said that even in diapers I was pretty headstrong and was barking orders by the time I was crawling. The nickname stuck.” It was one of the few things from his childhood that Jackson had kept.

       Diamond felt enough sparks were flying to send a shuttle to the moon. She stared at Jackson and barely noticed when a guest came over to steal Erin away. For a moment, she lost herself in the heat emanating from Jackson’s gaze and wondered how hot his kiss would feel. Diamond let the fire in her core rise to her brain. Earlier, Jackson had duped her. He hadn’t come clean about who he was at the job.

       “Boss Wright?” she murmured, her face fixed in a look of subtle chagrin. “Owner of Boss Construction?” She realized that Jackson was still holding her hand and deftly pulled it away from him.

       “At your service,” Jackson replied, nonplussed, reaching to grab her hand again.

       “Stop it!” Diamond spat between