Abraham Page 3

  I loved those types of imperfections on a woman. They boasted of a life I wanted to get to know. I wanted my body to be another decadent platter to add weight to those breasts and thighs. I wanted to sink my fingertips into the meat of her while those low notes rumbled deep in my ear.

  I fell asleep with her on my mind last night and woke up with a raging erection I couldn’t get to go away. Though this board meeting sure was helping with that issue. I crossed my leg and tried to focus on what my project manager was saying. He’d called yet another meeting to run down some dumbass piece of property he’d found we could acquire. Yes, the business had the money to take on these projects. Yes, we would make shit-tons of money for everyone sitting around this table.

  But everything was so boring. You could only make condominiums look so different so many ways before they all looked the same. All the facades of the buildings were the same and all the levels were carved out in the same manner. They all had the same number of floors with the same number of condos on each floor. It was like I was stuck in a desperate rerun of a movie I couldn’t get out of.

  “Mr. Johnson, do you have any input?”

  All the board members turned towards me and I cleared my throat. I took a quick look at the chart in front of me before I peeked at the file in my lap, but the only thing I had going for me was my honesty.

  So, I ran with it.

  “Dan-”

  “Daniel,” he said.

  “Daniel. Project manager. You. Why do you keep bringing me these types of projects?” I asked.

  “Because that’s what the company does,” he said.

  “We do all sorts of things. We kick ass in the hotel industry, we sell homes, we build rental properties, we even own a couple of luxury hotel bungalow things overseas. We have our hands in many different areas. Why do you keep bringing me the same rundown buildings that we outfit and sell? Why can’t you bring me something interesting?”

  “Because we’re all here to make money, Abraham,” someone said.

  “We’ve invested our money into these things, too,” another said.

  “Well, you don’t have to. No one’s chaining you to this table,” I said.

  “You have a responsibility to us as your board members to recoup the money we put into your projects,” yet another said.

  “And when have I ever not delivered?”

  They all fell silent and I sat back into my chair. These greedy assholes cared about nothing else but the money that fell into their laps. Money they didn’t have to work for because my family returned their investment two-- somethings three-fold. I closed my eyes and saw those ruby red lips pop up into my vision again. It was either deal with this meeting and get her off my mind or keep her there and walk out with a raging dick tenting my pants after this hellacious meeting.

  Holy hell, I should’ve taken it slower with her.

  “The apartment building can be remodeled into midlevel condos. We can sell them for mid-level pricing and the building will be easy for people to maintain. We’ll mitigate costs by selling the condos instead of renting them because you won’t have to hire someone to oversee the building for you, and when someone wants to sell they’ll have to come back to us. We’ll just keep reselling these places over and over and over again,” Daniel said.

  “Daniel-”

  “Daniel.”

  “Whatever. Isn’t there a-- I don’t know-- rundown theater or opera house somewhere. Maybe a shoddy nightclub that could use a new owner or a cabaret venue we could take on? God, I’d love to do one of those,” I said.

  “You want to branch out into the nightlife business?” someone asked.

  “It’s still retail. We’d own the property, we’d revamp it. We’d bring in people to work and cut them a decent salary then make bank off everything else. Music, girl, booze, live entertainment on the weekends. Sounds like a fun plan to me,” I said.

  “Well, let’s get back to the issue at hand-”

  “There’s no issue at hand, Darwin.”

  “Really? It’s Daniel.”

  “Yeah, that. We do these all the time. It’s like playing the same old sappy story all over again. It’s getting old. Come on, this entire table knows about getting old. It’s no fun, right?”

  I could feel their glares on me, but at least I was getting a laugh out of this meeting.

  “Okay, okay, okay. Hypothetically speaking-”

  “There is no hypothetical,” Daniel said. “We’re due to put in a bid this afternoon.”

  “Well, when were you going to tell me that, Dirks?”

  “For fuck-... it’s Daniel!”

  “The price has to be right. I mean, really right. And by ‘really right’, I mean below the floor. Offer them no more than five-hundred thousand less than what they’re selling it for.”

  “Are you serious? We’ll never acquire the property that way. We’ll lose out on all that money.”

  “Right now, no money’s on the line. The investors haven’t invested, and I still don’t know if I’m on board. You seem to forget who’s really in charge of this project. This isn’t a pansy hotel flip run by my parents. I’m in charge of this branch of our business. And if I’m gonna be forced to do something like this because I’m surrounded by money hungry lazy ass men, then I’m gonna do it at a bargain-hunting price. We’ll redo the condos and sell them off as property, just like you said. If they accept the offer, the agents can begin their negotiating process.”

  “It’s got a few guaranteed sales, too. Some of the tenants living there are already interested in purchasing their place once it’s newly renovated.”

  “That’s good news, Drake!”

  “Oh, sweet fuck,” he said.

  “Put in the bid and let me know how it goes. If it goes well, set up the first tenant meeting.”

  “That’s also this afternoon,” Daniel said.

  “Well, then you better put that bid in quicker than that,” I said, grinning. “And don’t worry about sending anyone out there to meet with the residents. I’ll go shake their hands. Get a feel for the layout and see what we can do to better their lives with this renovation. I need the distraction anyway.”

  “Rough night?” someone asked.

  “Nah, just itching for something to do. Is that it, Diego?”

  “I hate you.”

  “I pay you, so you love me. Now, get on with your job.”

  I stood up and buttoned my coat before I went to grab the paperwork from Daniel. He was fuming, and it was hilarious, but it only stopped my mind whirling about Summer for a few minutes. I was hoping I could use this pathetic project as a way to really distract myself, so I took the paperwork and headed on towards the piece of property we were about to acquire.

  Doing anything at this point was better than sitting in my office and thinking about how wonderful my fingers would’ve filled those divots on the backs of her thighs.

  6

  SUMMER

  I was glad I’d snagged the job at the club because that meant I could kick my roommates out. Now that I no longer needed their help paying rent, I could dream about the new venture that was about to happen for the complex. Apparently, someone was buying out the entire building and renovating them into luxury apartments. They would repaint and knock out some walls. They’d install a jet bath tub and add terraces to all the bigger suites. My one-bedroom studio would be fused with the room next door to make a massive two-bedroom two-bathroom home with a marvelous view, and the best part was I would be able to afford to buy it.

  I would have my perfect home, and I wouldn’t even have to move to purchase it.

  Yeah, it would require me to find a temporary living space for a few months, but I could figure that out later. Right then, all I wanted to focus on was the fact that my last roommate left for good at four this morning. Right then, all I wanted to focus on was the fact that I could sing in my shower without bothering someone.

  Right then, all I wanted to focus on were all the beautiful th
ings I’d fill my new home with.

  I would have to get new furniture, that much was for certain. The ratty furniture we were using was stuff I found on the street and cleaned. My roommates had been slobs, and I was definitely not spending money for furniture they’d smoke and spill their shit on. I was excited to go walk around and price furniture today. I’d get lots of color palettes going until I knew exactly how this new owner was going to remodel, then I’d start saving up my paychecks to replace everything at once.

  With the remodel taking a few months, I’d be able to save up enough money to completely furnish my home while still staying in a cheap extended stay hotel. I could walk to the club and save on cab fare, eat at the diner across the road to save money on food. I could implement lots of tactics I’d learned over the years to save money just so I could have what I wanted.

  And I would have it all within the year.

  Suddenly, there was a knock on my door. I quickly pulled some clothes on while I continued to towel-dry my hair. Whoever it was would simply have to suffer seeing me without makeup or a bra. I wasn’t expecting company, so they would have to take me as-is.

  But, the moment I opened the door, all I wanted to do was slam it back shut.

  The man from the club-- Mr. Johnson-- was standing at my door. He looked just as shocked as I was as his eyes roamed my body, and I couldn’t help but notice the fact that they stopped briefly at my chest. I took my towel and put it up in front of my body, suddenly embarrassed at how I looked. What the hell was he doing here? How the fuck did he know where I lived?

  Did he follow me from the club that night?

  “Miss Summer,” he said. “I didn’t realize you lived in this complex.”

  “You didn’t?” I asked.

  “I’m uh… I’m coming around to all the tenants that have expressed interest in purchasing their condos after they’ve been renovated,” he said.

  Wait, he was the one buying out the building?

  “You’re the one renovating the building?” I asked.

  “Would it be alright if I came in? I’ve got some paperwork I’ll need you to sign in order for your intent to be documented. I’ve also got prices and possible layouts and color schemes, if you’re interested.”

  He held all the information I needed in order to make this transition smooth, but I didn’t want to let him into my apartment. The man tried to get me to fuck him in some secret room above my club, and now he was trying to get into my apartment with some information I wasn’t even sure was true.

  “How do I know you’re not lying to me?” I asked.

  “I’m Abraham Johnson,” he said. “My family owns-”

  “Shyft, I know,” I said. “That’s a hotel chain. Since when did you begin with flipping properties?”

  “It’s my division within the company. Now, I would really enjoy coming in and talking you through all the updates we’re going to be doing in the coming months,” he continued.

  “I’m sure you would enjoy stepping through this door,” I said.

  He pulled out a folder and handed it to me. I looked through the papers in it and it held exactly what he said it would: pricing, schematics, possible layouts of bedrooms and bathrooms. There were color tags and places for me to fill in things, then at the very end there was a place to sign.

  “One of the things we’re trying to execute for tenants that want to purchase their condo once we’re finished is giving them some input into how their new place will look,” he said.

  “Seems fair enough.”

  “You’ll get to pick out a few things, like basic layouts and the colors of your walls. That’s what we’ll be discussing today, if you still have an intent to purchase. Nothing will be executed until you give a down payment of some sort, but this is just to solidify everything, so I can get it ordered.”

  Everything checked out, but I was still hesitant to let him in. I didn’t trust him, but I was getting a closer look at him in the light. He was much taller than I remembered him being and his eyes sparkled with hints of yellow in the lighting of the hallway. His jawline was sharp-- prominent. I could sharpen a knife on that thing if he continued to flap his jowls the way he was.

  And his arms. They were thick with muscles. He had on no suit coat and his shirt was rolled up, exposing the veins protruding from his skin. I wanted to dip my tongue down onto them and run it all the way up his arm. But, I knew I’d been staring too long because when I drug my gaze back up to his eyes, I no longer saw the stoic professional standing at my door.

  He had that cocky ass smirk on his face.

  “If you let me in, I promise you won’t regret it.”

  I groaned, but stepped aside so he could come in. I could see his eyes clocking everything in the apartment before he looked at the couch, and he stopped in his tracks. It was a disgusting couch, I had to admit, but it was all I was willing to invest in with my disgusting roommates.

  “I plan on getting all new furniture,” I said. “You know, fresh start and all.”

  “Maybe I could help you break it in sometime,” he said, winking.

  “No, Mr. Johnson. I think not.” Even as I said it, my skin crawled with his voice. It had low tones that reverberated across the entire room, but as it hit my ears it melted over my skin like heated caramel. His sun-kissed skin sparkled in the light streaming through the grimy window I had in the corner. Even in the dank darkness of my apartment, he was stunning.

  And I felt my breasts harden again as I threw my towel over my shoulders to cover myself.

  “Depending on the layout and everything you choose, that will designate the price. If you want to take a look through everything in that folder and start filling it out, I’m just going to walk around a bit.”

  “And why would you need to walk around?” I asked.

  “I haven’t seen any of the rooms in this place yet. It’ll give me a blueprint of what they all look like now,” he said.

  Sounded fair enough. He began slowly walking around, taking in my home while I filled everything out. I picked out the wall colors I enjoyed and the crown molding I thought was the prettiest. I chose the biggest blueprint for the new condo and definitely wrapped a big ass circle around the jet tub I wanted. I jotted down a few notes-- ideas he could maybe take into consideration for the rest of the apartments.

  “Those are good ideas,” he said into my ear.

  I jumped and looked over at him. He was hovering above me and I wanted to shove him away. What the hell was he doing? I thought he was supposed to be walking around! But his cologne smelled of citrus and musk and his body was hot against mine. I could feel his hand settling down onto the back of the chair while his eyes darted over what I wrote, and I couldn’t help but breathe heavily onto his cheek as I studied the profile of his face.

  I bet the scruff he was already growing back would feel wonderful between my legs.

  “Enjoying the view, Miss Summer?” he asked.

  He turned his face slowly towards me and I could feel his breath pulsing on my lips. In the dark that night at the club, he was nothing but a sleazy man trying to get in my pants. He moved too quickly, spoke with way too much cocky confidence, and simply expected me to fall to my knees because he had money.

  But now, as my eyes studied his face, I saw him in a different light. His cockiness enraged me, but he was no longer assuming anything. Flirting, yes. Getting close? Definitely. But, he wasn’t assuming.

  And that was refreshing.

  “I think I’m done.” I picked up the papers in my hand as I tried to keep my trembling body at bay. I cleared my throat and turned my gaze back down to the table just as his hand brushed against mine. I felt a surge of electricity rush up my arm while he gathered the papers from between my fingers, and in that moment, I had a thought of weakness.

  I thought about turning my head and crashing my lips into his.

  “Wonderful. I will take all of this into consideration,” he said. He reared up and headed for the door and I fe
lt my stomach sink a bit. It was only a little while ago that I had wanted him to go away, and now I suddenly wanted him to stay.

  What the hell was wrong with me?

  “Miss Summer?” he asked.

  “Yes, Mr. Johnson?”

  “I was wondering if you’d allow me to take you to lunch. You know, to make up for last night.”

  “You want to take me to lunch?” I asked.

  “I was rude to you. I didn’t treat you with the respect you deserved, and I assumed things of you I shouldn’t have. I was hoping you’d allow me to make it up to you.”

  Gone was the cocky attitude, and in its place was a respectable man whose eyes seemed to communicate a sort of sorrow. Even with him standing all the way at the front door, he still seemed to be looming. His stout shoulders pulled taut while he waited for my response, and his eyes raked over my body as I slowly stood to my feet.

  My answer shocked even myself as it poured from my lips.

  “Lunch sounds wonderful. I’m looking forward to it.”

  7

  ABRAHAM

  I grabbed Summer’s number before I left her apartment three days ago and finally got a chance to call her. The last thing I needed to do was leave her thinking as to whether I’d forgotten about her or not. I didn’t want to piss her off any more than I already had because I knew that would completely ruin my chances of feeling those long legs of hers wrapped around my waist.

  And I wasn’t about to compromise any of that.

  “Hello?” she asked.

  “Hello, Summer. It’s Abraham.”

  “Well, I was beginning to wonder if you would ever call,” she said.

  “I’m sorry. Work has been a bit hectic with the acquiring of your building. However, I am taking a long lunch break today. Would you care to join me?”