A Silken Thread - Brenda Jackson [69]
“And you’re not distraught over the affair?”
She cast him a glance as if she didn’t appreciate being interrupted but would let him do so this one time. “Heavens no. I suggested to Wilson years ago that he consider getting a mistress. But as far as I know he’s never taken me up on my suggestion until now. Unfortunately, he decided on the wrong woman and I will use his mistake to my benefit.”
Jaye saw her eyes light up and could just imagine what devious plans she had in the works. In a way he didn’t want to know. He just wanted to get paid for the work he’d done for her so far.
Feeling the need to escape her presence, he glanced at his watch and stood up. “I have another appointment and need to leave.”
“Of course. Let me pay you for your services.”
He watched Karen as she moved over to her desk and, using a key, unlocked it. He thought she wasn’t a bad-looking woman if she would step down off her high horse every once in a while. He heard about her younger sister and how different the two women had been. There had been an eight-year difference in their ages and, according to his mother, Karen had always been jealous of Blair growing up and hadn’t shed a single tear when Blair died.
“Here you are, Jaye.”
He glanced down at the check. “Wow! I hadn’t expected so much, Karen. Thanks.”
“You earned it. Besides, I plan to keep you on retainer. Now that I have a surefire plan to rid Erica of Brian, I can turn my attention to Griffin. I don’t believe he’s involved with anyone.”
“I wouldn’t know. But I’ve heard he’s planning to announce his candidacy for mayor soon.”
Karen smiled. “Yes, and when he does I plan to have Erica by his side. They’ll make a perfect mayor and first lady.”
Jaye placed the check in his wallet thinking if she could pull that off then she was definitely a miracle worker. Griffin had said more than once that he and Erica didn’t have that sort of relationship. Evidently Karen still wasn’t listening.
“Well, you know how to reach me when you need my services again,” he said, moving toward the door.
“Yes,” she said, smiling. “And I will be calling you.”
Griffin checked his watch. He had only twelve hours left to spend with April before heading out to the airport. The thought of leaving her tomorrow depressed him already.
Earlier today he had accompanied her on a film shoot on Malibu Beach. Anyone who thought the life of a model was all glitz and glamour and not hard work was completely wrong. April was a professional and handled herself as such but she wasn’t standoffish. She had conversed easily with everyone and he could tell the crew liked her a lot. One of the cameramen told him that she didn’t give in to immature tempestuousness like some models did.
And, as some of the other crew members had pointed out, she had a heart of gold. Last year she had help organized several charity events. Griffin had to agree with everyone that there was more to April North than her beautiful face and shapely body.
They had officially been dating for a month now and he always looked forward to her phone call in the middle of the week to share her weekend schedule with him. Then he would make plans to join her in some of the most exotic places. There hadn’t been a weekend that they hadn’t shared together.
He smiled when he thought of last weekend in Orlando when she had talked him into going to Disney World. He’d had more fun that day with April than he’d had at ten years old. And he could definitely say he’d never had more fun with a woman. There was just something about April that made him want to enjoy life in a way he never had before.
“Sorry about that, but I needed to take that call from London,” April said, breezing back into the room with her luscious scent following in her wake.
He glanced up and smiled and when she reached the sofa and tumbled playfully into his arms, he caught her as their laughter mingled. And when he adjusted her position in his lap, she turned and lowered her mouth for him to take.
And he took it.
With a hunger that no longer surprised