Eternally Yours - Brenda Jackson [30]
Only after he had gotten a few feet away from her did Braxton discover he’d suddenly forgotten how to breathe. The woman, whose age appeared to be around twenty-five or twenty-six, was gorgeous.
“Do you need any assistance?” He finally found his voice to ask. His eyes scanned her slender figure before glancing under the raised hood of her car. She glanced up from her close study of her car’s engine and smiled beautiful dark eyes at him.
“I think so. My car won’t start. Do you know anything about cars, Mr….?” She glanced at the identification badge he wore on his suit. “Mr. Montgomery?”
He smiled. “A little. Let me take a look.” Handing her his jacket and briefcase, he began rolling up his sleeves. “That is, if you don’t mind, Ms….?”
“Rogers,” she supplied, shaking his hand. “Celeste Rogers.”
“And Ms. Rogers, do you work around here?” Braxter asked. His tone was polite as he began fiddling with some of the equipment under her car’s hood. He couldn’t help noticing she wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.
“No, I don’t work around here, but a majority of my clientele do,” she said, glancing at the Capitol Building in the background. “I own a travel agency, and today is my day for deliveries.” She looked down at her car and frowned. “At least it was until my car decided to give out on me.”
Braxter nodded. “Now, Ms. Rogers, you can try the ignition.”
She smiled. “Please call me Celeste.”
“Celeste,” he said, liking the way the name sounded on his lips. “And I’m Braxter.”
“All right.” She walked around and slid into the car’s seat. She smiled broadly when the car’s engine roared to life. Getting out of the car she went back to where he stood, she smiled at him. “It’s working again. What did you do?”
“It was just your distributor cap. It wasn’t on tight enough.” The expression on her face told him that, like most women, she knew nothing about what went on under the hood of a car.
“Well, whatever it was, I really appreciate your taking the time to help. How much do I owe you, Braxter?”
He checked his watch. “Nothing, but how about lunch? There’s a great Chinese restaurant a few blocks from here. That is, if you like Chinese.”
She hesitated a moment before answering. “I love Chinese, and lunch sounds wonderful.”
“Great, we can drive over in my car.”
She shook her head. “I prefer if you lead in your car. I’ll follow in mine.”
“Okay.” Braxter said smiling. He wasn’t the least offended that she’d graciously refused his offer to ride to the restaurant with him. Evidently, she was a cautious woman by nature. He liked that.
Celeste watched the handsome man walk off, heading back toward his parked car. She then got into hers. As she followed him out of the parking lot, she picked up her cellular phone and punched in a few numbers. She waited patiently for the voice on the other end before saying, “Yes, this is Celeste.” Her lips formed in a faint, victorious grin. “I’ve made my connection.”
Chapter 7
Syneda glanced around her living room, nervously gnawing at her bottom lip. Clayton was to arrive any minute.
For the first time since her decision to have this weekend interlude with him, she was beginning to feel uncertain and apprehensive. Unnerved by those feelings, and unsettled by the novelty of the actions she was about to take, she uncomfortably ran a hand through her hair.
At the sound of the doorbell, she hesitated briefly before turning toward the door. Drawing in a deep breath, she made an effort to maintain her composure. Sharp needles of sexual excitement and anticipation pricked every nerve in her body. “Yes?”
“It’s Clayton.”
She slowly opened the door and smiled. “Hello.”
Clayton smiled back at her. “Hello, yourself. May I come in?”
“Sure.” Syneda couldn’t help noticing how his dark form was silhouetted by the dim lighting flowing through the entrance foyer. Although she couldn’t see his features clearly, she could tell he was dressed in a dark suit and white dress shirt. He must have left the office and gone