Page 12 of Emani's Way

How the fuck could she just leave?

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my share of one-nighters. But it was understood from the jump that’s what it was. Maybe our signals got crossed somehow, and she thought that’s all I wanted.

Obviously, that’s what she thought since she slipped out without so much as a thank you for the dick.

“Mr. Reid, I’m stepping out for my appointment. Kara will be here to cover for me.” Lena’s voice comes through the receiver that I absently picked up. My mind is all over the place, and that’s not good for business.Get your shit together, Mad.

“Alright. Thanks, Lena.” I hang up, and my mind goes right back to Emani.

I decided to actually get some work done and go over a few of my case files. My father has been handling less and less of his “special” clients which means I’ve been handling them more. It’s an exciting aspect of our law firm, but I know firsthand it can be dangerous. Most of their files are written in code only my father and I can decipher, so anyone else reading it would think it’s just regular legal jargon. However, if you know the code, you would know that these files are about everything illegal you could think of. When my father began teaching me right out of undergrad, I thought it was nonsense. But he has proven to me time and time again how important it is for our clients to have anonymity when it comes to their business dealings. It’s worked for us and them for years.

I’m almost completely caught up with my work when my stomach begins to growl. I look at the clock and notice it’s way past my usual lunch time.I hate when a new P.A. steps in for Lena.I pick up my phone to call for lunch; however, before I can call to order something to eat, there’s a knock on my door.

“Come in.”

“Mr. Reid, Lena ordered you lunch before she left.” Kara enters with a bag from Anamia’s, a Tex-Mex restaurant that I love.

“Right on time.” I get up from my desk and take the bag from her hands with a nod, “I appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome, sir.” Kara flutters her eyelashes and smiles flirtatiously before turning and closing the door behind her. I smirk and shake my head. I don’t know why they always send the young girls up here when Lena is out. They always act like they’ve never seen a man before. I’m pretty sure they have a bet in the P.A. pool on who will get me in bed first. And as much as I love women, I never dip my pen in the company ink.

Not only would it expose my family’s law firm to harassment suits, my father would kill me with his bare hands. I love breathing too much to slip up and sleep with one of my subordinates. Besides, there’s plenty of ass out there. Even though the majority of my time is spent here, there’s absolutely no reason for me to date anyone who works for Reid and Associates.

As busy as I am, especially now with the old man hinting at retirement, I still make time to date or at least hook up. Beautiful women are everywhere I look, so they don’t always catch my eye. However, when they stand out like Emani, I can’t help but shoot my shot.

I grimace at my thoughts. We didn’t exchange numbers, but I have to find her somehow. There’s a reason Emani keeps circling my brain.

I was just so taken with her. I was pleasantly surprised by her down to earth personality because women with out of this world beauty like hers are usually high maintenance. And to find out she was an Art teacher made her a saint in my eyes. The way these kids act nowadays, I wouldn’t be able to do it. But hell, if my Art teacher looked like her when I was in school, not only would I have been the most well behaved kid in class, I’d probably be another damned Vincent van Gogh.

I have to stop thinking about Emani. I know I have shit to do, especially since my brother decided to get married, and I planned his bachelor party this weekend. However, after this weekend, I’m going to make it my mission to find Emani Jackson.

Chapter6

EMANI

It’s been a couple of weeks, and Maddox still hasn’t called me. I thought we had something special, but I guess I was a fool.That’s what happens when I act out of character.I chastise myself for the millionth time.

I can’t believe I had a one-night stand. To be fair, I thought Maddox and I would eventually go out and maybe even start seeing each other. But I should’ve known that a man like Maddox wouldn’t want something lasting.

“Who says you can’t judge a book by its cover,” I mumble bitterly.

I’ve been in a real funk since I met Maddox. Well, since he didn’t use my number that I left on the pillow before I had to leave his house.

I wanted to wake him up and tell him that I had an emergency phone call from my mother, but he looked so peaceful. We stayed up half the night talking and exploring each other’s bodies, and I knew he had to be as tired as I was. I’m no pillow princess, but Maddox Reid was definitely putting in work. So, instead of waking him up, I left a note and left his house. I was glad that his fancy community didn’t have a guard at the gatehouse because it made it easier for the Uber to pick me up.

I guess I’m feeling a little bitter since I wasn’t bold enough to ask a man for his phone numberbeforeI slept with him.Dumb move, Emani!

Now, I’m sitting here doing my best not to be a Debbie Downer as Kayla and Shelby reminisce over our impromptu trip to Vegas.

Kayla was still getting calls from Warren, so to take her mind off her troubles, Shelby got us the hook-up at a conference in Vegas for the weekend. Once we got there, we ran into Anderson and his group of friends again. I could see the chemistry between Anderson and Kayla all weekend, and I’m glad they seemed to finally work it out and get together. But Brady and Shelby are another story. There’s a tug of war between the two of them, and somehow, I found myself in the middle of it.

“Emani, you seem like you’re pretty level-headed.” Brady is glaring at Shelby as she flirts with some random guy.

“I am.” I narrow my eyes at Brady because we have never had a conversation and even though Shelby and I have been bickering all weekend, I would never talk bad about my friend to a guy.

“Good. Maybe some of that will rub off on your friend so she can stop playing games.”

I’ve been in a sour mood since we’ve been in Vegas, and I can admit that. But I’ve been doing my best to hold it together. I may have snapped at my girls a time or two, but who the heck does this guy think he is?