“Not sure,” Alex said as he left his chair. “I think the man’s just set on closin’ a deal. I doubt there’s cause for any real concern.”
“You can’t be sure, though?” Horace probed, watching Alex shrug.
“Sallie!” Topaz called. She parked her car and jumped out just in time to see Salamine Sentron leaving the restaurant.
Salamine waved, finishing her conversation with one of the movers. “Hey, girl!” she cried, rushing over to hug Topaz.
“Girl, what’s this about you leaving? What’s going on?”
Salamine managed a smile that didn’t quite reach her exotic dark eyes. “The business was just taking up too much of my time,” she explained with a small shrug. “I wanted more time with my family, anyway.”
“Sallie, please, you don’t even have kids,” Topaz teased with a sly grin.
Salamine wasn’t as amused. “Look, my parents are getting older, you know? I want to be with them more, all right?”
“All right,” Topaz said, realizing how shaken the woman really was. “I am sorry to see you go, though. It’s just that your place is always so busy... . Is there anything more going on here, Sallie?”
“No, Topaz, no,” Sallie replied, her long black lashes fluttering as they spiked with moisture.
Topaz pulled her close. “You call if you ever need to talk, all right?” she ordered, feeling the woman nod against her shoulder.
Topaz made a move to end the hug, but Sallie held on. Then Topaz was certain. There was definitely more than family loyalties prompting Sallie into the sudden sale. Still, she didn’t press for answers and, shortly, Sallie had walked away to continue her conversation with the movers.
Strolling back to her car, Topaz took a moment to survey the busy street. Her hands smoothed across the front of her hip-hugging, camel-colored pants while her gaze focused momentarily on each of the recently vacated businesses.
Something occurred to her then. Perhaps the time had come to do a little checking into the sudden sales. Before the day’s end, she was determined to get some information on the real estate companies that had handled the sales.
Before Topaz could run with her ideas, a car horn caught her attention. Squinting out of curiosity, she recognized Alex when he exited the impressive navy blue Navigator. As usual, her heart beat double time in response to the undeniable sex appeal he exuded.
“What’s up?” he softly greeted upon approach. His striking blue-green stare raked her frame encased in the curve-hugging flare-legged pants and chocolate cashmere sweater with its plunging V neckline. Chic black and camel pumps added several inches to her height and almost brought her to his eye level.
“You just eat?” Alex inquired, nodding toward the restaurant in the background.
Topaz pulled her eyes away from his to look across her shoulder. “No,” she replied with a shake of her head, “I was just speaking to a friend. What are you doing here?” she asked, turning to face him again.
“Went by to catch up with Horace and Stan.”
Topaz looked in the direction of White and Webster Consultants. “Yeah, I need to talk to them, too,” she shared, then noticed the curiosity on Alex’s face. “But first, I’m gonna take this bad boy out for a spin.”
Alex grinned, looking over at the sleek Corvette. “You just get it back?”
Topaz giggled, rubbing her hands together. “I’m gonna see if my mechanic’s worth what I’m paying him.”
“Mind some company?” Alex requested, folding his arms across the front of the fitted black crew-neck T-shirt he sported with silver-gray trousers. He was more than a little interested to see her handle the impressive vehicle.
Topaz voiced no objections. She waved her sunglasses in the direction of the sleek, imposing SUV. “Park your ride and hop in,” she instructed.
While Alex moved his vehicle, Topaz settled behind the wheel of her car. She couldn’t resist observing his image through her rearview mirror.
“Damn it, Topaz,” she hissed, closing her eyes against the reflection, “you’ve driven this car with a lot of guys. Don’t get crazy over this one. No matter how hard your heart beats when you see him.”
Alex tapped on the passenger window then, and she clicked the locks. “I hope you can fit,” she teased, eyeing his long legs and powerfully athletic build.
“Funny,” he replied, moving back the seat as far as it would go. Comfortable at last, he sent her a wink. “Let’s see if you can move this thing,” he taunted.
“Mmm-hmm,” Topaz grunted, firing the ignition and revving the engine. “Sounds clean,” she noted, referring to the vehicle. “Ride seems smooth,” she added while merging into light traffic.
Alex made no comment. His unique stare was drawn to her toned thighs flexing beneath the fabric of her pants as she worked the clutch. He focused on her hand curved gracefully around the stick and smiled. Never before could he recall being aroused simply by the sight of a car being driven. Her fingers caressed the steering wheel and stickshift with the sweetness of a lover. The windows were down and the breeze lifted the tendrils of her hair left outside the loose chignon she wore.
Topaz reached a stoplight and took a moment to glance in Alex’s direction. “You okay?” she asked, having caught his stare.
He nodded, his eyes never leaving her face. “Why?” he asked.
“I can get pretty wild behind the wheel,” she warned, surging through the intersection once the light had changed.
“Don’t worry. I’m enjoying everything about this ride.”
Topaz cleared her throat. The sentence made her think his words held a far deeper meaning.
The drive continued in comfortable silence. Topaz drove outside the city in search of backcountry roads where she could really open the engine. Several times, she glanced over to observe her passenger’s reaction to her stunt-driver-like skills. Alex seemed completely at ease. Taking advantage of the lack of conversation, she decided to replace the radio tunes with the CD. When the sounds of a vintage Redman track filled the speakers, Alex let out a yelp of surprise.
“What!” she called over the rapper’s smooth metaphoric skills.
“Just when I think I can’t be havin’ a better time, you go and put on my music to drive to!”
