Buried Secrets (SIN CITY HEAT SERIES) Read online

  “I keep tellin’ you, one of these days, you’re going to meet someone who’ll drop you faster than the Muhammad Ali ‘rope-a-dope’.”

  “That’ll be the day.”

  “She doesn’t really look like she’s your type anyway, does she? You usually like those stuck up, glamour girls who think their shit don’t stank.”

  Amir was silent as he continued to study the woman. He didn’t deny Soul’s observation because he was right. He normally went for the tall, slender model types. They made attractive eye candy and photographed well. Amir had retired from football several years ago due to a career ending injury, but his record in the game had yet to be broken. Even if it was, he would still go down in the record books as one of the best running backs in history. Being one of the most sought after bachelors in the Atlanta area, he had his pick of beautiful women and was never without one adorning his arm.

  Finally acknowledging Soul’s statement, Amir shrugged. “Maybe not, but…I don’t know. There’s something about her. Matter of fact, I think I’ll go over so that she and I can make plans for later to see what that ‘something’ is.” Amir winked at Soul before standing up and confidently making his way to the other table.

  Soul laughed. “Do your thang, playa.”

  As Amir walked over, he didn’t notice the stares directed at him. He was used to the attention which so often followed him, and was more or less oblivious to it now. His focus was on the little cutie who’d captured his interest.

  Wonder how long she’ll hold it, he thought with characteristic arrogance. Almost at their table, he smiled the charming Montgomery smile that he was famous for when he saw them look up at him.

  “Hello, ladies. How are you today?” Although his smile included them both, his eyes were on ‘Nia’s twin’.

  “Hello,” they answered.

  “I was having lunch with my friend and noticed you two when you came in.”

  The one he had his eye on raised a neatly sculpted brow as she looked him up and down. “And you are…?”

  Surprise flickered on Amir’s face before he covered it with an indulgent smile. “Sorry. Where are my manners? My name is Amir Montgomery.” He waited for recognition to shine in her eyes, but her nonchalant expression stayed in place as she introduced herself and her friend.

  “I’m Aleesha Matthews and this is my friend Jerra St. James.”

  “Nice to meet you both. Do you mind if I join you for a moment?”

  “Well -”

  “Sure,” Jerra answered. She swallowed a smile and ignored Aleesha’s glare. “So, what profession are you in, Amir?”

  “I own a couple of real estate agencies as well as several other businesses. Used to play professional football until an injury permanently sidelined me and forced me to retire. What do you ladies do?” He looked at Aleesha, but when she continued to eat her meal as if he wasn’t there, Jerra spoke up.

  “I’m an attorney and Aleesha is the director of marketing at a major pharmaceutical company.”

  Amir raised his eyebrows when Jerra mentioned the name of the company. Jerra pressed her lips together as she read the message Aleesha sent with her eyes. TMI: too much information.

  “Impressive. Are you from Atlanta, Aleesha?” Because she’d been quiet since he’d sat down, Amir directed the question specifically to her. She gave him an impersonal smile and nodded before picking up her glass of water and taking a sip. A frown creased Amir’s forehead as he leaned back in the chair and studied her. If he didn’t know any better, he’d swear she was giving him the brush off. “So, what do you do for fun?”

  “To be honest, lately I’ve found myself much too busy to have fun.”

  “Come on now. A beautiful woman like yourself? You have to have some interests outside of work.”

  Aleesha squinted up at the ceiling as if in deep thought then shook her head. “Nope.”

  “I’ve told her that all work and no play will make her a very dull girl.” Jerra ignored the narrowing of Aleesha’s eyes and looked at Amir. “What source of entertainment do you prefer?”

  “Actually, a friend of mine is hosting the opening of his new jazz club this weekend. Would you ladies like to go with me?”

  Aleesha sat her fork down and stared at Amir. “I don’t think so, but we appreciate the invitation.”

  Amir blinked, sure he had misunderstood. Undeterred, he persisted. “Alright. Maybe we could do something another time when your schedule isn’t full.”

  “My schedule isn’t full.”

  “Aleesha!” Jerra stared intently at her friend when she heard the slight.

  Amir stiffened in the chair as his and Aleesha’s eyes held. “I’m sorry, it seems like we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot.”

  “No. We haven’t. To be blunt, I’m not interested, Mr. Montgomery.”

  The look on Amir’s face was almost comical. “Excuse me?”

  Aleesha leaned forward and slowly repeated the words. “I said I’m not interested.”

  “Really…” Amir couldn’t help the twinge of disbelief that laced the word.

  “Wow. You really do have an ego, don’t you? Okay, let me spell it out. I know who you are, and I’m aware of your reputation. I have no interest in becoming another notch on your belt. Is that clearer?”

  Their eyes locked for a moment before Amir stiffly nodded. “Crystal.” Although miffed at the snub, he stood up and gave the women a blinding smile. “You ladies enjoy your lunch. Nice to have met you.”

  “Likewise,” Jerra answered. Aleesha picked up her fork and resumed eating her meal without responding.

  Unaware of the preoccupation that marred his handsome face once he got back to his table, Amir sat down and pensively stared into space as if trying to solve some great mystery of the world.

  “What in the hell‘s wrong with you? Shorty didn’t live up to your expectations?” Soul asked.

  Amir remained silent as he sullenly glanced in Aleesha’s direction. He was even more perturbed because her good mood seemed to have been restored as soon as he left the table. She was smiling and animatedly talking to Jerra as if he’d been forgotten the moment he walked away. Soul followed his gaze once more before comprehension replaced his puzzlement.

  “Wait a minute. Did she…did she turn you down?” Soul’s eyes widened and his lips were poised and ready to spread into a big grin as he waited on Amir’s answer. When Amir just ignored him, the smile blossomed. “What? She did, didn’t she?”

  “ Soul? Fuck you. Alright?”

  Soul draped his arm along the back of his chair and turned all the way around to gawk at Aleesha. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

  “Soul-”

  “Damn, bruh. Been a long time since that happened.”

  “Please. She’s just playing hard to get, wants me to chase her.”

  Soul faced Amir again and sent him a humoring look and nodded. “Uh, yeah. Sure. Okay.”

  Amir gritted his teeth. “As you said, she’s not really my type.”

  Amusement shone on Soul’s face as he reached in his pocket and gave his credit card to the waitress to pay their bill. “That may be so, my friend, but you want her. Don’t you?”

  Amir slid his gaze away from the all too knowing twinkle in Soul’s eyes and let his wander back to Aleesha. “Yeah. I want her. And I intend to get her.”

  And he had.

  It took an extreme amount of persistence and perseverance on his part, but Amir was a man used to getting his way at all costs. Armed with her name and the company she worked for, he began ordering bouquet after bouquet of pink orchids and had them delivered to her every day. Finally, after about two weeks, Aleesha reluctantly agreed to meet him for lunch if he would stop showering her office with flowers. The lunch date had gone so well, and they‘d had so much fun, dinner followed several days later.

  Amir wanted her to like him a lot more than he cared to admit. Aleesha was different from any woman he’d ever met. She was sexy, intelligent, and the conversati
on flowed effortlessly. Amir found himself thinking about her non-stop, wanting to be with her when they were apart. Aleesha confessed she felt the same, and before long, they decided to move in together. A year later, he proposed and Aleesha finally said yes; the wedding was right around the corner.

  Amir leaned his head back against the sofa. He was a lucky man and he knew it. Aleesha could have anyone she wanted. She was one of those women who possessed the total package: looks, brains, sexual energy with bedroom skills to match, and sexy as hell…

  So why had he cheated on her? Amir closed his eyes when he heard the chiming of the doorbell. And why was he getting ready to be unfaithful again?

  Ignoring the persistent voice that whispered it wasn’t too late to do the right thing, Amir pulled himself up off the couch and walked to the door. Upon opening it, he stared into the face of Simone Sheldon, the woman he’d had an affair with over a year ago - or at least one of the women. Simone was the only one Aleesha had found out about.

  Simone stood twirling a lock of her dark, honey blond hair around her finger and gave Amir a look full of promise. He’d run into her a couple of days ago and convinced himself that it wouldn’t do any harm to get a little sexual relief on the side since Aleesha was making them stick to this celibacy thing.

  “Well? Are you going to invite me in or just stand there staring at me all night?” Simone tilted her head to the side as she waited. A smile crossed her pouting lips when Amir silently opened the door wider for her to step through.

  Closing the door, he leaned against it and watched as Simone came inside and made herself comfortable. He thought about the other affairs he’d had since he’d been with Aleesha and again wondered why he was doing this. The two of them enjoyed an explosive sex life, so that wasn’t the problem. Maybe it was to prove that he was still attractive to other women. It was no secret that he was engaged and off the market, but that fact only seemed to make them pursue him harder.

  Amir made no excuses for his actions. He knew it was wrong. After he and Aleesha exchanged vows, there would be no one else for him but her. However, until then…

  “Amir.”

  He turned and looked at Simone when she softly called his name. Her dress was on the floor and she stood there wearing a hot pink thong and matching bra. Pushing himself away from the door, Amir walked towards Simone with a smile on his face as his eyes roamed her perfect model’s body from head to toe.

  Yes, the day he took his vows with Aleesha, he would be faithful to her for the rest of his life - but that day hadn’t come yet.

  Chapter 2

  After Aleesha and her friends checked into their hotel, the women excitedly chatted and giggled as they rode the elevator up to their floor. Once there, they headed down the hall to the three reserved suites. Aleesha, Jerra, and Keisha were staying together. The others went to their respective rooms to freshen up and get ready for a night of partying. When Aleesha unlocked the door, she dropped her bags and screamed in disbelief.

  “Damn! This cannot be real!” she squealed.

  “Only the best for you, mama,” Keisha told her as she as Jerra pulled her into the room.

  A fully stocked bar ran the length of one wall. The plush carpet underneath their feet was thick and luxurious, almost making them feel as if they were walking on a cushiony cloud. A large flat screen TV dominated one of the other walls, and the ultra-modern furniture was a combination of glass and black leather.

  Aleesha walked to the kitchen and opened the stainless steel refrigerator. Bottles of champagne and wine were stacked along the door. Trays of every fruit imaginable took up shelves next to veggie dishes and bowls of dip. Aleesha couldn’t resist grabbing one of the chocolate covered strawberries. When she bit into the sweet, juicy fruit, the sinful taste of the decadent chocolate caused her eyes to close in ecstasy.

  “Girl, now this is what I call a suite….gorgeous!” Jerra exclaimed. “Look at the view.”

  Walking over to the large floor to ceiling windows, they took in a breathtaking picture of blinking lights against a midnight velvety sky. Lit up hotels and casinos were scattered out as far as the eye could see.

  Aleesha wistfully sighed. “This is so beautiful. Amir would love it here.” Both Keisha and Jerra turned to glare at her. Not giving them a chance to pounce, Aleesha backtracked in a hurry. “But as for now, it’s time to get our party on. Come on ladies. Let’s get this show on the road.”

  An hour and a half later, everyone met up at their suite, changed and ready to hit the nightclub. They’d heard a lot about Club Raine, which was conveniently located inside the hotel, and were anxious to get the night started

  Glancing at her girls, Aleesha saw the outfits were very short and very tight. Not to be outdone, she was wearing a black halter dress which tied around her neck and left her back bare. The skirt reached her upper thighs and showed off thick brown legs which shimmered from the scented butter lotion she’d lavishly slathered on. Blessed with generous hips and ass, she had no trouble getting attention whenever she walked into a room. Slipping into 4-inch heels and applying a last dab of lipstick, she was ready to go out and celebrate.

  As they entered the club, they were struck by how large it was. The dance floor was packed full of gorgeous people dressed in beautiful clothes. The energy emanating from the crowd quickly put them in a mood to have fun and let loose.

  A hostess was waiting to lead them to a large reserved table. After they ordered the first round of drinks, almost immediately half of the group, including Aleesha, was pulled on the floor by brothas too fine for words. They were plentiful and came in a smorgasbord of flavors. Who knew Vegas offered such a delectable array of choices.

  Already tipsy, Aleesha shook her head as she surveyed her girls once she was seated back at her table. She felt a little sorry for the men they’d set their sights on. Knowing her friends the way she did, they were gonna take full advantage of the wallets and the dicks.

  Oh well, Leesh thought. That life has nothing to do with me anymore. In less than two weeks, I'm going to be Mrs. Amir Montgomery. Aleesha propped her chin up on her hand as her mind went over the wedding plans she’d been working on.

  Seeing that Aleesha was slipping into a dream state which could mean she was thinking about Amir again, Keisha decided it was time to get down and dirty. Walking to the bar, she ordered two of the clubs most lethal drinks, called the ‘Knock Me Down and Fuck Me’. It consisted of rum, Southern Comfort, and Amaretto. The concoction was topped off with OJ then poured over crushed ice.

  As she made her way back to the table, Keisha took a small sip and cringed at the potency. Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about, she said to herself with a grin. Giving the drink to Aleesha, they tapped glasses in a silent toast.

  Taking a big swallow, Aleesha gagged when the fiery liquid made its way down her throat. “Keisha, what the fuck…?! What is this?” Aleesha's face was screwed up in distaste from the mixture of strong alcohols.

  “It's called a 'Knock Me Down and Fuck Me'. I’m tired of trying to get your mind off of that fiancée of yours who, by the way, will be having his own bachelor party next weekend. Do you really think he’s going to be moping around wondering what in the hell you’re doing?” Aleesha opened her mouth to respond but Keisha continued without taking a breath. “No! He won’t! So for the last time, stop acting like a little bitch and have some damn fun - that is if you still remember how!”

  Leesh narrowed her eyes at the dare her girl had just thrown at her. She looked Keisha dead in the eye as she gulped the drink down until the glass was half empty. She might be rusty, but she’d be damned if she let Keisha punk her out at her own bachelorette party.

  Aleesha jumped up and snatched the hand of the first guy she saw and proceeded to drag him out onto the dance floor. The man looked down in surprise at the sexy little thing pulling him behind her. He quickly put his drink down on a passing table and took long strides to keep up with her rapid, determined steps. His eyes followed th
e sway of her hips which swished from side to side in her haste.

  Damn. He was definitely an ass man, and just the thought of hittin’ that from the back was making him hard as a brick.

  Aleesha weaved her way through the pulsating crowd until she finally found an opening they could squeeze into. Feeling her head swimming a little from the effects of the alcohol, she threw her hands up and started dancing. Still not even looking at the man she’d commandeered, she turned her back to the tall brotha and started moving to the rhythm.

  Letting go of everything except the melody flowing from the booming speakers, Aleesha became one with the beat. Her body moved sensuously in time to the music, reminding her partner of an exotic dancer who had no inhibitions whatsoever. Licking his lips, he wondered if she showed the same amount of abandonment when she was being fucked.

  His breath caught in his throat as she bent over, hands on her knees, and backed her ass up. She had to feel his erection, and when she smiled and grinded her ass even deeper into his crouch, he was sure of it!

  Never one to back down from a challenge, he placed his hands on either side of her hips and matched her grind for grind. Her skirt slightly rode up over her upper thighs. No one paid them the slightest bit of attention, but then again, this was Vegas.

  Moments later, the music changed to a slower song. Sliding his hands up to her waist, he turned her around and pulled her body to his, noting that her breasts were just as luscious as the ass he’d just finished admiring.

  With the halter dress leaving her back bare, he ran his hands over her soft shoulders then down to her waist again. Eyes still closed, Aleesha threw her arms around the stranger’s neck. She gasped when she felt her nipples become small, hard pellets as they brushed against his chest. “Mmmm….”

  Hearing the low moan, he glanced down to look into her attractive face. Seeing her clearly now for the first time, the man paused.

  Wait a minute. It can’t be…. Aleesha??

  Engulfed in a haze of sensual contentment, Aleesha didn’t even notice his body stiffen as he continued to stare at her with a look of surprise mixed with shock. She was extremely relaxed and his arms felt so right wrapped around her at this moment. When his hands tightened at her waist, a small warning in the back of her mind told her that she needed to stop and put an end to this now – whatever this was. Aleesha tried to placate the voice of reason by silently whispering she would…right after the song ended. Somewhat pacified with the decision, she snuggled closer.