Whatever He Wants by Eve Vaughn Page A

Noelle couldn’t wrap
her mind around the switch. She wished her body didn’t still crave his. But
most of all she wished she had the strength to walk away before she was in too
deep. Unfortunately, Noelle didn’t feel as if she could get any deeper.

Chapter Nine
     
            “I’m sorry I’m late,” Simone greeted.
Noelle stood up to give her cousin a hug. “I was meeting with investors for my
boutique.”
            “No problem. I’m just glad you could make
it. I’ve only been here for a little while anyway. I went ahead and ordered you
lemonade if that’s okay.”
            “That’s fine. But why would you think I
wouldn’t come? I was glad to hear from you.”
            Noelle had wanted to call Simone every day
since she’d moved into James’ penthouse but didn’t have the nerve. She was
still uneasy about the way things had been left between them but Simone was
family and they’d always been close.  Remembering this, she finally broke
down and called to invite her to lunch. “We haven’t spoken in weeks. I told you
I’d give you my number when I was settled in and I didn’t.”
            Simone took a sip of her drink before
responding. “I figured you were busy but I was wondering when I’d hear from
you. I would have called you myself if I had your number. And since you’re the
last person on Earth to not own a cell phone I had to wait.”
            Noelle pulled her cell phone out of her
purse and placed it on the table. “I have one now.” James insisted she have one
if he needed to get in contact with her at a moment’s notice but she wouldn’t
tell Simone that for fear of being lectured.
            “I’m impressed. My little cuz has stepped into the twenty-first century. Did my eyes
deceive me or did I see you rocking Kate Spade’s latest handbag.”
            “The sales lady said these were very
popular.”
            “I got to admit, you look like a million
bucks. Your hair looks nice.”
            Noelle touched her hair self-consciously.
She’d never worn a weave in her life and was still adjusting to having foreign
hair. James seemed to like it though he never came right out and said it. She
could just tell by the way he liked to pull her long tresses during sex. 
Noelle had been uneasy about spending his money so freely but once she realized
it was what he expected of her, she’d gotten a makeover from head to toe,
including a brand new wardrobe full of labels she’d never heard of but cost
more than anything she’d ever owned in her life.
            “Thanks. I only wish I had your fashion
sense. Speaking of which, how did your meeting with the investors go?”
            Simone’s grin widened. “That’s why I’m
late actually. They seemed really impressed with the location I’ve chosen and
my business proposal. They said they’d get back to me by middle of next week
but I believe my boutique will be a go.”
            “That’s amazing, Simone. If anyone
deserves to have her dreams come true it’s you.”
            Simone reached across the table and gave
Noelle’s hand a squeeze. “ Aww ,
thank you girl. When I decided to take on this endeavor, I didn’t think
the ball would get rolling so quickly. You’re the one who encouraged me to go
for it and now it’s actually happening. I know they say seventy percent of
businesses fail in the first year but I realized if I don’t take this
opportunity now, I’ll wonder ‘what if’ for the rest of my life.”
            “You won’t fail. Anything you set your
mind to you end up accomplishing.”
            Their conversation was halted when the
waiter returned to the table to take their order. Once he was gone, they
resumed dancing around the subject that had caused their rift.
            Finally, unable to take the underlying
tension between the two of them, Noelle broke down. “Look Simone, I’m really
sorry for