Rival's Desire

Caesar shook his head and took a few steps closer to her. Crossing his arms over the dark, blue denim shirt hanging outside his pants, he peered down into her face. “After the things you’ve said to me? Now you expect me to give you a ride? Please!”

Vivian took a step closer to Caesar until her face was inches from his. “If you don’t give me a ride, I’ll tell your grandmother.”

Caesar stepped back when he heard the soft threat. A low growl rumbled through his chest as he turned away. “Come on.”

Vivian pressed her lips together in an effort to hide her smile. Once they were inside the dark, cushioned interior of the Expedition, music from a vintage De La Soul CD flooded past the speakers. With the volume on medium, Caesar and Viv nodded their heads to the beat.

“So, how’s the group doing?” Caesar asked after they’d been riding for a while.

Viv smiled. “Everybody’s fine. Between rehearsals, interviews and photo sessions, we hardly have any free days.”

“Well, it’s good to be in demand,” Caesar noted.

“Oh, we’re not complaining.” She remembered when Intrigue was just a dream. Vivian and four friends from college used to sing at parties and other functions. At the beginning of their senior year, they’d sent a demo to the campus radio station and had great success. Instantly the girls became small celebrities and sparked the interest of a producer who had heard them when he’d visited the university. The rest, as they say, was history.

“You know, I bought the last CD.”

Shock registered in Viv’s dark eyes as she turned on the seat to face him. “You did?” she asked.

Caesar grinned and glanced her way. “Yeah, you surprised?”

“Very,” Viv sighed, allowing herself to enjoy his gorgeous profile. “So, what’d you think?” she asked when he caught her staring.

“I play it all the time,” he informed her with a shrug of one of his massive shoulders. “Just like the last two y’all put out.”

Vivian settled back against the seat and smiled. It was always nice to hear good things about Intrigue’s work. Still, it was Caesar’s approval Viv was most pleased to hear. She was surprised to know that after all these years she still wanted to impress him.

“You know, I especially like to hear your leads when I’m feeling down. That low, dead voice of yours is perfect when you’re feelin’ like crap.”

Viv’s hands clenched into fists and she squeezed her eyes shut tight. She knew Caesar said the things he did to get a rise out of her. Of course, it always worked. “You thoughtless jackass.”

“Excuse me?” Caesar replied, a tiny grin tugging at his mouth.

“You heard me! Where do you get off insulting my voice?”

“Insulting you? I just gave you a compliment!”

“A compliment? Calling my voice dead is a compliment?”

Caesar rolled his eyes. “It’s a figure of speech, Plum!”

“In what language?”

The remainder of the trip continued with the two of them arguing. Vivian couldn’t believe Caesar’s thoughtless remark. He acted as though he had just flattered her! Viv practically jumped out of the SUV when Caesar pulled up in front of his grandmother’s home.

“I should’ve never asked you for a ride!” she screamed, sprinting for her car.

“Plum?”

“What?” She flung her car door open and turned to look at Caesar. He was leaning against the Expedition, his arms crossed over his chest.

“You’re welcome.”

Vivian sent him a disgusted look, then got in her car and sped down the long, gravel driveway.

Caesar watched her drive away until the Porsche disappeared around the curve. The easy, humorous expression on his handsome face was replaced by a more pensive look. He had often wondered what being in a relationship with Viv would be like. Every time he saw her, he toyed with the idea while imagining her in his bed.

“Forget it, man,” he ordered himself with a shake of his head. Just before his fingers brushed the front doorknob, his deep-set stare narrowed and he cast one last look toward the driveway. A slow, mischievous smile tugged at the sensuous curve of his mouth before he went into the house.

“Hellooo?” Vivian called as the express elevator doors opened and she stepped into a plush living room. Intrigue rehearsed and composed most of their songs out of Viv’s rooftop studio. When Vivian arrived, everyone was lounging, having snacks and watching TV. She had given them an extra key so they could enter if she wasn’t home yet.

“So, how was lunch, Viv?” Dacia Cartright asked as she and Ivory exchanged glances.

Vivian hung her purse and scarf on the rack near the elevator. When she turned to see the knowing smiles on her partners’ faces, her eyes narrowed. “Lunch was good.”

“Alindo’s was the place to be today, huh, Viv?” Anna Williams asked.

Viv frowned and leaned back against the paneled elevator doors. “How’d y’all find out about that?”

The four young women in the room burst into laughter at their friend’s discomfort. Vivian’s sour expression remained as she watched them practically fall over each other, tears of laughter rolling down their faces.

“Girl, it’s been previewed as one of tonight’s top entertainment stories!” Diane Melon informed her between the laughter. “The lunch spat between the diva and the jock.”

“Dammit!” Vivian snapped, stomping into the living room. “Please don’t tell me they’re makin’ this out to be my fault.”

Anna shrugged and toyed with a strand of her waist-length black hair. “Honey, from what we hear, you started it.”

Viv slammed her fists to the table. “Damn him!”

Ivory grinned and tapped Dacia’s shoulder. “I think they said that was how it started, Viv slammin’ her fists to the table.”

Dacia chuckled and propped the side of her round face against her palm. “Viv, what the hell did you all do to get thrown out of that place?”

Vivian let out a long dramatic sigh and flopped down on the sofa. “It was all Caesar’s fault.” She grimaced at the chuckles of doubt surrounding her. “Our grandmothers wanted us to have lunch with them to talk about running their company.”

“Running their company?” Diane asked, her large brown eyes widening. “For how long?”

Vivian shrugged. “We didn’t get all the details. The moment they told us we had to do it together, Caesar went off.”

“Mmm-hmm. So you just accepted it, huh?” Anna asked.

“No-o-o,” Vivian sourly replied. “But I didn’t act as badly as Caesar. After a while there was nothing I could do. I had to defend myself.”

Dacia pushed herself out of the armchair she occupied. “Well,” she sighed, “it looks like you both did a great job.”

“Look, can we just get to work?” Viv snapped, raising her hands in the air.

The girls sent each other knowing looks as they followed Viv upstairs to the studio. They decided to start that day rehearsing a song they were considering for the release party of their latest CD.