Read Online Close Quarters: A Novel (Zane Presents) by Shamara Ray - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Shamara Ray
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family maid for more than three decades, greeted me as I stepped off the elevator into the foyer.
“Good evening, Ms. Melina,” she said.
“How are you, Caroline?”
“Just fine—”
“Lina, you’re right on time. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are just being served,” Ellis said, walking over to us. He kissed me on the cheek and then helped me with my mink, handing it to Caroline. He grabbed my hand and whisked me into the study. I quickly surveyed the room. A small party of eight, including myself and Ellis. I recognized Ellis’s godparents from his father’s funeral and had met his mother’s best friend Vivian and her husbandJoseph at prior dinner parties. I was not familiar with the other gentleman in the room. Daniella, Ellis’s sister, was nowhere in sight. Light music played in the background. Ellis led me over to his mother, standing next to the fireplace.
She excused herself from her conversation and gave me a brusque hug. “I was beginning to think you weren’t going to make it, dear.”
I air-kissed both of her cheeks. “There was a bit of traffic on the way over,” I lied.
She walked in a circle around me. “Aren’t you just stunning?”
My smile mimicked her tone. “Thank you, Bebe.”
Bebe slipped her arm around my waist and walked me over to the bar that was set up in the far corner of the room. I looked back at Ellis, who seemed oblivious to the fact that I was being lured away.
“I’ll have a mineral water,” she said to the bartender. “What are you drinking, dear?”
“The same.”
“Come now, have a cocktail. What’s the point of attending a party if you don’t have a drink or two?”
I reminded myself to play nice. “I’ll have a martini.”
The bartender handed me the drink. He smiled politely and then clasped his hands in front of him, waiting for his next order. I noted his uniform—black slacks with a crisp white jacket and a bowtie—and the way he unassumingly stepped back a few paces to remove himself from our conversation. I could only imagine the discussions he’d overheard.
Bebe took a birdlike swallow from her water. “Melina, I would like for us to get together one day next week for lunch.”
I made a vain attempt to keep the surprise off my face. “I’ll need to check my schedule. Did you have a particular day in mind?”
“I’m a lady of leisure, dear. I’ll leave it to you to decide. Do let me know as soon as possible.”
Bebe stalked across the room to chat with one of her cronies, leaving me alone and bewildered.
A server came around with a tray of salmon mousse on toast points. He held out a stack of napkins to me. I shook my head. I didn’t want to fill up on anything before dinner. Ellis walked over and took an hors d’oeuvre from the tray. He offered me a bite.
“I don’t want to ruin my appetite.”
Ellis shrugged and ate his toast point. “Mother was right. You are stunning tonight.”
The compliment elicited a blush from me. Too bad his mother didn’t mean it. Ellis leaned toward me and kissed me on the lips. “I love you, Lina.”
I touched his face. “I love you, too.”
A female server approached us with a tray of more hors d’oeuvres. I took a sip from my martini, not bothering to look at what tempting delicacy she was circulating.
Ellis looked down at me. “You’re not going to try one?”
I opened my mouth to say no until I glanced at the tray. The room went still and I could hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears. I looked at Ellis, then back at the tray again. My hands started shaking as I focused on the little, black velvet box in the center of the tray.
Ellis took the martini glass from me and handed it to the server. He lifted the box from the tray, then went down on one knee. I was trembling from the inside out. My eyelids fluttered, blinking back the tears that were clouding my vision. Ellis opened the box. A sparkling Asscher-cut diamond solitaire gloriously beamed at me.
Ellis took my left hand
“Good evening, Ms. Melina,” she said.
“How are you, Caroline?”
“Just fine—”
“Lina, you’re right on time. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are just being served,” Ellis said, walking over to us. He kissed me on the cheek and then helped me with my mink, handing it to Caroline. He grabbed my hand and whisked me into the study. I quickly surveyed the room. A small party of eight, including myself and Ellis. I recognized Ellis’s godparents from his father’s funeral and had met his mother’s best friend Vivian and her husbandJoseph at prior dinner parties. I was not familiar with the other gentleman in the room. Daniella, Ellis’s sister, was nowhere in sight. Light music played in the background. Ellis led me over to his mother, standing next to the fireplace.
She excused herself from her conversation and gave me a brusque hug. “I was beginning to think you weren’t going to make it, dear.”
I air-kissed both of her cheeks. “There was a bit of traffic on the way over,” I lied.
She walked in a circle around me. “Aren’t you just stunning?”
My smile mimicked her tone. “Thank you, Bebe.”
Bebe slipped her arm around my waist and walked me over to the bar that was set up in the far corner of the room. I looked back at Ellis, who seemed oblivious to the fact that I was being lured away.
“I’ll have a mineral water,” she said to the bartender. “What are you drinking, dear?”
“The same.”
“Come now, have a cocktail. What’s the point of attending a party if you don’t have a drink or two?”
I reminded myself to play nice. “I’ll have a martini.”
The bartender handed me the drink. He smiled politely and then clasped his hands in front of him, waiting for his next order. I noted his uniform—black slacks with a crisp white jacket and a bowtie—and the way he unassumingly stepped back a few paces to remove himself from our conversation. I could only imagine the discussions he’d overheard.
Bebe took a birdlike swallow from her water. “Melina, I would like for us to get together one day next week for lunch.”
I made a vain attempt to keep the surprise off my face. “I’ll need to check my schedule. Did you have a particular day in mind?”
“I’m a lady of leisure, dear. I’ll leave it to you to decide. Do let me know as soon as possible.”
Bebe stalked across the room to chat with one of her cronies, leaving me alone and bewildered.
A server came around with a tray of salmon mousse on toast points. He held out a stack of napkins to me. I shook my head. I didn’t want to fill up on anything before dinner. Ellis walked over and took an hors d’oeuvre from the tray. He offered me a bite.
“I don’t want to ruin my appetite.”
Ellis shrugged and ate his toast point. “Mother was right. You are stunning tonight.”
The compliment elicited a blush from me. Too bad his mother didn’t mean it. Ellis leaned toward me and kissed me on the lips. “I love you, Lina.”
I touched his face. “I love you, too.”
A female server approached us with a tray of more hors d’oeuvres. I took a sip from my martini, not bothering to look at what tempting delicacy she was circulating.
Ellis looked down at me. “You’re not going to try one?”
I opened my mouth to say no until I glanced at the tray. The room went still and I could hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears. I looked at Ellis, then back at the tray again. My hands started shaking as I focused on the little, black velvet box in the center of the tray.
Ellis took the martini glass from me and handed it to the server. He lifted the box from the tray, then went down on one knee. I was trembling from the inside out. My eyelids fluttered, blinking back the tears that were clouding my vision. Ellis opened the box. A sparkling Asscher-cut diamond solitaire gloriously beamed at me.
Ellis took my left hand
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