Read Online The Beautiful Ones (Arabesque) by Adrianne Byrd - Free Book Online

he had a type.
Releasing Selma’s hand, Ophelia took note of the large diamond on the woman’s finger. “Well, tonight’s menu is Italian.”
“Surprise, surprise,” Solomon and Jonas chuckled in unison. Their gazes cut toward one another and all amusement faded.
“As you can tell, these two know Italian is my favorite,” Ophelia informed Selma.
“And my chef is the master,” Jonas added. “You’ll love him.”
“I, uh—” Selma glanced at Solomon “—don’t normally like Italian, but, uh, sure, why not?”
Ophelia’s smile tightened as her brain scrambled to figure out how to fix the situation. “I can get Raul to prepare something else, if you’d like?”
“No, no.” Selma reached for her hands. “It’s all right. I’m sure whatever you have prepared will be fine.”
“Oh, you’re engaged?” Jonas’s attention lowered to the ring, and then to the band beneath it.
At his frown, Ophelia tugged him on the arm. “Honey, why don’t we see if Raul can rustle something else up on short notice?”
Selma opened her mouth.
“It’s not a problem,” Ophelia said, cutting her off and still tugging on her fiancé. “Why don’t you two just make yourself comfortable in the living room? We’ll join you in a few minutes.”
At their host and hostess’s sudden disappearance, Solomon and Selma glanced at each other and burst out laughing.
“I guess she hasn’t told him,” Selma snickered, wiping at a stray tear.
“I think that’s a safe assumption.” He led her toward the first room adjacent to the foyer, and then leaned close to her ear. “Again, thanks for doing this for me.”
“Yeah, the things I do for a free meal.” She stopped in the center of the living room and took her time looking around. “Will you just check this place out? It’s beautiful.”
Solomon shrugged, unimpressed. “My place is just as nice.”
“Maybe.” She waltzed around and studied a few of the knickknacks. “You know, I fail to see what you hope to accomplish by letting Ophelia think you’re dating a married woman. Not that I’m not flattered.”
“I told you. I choked—I wasn’t thinking. Besides, she was just seconds away from pushing one of her girlfriends on me.”
“You know, I don’t get it. You’re a very handsome man. Surely you don’t need friends and a perverted uncle to find you a date. I mean, look at your office—that place is crawling with single women.”
“Never mix business with pleasure. I learned that one from Marcel.”
“The same Marcel that just married his secretary?”
Solomon cleared his throat. “Yeah, that one.”
Selma rolled her eyes. “You need to just tell her how you feel. There, I said it.”
“Again.”
“Yes—again. Your problem is that you don’t know how to take sound advice. It’s no sweat off my nose if you allow the love of your life to walk out the door. I have my knight in shining armor waiting for me back home in New York.”
“Yeah. Just wait until he hears that you’re cheating on him with me,” he joked.
“If anything, he’ll have a good laugh.” Her eyes rested on a picture of Jonas accepting an award of some kind. “I tell you what, this guy is pretty easy on the eyes. Those two will make some pretty babies, that’s for sure.”
Solomon’s chest tightened.
“What is it?” Selma rushed to him.
“I-it’s nothing.” He massaged his chest.
Selma’s maternal instincts kicked in, and she quickly placed a hand over his forehead to check his temperature.
“I’m fine, Selma.” He removed her hand and then placed his hands around her waist to physically move her away from him.
Ophelia and Jonas returned.
“Looks like we can’t leave you two alone for a minute,” Ophelia joked lightly after mistaking Solomon and Selma’s pose.
Jonas also laughed, but its sound had lost all the genuineness it had held earlier. “Er, Raul can accommodate whatever you’d prefer—”
“No, no. Really. Italian will be fine. I appreciate you two going out