Read A Billionaire's Obsession 2 (BWWM Interracial Romance): His Urges Online
Authors: Hattie Black
Wi
th her back still pressed
against the exterior of her apartment door, Renee can still smell the lingering
scent of Colin's crisp cologne. She also still feels the warmth of his fresh
breath on her face.
"What was that? This is all SO crazy to me! OMG!"
Ren
ee shakes
her head, turns the key in the door, and enters her home.
***
"Umph!" Renee grunts as she climbs into one of
the bar chairs surrounding her elevated granite countertop.
Not too bad.
She thinks as she begins to nibble on a
quick pasta dinner she
whipped up. A trade magazine
is within reach of her right hand, while her personal tablet is near her left
one. She is working to keep her mind occupied, so not to think about what
occurred earlier with Colin.
Geez! ...and what do I say to Melaine
about th
is? Should I say anything?
All her efforts are in vain. Renee finds
herself daydreaming about Colin's eyes...his frame...his lips. She slams her
fork down jumps up and grabs her TV remote from the couch end table.
"No, no, NO! He will not suck me in like h
e did with the others." She declares, and commences to
watch television - as loud as living in an apartment building will allow.
"Ok, good work everyone! A Caspian Lampros
gala it is. I will do the due diligence of presenting our
final details to his team." Melaine announces. The large conference room
is filled with a diverse cross section of graphic designers, interior
decorators, event planners, videographers, and video e
ditors.
Every minute detail of the grand Caspian Lampros international project is
complete. "Alright, back to your desks. I will be in touch soon.
Everyone begins filing out of the room, which is furnished
with humungous windows that look over the city. "
We
did good, right?" Nicholas says to Renee as they both gather their
tablets, and notepads. He flashes her with a big smile, illuminating his blue
eyes. Nicholas Holland, Amanda Chen and Renee worked closely together over the
prior weeks, to develop a str
ong design plan to
re-launch multi-millionaire, Caspian Lampros' yacht building business
internationally.
"Yeah...and it's great that all the departments get
it. Can't wait to see how everything turns out." Renee tells Nicholas,
excited that she was affor
ded the opportunity to
contribute to such a high profile project.
"Well, I am surprised that Melaine is moving ahead
without some kind of input from Colin. He usually always has something to
say" Amanda interjects as she slides down closer to her teammate
s. Renee sighs. She hasn't seen, spoken to, or barely heard
the name, Colin Winston, in the last three weeks. It was like a breath of fresh
air for her. Although, in the still of the night her mind replayed their last
encounter.
"Nah. Looks like Melaine
is
running things now. Winston isn't even in the country." Nicholas
contributes. Renee embraces her meeting items in both arms, and begins to back
away from her colleagues.
"Where are you in a hurry to?" Amanda says to
Renee when she notices her attempti
ng to slip away.
"Do you know where Colin Winston is? Is it a secret or something?"
Amanda intrusively asks Renee.
"Nope!" Renee replies as nonchalant as possible.
"I just have work to do. Got an email from Marina." Renee says with a
forced smile.
"How a
bout a celebratory
lunch, team?" Nicholas suggests. Amanda immediately responds favorably.
However, before Renee can reply she is called away.
"Ms. Wainwright, a word please!" Melaine calls
out as everyone is trickling out. Renee stops still in her tracks
.
"I hope you're not in trouble." Nicholas says
playfully. "We'll be here another 15 minutes before heading out. Text us
if you're held up longer." Nicholas tells Renee with a sweet smile. While
Amanda shakes her head.
"Thanks guys!" Renee says, swings a
round, and walks toward Renee. "Yes" Renee says
casually to Melaine.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to break up your celebratory pow
wow with the dream team, but I will need you to join me at the presentation
with Lampros. Someone from event planning, and interior
design will be attending as well." Melaine informs.
"Um, I think that Amanda Chen should go with you.
She's been here longer, and..." Renee suggests before Melaine cut her off.
"This again Renee. You are responsible for the
original design...and have you
forgotten that Lampros
insists that you be a part of the project?" Melaine says firmly. Renee
inhales, and exhales loudly while she thinks.
"Ok...Well what about Amanda,
and
Nicholas attending as well?" Renee
proposes. Melaine's mouth turns up into a sma
ll
smile.
"Alright Renee. You broke me down. Just be sure that
each of you are able to talk about the design impeccably." Melaine orders.
Renee raises her right hand, salutes Melaine, smiles and hurries out of the
room to meet her "team" for lunch, and gi
ve
them the good news.
Melaine and Renee have grown closer over the last few
weeks. One day, Renee eventually relented and told Melaine about her visit from
Colin, at her apartment on the evening of the last day they both saw him.
Melaine was astonished b
y her cousin's persistence.
Renee must really be different in his
eyes.
She
immediately thought. All in all, this meant that the women shared a secret, and
Melaine guarded it at all costs.
Renee bounces into the Designers' Pit and, meets up with
Nicholas
, and Amanda.
"Are you guys ready? Let's do lunch?" Renee says
to them with a radiating smile, from ear to ear.
"We are...Did you get another 'Top Secret Mission'
from the
boss
lady?" Amanda asks sarcastically.
"As a matter of fact, we all have a 'Top S
ecret Mission'". Renee replies comically.
Amanda's eyes lights up. Amanda is the type of person who
is very confident in her skills, in her position as a senior designer, and does
not care what anyone thinks about her. However, she is also baffled by the
ample favor that Renee has received from Melaine. Still,
she acknowledges that Renee's skill, and intelligence does surpass many of the
other designers who have been at it longer she has. "Guess who is joining
Melaine, to present to Caspian?" Renee tells h
er
design teammates, about to burst.
"What? Really? That's cool!" Nicholas exclaims.
"Ok...yeah, that is cool." Amanda admits.
"I think so! Shall we discuss our strategy over lunch,
team?" Renee says jovially, and the three giggle, and head for the elev
ator.
"I love it - This will be the event of the
century!" Caspian proclaims to the room, following an elaborate
presentation by Melaine, and her entire BYWINSTON team. The entire room erupts
into an applause
. Both sides of the collaboration are
pleased. Renee looks around the Caspian Lampros board room and feels a sense of
satisfaction for the first time in a long time. After all she had been through
with Ronald, and Olivia this moment feels like redemption.
I can only imagine what Colin would say
if he were here.
Subconsciously popped
into Renee's head.
"Um...No!" Renee is surprised by her own
thoughts. "He is exactly where he needs to be right now - far away"
Renee mutters under her breath.
"What was that
?" Amanda
asks hearing Renee's very soft, but incoherent words. Renee hopes to God Amanda
didn't catch any of her mumbling.
"Oh...nothing...just basking in the joy of the
moment." Renee begins "We did this Amanda. We put that smile on
Caspian Lampros f
ace."
"Yeah we did!" Amanda responds, and gives Renee a
high five amidst the celebration in the room.
Caspian signals to get everyone's attention once again.
"Alright...alright...Okay!" The room silences. "Melaine, you now
have full access to my staff."
He tells Melaine,
pointing toward his team. "Penelope, you are to be at Melaine's every beck
and call, until the event is over. Understood?" Caspian says to his Chief
of Staff. Penelope nods. "Well, I am leaving the rest to you Melaine."
Caspian announces.
He rises from his head chair, and
embraces Melaine - who is seated to his left - with a kiss on each cheek.
Penelope also rises to see her boss off, and Caspian pulls the two women
together. "Get to work!" Caspian concludes, and marches out. Chuckles
ripp
le through out the room. Nicholas leans over and
whispers into Renee's right ear. "So do you have a date for the big
shindig?" Renee is confounded by Nicholas' questions.
"Huh?" She replies.
"Will you be bringing your boyfriend...or a
date?" He repeats.
Renee swivels her neck toward
Nicholas, and watches him as though he has two heads. "What? Why would you
ask me that?" Renee is still quite sensitive about the disastrous end of
her relationship with Ronald. She is also nervous about any gossip regarding h
erself, and Colin leaking out. More so, Renee is interested
about seeing her design work every where during the event instead of having a
date.
"Um...sorry Renee!" Nicholas realizes he's hit a
nerve, and shrinks back. The room begins to empty out, and Ren
ee decides to leave the group and wait for everyone in the
lobby.
"What's up with her?" Amanda says to Nicholas,
watching Renee hustle out of the room.
"I think I put my foot in my mouth." Nicholas
replies while scratching his temple, framed by his shiny
blue black waves.
"You did?" Amanda is tickled. "What did you
say?" Her curiosity is piqued. Nicholas grabs his brown satchel, wraps it
around his shoulder, and in step with Amanda, begins to walk out. of the
spacious board room.
"I just asked whether sh
e'd
have a date for the event. That's it." He confesses with a tinge of guilt.
Amanda's is very amused.
"That's it? You don't have a girlfriend do you
Nick?" Amanda says playfully, and sets out in search Renee.
While in the lobby, surrounded by yacht and
building models, Renee patiently waits for her colleagues.
She begins to talk herself down.
Renee, be cool. Although you maybe
scared from your experience, you've got to learn not to bite everyone's head
off.
Amanda
is approaching. Renee straightens up, p
retends like
everything is copacetic. "Ready to go?" She smiles and says to
Amanda. Amanda sees through her camouflage.
"Are you alright Renee?"
"I'm great! Where's Nicholas. We came together. Is he
getting a ride?" Renee asks rigidly, with a forced smil
e. Amanda retreats. She understands the need to be private.
"He's coming..." Amanda responds, and turns to
see Nicholas approaching them.
Nicholas is worried about the reception he will receive,
and sincerely regrets upsetting Renee. He enjoys working wi
th her. She takes all his ideas seriously, and doesn't make
fun of his awkwardness, sense of style, and lack of awareness of pop culture.
She also gets his appreciation for comic books, and graphic novels. Renee has
never spoken to Nicholas
in a snarky ton
e,
as Amanda is prone to, from time to time. She serves as a sort of middle man
among the three, able to understand, and communicate both Amanda's, and
Nicholas' ideas to one another fluently.
"Um...um you guys want to pick up sandwiches on the
way back?"
Nicholas nervously asks as he draws
closer to the ladies.
"Sure! Let's do it!" Amanda immediately agrees.
"Renee?" She asks, turning toward the temporarily mute
woman.
"Huh?...Sure! Sounds good." Renee confirms,
arising from her daydream. She is lost
in thought
that if Ronald had truly been the boyfriend she thought he was, she would be
sharing this experience with him. "Ready?" Renee asks her teammates.
They awkwardly smile at one another, and exit the building.
Everyone is back at BYWINSTON and it i
s buzzing with activity. Interior Designers, Event
Planners, Graphic Artists...everyone is off in their corners collaborating to
develop "the event of the century". It has been over four hours since
the presentation meeting at the Lampros offices. Melaine
has assigned each department a team leader. She circles
around to each group checking in, and listening to their combined ideas. Amanda
is wisely assigned to lead the graphic artists. She is most senior
after all. However, Renee works
alongside her with tw
o other graphic artists, who
have been assigned to the project. Nicholas is tasked with putting together a
video production team. Their contemporary videos will play through out the
gala, with shortened versions used as television commercials.
The mood t
hroughout the BYWINSTON
creative floor is; excitement. Although Lampros is not a new client,
reestablishing his brand overseas will serve to widen the base of the branding
firm. There are four short weeks to pull it all together. Using her arms, Renee
gent
ly lifts herself up from her desk chair. She
looks out as far as she can see, beyond her fellow graphic artists on the
"creative floor".
Wow. Look at them. They're like bees
happily making honey.
Smiling, she sits back into her chair.
Hmm...Still, no word
from Colin? I wonder what he will think about all of this?
Renee surrenders to thoughts of Colin.
She cringes as she reflects on the incident at the restaurant, and in the
office meeting room. Her shoulders relax somewhat when she begins to recall the
warm
th she heard in his voice, the evening he stood
in front of her apartment building.
I wonder what he's really like? Who is
the real Colin Winston?
Renee's thoughts are abruptly interrupted.
"Whatcha got Wainwright?" Amanda says, hovering
over Renee's shou
lders.
"Um...how does this look?" Renee says regaining
her focus. "I brightened up the color somewhat here..." Renee rattles
off detailed updates on her piece of the entire scheme. Amanda is
engrossed, and waves over the other two on their design team.
Meanwhile...
"He trust you?...HE TRUST YOU?" Travis
hollers at Melaine, pacing back and
forth in her office. "You do hear how crazy that sounds, right Mel? The
Colin we both know doesn't miss an opportunity to lord his 'God Complex' over
us...So how come
he's playing it cool all of a
sudden?" Travis expels. Melaine is calm, and not moved by Travis' nervous
outburst.
"I'm not sure Travis. Perhaps he's busy?" Melaine
tells him, but her focus is locked on to her computer .
"Busy? Now you know that's bull c
rap!" Travis says, agitated.
"Calm down Travis!" Melaine looks up from her
screen. "Look, we've both spoken to Colin.
If he says he's happy with the progress
of the Caspian Lampros relaunch, then he's happy." She tells him with
authority.
"Suppose he wan
ts to change
everything at the last minute. You know he's done that before." Travis
reminds Melaine.
"He wouldn't Travs...He just wouldn't." Melaine
smiles mischievously. Travis studies Melaine's face, then with his both arms,
leans onto her desk, and loo
ks her squarely in the
eyes.
"What's going on Melaine? What do you have on
Colin?" Travis sharply asked.
Melaine's smile grows more devious. She remains quiet.
Travis couldn't break her, regardless of how persistent he becomes. Travis
gives in. He sits in
one of the chairs across from
her.
"Ok Mel. Sink or swim, it's all on you now."
Travis surrenders.
"Why, thank you very much sir." Melaine responds,
and the two old friends laugh.
"By the way Mel, do you remember Katya? The marketing
manager we hired to
oversee marketing of all our
foreign offices? Well, she called me to inquire as to whether Colin is
ill." Travis tells Melaine in between laughs.
"What? Why would she asks that?" Melaine asks in
unbelief. Travis chuckles.
"He hasn't responded to any of
her advances." Travis divulges. Melaine raises her
eyebrows.
"Oh my!" Melaine bellows an uproarious laugh.
"Well, well, well seems that our boy is changing." She tells Travis,
and the two become enraptured in merriment.
"Is that even possible?" Travis
asks in between laughs.
"I guess we will find out." Melaine responds
comically.
Travis, and Melaine remain in her office
travelling-down-memory-lane. "Do you even remember what it was exactly
that turned Colin into such a playboy?" Travis eventually says.
Melaine smiles knowingly. She remembers very well. Travis,
Colin, and Melaine attended the same college. Colin was always a go-getter, but
he wasn't always a lady-killer. He actually dated one person, very seriously in
College. Her name was Mary Aggio. Ma
ry wore
complementary bangs, and her thick brown hair flowed past her shoulders. She
was über-confident, and knew what she wanted out of life. She was determined
that she would be the next Picasso. However, the art student turned her
passions toward anothe
r charismatic artist, and broke
Colin's heart into pieces. From that day forward, Colin swore to never fixate
on any one female that way again. So the question is - What's seemingly turning
him around.
"Wow Mel, I forgot about that, you know. You don't fo
rget anything." Travis remarks following Melaine's
detailed recap. "Let's close up the shop, and call it a night."
Travis recommends.
"Certainly! It'll all be here tomorrow." Melaine
agrees, pushes back her chair from her desk, turns off the lights, and w
alks out while Travis holds her office door open.