Jezebel Koko Brown (best books to read non fiction txt) 📖

Celeste had no idea what asponsor was either, but she took a guess. “Beatrice Gerardinvited us.”

The butler snapped hisfingers and another man appeared beside him. “Charlie here willtake your coats.” The other man smiled pleasantly as hedivested them of their outer attire. “The band is in theballroom, located at the back of the house. Refreshments and spiritscan be found on every floor. If you have a stronger constitution, orother vices you can find your pleasure on the third floor.”

“Where’sthe reefer?” Trudy asked loudly.

Pullingback as if hit with a bucket of cold water, the butler temporarilylost his composure, but quick on his toes he recovered. “You’llfind the reefer upstairs.”

“Well, that’swhere I’m headed,” Trudy declared, grabbing three glassesof champagne from a passing waiter. She handed each of them a glassand kept one for herself.

“I’m rightbehind you,” declared Lenny, close on Trudy’s heels. “Areyou coming, Celeste?”

“You two go on. I’mgoing to case the place.”

Lenny’slips curved into a knowing grin. “Two birds with one stone?”

“Something like that,”Celeste said, setting the glass of champagne aside.

Thankfully, her cousindidn’t make a big deal of her trying to remain dry. On the lamfor only three days, it wouldn’t take much for her to fold. And she wouldn’t dare admit it to anyone, but she felt strongerand more confident without it.

After parting ways, Celesteambled through the various interconnected parlors, taking note of theopulent Louis XV furniture and matching antique gold, brocaded windowtreatments.

Like Versailles, full-lengthglass mirrors covered walls not occupied by gold leaf wallpapering. The opulent surroundings clashed comically with the night’srefreshments—chitterlings, collard greens, sweet potato pone,and pig feet.

Finished with searching thefirst floor, Celeste wandered upstairs. Met with twin hallways, shedecided on following the sound of a tinkling piano.

The firstroom she came to was a salon filled with various guests seated atgaming tables spread throughout the room. In the center of the room,an Asian man decked out in a tux caressed the keys of a baby grand. His song of choice, Duke Ellington’s Caravan,evoked erotic images of sweaty bodies, clandestine kisses…andShane.

Celeste slid her hand overthe fluttering butterflies in her belly. Just thinking about himmade her restless to the point of aching for him. In all honesty,she’d dressed more for him than Ralph.

Damn she had it bad.

“Hey baby.” Hermoment of kink was shattered by the slide of a wet glass along theback of her arm. Twirling around, Celeste looked up into the face ofa brown-skinned man with conked hair the shade of a brand new penny.

“May I help you?”she asked, turning her full attitude on him.

“You sure can, toots. Tell me how I can slip you out of that dress,” he slurred. Without any warning he wrapped his arm around her waist. Theunmistakable stab of his erection jabbed her hip.

“I’m not readyfor bedtime.” Celeste purred, a fake smile curling her lips.

“Trustme, honey, you won’t be sleeping.” He hiccupped, as herubbed his pelvis into her.

“Trustme, Stewart with what littleyou’re offering,” Celeste loved how his face tightenedover her intentional misuse of his name, “you’ll have towake me when you’re done.” Celeste turned back around,dismissing him.

“Are you sassing me?”Sherman grabbed her wrist and yanked her around to face him.

Celeste pulled at her wrist.Thankfully, Sherman was so drunk his strength barely matched hers. “Idon’t think my man would like that,” she said, hoping themention of another man would get rid of him.

Even though he didn’trelinquish his hold on her wrist, he laughed nervously and his eyesdarted around the room.

“He’s a stupidman, or he doesn’t care since he’s left you all alone.”

“Oh,I’m not alone,” she retorted with feigned bravado. “Infact, I’m pretty sure he’s watching us right now he’sgoing to be very angry if he has to leave his hand and come overhere.” Celeste lifted her brow, daring him to call her bluff.

Sherman’s gaze dartedback and forth between her and the gaming table.

Probably weighing hisoptions, Celeste mused. He better make up his mind, her patience waswearing thin. She might be a full head shorter than him and aboutseventy pounds lighter, but in his state she could wipe the floorwith him.

“Tease,” hespat, dropping her wrists. Celeste watched him stumble off. Shedidn’t abandon her post until he finally disappeared in one ofthe rooms down the hall.

Sincestanding still and alone seemed to attract unwanted admirers, Celesteexited through two double doors on the opposite side of the room.

Heavy gold brocade curtainsblanketed the windows. Rococo paintings hung on the walls and whiteLouis XV couches were grouped around the room’s fireplace. Like the rest of the mansion, the room repeated the gold and whitemotif the host obviously favored. Therefore, Beatrice Gerard’sdramatic postulations in an elegant black caftan immediately drewCeleste’s attention.

Wildly swinging her arms,the chanteuse entertained her captivated audience, while she remainedunnoticed.

Well…almostunnoticed.

Ralph Long, lookingcompletely dumbfounded, sat no more than fifteen feet away from her.

His mocha skin stood instark contrast to the whiteness of his starched shirt and his closelycropped hair, parted on one side, gave him a boyish quality.

There was nothing childishabout Ralph Long. At one time, his lips and his hands used to turnher insides to mush. Even now, the night they’d first made loveseared her memory, unleashing pent-up, well-tempered emotions and amountain of guilt.

Did he still hate her?Had he forgiven her for hurting him?

Dozens of unansweredquestions came flooding to the surface like puss to an open wound,but Celeste didn’t run or retreat. She’d done enough ofthat over the years. Even going so far as to run into another man’sarms because she couldn’t understand how someone could love herwhen her daddy refused to.

Despite having the windsuddenly knocked out of her, yet the consummate performer, Celesteacknowledged him with a smile and finger wave.

“Isn’t that whathappened, Ralph?” Beatrice snapped her fingers at him, barelyregaining his attention because his eyes kept darting in Celeste’sdirection.

“Say that again,”Ralph mumbled.

“That gypsy’smonkey stole my wedding ring on our honeymoon. That little devilslipped it right off my finger…”

Celeste felt a cold, hardknot forming in the pit of her stomach. Swaying slightly, shecouldn’t process anything beyond the fact that all this