Risking It All Read Free Page A

life to keep him happy and he always had to have the latest and best among all his friends and family members. And that included having the best looking female on his arm at all times. At five feet eight inches tall, Julissa stood only two inches shorter than Michael. He always told her that she had a womanly body like Beyoncé , an ass like J. Lo , and legs that went on for days. She’d grown her hair long just for Michael, just so he could run his hands through them while they were making love. Only Julissa was worried that the fire that once existed in Michael’s eyes when he looked at her was now gone .
    She yearned for that type of fire again.
     
    **
     
    When the rehearsal was over, Julissa kissed Christina and Myra goodbye and was prepared to leave, but Ed was still on her heels. Between aggressive advances from Ed and admiring looks from the handsome and irresistible Quinton, she didn’t know which way to turn. Julissa knew that a man like Quinton could never really be interested in her. Plus, h er relationship with Michael was also on lock.
    “Where are you going so fast, Lissa?” Ed followed her closely out of the ballroom.
    “Home. The rehearsal is over,” she said, matter-of-factly.
    “What about dinner tonight? I know that finger food didn’t fill anyone up.”
    “Ed, how many times do I have to tell you that I cannot and will not date you?” Julissa walked faster. She knew that Michael was waiting outside to pick her up.
    “Who said anything about a date?”
    “The answer has always been no, Ed.”
    “Well, just askin’. One day you’re gonna be single again, Julissa.”
    Julissa rolled her eyes, relieved and happy that Ed had stopped following her. She was even more relieved when she spotted Michael’s familiar white Mercedes-Benz parked smack-dab in the middle of the front of the hotel entrance. It looked like two valet attendants were pointing towards regular parking and trying to get Michael to move his car from being illegally parked, curb-side. Michael wasn’t trying to budge. He was just stubborn like that.
    Julissa sighed and walked towards the car.
    To confirm her suspicions, the attendants had been pleading with Michael to move his car. “Mister, we will ask you one more time to — ”
    “See, here she is!” Michael gestured towards her, as she opened the door. “ I was only here for ten fuckin’ minutes.”
    As she was getting into the car, she suddenly remembered something and turned back to the sliding glass doors of the hotel entrance. Sure enough, Quinton was standing two feet away from the doorman, looking at her. She suddenly felt bad for walking out without saying anything. They couldn’t continue their conversation during the rehearsal because it would have been too difficult and maybe a little rude to everyone else.
    Quinton held up his palm and waved at her, smiling.
    She smiled back.
    “Julissa! Get your ass in here before they get security on my tail!” The barking from Michael brought her back to real life.
    She to ok one last look at the man who she would never get to know, slid her backside in the pass enger seat, and closed the door.

Chap ter Two
     
    By the time Julissa and Michael arrived home, it was wel l into the night. The day’s events had her exhausted and ready for bed.
    Michael pressed the remote garage door opener clipped to the sun visor and pulled his Benz in th eir garage next to her Lexus .
    “I know it’s kind of late to eat anything heavy, but are you hungry? I could make a nice salad, if you want.” Julissa grabbed her hand bag, as Michael turned off the car engine.
    “That sounds nice, baby. Maybe a little wine to go with it to unwind before bed.”
    “You got it.”
    Julissa entered the four bedroom, four bathroom home through the kitchen with Michael behind her with a couple shopping bags.  He’d purchased the home over a year ago after deciding that he was satisfied with his current career. Before moving to Atlanta to accept the