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“Tonight is easy. All you have to do is observe the way the women move and the way the men watch them.”
I cut my eyes at him and wonder what the fuck he’s talking about. Does he want me to just people watch? If we could have done that at a restaurant or even in a park, where I am not wearing heels and a super short dress that makes me feel like my booty is showing when I walk.
“And that requires a mini dress and heels?” I ask him.
He chuckles because my question is hysterical in his world. “There is something about a woman’s confidence when she is dressed up and feels good about herself. It’s more than just what you’re wearing, but the care you took into getting ready and the energy that comes with it.”
I’ve never thought about it like that. In my life I dress for my day which is usually work. If I end up going to dinner or something after work, I’m still wearing my suits. It saves on the amount of closet space I need, though after this trip, I’m going to need way more space.
I do feel phenomenal tonight. My hair is perfect and though my dress shows more than I’d like, I know that Xan loves it because the minute I walked into the living room, he sucked in a loud breath of air and I knew he was bewitched.
“If you say so,” I comment because I’m not sure what else to say or do. “Is there a place you want to sit?”
This place has a variety of places to relax, though I’m sure Xan would normally be in his office upstairs not mingling with the common folk. Though if this is about me, I’m going to make some demands. Instead of giving him a chance to dictate where we go, I grab his hand and lead him over to a corner table so we can watch but aren’t in the general line of sight so everyone can come and chat with him.
“How about here?” I suggest. He wants me to express my thoughts and opinions, then here we go.
He moves to the corner, pulls a chair for me, and then nods.
“Yes, your majesty.” I can barely get the words out because the giggles take over. Slapping my hand over my face, I wonder if he wants to spank my ass.
He smirks at me and I giggle more. I watch him get settled in his seat and love that he chose to wear dark jeans and a black button-down. The jeans hug his hips and thighs so perfectly that I want to wrap my thighs around him, but I’m not here for that. It’s time to focus on the other women.
“What do you think her goal is tonight?” Xan asks me, pointing to an older woman who is dressed to the nines.
Her jewels are real and her body appears to be partially made of plastic, but I’m not judging her. She seems happy and holds the martini in her hand while dancing to the music all by herself. I get the feeling she’s been doing this for a long time because nothing spills out of the glass despite how she moves her hips.
“She’s probably a wealthy widow who wants a boy toy to warm her bed for the night. But she’s going to kick him out early so she can eat breakfast in bed by herself.”
He chuckles at my response, but he knows I’m probably right. “You’re partially right. That’s Jules Barker and she is a wealthy widow who wants her bed warmed but she doesn’t kick them out if they satisfy her. She keeps them around until she gets tired of them then poof they're gone and she’s onto the next one.”
I stare at him as he tells me this story. “How do you know all this?” I ask him, needing to know.
“Stan Barker was her husband and one of my partners on an early investment. Since he died, we have an agreement that if she wants to go out on the prowl, she will come here so my staff can make sure she’s okay.”
Well, isn’t Xan a lover. He may not want anyone to know how sweet he is, but I won’t tell anyone. I’m going to keep him all for myself.
We play this game of what do I see when I look at a woman or a couple for a while. They all have one thing in common and that is the energy that radiates off them. It’s as though their bodies have this unique glow around them. Not every person is super happy based on their facial expressions, but there is something that draws me to believe they’re happy among like-minded people. Even if the only thing they have in common is they don’t want to sit at home and drink alone, so they got dressed to do with unknown people.
“Would you like another drink?” Xan asks me. I don’t respond immediately because I spy Henley and Nik coming our way.
“I’m sure Hen will want one so you guys can head to the bar without us,” I say quickly, then jump from my chair to hug her.
The time has flown by, but having her be part of this experience has made it less . . . creepy, maybe. If I told my parents I moved in with a guy I didn’t know for a couple weeks, they’d think I was insane. I mean, in this day and age, what kind of man asks a woman he doesn’t know to move in. A serial killer that’s who. I guess I should be thankful that Xan isn’t trying to chop me up in little pieces and scatter my body all over the city.
“What are you doing here?” I ask her, and she smiles. Of course, Xan told them we’d be here and he thought it would be a good idea for my bestie and his to come to support us. “You know what? It doesn’t matter why. I’m just glad you’re here.”
Nik and Xan do some kind of fist bump thing and we point and snicker. “Drinks are on you tonight, boss man.” Henley points from her eyes to his and he winks at her. I stop and run over to where he is standing and give him a quick peck on the cheek, then swat his booty before turning on my heel and heading back to Henley.
When I reach her, her mouth is hanging open. “Why are you shocked?” I ask her, then sit down at the table. “You’re the one who introduced us and told me to move in with him. What did you think was going to happen?”
She looks around as if she’s going to spill state secrets. “Truthfully, I thought you’d either kill each other or never leave the apartment because you would be worshiping each other's bodies.”
Henley is such a breath of fresh air. Yes, I’ve known her forever, but she brings me a sense of peace and lightness that I don’t usually feel. I’m beginning to think I need to quit my job and move to the city so we’re closer. But that’s for another day.
“You’re not wrong, we’ve done a bit of both those things. Except we didn’t kill each other, though I’m shocked he didn’t kill me after Mr. Big’s antics the other night,” I confess, and it feels good to share with her.
“Ooh, I want to hear all the dirty details,” she demands.
