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“And why would I want to do that?” he asked.
“Because this isn’t a real date and I wouldn’t want to stand in your way of finding someone more to your liking,” she answered simply. His low chuckle made her stiffen a little and ask, “What’s so funny?”
“You.”
She frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“When I commit to spend an evening with a beautiful woman, I don’t waste time looking for better options,” he said, shocking her with the serious glint in his eyes. Did he think she was beautiful? Or was that just part of his game? “Besides, why would I want bit of hamburger, when I have steak right here?”
Did he just call her a steak? “I don’t know if I should be flattered or offended,” she said honestly, but a smile found her lips anyway. “Okay, I’m going to take that as a weird compliment but let’s just remember that nothing is going to happen between us.”
“About that. Why exactly?” he asked.
“Because I’m not interested in you that way,” Lana answered, her cheeks heating just a little, which she knew probably made her reason seem suspect. She rushed to clarify, saying, “Look, let’s be honest, you’re an attractive man and in another life, I probably would’ve been interested but I know too much about you and if you recall, I let down my guard once with you and it didn’t end well for me. I’d be stupid to open that door again.”
His lips pressed together regretfully and he actually seemed bothered by her answer. Was it her honesty that threw him or the fact that he wished he’d been less of an idiot? “I’m sorry for just disappearing. Is there no way I can make it up to you?”
It was the earnest note of sincerity that threw her. He wasn’t supposed to act vulnerable and humble. That wasn’t Laird’s style. “Why bother? We’re not suited for one another,” she said, trying to be sensible for both their sakes. “We come from wildly different worlds and honestly, I don’t know how I could possibly fit in yours.”
“Just for sake of argument, what kind of world do you think I live in?”
She hit him with a derisive look. “Really? Do I have to spell it out for you?”
“Please do.”
Lana sighed, wondering why she didn’t just shut him down and be done with it. This conversation was going nowhere, so why encourage it? Because, she thought with mild irritation, a part of her needed to spell out the reasons for herself just to keep her thoughts straight. There was a magnetism about Laird that kept pulling her and she needed space if she were going resist. A cool smile found her lips as she realized there was only one question she needed answering to gain everything she needed to know about Laird. “Do you still go to Malvagio?”
He hesitated and she saw in his eyes that he wanted to lie but he also knew that if he did, she’d know, too. Finally, he answered, “Yes, but you have to understand, I’m a co-owner and I can’t just let the place fall down around my ears. I have a significant investment tied up in the place.”
“So you’re saying, the only reason you go to Malvagio is for business?”
He winced and for a tiny moment she actually felt sorry for him because he looked squeezed to the point of pain. But then she remembered how that horrid place had ruined her life and she no longer felt an ounce of pity. “Bad things can happen at Disneyland, too,” he pointed out and she laughed. His cheeks reddened and said, “I’m just saying, no place is immune to assholes who take advantage of a situation.”
“If you’re comparing Disneyland to a secret society sex club, you’re cracked in the head…more so than I thought in the first place.”
“Ahh, moral judgments…my favorite,” he grumbled, glancing around until he caught sight of another server and then waved him over. He grabbed another glass of champagne. “So you’re saying, that because something bad happened to you at a place you willingly put yourself into, then the place must be where the devil hangs out and all people who enjoy it, must be the devil’s servant.”
Her stomach clenched at the mention of her part in what happened. “Blame the victim? Is that your mentality?” she retorted, hating that she had, in fact, been dangerously intrigued by the club and all it entailed. She remembered the excitement — the arousal — as she traipsed into the club, wearing next to nothing, determined to have a great time. She’d even started asking around for some Ecstasy, thinking that if she were high, it would intensify the sexual pleasure. Embarrassment and regret nearly choked her as she said, “Forget it. This conversation is done. Let’s drop it.”
“Sounds good to me,” he said, downing his glass. He took a step as if to walk away then seemed to think better of it as he said in a low tone, “I would never blame you for what happened. Vince and I took steps to ensure that asshole never hurts another woman again. I can’t change what happened but then, neither can you. Malvagio is just a place. Brick and mortar. You’re the one giving it power. No one else. So yeah, I frequent Malvagio, not only because I’m part owner but because I like sex with like-minded people. I like to fuck and be fucked. I like to get blown by beautiful, half-dressed women and I like that at the end of the night, no one is expecting me to be something I’m not.” His eyes, usually so laconically sexy, were hard and knowing as he finished with, “And, you know what? Somewhere, deep down, you were okay with that, too, because no one forced you through those doors. Hell, we make it hard to get an invitation for a reason. But you managed it, didn’t you, Lana? So, before you start throwing rocks, check out that glass house you’re standing in first.”
***
So much for seduction, he thought bitterly as he wound his way to the bar, needing something far stiffer than this bubbly champagne. How’d she manage to pull him into such a discussion? Laird didn’t do serious. And yet, somehow, they were having a pretty charged conversation about things that were best left alone.
He pulled up to the bar and practically barked “whiskey sour” at the bartender but tipped him really well with a mumbled apology once the drink was put in his hand. His gaze scanned the room, noting a few faces he recognized as people who traveled in his dad’s circles and he purposefully avoided eye contact. The last thing he needed was to get caught up in a conversation that would invariably end up landing in his dad’s ear. He certainly wouldn’t want to give his dad the impression he was becoming a better man. He pushed away from the bar and found Vince right behind him. “Hey, where’s Lana?” Vince asked when he saw Laird alone.
“Back at the table,” he answered glumly, unable to put a good face on for his friend’s benefit. “We, sort of, had a disagreement.”
“We’ve been here for all of a half hour. What could you possibly have said to piss her off in that short of time?”
Laird didn’t want to go into detail because he wasn’t entirely sure how they’d so quickly drifted into those treacherous waters but he had to give Vince something so he said, “Hey, I’m gifted. I told you I wasn’t the right man for this gig.”
“What happened to your charm? Have you lost your touch?”
“Only with her it would seem,” he groused. “I tried being honest with her. It blew up in my face, which only reinforces my general belief that honesty sucks balls.” Vince chuckled and Laird shot him a sour look. “I fail to find the humor.”
“I know.” Vince sobered and clapped him on the shoulder. “Look, buddy, suck it up, put a smile on that pretty mug of yours and let’s get through the evening. Can you do that?”
Tall order at the moment, he wanted to quip but Vince had a point. Vince hadn’t asked him to squire Lana in the hopes that they’d end up a couple — in fact, Vince would likely try to lop off his balls if he tried (or his pretty wife would) so why was he spinning his wheels in mud?
He downed his whiskey and nodded. “You’re right. Tonight I’m the harmless guy — as effectively neutered as the guy relegated to the ‘friend’ zone. I just lost my head for a minute.”
“Well, put your head back on straight. I want Lana to have a good time. Make her laugh. Becaus
e when Lana is having a good time, my wife is having a good time and let’s be honest, all I care about is how happy my wife is.”
“Talk about neutered,” Laird snickered and Vince didn’t deny it. If anything he just grinned, because they both knew the bastard was living the good life. “All right. I’ll give it another go.”
“That’s my man,” Vince approved with a wide grin. “Now let’s get back to the ladies before my pretty wife bankrupts me with all the things she’s placed bids on.”
“Good thing you can afford it,” Laird quipped and they both laughed.
By the time they returned to the table where the ladies were chatting, Laird had sufficiently shelved his dour feelings and had replaced his frown with a smile he wore often — one that said, I’m confident, laid-back and I have more money than God — and found his seat beside Lana. He tried not to notice that her eyes lit up the moment they connected gazes and that she quickly looked away and pretended to be engaged with her sister. Such games…she was clearly attracted to him. Clearly. He’d been around enough women to know subtle clues. He’d practically written the book on how to pick up on arousal cues from the opposite sex and whether she liked it or not, Lana Winters was hot for his cock. And hot damn, he wasn’t going to lie, just the thought whizzing past his synapses was enough to send the blood rushing south. “Find anything you can’t live without?” he asked Lana, delighting in the way she tried to avoid meeting eye contact. Such games people play. Why couldn’t she just admit that she was attracted to him? Had he truly done such irreparable damage all those months ago? Seemed like such a small thing then…but it was biting him in the ass now.
“I saw plenty of amazing auction items but most were outside of my budget.”
His brow went up. “Oh? Such as?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Lana said with a shake of her head and an embarrassed laugh. “But you should, by all means, find something that appeals and buy it. From what I hear, you can certainly afford it.”
“Ahh, my reputation precedes me,” he made a small bow and she rolled her eyes. He held out his hand. “Please, help me make a good choice. I’m notoriously frivolous with my money — so says my father — and I could use a sensible opinion.”
