His brother’s eyes narrowed. “That’s not what I wanted to hear. Since your split, you’ve thrown yourself into work. If we hadn’t dragged you out tonight to celebrate your divorce, you’d still be in the office.” Blake glanced at his watch. “And it’s midnight on a Saturday night. That’s fucked up.”
Theo shrugged. Work was the only thing that had kept him sane these last few months. “You should be thanking me. This club and the five others around the country—not to mention our property portfolio—are making us a shitload of money.”
Blake lifted his glass in a salute. “Not complaining, man. Just looking out for my big brother. All work and no play makes you an asshole.”
Logan chuckled, “I don’t think that’s how the saying goes.”
“Maybe if you weren’t playing around so much and helped me out more, I wouldn’t be in the office so late,” Theo grumbled, annoyed and maybe a smidge defensive. He knew that even if Blake did work the same hours as Theo that he’d still choose to spend most of his time in the office. Work had value. Work kept him sane. He didn’t need anything else in his life.
Blake shook his head. “I do more than my share. Normal people have a life. You should try it; maybe Layla wouldn’t have left you if you’d focused on her as much as you do this club.” His brother cringed as soon as the words left his mouth. “Shit, I didn’t mean that.”
But Blake was right. When the cracks had formed in his marriage, he’d thrown himself into work to distract himself from the problems they were facing. Maybe if he’d stuck around more, tried a little harder, things might have been different.
A shimmer of light coming from the dance floor caught Theo’s eye. Theo sipped his bourbon and watched a woman in a sequined, bloodred dress sway in time with the music. She held her arms up over her head, tilting her face to the ceiling. Her wavy dark-brown hair swung down her back almost reaching her pert ass. Transfixed, Theo watched as she gathered her locks in her hands and pushed them to the side over one shoulder, exposing her creamy skin in a backless dress.
He couldn't take his eyes off her.
Her outfit glittered under the lights of the club, shooting colors in all directions like a rainbow goddess. When she dropped her hands to her legs and ran them up her thighs, he almost groaned out loud. This rainbow goddess was driving him wild. She was teasing him, tormenting him. God, he could watch her all night. He wondered if she was wearing panties under the dress she was inching ever higher. But before he got his answer, she raised her arms over her head again. A groan escaped him, and he scrubbed a hand over his face. He felt like a damned teenager trying to score a look up a girl’s dress. That wasn’t him. He wasn’t like all of those pervs down below, getting their rocks off on ogling women having a good time.
Feeling a tightening behind the fly of his trousers, he said, “I need to stretch my legs.” He rose from his seat, heading for the bar.
“Wait—” Blake called after him, but Theo didn’t look back.
When he approached the bar, the bartender poured him a whiskey and slid it over the shiny black counter. “Massive crowd tonight. The DJ’s awesome. He knows how to make everyone party,” he said over the music.
Theo nodded. “Thanks for the update, Ruben.” He took a sip of the smooth amber liquid. “And the drink.”
“Anytime,” Ruben said and moved on to his next customer.
Theo perched on a stool, not yet ready to go back and sit with Blake and Logan. He needed some time alone. He needed peace. Well, as much peace as he could get with hundreds of people gyrating around him.
Before he could take a sip of his drink, two blonde women sidled up to him. “Hey, mind if we join you?” Blonde Number One said, twirling a lock of brittle-looking hair around her finger. “You look like you could use some company.”
Blonde Number Two flicked her hair off her shoulder and leaned forward to give him an eyeful down her low-cut dress at impressive-looking tits. “We’regreatcompany.”
He knew exactly what kind of “great company” they’d be. He could spend a few hours with these women temporarily forgetting his mistakes and memories. But as he looked at their tight bodies and big breasts in their figure-hugging dresses, his dick didn’t stir. Not even a twitch. “Sorry, ladies, I’m afraid I won’t be much fun tonight.”
Blonde Number One, rubbing her breasts against his arm, purred in his ear, “I know lots of ways to help you have fun.”
“I’m sure you do. Maybe another time,” he said to placate her, trying to keep the annoyance out of his tone.Not going to happen. Not tonight or ever.
Blonde Number Two pouted. “What can we do to change your mind?”
Instead of answering, he met Ruben’s gaze and held his hand up, indicating that he wanted the man to come over. When the bartender arrived, he said, “Give these beautiful ladies whatever they want to drink for the rest of the night. No charge.”
The women’s eyes brightened.
Ruben shot him a look filled with concern but only said, “Yes, sir.”
Eager to escape, he said, “Enjoy your night, ladies.” And with that, he left them at the bar.
As he made his way back to Blake and Logan, a flash of red sequins from the dance floor caught his eye. He stopped at the edge away from the crush of people. The same woman from earlier still shimmed and swayed among the crowd. Theo’s gaze followed the swing of her hips as she danced to the beat of the music.
It mesmerized him.
Watching her got the blood pumping in his veins, unfortunately heading straight to his dick. When the crowd swallowed her up, he stood on the balls of his feet to search over people’s heads to find her. A beat later, the lights shone on her, and she glittered like a red star.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her.
