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"Next weekend we're running a promo night. You and Millie should come, since she’s one of us now. It’ll be just like old times.”
“Yeah, that sounds like the best idea you’ve had in a long time, Dev. I’ll see what I can do.”
“Good, because she used to be my friend too. Can’t have you keeping her all to yourself,” the smug bastard says, like he ever had some claim to her. Yeah, everyone loved her back in high school, every fucker thought they had a chance, even Devon at one time. It’s the only thing the two of us ever had a disagreement over, and it was how I ended up her boyfriend in the first place. She chose me because she was always mine. When I walked away from her to live with him and the other guys in LA, he told me I would regret it, and I guess he knew the two of us better than we knew ourselves, because he was right. But he knew how good our deal was for kids just out of school. None of us were ever going to turn that down. Not even if it meant leaving her behind.
Maybe that's why I'm so overprotective of what we have now, when French assholes like Julian threaten it. Because I know the pain I caused her when I left and the downhill spiral her life took because of decisions I made. She doesn't seem to hold it against me, but I do. I fucked up her life. She got pregnant as a teen because of me, she had to marry a preppy asshole because of me, she didn't get to study or go off and have a normal college education like she planned to. I'm the reason her life turned out the way it did. And I have to be the one who fixes it for her too. I need to make sure that from now on, she gets everything she deserves.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
AMELIA
Todayhasbeenhectic,but the kids are finally both settled in at their sleepovers for the night. Connor’s with a friend, and Ruby is with Auntie Jasmine and Axel. They have Hannah for the night, and she adores her, so I'm sure they will be in for a fun night.
I also worked half the day at the studio. We're still trying to catch up from the sellout. Julian has also sent through a design brief he wants finished by the end of the month for our collaboration. We spent a good hour talking it over this morning. He has called every day since I left Paris, with new ideas. I'm so grateful we have our new assistant because all my normal work I've had to delegate to Summer so I can focus my attention solely on House of Blanchet. When I took it on, I didn't realize how demanding the workload would be, but I have to say I'm enjoying it more than any project I have worked on in the past. There is something about our combined efforts that brings out the best in my work.
After Heath’s reaction in Paris, part of me feels guilty every time I talk to Julian, but he keeps it really professional, all just about work, so I know it's silly. And I'm trying not to let it ruin this opportunity for me. Heath hasn't brought it up again, and I know he is trying to be on his best behavior. It is, however, why I'm running so late tonight that I had to park my car at Heath’s place and catch an Uber to meet them.
I don't love doing stuff like this by myself, but I didn't want to miss a night out with him and his friends. It's so rare I get to do anything fun. He offered to come home and get me, but I didn't want to waste his time. He and the other boys have been here all day after doing the shoot for their new album cover. I'm glad to see the place they chose isn't too crazy busy, but I guess being only eight-thirty, the night is young for party-goers that aren't moms on a rare night out.
The place is different to what I was imagining. It actually has a nice vibe, with live jazz music playing on a stage off to one side and lots of small gatherings of tables scattered about. The furniture is all gold and navy blue, with low lighting hanging above each table. It has a lush, opulent, sexy kind of vibe about it that I like. I glance around the room, looking for any sign of the boys, and get a fright when large arms wrap around me from behind, pulling me in close to his chest.
"A pretty girl like you shouldn't be in a place like this alone. You never know what creepy guy is waiting to grab you so he can have his dark, depraved way with you." Heath chuckles in my ear, with a kiss on my cheek.
I turn in his arms and slap him across the chest. "You scared the shit out of me, Heath."
"Sorry, baby, I couldn't resist. Saw you coming in from up there." He points to the mezzanine level at the top of some roped-off stairs where there appears to be a private party going on. Of course they’re not slumming it on the ground floor with the normal people, I should have known better. He kisses me so deeply I have to catch myself from falling backward in my heels.
I pull back so I can catch my breath. "How was the shoot? I bet you looked sexy as ever."
"It was long. I'm glad it's done. It was kind of a cool location, though, a building rooftop looking out over Hollywood, with all this funky oversized furniture. They must have used a crane to get it all up there."
"Sounds very cool and expensive. Can't wait to see how it turns out."
"Millie," Devon calls, running toward me, his arms open wide. He wraps me in a hug, picking me up and swinging me around like I'm a little kid.
"Put me down." I laugh at him, hoping I haven't just flashed my thong to the entire crowd at the bar with how short my skirt is. He puts me down, and I tug my dress back into place, making sure my ass isn't hanging out. I don't know why I let Jasmine convince me I could get away with it. Even though I'm only twenty-eight, I feel too old to be dressing like all the other girls around here. But she tells me to flaunt it while I still have it.
Heath’s arms wrap around me, and he kisses me on the cheek, looking at his friend like the two of them have been up to no good already. Seeing the two of them together brings back all sorts of memories of when we were young. "Come on, you need a drink."
"So I can catch up with you two? How much have you already had?" I look between them, trying to work out exactly what's going on here.
Heath just shrugs, not admitting to anything. Devon gives me a guilty smirk then turns and leads the way to the roped-off section, and we get the all-clear from the bouncer. As I walk up the stairs, Heath runs his hand around the hem of my dress and slides under the shiny fabric, feeling my ass. A flutter runs through me. He drops his head to my ear. "Fuck, you look good enough to eat tonight," he growls, making my lady parts throb with need for him. How he has the ability to do that with just a brush of my skin, I have no idea.
Devon goes on ahead, but we stop in the stairwell, Heath's lips back on mine, his fingers digging into my bare ass. I don't know what is going on with him tonight, but this is intense. It also feels so good to know he could have any of the pretty young girls in this place and he wants me, not just a little bit but so badly he can't contain himself. "Are you okay?" I pant in between kisses.
"I missed you today," he tells me, like it should be obvious why he's feeling me up in a very public place.
"Well, okay." I laugh, letting his mouth drop to mine again, showing me once more just how much he missed me, running his hand between my legs and over my thong as he does. He pulls back, looking at me with so much heat and intensity in his dark eyes. "Did you get what you needed, mauling me in the staircase? Can we go and get that drink with your friends now?" His hand is still under my dress, rubbing over my sensitive spot, and the way he's looking at me, fuck. I was kind of stressed when I walked into this place, but now I'm back to that high I get whenever I'm around him, feeling young and carefree. A little naughty even. He brings out a side of me I don't even understand, but when I'm with him, I don't care about anything else. He is all I can see, and I want him so badly my entire body begs for more, even though I know we should stop.
"No, but that kiss will hold me off from completely attacking you here in the bar." He slips his hand out from under my dress.
I want to beg him to put it back and finish what he started, because fuck, he just got me so worked up. But I know the other boys are waiting for us. "Good." I smirk, not able to help it with the way he has me feeling, but I know I need to keep my desire for him under control, at least for long enough to have a drink with the boys. Then he can take me home or wherever the hell he likes and have his dirty way with me.
He drapes an arm around me, in that way a guy has to lay claim to his girl, and we make our way up the stairs to join the rest of the boys. They’re sitting on a navy-blue velvet sofa. Iwan is with a brunette, her long legs draped over his lap, his lips locked with hers as they make out unapologetically in front of the rest of them. "I hope that's his wife," I say to Heath, disgusted if it isn't.
"Sure is. Mandy has him wrapped around her little finger. The two of them have been inseparable since they met. And we have had to get used to the PDA."
"Kind of like someone else we know," Devon butts in, looking between the two of us like he knows exactly why we took so long to walk up the stairs.
