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He shook his head, like he was shaking himself from a reverie, and he reached out to grab a crab cake. “Delicious,” he purred after he took a bite…but I got the distinct impression that he was talking about something other than crab cakes.
“Enjoying the party?” he asked, cocking his head, still studying me in that unnerving way of his.
“This feels like a trick question.”
He threw his head back and chuckled, the sound of it garnering admiring stares. I couldn’t blame them; it was a good laugh.
“Touché.” He held out his hand. “Ari,” he said, introducing himself.
I tentatively reached out, furtively looking around because this felt like some kind of set up. I’d had men hit on me at these parties from time to time, but I definitely hadn’t had an introduction like this before.
“Monroe,” I murmured.
He nodded, like he’d expected me to say that. That was weird.
“Well, enjoy the night,Monroe. I have a feeling it’ll be one to remember.” There was that smirk again, like he knew a secret I didn’t. He leaned in, his lips brushing my cheek, making my stomach flip a million times, and then he strolled off without another word.
I stood there, my mouth gaping as I stared after him.
“I'm about to have an orgasm," Caleb whispered as he appeared at my side. I snorted and raised an eyebrow.
“What? Your cheese wontons just doing it for you?"
“Do you even know who you were talking to?”
“Umm, I think he said his name was Ari?”
“Ari Lancaster. Star defenseman for Dallas. He’s won best defenseman every year since he started. He’s the one who puts on this event. Raising money for poor kids is his thing.”
“Oh,” I murmured, my gaze darting to where he was flirting with a woman whose breasts were each bigger than her head. She resembled a shrew.
Caleb sighed in fake exasperation, used to the fact that I lived under a rock and had no idea who most celebrities were. “I bet we’ll get a big tip at the end of tonight. This is like the event of the year in this city. I think I just saw Ryan Reynolds.”
My eyes widened, because I did know who he was. I had a major crush on his wife.
“You said this was for an underprivileged youth charity?” I asked, staring at the tables set with what I believed were actual gold plates. The money would have gone a lot further if everyone had just donated straight to the charity rather than wasting it on all of this, but I guess that was how these things always went. Or at least all the events our company seemed to help out with.
Before Caleb could answer, he was called away by a vaguely familiar looking woman wrapped in a gorgeous bright yellow gown, gesturing for the tray that Caleb had in his hand.
Thirty more minutes passed, and I was already dragging. The women were being snooty and my ass had been grabbed more times than I could count. Considering the clientele that was here, I felt more like I was serving at a saloon and not some fancy charity event. I was going to have a bruise from how hard the last guy had pinched me. People thought it was weak that women let these things happen, but they must not have ever been desperate. I had no intention of going back to sleeping on a park bench, so as long as nothing went too far…I could handle it.
There were screams and shouts outside suddenly, far more than any other guest had garnered. I glanced towards the front entrance, and a million flashes assaulted my vision, like the paparazzi stationed outside had decided to go with fireworks rather than their cameras.
I was about to turn to head back to the kitchen to get another tray, not particularly caring who was coming in, just wanting the night to be over…whenhewalked in.
Holy Fuck.
The man standing in the entry, I couldn’t look away.
Tall. Commanding.
Beautiful.
A golden god that the rest of us were destined to worship.
My eyes didn’t know where to focus.
His fitted tuxedo hugged his broad shoulders and lean frame in all the right places.
