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I almost kissed her. I wanted to take her face in my hands, and kiss her. It was an impulsive desire that I nearly caved into. What the hell?
“I can’t kiss Luna,” I say, then realize I am now talking to the dog. “I have lost my mind. This how it starts, isn’t it? Talking to animals and having crazy fantasies about things you shouldn’t.” I’m still talking to the dog, and she looks like she is listening—and judging me. Yup, there’s definitely judgment in those giant gray eyes of hers. “Do not judge me. You are not even my dog.” It takes a third try to get my bowtie right, and I change the plain black socks Luna laid out for a pair with chickens on them. I didn’t know I owned black socks.
Finally dressed, I can’t shake the nervous energy starting in the pit of my stomach. Social anxiety—the reason I avoid these things at all costs. I’m going to regret this. I can already feel the sick churning in my stomach.
“Do not even think about it,” I say seeing the dog getting excited. She better not jump on me. Satisfied that I look decent, I go wait downstairs for Luna. My sweet sister sent Dan over to help her with her hair. I’m sure that will take a while. I pour myself a drink to take the edge off my anxiety. There’s no chance in hell that I’ll get through tonight sober. The only way I can handle this many people is if I drink. Dan’s laughter gets my attention, and I turn to see Luna come into the room.
Dear God, that is not the lunatic that lives here! I’m sure my eyes are bulging out my head like a cartoon as I watch her say goodbye to the hair stylist. Luna looks stunning. She chose the brightest dress, of course. It fits her like a silk glove, as if the fabric was poured over her. She hides herself, always. But tonight, I can see her—and my cock likes what I see. Shit, that was an unexpected reaction.Down boy.
I need to find a reason to fight with her, because if I don’t, I will kiss her and that would be a fucking disaster. “You’re late.” I look at my watch and growl, mostly in frustration because she looks so damn hot.
“I am not. It starts in an hour.” She rolls her eyes at me and turns around. Her ass looks amazing in the dress, like it did the day she wore a mini skirt to my office. Luna is beautiful, and I don’t know why I never saw it before. I have known her almost her entire life, and never once did I see her and saywhoa my sister has a hot friend. Now I wonder if I was genuinely blind, and these new glasses are better than the eye doctor expected them to be. “You are staring at me, Spencer. It’s weird.” Luna frowns, and I correct myself.
“Are you ready to go? Traffic is going to be a nightmare.” I’d rather be early and sneak in when there are less cameras and people. I know what events like this can be like—it’s a dick measuring contest for the men, and the claws come out where the ladies get involved. Luna nods, and I walk behind her out to the waiting car. It’s incredibly difficult not to look at her ass, but I try. Even the driver looks twice as he opens the door for her to get in, and I want to punch him just for looking. No idea where the jealous rage came from, but the thought of another man looking at her and thinking what I am feeling has me ready to hurt people.
Luna and I sit in the back of the car. She is so close I can smell her flowery perfume and see the flecks of glitter in her eyeshadow. When she crosses her legs, they rub softly against my knee, and I jolt at the touch. My daydreaming crashes into reality when she smiles at me and flutters her lashes. “What, no one ever played footsie with you before?” she asks with a wicked grin, realizing that I jumped at her touch. Is she flirting with me? “You look incredibly good in that tux.” She fucking is! I’m tongue tied, and awkward and do not have the first fucking clue what I am supposed to do with this.
Luna’s smile doesn’t fade. She steals another sideways glance at me. The driver has to take a sharp turn suddenly and she slides across the seat right up against me. When the car rights itself, she doesn’t move back to her side. Instead, she stays there, her body in that pink dress, pushed against me. She’s playing with me, I can tell, I just don’t know if I want to go with it.
Her teasing is hot and unexpected. It’s also got my attention. My body reacts to her even when I tell it not to. There’s a pull to her. I felt it earlier in her room. God, imagine seeing her naked?
She’s looking into my eyes, her lips right there, begging to be kissed. She holds in a breath, and the sexual tension levels up even more. If I kiss her now, we will not get to that event, I know it. In a bold move, completely out of character, I put my hand on her leg and ask, “What is under that dress?”
“Absolutely nothing,” she whispers, her lips pulling into a teasing smile. She doesn’t move my hand, or pull away. She just stays there, looking at me. Luna is chaos, and I never invite chaos into my life. Yet, right now, I have the door wide open, begging her chaos to come in.
There’s this challenge in her eyes—a sexy ‘dare you’ look. Luna likes to push me. Before I can break the trance and say anything, my driver stops, and camera flashes and people meet us. He opens the door for me to get out, and I hold a hand out to help Luna. She looks around, dazzled by the lights, cameras, and crowd gathered at the hotel entrance.
“Wow,” she whispers under her breath, and in a moment of madness, I hold her hand like we’re a couple, and guide her towards the door. The event organizers stop us for a picture.
“I hate you for this,” I whisper to Luna while we stand there fake smiling, still holding her hand, pretending to fit in. She looks up at me and giggles.
“Smile, Spencer. Whatever you’re doing makes you look constipated.” I laugh at her and have a real smile on my face for at least one photograph. “It isn’t that bad, you know,” she says looking around the enormous ballroom decorated to the nines once we walk in.
“It’s worse,” I say. “You’ll have a fake smile by the end of the night too. That is what these things are…fake, ass kissing, penis measuring contests.” Luna snorts with laughter, and someone comes by us with a tray of champagne. I grab two, but I will need something stronger to get through tonight.
“Oh, the silent auction. Let’s go bid.” Her eyes light up and she pulls me along with her. “How much do you want to bid?” she asks, stopping at the first item. I look at her. I’d pay anything to keep her smiling like that forever. It’s a feeling I’ve never had, I never cared enough about anyone else to want them to be happy. I toss back the champagne, and grab another off a passing waiter’s tray.
“Whatever you want, there’s no budget. I will let you decide how much the cute puppies get out of me tonight,” I say, watching her sip her drink slowly. I’m lost in the Luna show when someone comes up behind me and speaks.
“Spencer, is that you?” No, it’s my doppelgänger. Why are people so dumb?
I turn around and say, “It depends on who is asking.” I’m met by a handshake from a long-time business acquaintance, Vincent, and his partner. “Hello Vincent.” I greet. I don’t mind him. He’s not as painful as some of the people in the room.
“I presumed you were dead. No one ever sees you.” He jokes. “This is Stella.” She greets me with a soft handshake and a million-dollar smile.
“This is Luna.” I find my manners and introduce her. “And I am not dead. Just allergic to this sort of thing.” Vincent laughs and the two ladies introduce themselves and talk dresses. Luna fills in the bid form and hands it to Stella.
“Do you know who she is?” Luna whispers, star-struck as we leave them.
“Should I?” I probably should, but I do not.
“That’s Stella,” she says, trying to be quiet.
“Yes, he told me her name.” I look back over my shoulder at the couple.
“You live under a rock, Spencer.” She shakes her head. “She’s an artist in residence at this casino. Like an international superstar. Stella has literally gone from small town to top of the charts. No one doesn’t know her.”
“I guess I am no one then.” Celebrities don’t entertain me, I can’t be bothered with any of it. I am only in Vegas because this is where the casinos are. Otherwise, I’d be a real hermit somewhere in the hills hidden away from everyone. “Who cares who she is?”
