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“Could you do my zipper?”
Lord save me. “Sure.” Her dress was a skin-tight maroon that came just beneath her mid-thigh. I wanted to slip my hand beneath the fabric and feel the softness of her skin, but, with an unimaginable strength of will, I managed to zip her up.
I ordered my feet to carry me to the bathroom and got ready. My outfit of choice was a black mini-dress trimmed with lace. It was short enough to be dangerous while still holding on to some scrap of class.
Daphne was waiting for me when I came out, and I swear it took every ounce of composure in my body not to dive face-first into her cleavage.
“Donovan will meet us down there,” she said, checking something on her phone. She walked passed me, then paused. My heart stopped as she leaned in towards my neck. “You smell really good.”
“Thanks,” I squeaked. “Do you want some perfume?”
She lingered a moment longer, far too close to me, then pulled away. “Maybe tomorrow. You ready?”
This woman had been put on earth to torment me.
We made our way down to the room where the party was being held. It was already filled with people mingling and sipping on complimentary cocktails. There was a DJ set up against one wall and a long line of buffet tables against another.
“Let’s get a drink,” Daphne suggested, her lips close to my ear. I followed her without question to the bar where we each got a lemon drop martini.
The drink was good - and strong. The liquor burned my throat, but not so much it was unpleasant.
It only took a minute before Daphne saw someone she wanted to talk to and was swallowed up in the crowd. I was happy to lean against an empty stretch of the bar and sip my drink alone. I liked to people-watch anyway, and there were plenty of people at the party.
After having attended more than a few of these conferences I had learned that I occupied a useful space. I wasn’t at Daphne’s level where I needed to constantly be engaging, but I wasn’t one of the assistants scrambling back and forth. I knew who I needed to know, and I knew what I needed to get done. The rest was easy.
Honestly, I was good at my job. I made sure things flowed well and that everything - and everyone - was where it was supposed to be. With that already accomplished, I had nothing to do at the party other than relax.
“See anyone you like?”
I jumped at Donovan’s voice. The sound of his arrival had been covered by the DJ, but he settled against the bar beside me. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
His lip quirked up. “You and I both know how these things go. At least half the beds in this hotel are going to be empty tonight once people make their…connections.”
Well, he wasn’t wrong. I had never met anyone hornier than a business rep at a conference. “Speaking from experience?”
He shrugged. “Maybe. I’ve seen a few people I wouldn’t mind getting to know better, but don’t worry. I’m on my best behavior.”
“Oh?” I wanted to get out of this conversation. Truthfully, Donovan didn’t seem to be a bad guy, and he was without question an impressive worker, but I had no intention of getting close to my rival - whether he knew it or not.
He sipped at his drink, though I wasn’t sure what it was. “You know, I’ve always felt you and I could be friends,” he said, drifting away from the subject.
“And why’s that?”
He took another sip, swirling the clear liquid around in his glass before answering. “We have a lot in common. We’re both attractive, good at our jobs, and we’re after the same person.”
I froze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” There was no way he could have known about my feelings. Was I really that obvious?
He chuckled, and I had to admit he was attractive. I had never had an interest in men, but I’m sure he hit all the marks for those that did. Like Daphne.
“I like strong, powerful women, and I haven’t kept that a secret.” My mouth took on a hard line. “I’ve never minded a competition either, and I have no intention of dropping out. What about you?”
He threw me off balance. I struggled to keep a calm expression. It was one thing to act in the shadows, but I had never expected him to be so upfront. “If it’s a competition, you should know I never lose.” I hoped the words sounded more confident than I felt.
His mouth widened into a grin. The music blared around us as he leaned closer, his hand reaching out to tuck a strand of dark hair behind my ear. “I look forward to it.”
His hand lingered against my skin. I had gotten sucked into his vortex, freed only as a voice cut through the noise.
“What are you two up to?”
