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“How are the designs going?” I bite out, not caring that I sound as irritated as I feel. “Or have you not even started them yet?”
Anica blinks up at me in surprise at the venom in my tone, but she shrugs, dropping her eyes back to the task at hand. “I have started on them.”
Well, thank fuck for that.
“But….”
But? I don’t like the sound ofbut. I raise an eyebrow at her. “But?”
She shrugs, with a sigh. “But I think I need to see you outside your office and home a bit more. You do other things but work and sleep. I need to get a sense of that. Of who you are when you’re not working or relaxing at home.”
I glare back at her, because of course that makes total sense and I have no idea why I didn’t think about it before. I mean, I’m not about to take the woman on one of my dates. I really don’t need her to see me strike out because I have to explain that I have houseguests. But there might be another solution.
“I’ve been invited to a party tomorrow night. You should come.”
Anica is emptying the sink, and glances up at me in surprise. “A party?”
Huh. She looks apprehensive at the idea. That’s weird.
“Yeah. You know, like at someone’s home. Food, drinks, music, people. A party.”
What can I say, I’m an asshole. Anica flushes and sounds defensive when she speaks.
“I know what a party is. Okay, I’m in. What should I wear?”
Once an asshole, always an asshole. I grin at her, shoving off my stool to head to my inevitably cold shower.
“A party dress.”
Suddenly, I’m feeling much better. Maybe my cold shower won’t even suck quite as much as I was expecting.
Chapter Ten
Anica
Okay. So I have discovered that a “party dress” means different things to rich people in New York City than it does to me. I settled on something I would have worn to a dinner party. Slightly plunging neckline, fitted bodice, floaty skirt to my knees, sleeveless. It’s dark purple and pretty and they’re all dressed like they’re about to go clubbing. Or appear in a rap music video. Tight, short dresses with ridiculously plunging necklines and sky-high heels.
I stare around the high-end apartment with its massive balcony looking across the city with unease. This even looks like a fancy nightclub, even though it’s obviously a residential building. David’s hand on my lower back urges me forward, closer to where the hostess is greeting the arrivals. Her heavily made-up eyes size me up and dismiss me quickly. This is such a great start to the night. David leans in, accepting her kiss on his cheek with an easy smile.
“Tiff, this is Anica Kasan. She’s a business acquaintance in town for a while. I’m showing her around.”
She offers a disinterested smile in my direction, and David whisks me off before I can speak. Oh wow. I’m surprised my chin doesn’t hit the marble tiles as we step out onto the huge balcony. This is twice the size of David’s rooftop, but the view is nowhere near as spectacular. It’s still good. Across Manhattan.
David steers me toward an actual portable bar that is set up, complete with a suited barman in a gold jacket. “What can I get you folks?”
“Scotch, and a Chablis,” David replies, not bothering to check with me. That’s okay. He’s ordered wine for me before. He’s super good at it, so I’m happy to go with the flow. The barman pours the two glasses with a flourish, setting them down, and accepting a tip from David with ease.
I collect my glass as David does likewise, moving us away from the bar and closer to the railing, as though we’re admiring the view. Turning to me, he fixes me with a mischievous grin. “So. Did you want to observe me up close, or from afar?”
My cheeks flame. Way to make me sound like a creep. I blush, holding my wine to my chest and inching away from him. There’s a bar table near us, kind of in the dark, away from the crowd. It looks perfect to me. David watches me go with a smirk and a laugh. He salutes me mockingly, turning on his heel and moving to smoothly integrate himself into a group not far away.
I set my glass on the table, awkwardly climbing up – I hope no one saw that. The perks of being short – and settle myself in, half admiring the view, and half watching a series of drop-dead gorgeous women hit on David. He’s flirting back easily, like all this is normal and comes naturally to him. Which it probably does.
What would it be like to have that kind of confidence? Either David’s or the parade of stunning women. Life changing, I would imagine. I tap my foot in time with the music that is pulsing, sipping my drink as David rests his hand on the back of one woman chatting with him.
It’s exactly what he does when he’s escorting me around, so I guess I have my answer. It’s something he does to every woman he’s with. She bats her lashes and simpers up at him and hegrins down at her, saying something. Maybe I should try to get closer, to hear how he interacts with people. Before I can make my decision, one of the stunning women in a dress so low cut I’m pretty sure if she bent over a nipple would pop out appears in front of me, blocking my view from David and his companions.
“I’ve never seen you around before.” A sculpted brow arches as her eyes sweep to take in my outfit. Her tone tells me she’s wondering why the hell I’m even here. I smile. I have no idea how to respond to that.
