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“No, wait,” some leggy brunette shouts at me. She nearly falls off the arm of the sofa before the gentleman nearest her grabs the front of her satin dress to rip her back from gravity’s grip. She points a bony finger at my face. “I’ve placed you.”
If she mentions the “heart is a windmill” song, I might knock myself over the head with a sixteenth-century bookend.
The finger wags and the alcohol runs away with her accent that turns to mud in her mouth. “I know you, tricky girl.”
“Melissa, darling, freshen yourself up.” The gentleman offers her his wrist with a line of cocaine on it.
She takes the bump while still talking to me. “You’re the ginger who wore the Sue Li to the royal engagement.”
“And she was stunning.” Beside me, Ben hasn’t lifted his arm from my shoulder since the circus rode into town. “A showstopper head to toe.”
I tried excusing myself to the kitchen for a glass of water, but he only tightened his grip and ordered one of his fawning friends to pour me another glass of wine. I left that in a potted plant somewhere ages ago. For some reason, he’d unbuttoned his linen shirt at some point, and I’ve been trying not to look at his bare chest and the dusting of dark hair between his pecs. He’s hairier than I would’ve thought.
“My God, I’d never recognize you,” another handsome lizard draped over the sofa exclaims, all but licking his tumbler of scotch dry.
“I saw the takeout containers in the kitchen,” a gorgeous blond says between giggles. “I thought she was the delivery girl.” Then her eyes flick to mine. “Bless the dear girl.”
“Are you incognito?” the first gentleman asks. “Benjamin, I didn’t know it was to be a costume party.”
“And you know what’s even wilder?” Ben boasts to his friends. “Guess who Abbey’s dear old dad happens to be—Gunner Bly.”
“You’re shitting us!” the blond cries. “Truly?”
Right. I think I’ve been a good sport, but I’m all tapped out on fun for the night. I’m clearly never getting a look at those boxes, so my time is wasted here.
“Benjamin, dear,” I say with only a hint of mocking, waiting until he blearily meets my gaze. “I really need to get home.”
“Of course. Where are my manners?” He pulls out his phone to quickly type something, then pockets it again. “My concierge will bring a car ’round. He’ll let me know when it’s arrived.”
“I can wait downstairs.”
“I don’t think she likes our company.” Melissa pouts.
“Not me,” the lizard answers. His boyish eyes look up but fail to focus. “Surely, not me?”
“Nonsense.” Ben’s hand slips down my shoulder to rest at my hip. “I’ll not have you sitting in the lobby like— ”
“The delivery girl!” the blond exclaims. She hoists her glass in the air, spilling wine on the carpet.
Ten minutes later, the car doesn’t materialize. Twenty minutes later, still no car, and Ben’s wandering hands can’t seem to keep themselves above the equator. Meanwhile, he keeps finding new people to stumble their way over with a new glass of wine to try shoving in my hand or a creative new attempt to get their thumbnail under my nose.
I move to pry myself free of Ben’s grasp.
“Where are you sneaking off to now?” he teases.
“Calling an Uber.”
I’m all out of fucks to give.
“Don’t be cross with me.” Ben rips my phone out of my hand. He tosses it to the brunette. “Babe, tell her I’m not awful.”
A bolt of anger surges through me. Is he serious right now?
“It’s bad luck to lie under a new moon.” Melissa laughs in return, tossing my phone off to the blond.
“She’s a witch,” the blond one squeals. “Burn her!” She dips her fingers into her glass and flicks the wet tips at the other woman.
The gentleman and the lizard then take turns tossing my phone over my head while I try snatching it out of the air. Eventually I give up and throw a drink on one of them.
