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I had no idea that fast and naughty elevator climaxes were as good as the other kinds. I’m as woozy as if I’ve just left the spa after a brutal massage. My muscles are like artisan bread loaves, my limbs like well-done noodles. In short, the best kind of woozy to have—despite the giant carb craving I’m fighting on top of it.
“Oh, that is quite a relief to hear,” says the genial baritone. “Ermmm…my name is Namazzi Wood, and I’m the manager on duty this evening. Please be assured that I’ve contacted engineering, and they will be here soon with the elevator repair team. Miss Kell Valari has been very clear about the urgency to get you out of there quickly—”
“I’ll bet she has,” I slice out with equal emphasis.
“So we are working diligently to make that happen,” the man finishes, not hearing my interjection. Or perhaps not choosing to, which makes him as sensible as he sounds.
“For which we’re grateful, sir,” Maximus responds with a furtive glance up at the security camera’s lens. I have no idea why that has me bursting into a giggle, since there’s a tiny chance that little camera picked up some viral-worthy footage, but my amusement can’t be helped. My boyfriend isblushing. And being adorably surly about it.
“Please. It’s just Nam,” the manager rushes on, exposing his serrated nerves. I surrender the giggles to a grimace, already envisioning what Kell’s put the poor guy through. Oh, no. Not just Kell. If Veronica’s gotten the time to arrive on the scene too…
“Yeah. Okay,” Maximus returns before I can give a proper gasp of sympathy to Nam. But his assurance sounds more like distraction, delivered as he eyeballs the camera again. As soon as I realize he’s deliberately positioned himself between the lens and the panel with the control buttons, he’s already pushed the red one again.
The car lurches. Around us, pulleys and gears whir back to life. We’re on our way again, making my man a hero for Nam and the engineering team. He’s spared them from any more of my sister’s and mother’s impatience, though he’s now on the hook for a chunk ofmine.
Doesn’t he know that his nobility is one of the quickest ways to rekindle my hormones? That’s when they’re operating atnormallevels.
But now…
Hormonesmight not be the right word for them anymore.
But searching for that replacement isn’t my main concern. Holding myself back from smashing that red button again…That’sa priority. Shoving down the craving to make him take me again, so wicked and fast and fierce… Major priority, part two. Twice as huge as stressing about Kell and the victory smirk she’s undoubtedly prepared to wield as soon as the lift doors slide back open…
Sure enough, here she is. Already tricked out in a pair of classic bowling shoes that actually look cute with the punk-influenced threads that were her choice for tonight, though not straying too far into Rizzo territory. Yet shouldn’t she be? Where are the sassy smirk and bowling scorecard she should also be accessorized with?
Why do I practically sprint out of the elevator, taking the briefest of seconds to acknowledge Namazzi’s greeting before dragging my sister to the far side of the elevator landing?
“What is it?” I demand, my psyche crackling with her tension before my gaze registers the taut brackets of her mouth. “Has someone already downloaded the elevator footage? Has Mother seen it?”
Her stare pops wide. “And there’s the news flash I needed but didn’t. Thankfully, Nam’s already on my side of the paid secret box for the night. I’ll put him on scrubbing the footage just as soon as we’re all clear.”
“All clear?” Apprehension rises, all mine this time. “From what?”
Or fromwhom?
But while that feels like the more accurate comeback, the words won’t compel themselves to my lips.
“Kell?” I prompt instead. “Come on. A little context for the cagey mystery, Jessica Fletcher?” Though as old-school references go, I much prefer my callback to the beauty school dropout. “What am I not getting yet?”
She still doesn’t answer. Not unless a bunch of glances out into the club’s public area are considered answers. But she staves off my exasperated huff with an upheld hand, which drops only after a spatter of applause from the main room.
“Okay…good,” she finally rasps. “Jaden’s here. And Piper too.”
“Piper?” My head tilts, weighted by confusion. “I didn’t see her earlier. Isn’t she supposed to be in London, promoting the new movie?”
“She changed her plans because of this fundraiser.”
“I heard that,” Maximus inserts. “A couple of the hair stylists were talking this afternoon,” he explains to my perplexed glance. “Piper’s parents’ place collapsed during the quakes. Her mom is okay, but they had to pull her dad from the rubble. He’s still at Cedars-Sinai and not doing well.”
I shut my eyes, wincing from the emotion that squeezes my heart. “Ugh. Piper’s really close to her parents.” When I reopen my eyes, it’s to throw a more intense look at my sister. “Is she doing okay?”
“Good as can be expected.” Kell’s lips twist a little. “I think she was happy this party came up, if only as a temporary diversion. She was only supposed to be doing a quick stroll for the cameras out on the step-and-repeat,” Kell states. “But she changed her plans again, for us.”
I raise a hand along with my eyebrows. “So, officially still the clueless sister here. You’re clearly includingus”—I wag a finger between Maximus and me—“in thatus, but our immediate plan is a few friendly rounds of bowling so the paps can have fun watching me look like a total dork, and—”
Maximus interrupts me with a rough nibble to the column of my neck. “No dorky Kara on my watch,” he growls. “Especially after my invincible pro tips.”
Kell wheels back around. “Not going to happen.”
