“What are you laughing about, chaps?” a woman asked.
“Speak of the devil,” Rick said, smiling at Marilyn, the orchestrator of the betting game that had him and all his bachelor pals shaking their heads. Since Marilyn had put her money on Simon for the second time in a row as the next guy to be captured by love, she was especially keen to see Simon interested in a woman.
“Ah, you’re talking about Simon and his soon-to-be girlfriend,” she said, grinning.
Simon was right behind Marilyn and joined them. “Christ, Marilyn,” he said. “You just cramped my style out there with your enthusiastic waving.”
“What do you mean?” Marilyn asked innocently. “I was motioning for you to come in here and bring your soon-to-be girlfriend with you.”
“She thought you were my girlfriend.”
“And you set her straight, I hope?” Marilyn said.
“Of course. But seeing you grinning at us scared the hell out of me. You’re becoming worse than my mother with your matchmaking stuff. So I just got her number and said my goodbyes.”
“What’s her name, by the way?” Marilyn asked.
“I’m not telling you in case you stalk her and plead with her to marry me.”
Marilyn slapped Simon’s arm in indignation. “Simon, I have my money on you again this year. So make sure you call that woman.”
“Not my fault that you bet on me. In fact, it’s not my fault that you started this stupid game in the first place.”
“Well, it’s still fun,” Marilyn insisted. “And since you’re the one among the participants who’s the least scared of commitment, why shouldn’t I bet on you?”
“Whatever,” Simon said, shaking his head in resignation.
Rick watched the interaction between his two pals with amusement. He’d often wondered why they hadn’t gotten together themselves. They were very well suited to each other although they didn’t seem aware of it.
“Poor Lexie,” Marilyn said. “Did you guys know she bet on Rick?”
Rick tried to stifle his smile.
Tristan snickered. “Really? What was she thinking?”
“Unfortunately, she hasn’t known Rick for as long as we have,” Marilyn said. “But a game’s a game. It’s not my place to make her see the folly of her actions.”
Rick’s attention wandered off from the conversation taking place in front of him as he surveyed the room. He couldn’t wait until Lexie arrived. He hadn’t seen her in three days and he was already missing her so.
For the last six weeks, they’d been having clandestine meetings in the middle of the day. They’d become regulars at a five-star hotel close to Lexie’s work even though they only used the room for an hour or so during their lunch break.
Unfortunately, because they couldn’t tell anyone yet, he couldn’t take Lexie out at nights or Erin would wonder where she was. And Lexie couldn’t say she was working overtime. With Jade and Lucas working in the same building, she couldn’t use that excuse.
He hated sneaking around as if they were doing something wrong. But it was better to be safe than sorry.
Tonight, they had to act as if nothing was going on between them. That meant he had to maintain his playful persona and respond to women who came on to him. Otherwise, people would notice something different.
At least he’d get to flirt with Lexie, too. He could console himself with that.
His heart raced when Lexie finally entered the room with Erin and Cassie. She was glancing around until his gaze met his.
Lexie smiled and he grinned back, his breath shallowing. Ahh, he’d love to kiss her hello, but he couldn’t. Not how he wanted to.
“There’s the woman who bet on me,” he said loudly to the other guys.
“I’ll have to ask Lexie what on earth she ate that made her brain muddled,” Simon joked.
“So tell me, guys,” Marilyn said. “Why don’t you ask out either Lexie, Cassie or Erin? They’re all fabulous girls.”
“Because they’re Jade’s best friends,” Tristan said. “You know how protective Lucas has become of those girls. He’d already warned me to keep my hands off them.”
“Maybe I should date Lexie,” Rick said in a joking tone. “So Marilyn would lose the bet.”
“Hey, have you forgotten the rules?” Marilyn asked. “Simply asking someone out on a date—or even sleeping with her—isn’t the deal. Alas, you have to give your heart and renounce the single life.”
Rick snickered, shaking his head.
“See? I know you’re not ready for anything serious, Rick,” Marilyn said with a smug smile. “You’re allergic to relationships.”
Yeah, right. If only Marilyn knew the truth. It was a shame he couldn’t share it with his friends.
Vexation threatened to mar his good mood, but Lexie walking towards them managed to push it away.
“Hello, Lexie, darlin’,” Tristan said, giving Lexie a kiss and a hug. “We heard you did something incredibly stupid.”
“I did?” Lexie asked, her eyes rounding. “What did I do?”
“Bet on Rick.”
Lexie laughed, glancing at Rick.
Rick felt himself go tender and ordered himself to act normal.
“Well, Lucas inspired me actually,” Lexie said. “Who knows? The same lightning might strike Rick.”
“Same odds as you striking oil in your backyard, I’d say,” Tristan quipped, and they all laughed.
“Aw, they’re laughing at you, Rick,” Lexie said, grinning at him.
“Why don’t you and I go out on a date, Lex?” he said, winking at her. “But first, maybe you can up your bet. Marilyn’s keen to boost her chances of losing.”
“Ha ha,” Marilyn said. “Lightning doesn’t usually strike twice in the same location. I’m sure I’ll have the last laugh in this round.”
“But it’s not the same location,” Rick said. “I’m not Lucas.”
“But you’re cut from the same cloth,” Marilyn reasoned.
“Oh, I see. And here we are celebrating Lucas’s engagement,” he said with a grin, knowing he was winning this banter.
“What are you saying, Rick Donnelly?” Marilyn asked, squinting her eyes at him, then at Lexie. “Is there something going on here?”
Oh, shit.
“Yeah,” he said lightly. “It’s you looking so cute while you insist that Simon would be the next to fall. Is there something you know that we don’t, huh?”
Marilyn rolled her eyes. “Yes. It’s that out of all of you, he was the only who’d expressly stated he wouldn’t mind finding his soulmate.”
“Soulmate?” Tristan said with a snicker. “You really used that word, dude?” he asked Simon.
“Don’t you know I’m very much in touch with my feminine side?” Simon said, putting his hands on his heart theatrically.
Rick chuckled, hoping that he’d successfully deflected the attention off of him and Lexie.
He glanced at his secret girlfriend. His other friend Derek had quietly joined them and was whispering something in her ear. He frowned, but caught himself doing so and put on an impassive face.
Out of all his buddies, Derek was the one who he thought would settle down next. He was the silent type who didn’t feel any need to trumpet his actions to anyone. More than once in the past, he’d noticed Derek quietly checking out Jade’s friends. Had Derek decided on Lexie?
Hell, he hoped not.
The two started walking away.
“Hey, where are you guys going?” he called out.
“Lexie and I are leaving you kids to get a drink and have a more mature conversation,” Derek said.
Lexie only briefly looked back as she went with Derek. Well, he supposed that was exactly what they’d discussed yesterday over the phone. Tonight, they were just two friends who might occasionally flirt with each other.
But why was he annoyed at Derek for whisking Lexie away?
Ah, damn. He’d never considered himself a jealous guy. But right now, he was finding out h
ow much of one he really was.
He sighed. It was going to be one long night. But he was determined to have some private time with Lexie even for just a few minutes. Somewhere. Somehow.
“Hi, Rick,” a woman crooned beside him.
It was Vicky, the most promiscuous woman in the group.
It amazed him how Vicky still wanted to hang around with them, when she’d been overlooked by more than one of the guys who were now either married or engaged. But he supposed Vicky was just the resilient, persistent type. She’d already been rejected by his cousin Zach, then by Lucas. Now, Vicky seemed to have set her sights on Rick.
He’d enjoyed flirting with her in the past. She was fun, although whispering suggestive comments in her ear was as far as he’d stretched it. She’d never been his type.
“What are you drinking, lover boy?” Vicky asked.
“The usual,” he said.
“Get me a drink from the bar?”
He looked around. “There’s the guy with the drinks,” he said, gesturing towards the waiter walking around with a full tray of wine and beer. “Which one do you want?”
“None of those. I want a Slow Comfortable Screw.”
He smirked. This being an engagement party, cocktail drinks with naughty names were the specialties of the night. “Shouldn’t you be the one to ask for it?” he asked. “An all-male team is behind the bar tonight. Imagine me ordering it from one of them.”
“I dare you to,” Vicky said with a sly grin, pushing him towards the bar.
With a shake of his head, he went. The old Rick would have. He brightened when he saw Lexie and Derek standing there, presumably waiting for their order.
He slid next to Lexie and caught the eye of a bartender. “Can I have a Slow Comfortable Screw, please,” he said to the man, pressing close to Lexie.
Lexie snickered.
“One Slow Comfortable Screw coming up,” the server said with a grin.
Lexie laughed out loud.
“What?” Rick asked with a lopsided smile. “I do want one.”
Lexie bit her lip, trying to stifle her chuckles.
“That Slow Comfortable Screw is for me,” Vicky said, inserting herself between the two of them. “Sorry, Lexie. Rick’s mine tonight. You can have fun with Derek. I think he wants you to have a Screaming Orgasm.”
“How did you know?” Derek quipped, grinning.
Rick felt his humour disappear. Even if they were just joking around, he didn’t like the picture that popped into his head.
Another bartender placed Lexie’s and Derek’s cocktails in front of them.
“What are they?” Rick asked Lexie, looking at the drinks with suspicion.
“I’m having a Sex Machine and he’s having a Creamy Pussy,” Lexie said in a low voice before leaving with Derek.
Rick had to try with all his might not to scowl at them.
Hell, this really was going to be one long, incredibly frustrating night.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Lexie slumped on the seat next to Erin, annoyed. Four women who weren’t originally invited had been allowed in their private room. Apparently, one of them was the girl Simon had been chatting up earlier.
It wasn’t that she minded the extra guests. It was just that the newcomers had been attaching themselves to the guys in the room—including Rick. Now, Rick was flanked by Vicky and another blonde, the two clearly competing for his attention.
“You tired?” Erin asked.
“A little,” she answered, exhaling a heavy breath. “Where’s Cass?”
“Last time I saw her¸ she was talking to Tristan.”
Lexie pretended to look around for Cassie, but her eyes landed again on the group of three not far from them.
“Oh, honey,” Erin said. “Forget about Rick. Look at him. He’s enjoying being fawned upon by two females in short, tight dresses. Come on. Move on.”
“What makes you think I’m paying attention to whoever Rick’s talking to?” she asked.
Erin looked at her pointedly. “Because that’s all you’ve done all night?”
“No,” she said with wide eyes. Had she really been that obvious?
Erin chuckled. “Don’t worry. You’re not the only one who’s been sneaking glances at him.”
“Oh, you’ve been doing it, too?” she asked dryly.
Erin snorted. “You know I don’t have a thing for Rick. I meant some of the other girls.”
She decided not to ask Erin who else had been eyeing Rick. She was used to seeing women make advances towards him at parties like these. No use getting herself in a jealous tangle over something she couldn’t control.
But did he really need to flirt back so readily with those two women?
Well, okay, it wasn’t as if Rick was giving them suggestive looks or anything. But he was smiling at them.
She chuckled, shaking her head. Was she for real? Getting jealous because Rick was smiling at the two girls he was having a conversation with? He’d warned her that he’d need to be his usual playful self tonight and she’d said she’d be okay.
“What are you laughing about now?” Erin asked.
“Me. I’m just being silly.”
“Yes. I’m glad you realised that.”
She didn’t bother correcting Erin’s misinterpretation.
Lucas and Jade walked towards them, arms around each other’s waist. The two were clearly enjoying celebrating their engagement with their friends.
“What’s up, girls?” Lucas asked.
“Just enjoying our cocktails. How are you two?” Erin said.
“Great!” Jade answered. “But I need to sit down now. My feet are getting tired.”
“I’m just gonna chat with someone over there,” Lucas said, indicating to the entrance.
“Sure, honey,” Jade said.
“Is that Rick’s stepmother by the door?” Erin asked, her tone disbelieving.
Lexie whipped her head and her jaw dropped in surprise. It was indeed Betty, with a man who looked to be in his fifties. He must be her new boyfriend.
She watched as Lucas approached the uninvited guests just as Betty called out to Rick. Rick’s expression changed in an instant. With a scowl, he walked towards the newcomers.
“What is she doing here?” Jade asked.
“Maybe they were in the area and happened to recognise some faces coming into this room,” Erin surmised.
Lexie narrowed her eyes. Maybe Betty had learned about this party and decided to spy on Rick. It was a good thing then that Rick had been talking to two flirty women, and not canoodling in some dark corner with her.
“They’re coming in,” Jade said under her breath. “Why didn’t Lucas tell them this is an invitation-only party?”
“I think Rick doesn’t want any drama,” Lexie said, feeling sorry for her man. To her further consternation, Betty had spotted them and was making a beeline for their table.
“Hello, ladies. I didn’t know you were considered part of this long-time group of friends,” Betty said with a smile, her cold gaze towards Lexie betraying her demeanour.
“Hi, Betty,” Jade said politely, her tone a tad chilly. “What a surprise to see you here.”
“Well, Todd and I just had dinner at another restaurant and decided to have a drink here. Then I saw a couple of Rick’s friends enter this room. I spoke to someone outside and we were told this was an engagement party for Jade and Lucas. I can’t not congratulate them since Lucas is a very close friend of Rick’s.”
“I’m Jade.”
“Oh,” Betty said with a laugh. “I didn’t recognise your face. It’s been months since I last saw you. Well, congratulations, Jade.”
“Thank you.”
Rick appeared by their table with the older man who came in with Betty. “I see you found Jade, Betty.”
“Yes, I just said my congratulations,” she answered. “Todd, this is the bride-to-be.”
“Hello, Jade, I’m Todd,” the man said, giving Jade a genial ha
ndshake. “Congratulations on your engagement.”
“Thank you, Todd,” Jade murmured, then proceeded to introduce Lexie and Erin to the man.
“It’s great to meet all of you,” Todd said. “And I hope you don’t mind us crashing your party, Jade. But when Betty said that Rick must be in here, I insisted on meeting him. Our schedules have always clashed so I haven’t met him before this, and I’ve been wanting to for ages,” Todd said, clasping Rick on the shoulder.
“Yes, it’s good to finally meet you, Todd,” Rick said cordially. “Shelley has told me good things about you.”
“Oh, that’s nice,” Todd said, looking truly pleased with that comment. “Shelley’s a wonderful girl. Very gifted—especially when it comes to cooking.”
“That she is,” Rick agreed.
Lexie looked on as Todd and Rick made small talk. Todd seemed like a nice man and Rick appeared relaxed with his stepmother’s boyfriend. Interestingly, Betty’s demeanour had changed when Todd had joined them. Instead of that cold stare for her and her friends, her features had gone soft, smiling as she watched her boyfriend and stepson engage in an affable conversation. Hmm.
“Darling,” Todd said to Betty. “We better go and leave these guys to enjoy their party.”
“I’m sure they won’t mind if we stay for a few more minutes. You’ve been wanting to meet Rick for so long,” Betty said, her gaze flicking to Rick, then to Jade.
“Of course, please stay,” Jade said, ever the polite woman that she was.
“Can I get you guys a drink?” Rick asked.
“I’ll go with you to the bar,” Todd said. “What would you like, Betty?”
“This thing that Jade’s drinking looks nice. What is it?”
“Um... it’s called Sex on the Beach,” Jade answered.
“Ooh, I’ll have that one, then, Todd,” Betty said, giggling like a girl.
“Well, if that’s what you want, how can I say no?” Todd said, reddening slightly.
“Lex, Erin, more of what you were having earlier?” Rick asked.
“Yes, please,” they answered, and the men left.
Lexie tried to relax while Betty made a half-hearted attempt to chat with Jade and Erin, completely ignoring her. She was absolutely fine with that. There was nothing she wanted to say to Betty.
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