by Faith Starr
32
Noah
I got to Jordin’s apartment right on schedule. When I knocked at her door, her neighbor peered outside his. He flashed me a warm smile and then quickly closed his door. What the fuck was that about?
Her lock unbolted, and I couldn’t believe that the woman standing in front of me was the same person I’d seen several days prior. Her hair looked professionally styled, the dress fit like it was specially designed for her body, and the shoes brought her almost to my height.
“I must say you clean up nicely.” Wow. I had a difficult time looking away. She was breathtaking.
“Why thank you, Mr. Dorian. I’m glad you approve.”
She smiled sweetly, graciously accepting my compliment. I could tell she felt confident in her shoes right now, literally.
“I more than approve. If we didn’t have to be at my aunt and uncle’s house, you’d be out of that dress with the shoes still on.”
“Well, if you play your cards right, you might just get your wish.”
She shrugged her shoulder flirtatiously, eyeing me just the same. My dick shrugged itself flirtatiously as well, eyeing her just the same.
“Oh, I plan on it. Don’t even give it another thought. You truly look magnificent.” I again admired the beautiful view standing in front of me.
“Again, thank you. I must say you also clean up well, although, unfairly, you always look this good.”
That comment deserved a kiss, but I didn’t want to ruin her makeup, which also looked professionally done.
“I appreciate how much thought and effort you put into coming with me tonight.”
She stepped into the kitchen to retrieve her clutch off the counter. “I’m pleased to be your date.”
While she locked up, the fucking neighbor peered outside his door again.
“Good night, Julian.”
“Good night, darling. Behave yourself. You look ravishing.”
Who the hell did this guy think he was talking to Jordin like that while she was on my arm? Anger filled me, but I kept my cool during our walk to the elevator, my arm around her waist. That’s right, buddy, she’s on my arm tonight, not yours.
“Who’s your neighbor? He obviously has quite a liking for you.” Glad we were the only ones in the elevator.
“Not in the way you think. It would be you he was checking out, Mr. Dorian. His name is Julian. He’s my neighbor and good friend. You can thank him for the hair and makeup. He’s a hairstylist.” She gestured at his wonderful accomplishment.
Her answer deserved a huge smile. “He had a good model to work with.”
Her cheeks turned a nice shade of pink. I couldn’t wait to make them turn red later on.
Once downstairs, we made our way to my car and began the drive to my aunt and uncle’s house.
“So from what you said on the phone, there’s going to be like seventy-five people? That’s quite a gathering.”
Her voice sounded a bit jumbled. I lowered the volume on the radio.
“My aunt will use any excuse to throw a cocktail party, and she doesn’t even drink. But she loves to entertain.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting her.”
“She feels the same way about meeting you.” I took her hand in mine and kissed it. And the rest of the drive was spent exactly like that, her hand in mine, the two of us discussing the party and the reason behind it.
33
Jordin
We passed through an entry gate and entered a private community. It was almost like I had been teleported into a world very unlike the one I was accustomed to. The houses were mansions with gated entrances and the whole nine yards.
“You grew up here?”
“I did.” He nodded, his attention focused on the road ahead of us.
Wow. We came from completely different backgrounds.
“You didn’t tell me you grew up living like a movie star.” The confidence I had getting into the car would most certainly be left inside it. This was a lot to take in and somewhat intimidating.
“To me it was just home.”
My brows rose in astonishment. Home? These weren’t homes. These were something out of a magazine. “It’s nice to see you so unaffected, because I’m feeling anything but right now.”
“You’ll be fine, Jordin. It’s just a house.”
His little pep talk didn’t help. And if what I’d seen so far wasn’t enough, he entered the property through a stately black wrought-iron gate, continuing onto a driveway that seemed like a mile long to a house that seemed like a mile high and a mile wide. Holy shit. If this was how magnificent it was on the outside, I could only imagine the inside. I couldn’t wait to see it.
“No. I grew up in a house. This…this is a palace.” I gestured. He had to realize this wasn’t the norm for most people.
“Just be yourself. Nobody’s here to judge you.”
“I hope not.” This was insane. I didn’t realize he had come from this kind of wealth. Sure, the dresses and shoes cost a small fortune, but this?
He pulled up to the front of the house where a frickin’ valet attendant greeted us. I could now empathize with how my clients felt when they described their symptoms of their panic attacks, because right then, I experienced my very first one, and it didn’t feel good. I was both short of breath and a little light-headed. I took a few deep breaths while Noah walked around the car to assist me out. He reached his hand out toward me. I took hold of it for dear life.
“Jordin, breathe.”
His smile upset me. It was so not funny. I made sure he knew I didn’t think so as well with the tight-lipped smile I gave him.
“I wish I could blame my tight dress for being unable to take a deep breath right now.” I adjusted it during our short stroll to the entrance. He laughed and kissed my hand.
“You ready? It’s time to face the music.”
Yeah, sure. I nodded in silent agreement, standing tall and proud even though I didn’t feel so much on the inside.
He led me up three marble steps to the front door where a sweet, elderly gentleman dressed in a suit happily greeted us. “Mr. Dorian, how nice to see you.”
His smile was warm and sincere. He was adorable, tall and lanky, slightly bald, clean-shaven, and lots of wrinkles.
“You too, Everett.”
“Your family is anxiously awaiting your arrival.”
The man flashed me a warm smile as well. Shit! That meant they were waiting to meet the girl Noah had brought home.
Breathe.
“Shall we?” Noah looked at me.
Prior to entering, I took another deep breath.
Wow. My eyes didn’t know which way to look first. It was absolutely gorgeous. It kind of resembled a museum. There was artwork and decorative pieces galore. The furniture was grand in the large, overstated living room, the floors a continuation of the marble leading into the house.
A stunning woman caught sight of us from across the room. She immediately left her guests and approached. “Noah, darling, it’s so wonderful to see you.” She grabbed him like a mother would her child and gave him a loving hug. It was so nice to see the exchange between them. There was a lot of warmth in the gesture. “And you must be Jordin.” She extended her hand in kind offering, a sincere smile brightening up her beautiful face.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Dorian. Thank you so much for having me in your home. It’s lovely.”
“Please, call me Jenny. There’s no need for such formality. Noah, your uncle would love to see you as well. Why don’t you take Jordin to meet him before settling in? Your brothers are already here. It was wonderful to meet you, Jordin. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to talk more later, but right now, I must continue to greet my guests.”
She struck me as someone approachable and low-key, totally not what one would expect from a person who lived in a house like this. I guess I needed to reel in my judgments, because so far everyone was extremely welcoming.
Noah led
me through a crowd, most of them offering pleasantries as we passed.
“There you are,” a deep voice said from behind us.
“Hey Uncle Phil.” Noah extended his hand and patted the man’s back with the other one. “Congrats on the retirement. I didn’t know what to get you so I got you this.” He handed him a thick padded envelope.
“I can’t wait to see what’s inside.” He was filled with childlike enthusiasm. “And you must be Jordin?”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Dorian.” I could definitely see where the boys got their good looks. Between Jenny and Phil, who looked like an older version of Derek, it was no wonder they all looked like Hollywood movie stars.
“Please, call me Phil. We were so delighted to hear Noah was bringing you tonight.”
His wide and friendly grin helped calm my nerves, making me feel more comfortable. Hmm. I wonder what Noah told them about me?
“Thank you. I’m happy to be here as well. Congratulations on your retirement.”
“Thank you. You’ll have to visit us again when we don’t have a house full of guests.” He gestured to the room full of people.
“That would be nice.”
“Phil, the man of the hour!” An older gentleman with a loud voice patted him on the back from behind.
“Ted, it’s great to see you.” Phil graciously gave the man a hug and did the same to his wife, along with a kiss.
“We’ll see you later, Uncle Phil.”
“You two have fun.” Phil acknowledged us with a wave. He turned his attention toward his friends.
“Your aunt and uncle seem nice.”
We entered a humongous room decorated with art, large black leather sofas, and a television that would probably take up my entire bedroom wall. I wasn’t sure if the guests paired up in small groups were work associates or family members, but obviously they weren’t that important, because Noah didn’t stop to talk to any of them.
“They are. Come on, let’s go find my brothers.” He surveyed the area as we continued to make our way through the large room.
Derek caught my eye, ahead of us in a small group. I had never met Mitch personally. I had only seen the picture of the three of them in the front waiting area at Hilltops. There was also another man who I didn’t recognize as well as a few women.
“Noah. Jordin.” Derek greeted us with a head nod. “It’s good to see you both.”
“Jordin, this is Mitch, Darla, Sydney, Harry, and Rhonda.”
Mitch, Darla, Sydney, Harry, Rhonda. Got it.
“It’s nice to meet all of you.” The women gave me a few up-and-down glances. That was always fun.
“Hi, Noah bean.” Sydney stepped in, her knee-length dress fitting like a glove and giving everyone a nice view of her slim figure. She gave him a hug, one a little too big for my liking. She didn’t even bother to acknowledge my presence.
“Hey Syd, how’s it going?” He returned the gesture, but it was nothing like the bear hugs he gave me, causing me to smile.
“You look mighty fine there in that suit.” She brushed her hands up and down the lapels of his jacket, eying him flirtatiously.
“Hey, remember which one of us you’re here with tonight.”
It was kind of sad Derek had to remind her.
The group watched her playful display, but none of them made any outward comments. Not that they had to. I could practically read their minds. I also got the feeling there was some history between her, Derek, and Noah.
“Your brothers were just filling me and Rhonda in on how the club’s doing.”
She took her place next to Derek after speaking, pulling her strapless dress up to cover her lack of cleavage.
It wasn’t missed that her eyes remained focused on Noah. Jeez. Could she be any more obvious about her intentions?
Obviously, I didn’t like this girl.
She continued, “Harry over here went to school with Mitch. He’s a big-shot attorney now.”
Derek was oblivious to her nonverbal body cues. For a moment I wished I wasn’t so good at reading them. She was starting to piss me off.
“And he’s taken care of me quite a few times already.” Mitch patted Harry on the back, smiling in appreciation at his friend.
“Which we’re not proud to admit,” Noah added, clearly not finding his comment amusing. I got that message loud and clear.
“So I understand you’re a grad student. What exactly are you studying that brought you to the club?”
Now she acknowledged me? I rolled my eyes. Hopefully nobody noticed, because I didn’t want to seem rude or disrespectful. But come on, did she think I was an idiot? She had no interest in me. She was only asking because she wanted to know about my relationship with Noah.
“The dynamics of why certain women choose to engage in the type of lifestyle the club offers.”
“Cool.”
Like I thought, she was totally uninterested. What a total bitch. Derek came off as so fun and outgoing. What he was doing with her I had no clue.
“And what is it you do for a living?” Noah was deep in conversation with Harry, so I figured I’d probe a little to find out more about her. Two could play at this game.
“I work for my father.” She was so proud and full of herself.
“And what does your father do?”
“He pays her bills.” Derek’s chuckle caught me off guard, causing me to giggle along with him.
“Shut up, Derek.” She slapped his arm, and his smile disappeared. “My father runs a very successful and lucrative national marketing firm.”
“And Syd runs up his credit card bills,” Derek threw in his two cents.
This time she elbowed him in the ribs. I couldn’t hold back a smile. I was so happy he had put her in her place. Somebody had to. I didn’t get the fascination with her. I, for one, wasn’t impressed.
The only one in the group who wasn’t talking was Darla. She stood quietly and listened to the conversations taking place around her.
A waiter passed by with a tray of champagne, and we all took a glass. A moment later, Jenny tapped hers in the front of the room to gather everyone’s attention.
“Phil and I are beyond thrilled all of you could join us tonight to celebrate his early retirement. Of course he’ll still remain on the board at Dorian Publishing, the company both he and his brother built from the ground up.”
What? My feet froze. I glanced at Noah in confusion. He smiled proudly at his aunt and uncle. He’d never told me his uncle was a founder of Dorian Publishing.
“We’re so pleased our three boys will become more involved with the company now that Phil will be lessening his load.”
Double what? When was Noah planning to tell me this tidbit of information? Maybe he wasn’t.
“Please help us celebrate this special night by raising a glass to my dear husband and our three wonderful boys.”
We all held up our glasses to acknowledge Phil, who smiled warmly. After her toast, she announced that dinner would be served outside under the gazebos in about thirty minutes. I still couldn’t believe Noah’s family was the Dorian family of Dorian Publishing.
“Come, baby, I want to show you around the place.” He took my hand, oblivious to my internal state of affairs as a result of her big announcement. “Catch up with you all later.”
“Hey Noah, why don’t you show Jordin how pretty it is out back?” Derek wore a mischievous grin.
It must’ve been a private joke, because Noah’s look shot daggers through him. Mitch now laughed as well.
“Shut the fuck up, D.” He waved them off abruptly and led me back through the crowd, this time taking me up a flight of marble stairs to the second floor.
“Where’re we going?” I took in the scene downstairs, making sure nobody watched us. I had an inkling about where he was taking me.
“I want to show you my bedroom.”
I had been right. I could already see a glint of hope in his eyes.
“No funny ideas, Mr
. Dorian. We’re in your family home.” He needed to know I was a respectable woman and first impressions meant a lot to me.
“That’s never stopped me before.”
“You’re such a bad boy.” I sighed, continuing our journey upward. A part of me felt excited to see where Noah Dorian had grown up.
“And you have a knack for bringing it out in me.”
“A smooth talker too.”
There were many closed doors along the massive hallway. “I’m surprised you were able to find your room. There’s so many of them.”
We finally stopped in front of one, and he opened it. “Come inside.” He made steady eye contact, gesturing for me to enter, all too eager to close the door behind me.
Mr. Dorian wanted a lot more than to simply show me his room, the bulge in his slacks confirming that fact.
The room wasn’t at all how I imagined it to be. I had pictured it to be serious like Noah was, but it wasn’t at all. There was a full-size bed with a navy comforter, dark oak furniture, a plasma television mounted on the wall, and an array of art covering the walls. Magnificent art, I must add.
“Don’t tell me you painted all these?” It couldn’t be. They were beyond-words beautiful. All of them abstract with a variety of shapes and colors like those you would see hanging in an art museum.
“I did.”
A tinge of shyness overtook him, the first I had seen of that in him.
“They’re outstanding. They’re masterpieces, Noah. I’m in complete awe right now.”
It was difficult to tear my eyes away from them. It was even more difficult to comprehend how the man standing next to me had created such masterpieces.
“I am too, but it’s not because of my paintings. All I’ve been able to think about since I picked you up at your apartment is you out of this dress.”
His gaze was so intense, so much so I had to take a deep breath.
He stepped behind me and took hold of my hands, clasping them behind my back. A trail of kisses down my neck followed.
Stop him!