And now she was getting ready.
The black, single-shoulder, A-line chiffon gown she was going to wear was lying on her bed, her heels on the floor, and the jewelry that would adorn her ears and neck sitting on the bathroom counter. She’d bought the dress online, having fallen in love with it instantly. It was both sexy and elegant, which was exactly what she was going for. After wearing jeans and sweatshirts all week, Mia was kind of looking forward to dressing up.
She spent more time than usual on her makeup, figuring she’d go all out. She lathered one of her favorite perfumed lotions on her skin and pulled on her dress. The shoes could wait. They’d be killing her feet by the time she made it to the hotel where the function was being held, so she didn’t feel the need to torture herself any longer than necessary.
Once she was ready, Mia stood in front of the full-length mirror, studying herself for a bit. She didn’t look much different than she had nearly a year ago when she’d attended the last charity function, that time on Damien’s arm. She might’ve gained a couple of pounds since then, although if you asked her mother, Clarice would say that was a good thing. However, Mia had made a resolution for the New Year to start going to the gym, but only so she could afford to add a little fat to her freezer content. Damien had always given her a hard time about not being skinny enough — whatever that meant — and since she hadn’t cared to rock the boat, she had found herself doing as she was told, eating bland foods, doing yoga although she detested it, and otherwise making herself miserable to fit into a mold Damien had expected her to fit in.
Needless to say, she felt better these days. Not only because she wasn’t twisting herself into a pretzel or on some strict diet of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and no carbs. It was a combination of things.
Her cell phone rang, ending her self-inspection. Grabbing her shoes, Mia ran to the kitchen, snatching it up from the bar before it went to voice mail.
“Hey,” Mia greeted, knowing that the only person who would be calling her was the woman who was coming to pick her up in a few short minutes.
“We’ll be there in five. The limo will be out front. Want us to come up?”
“No, that’s all right. I’ll head down now. See you in a few,” Mia told Alex.
After tossing her phone into her clutch alongside her credit card, driver’s license, and lip gloss, Mia grabbed her wrap and her shoes and headed for the door. She waited until she was at her front door before slipping the four-and-a-half-inch, strappy silver Manolo Blahniks on her feet and then smoothing her gown with her hands. This would have to do.
Mia locked the door to her condo and made her way to the elevator, pressing the button to call it to her floor. While she fixed the wrap over her bare shoulders, she noticed the only elevator that was working was currently stopped at the penthouse, and she was momentarily tempted to run back into her condo and let it go by.
Or maybe she could take the stairs.
Her eyes darted back and forth between the elevator doors and her front door. She still had time. She spared another glance at the numbers above the door. Crap. It was on eighteen.
No time now.
Maybe, if she were lucky, it would be empty.
The muffled ding echoed in the hallway, signaling the arrival, and Mia held her breath as the doors slowly opened.
Nope. Not empty.
Oh.
Crap.
Just as she’d feared, there in front of her was the same handsome, black-haired, suit-wearing guy from the other day. Only this time he wasn’t wearing an expensive suit. He was wearing a freaking tuxedo. Armani, if she wasn’t mistaken. And Mia was pretty sure it wasn’t a rental.
He wasn’t alone, either.
Clearly, one sexy man wasn’t enough for the universe’s idea of a cruel joke, because standing next to him was Tall, Dark, and Intimidating wearing an equally impressive tuxedo — Calvin Klein, she guessed — and looking far too sexy for his own good. They were both watching her closely, and Mia took a deep breath, willing her feet forward. Apparently they had plans for Friday night, as well.
She had to pay careful attention to walking because she nearly tripped, her eyes trailing over their impressive forms one at a time. One thing she noticed instantly was that they took up a drastic amount of real estate in the small elevator. Both were tall, probably over six feet, and broad. Green Eyes had wide shoulders, a trim waist, and long legs. In a word, he was delicious. He took up a lot of space, but it wasn’t only physical. The man exuded confidence like no one she’d ever met. And dressed like that… Mia found it difficult to look away.
Then, of course, there was the other guy. Golden Eyes was even bigger than the other, both in width and height. His torso appeared long, his hips narrow, his feet big. Where the other man had a confident air, this one gave off a no-nonsense vibe. But he looked equally scrumptious in the well-cut tux.
Just clothes, she told herself. Clothes did not make a man. As she had learned the hard way with Damien.
Mia stepped onto the elevator and offered both men a small smile, avoiding their gazes as she turned and faced the elevator doors, clinging to the wrap hugging her shoulders and holding her clutch in front of her. They smelled good. The rich, spicy scent of cologne wafted up her nose, and she inhaled deeply, unable to resist. She wasn’t sure what expensive brand it was, or which of them wore it, but she liked it. A lot.
“Guilty, by Gucci,” the sexy-voiced, green-eyed man said.
“What?” Mia asked, glancing at him over her shoulder.
“My cologne.”
Crap. Was he a mind reader? Or had she said that out loud? God, she hoped not.
She blushed, her face heating as she spared him a sideways look, meeting his glistening green eyes. Mia suddenly felt like a science experiment due to the way he was studying her, the way his penetrating gaze raked over her from head to toe. Slowly.
“You look beautiful,” he said, and Mia nearly choked on her tongue.
Somehow she found her manners and thanked him for the compliment before facing the doors once more, doing her best not to look at the numbers counting down on the elevator. She needed it to get to the bottom floor. Stat.
Finally, the car came to a jerky stop, and Mia reached forward to keep from stumbling, but not before strong hands were on her hips. Her entire body went hot instantly as she realized Golden Eyes was touching her.
“Careful,” he said in that rough, gravel tone she’d heard the other day.
When the doors opened, Golden Eyes held out his arm as though keeping the doors open. She smiled again and stepped out. Looking back wasn’t an option because she definitely didn’t want either man to see her interest. She didn’t have time for fancy suit-wearing, handsome, green- or golden-eyed, penthouse-living strangers.
And maybe if she kept that mantra on repeat in her head, she’d eventually realize how very true it was, because her hormones certainly hadn’t gotten with the program. Her skin tingled, her insides churning, and there was an unsettling pulse between her thighs. One that had been dormant for far too long.
Seeing the limousine sitting out front was a relief. It gave her something to focus on. That and the sound of her heels against the travertine floor. Anything to avoid looking back over her shoulder at the men who were still walking relatively close to her. They were apparently both going to the same place she was. The front doors.
George wasn’t on duty tonight, but another kind gentleman who Mia had only seen once opened the door for her. After she had passed through, she heard him greet the men behind her. She didn’t catch what their names were, doing her best to put as much distance between herself and them as quickly as possible.
Not that she cared what their names were, anyway.
When she stepped outside, the chill of the January evening hit her. There was the scent of rain in the air, and she instinctively looked up, noticing the clouds forming in the already darkening night sky. Maybe it would hold off until after she got home tonight
. Then she’d welcome the rain. Maybe they’d even get lucky enough for snow.
Johnathan stood beside the limo door, smiling at her as she approached. He kissed her on the cheek and whispered that she looked stunning. It wasn’t lost on her that his compliment in no way reflected that of the stranger’s in the elevator. Johnathan’s was a platonic, almost brotherly approval, while the green-eyed stranger’s voice had held a hint of something else. Something … that Mia was not going to think about tonight.
“Hey,” Alex greeted when Mia slid into the seat, moving to the opposite side so that Johnathan could sit by his wife.
“Wow. Love the dress,” Mia told Alex, admiring her plum-colored strapless gown that accentuated her full breasts, long, silky black hair, and her light gray eyes.
“This old thing?” Alex teased, looking down at her breasts and adjusting them.
Mia laughed. That was one of the many things she loved about Alex. She wasn’t one of those snooty, obnoxious rich bitches that they, unfortunately, had to spend so much time with. Well, technically, Mia no longer had to congregate with them. The thought gave her pause.
This was the first public event that she would attend since Damien and she had split. Which meant she’d probably receive a flurry of pitied glances from those who believed Mia was the one who’d received the boot.
Great.
Why she hadn’t thought about that sooner, she didn’t know.
“Smile, Mia. We’re going to have a good time.”
Alex knew her all too well. She knew when Mia got lost in her own head, and more importantly, Alex knew just how to cheer her up.
Mia prayed that Alex was on top of her game tonight, because she had the feeling Alex was going to have to work overtime.
»»»»»♥«««««
“I DON’T THINK she’s all that impressed with you,” Tarik joked once they were both inside the limo that would take them to the hotel where the charity ball was being held.
“Fuck off,” Phoenix bit out, sparing him a brief glance before returning his attention to the scenery outside the car.
Feeling an odd sense of rebellion, Tarik chuckled softly, then, keeping his voice low, he said, “Name the time and place.”
The way Phoenix’s gaze slid over to him made Tarik’s dick twitch.
“In your dreams,” Phoenix replied roughly, looking away quickly.
“Every fucking night,” Tarik muttered as he continued to watch Phoenix.
For the last few days, Phoenix had been acting strangely, and Tarik didn’t think it had anything to do with the fact that he had been giving him a hard time about the blonde, either. After Tarik had shared the news that Mia Cantrell had at one time been married to the asshole in the process of suing Phoenix for a ridiculous amount of money, Phoenix had withdrawn slightly.
But he didn’t think that Mia was the sole reason for Phoenix’s social retreat.
There were times over the last two days when he’d noticed Phoenix watching him intently, but only when he thought Tarik didn’t see. What Phoenix didn’t realize was that Tarik noticed everything. He was completely aware of his surroundings at all times. It was a trait that had been ingrained in him from an early age. When you had to be on the lookout for a backhand coming your way at any time, you tended to become more cognizant of the things going on around you.
And he was even more aware when Phoenix was near.
Not to mention, he knew that Phoenix had called out his name when he’d been jacking off the other night, something Tarik wasn’t sure he would ever be able to forget for as long as he lived.
“Don’t push me tonight,” Phoenix warned.
“Or?”
“Or I’ll make you assist me in ways you’ve only dreamed about.”
“Ready when you are,” Tarik told him gruffly.
There was no denying the fact that Phoenix had a starring role in plenty of Tarik’s fantasies, but he happened to believe that he played as many roles in Phoenix’s. Only Phoenix wasn’t willing to admit it. Yet.
Tarik knew it was only a matter of time before they indulged again. At some point, Phoenix would remember what had happened between them that night so many months ago. The night Phoenix had gotten so drunk he’d stumbled into the condo with some nameless woman on his arm. The night Phoenix’s inhibitions had been drowned in a bottle of Jack. The night Tarik had somehow managed to release control for one single night and give in to what he’d known Phoenix secretly wanted.
He was pretty sure that Phoenix probably believed that had all been a dream, but that night had happened, and there was rarely a day that went by when Tarik didn’t think about it. It was only a matter of time before he got his hands on Phoenix again, but he’d vowed long ago not to push him. That didn’t change the fact that there was a lingering curiosity in Phoenix’s gaze, one that grew stronger the more time went by. And one day, Tarik knew that Phoenix was going to give in.
Phoenix glared at him, but again, Tarik saw the interest burning brightly.
Opting to change the subject because the current conversation ultimately wasn’t going to go anywhere, Tarik said, “I worked my magic and had some seats rearranged tonight.”
Phoenix’s eyebrows lifted as he stared at Tarik, evidently waiting for additional details.
“Some dumbass had Mia sitting at Landry’s table. I worked it so that she was sitting elsewhere.”
“Who the fuck does that shit? Do they live in a fucking cave?” Phoenix snapped.
“Don’t know. But if it’s any consolation, she’ll be sandwiched between you and me tonight.”
“That’ll likely piss off her boyfriend,” Phoenix muttered beneath his breath.
“The guy she’s with isn’t her boyfriend,” Tarik stated, noting the relief that relaxed Phoenix’s face.
That was quickly followed by another look. The heat that blazed in Phoenix’s green eyes mirrored the fire that ignited inside Tarik at the thought of the sexy blonde literally sandwiched between them. His mind drifted to the fantasies he’d conjured up just that week, the ones that involved a sexy, naked Mia Cantrell riding Tarik’s cock while Phoenix fucked her ass. Even now, his dick recalled the memory, pressing firmly against the zipper of his slacks.
“She’s off-limits to you,” Phoenix informed him, his tone reflecting a hint of possessiveness.
“Like I told you before, no promises.” As far as Tarik was concerned, he and Phoenix had an equal opportunity relationship. They gave each other shit all the time, so Tarik had no qualms about pushing Phoenix to the breaking point.
The tension in the car ratcheted up another notch, which only turned Tarik on more. He happened to enjoy Phoenix’s wrath, especially when the guy clearly had no idea what it was that he really wanted. There was no doubt in Tarik’s mind that Phoenix was interested in Mia Cantrell. Hell, he couldn’t even blame him. The woman was smoking hot, something he had purposely downplayed when he’d tormented Phoenix by text over the first few days after they’d met her.
But at the moment, she was merely a pawn in Tarik’s game. He didn’t intend for her to be a casualty, but he was growing tired of the game he and Phoenix were playing. He was growing frustrated with the casual sexual encounters they both were involved in with other people. One way or another, Tarik was going to push Phoenix to the point he’d either give in or tell Tarik to fuck off. Since he hadn’t done the latter in all the years they’d been playing this game, he was inclined to believe they were getting awfully damn close to the giving-in stage.
And Tarik couldn’t fucking wait.
Chapter Eight
MIA GAUGED THE length of time from her condo to the hotel by the one glass of champagne that she had. She didn’t have time to down two, which meant the ride was too short for her liking. It wasn’t nearly long enough to settle the nerves that had started a riot in her belly when she’d shared an elevator with the sexy, penthouse strangers, but it helped.
A little.
That and Alex’s incessant chatte
r about what they should expect from the night. Her friend went over the amount of money the charity was looking to raise, and then she mulled over the list of people who would be in attendance. When she mentioned Damien’s name, Mia went stone still.
“Really?” Mia asked.
Johnathan offered a sympathetic expression but said nothing.
Okay, so her hopes that Damien would have something better to do were instantly dashed. Then again, she should’ve known better. This was Damien Landry, the man who demanded attention wherever he went, the same one who would never miss an opportunity to be the center of attention, and what better opportunity than a black-tie charity ball?
She’d been delusional to think he wouldn’t be there, but she’d had her reasons. Maybe because he hadn’t been a part of the charity that raised awareness and money for suicide prevention until Mia had shown an intense interest in it. Considering her father had taken his own life, Mia felt a very deep passion for the organization. Every year when they’d attended the event, he’d complained — loudly and to anyone who would listen — about having to go. But she should’ve figured he would make an appearance. After all, if there was any sort of publicity to be had, Damien would be front and center.
Mia could easily overlook his attendance if he happened to donate the large sum of money he was known to give. After all, that was generally his reason for attending any function, but not because he had an interest in supporting it per se. He wanted to flaunt his money and ensure that everyone knew how much he would give to various organizations. They didn’t realize until it was too late that his money normally had strings attached. He wanted publicity. He definitely didn’t give out of the goodness of his black heart.
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