“I know you’re a bit stressed, Susie,” he says. “Are you worried about something?”
Sighing, I nod. “I’ve never had a boyfriend meet one of my friends before. I don’t even know what it’ll be like.”
“Would it help if I told you I’m nervous, too?”
I laugh, then moan as his hands knead my muscles. “You, nervous?”
“This is important to me. I want Allison to like me. And it’s her job to pick apart my flaws, to show you anything you may have missed because you’re too close. I wouldn’t say I’m worried, but nervous? Sure.”
“Wow,” I mumble. “Colin Legend. Nervous about meeting a day care worker from Jersey City. I never would have thought.”
Chuckling, he kisses the back of my neck. “Me neither.”
Eventually traffic clears, and the limo pulls to a stop. However, looking out I don’t see the entrance to any club — no lines of people waiting to get in, no thumping bass beat or anything.
“Colin, where are we?”
“Private entrance,” he says, popping open the door. “Out of the eyes of the tabloid photographers. I don’t think your father would want to see his daughter showing up on the gossip sites.”
Following our drivers on foot, we hustle quickly to the club’s back entrance.
“You know, I’ve been photographed by those people before. Family vacations, out clubbing back in college. It’s not the end of the world. You get over it.”
I can barely see Colin in the dark corridor. “Babe, it’s one thing to be seen with your friends or family. Put me in the picture, and that’s a whole different story.”
“I suppose.”
At last, we reach a door marked “VIP room.” It’s guarded by a bouncer even burlier than Colin; the man nods gently and points to an empty booth in the shape of a half-circle. Before we get there, a waitress heads us off and removes a “Reserved” sign.
The VIP section is very dark, with much of the lighting coming from sconces built into the sides of the booths. Electric dance music beats while party goers fight to be heard over one another, punctuated by the occasional pop of a champagne cork. At the end of the section is a small bar illuminated in blue and white. A handsome, young bartender mixes a drink in a shaker before pouring the contents out into a series of shot glasses.
“Welcome to Ice, Mr. Legend,” says the waitress waiting for us. “Can I get you anything to start, or do you need a minute to decide?”
I watch Colin carefully as he looks up at the waitress and says, “Chateau Lafite, please.” To Colin’s credit, he turns straight back to me, passing up the opportunity to examine the waitress’s gorgeous figure. A tight black skirt and a tighter, low-cut top leave exposed plenty of perfectly tanned skin. With big, brown eyes and luscious, raven locks cut into a bob, she’s sexy in a way that feels very calculated, but also quite effective.
She must rake in the tips from these high rollers, I realize.
“She was pretty,” I say to Colin after the waitress leaves.
“Susie, everyone in this place is pretty. But not everyone here is kind and generous. That’s why I’m glad to be here with you.”
Damn, he’s good.
The waitress returns with the wine and fills our glasses, then leaves the bottle. We drink and chat, but my eyes wander around the room, checking to see if anyone is staring at the world-famous tycoon and the young woman at his table. I do catch a few heads turning away, caught in their lack of subtlety. I don’t blame them; I’d be curious too.
Do they think I’m the flavor of the week? Or some small town girl who came to the big city to become a star? Or do they know who I am?
“It’s weird, isn’t it?” Colin asks, drawing me back into the conversation.
“Sorry,” I say. “This is strange. I mean, I’ve always had a bit of attention from the public, but not enough to get recognized out of context.”
Colin nods knowingly. “Yeah, sometimes I really miss that.”
I smile at him and drink a bit more from my glass. “I thought you were going to say anonymity is overrated.”
He chuckles. “Overrated? No. But most of the time, I’d rather be famous.”
“It has its perks,” I admit.
“Yeah, like meeting you.” Colin slides around to my side of the booth and pulls me into a kiss. Tasting the wine on his tongue, I almost start to feel lightheaded, but I don’t think it’s the alcohol. He paws my breast, and I don’t stop him, lying back into the soft padding, content to let Colin play with me. I don’t let up from the kiss, enjoying it as the dance music fades into the periphery of my senses.
For a time, all I can feel is his lips on mine, my toes curling inside my heels, and his hands exploring my body. Pinches and caresses make me giggle, squirm, and moan as I imagine him always going one step further, of him tearing the dress in half, exposing me. Or maybe he could pleasure me so surreptitiously that nobody in the club would even notice — not if I kept quiet.
That has to happen in a place like this, I reason. How could it not?
“Colin,” I whisper, gasping to keep my composure. “Colin,” I repeat, a little louder. “Allison… She’ll be here… any minute.”
“Too late.”
Together the two of us turn like we’ve just been caught pilfering cookies from the jar.
“Busted,” says Allison, who looks like she’s turning red even in the darkness of the VIP lounge. “Think you can keep it in your pants for a couple hours?” she asks, though I’m not sure if she means one of us or both.
“Hi, Allison,” says Colin, putting a few inches between him and me. “It’s good to see you again. Please, sit.” He picks up the Bordeaux bottle and pours her a glass.
“Thanks for coming,” I add. “I thought you should know, Colin told me he’s actually really nervous about meeting you.”
“Babe, why would you tell her that?” Colin asks, laughing. “That’s not fair.”
“Susie and I don’t keep secrets,” Allison replies. “That’s what makes her such a good friend.”
“I’m sure it is. In the short time I’ve known her, I’ve been very impressed by her integrity and giving nature. I wish I could say that of more of my friends. She’s really something.”
Allison nods. “Okay, Colin. You can relax a little. Susie may not have dated a lot of men, but she’s one of the smartest people I know. If she’s fond of you, I’m sure there’s a good reason.”
“Thanks,” he says, raising his glass to her. Allison and I raise ours as well, and we toast.
“Susie’s told me about each of your past dates. At length. And that has impressed me, too. I’m honestly surprised tonight’s the first night you’ve taken her to a place like this. I thought you’d hit up the clubs every night.”
“Nah.” Colin waves dismissively. “This gets old very quickly. It really never changes. What I like about it is really to bring someone here for the first time and see how they react. It tells you a lot about a person.”
“Oh?”
“For most of the people here, this is the height of success. Being in this room, paying $20 for a shot of vodka, that means they’ve made it. And if that’s what they want in life, good for them. But I see the two of you, who have dedicated your lives to a good cause — you’re just not that impressed with this place. Not in the ways that matter.”
“Thank you,” says Allison. “Okay, you’re doing good, but I’ve got a tough one.”
Colin grins. “Shoot.”
“So, you’re doing pretty well for yourself. You’ve got more money than you can spend in several lifetimes. Why don’t you just retire and enjoy your life, with no troubles ever again? Why keep working?”
“That’s not a tough one, Allison. I get asked that all the time.”
“Really?” She raises an eyebrow and shoots me a glance, like I should know this.
“Yeah. Here’s what I don’t tell the journalists: I used to think I would totally retire once I felt I’d made e
nough. To be honest, I don’t know when I stopped thinking that way. But when you’ve struggled, and are finally making it, winning gets addictive. Like, when you pull off a major move in the business world, one that will shake the entire industry, that’s a thrill that’s really impossible to experience in any other way. And when you’re at the top of the mountain, you want to show the rest of the world that you’re still the best at what you do. I think there’s a part of me that will never stop feeling that way.”
“You just like to win,” Allison summarizes.
“Who doesn’t?” Colin shrugs.
“True… but does that mean you’ll go to any length to get what you want?”
His eyes narrow as he regards my friend. I realize I’m staring, gauging his reaction. Now his nervousness is showing as he fidgets, and I can make out a sheen of sweat rising from his brow.
“I’ve gone pretty far, in some cases. But I have my limits. Shady mobsters, crooks, and killers make for good TV, but I like to keep that all confined to the screen.”
Colin’s trying to be funny, but Allison doesn’t laugh. Stone-cold, she stays focused on him.
“What about taking advantage of someone you claim to care about?”
He leans forward. “Why don’t you come out and say what you mean?”
Allison shakes her head and chuckles. “Okay, sure. Tell me why you picked the Lexington Center for your charity. Why, specifically.”
“Allison, that’s enough,” I interject. “You’re acting like he’s done something wrong.”
“Sorry, Susie, but let him answer. I think you’ll want to hear.” Allison opens her purse and takes out her cell. She turns it on then shows it to me. She has open a news article with the headline, Lexington to announce media partnership this week.
“I’m really sorry, Susie, I swear. But Colin only came to you so he could get an in with your dad.”
I pass Allison back her phone absently, replaying the last week and more in my mind. “I don’t believe you. We’ve never talked about my dad’s business at all,” I argue, though I’m not convinced I’m right. I was so wrapped up in the idea that I finally met a good man, one who I could really fall for, that I never considered his business and personal interests might intersect more than he’s letting on.
“I swear,” says Colin. “Susie, if I didn’t care for you, this past week never would have happened. I am here because I want you. And it has nothing to do with your dad.”
“Maybe not anymore,” mutters Allison.
“I’m sorry?” he growls.
“I can accept you fell for Susie once you got to know her, Mr. Legend. Why not? She’s the best. But that is not why you took her out at the beginning. Your company is gunning for that deal with Lexington, and that’s what started all of this. Tell me I’m wrong.”
The way Allison spat out her words knocked me back in my seat. I’d never heard her so fired up before. I turn to Colin. “Well?”
He sighs and finishes his glass of wine. “I don’t want to lie to you, Susie. So I won’t.”
“I don’t believe this,” I say, moving away from him, forcing Allison to get out of the booth.
“Please, Susie,” he begs. “Everything we felt in the last week, that was all real. It’s why I stayed with you and blew off my business. I wanted to be with you.”
I consider tossing my drink in his face, but the last thing I want to do is cause a scene and draw attention to us. Instead, my reply comes out harsher than anything I’ve ever said before. “Or maybe you just wanted to score a virgin. You know, because winning is so important.” I turn to Allison as I get up. “Come on, let’s go.”
Colin doesn’t try to stop us as we leave, and I don’t look back.
Allison and I catch a city cab, something I rarely do: I’m usually driven around by Packer, but when I left earlier that evening, I never imagined I wouldn’t be with Colin.
Tonight was supposed to be the night…
And to think, it would have been to… a Colin. What a joke. I thought the Kens were bad. They just wanted a rich wife they could sponge off of, but at least they wanted a wife. Colin only came to me to get at Daddy; after he’d gotten what he wanted, would he have just tossed me aside? Would I have served my purpose? Or would he have stuck around to claim my virginity, too, something to sweeten the pot?
“I’m sorry for what happened,” Allison says.
“It’s not your fault,” I mumble. I’m staring out the window, watching the people on the streets and wishing I could be one of them, any of them, just so I wouldn’t have to be me right now.
I know I’m not supposed to envy others, not with the life of privilege I was born to, but at times like these, how could I not want a simple, normal life?
“I should have said something sooner,” adds Allison, and I hear a catch in her voice as if she’s trying not to cry.
Shouldn’t I be the one in tears?
Maybe it just hasn’t hit me yet. I’m numb. Later the dam will burst, and I’ll let it out, but right now it’s not happening. “It’s fine. At least we didn’t…”
Allison takes my hand but doesn’t say anything else. She holds it until the cab arrives at her place. When she gets out, she holds the door open and waits for me. “Susie, come on.”
I shake my head. “No, it’s okay. I’d like to go home.”
“Fuck that. You’re staying at my place tonight.”
“What about Brett?” I ask, thinking about her fiancée. “Won’t he mind?”
“He wouldn’t, but don’t even worry: Brett’s visiting his brother in San Diego. Now get out of the car.”
Despite the pain burning in my heart, I can’t help smiling. Allison’s cute when she puts her foot down. “All right, all right.”
Riding the elevator to her floor, I mumble, “I don’t have any overnight things. I don’t want to…”
“What?”
I grin, shaking my head. “I don’t want to go home tomorrow in this dress.”
Allison snorts, then breaks into a laugh. “What, you don’t want to take a walk of shame… while still a virgin?”
“Shut up.” I’m surprised at how good it feels to enjoy the humor of the situation.
Allison pulls me in for a hug. “Listen, do you have any idea how many of your outfits I’ve borrowed and not returned? You’re not going home in that dress, I promise.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
The first thing Allison does when we get inside is open up the freezer and raid it for the ice cream. She sets two separate pints out on the table: butter pecan and double caramel fudge. “Take your pick.”
“Can I have both?” I ask, grabbing a spoon from the drawer.
“Of course.”
We watch Friends reruns, and I eat ice cream until I can barely feel my tongue. I don’t even remember falling asleep, but I wake up on Allison’s couch with a blanket draped over me. I find a note on the counter.
Susie, don’t worry about coming in today. I’ll cover your shift. -A
Indeed, I am alone in her apartment, which is so small and plain compared to mine, though it’s still perfectly nice. Warm and cozy, with tasteful furniture and decor. As I dress, I wonder if I should get a place like this. Leave the world of rich men behind altogether. Maybe even legally change my name. I could dye my hair so men wouldn’t recognize me. Then I could stop meeting Kens and Daniels and Colins. I could meet Adams and Toms and Petes and more.
It would be nice, but I can’t give up the Lexington Center.
And Allison is nuts if she thinks I’m letting her take my shift after all she’s done for me already. I call Packer and ask him to pick me up, and to bring some plain, fresh clothes. It doesn’t take him long to arrive, and soon we’re driving to the center.
I don’t expect to see another limo parked outside.
When I buzz myself in, Allison is there to intercept me.
“What’s going on?”
She puts a finger to her lips and motions
for me to follow. Heading toward the common room, I begin to hear a series of loud, quick bangs.
“Is somebody doing construction work?” I ask.
“Sort of,” Allison whispers.
When we get in, the place is a mess, with packing supplies and building tools scattered all over the place. Wooden boards, cans of nails, and cardboard boxes are piled high, and at the end of it all there’s Colin, a hammer in hand.
“What the hell is this?”
He turns to see me, his eyes widening. “It was supposed to be a surprise. We thought you were taking the day off.”
Colin steps aside so I can see his project: a series of pretty, wooden bookshelves. He’s positioned them against a bare wall that I had left open hoping an artist would volunteer to paint it, but I never found one.
“Where did all this come from?”
Chuckling, Colin gets back to work finishing the last shelf. “I bought the supplies this morning and had them delivered. I know how you feel about funding for this place, so if you want to reimburse me, I won’t take offense.”
I crouch down and open one of the boxes to find it full of books, especially for children and young adults. They look used and old. “Where did you get these?”
“They were mine,” Colin explains. “My collection from childhood. They’ve been in a storage facility for a decade. It’s a waste, really. I should have donated them years ago.”
Nodding, I get up. “And you’re putting it all together yourself. How long have you been here?”
“Since I let him in at eight,” answers Allison. “But he says he was waiting at the entrance for an hour until then.”
I look at my phone and see it’s nearly noon. “Wow. And you don’t have anywhere better to be, Mr. Legend? Like, in your board room, trying to put together a pitch for my dad?”
Colin sets the hammer down and takes off his brown, suede work gloves. He’s got on faded jeans and a white t-shirt, and even in plain clothing looks remarkably handsome. Muscles bulging from his short sleeves, he pops open a bottled water and takes a long drag.
“So, I take it this is your official apology,” I mumble, wanting to sound more critical but having difficulty mustering the resolve.
The Virgin Heiress: A Billionaire & Virgin Romance Page 6