“No,” I said emphatically.
“You sure?” he scrutinized, giving Kalen a quick glance. “I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes.”
“No,” I repeated. “In fact, Kalen was just leaving.” It was my attempt to try to put the kibosh on the awkwardness.
Kalen in fact didn’t move. However, Brian’s attention was firmly back to me. His inquiring eyes softened a bit as he took me in.
Seeing his admiring gaze, I did a little twirl. “You like?” I asked before I could wonder how much patience Kalen had.
“I do,” Brian said. “You are certainly going to be the most beautiful woman at dinner tonight.” His words might have been directed at me while capturing my gaze. However, as he said them, he flicked his attention to Kalen for a brief second.
“We should go,” I said. “I’m sure Kalen has somewhere else to be.” My words were punctuated with meaning.
Brian answered, “He didn’t tell you? We’re all going out together. His date’s already in the limo. He was next in line to pick up.”
I spun around to narrow my eyes at Kalen, who looked completely unflustered. He’d planned this. I would bet my life on it. “No, he didn’t tell me. I guess he forgot.” I heard the sarcasm in my voice. It was too late to take it back.
“This was already planned before Brian asked you along,” Kalen said impassively.
Pivoting, I directed my gaze forward again. “We should leave then.” I headed to the door. Brian’s hand met the small of my back. I had the door open just a smidge before it swung out of my hand to open wide. I turned to see Kalen’s menacing eyes. I rolled my own but stepped forward, making my way to the elevator, leaving Brian to catch up. Kalen wouldn’t do anything to him, would he?
The elevator ride could have been labeled as one from hell. It seemed like the entire building was headed out for the night. As more passengers piled on at each floor down, Kalen helped make room by tugging me back towards him. With each stop more space was put between me and Brian. I ended up on opposite sides of the cab from my date, pressed more and more to Kalen like fly paper.
I should have been amused to find out Kalen was a stone cold liar. He couldn’t deny he wasn’t affected by me. His erection pushed against my back, letting me know just how much he’d bullshitted me earlier in his office. More and more his words at that time didn’t make sense as his strong arms wrapped around me possessively. Extending this torment, the elevator just about stopped on every floor on the way down.
Kalen took the opportunity to tease me when I couldn’t protest or fight back without drawing attention to us. His hand glided easily from my hips to the front of my thighs. He tugged up my dress despite my efforts to stop him. He even managed to slip a finger to the center of my panties to rub skillfully. My head dropped back to his chest involuntarily.
Thank god for eighty-year-old Ms. Heartly, my neighbor a floor below me, who was chatting up Brian. He graciously bobbed his head in agreement while listening attentively to whatever she was saying. I was nearing panting from Kalen’s ministrations when she showed Brian her miniature poodle.
“Kalen,” I admonished, speaking somewhere between a whisper and regular tone.
A gasped escaped me when he pushed a finger underneath and inside me. “Wet for me already?” he whispered in my ear with a self-satisfied tone.
The elevator finally opened to the lobby with a ding and suddenly the cab began to empty. Brian was still listening while he stepped out, helping Ms. Heartly. Kalen and I were last to leave. I spun on my heels, and slapped him hard across the face before I stormed off. I forced myself to find a smile to give to Brian. He glanced up from his conversation with a grin of his own. He held out a hand and I took it in rebelliousness of Kalen’s orders.
Immediately, I was sucked into the tale Ms. Heartly was sharing about losing her poodle. Apparently, the poor thing got on the elevator yesterday before she did and the doors closed between them. It was a harrowing experience for them both. The poodle still held an alarmed expression nearly quivering in her arms.
I was jostled in place when a hand landed hard on my backside. The noise of which was muffled by the poodle toy like barks. Brian was still giving the older woman his attention and didn’t notice when Kalen spoke in my ear. “That’s for letting him touch you. This is my last warning, or I’ll take out my anger on him.”
My jaw dropped as Kalen continued outside unperturbed. Brian being a gentleman was still giving the older woman his full attention. When we finally got free from my former neighbor, he walked me out, none the wiser about what happened.
I moved forward, evading his touch and feeling foolish. Why was I letting Kalen dictate to me? He had a date, for goodness sake.
The driver was a tall man who could double as a bodyguard sporting dark shades. As he opened the door for us, I made a silent vow not to glower at Kalen’s date. I wouldn’t know this woman. And it wasn’t her fault she would be caught in the crosshairs of whatever was going on between us. I had manners and I would somehow use them.
Inside, I came face to face with a woman I never thought to see in person, the heiress. She was stunning with black hair off to one side coiffed in waves worthy of any shampoo commercial. She was the woman Kalen had taken up with days after I left. Jealousy bubbled up in me.
Reaching out a hand, I graciously said, “I’m Bailey.” My face hurt from the smile that I forced there. I wasn’t mad at her. How could she know or care about me? I was angry at Kalen for dating her so soon after I left. Just because I’d told him to move on didn’t mean he had to after claiming to love me.
“Kinsey St. Claire,” she said, giving my hand a quick shake that was barely more than a limp wrist action. I was used to the professional, stiff two-pump handshakes. But my face held onto a painted on smile.
We sat on the only empty bank of seats, which faced the door. A hand moved out in front of me, diverting my attention. “Hi, I’m Suz,” the woman said who sat across from me. She had a very distinct New York accent with red hair like mine, until I spotted brown roots that were the color of her eyebrows. I was struck that she didn’t say Suzie or Suzanne, but call me Suz.
“Griffith,” the blond, severely handsome guy sitting next to her said. I remembered him briefly from the pub in Scotland, but we’d never been introduced.
I was in very mixed company. From the very rich Kinsey, to a woman like me, and Suz, or so I assumed. I didn’t know her story, but she didn’t sit all prim and proper. I figured I’d found my friend for the night.
At dinner, I was sandwiched between Brian and Suz at a round table, which was fine by me. Kalen was across from me, silent but staring. Brian was pulled into conversation with the billionaire’s daughter who sat on his other side.
Suz and I got into a conversation about hair color. She was impressed with mine. That only led to an uncomfortable explanation that my hair was naturally that color. It wasn’t a great “dye” job as she’d praised. Suz turned out to be a good sport about it which relieved me.
“So Bailey, how do you know Brian?” Griffith asked, pointedly. Kalen apparently hadn’t told his best friend I was coming to dinner because I assume that question would have already been answered. Kalen probably assumed his threats were going to work.
Brian took the opportunity to answer. “I met her in Ireland at this great little café.” He grinned in recollection. “I went there one morning because the café I normally frequented was too crowded and I’d been in a hurry that day. There she was. I made a point to come back every day.”
I found myself eyeing Kalen covertly for his response. Like him, I hadn’t known this part of Brian’s story. I watched with a spike of fear as Kalen’s knuckles went white around the steak knife he held.
Griffith, however, wasn’t done. His motivation was for blood, mine. I couldn’t tell if he was complimenting Brian or disparaging me. In his thick accent, he said, “Oh, I bet with a handsome guy like yourself, she jumped at the opportunity to go out wi
th you.”
Bullets of mass destruction left my eyes. Griffith had just made it clear he wasn’t my biggest fan. And what had I done to him? He met my gaze and mine didn’t waver.
Brian, as it turned out, was good-natured. Unfazed, he answered, “Not exactly. In fact, I didn’t think she’d ever crack. It wasn’t until I told her I was leaving the next day for the U.S. that she finally agreed.”
“Is she any good in bed?” Griffith threw out there.
I stood fuming, thinking if I’d been a dog, I would have been foaming at the mouth, ready to tear into the guy. “What is your problem?” I asked.
Brian looked between Griffith and me. Being the smart guy, Brain began puzzling the pieces together. “This is your first time to the U.S. in a while. And Bailey’s working in DC. When did the two of you meet?”
The light was dawning on everyone at the table. Griffith hadn’t been subtle with his tone or questions. All the while, Kalen said nothing. That didn’t go unnoticed by me.
Griff sneered as if relishing sharing this information. “I met her when Kalen brought her to Scotland before she deceptively fled to Ireland.”
I didn’t wait to see the light dim in Brian’s eyes. He had to have put it together that Kalen and I had lied to him. I grasped the napkin from my lap as I stood up and tossed it onto my plate. I headed for the nearest waiter or waitress to direct me to the ladies’ room.
Inside, I turned the water to cold. I let my fingers get numb before I placed them on my closed eyelids. Damn, my makeup. I could feel my eyes puff with unshed tears. I wouldn’t let Griffith or Kalen make me cry.
A hand touched my shoulder and I looked into a friendly face. “It’s okay, huh, I told the jackass he was an ass.”
Something between a sob and a laugh escaped me. “Thanks.”
“Ever since I met the man, he talks about his friend constantly. I thought maybe he was in the closet the way he goes on and on about Kalen this, and Kalen that. But the man can screw. So I told myself if he swings the other way, why should I care? I’m getting my serving of O. And these days, more and more men are going both sides. And women too.”
The girl was speaking in a monologue, but at the same time I was happy she hadn’t asked if I was okay.
“So the way I see it,” she continued, “he’s looking out for his friend. I saw the way he looks at you.”
“Griffith?” I asked. Not sure why I interrupted her diatribe.
“No Kalen. That man wants you for sure.”
Just then, the door opened and Kinsey sauntered in as if to add salt to my wound.
“So you’re my competition.” She was blunt; I had to give her that.
“No, I’m not. There is nothing going on between Kalen and me. And I’m not here to bust up whatever you’ve got going with him. I’m not even mad,” I said, not sure why I felt I had to say all that.
“Really?” she questioned skeptically.
“Really. I’m just here until tomorrow and then I go back to DC.”
“Awe,” Suz crooned. “I thought maybe we could hang out.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. I actually kind of liked her. “We always have tonight.”
“How about we blow this joint and go dancing? I know just the place.” It wasn’t Suz who spoke. It was my competition. I didn’t want to think of her that way and I didn’t want to make this a party of six.
“Now that sounds like fun,” Suz chimed in.
Once we made it back to the table, everything changed. The guys looked anxious as we approached. Even Kalen watched me. I bet he wondered what I’d said about him to his date.
Griff traded a glance with Kalen before he spoke to me. “I’m a shite.”
“What’s a shite?” Suz asked.
“Okay, wanker. I’m a wanker.”
“Wanker. We don’t talk like that here. Tell her you’re an asshole,” Suz insisted.
He gave her a smile that spoke volumes. He liked her, maybe even a lot.
“Fine. I’m an asshole.” It was funny how he tried to imitate her accent which made me partially smile. “I shouldn’t have said those things. I’m sorry.”
I nodded at him, not wanting to accept, but how could I not?
“That’s good, because we’re headed to the hottest club in New York,” Kinsey declared.
Chapter Thirty
It could have been Kalen or the billionaire’s daughter. But we walked from the limo straight to the door, bypassing the line of those who wanted inside. With barely a word, we were waved in. Brian and I were sandwich in between Kalen and the beauty queen in the front of our pack, with Griffith and Suz taking up the rear.
Earlier, Brian had squeezed my hand under the table back at the restaurant shortly after my return from the bathroom. We hadn’t had an alone moment to talk, but I took that to mean, he wasn’t mad at me. It would be weird when we finally got alone and spoke. Then again, maybe Kalen had filled him in. Although I doubted he told Brian just how many orgasms he’d given me. Or maybe I could share with my date how many I had at night just dreaming about Kalen. Yeah, not so much.
The guys had gone straight to a VIP room to talk business, which had been the purpose of tonight’s dinner I’d found out on the ride over. As an accountant, I knew how many golf games, dinner parties, and the like were written off because of an hour conversation about business.
Suz and I decided to stay in the main part of the club. Kinsey surprised me. She apparently didn’t have a need to be the object of every guy’s attention because she stayed with us when I saw that she’d wanted to go with them. Go her, but with her killer looks, she could have any man she wanted. She had no need to make a nuisance of herself.
It didn’t take much after the dinner fiasco for the two of them to talk me into taking shots. I was at the point where I had no clue how many I’d downed. I assumed I was in a safe environment. Kalen was there. He would protect me, my drunken brain rationalized. Had I been sober, I would have known that to be a long shot.
“What is this called?” I slurred.
Suz giggled loudly, or so I thought. I caught her wide grin as I viewed the drink in front of me.
Kinsey, who’d drank as much as I, didn’t sound the least bit drunk. She answered, “It’s called a blow job.”
I threw my head back and giggled. Upside down, I met brilliant blue eyes. “What blue eyes you have,” I said, turning to face the guy right side up. He was cute and I didn’t have a boyfriend. There was no harm in flirting.
“The better to see your gorgeous face,” Mr. Blue Eyes said.
“You’re beautiful too,” I said wistfully. “And I don’t have a boyfriend. Do you have a boyfriend?”
His brows quirked. “No, I don’t have a boyfriend. How about dancing with me?”
“Sure,” I said, nodding, about to get to my feet.
A hand clamped down on my wrist. “Wait,” Kinsey said.
I mouthed in the most obvious slow way because it was loud and she probably couldn’t hear me. He is super cute. Kinsey nodded and Suz giggled.
“But drink first,” Kinsey admonished.
“Oh, yeah,” I said to both Kinsey and the guy while I bounced like a bobble head. “I have to do a blow job first.”
He sputtered. And I continued to giggle. “You like blow jobs, right?” I asked him with as much seriousness as an intoxicated person could.
For the life of me in my drunken state, I didn’t know why he nodded while eying his friends. I turned around in my seat, hoping the guy would still be there when I finished with my drink.
“Wait,” Kinsey said still holding my arm. “You have to lick the whipped cream off the side and top and take the whole glass in your mouth and toss back the contents without using your hands.” Her instructions were confirmed by the bartender who was suddenly there. He was kind of cute too with spikey hair and tats showing like sleeves on his arm.
“And spitters are quitters, right guys,” I said before a chorus of shouts came from behind. W
hen had we gotten an audience? No matter. “On three. One. Two. Three.”
Each of us had a shot before us. With hands clasped behind our backs, we went for it. I licked the foamy goodness and encased my mouth over the top, not bothering to scoop the rest of the cream out with my tongue. I tossed back my head with the shot glass firmly in my mouth. The liquid scalded my throat. I held my lids closed a second before my throat cleared everything. I set the glass back down and released my month.
The bartender said, “And we have a winner.”
More shouts and I noticed the girls were done as well. I spun my chair around causing me to feel dizzy. Still I didn’t wait to hear which one of us won. “About that dance,” I said to blue eyes.
He helped me to my feet as I swayed. Off of the high bar stool, the guy towered over me. I didn’t have time to analyze him before he was leading me into the throng of bodies on either side of me swaying to the beat. I had no idea where I was going because only tall people came to this club.
All my cares didn’t seem to matter for the first time in months. Even though I missed Lizzy and Violet like crazy, Suz and Kinsey turned out to be way cool. I danced with abandonment, just working the beat around me.
The music took a down turn in tempo. It was kind of a dark and mysterious song. I’d worked off some of my buzz through the string of songs. Blue eyes pulled me close and rolled his hips over mine, staring at me with intense eyes. His focus was solely on me. I was caught, unable to decide what to do as his lips slowly and methodically came closer to mine.
My first wild thought was that blue eyes was a vampire because suddenly he wasn’t there. I realized my assumptions were all wrong when green eyes replaced the blue ones and they weren’t at all happy to see me.
“Hey man,” the blue eyes protested, stumbling his way back over to where I was.
“Beat it,” Kalen threatened, not even bothering to look at him.
I spotted Kalen’s wing man, Griffith, eying the guy. Blue eyes rubbed at his jaw. Had Kalen punched him? Deciding two against one weren’t odds in his favor, blue eyes gave me one last mournful look. With pursed lips I nodded, letting the guy’s conscience free of any worry towards my safety. He loped off. Ire burned off more of my drunkenness.
Equity (Balance Sheet #3) Page 13