Indulgence (Taking Chances #1)

by Jeanne McDonald

  Cutting the engine, I reached for my cell phone, not caring to look at the number of missed calls I had from Jacoby. There were quite a few. After I tossed my wet socks and slipped on my shoes, I got out of the car and ran to the front door. The wind had died down, but the temperature continued to drop. A large, green wreath, matching the poinsettias on the walk, welcomed visitors with Christmas cheer.

  I lifted my hand about to knock, but before I could, the door flew open. Pure warmth and the scent of peppermint poured from the house and engulfed me. I may have even sighed in relief, but it was hard to tell due to Amber shouting from behind the door, “Whatcha standing out here freezing your ass off for? Get in here!”

  No one had to tell me to get out of the cold more than once.

  The moment I stepped inside, the door swung closed behind me.

  “Took you long enough.”

  I whipped around to find Amber standing where the door had been. Her long, blonde hair hung over her shoulders in perfect waves. Big, hazel green eyes stared back at me. Amber’s plump pout was painted to match her silk red dress. How blondes could pull the bright red lipstick look off always amazed me. If I attempted to wear red lipstick it would clash with my hair, making me look like a giant lobster instead of a sexy minx.

  “Traffic’s a bitch out there,” I complained.

  “Ugh,” Amber groaned. “I was afraid of that. Oh, well. I guess that means we’ll have to leave earlier than expected to get there on time.” She gave me a wink and started down the hall.

  “I beg your pardon? Get where on time?” I asked. She was directing me back to her bedroom, which confused me.

  “Indulgence, of course,” she replied, as if my question was absurd.

  I stopped dead in my tracks. “Indulgence?” The word fell from my tongue in one long syllable.

  Of course. That explained the dress, but then that meant…

  I shook my head. This wasn’t possible. I’d already jumped to enough conclusions today and I wasn’t about to jump to another one. I must have misunderstood her.

  Amber turned around and smiled that perfect grin of hers, which always seemed to capture the attention of any man she wanted. “Yes, Indulgence. You’ve had a crappy—no, scratch that—shitty day, and this is the perfect remedy.”

  “Is that so?” I admonished.

  “Yes, it is. After Jacoby pulled his stupid little stunt tonight, I figured this would be a quick fix.”

  “An erotic masquerade is your suggestion to fix my problems?”

  “No,” her voice rose. “Kicking Jacoby in the nards would fix your problem. This is just a Band-Aid to help you remember you’re a successful, sexy, thirty-year-old woman with needs that must be met.”

  A loud burst of laughter exploded from my chest. I knew she had to be joking, but the idea of me jamming my knee into Jacoby’s nuts was better than visions of sugarplums in my head.

  Amber continued down the hall to her bedroom. My feet, moving of their own accord, followed her into her personal sanctuary.

  The room was bright and open, meeting Amber’s demands for order. Everything was in its proper place, and not even the slightest speck of dust was visible. The only thing out of order was a slinky, black lace dress, which was laid out on the bed. Beside the evening wear rested two masquerade masks. One was silver with red feathers strategically placed at the corner of the eyes, and the other was a subdued black mask. There were no sequins or frills. It was elegant, lined with lace matching that of dress resting beside it.

  “Oh my god! You’re serious!” I exclaimed.

  “Why wouldn’t I be?” Amber gave me a nonchalant shrug.

  I walked over to the bed and brushed my fingers along the ridge of the mask. “Amber, we both know that I really can’t go to this thing. For one, I wouldn’t know what to do there.”

  “That’s a no brainer, my dear. You get fucked. Hard, fast, and thoroughly until you can’t walk or see straight.”

  I rolled my eyes and groaned. The thought had merit. One night. No strings attached. “Fine. What about the fact that I don’t have an invitation? I never sent in my paperwork.”

  Amber turned around and opened the top drawer of her dresser. She extracted a white envelope and tossed it on top of the dress. Much to my surprise, the package was addressed to me. I dropped my cell phone and keys on the bed and picked it up, shocked to find it was sealed. Amber pursed her lips and motioned for me to look inside. I ripped open the envelope and pulled out a sheet of heavy parchment. At the top was the Indulgence insignia, which was followed by some of the most beautiful calligraphy I could’ve imagined.

  Dear Ms. George,

  It is my sincere honor to notify you that you’ve been selected to participate in this year’s Indulgence celebration. There are a few things you should understand in accepting this invitation.

  Blah, blah, blah. The letter continued until I reached the bottom to find Sebastian Hawk’s signature in closing.

  I looked up at Amber with my mouth gaped open. “Is this for real?”

  “Yep.” She beamed.

  “How?” My eyes darted back and forth between my friend and the letter in my hand. Sebastian Hawk had actually signed this letter. He held this paper in his hand. The schoolgirl inside me giggled with glee.

  “You did all the leg work. I just sent it in,” Amber confirmed.

  That little sneak. She must’ve taken my completed paperwork from my house. God, I loved this woman.

  “And why are you just now showing it to me?”

  Amber linked her fingers in front of her, hunching her shoulders forward, swaying like a little girl in trouble. She lifted her eyes to meet mine and grinned. Her expression screamed mischievousness. “I never had any reason to tell you. You made it clear that you had no intention in attending, but going through all the work and not following through with the completion about drove me crazy.”

  “You have some serious control issues,” I chuckled, dropping my gaze back to the paper in my hand. My thumbs traced Sebastian’s elegant signature. It was as pretty as he was.

  “That might be true, but at least I know how to live a little. Which is exactly what you need to do tonight. Forget about Jacoby. Forget about finding Mr. Right, and just enjoy Mr. Right Now. Or hell, how about trying on Ms. Right Now, too. Maybe have them both at the same time. The sky’s the limit,” she suggested with a wiggle of her sculpted eyebrows.

  “You realize I’m not a lesbian, yes?”

  “Neither am I, but I can tell you that a woman can eat pussy better than many men can. Men are only good for their dicks and rock hard bodies.”

  My mouth dropped. I knew Amber was promiscuous and that she’d been to other events such as Indulgence, but it never dawned on me that she might partake in something beyond heterosexual sex. Not that I’m naive, but she’d only ever dated men. Who knew?

  Amber laughed at my current fish impression. With the tips of her fingers, she clamped my mouth shut. “All I’m saying is don’t knock it until you try it.”

  I shook my head, unsure what to think. “I don’t know.”

  “What’s to know? Let loose, live a lit…”

  The vibration of my phone rumbled against the lace on the bed, interrupting her dialectic. I groaned, expecting to see Jacoby’s name appear, but instead it flashed Ralph Eddington.

  The poor guy; I’d go by Eddie too if my parents had named me Ralph. Every Ralph in the history of television was a bumbling idiot, which Eddie wasn’t in the least likely bit. His only real flaw seemed to be that he had seen one too many John Hughes films in his life. I swear that man had a John Hughes quote for every occasion. On top of that, he drove a candy apple red 1983 Porsche 944. No wonder he fell for Jacoby. He fit right in with Eddie’s Jake Ryan fantasy.

  “That man has some cojones calling you,” Amber growled. Before I could grab my phone, she had it in her hand. “Let me handle this.” She swiped the screen and engaged the speakerphone. “Addison George’s phone. Speak, A
sshole.”

  “Oh, thank God, she’s there,” Eddie said, sounding relieved.

  “Of course she’s here. After what your fiancé́ did to her, where else would she go?” she spat.

  “Amber, I understand you’re pissed and you have every right to be. You’re only protecting her, but please know I had no hand in this. I told Jacoby that this was a terrible idea.”

  “Oh and that makes things all better?” she snarled.

  “Amber,” I warned.

  “Addison, is that you? Jacoby is worried sick over here. He feels like a complete ass for everything that happened today.”

  “He is an ass!” Amber exclaimed. “Not only did he break her heart a year ago, but he took advantage of her kindness today. That asshole doesn’t deserve to have her as a friend.”

  I ran my fingers through my hair as tears formed that would never spill. “Stop it, Amber. I can handle this.”

  “Stop being so nice to them. They don’t deserve it. Let out that fiery redhead temper I’ve seen a million times before.”

  “Amber, stop antagonizing her. What Jacoby did today was foolish, but having her yell at him isn’t the answer. She’s had him worried, and her running out on him like she did was uncalled for. He’s been nothing but a good friend to her.”

  My eyes shot open. “He’s been a good friend to me?” I repeated in disbelief. How dare this man suggest that I had been anything but a good friend to Jacoby. Most people would’ve told him where to take a long walk off a short pier after what he did, but no, I stood up for him. All that money out the window on a wedding that would never happen, and I defended him. Protected him. Cared for him even while I felt the world crumble around my head. “Fuck you!”

  A half smirk creased the corner of Amber’s mouth. Without a word, she handed me the phone and stepped back. I inhaled deep, closed my eyes and allowed everything that I’d held deep inside to be released. Enough was enough. “Listen, Ralph,” I could practically feel him cringe at the sound of that name, “tell Jacoby that I said fuck off, you insensitive prick. For the last year I’ve swallowed my pride and accepted him coming out of the closet while breaking my heart in the process. I’ve endured the torture of watching him grow closer to the man who replaced me. I even befriended you, never allowing my smile to falter in his presence. But today, he threw that smile, along with my pride, back in my face. And your accusation that I was being childish…”

  “I didn’t say that,” Eddie argued.

  “No, you implied it, and I wasn’t being childish. I was hurt and needed to get away. So, again I say, fuck you. And fuck your boyfriend, fiancé, whatever. I’m done playing the dutiable friend for now. Other women would have tossed him to the curb when he did what he did, but not me. Well, now I need space. Give it to me.”

  This time it was Amber who was impersonating a fish. She blinked her eyes and a huge grin exploded across her face. In the middle of her bedroom, she started doing a jig of celebration.

  Eddie remained silent. Even though I was breathing very hard, it was almost as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. All this time I’d carried those feelings with me, and in a moment of clarity, I realized that all the guys I’d been dating hadn’t been as douche-y as I thought. The douche was me, because I was holding on to the past.

  “Is that all?” Eddie asked, his tone soft and steady.

  “Yes. Now, I have to go. I’ve got to get ready to be fucked by a real man tonight.”

  Amber went from doing a jig to full on twerking. It was amazing to watch her move like that in such a delicate dress, but that woman had the moves.

  I ended the call without giving Eddie a chance to say another word. A deep sigh pushed from my chest. I threw the phone on the bed and laughed. I laughed long and hard; to the point I was breathless. I laughed so hard that I hunched over, grappling the bed for support. After a few minutes, Amber started laughing with me. Every time either of us tried to say something, it came out as a jumble of words. Swimming in laughter, we fell back on the bed, uncaring of the dress and accessories beneath us. We just laughed. It felt good. Liberating.

  When we finally stopped laughing, I tilted my head to the side and smiled. “You know I’ve already forgiven him, right?” My stomach muscles hurt from all of the laughter, but the pain was nothing in comparison to the relief I felt.

  “Yep.” She smacked her lips. “You forgave him the moment it happened, but it was nice to see the real Addison come out to play.”

  I chucked her chin and smiled. “That really did feel good.”

  “Oh, I bet, but can I ask you something that’s really been bugging me?”

  “Didn’t you just ask me something?” I countered.

  “Fuck off, Bitch,” she laughed. “But seriously. I know what you were probably thinking tonight, but what I really want to know is, are you still in love with Jacoby?”

  I opened my mouth to respond, but she continued, cutting me off. “I don’t mean love him. I know you love him. You’ll always love him. There’s a bond between you that no one can deny. But are you really in love with him? Like toe curling, heart shattering, breathtaking in love with him? I just don’t see how, after this past year, you could be.”

  Her question took me by surprise. I had to stop and think about what she said. I knew I’d accepted Jacoby for who he was, but I’d never considered my true feelings for him to be anything other than being in love. We’d been together for so long, it was hard to conceive feeling differently for him. However, Amber had a point. I loved him—I always would—but if I were truly honest with myself, I wasn’t in love with him. And it was quite possible that I’d never been in love with him. We were us, and us was all I knew.

  She patted my thigh and sat up. My silence was answer enough for her. “That’s what I thought.” She gave me a quick wink and bounced up off the bed. “Now, let’s get you ready. You have a date with destiny tonight.”

  I sat up, chuckling. “I don’t think getting laid classifies as destiny.”

  “Stranger things have happened. You’ll never know unless you take a chance.”

  Stalling, I added, “I never pegged you as a romantic.”

  Amber gave me a playful wink. “I’m not, but I’ll say just about anything to talk you into going with me. C’mon. Take a chance. It’ll be fun.”

  The idea was still a bit unnerving to me, but I was warming up to it. How many people could say they’d done something like this? While I was intrigued by the whole notion of a night of illicit sex without consequences, that good girl in me was nudging me to say thanks but no thanks.

  “Trust me,” Amber beseeched me. “I would never let anything bad happen to you. We’ll go, have some fun, and make a night of memories you’ll never want your children or grandchildren to know about.” Rolling my eyes, I laughed. Only Amber could make light of something like this. She extended her hand out to me. “It’s New Years Eve. A night to take chances.”

  I stared at her open hand, considering the facts. I was young, single, and it was New Years. I had nothing to lose.

  Amber wiggled her fingers in a reminder that I was leaving her hanging. “To taking chances,” she offered.

  With a soft chuckle, I clasped my hand in hers and gave it a good squeeze. Inhaling deeply, I smiled and nodded. “Okay. To taking chances.”

  Chapter Four

  “You look nervous,” Amber teased.

  “Do I?”

  Of course I was nervous! Who wouldn’t be? I was about to spend the next ten hours, completely nude, with strangers who were all congregated for the sole purpose of promiscuous sex. One might think that fact alone had me nervous, but the truth of the matter was, I was just as concerned about the constant nudity as I was having sex with complete strangers. So what if our faces were covered? People I didn’t know from Adam were about to see me in my birthday suit. How the hell did I get myself caught up in this again?

  “You don’t need to be,” she mused.

  “That’s easy
for you to say.”

  The cold evening air caused goose bumps to form over my flesh. The silk wrap that Amber had given me to match my dress did nothing to keep the elements at bay. We walked toward the entrance of the most magnificent house I’d ever seen, and I’d seen my fair share of mansions. Working with pompous businessmen who enjoy the finer things of life, one gets used to seeing commodities that look as though they belong to royalty. But this house made my bosses’ homes look like shacks in comparison.

  Large white pillars, similar to the ones seen in Grecian temples, beckoned guests to the burgundy-stained double front doors. The dim dusk light danced across the white brick of the luxury estate, enhancing its grandeur. There were too many windows to count, but each one looked like perfect crystal sparkling in the dying sun. However, I found it odd that there were no decorations on the outside of the house. You’d think since it was New Year’s Eve, there would be something decorative indicating as such. These people were spending their final hours of the year fucking like wild rabbits in his house; the least he could do is make it look festive.

  As we walked, I couldn’t help but observe the people who were attending. Everyone was dressed for a black tie affair, which I found to be silly since the attendees would shed their clothing upon entering the building. What a waste! Yet, even stranger was how this crowd was nothing like I’d anticipated. All their faces were covered with masks, but that didn’t change their physical appearance. Everyone ranged in age, shape, race, and size. Not everyone was the Barbie and Ken mockup I’d expected. Sure, we had the perfect people with their tight bodies and broad chests, but there were also those who were just common, everyday people.

  Amber opened her small clutch and pulled out her invitation and driver’s license. Hazel eyes peered at me from behind her silver mask, dancing with excitement.

  “You’re overthinking this. We’re young. We’re hot, and we have every right to allow ourselves to live a little.”

  I shook my head, laughing. Okay, so maybe she had a point. I did look damn good in this dress, even if I had to say so myself. Slender but curved in all the right places, my five-foot-five frame was accented quite nicely by the sleek design of the dress. Even I had to admit it did wonders for my rack and ass. I adjusted my mask along the bridge of my nose. The strap at the back of head tugged gently on my hair. Slipping my fingers beneath the ribbon, I released the strands caught within its grasp.