“Aw, thank you.” A waiter passes, carrying a silver tray on which are balanced a handful of champagne flutes. They sparkle in the lights from the Christmas tree and the candles which flicker all around the room.
Justin grabs two glasses and passes them to Ace and me. “I have a few people I need to chat up, but I want to catch up with the two of you later.” He leans in slightly toward Ace. “Marissa’s here, by the way.”
Ace stiffens and the arm around my waist goes rigid. “What’s she doing here?”
“I couldn’t avoid asking her,” Justin mutters. “She called me up the other day and made a big deal of not wanting to miss my New Year’s party. What was I supposed to say?”
“I can think of a few things,” Ace say dryly.
“I’m sorry. You can kick my ass later.” Justin hurries off, all smiles for another pair of guests. There must be a hundred people milling around and we have yet to leave the living room, which looks out onto a view of the city stretched out below us. People are mingling out on the balcony, too, and there’s music coming from the next room.
“Who’s Marissa?” I can’t help asking, since the frown lines in Ace’s forehead have yet to disappear.
“An ex.” He takes a sip of his champagne, still frowning.
My heart drops. “Do you still have a thing for her?”
“What? No. She’s a psychopath.”
“Ouch. You know, if you don’t want to stay, it’s okay. I have a rather recent ex myself, and I wouldn’t want to be at a party with him.”
He looks troubled, his brows drawn together as he continues to frown. It makes me remember the way my grandmother used to tease me when I was little and throwing a temper tantrum. Be careful. Your face might freeze that way.
He looks down at me again, and this time he’s smiling again. “No, it’s not as bad as that. I just don’t feel like being in the same room as her. But I’m here with you, and seeing you have a good time tonight means more to me than avoiding her.”
“Really?”
“Really, really. And I’ll tell you something else.” He leans down, his breath hot on my ear. “You’re easily the most beautiful woman here. And the sexiest.”
“Stop teasing,” I whisper, even as I tingle all over.
“Definitely the sexiest. Fuck it’s taking all my self-control to keep from bending you over the nearest flat surface and fucking you until you scream for mercy.”
My knees go weak and watery to the point where I’m glad his arm is still around my waist, holding me up. Otherwise, there would be a woman in a satin dress slumped over on the floor, and it is way too early in the evening for such a thing to happen.
We walk arm-in-arm around the room before moving into the next area, where the party is really kicking off. There’s a band playing in one corner and at least thirty people dancing their hearts out to an old-timey swing song. Nobody out there is anywhere close to professional, but they’re all having a blast. Maybe they really are just normal people, like me, giggling and snorting over how ungraceful their dancing is.
“Wanna give it a try?” Ace asks over the music.
My eyes fly open at the thought. “Erm, maybe not just yet. This dress wasn’t made for swinging. Something a little slower?”
“I’m going to take you up on that,” he warns.
My body flushes all over at the gleam in his eyes. He looks at me like I’m a treasure, something to cherish. With all these beautiful, fit, glowing women in the room, I’m the one he’s looking at this way. It’s like a dream. I should pinch myself.
Everybody knows who Ace is, and he knows them. Which means lots of conversations. Which means I need to stay on my toes, remember names, and generally interact with people so I don’t come off as aloof or worse stuck up. And here’s the thing which surprises me more than anything else: the girls are nice. Sweet, real, complaining that their feet hurt and wondering why they bothered wearing such high heels. We commiserate over that, and the way men never have to suffer that way.
I don’t know why, but I assumed they would all be mean and catty. I guess that’s because Gena is the only truly nice girl I’ve ever known who also happens to be pretty and fit. She’s the only good one out of a long line of bullies, mean girls and catty bitches I’ve known throughout my life.
I guess I knew the wrong people. The wrong women and the definitely the wrong men.
I love watching Ace work the room. He doesn’t need to announce his presence. Instead, he stands still and everybody comes to him. He’s like a tractor beam, pulling people in through the force of his charisma.
After an hour or so of this, and two glasses of champagne, I need to visit the powder room. I whisper this to one of the girls we’ve been chatting with, a perky redhead named Amelia.
“Justin always dedicates one of the suites to our needs,” she chuckles, pointing up the stairs. “It’s the first door on your right. You’ll probably find a handful of girls up there, resting their feet and touching up their makeup. Just go right in, the bathroom is attached.”
Walking up the stairs, my hand resting lightly on the polished wood of the bannister, makes me feel like a princess in a Disney movie. This is me, this is my life right now, I’m in the middle of all these beautiful people in this beautiful house and they’re treating me like one of them.
Just like Amelia promised, the first bedroom on the right has been devoted to the needs of the female guests. Justin is a hell of a host to think this up. There are baskets full of toiletries, feminine hygiene products, hairspray, makeup and much more I don’t have the chance to explore because I really have to pee. The bathroom is empty, with only a trio of girls seated around the bedroom with their feet up. All of them are laughing, and drinking, and having fun. I find myself smiling as I close the door between us.
It’s not until I’m finished washing my hands in the marble sink that I hear a snide voice. The first snide voice of the evening.
“I don’t know who she thinks she is, the fat cow. What’s with the dress? Tits and ass hanging out all over the place. You’d think she’d want to cover herself up—that is, if there’s enough fabric in the whole world to manage it.”
My heart freezes first. Followed by the rest of me. There’s only one person she could be talking about, whoever she is. I’m the only woman at the party who wears anything over a size four.
“Knock it off, Marissa. She’s right in the bathroom,” one of them hisses.
“I know. I followed her lard ass up here. What a joke.” So this is Marissa. What a charmer. I can see why she’s Ace’s ex, rather than his current squeeze.
“Stop it,” another voice implores. “You’re being cruel.”
“No, she’s being a bitch,” somebody else joins in.
“I don’t care what you all think. We know it’s true, don’t we? I guess Ace felt charitable or something, wanting to take a cow out to see how the other half lives.”
I stare at the marble wall and will myself not to cry. I won’t give her the satisfaction. I won’t let her see what she’s doing to me.
“I mean, there’s curvy and there’s fat,” Marissa continues, and it’s obvious she’s deliberately raising her voice to be heard. “Beyonce is curvy. This girl is just fat.”
“She’s really pretty,” one of the girls replies. “And I talked to her. She’s nice.”
“Fat girls always have to be nice. They need something to make up for the way they look.”
“That’s enough, Marissa. Just stop it now. You’re making a fool of yourself,” one of them scolds. “You know you’re just jealous because she’s here with Ace and you’re not. We see right through you, so just drop it.”
“I’m only trying to do the girl a favor,” Marissa defends herself. Her voice has become louder, so I know she’s standing by the door. Waiting for me to come out.
There is a mirror at the back of the toilet. I turn around and take a look at myself in it, stepping back to get a full look. I thought this dress
looked good on me, but maybe she’s right. Maybe James was right, too. My hips are a little too wide. It’s a little short, it shows off too much of my thighs. My legs aren’t sleek like the other girls’. My arms are too thick to be exposed the way they are.
But then, Ace likes it. He just about devoured me at first glance. When I remember that, and the way he worshipped my body last night, I remember how sexy I felt when I first got dressed. How beautiful I’ve felt all evening. Right up until this bitch made her presence known.
I want to get out of here. Now. But first, I have to show her she can’t hurt me. I won’t give her the satisfaction of watching me crumble or thinking she made me lock myself in the bathroom to avoid her.
So, I turn the handle and open the door with my head held high.
Here she is. Ace’s ex-girlfriend. Tall, willowy, with light blonde hair and baby-blue eyes. She could model for Victoria’s Secret. Maybe she does. I look her in the eye.
“Whoever stuck up for me out here is right,” I tell her in a firm voice which I won’t allow to shake. I absolutely won’t allow it. “Ace is here with me. Not you. So I must be doing something right.”
“Yessss,” I hear from one of the girls sitting around chatting, and somebody snaps her fingers. I have a cheering section. That helps, too.
“Exactly what favor do you think you’re doing for me by being so nasty?” I ask instead of clawing her eyes out.
She folds her slim arms, looking me up and down. “Face it, honey. You might be fun for a few days, maybe even a couple of weeks, but the owner of a successful, high-priced gym with a wealthy clientele can’t be seen around town with a fat girlfriend. It makes no sense. No way he’s going to want to be with you in the long-term. It’s better that you know this now, rather than setting yourself up to be heartbroken.”
And the thing is, none of the other girls speaks up for me when she makes this statement. Because she’s right, and we all know it. Ace would never want me to be his permanent girlfriend. Everyone understood that instinctively. He’s slumming and they’re happy to tolerate me while he’s infatuated by the unsuitable girl.
Damn it. I told Gena, didn’t I? I told her I didn’t want this to be anything more than fun because it’ll never work out in the end. I told her I didn’t want to get attached because it won’t go anywhere.
And yet, here I am with a sinking heart, wearing a dress that I now feel ridiculous in.
Even so, I keep my head held high. It’s the least I can do. “I never said I wanted to be his girlfriend, but I think he’s the one who gets to decide what makes him happy.”
Then I sail forward. I can’t bear to look at any of them when I leave the room, not even the girls who stuck up for me. It’s all too humiliating. I should’ve known I’d never really fit in. I’m like the mascot, the one they have to stick up for and be nice to. For Ace’s sake.
I don’t feel like a princess anymore as I hurry down the stairs as quickly as my shoes will allow. I need to go. I need to get home, to tear this dress off and never look at it again. What’s wrong with me? How could I have let myself get hurt like this?
Chapter 15
Dawn
“Dawn? What are you doing?” Ace asks catching up to me, touching my shoulder as I’m about to slide my arm into my coat. I can hardly see him through the tears in my eyes as he turns me to face him.
“I have to go. This was a mistake. I…” I turn my face away for fear that I might burst out sobbing. What a horrible turn the night has taken.
“What happened? Did some jerkoff grab you?”
I turn back to stare at him, mouth agape. “You’re joking, right?”
He frowns. “No.”
He honestly thinks one of the other men at the party groped me. Jesus Christ, is he for real? “Well, that’s not what happened. Hardly. Just the opposite. I don’t want be here anymore with…”
Ace turns his head and looks up toward the stairs, where Marissa is standing. Just a glance from the corner of my eye tells me she’s got a triumphant look on her bitchy face.
“Ah. I get it. Come here,” he says and gathers me into his strong arms.
I’m still wearing my coat as he leads me out to the balcony through a set of glass doors. We’re alone out here. It’s freaking cold so there’s a little more privacy.
“Please, Ace,” I whisper, struggling against the tears that still want to fall. “Please. Just let me go. I shouldn’t be here.”
He takes me by the shoulders and turns me towards him. “Look at me, Dawn,” he commands. I lift my chin and look into his beautiful warm eyes. “I only want to be with you. If you’re really unhappy here, we can go wherever you want, but I’m not letting you leave alone. I don’t want to be here without you.”
“Seriously?”
“I don’t say things I don’t mean.” He pulls me a little closer, the fog from his breath creating a cloud between us. “And I mean it when I tell you how beautiful you are. How sexy you are. Let me guess: Marissa tried to make you feel small and worthless?”
“Yes,” I sniff.
“Because she’s small and worthless, and she wants to pull everybody down to her level. I finally woke up and saw how ridiculous she is, and she hates that.” He lets go of me, turning away with a sigh. “I have to admit, I got too caught up in image. How I look—not just physically, but on the whole. Flashy cars, flashy girlfriend, you get the idea. I don’t know how it happened, but I woke up one day. Someone in our group became HIV positive and the way he immediately became an outcast shocked me. I just know that nothing looked the same to me after that. Because guess what? Things change. I could lose everything tomorrow. I could get sick, a bus could hit me, who the hell knows. And what would I have?”
He looks at me, smiling sadly. “I can guarantee Marissa wouldn’t have stuck by me if I got hit by a bus. And all those friends of mine, and clients, would vanish over time after getting distracted by their own lives. I would be alone. With nothing to show for all the work I put into my glossy image. It’s utter bullshit.”
“So you decided to go slumming for something real. I get it. I’m not here to save your life, Ace, or to give it meaning. She hurt me. Badly. I’m not here to give your life meaning while I get knocked around, you know?”
He nods, solemn. “Thank you for your honesty. I appreciate it. And for the record, I don’t want you to get knocked around, either. Like I said, I only wanted to be with you tonight. I’m sorry Marissa had to spoil it. Were you having a good time before this?”
I was. I was actually having a terrific time, without doing much more than talking and sipping champagne. Everyone else was nice. Warm, welcoming. “I was.”
“It doesn’t have to stop. It really doesn’t, unless you want it to. Frankly, I would love nothing more than to see you have the time of your life tonight. Especially if somebody else happens to see it at the same time.” He jerks his head in the direction of the party, where Marissa is lurking around. “I would love to see you in there with your head held high, showing her how pathetic she is. How she can’t hurt you or me.”
“You’re sure you didn’t bring me here just to show her up?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
“For one thing, you were there when Justin told me he had to invite her. Did it seem like I knew she’d be here?”
Oh. I forgot about that. “No, it didn’t.”
“And even if I wanted to bring you here to show her up, what does that say?” He reaches for me, pulling me closer by my waist. “It means I’m proud to be with you. I’m proud to be seen with you, because you’re a knockout. No matter what she says, no matter what anybody with a warped viewpoint says. You’re a knockout, plain and simple. From the minute I saw you last night, I wanted you with every breath in my body.”
“Really?” I might forget to breathe.
“Really. Was I not obvious enough?”
I can’t help but chuckle. “You made it pretty clear.”
“All right, then.” He leans in, sm
iling, and kisses me deeply. My arms wind around his neck as his slide around my waist, holding me firmly against his body.
I don’t care very much about my lipstick right now.
Chapter 16
Dawn
I don’t want the kiss to be over, not ever, but we’re sort of in public so it kinda ends, but he holds me close, our foreheads nearly touching. “Dawn,” be breathes, stroking my cheeks with his thumbs. One of them brushes along my lower lip, making me shiver.
The way he whispers my name… I could listen to it for the rest of my life and never grow tired. He sounds like a man hanging onto his senses by the thinnest thread. A thread I wouldn’t mind seeing break. The idea that I might be the one to drive him wild is powerful. I could get used to it.
If he’d let me.
“I’m right here,” I whisper, eyes closed, soaking in the moment. Between the sheer magic of him and the magic of the magnificent sensations running through my body, I’m more certain than ever that this is a dream.
If it is, I think I’ll stay asleep forever. I wonder what happened to the attitude I gave Gena today, what happened to my conviction. Why it’s okay for me to want him the way I do, to want there to be more between us than there is.
I guess it’s because my head is spinning and I can hardly think.
“Do you have any idea what you do to me?” he growls softly.
“If it’s anything like what you do to me, I think we’re in trouble.”
We both chuckle as his hands slide down to my shoulders, then to my back. He pulls me even closer, my palms against his chest where I feel his heart beating strong and steady. Wouldn’t it be nice to believe I made it race just a little? It’s one thing to hear a man ask if I know what I do to him, but another to feel the evidence hard against my stomach.
“By the way,” he says, “when I said you were the most beautiful woman at the party tonight I forgot to add that you are also the sexiest, the all-around best.”
Sweet Revenge_A curvy girl romance Page 7