“Thank you so much, Jeremy.” Not that I intend on getting in any sort of trouble, but it’s good to know I can relax and enjoy the rest of this evening.
“You can stick around here for the rest of the evening, but I wouldn’t recommend it. You want to make sure you go out there in the crowd and mingle. That’s where the fun is. Don’t play it too safe.” He winks.
“Right after I’m done with this,” I say, lifting my untouched drink. I buy myself a little more time. It’s one thing for me to step out alone, it’s a whole other ball game to strike up a conversation with a stranger.
When Jeremy shifts his focus to a group of women waiting to order, I finally take a sip of my drink. “Dee. Licious,” I let out as the spirit flows down my throat. I enjoy a few more sips before dropping the tumbler on the counter.
I pivot to take in the stylish crowd. I know enough about fashion to pinpoint that the people surrounding me are clad in designer wear from head to toe. No thrift-shop bargains here. Suddenly I notice a tall, clean-shaven and meticulously well-coiffed hunk staring at me. His brown eyes take me in from head to toe. He stares at my feet for a few long seconds before meeting my gaze again. For once in your life, dare. I return the favor and let my eyes slide down his tailored pinstripe navy blue suit. I lick my lips when I notice his incredible cognac shoes. God, London men surely know how to dress. I lock my eyes with his again and nearly die when his lips form, “Wow.” I feel quite pretty tonight, but I never imagined I could elicit this type of reaction from a man.
I lower my eyes, unsure how to respond to such overt admiration. Keep it casual. Just say hello, I coax myself silently. When I lift my eyes up again, I’m stunned. The well-dressed hunk is hugging another man with one arm. They both stand there staring at my shoes with such envy. When they face each other and kiss passionately, it becomes clear that I don’t have a hope in hell of being of any interest to him unless I miraculously grow a cock in the next twenty seconds.
Oh, well, easy come, easy go. I turn back to the bar and finish my drink in one gulp. At least there’s booze. I laugh internally. I jump when a voice right behind me talks.
“Can I buy you another drink?” For a second I think that the gay couple might feel sorry for me and they’re offering me a drink as a consolation prize, but when I turn around I almost fall off the stool I’m sitting on.
“I’m sorry?” I ask, blinking up at the tall, gorgeous man standing in front of me. Surely I misheard him.
As the stranger smiles down at me, his sharp brown eyes hold both humor and something daringly devastating. Meeting his intense gaze is like being sucked into an ocean’s whirlpool… and willingly drowning.
He breaks the spell I’m under when his eyes drop to the bar. “You seem to have enjoyed your drink. I’d love to buy you another one… if you’ll let me.” He motions at my empty glass. His British accent broadens his deep and rich baritone voice.
“I’m not in the habit of accepting drinks from strangers.” Really? Is that the first thing that comes out of my mouth when a tall, drop-dead-gorgeous hunk makes conversation with me? I really need to get out more.
“You’re right. Where are my manners? Please forgive me.” With your good looks, I’d be willing to let anything slide. “I guess I got blindsided by your beauty.” Jesus. Had I known that becoming a redhead would get me this much attention, I would’ve done it a long time ago. “My name is Xander.” The stranger extends his hand. I’m nearly blinded by a row of perfect white teeth.
“Pleased to meet you, Xander, I’m Dee.” I tend to use my full name when I first meet people. That said, my nickname is fun and flirty. It’s a reflection of how I feel right now. Since this is a night of firsts, why not?
“So, Dee, will you take me up on my offer? Gin and tonic?” How did he know? His wide grin is devastating. “I’d hate to drink alone.” His eyes drop to the empty glass he’s holding.
“Oh, um, yes, please. Thank you.” My words come out in a tangled mess. For someone with a masters degree, I don’t really sound all that eloquent.
“May I?” Xander points to the bar stool to my right.
I swear to God, a girl can lose her head in a city like London. Don’t get me wrong, there’s no shortage of elegantly dressed and handsome men in New York. I know that firsthand. If I had a dollar for the number of times I almost tripped over myself walking the streets of Manhattan because a hunk crossed my path, I’d be a very rich woman by now. When you combine dangerous sex appeal and that sexy-as-hell British accent, a girl doesn’t stand a chance.
“Of course,” I mumble. “Please be my guest,” I add. He sits next to me. His brown eyes are still glued on me as he waves to catch a waiter’s attention. I haven’t been able to unlock my gaze with his since he accosted me. How can I not? The man is delicious. I expect to hear Jeremy’s voice and I’m surprised when it’s a woman who speaks. I shift my eyes from Xander’s to the little brunette standing behind the bar.
“Xander, how are you? Jeremy is tied up so he sent me over.”
“Natalie, where have you been, my love?”
The waitress shrugs. “Cramming for exams. My dream is still to become a nurse. It’s taking me longer than I expected, but I can’t give up my two waitressing jobs. If I do, I won’t be able to afford my London flat and save for the month-long trip to Australia and New Zealand I’m taking with my three best friends in December. Rents aren’t cheap in the city and neither is a flight to Aussie Land,” she laughs.
“I know you’ll get there,” Xander encourages.
“Enough about me. I don’t need to bore you with my mundane day-to-day life.” She waves her hand in front of her as if to sweep her story aside. “You guys want a refill?” she asks, bouncing her eyes from my empty glass to Xander’s.
“Yes. My friend wants another gin and tonic? Did I guess it right?”
“You did.” I nod, impressed.
He winks at me before returning his gaze to Natalie. “I’ll have another Rusty Nail,” Xander orders. Look at that. I’m already his friend.
“I’ll be right back,” Natalie says.
She’s barely taken a step before Xander focuses on me again. “I know it’s a little forward of me, but I hope that by the end of this evening, we’ll be friends.” It’s like he read my mind.
“You’re right. It’s very forward.” Honestly, I don’t know who this woman who responds with such brazen edge is. Since when am I able to speak so confidently to men?
Xander opens his mouth to respond, but stops when Natalie returns with our drinks. Wow. That was really fast. “Thanks,” I say when she hands me mine.
“My pleasure.” Her eyes shift to Xander. “And this is yours,” she says, dropping his tumbler in front of him.
“Thank you so much, Natalie. I already have a tab open with Andy. Could you add these two to it?”
“Certainly. Well, I’ll leave you to enjoy your evening. Wave if you need another refill.” With that, Natalie moves on to the next set of thirsty patrons.
“Thank you so much for the drink, Xander.”
“Thank you for allowing me to keep you company,” he says with a wicked glee in his eyes. He lifts his glass at me and tilts his head slightly to the side. “Here’s to new friends.” I clink my glass with his, laughing at how he conveniently dismissed my earlier comment. “To justify my impertinence”—I guess he wasn’t ignoring me—“something tells me you don’t mind the fact that I’m a straight shooter.” He curls up his lips in a smile—the kind that makes you feel like you can tell him your deepest, darkest desires without ever being judged. In fact, I bet he’d push you to explore every single one of them.
He’s right. There’s something about him that’s incredibly captivating. Although we’ve only exchanged a few words so far, his intense eyes flash a mischievous glance that’s hypnotizing. Although Jeremy told me to flag him if I receive unwanted attention, I must say I’m intrigued to know Xander a little better.
I lower my gaze for a beat. “Maybe,�
�� I say from under my lashes.
“I’ll take that as a no.” All righty then. His playful expression turns serious. “How is it even possible that a traffic-stoppingly gorgeous American such as yourself is sitting here alone?” He gets brownie points for guessing where I come from. I ready myself to answer, but he doesn’t give me a chance. He keeps talking. “Are you waiting for a very large and menacing boyfriend who will break my jaw once he sees me flirting with his girl?”
“You’re hilarious.”
“I’ve been called worse.” His smile flashes white, transforming his already handsome face into sheer sexiness. There’s a charisma about him you can’t quite put your finger on. “Seriously, are you waiting for someone or is this my lucky day? A woman like you must be spoken for.” A woman like me? Wow. Xander holds my gaze and what emanates from his eyes is raising my temperature to unbearable levels.
I thought I was holding my own in the flirting department with Jeremy, but this guy holds a double PhD in seduction.
“I really don’t know how to answer that question.” I blush.
“It’s simple, sweetheart. You’re either waiting for someone or you’re not,” he states.
I decide to lay my cards on the table. “I’m not. I’m here on my own. I was supposed to come with a girlfriend, but she’s dealing with some personal matter,” I confess.
“I’m sorry about your friend. I’m glad that didn’t deter you from coming out tonight. Should I assume you’re single or did the boyfriend choose not to come out tonight? I like my face just the way it is and I’m fairly fond of my teeth. It’s good to double-check these things,” he mocks.
If this guy was creepy, I’d lie to protect myself, but he’s oozing so much sensuality, I’m willing to play along. “I’m one hundred percent single.”
“So. Am. I.” He punctuates every word. Damn. We stare at each other in silence for a few seconds. Unable to withstand the suggestive nuances I read in his eyes, I avert my gaze and take another sip of my drink. Whoa. It’s getting hot in here. If this continues, Piper is right. I’ll definitely have to thank her on Monday morning. “Which American state are you from?” Xander pivots on his stool. He’s now facing the crowd, but his head is turned towards me. I’m still facing the wall lined up with bottles of alcohol. In this position I get to see his attractive face every time I speak to him without having to turn my head too much. He’s impeccably dressed in a tailored suit that accentuates his athletic body. Everything about him screams powerful build—from his broad shoulders, to his large hands to his thigh muscles bulging from his pants. “Would you rather I guess?”
His question makes me realize that I’ve been staring at him like I’m in a trance.
You’re distracting me in such a pleasant way, dear Xander. “I’m Texan born and raised.”
“So you’re a Southern girl?”
“Only fifty percent. You’d never know from the accent.” I laugh. “My daddy’s Californian, but we try not to hold that against him.” I laugh.
“What brings you to London?”
“I got lucky.” I know I’m teasing him. I must say I’m having fun being this lighthearted.
“You’re going to have to give me more than that to go by, Dee.”
I laugh. “I—”
Xander lifts his finger, stopping me in mid-sentence. He cringes apologetically as he pulls out his phone from his jacket. “I’m terribly sorry to interrupt you so callously. I have a friend joining me tonight. I have a feeling he’s trying to locate me. I’m going to quickly text him to let him know I’m the lucky bastard sitting next to the most beautiful woman in this place. I’m sure he’ll find me in no time.” He smiles.
“Oh.” My cheeks flush so much, I bet I’m as red as a tomato. “Your mother would be extremely upset if she heard you talk like that,” I manage despite my initial shock.
Xander laughs his head off. “You’re absolutely adorable. I’m sure Mum would only be offended for a few seconds. She’d agree with me if she were to meet you.” He winks. “Let me send this off and I’ll be able to devote all my attention to you again,” he says before dropping his eyes to his screen.
Oh, gosh. Did he actually say that? I swallow hard. “That’s fine. I understand. Take your time.” God, please don’t tell me he’s gay. My gaydar alarm isn’t ringing off the hook, but you never know. I’m not expecting anything to happen between us, but I don’t think my ego could take it if it turns out that he’s batting for the other team. When he’s done typing his message, he places his phone back in his jacket’s inside pocket and turns his focus to me again.
“Thank you for being so patient.” Really, it’s nothing. “Now where were—” He stops mid-sentence and lifts his eyes above my head. Xander places his hand on my bare arm. The brief contact jolts me and sends trickles of pleasure down my spine. “My friend is here,” he says, looking up again.
“Xander,” his friend cheers.
“Mate.” Xander stands up to greet him.
I don’t turn around, but from the sound they’re slapping each other’s back. God, please don’t let them start kissing.
“And who is this red-haired vixen you’re trying to corrupt? Am I too late to save her?” I must be intoxicated by Xander’s charm—that or I’ve already had too many to drink—because I swear that sounded like Ethan. No, seriously. Xander’s friend has the same low, chocolatey voice as the man I’ve been obsessed with for the past three weeks. Maybe the music and the voices around us distort things? That must be it.
“Please meet my new friend, Dee.”
I’m still facing the bar dreading the moment when I’ll find out this guy who’s been flirting with me has a boyfriend.
“Dee, please meet my best friend, Ethan.”
Is my mind playing tricks on me? I turn my head so fast I fear my neck might snap off. “Ethan?” Oh, my God. It’s really him.
His eyebrows draw together in confusion. “I’m sorry. Have we met?” he asks.
Huh? It takes me a second and then it hits me. This is the first time he’s seen me with my new hair color. “It’s me.” I jump to my feet. “Delilah. From the gallery.”
CHAPTER 11
Ethan
When I found out that my best friend had an hour’s head start on me, I rushed to get to Hush as fast as humanly possible. Why linger at home when we could be seducing a woman willing to take both of us? When I texted Xander as I stepped inside the lounge to let him know I had arrived, I knew he was already flirting with an unsuspecting soul. He’s never been that patient. It gets worse when he hasn’t shagged anyone for a few days. When he responded by letting me know he was having drinks with a buxom redhead with the type of luscious curves both of us could indulge in, I was already hard. Strutting through a room quickly becomes a very uncomfortable exercise when your twelve-inch cock decides to unexpectedly spring into life.
Realizing that the woman in question is none other than the sexy little curator who made me come to the point where I thought I was going to black out while I was wanking off in the shower before coming here is flabbergasting. No matter how many cold showers I’ve taken this week—and God only knows how I haven’t turned into an ice sculpture—I seem to be walking around with a permanent hard-on. Here I thought I had to wait until next week before seeing the sexy American again, but here she is in the flesh.
“Delilah?” I ask, stunned.
“I can’t believe this.” She’s nearly jumping up and down.
“What?” Xander’s eyes grow wide. All three of us are equally astounded. “Dee is Delilah?” He takes a step forward to stand by my side. It’s almost as if he needs a better angle to take her all in. “Is this the same Delilah who works with Ashley? At Harrow Sloane Arts?” He couldn’t be more precise. His voice has gone up an octave. I can’t blame him. I’m as taken aback as he is by the coincidence.
“The one and only.” I smile. She blushes. “Your hair is stunning. You look so different,” I exclaim. My hands are twitchin
g. I’m dying to fist her wavy red locks as I tilt her head back right before I slide my cock between her pouty red lips. Damn.
She runs her fingers through her silky mane. “Since Piper became a blonde a few weeks ago, I decided to follow in her footsteps. Her hairdresser thought I’d look better with this color. I think he’s right.” Indeed he is.
“It’s also the first time I’ve seen your hair flowing freely like this. You usually style it and pin it up.” Not even in my wildest dream could I ever have imagined that her hair would be this long. I’m already imagining how beautiful she would look with her cascading locks covering her huge naked tits. God, her skin must be luminous.
She laughs. “Yeah, I’m still getting used to the weather out here. My hairdresser applied enough frizz-repellent products in my hair to withstand anything London has to throw at me. Let it rain,” she cheers. “Also, he cut quite a bit of it off. It used to reach down to my butt,” she says, turning around, rewarding Xander and I with a phenomenal view of her full ass. I furtively glance at my best friend and his tongue is practically hanging out of his mouth. I shoot him an ‘I told you so’ look before returning my focus to Delilah, who is still going on about her new hairdo. “I think it looks better now that it’s in the middle of my back. It’s still long, but stylish.”
“Indeed,” I agree. Xander just shakes his head. He’s still in shock. “Everything about you is just, wow.”
“Well, thank you, sir.” She bats her eyes at me and I swear the only thing I want to do is walk up to her and smash my lips against hers. Yeah, I know it’s a recurring thought, but damn, do I ever want to taste her.
“I have to repeat what I’ve been saying since I met you, Dee, you’re ravishing.” Finally, Xander finds his voice. “I know you introduced yourself as Dee, but Delilah is so much sexier. It fits you to a T.” I turn to face him just in time to watch him eat Delilah up with his eyes like she’s Sunday dinner… with all the fixings. I warned him that it would only take one encounter to fall under her charm. I’m glad I was right.
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