The Billionaire Next Door (Billionaire Bad Boys #2)(69)

Rachel blinked at Gena, trying to decide if she was being rude or factual. “A lot of…girlfriends?”

“No.” Gena shook her head as she dug through her purse and came out with a tube of red lipstick. “Girl space friends. Two words.”

“Oh…kay.”

“Do you know why Tag has a lot of girl friends?”

“Because he’s insanely attractive?” Rachel guessed, mentally tacking on and really good in bed.

“Yes, and because he’s well versed at letting them down. They never hate him.” She finished with the lipstick and offered it to Rachel, who turned her down with a shake of her head. “He’s charming and sincere and kind and never a prick about it. So they end up liking him. He gets invited to weddings by exes often.”

“Weddings he doesn’t go to,” Rachel said, recalling his reaction in Hawaii.

Gena turned from her reflection to face Rachel. “You know plenty.”

“We’ve been hanging out a while.”

“Hmm.” Gena’s hawk-like eyes grazed Rachel from head to feet and back up again. “But he’s given you no such speech.”

“Not yet.”

“And you’re here.” Gena smiled and took a step closer to Rachel. It was the first moment Rachel felt any kind of warmth from the other woman. “We’re his best friends. And he brought you to meet us.”

She enunciated the words to meet us meticulously.

“Do you know why?” Rachel couldn’t help asking.

Gena let out a loud ha-ha! then grabbed one of Rachel’s hands and squeezed. “Rachel, gorgeous. He likes you. A lot. I foresee us spending more time together.”

The rest of dinner was less of an inquisition, which was awesome. It was also weirdly normal. Conversation flowed easily between the four of them, sometimes between the couples, but there was also a moment where Lucas and Rachel were talking about music in a cross conversation while Tag and Gena discussed the kids. Rachel found it easy to sink into her seat, wineglass aloft, and laugh at Lucas’s jokes or listen intently as Tag spoke about his adventures traveling for work.

When the plates were cleared, Tag reached for the check but Gena slammed her palm onto the black book. “Over my dead body.”

“Gena.” Tag already had his wallet out.

“No. You’re not the only one around here capable of doling out free dinners. This is on us.”

Tag opened his mouth but Lucas held up a finger. “Listen to her, Taggart.”

Gena burst out laughing. Tag grumbled something that sounded like “thanks, buddy” as he shoved his wallet into his jeans.

“Taggart?” Rachel couldn’t help herself. She had to know.

“It’s a family name.”

“It’s a * name,” Lucas added helpfully as he tucked his credit card into the book and handed it to the server. “But we love him anyway.”

“You weren’t going to tell me?” Rachel asked through her own bout of laughter.

“No.” Tag polished off his wine, his gaze locked on Rachel’s eyes for a very long time. Then he leaned closer, closer, until those beard-surrounded lips touched hers in the softest, most delicious kiss…

“God, they’re adorable.”

That was Gena. And the moment she spoke, Tag’s smile overtook his face.

“I was going to say after-party, but you two look as if you have plans not involving us,” Lucas said.

“After-party is just our style,” Tag said. “What’d you have in mind?”

Lucas waggled his eyebrows. “You’ll see.”

*



“Paris Layne, I can’t believe it!” Rachel shouted over the cheers erupting around them.

Lucas put his fingers in his mouth and whistled. Tag had to hand it to his buddy—Lucas knew how to impress. Front row tickets to a Paris Layne show in the United Center was impressive on its own, but for a concert of this size and a music sensation this popular, well—

Hands cupping her mouth, Rachel howled as Paris came to the edge of the stage where they were standing and sang the beginning of one of her biggest hits. Tag’s eyes left the starlet to take in the blonde of his own.

Rachel Foster. Watching her shake her thang made him want to lift her up and kiss the life out of her. Made him want to see how many more concerts he could swindle out of Luc. Made him want to hang on to her and not let go.

He let the thought sink in slowly, throughout the concert, and then after as they filed out in a massive crowd of people and into the limo Tag had arranged. Hey, he might not be permitted to pay for dinner or the concert, but the second he learned where they were going, he called to arrange a limo and have his car dropped off at Crane Tower.

“Such a show-off,” Gena commented as they clambered into the back of the long, shiny black car.

“Kill an hour, will you, Bill?” Tag passed a hundred through the window and then slid it closed for privacy.

“Kill Bill,” Gena said with a snort.

Lucas was already pouring the champagne. Tag had asked for three bottles, chilled, and they were waiting in ice. Luc didn’t have to be asked twice.

“I want a pizza,” Rachel said, slumping. “I danced off all my dinner.”

Her grin was contagious. Tag grinned back.