The VIP Room(42)

Larene expertly weaved in and out of the crowd to commandeer a small table close to the bar. I sat down gingerly, wriggling my dress down to keep from flashing my crotch to everyone in the vicinity. This section of the club was a little less chaotic than the dancing side and I was happy for the momentary reprieve. I noticed how bunched my shoulders were and forced myself to relax.

“Stay here,” Larene told me. “I’ll go get us some drinks.”

I nodded and watched with a sense of panic as she left me at the table and made her way to the bar. There were at least eight bartenders working, so it wasn’t too crowded. There was a steady flow of customers coming and going. Despite my reservations about Kane, even I had to admit that the man knew how to run a club. No wonder there was a line out the door every night.

I scanned the dance floor as I waited, resisting the urge to fumble with my phone. Instead, I watched, entranced, as women cast “come-hither” glances at men and wished I could be that confident when it came to the opposite sex. Once again, I was struck by how wrong this felt. I felt like a stranger in my tight, short dress, curled hair, and heavy make-up.

And earlier this evening, when Larene unveiled her creation to me in the mirror, I’d been shocked. She’d curled my dark brown hair into soft ringlets and painted my lips red. Not one blemish marred my smooth skin, courtesy of the heavy duty foundation she’d given me last Christmas which I still hadn’t opened. A soft, shimmery pink flush highlighted my cheekbones and she’d done something to my eye make-up to enhance my hazel eyes. Larene had always complained that I didn’t do enough. She claimed that I was a natural beauty and that I could play up my features more.

I did take pride in my appearance. I had to being in the business I was in. But my morning ritual consisted of my no-fuss three-step face: concealer, mascara, cheek and lip stain. Done. I was always a fan of sleeping in as long as possible, but I needed to look presentable.

My skin prickled.

I swung my gaze around but saw nothing. At least until, a few moments later, I happened to glance towards one of the private rooms on the second floor directly across from me.

A flush radiated to every part of my body. Through the clear glass, my eyes locked onto a dark-haired man. He was dressed in a charcoal grey suit, his hands loosely wrapped around a tumbler of amber liquid. And he was gorgeous. Panty-melting gorgeous with his square, clean-shaven jaw, neat dark hair, and broad, strong shoulders. Framed inside the glass window, he looked like he belonged on a magazine cover.

And he was looking right at me. Or, at least, he seemed to be.

Awareness made me sit up a little straighter, but I instantly lowered my gaze to my lap out of reflex. I saw that my palms were trembling. From nerves or desire, I didn’t know, but I knew without a doubt that he was one of the most handsome man I’d ever seen.

And I’d wimped out and looked away.

I squeezed my eyes shut for a brief moment, taking a steadying breath. I remembered what I wanted to accomplish tonight. I remembered that I was young and that I hadn’t had sex in over a year. I remembered that I’d never had wild, crazy sex with a hot stranger and that this was my opportunity.

I opened my eyes and, with my heart pounding in my ears, glanced back towards the private room.

The dark-haired man’s sensuous lips curved into a smile as his eyes connected with mine.





Chapter 2





“I got you a rum and apple,” Larene chirped, setting down two glasses with a hard thump. “With a double shot.”

I was both relieved and disappointed when I was forced to break the mystery man’s gaze. I thanked her and reached for my glass, taking a greedy gulp. The drink was strong and I immediately warmed up as the dark rum sizzled down my throat. As a certified lightweight, I knew it wouldn’t be long before I felt the alcohol’s effects.

Once I set my glass down, I chanced a look back up to the private room. He was still there, handsome as ever, but an older man had joined him. I watched as they spoke together and my heart sped up when he grinned. God, he could get away with anything with a smile like that. It was alluring, yet dangerous, like a predator circling prey that wanted to be caught.

His eyes flashed to me. Those same sensuous lips curved into a smile and then he turned to the older man beside him, said something, and clapped him on the back. A burst of excitement and nervousness raced through me when I realized he was leaving the private room. His movements were captivating and graceful as he headed towards the stairs leading down to the ground floor.

“What is it?” Larene asked.

“Nothing,” I said, a bit too quickly. She knew me too well. She automatically glanced in the direction my eyes had been trained in.

“Which one?” she asked. “The one in the red shirt?”

It was no use. “No. Dark grey suit. He’s coming down the stairs.”

There was a pause as she located the man in question. Then she spun around to face me, beaming. “He’s perfect!” she squealed. “Perfect one-night stand material.”

My face blazed. “He’s probably not even interested.”

“Noelle, look at me,” she ordered, her face suddenly serious. “You’re a beautiful and successful woman with a body to die for. Ryan was a complete idiot, but it’s past time for you to get back out there. You will have sex with that man tonight if it’s the last thing I do.” I took another hasty sip of my drink, knowing that when Larene set her mind to something, nothing would stop her. She glanced back over her shoulder. “Okay, I think he’s coming over.”