“Do you want anything to drink?” he asked.
“No, tea or water will be fine,” she said. His friends hadn’t spotted him yet. He didn’t want them to see her. Once they saw her, they’d try to stick their noses into his business. He liked to keep his personal business private. Also, he liked keeping Lana to himself.
The barman served them both some iced water.
“I need to go to the ladies’ room.” Lana handed him her drink. He showed her to the bathroom before making his way over to his friends.
John stood with his wife, Samantha. Blake and Arnold were alone.
“I didn’t see you come inside,” John said.
He shook his friends’ hands then gave Samantha a kiss on the cheek. “I’m here with someone,” Kent said.
“I hope it’s not that awful Cherrie. Have you seen her exposé in the papers?” Blake asked.
“I’ve seen it, and it made me feel sick to read. There is only so much of my friend’s sex life I need to hear,” John said.
“It’s nice to know you’re not all show and tell kind of guys,” Samantha said.
“No, I’m here with someone else. She’s a friend.” Kent chanced a look behind him. Lana hadn’t come out of the bathroom.
“You’ve got a female friend, or is that code for fuck buddy?” Arnold asked.
“She’s my cleaner. We’re friends. That’s all.”
His friends paused, and their smiles fell. “Seriously?” John asked.
“She’s different. I don’t want you guys to ruin this for me. Lana doesn’t want anything from me but friendship. She’s amazing, and I love being with her. There’s nothing else going on, so don’t try to make something out of it that’s not there,” he said. Looking behind him Kent spotted Lana coming out of the bathroom.
“I’ve got to go.”
He moved to her side. Her glass of water was still in his hands.
“Where’s yours?” she asked, pointing at her water.
“I drank it.”
Lana looked behind him. “Those men are glaring at you,” she said.
He looked to where his friends were glaring at him. “They’re my friends.”
She raised her brow.
“It’s rude not introducing you, I know.”
“Then why aren’t you?” Her smile was still wide even as she looked at him.
“Because I want you to like me afterwards,” he said, teasing her.
Laughing, Lana slapped him on the arm. “I like you, Kent. Your friends won’t make a difference.”
“You haven’t met them.”
“Then introduce me, or are you embarrassed by me?” she asked.
Cupping her cheeks in his palm, Kent forced her to look at him. “Never think that. I’m not embarrassed by you at all.” Taking her hand in his Kent took her over to where his friends stood. Their eyes were wide as they stared at her.
Lana didn’t look anything like his other women. For one, she was a cleaner. Most of the women he dated were models, actresses, or heiresses of some kind. Next, he dated slender women. Lana wasn’t slender. Lana was all woman with curves, breasts, and hips. They all gazed down the length of her body. The skirt and jumper she wore only highlighted her plentiful curves.
Kent introduced her to his friends. For several seconds none of them spoke until Kent cleared his throat.
They all stumbled over themselves, smiling and laughing. Samantha pulled her in tight. Lana looked a little freaked at first before she wrapped her arms around each of them.
“I’m going to take her to have a look at some of the art work,” Kent said.
They said their goodbyes and then moved toward the first landscape.
“How was that?” Kent asked, suddenly nervous about what she thought of his friends.
“Your friends are very affectionate people,” she said.
He’d sensed her nerves around them. “They’re great. I love them.” He’d never admitted his affectionate feelings toward his friends before.
Taking her hand, they walked around the exhibition together. There was nothing outstanding about any of the artwork. Kent held zero interest in the art. He preferred the beautiful fresh-faced woman in front of him. Kent tugged her in front of him. Resting his hands on her hips and his head on top of hers he looked at the art work. She was tense to start but slowly relaxed against him.
No other woman left him feeling so calm and relaxed. Part of him wanted to fuck her while another never wanted to spoil their moments together.
Chapter Eight
The day at the art exhibition was fantastic. Lana couldn’t imagine a better way of spending her time than with Kent. He was sweet, and his friends were great. She saw how relaxed he was around his them. Lana wished she had her own set of friends she was as comfortable around as Kent was with his friends. Afterward at the Italian restaurant she’d sensed a lot of people paying attention to them. The restaurant made her nervous. Everything about Kent’s richer way of life made her nervous. She didn’t like feeling less than he was. When he started with his money and being able to pay for certain things she could never afford, it put her on edge.