* * * *
Eric stared down at Belle two hours later, wishing they'd had a chance to plot her takedown and wondering why the hell they had wasted so much time. As they swayed to the music, she sighed softly and rested her head on his shoulder. She felt so perfect in his arms.
Of course, he thought everything about her was perfect, so it shouldn't surprise him. What also felt right was the fact that his two best friends were waiting in the wings to continue the seduction. Well, Kellan was. He was pretty sure Tate was still planning on offering her his junk in a weirdly formal speech that would make Eric cringe.
Thankfully, Belle knew Tate well. She would probably just laugh.
"She's trying to get me to take one of those fugly puppies." Wrinkling her nose, Belle glanced back toward the main table.
Eric had seen the aforementioned creatures. Those three little things had been wreaking havoc all evening long. The Anders brothers had been trying desperately to contain and control them, but those puppies had been romping everywhere, yipping and chewing on a disturbing mix of drapes, buffet food, and shoes anyone had kicked off in favor of dancing. "Just tell her no."
Belle frowned. "It's hard to say no to Kinley. And it's not like I have a crazy, full life. Maybe I should think about a pet."
She didn't need to think about anything except that she'd soon have three lovers who would require most of her attention. He fully intended to have her moved into the house he shared with Tate within the week-hopefully minus a rambunctious critter. "Later, maybe. Right now, you need to think about something more important."
Her gorgeous dark eyes widened. "Like what?"
Eric drew in a bracing breath. It was time to see if he could lead the witness where he wanted her to go. "It means you should think about your future, Belle. What do you really want out of life?"
Even as she moved against him, he could see her contemplating his words. "I've been giving this some thought, actually."
That encouraged him. "Yeah?"
"Well, since you've read my resume, you know I went to the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn for interior design. Lately, I've been thinking about using what I know."
Her words threw him for a loop. What did design have to do with her love life? "You're talking about decorating?"
Yes, he'd known from the minute she walked into the offices of Baxter, Cohen, and Kent that she wouldn't be happy as their administrative assistant forever, but he'd thought she would stay a little longer. And he'd definitely thought that tonight, after the wedding-even if it was a doggie union -that she'd have romance on her mind.
"Yes. I've always loved designing homes especially. Even when I was a kid and we were living in a two-bedroom apartment, just my mom and me, I thought about all the ways I could make it pretty. People are happier when their surroundings are efficient and lovely. I really enjoy listening to the client's problems with a space, then making it both more functional and elegant."
He'd known she'd gone to the Pratt Institute and gotten a bachelor of arts, but he'd never asked what her concentration was in. He'd been too busy looking at her boobs to ask. Now that burned him. She was gorgeous and so genuine it hurt sometimes. He should know more about her-wants, past, dreams, and desires. He would bet Tate knew everything down to the last detail. "How old were you when your dad died?"
Her expression didn't change at all. "Eleven. I wish I remembered more about him. My mom was the housekeeper for the Kohl family."
Kinley's parents. He'd known that Annabelle had grown up with the Kohl family in their brownstone on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. She'd seen the good life, but hadn't really been a part of it because she'd lived in the servant quarters. "Is that how you became such good friends?"
It was obvious, but he would ask any question if it kept her in his arms.
She nodded. "We grew up together. Despite her family's money, they sent her to public school, too. We often had the same classes, but no one could keep us apart after school. My mom would make us both snacks while we did our homework together."
She wore such a wistful expression.
"Why did you leave New York?" He frowned.
"I got a job at a design firm here in Chicago, but it went under a month after I hired on. I was stranded without any money. I could barely afford my crap apartment and I had a hundred thousand dollars in college loans to repay. I thought about moving back to Manhattan, but I just couldn't go back a failure. So I started looking for other jobs. I was the assistant to a CEO for a while and learned the administrative function before I had to leave."