“Max—”
“No. Listen to me. I know partners aren’t supposed to make things sexual unless the other person takes it there, but what if she does? I think she will and I want to be the person she spends the night with. I want another chance with her.”
“Max, we sent her a list of rules with the invite. If she does show up, which I believe she will, she’ll know what you can and can’t do with and without her permission,” Kelly said. “Don’t put yourself in a compromising position.”
He grinned and tugged at his tie.
Sabrina and her cousin stood to leave. Sabrina glanced at his table, her gaze straying to Kelly. She lifted her brows and pursed her lips. He watched her stroll to the entrance of the restaurant without sparing him a second glance. What the hell was wrong with him? By now he should know better than to pursue a woman that didn’t want anything to do with him. But the truth was he had a feeling that she was lying to herself about him. The way she’d responded to him during the retreat made him more determined than ever to get her to open up.
“Max?” Kelly glared at him again. “You know this whole going-into-another-world-while-I-speak thing is getting old. Pay attention!”
He chuckled. Kelly looked like she did when one of her kids ignored her- completely put out and aggravated.
“Sorry, big sister. Please go on. I’m paying attention this time.”
“Don’t play with me, Maxwell. Unlike mom, who dotes on you like you’re a newborn, I will kick your ass if I have to. Now, I was asking you what happened after you guys had the night of hot sex in the woods. So far that’s all you’ve mentioned. But what exactly did she do after?”
“That was the last night of the colleague-reconnect trip. She called in sick the minute we got back and has been working from home the past few days.” He pointed to the table she’d been sitting at. “This is the first time I’ve seen her without a client.”
“Oh.” Kelly tapped her fingers on the table and cupped her cheek with her other hand. Short blonde hair covered half her face when she cocked her head to the side. “Well, maybe she regrets it. You know it’s known to happen.”
It was a possibility, but he didn’t think so. “Sabrina isn’t a timid little thing. She dates and enjoys going out. She knows what she likes. And for that night she wanted me. And I want to expand on that. See where this can go.” He groaned. “This is ridiculous. I can’t believe I have to jump through all these hoops just to get some intimate time with her.” He glanced down at his dessert and opted for another sip of his wine. “Instead of being like most women, Sabrina isn’t open to dating and all that. So I end up being the one that’s getting turned away for even suggesting it.”
“Oh my god, Max.” She patted his hand on the table.
“What?” What the heck did he miss? He glanced down at his empty wine glass.
“You were a one night stand, honey. I’d call you a booty call, but well…I don’t think she called you.”
Max would have found it amusing if it wasn’t for the fact that he’d felt damn used after Sabrina didn’t answer his calls. It didn’t matter. He’d get his turn with her at the Wicked Valentine’s Day Ball.
“Don’t worry about me, Kelly.” He motioned the waiter for the check. “I’m more than capable of handling Sabrina.”
Chapter Four
Nina stared at the red invite on her bed as if it were a snake ready to strike. Why did she bring it home? She’d RSVP’d she’d attend, but she still had doubts about the entire thing. She hadn’t even bothered to read the invitation thoroughly, just a quick cursory glance and she’d decided on the spot to attend. The Wicked Valentine’s Day Ball. And she was a guest of honor thanks to her client. She snorted. All she’d done was sell the guy a house. Granted, it had been a mansion, but she wasn’t even that friendly with him.
The pretty, red-embossed paper caught her attention the minute she’d received it. It was thick and heavy and made from some expensive card stock, which made her wonder what this whole Wicked Valentine’s Day Ball was all about. Groaning, she crawled on her bed, dropped her head, her cheek resting on her folded arms, and lay there for a moment staring at the invite next to her head.
After a few restless minutes, she picked up the envelope. “Let’s see what it is about you that makes you look so damn interesting.”
She pulled out the red invite with a sexy, naked statue painted on the front. She noticed the guy wasn’t any regular statue. Handcuffs had been painted on his wrists. What kind of party was this? A note fell from the invite.
Thank you for honoring us with your presence at the Wicked Valentine’s Day Ball. If you have been here before, you will know the rules. If you are a new attendee, please pay careful attention. Your partner will meet you at the entrance upon your arrival. Note that this person will stay with you all night unless someone is accompanying you. Your night will be led by your choices, desires, and expectations. Enjoy.
Well, that was kind of cryptic. She wondered if she should go. There were specific instructions on what to wear. Nothing too strange. Maybe a little on the revealing side. If the word wicked was anything to go by, this would not be a boring party. And she really needed to get out.
There was no way she was going to let some jerk’s threats keep her locked inside. Besides, she knew how to defend herself if it ever came to that. She and Alex had a weekly date at the gym where they took boxing and other self-defense classes. Checking out the Valentine’s Day Ball was better than staying home alone and eating chocolates—only to feel guilty tomorrow—she winced and headed for her closet.
There was a row of dresses she referred to as attention grabbers. One after another, she flicked over the hangers and discarded dress after dress, until she reached the one. She pulled out the red-and-black mini with spaghetti straps that was covered in clear plastic.
Once she’d showered and lotioned her body down, she eyed the flimsy dress material. Maybe that one wasn’t such a good idea. Dammit but it was perfecto. Just perfect for what had been described, and Nina was not a coward. She liked to think she looked good, considering she never lacked dates or boyfriends. It was the commitment part that scared her. She’d yet to meet a man to make her feel interested in more. It was usually the opposite. With most guys, after a few months of dating, she realized it wouldn’t go anywhere and broke things off. But not so that night with Max. He’d been the first to make her rethink of the dreaded commitment word.
“Estupida,” she muttered and tore off the plastic covering the dress. Maybe she had been stupid, but now she needed to forget Max. She put the thin slip of a dress on and stared at her body in the mirror. She couldn’t wear a bra under the thin material, and her nipples instantly puckered with the rub of the soft satin. They were very visible, and unless she took a shawl, everyone would be able to make them out through her dress. Her gaze traveled down her body to stop mid-thigh, which was where the mini-dress ended. She nibbled her lip and twirled to look at her backside. If her ass wasn’t so big, the dress wouldn’t ride up so much.
She sighed. There was no changing that part of her heritage. All the women in her family had curvy bodies, herself included. She put on some makeup and lifted her chin. Screw it. It was Valentine’s Day, and she had a special invitation to one wicked ball.
* * *
Nina’s heels clicked on the marble steps, ratcheting up her excitement with each clack. When she reached the entryway, she noticed the two hulking men that stood guard.
One eyed her body boldly and smiled. “Invitation?”
She grinned. This was turning out better than she thought. She handed him her invitation. He passed it off to the second man, who promptly got on a phone and called someone.
After a moment he returned to her and the other man. “Ma’am, if you’d just head into our foyer, your companion for the evening is waiting for you there.”
Wow. They were really thorough. She hadn’t been sure they could find someone for her with a two-day RSVP, but she guessed they probably had men on staff just for that.
The other super sexy guy who had been giving her some hot looks winked. “Have a great time.”
She walked toward the foyer with a smile on her face. But the smile she’d been carrying slowly turned into an O of surprise as she stepped into a large, open room. A room filled with men. She gulped and stared at the multitude of handsome guys.
“Sabrina.”
She whirled around. Her throat went dry. The way he looked at her, filled with open hunger, made her breath hitch.
“Max.” She gulped and peered down his body. He wore black dress pants and nothing else. Her eyes widened. She stared at his sexy arm muscles. Her gaze traveled down his tight pecs and stopped at his six-pack abs. “What are you doing here?” She licked her lips and glanced back up to his face.
A slow, sexy smile split his lips. “I’m your companion for the evening.”
“Excuse me?”
“Didn’t you read the rules? You get a companion for the night.” His smile turned predatory. “And that’s me.”