"A little boob show won’t kill you, girl," she said, smacking my hands away from my dress and pulling the dress down so that whatever little decency I had managed to achieve was gone.
"But I don't want to look like a slut," I whined as I tugged on the dress.
"You are already a slut. You know what's going to happen tonight, right?"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
“Did you really expect the billionaire boy to let you go home untouched? Don't you think he might want something out of all this?"
I stared at Amy, my eyes widening as her words played in my head. I hadn’t even considered that Nick Saunders wanted anything from me. He didn't know me, and the invitation was just by error. But what if he was expecting some sort of reward from the real Sara that I couldn't give? I gasped at the realization that I hadn't thought the whole thing through, very much unlike me.
"You’re scaring me, Amy," I blurted out. If she hadn't insisted I go to the party, none of this would have come up.
"Relax, Sara. He probably won't notice you. With the number of rich women throwing themselves at him at their stupid ball, I doubt he's going to do more than say hello to you.”
"You confuse me! Just make up your mind what he’ll do to me! But I hope you're right," I said to Amy as I slipped my feet into my heels.
"I am always right. The only person you'll have to watch out for will be his twin sister."
"He has a twin?"
"Didn't you read any of those articles I sent you on him?" Amy had sent me an email a few days ago with a bunch of articles on Nick. I had glanced at them but hadn’t really read them.
"Well, I started to..."
"You didn't read them, did you? You should have read them so you have an idea what you are getting into.”
"It's too late now. So what's up with his sister?" I asked.
Just as she started to explain, the doorbell rang. She walked over to the window and looked out. "Your ride awaits, royal slut," she joked as she handed me my clutch and practically marched me out of my house.
“So what’s up with the sister?”
“Oh, nothing much, except she is overprotective of Nick. I hear she vets every girl that comes around him. But I’m sure you’ll be okay.”
I wanted to ask more questions, but she wouldn't give me answers. Damn, I should have taken more interest in the email she had sent me. I guess I could research his sister on my phone as we drove. It was probably a good idea knowing what I was getting into before I got there. Or maybe I would just deal with things as they happened.
The driver of the limo stepped out of the car as I approached him and promptly opened the door. I smiled at him while trying to control my excitement. I had to pretend like riding in a limo was no big deal. The limo was impressive. Black on the outside and dark brown on the inside.
"Hello, David," I said, remembering him from the last time he delivered the card to me. “Good to see you again.”
"Good evening, Ms. Nolles. The pleasure is all mine,” he said as he held the door for me. I got into the car and he was back in the driver seat. "Ms. Nolles, can I offer you anything to drink? Water, wine, or juice?"
"No, thank you," I said, chuckling. It felt weird to be addressed so formally. As the car pulled out of the neighborhood, navigating through the narrow roads and potholes, I felt like I was in a different world.
NICK
Nick knew his guests would be arriving soon, but he was too wound up to stay put. Instead, he decided to go for a walk on his property. He would be back before the first guests arrived. Taking walks on his land was one of the things he enjoyed most about having money, and he hoped to share some of his pastimes with Sara, once she got to know him.
He put on some shorts and a tee and stepped out of the house and away from where the party was going to happen. As he breathed in the cool, fresh air, he felt himself begin to relax. The expanse of greenery had a way of helping him relax. The first time he had seen the land before he bought it, it had reminded him so much of what nature was meant to be - lush trees, hidden water paths, rocks, dandelions and all the other stupid little things that made him feel alive. He had instantly fallen in love with the land and quickly bought it and constructed his house without messing up the natural landscape.
During the construction, he had built a secret retreat in the middle of it all, and now, as he walked away from the noise and music, his feet took the sure path he knew so well. He relaxed and let his senses direct him. Once he was far from prying eyes, he sat on a huge stone. He had been so stressed with thoughts of Sara. Granted, he had just met her, but she was already taking over his life, pushing him past his comfort zone.