Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 52957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
I chuckled then made a point of looking at my watch. “Thanks for the advice, but I have to go take care of a few things.”
“Of course,” Charlie said as he started to make his way back to his group of friends. “Just know, we’re all rooting for you.”
“Thanks,” I replied in what I hoped was a normal voice.
What the hell had my life become? I was getting ready to go to a party supposedly in the basement of someone’s house, and I was excited as a kid about it. Shit, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been this excited about anything. Working in the entertainment business as a talent scout took me to a lot of what people would typically think of as being fun events. But for me they were work, and my free time and work time seemed to mingle until I wasn’t sure where one started and the other ended.
When had I last been to a party where I didn’t feel like I needed to be “on” for it? Where I didn’t feel like I had to network or try to impress someone. True, I wasn’t going to a traditional party, but I knew it wouldn’t only be about sexual gratification. It would be about hanging out. Talking and getting to know each other. Then drinking games and the adult fun would begin.
I walked a little faster, a smile plastered across my face as I realized that soon I’d finally get to experience my own personal seven minutes in heaven.
CHAPTER 9
Ivy
I held on to Jennifer’s arm as we went down the stairs leading to “the basement”. From what Jennifer said it was actually a basement-level conference room, but the staff had totally redone it so it looked like someone’s giant 80s basement. I’d dressed for the event, wearing a pale-blue off-the-shoulder half shirt, white flared skirt, and a belt made of gold chains. With Jennifer’s help I’d teased my hair out into a mess of feathered curls held in place by tons of product. When I turned my head, my helmet of hair did not move. It was impressive.
When we were ushered through the “door” of the basement I froze in place for a moment, then giggled in delight. I stood a few stairs up, so I got a little bit of a bird’s-eye view of the room. I’d expected neon, lots of black and white, and bold colors. Instead there was a lot of brown. Brown wood paneling on the walls, brown couches, shades of brown in the shag rug, and more wood in the form of heavy furniture scattered about. There were dart boards on one wall, a pool table, old-school video games like Pac Man, and a monstrous box of a television in the corner played vintage MTV.
There were neon bar signs along the walls and two kegs in the far corner along with a tower of red plastic cups and bags of chips on a folding table next to them decorated with balloons and streamers.
Across the big room there was a bar of sorts along the wall, and a large crowd around it making their own drinks. Music thumped in the air, a great dance song about love and pain, and I put a shimmy in my step as I followed Jennifer, and her husband and Dom, Charlie, down the stairs. They’d invited me over to their suite to get ready, and I’d had a grand time with Jennifer. We hadn’t just acted like two silly teenage girls, we’d been two living-in-the-moment carefree girls. Full of laughter and anticipation, our world blissfully uncomplicated.
I’d done Jennifer’s hair as well, and I followed her high and slicked-back ponytail through the crowd to the bar area. She wore a black leather skirt and bright-gold blouse with heavy makeup and big gold hoop earrings. Paired with shiny black heels and sheer black thigh-highs and she had the vintage/glamorous look down pat.
Charlie made a drinking motion then headed off to the keg, leaving Jennifer and I to ourselves to make our mixed drinks at the bar.
She gave me a flirty little nudge and smile as she poured some vodka and said, “I’m drinking a slutty redhead, what about you?”
I laughed, my skin warming slightly and my nipples tightening as a soft, gentle desire hummed through me. Jennifer was hot, and she’d already been clear that she’d been given the green light to “play with me” if the mood struck us. Charlie was a very easygoing Dom, and I liked that about him. Jennifer was all bright laughter and fun. If a man had tried to control her too much, her spirit would have been easily broken and she wouldn’t be the bright light she was now.
Plus, there was no denying she was a beautiful, if a bit older than me, woman. Maybe in her early forties, she had the kind of body that took work and dedication, along with a naturally sultry beauty. While I couldn’t wait to see Caleb again, I had to admit passing time kissing Jennifer would not be a chore. In fact, I could use some rejuvenating girl time after the hurricane that was known as Caleb.