Page 26 of Nothing to You
The mansion appeared as they rounded the ascending road.Glittering, it was fully alight; the driveway lined with twinkling lights that glowed in the trees on either side.
“What the hell…?”she murmured, sliding closer to the window as she buzzed it down to stick her head out and…
People stood on either side of the entrance.The line of cars in front of her were dealt with by the valets scurrying around efficiently, parking the vehicles… somewhere.
Like a conveyor belt, one stopped them, another uniformed someone opened the door, a third took the keys, and a final handed out tickets.Each shifted role in rotation as the car was driven away and the guests escorted inside.
“Fuck.Me.”
This wasn’t dinner.She didn’t know what the hell it was, but it wasn’t some casual dinner party, colleagues getting to know each other.This was… an event.More than a function, it was a damn ball.Like the Oscars or some shit.Whoa, boy.
She swallowed.Yep, the women wore gowns.The men were in tuxes.This was a full tilt, no expense spared, no holds barred, balls to the wall damn jubilee or something.
When the car got to the front of the pack, she had to back off for the valet to open the door.And she wanted to leave.Wanted to pack up her corporate smart casual and go right back to where she came from.
For about three seconds.
He could show off as much as he liked.Could launch curveball after curveball.Bring it on.
Licking her lips, she smiled and slid her hand into that of the suited man outside.
Rourke wanted to have dinner?Wanted to boast to his cronies, congratulate himself on an excellent piece of misdirection?He wanted to win… but not as much as her.
The marble stairs were shallow and flanked by burning torches.The lobby was full of people mingling.The stairs curved up and around to a broad landing above that overlooked the cavernous space.No sign of the master himself.No.Why should he show up to greet his guests?
Flashing a smile here and there, she went to the sentry at the bottom of the stairs.
“Restroom?”she asked.He pointed to the wide corridor to his left.“Thank you.”
A woman was coming out of a room to the side.She was quick to swerve in and hurried over to drop her purse on the vanity.What kind of person had a restroom in their home with actual stalls?Partying had to be his thing.
“Thank God for heels,” she whispered, kicking them off and yanking the pins from her hair to toss it over, boosting her volume.
Without caring who else may walk in, she took off her top and bit the plastic from the end of a bobby pin to pick out the seam of the sleeve.One went, then the other.She put her top back on, pulling the wide straps left onto the balls of her shoulders, tucking in any loose threads.
“What have I got?”She opened her purse to pull out eyeliner.Thickening it up, she added a flick and slathered on the mascara.“Damn him,” she muttered, smudging on her matte lipstick and pinching her cheeks to give them a little color.“Think you can get over on me…”
A gaggle of women entered, giggling.They stopped to gawk; their surprise joined her in the mirror.Whatever.She kept on working and just winked, sending them back to their business.
They were probably his type, the kind of women who got him going.All preened and perfect.She could do preened and perfect.Though, tossing her hair again, she stepped back, preferring her rough around the edges look.Yanking down her top, she plumped her breasts in her bra.Something was missing…
The chain strap of her clutch would be perfect.Prying the links from the purse, she looped it around her hips twice and tied it in an uneven knot.
And there it was.
Slipping on her heels again, she fluffed her hair.The women not in stalls were watching, but she didn’t care.This wasn’t about them.
Sailing out to the party again, she sashayed her way to the server with champagne and tucked her purse under her arm to grab two flutes.One she downed and put back, the other stayed with her.
A few long stairs past the front door took her down into a huge space clearly designed for entertaining.Open doors led to a deck on two sides.A group.For dinner.
Okay, now she was getting the game.Screwing around was one thing, but this was war.If he wanted to shake her, he’d have to try harder.There were no rules.No sportsmanship.Only a winner and a loser.She wouldn’t be the latter.
Strangers swarmed the house, no familiar faces, but she didn’t mind wandering around, smiling, nodding, absorbing the interest of the partygoers.They no doubt thought she was in the wrong place by her lack of diamonds and grace.
Some people outside were eating.A buffet was laid out to one side and movement took her in another set of glass doors to a kitchen bustling with staff.
The shrimp was so good; she ate a few more pieces.Oh, and there was sushi, right over there.
