Chapter 5
“Try this.” Kelly handedCharlotte a margarita glass filled with a bright pink concoction. “I’ve already had one, so this is yours. It’s got lime juice and prickly pear syrup. It’s delicious.”
“Thanks.” Charlotte took a polite sip, and the bright, tangy flavors made her lips pucker. “Oh, this is good.”
“Are you going to stay in the kitchen all night?” Kelly swung one arm wide and gestured toward Charlotte’s prep space.
“No. I was just finishing up.” Charlotte stretched and pressed her fingers into her lower back. While she was used to being on her feet in the kitchen for hours, for some reason this felt like a very long day. “I’m heading back to my casita.”
“Not yet,” Kelly objected and took Charlotte’s hand and pulled her toward the very busy dance floor.
“Sam looks like he’s trying to have a good time out there.” Kelly emphasized the word trying and made a face as Karla held Sam tighter. “Poor guy.”
Charlotte straightened her back and breathed in. She’d avoided looking at the dance floor for the past hour, but she couldn’t help noticing all the women hanging on Sam. How many women here had he been with? Probably plenty. He’d visited the Fantasy club in New York numerous times and obviously liked the place. Maybe he even loved the place. “Oh, I think he’s fine.”
Kelly tucked back her long blonde hair and laughed. “I guess he’s not complaining. But almost everybody has given up on him because it’s clear he’s only interested in you.”
“What?” Charlotte blinked in surprise and took a step back. That was crazy. “It’s just that he knows me.”
“He knows you and likes you, and you like him too.”
“Yes, we like each other”—of course, they liked each other—”because I work with him, and we’re friends.”
“You’re only friends?” she asked, a little hitch of curiosity in her voice. “You’ve never...?”
“No!” Charlotte gave her head a hard shake.
“Okay.” Kelly’s smile widened. “I’ll let the other ladies know. No one—well, almost no one—wants to step on your toes.” She leaned closer then lowered her voice. “It’s just...you’re gorgeous, he’s gorgeous, and you two obviously have some chemistry.”
Charlotte gave her head another tight shake. “No, we have no chemistry. I think he’s looking out for me.”
Looking satisfied with the information, Kelly winked. “All right. Good to know.”
Charlotte nodded, not planning to say more, but added, “It’s interesting that Karla”—Charlotte tilted her head toward the diminutive redhead—“hasn’t given up.”
“She’s used to men falling all over her,” Kelly said matter-of-factly. “And she’s ignoring the fact that he keeps looking at you.”
Charlotte swallowed back a sigh. The pretty redhead could have Sam and probably would. Charlotte flinched. It was none of her business, none of her business at all.
“Hey, what’s that smell?” Kelly wrinkled her nose and turned toward the far side of the pavilion. “Oh, that’s right.” She faced Charlotte again, her eyes widening with delight. “Stephanie also hired a tobacconist to roll fresh cigars tonight. She’s working to make things interesting for us. Do you want to go see?”
Cigars? Not really her thing. But it wasn’t dancing, talking...and all clothes stayed on. That sounded good to her. “Sure. Let’s go watch.”
The whole group circled an elderly man seated at a large flimsy card table. With deft hands he placed a handful of large, flat leaves of dried tobacco in front of him and quickly rolled and twisted the leaves into a tightly wrapped sphere. He set the cigar to his side and rolled and twisted two more before handing them to Sam, along with a tiny pair of rounded scissors.
“Who”s never tried one and wants to give it a go?” Sam held up one of the new cigars.
Charlotte slowly raised a hand then quickly lowered it when she noticed she was the only one. Great. What a way to stand out.
Sam nodded, then turned and faced her. “So you’re a newbie?”
“I guess so. I suppose I don”t look like an experienced cigar smoker.”
“Not really. But you don”t have to be.”
Everyone had gathered around the table, and she’d become curious too. Why not give it a shot?
Sam clipped the ends of two cigars with the tiny scissors and lit them, puffing quickly to get them started. He handed them to two of the eager women standing beside him. “Do not breathe in. Let the smoke roll around your mouth.”
Sam lit two more, puffing on one, and then handed the other to Charlotte. She took a quick puff and let the smoke float around her mouth. Okay. Not so bad.
“It’s a shame we had to turn in our cameras,” Kelly said after blowing out a perfect smoke ring. “Maybe Sam can take a picture for us?”
“Yes, maybe.” Charlotte lifted her cigar and took another puff. “But I doubt I look particularly suave or sophisticated.”
“Sorry.” Sam shook his head. “I’m following Fantasy rules. All public places are camera-free.”
Charlotte nodded, but then suddenly Sam seemed far away. Actually, everyone seemed far away. She narrowed her eyes and blinked, then slapped a palm on her forehead. “I think my brain is having a problem.”
“Your brain?” Sam asked.
She winced and lowered her head. “And my stomach and my heart.”
“What’s wrong with your heart?”
“It’s racing.” She placed a hand on her heart and pressed in. “Like it might pound right out of my chest.”
“Come sit down.” He put an arm around her shoulders and directed her to a set of chairs. “Right here.”
She dropped down with an oomph. “I only took three puffs, and I tried not to inhale.”
“I think you did.” He took her hands and wrapped them around a cool glass. “Some water will help.”
“No, I don’t think so.” She made a face and pushed the glass away, grabbing at her stomach instead. She squeezed her eyes shut. “Oh, I’m going to be sick.”
“Use this.” He lifted a metal bucket to her lap.
“No, I can’t. Not here.”
But then she did.