Chapter 17
“You can catch more flies with a dare than with honey.” ~ Eli
Eli
Paisley opens the door and scowls at me. “What are you doing here?”
I let my gaze linger over her, taking in every detail. She’s wearing an emerald green dress that clings to her figure, the neckline dipping just enough to reveal a hint of cleavage. The skirt splits high on one side, stretching well past her knee, promising to reveal her bare legs with each step she takes.
My Lace is cute in her jeans and t-shirts but in this dress? She’s sexy as fuck.
“You look gorgeous.”
Her cheeks darken and I watch as the blush travels down her neck to her chest. I want to follow the path with my tongue. My cock hardens and lengthens as I imagine drawing those spaghetti straps off her shoulders to reveal her chest.
“You didn’t answer my question. What are you doing here? ”
She taps her foot and I notice she’s wearing a pair of matching emerald green stilettos. Damn, how I’d love to sink into her while she’s wearing nothing but those shoes.
Paisley snaps her fingers in front of my face. “Earth to Eli. What are you doing here?”
I force my thoughts away from bending Paisley over the couch and grin. “I’m your date for the evening.”
She purses her lips. I know those pretty pink lips taste sweet with a hint of the exotic. Just like Paisley. She’s sweet but she’s also unconventional. I will never get bored of this woman.
“Date? I never agreed to go on a date with you.”
I feign confusion. “You didn’t?”
She narrows her eyes on me. “You know how I feel about miscommunication regarding dates.”
Damn. I didn’t think. “I’m sorry.”
She sighs. “It’s fine. I shouldn’t have brought it up. It was bitchy of me.”
I grasp her hand. “You’re not a bitch.”
“It’s nice of you to lie.”
I didn’t lie but we don’t have time to debate this. “We need to be going.”
She waves away my concern. “There’s no reason to worry about being on time. This is Smuggler’s Hideaway. No one will be on time for the dress rehearsal for the end of the summer ball.”
I clear my throat. “Actually, there is no dress rehearsal. ”
“I should have known my friends were lying to me. We’ve never had a dress rehearsal before. Why now? This is what I get for skipping those committee meetings.”
She steps back and reaches for the doorknob. I stand in the doorframe before she can shut me out.
“Don’t make me go to this event without a date. The vultures will be out.”
“What event? You admitted there’s no dress rehearsal less than a minute ago or did you forget?”
I ignore her taunt. “The event is a fundraiser to raise money for women’s rights.”
“A fundraiser? On Smuggler’s Hideaway?”
I tug on my bowtie. “Not exactly.”
She crosses her arms over her chest, pushing her breasts together, and I nearly say fuck it. Screw the fundraiser. There are more exciting things I’d rather be doing.
But I promised Paisley I’d show her there’s more to us than our chemistry. I can’t fail at the first hurdle.
“Explain yourself before I shut this door in your face.”
“The fundraiser is in D.C.”
“D.C. It’s already six o’clock. How are we going to drive to D.C. in time for this event?”
“We won’t be driving.”
“How else…” She trails off with a shake of her head. “You have a plane.”
And she’s clearly unimpressed. At least, I never have to worry if Paisley is with me for my money.
“It’s not my plane per se. ”
She lifts her eyebrow.
“I share it with a few other people.”
She snorts. “It’s still your plane.”
“If I agree it’s my plane, will you accompany me to this event?”
“The event is to raise money for charities that support women’s causes?” Paisley can’t hide her interest. I know how important women’s causes are to her. It’s the reason why I accepted an invitation to the fundraiser.
“Yes. I have some brochures in my car.” I motion to the vehicle waiting at the curb.
“Car? It’s a limousine.”
“You could pretend to be impressed by my wealth,” I joke.
“The way you pretended the jet wasn’t yours?”
I offer her my elbow. “Would you please accompany me to the fundraiser? Or are you scared?”
“I’m not scared to attend an event with you.”
I lean forward and say the words I know will guarantee her attendance. “Prove it.”
She snatches her purse from the table next to her and waves me toward the limo. “Let’s go.”
I cough to hide my amusement. Paisley is a complicated woman but she can’t resist a dare. Never could. It’s why she spent nearly as much time in detention in high school as Sophia and Chloe.
She marches toward the limo and I fall in line behind her. Sex may be off the table but I never said I wouldn’t stare at her ass. And her ass in this silky dress is a thing of beauty. She turns toward the limo and the slit in her dress widens to allow me a glimpse of her bare leg.
My cock twitches. Shit. I can’t get hard in this outfit. Tuxedo pants would telegraph my excitement to Paisley. I’d rather keep my horniness out of the conversation. For now.
I recite the quarterly figures for Apparoo until my cock gets the message. Once it calms down, I follow Paisley to the limo. The driver steps out but I wave him away.
“I’ve got this.”
I open the door and usher Paisley inside. Goosebumps break out on her arm when I touch her elbow. I can’t resist stroking my thumb against her skin. She shivers before yanking her arm away.
We settle in the back seat and the vehicle begins driving toward the private airfield across the bridge on the mainland.
Paisley caresses the leather seat as she scans the interior. “Do you own this limo as well?”
“No.”
She raises an eyebrow.
“I rented it for tonight.”
“I’ve never been in a limo before.”
“Not even for prom?”
“High school kids don’t ride in limos to prom on Smuggler’s Hideaway. They use golf carts decorated like smugglers.”
I chuckle. “I forgot. When Zane went to prom, he dressed up as a bootlegger. His date was not amused.”
“Bootleggers can be quite dashing. ”
I narrow my eyes on her and feign irritation. “Do you think Zane is more handsome than me?”
“More handsome? You’re presuming I find you handsome at all.”
I grin. “You think I’m handsome. Paisley Bardot wouldn’t let just any man into her pants.”
She glances away. I notice her bare shoulders have a smattering of freckles on them. I want to trace them with my tongue. When it comes to Paisley, what part of her body don’t I want to trace with my tongue?
“You don’t know me as well as you think you do. Maybe I sleep around. Maybe I have one-night stands more often.”
I growl at the idea of my Paisley letting anyone besides me into her body.
“I know you, Lace. I know you’re the smartest person I’ve ever met.”
She rolls her eyes. “You own a business with Jeremy Holland.”
“I stand by my statement.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere.”
I chuckle. “I know. Because I know you.”
“You didn’t know I had two evil stepsisters until last week.”
I hate how I didn’t know how bad her family life was growing up. “You don’t consider Darcy and Regan family. Your family consists of Sophia, Chloe, Nova, and Maya for whom you’d do anything.”
“Don’t be jealous I have better friends than you do. ”
“I’m not jealous.” I hook my pinky with hers. When she doesn’t snatch her hand away, I take it as a victory.
We cross the bridge onto the mainland and Paisley glances behind us to watch Smuggler’s Island fade away.
“Are you nervous about being away from the island? I promise I’ll have you back before your bedtime.”
“I’m not nervous. Just curious where we’re going.”
“It’s killing you to not whip out your phone and research where the nearest private airport is, isn’t it?”
“It’s in Jettson’s Way.”
I chuckle. “Is there anything you don’t know?”
“It’s impossible to know everything. I haven’t spent any time studying Ancient Roman history or learning the Japanese language and my ability to program computers is limited.”
I smile. “I wasn’t being literal.”
“It’s important you don’t put me up on a pedestal. I’m not a very good climber.”
“What if I install an elevator in the pedestal?”
“It’s good you realize how high this pedestal you’re putting me on is.” Her shoulders tremble with her laughter and I can’t resist her skin. I lean forward to dot kisses along her shoulder to her collarbone. She shivers in response.
“Are you cold?” I tease.
“I didn’t bring a shawl. I didn’t realize we’d be traveling North.”
I open the cupboard next to the bar and remove a wrapped package.
“What’s this?” Paisley asks when I hand it to her .
“Open it and find out.”
“Are you going to shower me with expensive gifts and fancy trips until I agree to date you?”
I waggle my eyebrows. “You’re already on a date with me.”
“It doesn’t count since I didn’t realize what was happening. But it would have been a waste to get all dressed up and not go anywhere.”
I glance down at her outfit. “A damn shame if no one else had a chance to experience how beautiful you are tonight.”
“You don’t have to say I’m beautiful.”
“But you are beautiful,” I say before kissing her shoulder again. “Although, I will be jealous of every man who stares at you tonight.”
“No men will stare at me.”
“You really don’t know how beautiful you are.”
“Trust me. I have two evil stepsisters and a wicked stepfather who would disagree with you.”
“They’re assholes. Forget about them.” I tap the package. “Now, open your present.”
She places a finger underneath the tape, making sure to not tear the wrapping as she opens the gift.
I chuckle. “Why am I not surprised you don’t rip into presents?”
“There’s no reason to be a savage. I wasn’t…” She trails off when she opens the box. She pulls the lace shawl out and lifts it in the air. “It’s gorgeous.”
“I know you don’t care but it’s made of leavers lace from France. ”
She caresses the lace with her fingers. “It’s unbelievably soft.”
“As is your beautiful skin.” I trace a finger down her arm and she shivers in response.
“I’ll accept this gift if you stop calling me beautiful.”
I’ll call her beautiful as often as I want to. Until she realizes how beautiful she is.
When we eventually part ways, she’ll know just how beautiful a woman she is.