Chapter 3 #2
“So, you ghosted her, that’s what you’re saying without saying it.” He reads between the lines of my response.
“I’ve been busy.”
“You ghosted her,” he repeats as our server appears to clear our plates, saving me from a roasting from my brother. “Thank you,” he says, looking up at her. “Compliments to the chef.”
The beautiful brunette’s lips shape into a curve, shooting Cole a dazzling smile. “I’ll be sure to pass that on, sir. Would you like to see the dessert menu?”
I hold up my hand. “Not for me, thanks.”
“I’m good, thank you, just the bill when you have a minute,” Cole says, lifting his cell phone off the table as he receives another notification, making his eyes light up. He ignores our server as she clears the rest of the table and scurries away.
What the hell is wrong with him? “She’s perfect, you know.” I throw my thumb over my shoulder. Same age as him, all legs, with beautiful brown eyes.
He glances up briefly and examines the back of her.
“Nah.” He shakes his head in disagreement.
As he opens something on his phone, his eyes widen before a smirk spreads across his lips as he scans his screen.
He turns his cell phone around to show me what has caught his attention. “Have you heard of The Velvet Rooms?”
“Yeah.” I take his phone from his hand and scroll through the website he’s viewing. “It’s a sex club.” My friend Timo, who owns the biggest construction company in California, is a member.
“An exclusive, members-only one. You can’t get access into it, unless you have an invitation. Which I do.”
“Who the fuck sent you this?”
“Libby.”
My head snaps up. “Libby? As in Libby, our law librarian?”
“Yeah.”
“But she’s…” I trail off, unable to find the words I’m looking for.
Cole helps me finish my sentence. “A wallflower.”
That’s exactly who she is. “Is this what she’s into?” I ask, my curiosity at an all-time high.
“She’s been trying something different. Like me, she’s had enough of using dating apps. We’ve gone on a few dates together. Well, not exactly together; I mean, we go out with our own dates, but we just coordinate the times and places, then share notes afterward. She’s cool.”
Cool. Right. If this is what she’s into, I kind of love the fact that she’s a librarian by day who unleashes herself at night.
I never would have suspected this is what she’s into.
But now that he mentions it, at first glance, she ticks every librarian stereotype: buttoned-up blouses, tailored skirts, hair in a neat bun.
But her blouses always cling to her body a little too well.
It’s clearly not accidental, and the slits in her skirts often verge on the risky side.
The deep red lipstick she wears every day is a bit too bold for someone so quiet, too.
Behind those tortoiseshell glasses she wears, she’s hiding secrets best left unspoken in daylight.
She’s not just cool; she’s a silent siren.
“She’s been on their waiting list for a while but became a member a month ago.”
I raise my eyebrows in question. “How can she afford that? She’s not at the director level yet.”
“She comes from money. Old money. She doesn’t need to work, but since high school, she has wanted to study law.
After college, she got an internship with us, and that’s when she decided she didn’t want to become a lawyer because she loved being in the library instead.
And her position with us gives her independence, something to call her own, and freedom from her controlling father.
” Cole shifts in his seat, looking uncomfortable.
“You seem to know a lot about Libby.”
“We talk.”
I look at him suspiciously.
“Anyway, moving on.” He pulls at the collar of his shirt. “She’s permitted to invite three guests for the special events they host. She invited me.” His grin turns devilish, as if he’s already imagining himself there.
“To go with her as her plus one or tag along?” I’m a nosy bastard and want to know everything.
“Oh, it’s not like that between Libby and me. We’re just good friends.”
I question him some more. “You sure about that?”
With firmness in his tone, he replies, “Yeah, I swear on Mom’s life we aren’t like that.”
Pushing him will only force him to push back. I’m certain there is more to the two of them than just friendship, he just can’t see it for himself.
“Libby would be more than happy to add you as her guest. If I go, will you come?” he asks, his face deadly serious.
“No,” I’m quick to answer, and I hand him his cell phone.
“Oh, come on. They do this dating in the dark night for singles looking for a connection without seeing what the other person looks like. No one will see you. Sounds like fun.” He lets out a puff of air.
“I could seriously use some fun. Fuck the dating game.” He tilts his head, examining more of the images on the website as he continues scrolling.
“Let your senses guide you, with no pressure and zero judgment. Be whoever you want to be in the dark.” He reads the description out loud.
“‘Awaken your darkest desires, ignite your curiosity where touch, sound, and scent will help you paint your own picture.’ Sounds hotter than hell. I’m in.
” He moves his fingers across the screen of his phone, and I can only guess he’s RSVPing to Libby, confirming his attendance.
I squirm in my seat, uncomfortable with the prospect of going to a sex club with my brother. We’re tight, but not that tight. “It’s a hard pass for me.” That’s my final answer.
“Well, I’m going tomorrow night, if you change your mind.”
“I won’t change my mind.” But I might check that website out again when I’m alone later.
Fuck knows why I feel compelled to do so, but I do.
It feels like a bit of a rush using touch, sound, and taste without sight.
Knowing you can hide your identity while exploring a desire sounds erotic; sensual, even.
I park those thoughts and leave them there to revisit later.
“I hope you have fun.” I lift my glass of premium aged whiskey with a hint of honey. I finish it, letting the rich oak and syrupy sweetness fill my mouth with complex flavors, providing me with a gentle buzz.
Yeah, whiskey is what I need.
Not a date in the dark.