Chapter 14
“Will you let me see now?” I whine.
“Nearly finished. Be patient,” Lottie chastises me like a child.
She has insisted on ‘dressing me up’, and she’s making me nervous with the amount of time she’s taking.
I know she has great taste, but I’m hoping that after the amount of time she’s spent on my hair, makeup and nails, that I don’t look like a two-bit hooker on a Saturday night.
“Just a little gloss, here …” she slicks the brush across my lips.
It smells of berries and I immediately want to lick it off.
“Don’t!” she snaps as my tongue touches my lips.
“Do not undo my good work. Now … go look,” she says proudly, bouncing on the balls of her feet as I stand and walk to the full length mirror at the bottom of the bed.
I don’t recognize the image looking back at me.
She has curled my hair into loose ringlets, then twisted and pinned each side up. My makeup is barely there but accentuates all my good features and hides the ugliness of my bruise. My eyes look huge framed with long mascara coated lashes and a hint of sparkle in the eye shadow.
“Lottie, you’re an absolute pro. Where did you learn to do makeup like this?” I turn to face her and find an unusually shy Lottie nibbling at her nails. “Seriously, you should get a job doing makeup for photo shoots or film sets.”
“Don’t say stupid shit, Ari. It’s just a bit of fun. You don’t get to look like this…” she circles her face with her finger, “…without a lot of practice. Now, let’s get you in that awesome dress of yours and go knock those boys dead.”
Her sharp tongue and bravado is a mask, a protective layer.
I hate how she changes the conversation so quickly and I also hate how deep down she second guesses everything she does, even though she appears to have an endless amount of confidence, I know different, and I wish she would take some of the advice that she so often dishes out to me.
“You can cut out all that deep thinking crap tonight too. We’re going to have some fun,” she quips before filling our glasses with the remainder of the champagne.
She raises her glass. “To having my best friend back, and to moving forward.” Her glass chinks against mine and I toast, “To new beginnings.”
I step into my new favorite dress—a midnight-blue, knee-length, figure-hugging dress.
It has long sleeves and a plunging back, so Lottie has dusted a shimmer powder across my shoulders and down my spine.
I love her attention to detail and make a note to see if Beth knows anyone who would like to take her under their wing.
Even though she’s had no professional training, she would be great behind the scenes of a photo shoot or fashion show.
I step into gold jeweled heels and wrap the long straps around my ankles.
I’m good to go. Lottie has disappeared into the bathroom and emerges not ten minutes later, completely transformed.
She has on a sleeveless, emerald-green dress which sits above her knees; skater style with peep toe ankle boots.
Her makeup is a heavy smoky eye with bright-red plump lips.
It compliments her cropped fiery hair which she has ruffled into an orderly mess. I love her quirky, unapologetic style.
“Lottie, you look hot! How do you even do that in ten minutes flat?”
She shrugs. “Practice, I guess.”
“Are you ready to hit the town?” I ask.
“Arianna, is the town ready for us? That’s the real question.”
We exit the bedroom and I stop in the lounge to gather my phone and some cash to put in my purse. Just as I am dropping my phone in, it dings.
Denham - You look beautiful x
Me - How do you know? Do you have a secret camera watching me? ;)
Denham - No, but that’s a good idea. I know you look beautiful. You always do x
I smile down at the screen. He says the sweetest things.
“Let me guess … lover boy?” Lottie quips. She checks her cell too. “Nope, nothing,” she mumbles, looking disappointed.
“Come on,” I encourage. “They’ll be waiting for us downstairs.” I have butterflies in my stomach as we ride the elevator down to the foyer, and I try to resist from picking at my fingernails as Lottie has taken so much time in painting them. I’m excited. I’ve never had excited butterflies before.
“Ari …” Lottie nudges. “Step out.” She gestures to the open door of the elevator with a huge grin on her face.
I step out blindly and hit that familiar wall before I have a chance to look up.
I know who it is. I can smell him. The length of his index finger comes to rest under my chin and tilts my head up slowly until his golden flecked eyes meet mine.
His other hand rests on the swell of my hip and his fingers tighten to hold me in place.
He looks at me intensely. “How long did it take you to get ready?” he asks.
“Long enough, why?” I question, confused by his question.
“Because I want to suck off your lip gloss and tangle my hands in your curls” he says, his voice breaking with huskiness.
He watches my reaction and gently twists a lone curl around his finger.
Lottie clearing her throat behind us at the same time that Spike stifles a snort.
“But I have a feeling Lottie will kill me if I do that.” He chuckles.
“Fuck me, you guys are too damn cute, but for Christ’s sake, get a room!” Lottie interrupts.
“We have a room. Several actually,” Denham retorts before leaning into me and whispering in my ear, “and I plan to make use of every available surface very soon.”
He doesn’t let me linger on that thought as he drapes an arm around my shoulder, tucking me into him. We follow Lottie and Spike out of the hotel and into a waiting Limousine.
“What’s this for?” I ask curiously.
“Transport for the evening. After you, Stunner.”
He gestures for me to enter. It’s not easy to get into a car gracefully in such a tight dress, and certainly not when I can feel him watching my every move.
Of course, Lottie and Spike are already in and Lottie is pouring more champagne by the time I get seated.
Denham slides in next to me, taking the first full glass from Lottie and placing it in my hands.
I try to take it from him with a smile, but he doesn’t let go.
Instead, he pulls our hands to the side, being careful not to spill the champagne and moves in to kiss me.
He brushes his nose up my neck and along my jaw, and I can hear him gently inhaling as his free hand comes to rest at the nape of my neck.
He grips firmly, pulling me in closer to him and hovering his lips over mine, taunting me, barely touching me, but causing every nerve in my body to react.
“One day soon we’ll have a Limo to ourselves.
” He speaks in hushed tones so Lottie and Spike can’t hear.
“Then I’m going to show you exactly what’s happening in my head right now.
” He smiles wickedly and licks my top lip, taking with him some of my gloss.
My tongue darts out to meet his, but I’m too slow.
“Nuh uh.” He shakes his head gently from side to side with a sexy grin on his face and flashing that killer dimple.
“I don’t want an audience, and I especially don’t want my brother to be that audience.
Now, I’m going to have to think of something nasty before we exit the car or I’ll be giving everyone a show. ”
My eyes can’t help but move south. When I look back up, I’m being treated to the same smile as before but this time with a quirked brow.
My cheeks flush; I’ve been caught blatantly checking out the impressive bulge in his crotch.
I start to fidget and pull the champagne glass toward me, this time he lets go.
“I’ve told you before, “he says confidently, “look all you like because next time we’re in here, we’ll be doing more than looking.” He shifts in the seat until he’s facing the others. Lottie hands him a full glass and he rests his free hand just above my knee, drawing lazy circles with his thumb.
“Where are we going then, boys?” Lottie asks excitedly. I watch as a grin spreads across Spike’s face. “Spike, does that smile mean what I think it does? Really?” Lottie hoots before launching herself at Spike and kissing him passionately.
“That doesn’t really answer the question,” I say, puzzled. “I’m still none the wiser.”
“It’s Lottie’s favorite place, and I believe you’ll like it too,” he answers cryptically. Something tells me he doesn’t want to give too much away so I don’t pry. I actually like the fact that it’s a surprise.
“Is it far away?” I ask, wondering how long we’ll be in the Limo.
“It’s just down the strip but we’ll circle until we’ve finished our drinks.” He speaks matter of factly, not looking in my direction, keeping his gaze fixed out of the window.
“Are you okay?” I probe gently.
“I’m thinking about visiting with my elderly grandmother,” he says as if talking to the pane of glass in front of him, “because if I look or think about you right now, Ari, all that effort will be wasted and I’ll be back to square one again.”
“Denham,” I whisper, and I watch as the shiver works its way down his neck and settles in the base of his spine. “You can’t not look at me all night.”
“Well, fuck. Apparently I only have to hear you say my name to get hard again,” he says under his breath but loud enough for me to hear. The thought of him being hard at the sound of my voice sending shivers of pleasure through me. It also gives me an air of confidence I’ve never had before.
I lean forward and whisper over his shoulder and into his ear. “You want me to do something about that for you?” I say in the sweetest, most innocent voice I can manage. Denham and the alcohol are making me brave, but not quite brave enough that I don’t feel a little embarrassed at being so brazen.
Denham snaps his head around to me in total shock, then sits up straight and announces, “Turn the fucking car around.”