Chapter Two #2
“You look gorgeous,” he said as he leaned in to kiss her.
Edward’s house was just a short walk along the beach.
As they got closer, they could see a number of people on his patio.
His home was one of the biggest on the beach, almost resembling a hotel, with a large patio overlooking the ocean and a three-storey building serving as his residence.
They headed up to the patio, which seemed to have attracted the entire neighborhood and anyone in the city willing to come.
Ryan recognized several guests, and as they moved through the patio, the same conversations repeated: a quick introduction to Callie, confirmation that his place was a few minutes down the beach, and no, he hadn’t heard from his father lately.
Ryan told everyone, he thought his father might be traveling.
After about thirty minutes of just crossing the patio, Ryan decided they needed drinks and led Callie to the bar.
“This is much calmer than I expected,” Ryan observed as he handed her a glass of wine.
“We haven’t been inside yet,” Callie joked.
They saw Edward greeting his guests, but when he noticed them, he quickly made his way through the crowd to meet them. Only when he was with them did Callie realize he had a date.
“Annie!” Callie said upon seeing her friend on Edward’s arm. Annie quickly embraced Callie, then did the same for Ryan.
“No hard feelings?” Annie said to Ryan with her best flirtatious smile, and Callie sighed. Annie never changed.
“No hard feelings,” Ryan replied cautiously, trying to gauge, as Callie was, whether Annie was high or just drunk.
“I thought my persona would be a little more believable if my date were a friend of yours,” Edward said to Callie.
“You’re persona?” Ryan said, confused.
“You didn’t tell him?” Edward asked Callie.
“Not that part,” Callie replied. “That’s your secret.”
“Much appreciated,” Edward said.
He took Callie’s hands and then kissed her on both cheeks, and Ryan tensed for a moment.
But Edward quickly released Callie, and Annie was back at his side, playing the part of a very attentive date.
Callie grinned. She knew Edward had hired Annie for the night to be his date.
He could probably find any girl who would want him as a sugar daddy.
But he didn’t want the hassle of any kind of relationship.
Spending what he believed was the same amount of money on girls from the Night Service was just simpler.
And it created the image he wanted, that he was a pig, so people left him alone in his personal life, even though they begged for his help in the business world.
“Callie, would you honor me with a dance?” Edward said.
Before Callie realized what she was doing, she agreed. But when she looked back, Ryan and Annie were both frowning at her. Edward led her to the makeshift dance floor as a slower song began. He pulled her close, resting a hand low on her back.
“You look gorgeous tonight,” he said, grinning at her.
“Thank you,” Callie blushed. “The dress was Ryan’s choice.”
“The man has excellent taste,” Edward replied. “I am surprised, though. I never would have thought…”
“He would date someone with my employment history?” Callie finished for him.
“Yes,” Edward said. Callie noticed his hand slipping even lower on her back, now just above her ass. He was also holding her closer. Callie could feel Ryan’s stare on them, even though he was behind her.
“And after what his father did,” Edward said softly in her ear. Callie stumbled and wanted to step away from Edward, but he held her tight and led her on in the dance.
“Annie told me,” Edward continued. “She told me everything, though it wasn’t anything I hadn’t already suspected. Why that man isn’t in jail is beyond me. But I suppose this is why his political career has ended and why Beth has filed for divorce.”
“Yes, you’re right,” Callie said. He was a smart man; there was no point in lying to him. But she felt guarded. These were personal matters, and Annie had no right to say anything.
“I guess I misjudged Ryan,” Edward replied.
Callie was about to ask Edward how, but he stepped back.
Ryan had approached them, and Edward offered Ryan the chance to take over as Callie’s partner before Ryan even asked.
Edward thanked Callie for the dance, kissing her hand before handing it to Ryan.
Ryan pulled her close, and Callie deliberately leaned into him.
“He said something to upset you,” Ryan said after a moment. It wasn’t a question.
“Annie told him what had happened with your father,” Callie confirmed.
Ryan sighed heavily, and she could tell he was upset. As much as he hated his father, he didn’t want these secrets to leave the family. He wanted his mother and Callie protected.
“I don’t think he would tell anyone,” Callie said. “It raises too many questions for him, too.”
“I suppose,” Ryan said doubtfully. “This party seems pretty calm.” Ryan changed the subject.
“It’s definitely not on the scale of The Great Gatsby,” Callie said, and Ryan laughed.
After the dance, they made their way to the bar and enjoyed several more drinks.
They kept up casual conversation throughout the evening, and eventually the guests started to head home.
As the crowd thinned, Callie received a text from Annie.
She read it, confused, then showed Ryan the message.
Annie was inviting them to the conservatory, set off in the house's left wing.
“This is strange,” Callie said as Ryan read the message.
“Let’s see what it’s about,” Ryan said, then began leading her to the left wing.
As they approached the room, they could hear music and smell the unmistakable scent of pot.
Callie worried that Annie had gotten herself into trouble.
As they reached the conservatory, they found a butler standing in front of the door, who nodded and gestured for them to enter.
They froze as they stepped inside. In front of them, they saw couples at various stages of intimacy and undress.
They were quickly greeted by Annie, who seemed to have misplaced her dress and was wearing only her lingerie.
“Annie, why would you ask me to come here?” Callie scolded before Annie could speak. “You know how I feel about orgies.”
She was about to protest further when Ryan took her hand. Annie smiled at him and nodded. Somehow, an unspoken conversation seemed to pass between them that allowed Annie to lead them further into the room. Annie offered them a place on a sofa set off from the main part of the room.
“It’s not really an orgy,” Annie said, taking a seat beside Callie. “It’s couples staying true to one another.”
Callie looked around the room more closely and realized that what Annie had said was true.
Everyone was keeping to themselves. Some were just watching, while others were engaged in intense interactions, oblivious to the eyes on them.
Smaller groups were chatting, but they weren’t involved in anything physical.
A waiter came by and offered them all wine, which Callie took and quickly drank half the glass.
She was confused. Ryan didn’t seem concerned about their current situation, and she wondered if Annie had already given him a heads-up about what would happen.
She looked at Ryan. He seemed relaxed and was subtly watching various couples in the room.
Annie excused herself to find Edward, and Callie took the moment to stare down Ryan.
“Did you know this was happening here?” she asked Ryan, annoyed.
“Annie may have hinted at it earlier when you were dancing with Edward,” Ryan confirmed. “We can leave if you’d prefer.”
Callie considered her surroundings. The newest wine was doing its job, boosting her buzz and courage.
Ryan seemed especially curious about what was happening, but she knew he was almost as drunk as she was.
She didn’t see any harm in staying for a while to finish their drinks.
No one was paying them any attention, and she felt safe that no one would touch her uninvited.
Ryan reached for her and pulled her close for a kiss.
It was sweet and soft, but Callie could sense he wanted more.
Was this just another step in him taking things over the top?
But she also couldn’t help getting turned on by his excitement and the energy in the room.
She realized no one was judging her for watching the others, and the idea of being watched didn’t bother her, as most people were already focused on their own activities.
The room was filled with moans of satisfaction and climaxing from the multiple engagements taking place.
Callie looked into Ryan’s eyes to see if she was right about what he desired, and she got the confirmation she was.
He looked at her longingly, but his focus was only on her now.
He was no longer watching the rest of the room.