Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“Sam, are you all right?” I asked him.
She let out a frustrated huff of air. “It’s the movie about Paris and––”
“You mean the one about the girl who almost becomes a kept woman but that guy who could be her dad marries her instead?”
“Well, you’ve taken every drop of romance out of it, but sure. Yes. That’s the one.” She turned to me then. “You know Gigi was only sixteen when she married Gaston.”
I groaned. Loudly.
She arched an eyebrow for my benefit.
“Hello,” Sam snapped at me.
Returning my attention to him, I smiled because he was scowling.
He gestured at me. “I don’t remember any men dressing like that.”
“Yes, but there were in the private salons, right?” Hannah teased him. “The demimonde, so named after a play by––”
“I don’t care,” he told her, looking at me. “You’re dressed as a whore?”
“Courtesan,” I corrected him. “It’s much more high class.”
“Yeah, I’m sure it—and you’re just gonna walk around the party like that?”
“Oh, I’m sure there’ll be many of us there.”
“You look amazing in that,” Hannah told me, smiling. “Really beautiful.”
“You’re biased, but thank you.”
“And I told you, once he saw you in that outfit, Dad wasn’t going to let you go alone.”
I shook my head. “Your father isn’t worried about me going to a party by myself, and Aja is there, as well as Duncan and Aaron.”
“Where is the corset from?” Sam wanted to know.
“There’s a shop downtown,” I explained as he got closer and cupped my face in his hand. “Hannah did a good job on the makeup, didn’t she?”
“Yeah,” he rumbled. “The eyeliner and the little Cindy Crawford mole is a nice touch.”
“Thank you.”
He nodded, staring at my mouth. Apparently, lip gloss was mesmerizing.
“Okay,” I told him. “I’ll be back.”
Stepping free, I turned and went back in the house, walking in the four-inch stiletto boots easier than I thought it would be. Funny the things that came right back to you even after what felt like a hundred years.
“Hey.”
I stopped on my way to the kitchen and waited as Sam reached me.
“I think I should go too.”
My scoff was loud. “That’s absolutely out of the question.”
“And why the hell not?”
“Well, my darling, first, you hate parties where you have to mingle and exchange pleasantries with strangers, and second, it’s a theme party, and Captain Mal ain’t gonna cut it.”
“What is Dane wearing?”
“You weren’t listening to me. Dane’s not going either. I’m Aja’s date, and she’s mine.”
He looked stunned. “What is Aja wearing?”
“I have no idea, but I can’t wait to see. I hope it’s just as elegant and trampy as mine is, because that’s the whole point of Halloween. Being someone you’re not.”
“It is?”
“Of course. You get to show on the outside what’s buried deep.”
He gestured at me. “So this is what you look like on the inside?”
“It’s a chance to be not me,” I told him. “And I hope I’m some seductive, flirty siren deep down,” I said, chuckling. “I’ve had you under my spell for a bit, have I not?”
He nodded.
I patted him on the chest. “Okay, so I’ll send you pics when I get there.”
His brows furrowed.
“I’m going to take a cab, because I can’t drive in the boots.”
He nodded, still scowling, and I went to grab my trench coat, because for me, low fifties was cold.
“Remember there are more sandwiches in the refrigerator downstairs for the kids.”
I was halfway back to the front door when he asked me why he didn’t get a kiss.
“Because I don’t want to get lip gloss all over you.”
He nodded and I left, waving to Jake and Hannah on my way to the sidewalk.
Aaron and Duncan’s penthouse looked amazing, just like a private club from the 1900s, with the catering staff all in waistcoats and wigs and everyone being passed sparkling glasses of champagne from the fountain. The lights were stunning, the chandeliers that were brought in, the walls were hung with mirrors, and all their furniture had been removed, replaced with Louis XIV–style pieces that were gilded and covered in red velvet and brocade. It was fabulous and over the top and so very befitting a Halloween party of a billionaire. There was an open bar and amazing food being served, from caviar and macarons to small croque monsieur sandwiches, as well as duck confit on warm bread and many more delicacies.
Walking around, I got many compliments, and that was nice. I was thrilled when I finally found Duncan and Aaron. Duncan was in a tuxedo and tails and a scarf and very shiny patent leather dress shoes. Aaron was dressed like an extra from Peaky Blinders, complete with an Irish flat cap and pocket watch. They were both stunning.
“You two look amazing,” I gushed.
“Well, we were both upstaged by your brother,” Duncan told me, eyes widening. “The man is way, way out of his comfort zone, and if I were his wife, I’d be sticking close as well.”