Bet Me Something (Something Series Book 3) (28 page)

“Because I’m a
model, I’d have the answer?” he teased.

I shrugged. “You
probably know more about fashion than I do.”

He studied me
across the booth’s table with a wry smile. “Why don’t you ask pretty boy since
I’m assuming you’re going with him?”

After laughing
at the irony of the pretty boy across the table calling Colby one, I shared the
thought. “It’s kind of funny you, of all people, are calling him that.”

“Ah, nice way to
avoid answering the question.”

“Theoretically
speaking, say Colby and I did, you know, eventually start something. How do you
think Josh and Haylee would react to the news?” He was friends with the both of
them, so I valued his opinion on it.

He contemplated
the inquiry, answering after the food arrived. “Haylee would be thrilled
because she’s always had a soft spot for Colby. Josh would be tougher given his
friendship with Brian and his little brother’s, uh, previous bachelor status.”

“That’s a nice
way of putting it.” I concentrated on my hash browns.

“I think the
real question is would you care? In other words, if everyone disapproves, would
you stop, theoretically, being in love with him?”

I shook my head.
“No way, but I think their acceptance means a lot more to him. Timing is
important, hypothetically speaking, as it may be better to tell them after we’d
been together months plural rather than only a few weeks.”

He shrugged but
acted as though he wanted to say something.

“Don’t go
holding back now.”

“Okay. What you
need to ask yourself is if you’re waiting because you wish to prove it to them
or to yourself. It’s reasonable you might want to see if this works out before
involving others, but make sure you’re both agreed on the real reason you’re not
telling anyone.”

“You’re really
good with advice.” It didn’t take a rocket scientist to guess Colby didn’t have
a lot of confidence in being successful with a long-term relationship, but
considering how hard he was trying and the fact that I was no expert, I was
willing to give it more time.

“You’ll both
figure it out, I have no doubt. The last piece of counsel I’ll offer is that
the way they react may come down to how you tell them. What you don’t need is
for them to find out and make assumptions. Better to do it on your terms, don’t
you think?”

I nodded, then
wanted a change of subject. “Tell me what’s new with you.”

 We chatted it
up through the rest of breakfast, then I dropped him off at his hotel and drove
home. After a shower and climbing into bed at close to three o’clock in the
morning, I sent a text to Colby, figuring it was around lunch his time.

“Miss you.”

My phone rang
immediately with his number, and I answered. “Hi, you.”

“Hi. Are you
only now getting in?”

“About a half
hour ago. Took a shower, now I’m crashing.”

“You sound
sleepy. How was the club?”

“Loud, but fun.
Then Will and I hit a diner for breakfast. I dropped him off before coming
home.”

“And how is
pretty boy Will?”

I fell into a
fit of giggles over the same terms they had for one another. “He’s good, and I
happen to think you’re prettier.”

“Glad you think
so. Did you talk about how smitten you are with me?”

“No, but I did
ask him where I could get a dress for a movie premiere. I don’t think he
appreciated that I thought he’d know.”

He chuckled.
“No, I don’t suppose he would. How about I have you meet with a stylist at
Barney’s this week so you can pick something out? Or, if you don’t have time, I
could have them send you a few to see which one you might prefer.”

“You don’t need
to pay for my dress.”

“Since I invited
you, I’d like to. Which option do you prefer?”

“Option B,
please. And I’ll pick one easy to get out of because that’s all I can think about.”

“You’re not the
only one as I’m already counting the minutes. I’m in meetings most of the day,
but I’ll call you tonight.”

“Mm, sounds good.”
I was starting to fade.

“Sweet dreams,
Kenz.”

 “‘Night.”

By the time
Thursday rolled around, I was a bit nervous. This was Colby’s world and,
although I was comfortable in most situations, I had no clue what to expect
tonight at the premiere. He’d surprised me earlier today by having beautiful
long-stem red roses delivered. I wondered if he’d put any thought into the
color as representative of his feelings but then dismissed the idea because
trying to figure out someone’s emotions by way of the color of a flower was
dumb. Nevertheless, they made me extraordinarily happy.

Earlier in the
week, a woman from Barneys had come by with a variety of dresses and shoes from
which to choose. I’d known which dress I wanted the minute I laid eyes on it.
It was fire engine red in a halter style, with a modest top and an A-line skirt
that hung to the floor. It was the slit which showed off quite a bit of my left
leg that made it hot. Once I put it on, I felt sexy and sophisticated. The
matching strappy red heels gave me three more inches of height and complemented
the dress beautifully.

Glancing at the
clock in my apartment, I realized it was time to get ready as Colby would be
here soon. I slipped the gown on, smiling in the mirror at my reflection. I was
anxious for him to see me in this dress and even more excited about him taking
it off me later. I’d decided to keep my hair simple by pulling it back into a
chic high ponytail with my bangs in front and a couple tendrils left loose. I’d
gone by the hospital earlier, and the volunteer coordinator had been nice
enough to do my eyes up, sans the princess sparkles. Diamond studs that I’d
received for my eighteenth birthday completed the look.

I heard the
knock on the door, felt my heart jump up in my throat, and opened it with a
smile.

Holy Mother of
all things religious, Colby Singer in a tuxedo was just—Wow.

His hungry gaze
raked over me from head to toe, then fixed on my face. “Christ, I don’t think
I’ll be able to last the night. You look stunning.”

“Right back at
you.”

He pulled me
close, kissing my neck. “I missed you.”

“I missed you,
too.” The smell of his cologne assaulted my senses, triggering my hands to move
with a mind of their own under his jacket, caressing the hard muscles of his
back.

“We have to go
if we don’t want to be late.” He made no move to break away.

“Mm-hmm. Thank
you for the roses, the dress, and the shoes.”

He leaned back,
kissing me softly, and then sighed as he pulled away. “You’re welcome. Here,
this is for you, too.”

I watched him
reach inside his jacket and pull out a long velvet box.

Taking it from
his hands, I opened it to reveal the most stunning three-strand diamond
bracelet. “It’s beautiful, but—”

He took it out
of the box, holding it up. “But nothing. I read in the handbook that boyfriends
buy their girlfriends jewelry.”

What irony to
receive such a thoughtful gift on a night that I couldn’t tell anyone about us.
But I refused to let such a thought ruin the moment. “I do love that handbook,
and I love the bracelet. Thank you.” I kissed him again before he broke away
grudgingly.

“Let’s go before
I forget all about this premiere and keep you here.”

***

After handing my
overnight bag to the driver, then helping me into the back of the limo, Colby
pulled me onto his lap. “You have no idea how much I want you right now. The
last few days have been torture.”

I could feel his
erection under me. “How long before we arrive?”

“Maybe twenty
minutes, but no funny business.”

I attempted to
turn around, but his arms held me in place. “We could take the edge off.”

His lips found
the sweet spot by my ear. “It wouldn’t be enough, besides I don’t want to mess
up your dress or makeup.”

Wiggling against
him, I felt him groan. “But what are we going to do about this?”

“Save it for
later. Now behave and let me hold you. Did the man from the record label call
to schedule your audition?”

I shifted so I
could see his face and put my arms around his shoulders. “Yes, he left a
message to call him back.”

He picked up
quickly on the way I’d phrased that. “And did you?”

I sighed. “Not
yet.”

He was quiet but
then spoke softly. “If you’ve changed your mind, you know I’m supportive, no
matter what.”

“You don’t think
I’d be chickening out on an amazing opportunity?”

“If it’s not one
you’re looking forward to doing, then no. Are you nervous over having to
perform?”

Raw honesty
didn’t come easy. “I’m afraid if I don’t do well, I’ll never want to do it
again.”

“Audition or
sing in general?”

I bit my lip,
trying to figure out the best way to explain it. “Sing. When I do it for those
kids, I do it because they appreciate it, flaws and all. It’s the only reason I
can think of that I don’t get nervous in front of them; because I know they
love it. But the thought of auditioning in front of people critiquing every
facet freaks me the hell out. What if I suck and lose the desire to do it ever
again? And that’s not even mentioning the fact that I would have to go out on
tour with whoever it is. We could be talking months on the road.”

I could tell by
his expression he hadn’t thought about that aspect. “Well, I think you need to
decide whether you’ll regret never taking the chance more than you’d regret
taking it and not succeeding. There are some things in life you don’t want to
think back on and wish you would’ve at least tried. But for other things, it
might not be worth the risk. Only you can decide that.”

Could I live with
never giving it a shot? Or would I regret taking the chance? “I suppose you’re
right.”

Pulling up in
front of the movie theatre was a welcome distraction. “We aren’t walking the
red carpet, are we?”

He shook his
head. “No, but there will be pictures. The hard part will be not touching you
since there will be media and people from my office there who—”

“Know Josh.
Yeah, I get it.” And I didn’t want to be reminded of it.

He flashed his
PDG. “I’ll make it up to you later.”

“Oh, I know you
will. And by the way, your PDG has been rendered ineffective this evening.”

He pretended to
look wounded as the driver opened the door. “How’s that?”

I leaned in and
whispered, “Because I’m not wearing any panties to drop.”

The hiss of his
breath was immensely satisfying, but not as much as being pulled back inside
against him.

He looked
towards the driver. “Give us five minutes.”

My face heated
knowing it was obvious why. The door barely closed before his hand was up my
dress. “I thought you said we didn’t have time for funny business?”

His breath was
warm against my ear when he replied, “That was before you announced there was
nothing between my hand and your pussy underneath your dress.” He wasted no
time bringing his fingers right up to my heat.

Shifting to
allow him more access, I moaned with the sensation of his fingers inside of me,
his thumb circling my clit.

“I want you to
make a mess on my hand, then as I’m in that movie premiere, I’m going to smell
you the entire time and think of what we’re doing tonight.”

Jesus. “Your
dirty talk could almost make me come alone.”

He kissed down
my neck. “In that case I want you to think about later, when I’m going to have
you—”

“Oh god.” Just
the thought of what we had planned for tonight pushed me over the edge. I convulsed
against his fingers feeling the waves of pleasure consume me with my climax.
When my eyes flickered open, his proud smirk greeted me.

“Watching you
come like that was the hottest thing ever.” He straightened my dress and
adjusted himself. “You ready?”

Actually I kind
of needed a nap after that orgasm. Wow. I swallowed hard, knowing I probably
looked fine from the outside, but on the inside I was jelly. “Yeah, I think
so.”

As the driver
helped me out the door, and we stepped into the fray, flashes from the cameras
were everywhere. It occurred to me I hadn’t once inquired what movie this was,
or who was in it. Nevertheless, I smiled, feeling his hand in the small of my
back as he guided me through the crowd.

Before we entered
the theatre, he lifted my hand, brushing his lips against my knuckles in a
sweet gesture. On a regretful sigh, knowing he couldn’t touch me any other way,
he led me into the theatre and started the dizzying number of introductions and
greetings. All the while, I thought it might be progress that he didn’t once
mention me as his friend’s little sister.

I noticed more
than one woman fixing her gaze on him only then to assess me from head to toe
as the competition. But Colby paid them no attention, seemingly oblivious to
the appreciative looks he was receiving.

By the time we
took our seats, I was already exhausted from the entire experience.

“You okay?” he
asked.

“Yes. It’s a
little overwhelming, but you handled it like a pro. Uh, what movie are we
seeing?”

He chuckled
quietly. “You really don’t care, do you?”

I smiled
apologetically. “I was looking forward more to seeing you tonight than what we
were doing. At least tell me if this is one that belongs to your production
company.”

“It does and,
according to critics, may be a contender for one of the top movies of the
summer.”

“Then you must
be very proud. I bet it feels amazing to see all those late night meetings,
contract negotiations, and hard work you put into it pay off, doesn’t it?”

He leaned in,
whispering, “Thank you.”

“For what?”

When the lights
lowered, his hand found mine in the dark. “For getting it. And me. And why I
love what I do.”

***

After the sci-fi
action premiere, which starred several great actors, we crossed the street for
the party. Over the next hour, Colby made his rounds and mingled while I was
happy to watch him do so. I met quite a few people, but could hardly
concentrate on small talk with the heated glances he kept throwing my way.

He found me
sipping champagne and chatting up his special effects supervisor. I didn’t know
much about filmmaking, so listening to him sure gave me a newfound
appreciation.

Taking me by the
hand, Colby smiled at the older man and made our excuses for needing to leave.
As we walked out, he whispered, “I thought tonight would never end.”

The moment the
driver closed the door to the limo, Colby was on me, making it clear what he’d
been anticipating.

“We could’ve
stayed longer as this was your party to enjoy.”

His lips
captured mine. Then, as quickly as he’d started, he pulled away, leaving me
breathless. “You’re my celebration, and we’d stayed long enough.”

“In that case,
why’d you stop?”

He grinned.
“Because we’re here. Come on.”

When we entered
the hotel, we didn’t bother to stop at the front desk, instead going straight
up in the elevator with both of our bags to the suite. I’d barely glanced at the
beautiful space before I was picked up in his arms and taken to the large
bedroom. He set me down on my feet by the side of the bed.

“You’re so
beautiful; I couldn’t take my eyes off of you in this dress all night. I was
hard during the entire premiere, smelling you on my fingers.”

He loosened his
bow tie, took off his shoes and jacket, then sat on the bed, patting the space
beside him. Once I was seated, he reached down to remove my heels, one by one,
then moved his hands up my calves, where he rubbed. “How was the ankle in these
shoes?”

“It’s doing
pretty well, actually.” It touched me he was concerned about it.

He stood me back
up, moving in front of me and slowly unzipping the side of my dress, letting it
fall off my shoulders. Kisses followed where the straps had been, peppering my
fevered skin. After moving the material down over my hips, he stood back,
taking in the vision of me in nothing but my strapless bra. “I don’t know where
to start with you; it’s like I’ve unwrapped the most perfect gift.”

I grinned and
then, much to his disbelief, dropped to my knees in front of him. Undoing his slacks,
I took his heavy length into my hands. Knowing he’d been like this for me the
entire evening, made me want him even more.

He practically panted
when I wasted no time in taking him into my mouth, hollowing my cheeks around
him.

I licked,
sucked, and stroked his cock until I could feel him on the edge. Increasing my
pace, I was greedy for the taste of him, intent on pushing him to the brink of
ecstasy. I was rewarded with the sound of my name on his lips as he groaned,
the hot evidence of his orgasm flooding my mouth. I swallowed it down realizing
in this moment, I had no inhibitions with this man.