CHAPTER 1
Kenzie
“To Emery.” I raised my glass of champagne, signaling the rest of my girlfriends to do the same. “May she move onward and upward after dealing with that jerk for years.”
“To Emery!” We downed the sweet, bubbly liquid, all of us smiling and clapping when we finished.
Save the champagne I’d sprung for, I guessed it was a scene typical of many New York bars and clubs: A group of friends celebrating one of their own after a vicious—if not inevitable—breakup.
I sat back against the velvet cushions with a little sigh. How many times had I asked myself how much longer a girl like Emery would stand for Gabe’s bullshit? The way he’d go days on end without calling her. The subtle—and not-so-subtle—hints that he was cheating. The way he’d swear up and down that there was nothing between him and his assistant, even when Emery found the dirty text messages on his phone.
Every time, she’d swear she was through with him. Finished for good.
It took him moving across town without giving her the slightest hint for her to figure out that he had no desire to be with her anymore. She was through for good, this time. She had to be. He’d changed his phone number, too. Either he was on the run from the law or he was determined to cut her out of his life without so much as a goodbye.
Good for him, I thought, switching from champagne to my customary vodka tonic. Otherwise, he’d have to deal with me. I wouldn’t be as forgiving as my best friend had been for so long.
Chandra and Chloe insisted on pulling Emery to her feet, then out to the dance floor. I begged off, not in the mood for dancing. It wasn’t my type of music, anyway—we’d chosen the club for Emery, not ourselves. She was into techno, which suited her personality and style. I was the type who listened to classic rock, though I wasn’t stuck in the seventies.
I hadn’t even been born yet.
I settled for enjoying the VIP area instead. Another perk I’d sprung for. Emery had seen me through some of the toughest times of my life and was always ready with a hug and the offer of an ass-kicking to whoever hurt me. Tonight was the least I could do for her.
I looked over the dance floor, not just at my arm-waving, hip-shaking friends, but the crowd as a whole. Even though the club we’d chosen for our celebration was decidedly upscale, it was all the same: Slimy guys with more product in their hair than I used on a bad hair day coming on to girls who either looked like they couldn’t care less or who hung all over them like a cheap suit.
My nose wrinkled in distaste. The mating dance.
Didn’t these women see how pathetic the men were? Guys our age were babies. They didn’t have the first clue about what a woman wanted or needed. All they cared about was getting their dick wet. I had graduated kindergarten a long time before and refused ever to go back.
And what happened when an otherwise smart, beautiful, talented, sensitive girl like Emery made the mistake of giving her big heart to one of those losers?
She got run over.
I couldn’t fathom why a girl would leave herself vulnerable like that, when everybody around her knew it was a bad idea to keep accepting his phone calls and apologies.
Three songs later, the girls came back. They looked great—we’d all done our best to pull out the stops tonight, celebrating being single in the big city. I felt dozens of pairs of eyes on us as we made another toast.
“To girls’ night!” Chandra whooped it up, raising her glass. “Fuck men!”
I laughed out loud. “That’s usually the idea!” I called out over the music.
“You know what I mean!” We toasted to that. Fuck men. They were good for fun and not much else.
Chloe’s attention settled on one particular hunk by the bar. “He’s been looking at me all night,” she said, leaning over to whisper into my ear. “He’s got those bedroom eyes that drive me crazy.”
“Of course he’s looking at you. You look super sexy.” She really did, in a short, flirty little black dress with sky-high heels that showed off her lean, toned legs. Evidence of the hours we’d spent together in spin class.
“What do you think? Do I go over to him or wait until he comes over here?”
I glanced at him—he was definitely interested. “Get over there,” I encouraged. “Otherwise, another chick not half as hot as you might snag him.” I didn’t believe in sitting back and waiting for what I wanted. Maybe that was why my girlfriends always came to me for advice like that.
She straightened out the top of her dress, brushed a waterfall of golden hair over one shoulder, then stood with such determination that anybody walking past might have thought she was on her way into battle.
Then again, she was. Dating in New York could be a blood bath sometimes.
“Come on!” Emery pulled my hand, urging me to join her on the floor. “I wanna see you having fun tonight!”
“I’m having fun,” I insisted. “I like watching you have fun.”
“Stop watching and start living!” Alcohol must have given her super strength, because she hauled me to my feet and onto the floor without much effort.
I followed, figuring I had nothing to lose. Even though I wasn’t a fan of the music, it wasn’t bad to dance to. I started swaying in time, swinging my long, wavy hair back and forth. The vodka made it easier for me to loosen up—it was never something I was particularly good at.
It didn’t take long for us to attract attention. Emery’s antics might have helped a little, seeing as how she was determined to let it all hang out. Chandra and I just grinned at each other, making the silent agreement to let her enjoy herself.
She deserved it. Still, the way she danced—like she was in front of a pole—brought us a little unwanted leering.
“Hey, girl. How are you tonight?” I turned to find a tall, broad-shouldered pretty boy to my left. He was standing way too close.
“Fine, thanks.” I turned away, acting like I was more interested in dancing than in talking to him. It wasn’t a lie, but I didn’t want to be rude, either. He seemed to take the hint. Chandra glared at me like I’d made a huge mistake.
“He was gorgeous!” she yelled in my ear. I shook my head with a frown. He might have been gorgeous, but he was a creep. I got a bad vibe from him.
I thought I heard my name called over the music and looked around to see what was happening. It was Chloe, waving at me from the bar. Her hunk was still there, too, and it looked like they were hitting it off. What could she want with me?
She handed me a vodka tonic while leaning in to speak into my ear. “This is from the swarthy looking dude at the end of the bar. The one who looks like Antonio Banderas, only when he was young.”
“What?” I pulled back, eyes wide.
“The bartender said he saw us talking and knew we were friends, so he sent a drink to me for you. Isn’t that weird?”
I looked down to the other end of the bar and saw somebody who did very much look like a young Antonio Banderas. My stomach did a slow flip, my heart picking up speed. Dark eyes, staring right into mine. There was no question about what he was in the mood for.
“What are you going to do?” Chloe asked.
“I’m gonna go thank him,” I replied with a wink.
“Remember, no taking anybody home tonight.” I scowled at her, but she held fast. “That was your rule, you hypocrite!”
“That was before I met him,” I reminded her.
“You haven’t even met him yet. What if he’s a total weirdo?”
“Then I’ll thank him for the drink.” With that, I walked away with my head held high. I wasn’t about to wait for him to approach me, and I knew he was testing me even as I went to him. He wanted to lure me in like I was some sort of a fish, rather than take the initiative. He was playing with me. That was fine.
I could play, too.
“Hello,” he said, the word dripping from his mouth like honey. His voice was deep, low, resonant. It reverberated through me the way the bass in the music did.
“Hello,” I replied. “My friend tells me this drink is from you.”
“Your friend is very pretty, and very right.”
“And you’re sure it was for me, not her?” I raised an eyebrow, looking him up and down. Unlike the rest of the amateurs in the club, he wore a tailored suit. The collar of his shirt was open, giving him a sexy, devil-may-care look.
“I said she was pretty. I didn’t say she was as striking as you.” One corner of his perfectly sculpted mouth curled up at the side in a panty-melting smile. “I mean, that hair, that dress, the way you move. How could I help noticing you?” He leaned toward me ever so slightly. “And I saw the way you gave that golden boy the brush off. I knew you were worth meeting.”
I had to laugh. “You liked that, huh?”
“You’re not a woman to take lightly. I could tell then and there.”
He knew all the right words, I had to give him that much. And he knew just how to get to me. I didn’t think of myself as just another woman. I’d heard all the talk, seen all the tricks. I had the feeling he felt the same way. I might have met a kindred spirit.
Or I might have met a guy to screw and forget about. Either way—
“I’m Aaron Bello,” he said, extending a hand. I gave him mine, appreciating his strong grip. The way he seemed to engulf me. The way his personality tried to.
“Kenzie Olson,” I replied, smiling. “Thank you for the drink, Aaron.”
“You’re welcome, Kenzie. An unusual name for a most unusual woman.” Had the words come from any other man, I would have rolled my eyes and possibly gagged. From him, they seemed natural. Unaffected, unrehearsed.
I glanced around the club with a smile, sipping my drink. I wanted to know where my friends were and if they knew about my admirer. I found them seated in the VIP section again.
Aaron followed the direction of my gaze. “A VIP section, eh? Very nice.”
“I rented it for my friend. We’re here because she just broke up with her asshole boyfriend.”
“Oh, girls’ night. Understood. I’ll let you get back to it.”
He sounded sincere enough, ready to let me go. It was another test. Would I go or would I stay with him?
I didn’t feel right, abandoning my girls just because the sexiest man I’d met in years bought me a single drink. I didn’t feel right walking away from him, either.
I leaned in, brushing his earlobe with my mouth—very slightly, but enough so he knew I meant business. Even being close to him, smelling his cologne, was enough to make my knees a little weak.
“Don’t forget about me,” I murmured. When I pulled back, he smiled that unbelievably sexy smirk again.
“I don’t think it would be possible to forget you,” he said.
That voice. It held the promise of so much more. I tingled at the sound but told myself it was the alcohol and not the man. I had to keep a steady head on my shoulders.
I walked back to the roped-off section on shaky legs but struggled to play it cool. Even Chloe was back there, and all three girls watched me as I approached.
“Who the hell is that and has he got a twin?” Chandra asked, shooting a glance his way.
“Who is he? His name is Aaron Bello, and he’s mine tonight.” I laughed briefly, then downed the rest of my drink. I took a deep breath, letting it out in a heavy sigh.
“Girl, you look all kinds of flustered,” Chloe said.
“I can imagine. Holy shit, he’s hot. I thought my panties might fall right off when he opened his mouth.”
“And you really think it’s a good idea to take him home? I thought we weren’t taking anybody home tonight?” Chandra’s look mimicked the one Chloe had given me just minutes earlier.
“Right. I didn’t say anything about going to a guy’s place.” I flashed them a grin.
“Kenzie . . .”
“Relax. He seems like the real deal. You know my bullshit detector is top-notch.” They didn’t look convinced. I sighed. “Listen, I’m a big girl. I know what I’m doing. Okay? Have I ever made a regrettable decision? On second thought, don’t answer that.”
They laughed—even Emery, who was just shy of full-on wasted. I made a mental note of being sure she got home safely before I pursued any fun with Aaron.
I looked over my shoulder toward the bar. There he was, still. In spite of the dozens of available, barely-dressed women all around him, he only had eyes for me.
It was going to be a very interesting evening.