Chapter 40

The three arrived at my condo straight from work to prepare for our big night out. My rebirth. I’d been riding high ever since I signed the employment contract, and tonight would be the icing on the new life cake. I met them at the door with wine glasses and a couple of bottles of Sauvignon Blanc.

“You totally have to wear this one,” Sam said, pulling the black halter dress from my closet. It was the dress I had worn on my first dinner date with Jay.

I shrugged. “Why not? It’ll be putting the whole Jay phase of my life behind me for good. Show I’ve moved on.”

“Plus, you look super hot in it,” Jenny said.

“Yeah, shows off those perfect tits of yours,” Sam said, and we all laughed.

“You three are nuts,” Marla said, rolling her eyes.

Once the four of us were in our dresses, we turned our attention to our hair and make-up. We were falling all over each other in my tiny condo, still crammed with vases full of flowers.

Sam had opened the door of my entrance closet, trying to carve out some real estate to do her hair. She pushed aside the various coats, revealing the stack of gifts from Jay piled on the floor.

“You are totally wearing the Louboutins tonight,” she said, picking up the box and opening it, revealing the glorious shoes inside.

“Let me see,” Marla said, elbowing Jenny and I out of the way.

“Those would look perfect with your dress,” Jenny said, peering over Marla’s shoulder.

“What else is in this pile?” Sam said, turning her attention back to the closet.

“Um, I have to give all that back to Jay,” I said.

“This smells so beautiful, fresh yet sexy,” Sam asked, squirting the perfume on her.

“That’s a real diamond, you know,” I said, pointing to the jewel on the bottle.

“Get out. That’s insane,” Jenny said.

“I know, right?” I said.

“Well, we’ve used it now. You can’t send it back,” Sam said, grinning at me. She squirted the air, until all four of us were engulfed in an overpriced cloud of perfume.

“I can’t,” I said, protesting.

“Screw him. He’s got so much money, this is like me giving you a pot of Ben and Jerry’s,” Marla said.

“More like a spoonful. Or even a lick of the back of the spoon,” Sam said. She continued to rifle through the gifts.

“I can’t wear the shoes out. I’m not ready to dance in five-inch heels,” I said.

“How’d he know your shoe size anyway?” Marla asked.

“Dunno. He must have looked at my shoes when we were at the hotel. Or here.”

“Holy fuck,” Sam said, opening the jewelry box. “This is insane.”

“I know,” I said, blushing.

“Wow, you’re sure you don’t want to get back together with him?” Marla asked. Jenny smacked her back.

“No way in hell. Not after the way he lied.”

“That’s fine. Onwards and upwards, right?” Jenny said, rubbing my back.

“You need to wear this necklace out tonight. That dress is made for it,” Sam said, dangling the necklace from her fingertips.

My eyes widened at the thought. It would be perfect for this halter top, the diamond would sit just above my cleavage. Pointing the way. For days I’d been longing to be wrapped in the arms of a man. Not Jay, but almost anyone else.

“Good idea,” I said, taking the necklace from Sam’s fingers.

“Really?” She said in disbelief.

I looked her straight in the eyes, smiled and said, “Absolutely.” We all burst into a fit of giggles.

Jenny helped fasten it around my neck, and I rushed into the bathroom to examine myself in the mirror. Jay would approve. More than approve.

“Let me try walking in the shoes.”

“You go, girl,” Sam said, bringing them to me.

Hair and nails done, we left an hour later. I teetered down the hallway and out onto the street, latched onto Jenny and Sam for support, wrapped in the Burberry trench coat.

We hailed a cab to take us to Luscious, the hot, exclusive night club of the moment. One of Jenny’s many exes managed it and put us on the guest list as a favor to her. Though I suspect it meant she would probably hook up with him by the end of the night.

The four of us crammed into the back seat, I was the last to get in. As I ducked my head, I noticed a man in a Cubs hat looking straight at me. By the time I had my seatbelt on and a chance to look back, the man was gone.

* * *

We pulled up in front of Luscious and were met with a huge lineup of people shuffling their feet to keep warm as they waited for a chance to get in.

Jenny led us across the front of the line and straight up to the bouncer. She rested her hands on his arms and went up on tiptoes to whisper something in his ear. He put his hand in the small of her back and we followed as he ushered her to the entrance. The music was pounding before we even got inside.

We stepped inside, into the care of a private concierge. Jenny was pulling all the strings for tonight. As I passed him my coat, he looked me up and down and settled his eyes on my cleavage. I smiled and walked away, feeling more confident in the heels. The effect they were having on sculpting my calves was going a long way to boost my acceptance of the shoes.

The place was already busy and a lot of those people would be standing out in the cold for a very long time. A circular dance floor was in the middle of the room, with several curved bars and a few tables and stools around the outside. Upstairs was a gallery, with several men hanging over watching the dancers.

“Let me pay,” I said to Jenny as we approached the bar.

“No need, Collin is comping us the entire night.”

“Score,” Sam said.

“Collin will score when he calls in this favor,” Marla said.

“Okay, but you have to promise me you’ll let me treat the three of you to dinner next week.”

The concierge arrived at our sides with a bucket of Champagne and glasses. We each took a glass, and he poured us a drink.

“I’ll open another bottle for you and leave it on that table,” he pointed at one of the tables. “I’ve reserved it for your use.”

“Thanks. And please make sure you tell Collin thank you for us,” Jenny said.

After he walked away, I raised my glass and said, “I owe you all such a big thank you for how you’ve all helped me. To friends.” We clinked glasses and had a sip, and I gave them each a little hug.

My throat was already getting sore and raspy from shouting over the music, so I took another big gulp of bubbles and herded Jenny, Sam and Marla to the dance floor.

I was self conscious at first, worried about toppling over in my shoes and making a fool of myself on the dance floor. But I soon forgot my inhibitions and the music took over. It felt amazing to forget myself and have fun after my self-imposed confinement in my condo.

Endorphins coursed through my veins as I waggled my hips and waved my arms. Strong hands clasped my waist, and I jolted. He moved with me to the music, and I spun around in time to the beat.

I came face to face with a gorgeous blue-eyed blond. He smirked at me as his eyes raked over my body then zeroed in on my jiggling tits. Even though he wasn’t my type, and even though I was still hurting from Jay, the man’s attention surged the endorphins throughout me and in a moment of madness I reached out and ran my hands down his arms.

Hard, defined muscles bulged underneath his shirt. The culmination of so many factors — Jay, the new job, the way I felt in my outfit, the Champagne — caused me to want this man. I wanted him to take me home and rip off my clothes. Then Jay would be well and truly gone from my life.

We danced together for several more songs, our hands roving over each other as we moved. I was sweaty after a few songs, and needed a drink.

“I’m thirsty,” I shouted into the blond’s ear.

“Let’s get some drinks,” he said, kissing my cheek. His lips warmed me.

He followed me off the floor and I led him to the reserved table. Jenny had disappeared ages ago, I assumed with Collin. Sam and Marla were busy dancing with what seemed to be twins.

The blond poured two glasses of bubbles from the bottle that had been sitting there, and I eagerly took one off him. He laughed and pointed at a man doing crazy spins on the dance floor. I looked over and enjoyed the show the long-haired guy in a purple top was putting on.

The blond nudged my arm and we clinked glasses. My throat was so parched I drank half of it in one go. I sipped at the rest while we rested. My feet hadn’t hurt, or at least I hadn’t noticed the hurt, until I sat down.

“I have access to the VIP area,” the blond said, pointing upstairs.

Wow. Jenny had described the club’s legendary VIP lounge. Even she couldn’t get us in there. But my new friend could.

“Sounds great. Let’s go.”

He stood, and I followed him across the room to an elaborate staircase. A bouncer was standing in front of it, but the blond flashed something and he stepped aside.

“After you,” the blond said, motioning for me to go first. I climbed the stairs, the heat of his eyes on my ass as I went.

The VIP lounge was quieter, with sofas and low tables. It overlooked the dance floor, and I looked down in search of Sam and Marla. The action gave me sudden vertigo, and I had to shut my eyes.

I hadn’t realized how drunk I was until I got in the relative calmness of the lounge. I moved to sit down and had to put my arm out to catch myself.

“Come, my table’s over here.” The blond put his arm around me and guided me to a sofa away from the edge of the balcony.

I collapsed onto it like a rag-doll. The blond sat beside me, put his arm around my shoulder and held me tight to him. I kept opening and closing my eyes, trying to stop the room from spinning. Each time I closed them, I got more and more tired until I could barely re-open them.

The blond held me tighter, and I opened my eyes to see him touch the diamond on the necklace, then move his finger down between my cleavage. I was so out of it, I felt like I was in a dream. Except I didn’t feel anything. I wasn’t at all excited by the man’s attention. My skin barely registered his touch.

I tried to move, to wiggle my body away from him and clear my head with some water, but I couldn’t move. My limbs were not responding to my commands. I opened my eyes again to see the blond slide his hand up under my skirt. I think he was saying something but I couldn’t be sure.

A movement caught my eye, and I watched a man walk over to us. He yanked the man from the sofa, from me. I tried to utter thank you, but couldn’t. The man looked familiar. I was searching my mind, trying to figure out who he was.

He punched the blond. In the face. Again. And in the stomach. And the nose. Blood streamed down the blond’s face, reddening his pale shirt. Then my eyes were too heavy to hold open any longer, and I closed them.