“I’m sorry I’m late. I should have met you at the restaurant,” she grumbled while removing her coat. “I forget how long it takes to put effort into hair and makeup.” She continued to ramble but I didn’t hear another word she said. Because the moment she peeled off her coat I saw the pink cocktail dress she had on that hit right above her knees showing off her shapely legs… legs were my thing.
I had seen Haven in shorts before, and even a bathing suit. But I never saw Haven’s bare legs while wearing heels.
Well, shit.
This messed with my libido.
As it was, I’d been walking around in a constant state of arousal. Where most of the time the content of the calls I received never affected me, for whatever reason I found myself turned on more often than not. Add how ridiculous it was that my thoughts were consumed with a stranger who kept calling my show. Then there was the disappointment I felt when she didn’t call for the rest of the week. And now I was leering at my best friend.
I needed to get laid, and soon.
Distractedly, Haven threw her coat over one of the barstools and stopped when she saw my face. “What? You hate it.”
“Haven, you look beautiful.”
A blush tinged her cheeks before she gripped her hips in a defensive stance. “You know, Mooner, I should be insulted every time you act so shocked I can look like a girl at times,” she said with an eye-roll before sitting on the stool. When she leaned forward with her elbows on the granite, the neckline of her dress pulled away just enough to show the hint of a pink lace bra.
Impulsively, I sidestepped until I was behind the island to hide yet another impromptu hard-on growing in my pants.
Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with me?
“You’re giving me a huge complex, Mooner.”
“I’m sorry. Don’t take it personally. It’s me. Living in New York, being horny as all fuck, and that Apple chick have me all out of whack.” I told her what had happened after the call on the air disconnected, as well as seeing Abby at the pub.
Haven tilted her head in sympathy. “She did say she didn’t want you to see her face, which my guess was the reason why she pretended not to know you.”
“Probably. It’s more than that, though. I can’t figure out why a stranger is messing with my head as much as she is.”
“Are you attracted to her? The blonde?”
I considered the question. “I guess. But that’s not the main reason. It may sound crazy, I felt like we connected when she first called the show. I heard sadness in her voice, and vulnerability that touched me.”
“It’s your Superman complex. You have this innate need to help people. Throw in the mystery of the unknown, the challenge she presents, and that’s why you’re sporting a boner for her.”
“Great,” I griped not bothering to deny her assessment since it was dead-on. “I just hate that I spend so much time wondering when she’ll call again.”
Haven narrowed her eyes deep in thought. “You have her number, call her.” Her simple, obvious solution made me feel stupid.
“You’re right. I will.”
She gave me a genuine smile. “Are you ready to go? Are you wearing a jockstrap, you know, just in case Connie Cougar claws at your junk?”
“Very funny. That’s what you’re there for, to deflect any possible clawing. Paul said the check cleared so she can’t cancel her donation. Let’s just hope she doesn’t attack because you’re there.”
“Pepper spray,” Haven quipped, patting her small pink clutch. “Why am I there, anyway? Am I your girlfriend tonight? That could set her off.”
“Or stop her from trying to get me in bed.”
Haven tapped her fingertips on the granite. “Follow my lead. I’m good at judging people.” At my gawk she asked, “What?”
I started ticking off one by one all the people in our past who Haven was not good at judging.
“Okay, good point. How about I’m there as a witness for the radio station because you were accused of sexual harassment?” At my second gawk, she added, “No?”
“Why do I feel one of us is going to jail tonight?” I reached for her coat and held it opened for her to shrug into. “Let’s go get this over with.”
Surprisingly, Constance instructed the station she would meet me at the restaurant she chose, leaving the address where we should go. When we got out of the cab in front of a bustling place called Meriwether’s, Haven and I looked at each other and laughed. Inside, the décor looked like the restaurant would be better suited for the Las Vegas strip. Dim lighting, animal-print fabrics, and lots of black leather made me wonder what this woman’s home looked like.
“Food must be good,” I said. “Why else would it be so packed?”
Haven’s gaze scanned the place from corner to corner. “Let’s hope it’s not a sex club in disguise,” she said on a laugh.
“Not funny.”
The hostess took our names, nodding at the recognition. “Mrs. Meriwether is at her table waiting for you. May I check your coats?”
Accepting her offer, a minute later she returned with a ticket stub for them, lifted two menus from the podium, and said, “Please, follow me.”
The noise in the restaurant bordered on deafening. Every table accommodated two or four, and each one was occupied. All the waiters were dressed in black tuxedos, and there wasn’t a female waitress to be seen. A glass wall separated the dining area from the kitchen, where chefs ran around frantically preparing meals.
It was all very chaotic, and I hated everything about it.
Constance was sitting at the best table in the room that was set for two. Upon seeing Haven and me, her crimson painted smile faltered.
“Hello, Mrs. Meriwether,” I said cheerfully.
“What’s this?” she asked, wiggling a long red nail at Haven.
“This is my friend, Haven. I hope you don’t mind her joining us. She’s a publicist,” I lied.
Constance cut her eyes toward Haven, studying her from head to toe. I almost laughed when Haven grinned and waved. God love my friend.
The contrast between the two women was comical.
Haven in her sexy pink dress. And then there was Constance, wearing a similar dress that she wore to the ball, with the difference being the leopard fabric that molded over her ample breasts wasn’t encrusted with sequins. Otherwise, the hair, the makeup, and the cleavage were all replicated.
Our hostess snapped her fingers, and a waiter appeared out of nowhere. “Get her a chair.”
On her command, he dragged one over from a neighboring table and set it beside the one already at the table that faced Constance. I pulled it out for Haven and then sat beside her, all while ignoring Connie Cougar’s glare.
The waiter appeared and reached for the merlot on the table. “Wine, ma’am, sir?”
On our nods, he began to pour as Constance reached for hers and took a huge gulp. I spread an arm across the back of Haven’s chair, and she watched the motion over the rim of her glass. The tension between us hung as heavily as her overpowering perfume.
“So, whose idea was it to bring the third wheel?” She placed her wine down, and my eyes focused on the blood-red lipstick smeared on the side of the glass that matched the color of the liquid inside of it. It distracted me enough to have Haven pinch my thigh.
“Oh, um. I thought it would be great for Haven to be here. It was such a huge donation, and she wants to feed the press with how generous you have been over the years to Turner House.”
Constance assessed Haven with a condescending smirk. “What firm do you work for?”
“I’m self employed and trying to make a name for myself. Right now, Vaughn is my one and only client. I hope you don’t mind me being here. Vaughn is being kind, because I insisted on coming.” She glanced at me and smiled, forcing me to bite the inside of my cheek to stop from bursting out in laughter.
“Wait.” Connie pointed a fingernail that could also double as a switchblade. “I remember you. You were at the gala in that black dress. Are you two a couple?”
“No,” we both said at the same time. My no came with a chuckle, while Haven’s came with a squeak.
“Just great friends,” I added for good measure.
Connie wasn’t convinced, and continued to glare at Haven with a critical eye.
“May I take your orders, Mrs. Meriwether?” the waiter who fetched the chair asked.
“Not now,” she shooed him away with a wave of her clawed hand. We watched him scurry off, and I wouldn’t dare look at Haven. If I did, no doubt, the look on her face would make me lose my shit.
“You can be honest. If you’re a couple, that makes things a bit more interesting. I love watching,” she said nonchalantly, raising her wine to take another sip. “My late husband got me into that. You must admit, Dr. Lair, it’s very erotic to watch others being intimate with each other.”
“Yes, many do enjoy voyeurism.” The thought of her watching me engage in anything sexual almost caused a gag. “But…”
She lifted a hand, stopping my but. “I have a feeling with you two, the smoke detectors would trigger.”
Ignoring Haven choking on the sip of wine she just took, I gave her a tight smile.
Okay, this wacko was pissing me off.
“Constance. Although as flattering as that is, watching me engage in a sexual act of any kind wasn’t included in the terms of your sizable donation.” I motioned for the waiter and added, “Shall we order?”
Her cackle forced the waiter to stand awkwardly at the end of the table. I swear the man started to sweat. “I’ll make you a deal, Dr. Lair. You two kiss for me…” She paused and pulled out her checkbook and a pen from her handbag. “And I’ll donate another ten grand because I want to see it that bad.”
“Um… I’ll give you all a few more minutes to decide,” the waiter mumbled before slinking away.
“Constance…”
“Oh, honey,” Haven cooed, placing a hand on my thigh. “She’s on to us.”
Haven leaned in, placed her hand on the back of my neck, and stared into my eyes. Ignoring my what the fuck look, she pressed her lips to mine.
The kiss started out slow and tentative, with her lips pretty much just resting against my own.
But that didn’t last long.
The feel of her cool fingers on my overheated flesh kick-started my heart. The taste of wine melded deliciously with the sweetness of her lips. Out of nowhere, my hand lifted to cup her cheek. At contact, Haven parted her lips just enough for my eager tongue to slip into her mouth. The moan she released, that I caught in my mouth, spurred me on to deepen the kiss.
It felt natural and wrong all at the same time. This woman was like a sister to me. What the fuck was I doing tonguing her as I was? Yet, I didn’t stop or pull away.
… And neither did she.
Not caring we were in a crowded restaurant, or that an insane cougar with a sexual fetish was watching us. I held her head to mine, deepening the kiss and skimming my tongue along hers. Tasting her for the first time made me wonder what the rest of her tasted like. It was that thought which shocked the shit out of me enough to pull away from her, unable to catch my breath.
After I did, Haven stared at me wide-eyed and just as confused as I was.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered so low, I wasn’t even sure she heard me.
“Well done,” Constance said. I cut my eyes in her direction to see a huge grin on her face that showed off her lipstick-stained teeth. “That was worth every penny.” She scribbled out a check and ripped it off, handing it to me. “I’ll keep this out,” she added with a wink while patting the checkbook. “Just in case I can bribe you two to do other things tonight. Damn, kids. That was hot as hell. You two should consider making a sex tape.”
Haven and I weren’t paying attention to the nonsense Constance rambled on about. Instead, we sat in an awkward silence while still avoiding contact or even chancing a glance at each other.
After a full minute went by, in a trance we both reached for our wine glasses at the same time, gulping down the entire glass.