Chapter 27
“Oh, darling,” Tony said. “You look remarkable.”
“Those dimensions suit you better than I thought they would, love,” Terry said.
I blushed underneath their comments as Tony walked over and took my hand. He brought it to his lips and placed a small kiss on top of it as Terry walked over to grab my other hand. He repeated the movements, causing a flush to trickle down my neck, and that was when I felt it: Tony’s nose against my pulse point.
“You smell divine,” Tony said. “What is that you’re wearing?”
“I had some Code Luna sent to her room as well,” Terry said.
“A wonderful choice, brother,” Tony said. “She smells decadent.”
“Thank you so much,” I said. “For everything.”
“Nonsense. Don’t thank us just yet. We haven’t done anything to deserve it,” Tony said.
“I meant for all this. The hotel room, this beautiful dress, this wonderful evening out. It’s all very debonair and romantic,” I said.
“It doesn’t really make sense to thank us for an evening you haven’t experienced yet,” Terry said. “What if you don’t enjoy it?”
“Oh, I think I’m going to enjoy it just fine,” I said as I hooked my arm around his. “And I especially want to thank you for the security detail that won’t leave me alone—not even for a second.”
“A little too much meat for you?” Tony asked as he placed his hand on my lower back.
“Hardly. But it is a bit overwhelming at times.”
“In a good way?” Terry asked. “Or too much?”
“Oh, in the best way possible,” I said, grinning.
“Sounds like the plight of a beautiful woman surrounded by men she cares for,” Tony said as he opened the door.
The rest of the twins ducked their heads in and gawked. Kyle and Kevin’s glasses slid down their faces while Liam and Logan’s lips parted in shock. Cole and Cameron kept raking their sparkling green eyes up and down my body as Terry pressed a small kiss to the top of my head.
“We’ll have her back at a reasonable time,” Terry said.
“Tomorrow,” Tony added deviously.
I flushed at his comment as Terry escorted me past the men. I made sure to sway my hips a little more than usual, attracting their gaze as I made my way down the hallway with my dates. Terry’s arm was warm against mine while Tony carved out a path for us. He was definitely the most dominant of the group, but there was something in the way Terry held me that denoted an essence of something else. He was commanding, but warm. He held me fondly, but very close to his body. It was as if he were guarding a delicate butterfly.
He was trying to allow me to spread my wings while making sure nothing came along to tear them from my back.
From the moment I stepped out of the limousine, people were giving us odd looks. I could tell by the way people were staring that the Wolf brothers had a penchant for doing this. Tony’s hand rested at the small of my back while Terry’s hand wrapped itself around mine. It was almost as if that was how they typically escorted their women around. There was never a question as to where they put their hands or who took the lead at any given moment.
Oh no, this was a dance they’d done many times before.
And I loved every second of it.
“People are staring at us,” I said.
“No, darling. People are staring at you,” Tony said.
“A glass of wine for the beautiful silver goddess,” Terry said.
“Oh, now that’s a phrase I’d expect to slip from your brother’s lips,” I said.
“I have a few of them stashed away for more personal occasions,” Terry said, winking.
“So, how were your travels? Where did you two jet off to this time?” I asked.
“Tony went back to upstate New York to take care of a few things before he joined me in Tokyo,” Terry said.
“What was in Tokyo?” I asked.
“Schmoozing. About like this really,” Tony said. “Only that was business schmoozing. See, to break into the Eastern business culture, you have to develop personal relationships with those you want to strike deals with.”
“Really?” I asked.
“It’s the difference in culture,” Terry said. “The Eastern world is very big on family, loyalty, and trust. Doing a business deal in the Western world requires holding your cards close to your chest, never showing emotion, and constant secret negotiations in order to save face. In the Eastern world, you leave your cards completely at home until you establish a friendship. Then you wait for your potential Eastern business partner to bring up business. If they bring it up, you’re in. If they don’t, you’re not.”
“How do you know how long you have to wait before they bring it up?” I asked.
“Why do you think we’re so good at reading people?” Tony asked.
“It’s very easy for Tony to see whether someone is interested in creating a relationship in order to strike a deal,” Terry said. “It’s why he flies out frequently in order to meet me for those things. He’s the more intuitive one.”
“That actually shocks me a bit,” I said, grinning.
“And now, time to dazzle you more,” Tony said.
He plucked my empty glass of wine from my fingers before he walked me out onto the dance floor. He spun me around, pulling me into his chest as my hand was suspended in the air by his. He wrapped his arm around me, pressing my body into him while my hand slowly slid up his chest. The warmth of his body calmed me as he swayed side to side, the rhythm of the song flowing over our bodies as his lips came dangerously close to the shell of my ear.
“You really do look fantastic, darling,” he said.
“I could say the same about you in this beautifully tailored suit,” I said.
“In my adventures with women, I’ve found one thing to be very, very true. A bespoke suit on a man is like lingerie on a woman. It wets her palate, gives her a wonderful view of what she is working with, and taps into a deep, carnal desire to rip the well-fitted suit right off the man’s body,” he said.
“Is that what you’re hoping for tonight? For me to simply rip this suit off you?” I asked.
“Hoping?” he asked. “No, not hoping.”
Our bodies stopped swaying as he ran his soft lips along the shell of my ear.
“Guaranteeing, on the other hand…”
My eyes fluttered closed as I shivered into his body. I let out a deep sigh, nuzzling my nose against his cheek. I felt him smile as our bodies started to sway again, but soon the dance was cut short when Tony stepped aside and allowed Terry to step in.
“Hello, love,” he said as he smiled.
“Hey there, Terry.”
“You look a bit flushed. Are you all right?” he asked.
“Oh, yes,” I said breathlessly. “Just fine.”
“Tony is treating you with decency?” he asked.
“I wouldn’t necessarily call it decency, but it most certainly isn’t unwelcome,” I said, smirking.
“Good.”
His hand pressed into the small of my back as his leg took a massive step forward. I leaned into his body, laying my head against his chest as he slowly led me around the floor. His legs carried us away, our bodies twirling and uniting as one while my dress swished across the floor. His hands led me, pushing and pulling me in all sorts of directions, and every once in a while he would dip me low while the very tip of his nose drifted along the cleavage of my breasts.
It absolutely took my breath away. He truly was the better dancer.
We danced through three songs before I sighed deeply into Terry’s neck. He took my hands and pulled me from the floor, ushering me to a table where Tony pulled out my chair. I sank deeply into it as a glass of wine was set in front of me, and I was soon joined by the two striking men who had taken me out for the evening.
Tony was in a black-on-black suit with his black hair smoothed back. His deep-set brown eyes were hooked on my body, gazing up and down while I sipped on my red wine. Terry was in a navy blue pinstriped suit with a white shirt and a pale yellow tie, the color of which matched the small yellow ring around the inside of his brown irises.
They were both breathtaking, and I found myself trying to keep my composure underneath their intense gazes.
“I’ve really enjoyed this ball,” I said, breaking the silence. “Thank you so much for bringing me.”
“Already getting tired, darling?” Tony asked.
“Not at all. I just wanted to thank you now that I’ve experienced the evening.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself, love,” Terry said, “but the evening is far from over.”
“Then I think I might need to be drinking coffee instead of wine. If I drink much more of this, you might just have to carry me home.”
“Or back to our penthouse,” Tony said.
“Hmm?” I hummed.
“What he meant to ask you was, would you care to accompany us back to our place?” Terry asked.
“To your penthouse suite,” I said.
“I believe you would really enjoy the view of LA from the top of the building,” Tony said, smirking.
“And our bed is very soft,” Terry said.
I choked on my wine and grabbed the napkin sitting at my side. Even though I knew the two of them were experienced in this subject, I hadn’t expected either of the debonair boys to be so upfront with what they were offering. I had to admit, the forwardness about what they were planning puckered my nipples underneath the sewn-in bodice of my dress, but I tried to keep my composure as I set my wine glass down.
“I think I would enjoy accompanying you two back to your place,” I said.
“Wonderful,” Tony said.
“Glad to hear it,” Terry said.
“Just one question,” Tony said.
“And what is that?” I asked.
“How do you feel about having your wrists bound?” Tony asked.