Chapter 23

Twenty minutes later, we pulled up to the museum entrance. I still felt beyond awkward in Bianca's dress, even if it did fit like a charm.

I hadn't wanted it. I'd refused to take it. I'd argued with both of them – not that it did any good. In the end, Bianca herself had practically begged me to wear it, no doubt in some twisted effort to earn back Jake's trust, or affection, or whatever it was they had between them.

As for me, I almost felt sorry for her. And, I still couldn’t figure out why she'd degrade herself in that way, whether it was for a job, or a guy, or just to prove she could rock the schoolmarm look. Either way, it didn't make me feel any better, even if I did look a whole lot better.

Sitting in the darkened back seat, I had reluctantly shimmied out of my original dress after making Jake turn his back to me. Unfortunately, this meant he was facing Bianca straight-on as she sat half-naked, like some lingerie model, within arm's reach.

I bet she just hated that.

As for Henry, I'm sure he got an eyeful of both of us. But since the car didn't crash along the way, I liked to think he did a pretty good job of keeping his eyes on the road.

But now, idling in front of the museum, my heart was hammering. Outside the car, I saw a long line of people waiting to get into the place Most of them looked close to my age, and all of them were dressed to kill.

I turned to Jake. "Are you sure this is a museum?" Of course, the question was beyond stupid. It said "museum" right on the front of the building, a massive stone structure with tall columns and ornate architecture.

He grinned over at me. "I'm sure," he said. "But it's a fundraiser, so it's not the normal crowd." He leaned his head toward mine. "Remember, tonight you're my girl, so act the part. Alright?"

"What do you mean?" I said. "How?"

"I dunno," he said, giving me a wicked grin. "Improvise."

Oh sure, like that was a good idea. At one time, I had a wild reputation. Most of it was earned. Some of it wasn't. But these days, I was determined to play it safe. Although I'd never admit in a million years, the thing with Rango had shaken me to the core.

From now on, I was on the straight and narrow.

Before I could ask Jake for more details, a burly guy in a sports jacket opened our car door. Immediately, we were hustled past the crowd and down a long red carpet. I swear, I heard murmurs of Jake's name, but Jake paid no attention. So neither did I. Or at least I tried not to.

Jake had me on one side and Bianca on the other. But it was me he draped a protective arm over as we made our way toward the entryway. I gave Bianca a sideways glance. She used the extra space to her advantage, strutting down the carpet like a runway model at a high-end fashion show.

I had to give her credit. For someone wearing the ugliest dress of the century, she was working it like a pro. I started to wonder. Maybe it was the thing they were wearing in New York.

When she stepped ahead of us, struck a pose, and then called out to some lady holding a clipboard, I gave the schoolmarm dress a good long look. I couldn't help but wince. No way in hell they'd wear that thing anywhere and call it stylish, no matter how much Bianca tried to pretend otherwise.

Pulling my gaze from Bianca, I let Jake lead me through the tall entryway and into a massive hall with a high domed ceiling. Dance-music pulsed from some unseen source, and the hall's center had been turned into a dance floor of sorts, with tables all around and flashing lights from somewhere above.

The dance floor was packed shoulder to shoulder with bodies – some dancing, some standing with drinks, and others weaving their way through the crowd in search of who-knows-what.

Given the time and place, the sight was utterly surreal. It was barely past the dinner hour. Even the busiest nightclubs didn't really get going until ten o'clock. As we strolled through the commotion, I couldn't help but smile as I looked around. "This is crazy," I said. "What kind of fundraiser is this?"

"It's some 'rave the art' thing," he said. "Bianca talked me into a sponsorship."

At the mention of Bianca's name, my smile faded. "I'm sorry for thinking she was your, um, paid companion."

He gave me a sideways glance. "Is that what they're calling it?"

"Actually," I admitted, "it was the nicest name I could think of."

"Eh, forget it," he said. "If I know Bianca, she wanted you to think that."

"Wow, how'd you know?" I asked.

"She's been with me a while," he said. "I know her tricks."

I could only imagine. For all I knew, she was double-jointed. I tried to keep my tone casual. "So she works for you? Like Trey?"

"No. I'm her client, not her boss."

"Oh. That's good."

"Yeah?" he said. "Why?"

"Oh come on, you know." I lowered my voice. "Because you two were intimate." I cleared my throat. "Um, recently, I'm guessing?"

He stopped walking. So did I. Around us, the crowd swarmed past.

He turned to face me. "That was months ago," he said.

"Oh." For some reason, that was a huge relief. "But if she's not your employee, why would she give up the dress?"

"Because she was busted, and she knew it."

"Busted? For what?"

"Not doing her job."

I shook my head. "And what was her job, exactly?"

He gave a hard laugh. "Well, it sure as hell wasn't to stick you in a fugly dress and make you think I pay for sex."

I tried to laugh too. "I didn't really think you paid for it."

"Good to know."

"So she's your event planner?" I said, eager to change the conversation. "What does that involve?"

"P.R. mostly."

"As in public relations?" This time, I did laugh. "Since when do you care about that sort of thing?"

"I don't." He leaned close and lowered his voice. Our lips almost brushed, and I had to remind myself that this wasn't really a date. "But," he said, "it helps to spread the money around."

"To who?" I asked.

"The city. Cops. Whoever."

"But why?" I asked.

"Why else?" he said with that cocky grin I loved so well. "To keep my sorry ass out of jail."

From what I'd seen, his ass was anything but sorry. In fact, it was pretty darn fine, just like the rest of him. As he smiled down at me, I caught my breath.

I was so doomed.