For tonight’s party, The Agency had rented out the patio and pool deck at one of the most exclusive hotels on South Beach. We’d told the party planner we wanted the vibe to be extremely upscale and sexy, and she’d certainly delivered. We needed our clients to feel confident in their choice of representation and that we’d never spare any expense when it came to their best interests. From the way everyone was laughing and smiling, I’d say our half-a-million-dollar budget had accomplished our goal.

The only thing missing was James.

She and Eve had been taking their sweet time in arriving, and I knew that had to do with Abel and Sophia being on the guest list.

Since James had found out they were attending, she hadn’t been acting like herself. I knew that was her anxiety kicking in, the same way I knew, at some point, she’d try to get out of coming. And she had this morning after I got out of the shower. She’d been sitting at the end of my bed, a robe wrapped around her, looking at me with the most pleading eyes. I’d told her she could do whatever made her comfortable but that I hoped, for me, she’d be there.

I’d worked so fucking hard for this company. I just wanted to share the success with her tonight even if that meant I couldn’t touch her. That part would have to wait until I got her home where I would live inside her pussy until she was too sore to take any more.

I tried to get that thought out of my head as I made my way around the pool deck, seeing Jack and Max and Scarlett doing the same, shaking hands with our clients, talking about upcoming deals and negotiations, hearing buzz about the industry. Some of the biggest names in sports, movies, and music were here tonight, and they all wanted in on the next best thing.

We would get them that.

And, in the morning, we would take everything we had learned tonight, and we’d meet with our teams. We’d separate rumors from fact, and we’d come up with a plan of how we were going to go after those contracts.

This party wasn’t just a celebration. It was the start of another wave of business, and millions of dollars would be earned on both sides of these deals.

This was why we threw an annual bash.

And this was why it had to go perfectly because the last fucking thing any of us needed was an outburst of any kind.

As I stepped away from one of Jack’s athletes, I headed around the side bar toward the other end of the patio. I made it about halfway before Scarlett stopped me and said, “She’s here.”

I knew she was talking about James because Sophia and Abel had already been here for a while.

“Is she all right?”

Scarlett knew James and I were together. Jack did also. I’d felt it was important that my partners were kept informed, just in case the media somehow got tipped off and outed us.

“She looks nervous, even with Eve trying to calm her,” Scarlett said. “I don’t think she plans on drinking, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea if she had just one to take the edge off. I wouldn’t suggest more than that.”

“That’s a good idea.” I called over the closest waiter and said to him, “Would you mind bringing me a glass of champagne?”

“No problem,” he replied.

“I got a chance to talk to Eve this afternoon,” Scarlett said once we were alone again. “She’s going to keep an eye on Abel and Sophia to keep them and James on separate sides of the room. And I briefed the security team, too, just to make them aware of it. You know I never like to be too safe.”

“If Sophia says a fucking word to James, we won’t need security because I’ll be kicking her ass out myself. I don’t give a shit if she’s Max’s client; I won’t tolerate her bullshit.”

“Max doesn’t seem worried at all.”

I glanced to my right and saw Abel on a chair, sitting around the fire pit, with Sophia on his lap. They had drinks in their hands and were talking to several of Max’s other clients.

“That’s because Max doesn’t know how much of a bitch that cunt can be or the things Sophia has said to James in the past.” The waiter returned with James’s drink, and I gripped her glass and mine in both hands. “Where is she?”

“When I saw her last, she was standing with Eve near the entrance.”

“I need to go see her. I’ll talk to you in a little while,” I said, and I made my way toward the front.

Every few feet, I got stopped by either a client or a team member. I told each of them I’d be back to chat and continued heading toward the entrance. Rounding the corner of the last bar, I walked up the steps that separated the upper section of the pool deck from the main level, and I saw her immediately.

It didn’t matter that only her profile faced me.

I would have spotted that body anywhere, and my cock immediately responded to it.

Dressed in the palest yellow two-piece, the tank top she had on was cut low over her chest and ended right below her tits. Her stomach was bare and revealed. Then, the skirt started right above her belly button where it tightly wrapped across her ass and thighs and ended at her ankles.

I hadn’t been shown this outfit.

She’d hear about that tomorrow.

Right now, I couldn’t get over how fucking hot she looked.

And how I was going to take those two pieces off with my goddamn teeth.

Shaking my head, moving that fantasy to the side, I joined the two of them and handed James the champagne. “Scarlett thought you could use this.”

Her gaze shot all over me. “Hi.”

Scarlett was right; James was nervous as fuck. When she put her lips around the glass, I saw it shake before the champagne reached her mouth.

“Drink it slow,” I told her.

She swallowed once and pulled it away.

“You look gorgeous.”

I held my tumbler with both hands, so I wouldn’t be tempted to touch her. It was painful that I couldn’t. That I wasn’t able to lean into her neck and take in her pear scent. That I couldn’t move that small piece of hair that was stuck to her glossy lips. That I couldn’t tell her how gorgeous she was while I was kissing her.

“Thank you.” She blushed, and this time, I knew it wasn’t from the champagne.

“Are you okay?” I asked and then looked at Eve, but her eyes were on James.

“I’m here, and I’ll stay as long as you want me to.”

She was such a goddamn pleaser. That was something I liked about her. What I didn’t like was that she wasn’t being honest with me, and I needed an answer before I could go anywhere.

“Are you okay, James?” My voice was quiet but demanding.

Her eyes shifted to the glass for several seconds before they came back to me. “I will be.”

“I’ll make sure of it,” Eve said.

“Do you need anything?”

She shook her head. “It’s your party; you need to go talk to everyone and have fun. I’ll see you later.”

I fucking hated that I had to walk away and not take her back to my place where she wouldn’t have to see those two bastards. But she was right; I needed to work the room, and it would take me most of the night to speak to everyone here.

“If you need anything, you text me. My phone is right in my pocket, and I’ll feel it vibrate.”

“She’ll be fine,” Eve said.

James said nothing. She just stared at me until I turned around.

I knew Eve had meant every word she said, and she would take care of her. Those girls would do anything for each other. But it wasn’t the same as having James next to me where I could make sure nothing happened.

It was going to be a long fucking night.