Chapter
Eleven
Wednesday night I found myself pacing my bedroom and freaking out. I’d forgotten I’d thrown out my black dress, so I had all my clothes scattered all around my bedroom trying to find something suitable to wear. Only I didn’t have anything. What type of dinner meeting was it? Fancy? Casual? Semicasual? I didn’t even have Vice’s number to message him and ask. Although, having Vice’s number could be a bad thing. Especially if I ever got drunk. One night I drunk dialed my ex and told him everything I thought about his limp dick. It was just lucky he’d somehow managed to damage his phone the next morning, even before he’d heard my message.
Me: SOS.
Molly: What???
Me: What do I wear to a business dinner?
Molly: Jesus, I thought something had actually happened. Bitch. What business dinner?
Me: I don’t know. Your brother just said I had to attend one tonight, and I didn’t think about clothes until now.
Molly: Were you too freaked about being alone with my brother? Aw, so cute.
Me: TELL ME WHAT TO WEAR.
Molly: Relax. What time is he picking you up?
I nibbled my bottom lip, looked at my bedside clock, and gasped. Me: In half an hour.
Molly: Fucking hell. At least tell me you’ve shaved, showered, done your hair and makeup????
Me: Yes.
Molly: Thank God. Okay, you remember that dress you wore six months ago and you refused to wear again?
Me: I AM NOT WEARING THAT!!!
Molly: Stop shouting at me. It’ll be perfect!
Pushing a button, I placed the phone to my ear and when she answered, I asked, “Are you out of your mind?”
She laughed. “No. I loved that dress. If was perfect for your figure.”
“My boobs nearly popped out half the night.”
“So? It’ll keep the clients happy.”
“I’m not even sure who this meeting is with. What happens if it’s some old-timer and I bend over, my boobs drop out for all to see, and I give him a heart attack?”
“At least he’d die happy,” Clinton yelled in the background.
He was obviously sitting next to her and listening in. “You two are terrible.”
“Wear it,” Molly ordered.
“No!”
“Wear it, Addy,” Clinton called.
“You’re both crazy,” I told them before ending the call.
Thank God, Mom and Drew were out of the house. I hadn’t wanted Drew to be around when Vice picked me up in case he got the wrong idea, so Mom had taken him to get ice cream. I also didn’t want them to see what a tizzy I was in over a business dinner. When I told Drew I had to cancel on Den, which Den was understanding about, Drew had been excited, especially when I added I had a business thing to go to instead of on a date with Den. Another reason why I wanted Drew out of the house because I hadn’t said the dinner would also be with my boss. All I’d said was it was with a colleague.
I glanced at the dress Molly mentioned. I had once thought it to be too hookerish, so why was I actually thinking of wearing it? Okay, I was overexaggerating; the dress wasn’t too bad. The worst part about the dress was the dipping neckline; the rest was perfect. Still, I was on the verge of hyperventilating, and Vice would be arriving soon.
Throwing caution to the wind, I grabbed the red dress and slipped it on. Grabbing one girl at a time, I lifted my boobs into place and gave them a jiggle. Nodding to myself, I admitted they did look amazing in the dress. I could only hope I wasn’t overdressed or Vice hated the way it flaunted my girls. I raced to add my own jewelry I poured my heart and soul into—a black beaded necklace, rings on nearly every finger, and a charm bracelet.
When there was a knock at the front door, I yelped and glanced at the clock again. He was early. Quickly, I slipped on some black ballet flats, which were still dressy enough to wear, and grabbed my bag before bolting to the front door.
My head was down and going through my bag to check I had everything when I opened the door. I heard a choke and looked up to see Vice’s eyes were fixed on my cleavage and he was scowling.
He glanced up and asked, “Are you trying to kill me?”
I tilted my head to the side in confusion. “Sorry?” And in that time, I took in his clothes. He was wearing another suit, a dark gray one, only he didn’t have a tie. Instead, the top button was undone, tantalizing me with his tanned skin, and neck.
“Nothing,” he clipped. “Do you have a coat? It’s getting cool outside.”
Shaking my head to clear the Vice fog, I said, “Oh, right,” then spun back around. My feet tangled and I tripped, stumbling forward where I landed on the arm of the couch. Vice must have tried to stop my fall because I felt his heat on my bottom and hips.
“Ah… Adalyn dear, not a good position for Drew to see you in.”
Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Mom in the doorway and noticed Vice was right, as in right behind me, with his hands on my waist. And apparently, in the stumble, my dress had kicked up, so my panties were on show. Vice moved fast to place my dress back down, step back and helped me stand.
“She was going to fall,” Vice explained. What would have helped was if his lips weren’t fighting a smile.
Bloody heck, my face must have matched the color of my dress.
“She’s always been clumsy. Hi, I’m Jenny, Adalyn’s mother, and you must be Vice.” Mom’s hand came out. Vice stepped forward and shook it.
“I am. It’s nice to meet you, Jenny.”
“Nana, I got all the mail.” Drew came bounding into the room and stopped still at the sight of Vice.
Great. Just great.
“Mom,” I bit out. “I thought you were going to be longer.”
“And miss meeting your boss? Not a chance.”
“Hey, Mr. Vice. What are you doing here?” Drew asked, passing the mail to his nana.
Vice glanced at me with a frown.
“Mr. Salvatore is picking me up for the business meeting I mentioned,” I explained.
“Adalyn, I love that dress. Don’t you like it, Vice?” Mom just had to ask.
“Yes. It’s very nice.” He leaned into me and added on a whisper, “So was your underwear.”
I gasped, only to choke on it. Then once I recovered, I clapped my hands and said loudly, “Right! Time for bed for you, after you have a wash of course, and it’s time for us to go.” Walking to Drew, I pushed his cheeks together with both hands and shook his head. “Be good, or I’ll rip your legs off.”
He chuckled, and there was a manly one added to it from behind me. “’Kay, Mom.” I kissed him, and he rolled his eyes. “Have a good night,” he said, and then moved around me to ask, “Hey, Mr. Vice, are you coming this Saturday?”
“I’m sure—” I started.
“Wouldn’t miss it, Drew.”
“Cool!” Drew cried. Then he hugged me, hugged his nana, and to my surprise and my boss’s, he hugged Vice, who returned the gesture. Then with a pat on his head, Vice said, “You better get ready for bed, kid.”
“Night.” He smiled up at Vice, and the whole scene had me holding my breath, while my heart swayed from side to side with how sweet it was. I glanced to see Mom with her hand over her heart and her eyes glistening.
“Good night, Drew.”
“Night,” Drew called to us with a wave before he ran off down the hall.
Speechless.
I was at a loss for words. So when Vice looked from the hall to me, to my mom and then back to me, I cleared my throat. Then did it again. “Um. We’d better go.”
“Yes.” Mom nodded. “Can’t be late for the business meeting.” She moved away from the door and swept her hand toward it. Stiffly, I started for it with Vice at my back. His hand to the small of my back made my breath catch. John had never done that. Once out the door, Mom called, “Have a good night.”
Glancing back, I smiled and said, “Thanks, Mom.”
“Good night, Jenny.”
“Night, handsome.”
Holy ship, my mom did not just call my boss handsome. From Vice’s chuckle, I was certain it was real, and I hadn’t heard things. At least he got a laugh from it.
When we were both seated in his large car—I didn’t have a clue what sort, I wasn’t a car person, but it was big—I turned to him about to apologize for my mom, but he was already looking at me and frowning. So I asked, “What?”
“You forgot a jacket.”
“Oh.” I glanced down. “I did.”
“One moment.” He got out of the car, raced up the pathway and knocked on the front door. Mom opened it and nodded at something Vice said. She disappeared from sight only to return with my long, oversized fluffy jacket. One I wouldn’t have worn with the dress and one which was more for snowstorms instead of a chilly night. Vice made his way back, and Mom waved from the front porch, then gave me a thumbs-up.
Rolling my eyes, I turned to Vice when he got back in, and stated, “It’s not that cold. She could have gotten me a shawl instead.”
“No” was his only comment, and then he started the car, driving off.
We drove for ten minutes in silence, which I thought would have been awkward, but wasn’t. I was happy to sit there around him, if I didn’t look at him, and listen to the soft music playing.
“Tell me about your business.”
“My store on eBay?”
“Yes.”
“Um, sure.” I could do that. “Since I was young, I liked to put together my own jewelry. Of course, back then I wasn’t so good at it, but over time I got better, and it’s something I love to do. It’s relaxing in a way, creating new pieces, and then it’s exciting when someone wants to buy something you’ve made with your bare hands.”
Had I said too much? I didn’t mean to say that much. But once I started talking about it, I couldn’t stop.
“And your store does well?”
Nodding, I fiddled with my bag on my lap. “It does. I mean, it was slow to start out, but it’s getting there.”
“How long has your store been open?”
“Just over a year. John, my ex, thought it was just a hobby. He didn’t trust people would like my work. He didn’t want to look like a fool if it failed, so he asked I never told anyone about”—I used my hands for air quotes—“my hobby.”
I was fascinated when I saw his hands tighten around the wheel.
“You must be happy to prove him wrong?”
“Oh, he doesn’t know I’ve started it. He left about two years ago, and that was when I began. Sometimes it’s hard to work, fulfill my jewelry making and be sure Drew has his mother there for him all the time. Which is also why we moved into Mom’s. She helps with the business, so now all I have to do is make it, and she does the rest.”
“Your ex sounds like an ass.”
Laughing, I wiped under my eyes, and said, “He is. He’s missing out on Drew.”
“So really he’s worse than an ass. Your son is a good kid.”
“Thanks,” I whispered. I couldn’t actually believe we were having a normal conversation without glaring or arguing or having me act weird. It was nice. Actually, I liked it a lot. “Um.” I flicked my gaze to him and then back out the front window.
“Yes?”
Looking to him, I asked, “How did you get into the adult film industry?”
When he turned to me and smiled a smile that had my nipples perking up, I glanced away. He still answered, “I was a young boy with a dream.” I laughed at that. “Honestly, moving into the adult industry hadn’t crossed my mind until five years ago. Grayson and I had been complaining about how terrible porn movies were—”
“Did you watch a lot?” Oh, my God. I couldn’t believe I’d just asked that. He chuckled at my shocked expression.
“Actually, I’ve watched quite a few over the years. I came up with an idea of classy porn, with people who could actually act and storylines that were hotter than anything out there. It seemed to work out.”
“How many businesses do you have?”
“A few.” He smirked.
“No wonder you’re always busy.”
“I like to stay busy. I’m not one to sit around and watch movies. Unless I had a special someone to do it with.”
What about Monica or Debra? I wanted to ask, but it wasn’t my place to, so instead, I just nodded.
A nervous laugh escaped my mouth when the thought of Vice and me cuddled up on a couch watching some lame movie popped into my head.
“What are you thinking?” Of course he had to ask, and the growling tone he used had me wanting to spread my legs and ask him to sing my hoo-ha a song.
“Nothing!” I blurted, and with a quick look, I caught his smile before looking away. “So, um, where is this dinner meeting?”
“Here.” He gestured with his chin to the building he pulled up in front of.
My eyes widened. I thought Vice’s building was big; I was mistaken. The one in front of me was the biggest I had ever seen. Only I was confused, because the place looked like a business, not a restaurant. What was Vice leading me into?