Page 38 of Lie With Me
“Are you okay?”
Her eyebrows knit together as she pushes her plate away and finishes the rest of her second mimosa. “Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”
“I don’t know. You seem…different…than yesterday.” Now that I’m getting a chance to actually examine her, she looks tired. “Did you work at the club after you left my place last night?”
“No,” she answers immediately, rubbing at her eye carefully. “I’m just not used to mornings and having to be so fake. I’m tired, that’s all.”
Reaching across the table, I motion for her hand, which she reluctantly gives me. “Have I told you how much I appreciate you doing this?”
A small smile turns her lips up as she squeezes my hand. “I know you do. If you’re not verbally telling me, you’re showing your appreciation in other ways.”
Her tone travels straight to my cock. “Let me give you a ride home before I go to the office. I’ll show you how grateful I am again.”
She pulls her hand out of mine as she laughs. “It’sokay. I think I’m going to go see Ginny. Tomorrow night, though, I booked us a room at Désirer. I have something for you.”
“Aww, honey, you got me a New Year’s Eve gift?”
“You bet I did. And you better bring your A-game. I’m going to make sure all your negative feelings about New Year’s are forgotten. After tomorrow night, the holiday won’t remind you of Emily leaving you, but it will certainly be one to remember.”
Lenni’s feline grin sends a rush of excitement through me. I’m looking forward to whatever she has planned, as long as she’s involved. “You’re spoiling me. That’s supposed to be my job.”
Her next words, however, are quite sobering. “You’re paying me, Tripp. And I told you, it’s my job to make the men I fuck feel special.”
Lenni
The Grand Room glimmers with touches of sparkles dusting nearly every surface. The Temptangels’ wings are coated with a fine layer of shimmering powder, and our bodies are painted with edible glitter. Women walk around in lingerie sets that dazzle like a Taylor Swift costume, while the men wear pants that look like they were made from a disco ball.
It isn’t my first New Year’s party at Désirer, but it is the first time I’m not participating in the show that starts soon.
My nerves are jittery. Crackling with anticipation for what’s to come tonight—for what I’ve set up for Tripp.
I’m hoping that he’s open to exploring something new. Something that might help him differentiate what is real and what isn’t between us.
He keeps saying he doesn’t want to watch another man touch me, but he has to understand I’mnothis. Even if I said I would be while we carried on this charade for his parents, inhere, at Désirer, I can’t be, and I can’t quit.
The money is too important.
Besides, we’re getting too comfortable with each other.
It would be easy to fall into a relationship with him. Andthatisn’t about the money.
It’s just abouthim.
Knowing my luck, though, trouble will find me the moment I decide to try being happy for once, and I don’t want Tripp dragged into my mess.
“I love that I can pick you out of the crowd, even with the wings and mask. You have no idea how pleased I am that I know your body intimately enough to do that.” Tripp speaks lowly into my ear as he appears out of thin air, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me back into him.
Think of Prince Charming, and he shall appear.
“You’re going to get glitter all over yourself.” I laugh.
I’m supposed to maintain an illusion of availability at all times, and technically, Tripp could get in trouble for grabbing me so brazenly without asking first.
But I suppose it’s okay to break the rules a little since we’re such good friends with the bosses.
Tripp nuzzles my neck, dragging his nose up my skin to nip my earlobe as his fingers toy with the bottom of my lacy, brief-style underwear. “As long as it’s coming from your body, I don’t care. It’s beendays since I’ve been inside you. Is my gift getting to peel this little number off you with my teeth?”
A shiver of excitement shudders through me. His way with words tangles my senses in a sweet, cotton candy ball of fluff that I want to keep wrapping myself in while he verbally licks the spun sugar from my skin.