Page 90 of By Invitation Only

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Peyton

“We need ground rules,” I stated as both Lorelei and I put finishing touches of our make-up on in my bathroom. I had decided to wear my super short, sequined, grey dress with spaghetti straps that went around my neck and crisscrossed in the back before being tied in a long bow. Lorelei was wearing a skin tight, red, halter style dress with a neckline that draped all the way down to her bellybutton. It was perfect for a night at Sensation, and also a dress I could never pull off. Lorelei had the boobs for it, and I did not.

“Like what?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe we should pretend we don’t know each other once we’re in there. I really don’t need to see you having sex.”

Lorelei laughed. “Ditto.”

“Plus,” I smirked, “I’m sure Randy will keep you company tonight.”

“I don’t think he’ll want a girl like me when he can sleep with a celebrity.”

I set my mascara down and turned to her. “Do you forget how Booker and I hooked up? He didn’t want a celebrity.”

“True. Guess we’ll see.” Lorelei put the finishing touches on her lips. “He’s hot for a ginger.”

I giggled. “You’re gonna see a lot tonight.”

“I can’t wait.” All week Lorelei had been talking about tonight. What do I wear? Who will I see? Will we eat before we go? Can I bring my phone? Of course I wouldn’t answer most of them. She needed to experience it for herself and get the full excitement of what and who she’d see.

A knock sounded on my door. “The wait is over.”

I walked toward my door, grabbing my clutch and jacket as I went. With a smile on my face, I opened the door and immediately saw Booker in his black and white tux. That man in anything always made me hot. He was confident in his suits, but a tux made him seem more dapper and elegant like he was picking me up for a ball of some sorts. Though, with my barely-there dress, we were kind of opposites.

I watched as his gaze roamed my body like he always did when he saw me. “Gorgeous,” he greeted and stepped forward, cupping my face and silencing any return greeting.

“Are you two going to be like this all the way there?” I heard Lorelei ask from behind me.

Booker and I pulled apart, and Booker spoke with a smile, “I can arrange for you and Randy here to do the same.” He motioned behind him to where Randy was dressed in a tux, too.

“Don’t listen to him,” Randy said. “I’ll be the perfect gentleman.”

“Who said I wanted a gentleman?” Lorelei winked at Randy, and then moved passed all of us and into the hall.

Randy’s eyes cut to me, and I smiled. “Feisty that one. I like it.” And then he followed her.

Booker reached out his hand, silently asking for my house key. I handed it to him. “Those two are either going to be really good or really bad together.”

“I agree, but it will be good for him. He needs a woman to keep him on his toes.”

We rode down the elevator, but instead of going to the garage, we walked out the front doors of my building to a black limo. The driver opened the door, and we piled in. Greetings were exchanged between Lorelei, Carrie and Taylor. Even though Carrie wasn’t introduced as Booker’s wife, Lorelei knew who she was. It was also clear that Carrie and Taylor were a couple. They stole kisses, touches and were sitting practically on top of each other as we rode to Sensation.

“Am I the only virgin here?”

My eyes widened at Lorelei’s question, and then slid over to Randy to see his reaction. Of course she wasn’t a virgin, and knowing my best friend, she meant virgin in the sense of being the only one who hadn’t been to Sensation before. Randy choked on his champagne, and Lorelei’s eyes met mine as the silence became deafening in the car. Then Lore and I started laughing—hard.

“You’re a virgin?” Randy asked, clearing his throat.

“I mean, am I the only one who hasn’t been to Sensation before?”

“Oh,” Randy breathed.

“I haven’t been before,” Taylor spoke.

My gaze turned to the pretty blonde. I couldn’t tell what she was wearing because she had on a long coat, but her piercing blue eyes sparkled from the contrast of her copper-colored eyeshadow. Carrie was dressed similarly.