Page 27 of Nothing to You (Nothing to… #7)
Looking at Roxie and Zairn, there was no doubting their love.
Knox and Kintyre were mysteries. Like Lilya said, they weren’t a regular topic of conversation.
She’d have to find the time to quiz Rourke about his friends.
She already cared about Roxie and Lilya.
Jane was such a sweetheart that it was impossible not to be protective of her.
The Collier family, the media monolith, were strong, ruthless, bold. How did Jane fit in with that?
“I’ll need to come down sometime for the party planning,” she said because there was still so much to do, and her curiosity had to be satisfied. “Are you sure we can get it off the ground in two weeks?”
The countdown to the party had started. Only two weeks and three days to wait.
“Well, the invitations have gone out, so if we can’t then those people will still have a great time at Crimson. One way or another.”
Whether it was at a hip nightclub or a highbrow fundraiser.
“Will people have space in their schedules at such short notice?”
As usual, Roxie wasn’t worried. “One thing you’ll learn with the uber-rich is that they do whatever the hell they want. If they don’t want to come, they’re busy. If they do—”
“We lock ourselves in hotel suites with the women we love,” Zairn said. “You love the uber-rich, Lola.”
“I love you. Uber-rich or not… You better start getting used to the idea that the time may come when I’ll be worth more than you.”
“I’m ready for that.” Zairn was unfazed. “That’s when I’ll off you and rent myself an exchange student’s uterus.”
Hmm, maybe they weren’t a normal couple after all. That was a strange kind of kinky.
“Dunlap’s bringing the contract next week and I will read the small print.
You don’t have to be as thorough, not on my account,” Roxie said, opening her mouth in an audible inhale before rolling her focus back to her.
“Trust me…” Roxie took her hand. “The Hope party is not the kind of thing we do often. With the documentary and surrounding whatever, Z and I will be a hot ticket. Hotter than usual. We’re always hot.
” She loved her friend’s mock hair toss.
“Whatever people think they have on, they’ll cancel for us.
They will. I guarantee the club will be past capacity. ”
“Especially when we have Knox out there ruining anyone who thinks about snubbing the invite,” Rourke said. “Reid bringing Merci?”
“We said they didn’t have to make the trip,” Roxie answered even though Rourke had been talking to Zairn. “They’ll contribute, obviously, and make the rounds in Manhattan. We don’t want our group seen together too much, do we? And there are a lot of weddings coming up.”
“I’m sorry I missed Jane and Knox’s.” Laughter rose from all angles. “Okay, why is that funny?”
“They’re not actually married,” Roxie said. “The media reported there was a wedding on Crimson Isle, but there wasn’t.”
“Oh. Oops.”
Jane came hurrying out of the kitchen. “Knox says he has a surprise.”
“Oh, I love a surprise,” Roxie said. Growing suspicious, the blonde’s eyes flicked back and forth between the men. “What do you two know?”
“If we know anything and say anything, it won’t be a surprise,” Zairn said.
Was that genuine or evasive?
“Z has surprises, Knox has surprises, Zach got Lil pregnant, surprise,” Rourke said. “You pussies need to take your women in hand. I’ll need to stage an intervention.”
“With whom?” Zairn asked. “K2’s off the grid.”
“As always, these days.”
“We lost Dyce to his deserted tropical island, and Cam has a lifestyle. Caspian’s probably forgot there’s anything more to a woman than her pussy.”
“That’s not a bad way to be,” Rourke said. “I’ll call the Wyldes. They must know men need to keep their women in line.”
“All of them are single.”
Rourke sneered. “You’ve changed. Where’s our playboy gone?”
Zairn laughed. “Ask Lola.”
Taking women in hand? No, the power was strong in the feminine camp. These men were their playthings, not the other way around.
She got up and slipped off her shoes while loosening her hair to shake it free. The tease in Rourke’s countenance softened to a smolder.
“Is this our cue?” Roxie asked. When she took off her top and rolled down the zip on her skirt, Roxie jumped to her feet to kiss her cheek. “Come on, my minions, let’s give the woman a chance to work.”
The others retreated into the house as she strutted around the table.
“We’re entertaining,” Rourke said, his hands sliding onto her hips to push off her skirt, letting it fall to the slate beneath her feet. Rather than go down to his level, she put her hands on his and stepped back, tempting him out of his chair. “That was rude.”
“You asked if I was in the mood to get wet,” she said, unzipping his pants. “You a pussy tease?”
“Oh, baby,” he said, surprising her by stooping to scoop her up. “The teasing hasn’t even started yet.”
Striding to the pool, he kept going, boosting them both off the edge and into the water, clothes and all. Fuck it. What an idiot. She twisted beneath the chlorine, righting her body intending to kick up, but there he was, already pulling her out and pinning her to the edge.
“You’re an overachiever,” she said, holding her own elbows after her arms twined around his neck.
“I think that’s the first nice thing you’ve ever said about me.” He grinned and focused on kicking off his pants. “You wet yet?”
“Which part?”
He winked and their mouths came together like opposite poles of a magnet drawn to each other. Yeah, he threw himself, them both, into the deep end, but she had nothing to worry about. He’d been there to catch her and always would be.