Page 52 of Watching Her

It was definitely something I couldn’t allow myself to forget.

This time, as the overwhelming urge to touch her washed over me, the direct result was tunnel vision. I’d partaken in small talk, acting as if I gave a damn about the beloved couple and their burgeoning life together.

I didn’t.

Perhaps some would call me jealous when I knew I was a pragmatist.

The divorce rate continued to climb and I knew enough about the groom to know he hadn’t even thought about a prenup. Why bother? The lovely girl was the love of his life.

Fool.

Penelope. I wondered if she ever went by Penny. I focused all my attention on her even as a few potential clients had attempted to garner my attention. With the DJ taking over briefly for the band, she’d been dancing rhythmically to music from a different era. Every move was sinuous and free flowing, the dance itself providing her joy instead of the heavy drum beat of the music.

She was provocative, a seductress with both movement and her guileless smile. The woman was pure sin.

I weaved my way through the crowd toward the bar where she was standing. For once, she was all alone and from the way she smiled as if a very personal joke lingered in her mind, she was happy the pomp and circumstance of the evening had been concluded.

She was even more stunning than seeing her at the event weeks before. Yes, I’d enjoyed the sight of her naked body, but in several ways, I’d been watching a movie while the flesh and blood standing in front of me presented a gift, one beautifully packaged.

To her credit, the bride’s selection of bridesmaid dresses had been exceptional instead of cheesy. The deep violet dress was form fitting without detracting from the bride, low cut enough to accentuate any figure, yet leaving reason for a man to pause, curious as to the treat underneath.

With a waist-cinching design and silky material that appeared almost pearlescent in low-level lighting, the true surprise was the long slit exposing a gorgeous leg underneath.

I could enjoy admiring Penelope from afar for longer, but duty and desire screamed otherwise. Plus, Sebastian had already made it to third base.

Everyone knew I didn’t like to lose.

Just before I approached, she turned her head, glancing at the band, about to return to the stage after a short break.

“Macallan. Neat,” I told the bartender. Her perfume had already ignited the same darkness as from weeks before, the arousal pleasant if not daunting. Blue balls weren’t my objective.

As expected… No, as hoped, she slowly turned her head toward me.

“It was you.” Her words were deliberate, seductive, and not a question but merely a statement. A cause and effect.

With a slight shift of my body, I gave her my full attention. “Coffee girl. What a pleasant surprise.”

“Is it?”

“What do you mean?”

She lifted her martini glass, licking the rim. “Is this a surprise or a planned meeting?”

Women weren’t usually this direct, at least at the beginning. “I wish I could say that it was. And I do admit, I’m glad you don’t have a cup of scalding coffee in your hand.”

“Would you prefer I find a couple masks? Would that be better?”

“There is such a thing as mystery being a type of foreplay.”

“Ah, much like kissing a stranger wearing nothing but a teensy tiny towel. Right?” She took a sip, her long, dark eyelashes floating across the smooth porcelain of her cheeks.

“I feel honored you remember. I must admit, not an encounter that would be easy to forget.”

“Very smooth,” she murmured. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were following me. Perhaps even stalking me and know no one inside this room.”

“What makes you think I’m not?”

Her smile was delightful. “Because I’m a keen observer and noticed you had a friendly conversation with the groom. If you were here on false pretenses, even Drake would have had you escorted out.”