As Zandra observed them, she felt an irrational stab of annoyance. Under normal circumstances, it would have pleased her to see one of her escorts getting along so well with a client. But Remy was no ordinary client.
Following the direction of her narrowed gaze, Skylar asked, “Isn’t that one of your girls?”
Zandra nodded shortly.
Skylar chuckled, shaking her head. “You’re a better woman than me, Zandra. I know you trust your escorts, but there’s no way in hell I’d set any of them up on a date with Remy. Hell, I wouldn’t even leave them alone in a room with him.”
Zandra frowned.
At that moment, Remy sent a lazy glance in her direction.
When their eyes met, her breath caught in her throat.
As his hot gaze slid down her body, lust swam into her veins, pooled between her thighs. If she’d been wearing panties, they would have been drenched.
Skylar purred low in her throat. “You lucky bitch.”
Zandra smiled.
When Colin suddenly came up beside her and curved an arm around her waist, Remy’s face hardened.
Catching his deadly expression, Skylar smiled brightly at Colin. “Having a good time?”
As he turned and responded to her, Zandra hazarded another glance at Remy.
Lips curved mockingly, he lifted his champagne and toasted her before putting the glass to his mouth and drinking.
Zandra dragged in a shaky breath and looked away.
“Hey, there,” she said, smiling apologetically at Colin. “Didn’t mean to abandon you to Enid. She’s a sweetheart, but she can be long-winded.”
Colin chuckled good-naturedly. “No problem. She and her husband remind me a little of my parents. Anyway, she says they’re gonna be seating for dinner soon, so we should make our way to the gallery.”
“All right. I need to use the restroom first, so why don’t you and Skylar grab our table and I’ll catch up with you.”
When Colin hesitated, Skylar slipped her arm through his and winked at Zandra. “Go on. I’ll keep him company for you.”
“Thanks.” Zandra grinned. “I think.”
As Colin and Skylar moved off, Zandra turned and began weaving her way toward the restrooms, demurely fending off advances from flirtatious admirers.
The line inside the ladies’ room was ridiculously long, and she really had to pee. So she left, went down the hall and around the corner, and crept to the rear stairwell Enid Roche had shown her during a previous tour of the museum.
Surprised and relieved that no security guard stopped her, Zandra ascended the stairs to the darkened second floor, which would be opened for viewing after dinner.
Moving quickly and quietly, she strode to the door of the ladies’ room and slipped inside, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw that the elegantly refurbished room was empty. Her heels clicked smartly on the polished marble floor as she strode past the gleaming row of sinks and ducked into the last stall.
When she’d finished emptying her bladder and freshening up with a feminine wipe, she flushed the toilet and grabbed her satin clutch. Unlatching the stall door, she opened it and stepped out.
And ran smack into the massive wall of a man’s chest.
Not just any man.
Remy.
She sucked in a shocked breath, staring up at him. “What are you—”
He lowered his head and kissed her.
Before she could gasp, his tongue invaded her mouth, stealing the breath from her lungs.
Electric fire swept through her, hardening her nipples.
As her arms went around his neck, her clutch fell to the floor.
He backed her into the stall as his hands moved downward to grip her ass, pulling her tight against his scorching erection. She moaned into his mouth.
He worked her dress up her thighs, then lifted her off the floor. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he turned in the small space and pushed her up against the door. His mouth ran down her throat and over her breasts as she reached beneath his tuxedo jacket to stroke his broad chest.
When his fingers delved between her thighs and encountered bare flesh, he made a primal sound and lifted his head to stare at her, his eyes blazing with lust. “No panties?”