“I’m looking for Vivian Baily,” I told her.
The lady smiled and it made her look ten years younger. Hell, if she was thirty years younger and I wasn’t stupidly in love with someone else, I would totally have tapped that.
“Vivian works for me! She’s the one that put all this together! Didn’t she do an amazing job? I’m Marion, her boss!” the lady said, holding out her hand.
I looked around the room, really taking stock of everything Vivian had done. And Marion was right. The place was incredible. I didn’t take a lot of notice of fancy schmancy crap, but even I could appreciate it.
There was so much to Vivian that I didn’t know. So much that I planned to spend a lot of time figuring out. I had a future to invest in. . .with Vivian.
I shook Marion’s hand. “It looks bitchin’,” I agreed.
Marion smirked and I realized my gutter mouth had gotten loose again.
“Shit, I’m sorry.”
Marion waved me off.
“No worries. There’s nothing wrong with some colorful language. I like to drop an F bomb every now then.” I laughed loudly. This Marion broad was pretty cool.
She pointed across the room. “The last time I saw Vivian, she was over there.”
I tried to find Vivian but still couldn’t see her.
“Okay, I should go find her. Thanks, Marion,” I said, granting her my best panty-melting smile.
She may be old, but even Marion wasn’t immune to my charms.
“You’re welcome. I hope you find her,” Marion called out as I started to walk through the crowd.
“Me too,” I said under my breath.
I bumped into a waiter, who spilled wine down my front. I tripped over a woman’s shoe and stomped on her toe, prompting her to hit me with her purse.
I ate a couple of hors d'oeuvres and drank a few cocktails. And I still couldn’t find Vivian.
And just when I was debating the futility of my plan, it was like the climax to every stupid CW drama I had ever watched when there was nothing else on TV. The lights dimmed, the music changed to a slow, romantic number, and suddenly I saw her.
She was standing in the corner, laughing with a man, letting him put his hand on her lower back.
My good mood vanished instantly and I saw murderous, gut-wrenching red.
She was beautiful in a long silver gown that slit up the thighs and plunged down the back. Her hair was pulled to the side and fell in curls over her right shoulder.
She looked down right fucking edible. I wanted to taste the skin on the back of her neck, knowing it would taste like salt and vanilla.
I wanted to hear her laugh, her eyes dancing as she looked up at me. And I wanted those same green eyes on fire when she threw her shoe at my head.
I wanted everything about her.
I slowly and purposefully walked across the expansive room towards her. I clenched my fists as I watched the guy beside her lean down and whisper something in her ear. And then he was walking away and leaving her alone.
Just how I wanted her.
I stopped several feet away and waited for her to see me. And when she did, her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.
I grinned. “Nobody puts Viv in a corner,” I said.
“Did you just quote Dirty Dancing at me?” she asked incredulously.
“Sure did, baby. It is your favorite movie.” The music’s slow and sexy tempo begged for me to move.
I held my hand out. “Dance with me.”
She raised her eyebrows at me defiantly. “I can’t. I’m here with someone else,” she sniffed, turning her back to me.
I grabbed her hand and put a finger beneath her chin and raised her face so that she had no choice but for her to look at me.
“I don’t care who you came with. I only care that you’re here with me now. And at the end of the night, I’m going to take you home. With me. Because that’s where you belong.” I dared her to dispute me. I challenged her with my eyes.
She bit her bottom lip. “What is this, Cole?” she asked, her green eyes peering up at me.