Eye Candy

Ruby’s already here with Bane. I know because she messaged me ten minutes ago, asking where I was. She’s not in the living room, and neither is Bane. The two of them better not be off screwing each other. They do that frequently at these dinner events. Just slip off for twenty minutes thinking no one will notice and Ruby always comes back looking like the cat who ate the canary. Or has been eaten by her cat. Which is probably likely. According to her reports, Bane enjoys frequent dining at the vagina buffet.

I look around for Bane’s brothers, expecting the entire family to be here, as seems to be typical whenever dinner is arranged. Bancroft’s oldest brother, Griffin, is across the room, close talking with his fiancée, Imogen. I don’t see Lexington. Maybe he’s not coming. Not that it matters. Actually, it’s probably better if he isn’t here since his presence seems to put Armstrong in a bad mood.

“Oh! Yay! You’re finally here!” Ruby leaps across the room. Her cheeks are rosy. I imagine this means she’s been imbibing. “Come with me to the kitchen! We’re making the coolest drinks! Well, I’m not making anything, but you need to see this.”

“Don’t let her drink the red shots,” Bane calls after us, “I don’t want to have to carry her to the car tonight!”

Ruby blows him a kiss as we pass.

The kitchen isn’t bustling with people prepping food, because that happens in the chef’s quarters. The Millses are beyond rich. They own one of the most luxurious hotel chains in the world. There’s an industrial kitchen beyond the “normal kitchen,” which is bigger than my entire apartment, probably twice over.

Everything is stainless steel and state-of-the-art. And in the middle of the massive, gorgeous kitchen, standing behind the island, is Lexington.

He’s wearing a black dress shirt and a plaid tie. It’s a very strange combination, oddly lumberjackish, but in a hipster kind of way. And it’s impossible not to look at. It’s also very difficult not to notice the tattoo peeking out of his rolled-up sleeve. Armstrong would never get a tattoo, but I think it has more to do with his fear of needles than his actual dislike of body art.

Ruby lets go of my arm and shrieks, bouncing her way across the kitchen over to where Lexington is busy making drinks. And not just any kind of drinks; Halloween-inspired ones.

He watches her with amusement, his gaze shifting briefly to me. And then it moves over me. Slowly. The right side of his mouth turns up and we make eye contact. It’s short lived. Which is good, because the way he’s looking at me feels rather inappropriate. I look down, checking to make sure my dress isn’t showing anything it’s not supposed to. Nope. Everything is as it should be.

She hugs his arm and grins broadly. “Look at all the cool drinks Lexy made!”

He looks down at her with an arched eyebrow. “Uh, no.” At her confusion he gives his head a shake. “We’re not adding a y to the end of my name so you can feel better about having one at the end of yours.”

Ruby’s smile turns evil. “Isn’t that what Brittany calls you?”

“Please do not bring her up. Especially around Mimi. Maybe just not ever, actually.”

“Isn’t that who Bancroft brought to my engagement party?” I ask, just so I can feel like part of the conversation I suppose.

That brings Lexington’s attention back to me. “Yeah. Apparently, that doesn’t mean she’s undateable in this family.”

“I hear she likes lollipops, a lot,” Ruby snickers.

Lex makes a face. “Yeah. Well, I’d like to keep my lollipop as far away from her as humanly possible. Are you going to try one of these or are they just for people to look at?”

Ruby points to one layered with yellow at the bottom, orange in the middle, and white at the top. “What’s this?”

“Exactly what it looks like, candy corn.” He hands Ruby the glass and she sniffs it before she takes a small sip.

“Oooh! This is amazing. Amie, you need to try something!” Ruby elbows Lex in the arm. “Give her something yummy.”

“I’ve got lots of yummy things. Which one would you like?” he asks.

It takes me a moment to realize he’s not being inappropriate. Why is my brain turning everything into something dirty? I gave myself an orgasm before Armstrong picked me up. I gave myself three actually.

In the time since I revealed to Ruby my lack of Armstrong-given orgasms, I considered that maybe I’ve been overthinking things, and the lack of orgasms has nothing to do with Armstrong and everything to do with me. So I took the pressure off of both of us. Except my mind is still clearly hanging out in the gutter, and enjoying being there.

“How about a Vampire Kiss?” Lexington pushes a martini glass toward me.

“Um, sure?” The concoction is rimmed with something pink and a set of fake black vampire teeth are poised on the side. It’s really rather creative. I take a small sip. It’s also rather delicious.

“Amalie.” Armstrong’s arm wraps around my waist. “I’ve been looking all over for you. My mother wants to go over details with you and Ruby about the charity event. Something about picking a theme for costumes.” He runs his nose up the side of my neck. “Lexington. I didn’t expect you’d be here tonight.”

“It’s my family. Why wouldn’t I be here?”

“I just thought you’d be away on business. Or out doing whatever it is you usually do. Sampling leftovers, that kind of thing.” Armstrong plucks the glass from my hand and sniffs it. “What is this?”

“It’s a Vampire Kiss. Lex made it.”

“Shouldn’t the bartender be doing that?” Armstrong takes a sip, then dumps the rest down the drain.

“I liked that!”

“It has too much sugar in it. Come, Amalie, we’ll get you a glass of champagne.” He keeps a firm grip on my waist and steers me in the direction of the sitting room.

I look over my shoulder, shooting an apologetic look at Lex, who’s scratching his forehead with his middle finger. I really hope that’s not directed at me. I mouth help me to Ruby before we round the corner and I’m forced to contend with Armstrong’s horrible mother alone. Ruby better do her job and save me, since this entire thing was her idea in the first place.





Chapter 6: Boyfriend Auction


Ruby

“Why is he always such a dick?” I mutter.

“That’s a rhetorical question, right?” Lex downs a shot and then a second one. “You’ve met my aunt. I’m sure the answer to that is quite clear.”

“But Fredrick is a nice guy. Or at least he seems nice.”

“Appearances can be rather deceiving, though, can’t they?”

I don’t have a chance to ask what that means because Bancroft pokes his head in the door. “I think you should come out here and help save your friend from being tortured.”

I sigh, but take my candy corn cocktail with me to the sitting room where Amie is trapped between Bancroft’s mother and Armstrong’s mother.

“Ruby!” Mimi beckons me over. “We’re debating the theme of the soirée. Help us decide!”

Bancroft gives my butt an affectionate squeeze. “I bet you’re regretting this awesome idea right about now, aren’t you?”

I bite my tongue and say nothing. My original plan was to host a small party in his condo. Our condo. Not a five-hundred-person event. I can handle the extravagance. My regrets stem from Gwendolyn’s involvement and how much it’s stressing Amie out. My idea for a zombie apocalypse theme gets shot down quickly. Apparently not everyone wants to dress up like the undead for Halloween. Go figure.