Dog looked around like he’d never seen anything like this place. He turned to Wolf and yelled in his ear over the driving dance beat. “None of this is real, right?” When Wolf shook his
head, he continued, “Okay, good. Just checking.”
Wolf grinned over at him. “I thought you were going to deck that bouncer.”
Dog growled back sarcastically, “How to become a bouncer. One, be an asshole. Two, stand by a door.”
“Hey, we’re in. Don’t worry about that guy,” Cole told him.
“Do I look worried? I just hate in when you have to be nice to someone you really want to throw through a window.”
****
Crystal leaned toward the mirror in the club’s swanky ladies room and retouched her lipstick. Her eyes swept over her reflection. She’d straightened her long dark hair, and it hung in a glossy sheet. She’d put a rhinestone headband in and teased it up in a subtle lift behind the band, a la sixties style. Her dress was a strapless black lace mini dress that showed a lot of skin. Shannon had loaned her some sparkly lotion that gave her bare shoulders and cleavage a subtle sheen. She’d finished off the look with long dangling jet beaded earrings and matching cuff bracelets on both wrists. Her heels were sky-high, accentuating her legs.
Her eyes moved down the mirrored wall, taking in all her dear friends that had made this evening possible. Shannon was dressed in an ice blue sheath that really made her blue eyes pop. Mary was in red satin that looked hot with her long black hair. Angel was in a stunning gold cocktail dress that matched her hair perfectly. And Natalie was in a sexy white and silver sequined dress, her red hair pulled up in a sexy twist.
Finishing off her touch-up, Crystal popped her lipstick back into her tiny beaded clutch, and watched while Shannon touched her own lips up. Their eyes met in the mirror.
“You having a good time, birthday girl?” Shannon smiled at her.
Crystal grinned back. “I’m having a wonderful time.”
“Wolf in your bed for the night. That’s got to be a little birthday bonus, huh?”
Crystal gave her a sly smile.
“Come on girls, I want to dance!” Angel pleaded, her arm looped through Mary’s, pulling her towards the door.
They all headed back out into the crowded club.
****
Cole lifted his chin in the direction over Wolf’s shoulder and grinned. “I think somebody’s about to rock your world.”
Wolf twisted to look over his shoulder, and his breath caught, a fist tightening around his heart. His eyes swept over Crystal, taking in every detail. Jesus Christ, she was beautiful.
He found himself turning slowly toward her. His eyes lifted to connect with hers, and he struggled to make his mouth work.
“Hey.”
She smiled at his lame greeting and repeated it back to him. “Hey.”
“You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
“Can I get the birthday girl a drink?”
“Okay.”
Mack finally shouldered his way through the crowd to join them. His eyes did one long trip down Natalie’s outfit, and he turned to his VP. Leaning to his ear, he barked, “Go find us a limo. Now.”
Cole frowned at him, not sure he’d heard correctly. “Do what?”
“A limo. One of those stretch jobs that’ll hold all of us. Get one. Now!”
Cole gave him a curious look and replied, “Yeah, okay.”