“Sure.” Glancing at Fox, she said, “They have pad thai.”
A groan that had her digging her bare toes into the sumptuous champagne-colored carpet, her body sensitized to the sound of his pleasure. “Order me two plates.”
“Two?”
“One thing we’ve learned—the ritzier the hotel, the smaller the portions.”
“Yeah, make that burger order a double, too,” Noah said. “Throw in a couple of beers.”
The elevator intercom dinged on that statement, and when Molly pressed the button to answer, it was to find Kathleen on the other end. After the way the band and Kit ended up at their place more often than not these days, Fox had predicted their suite would become the natural gathering spot after the party, the reason he’d pulled strings to make sure they ended up in the penthouse. Not only did it have a huge living area, it had a separate dining room. Molly hadn’t even known there were hotel suites with dining rooms until she’d walked into this one!
Now, pushing the button to allow Kathleen to ride up, Molly waited until the stunning actress arrived, then held up the menu. “Want to add something to the order?”
Slipping off the mile-high heels she wore with her short and sparkly blue dress, Kathleen came over. “I’m starving. Those canapés looked so tempting, but did you taste any?” She shuddered, placing her glittering purse on the table. “I should know by now—A.J. always goes for pretty over edible at her parties.” Having scanned the menu as she spoke, she pointed to an item on the second page. “The grilled swordfish with vegetables. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.”
Molly scribbled her choice on the notepad beside the phone and was about to pick up the handset to place the order when the elevator dinged again. Kathleen walked across to answer it, letting up Abe. Who wanted a steak, a big one. Grabbing Kathleen as he said that, he bent her over his arm and kissed her full on the mouth. “You realize your very nice tits are about to fall out of that dress.”
“Please.” Kathleen patted his ripped chest. “I’m sewn into this thing. Just like you are into your T-shirt.” She tried to pinch the black fabric between her fingertips. “Could it be any tighter?”
It was interesting, Molly thought, how Noah’s eyes had locked on that byplay, which, despite the subject matter, had held no sexual innuendo whatsoever. Abe might as well have been talking to a sister. “Did you all abandon David?” she asked when Abe dragged a chair from the bedroom and flipped it to sit with his arms on the back.
“He took off an hour ago.” A shrug of Abe’s heavily muscled shoulders. “Said he had to pick someone up at the airport.”
Hmm... After placing the room service order, adding in a few extras because she knew how much the men could pack away, she ducked into the bedroom and sent a quick message to Thea. Are you in the country? Did you get a flight? Her sister had flown to London to handle a situation for a client there, become stuck in England when flights were grounded because of a storm.
Finally. Spending a couple of days in New York, was the return message. Just waiting for my luggage now. Damn memos.
Molly stifled her laugh. Have fun. xoxo
When she walked back out into the living area, it was to see Kathleen perched on the arm of Fox’s chair, all toned legs and tumbling hair. The child of a pillow-lipped Venezuelan supermodel and an American tennis ace now considered a “silver fox,” there was no doubt Kathleen had hit the genetic lottery, her parents’ genes combining to give her a breathtaking and exotic beauty.
She was laughing at something Fox had said, and at that instant, they were the embodiment of the perfect celebrity couple.
Then Fox glanced Molly’s way, held out a hand… and the look in his eyes, it was for her, no one else.
“Oops.” Kathleen rose with a good-natured smile. “I’m in your spot.”
“Here.” Noah patted the side of his armchair, distinct challenge in his expression.
Kathleen smiled sweetly. “Thank you, but I’d rather cuddle a rabid dog.” Pointedly skirting his seated form, she pulled out the executive chair from the desk in the opposite corner and rolled it next to Abe.
“What’s going on with those two?” Molly whispered in Fox’s ear, having noticed the slight edge in their interactions soon after she’d first met Kathleen.
“Later.”
As it was, by the time they got to bed, she’d forgotten the question and Fox had other things on his mind.
Molly woke to an empty bed, but she could hear Fox out on the small private balcony off the bedroom, strumming his guitar. Smiling, she simply lay there for a while, listening to her man. His talent was apparent even in what appeared to be a meandering dance through the chords, as if he were exercising his fingers. The breeze was soft, the sunlight coming through the open balcony doors languid and golden, its rays just kissing the bed.
Every so often, when the wind lifted the gauzy curtains a fraction, she caught sight of Fox seated in one of the outdoor chairs. He was shirtless, his feet up on the railing and his guitar held like a lover. Stretching luxuriantly, she decided to get up, make them both some coffee using the espresso machine that came with the suite. She liked doing these things for him, looking after him as he did her. Showing Fox just what he meant to her until he believed it deep within, that was her number-one priority.
It was as she was tying the belt on the hotel robe that she remembered her phone. As was her habit, she’d turned it to silent during the night.