He nodded his head and grinned tightly. “Very nice. Keep up the good work.”
“Thanks,” I called as he sauntered away.
I headed out to the back balcony. I was in conversation with a Bachelorette when I felt a tap on my shoulder.
“Brian Ayers,” I exclaimed, wrapping him in a warm hug and planting a kiss on his cheek. “I’m so glad you could make it.”
“Hello, Olivia, thank you for the invite. Sorry I wasn’t here earlier.” He eyed my face, squinting at my cheek.
“No problem at all. You did miss my speech though,” I reprimanded.
“And for that I will be eternally sorry. Can I refresh your drinks?”
“Sure,” the Bachelorette piped. “He’s cute!” she whispered as he walked away. “He must be in the issue too. He’s too cute not to be. Is he gay? He is, isn’t he?” she cringed.
“No, no,” I smiled. “He’s straight and available.”
“Oh, goody!” she laughed, twirling a piece of auburn hair around her finger. “Because one time, I was flirting with this guy all night long, and I thought we were really hitting it off until someone finally told me . . . .” Her eyes changed just as I was hit with his presence. “Hi,” she said dumbly.
“Ladies.”
I looked up at David from the corner of my eye. His expression was smoother than his bristly jawline, and he smelled the way I imagined heaven might. I rolled my lips together to keep from gaping.
“Are you a Bachelor, too?” the girl asked. I peeked around him stealthily to search for his date.
He cleared his throat leisurely. “Can you give us a moment?”
“Oh, um, I’m waiting for a drink.”
“I’ll make sure you get your drink. Do you mind?”
I crossed my arms and tapped my finger against my forearm once she’d sulked away. “I’m surprised to see you here.”
“Are you?” he asked, taking a sip of something dark.
I looked away. “Yes. You said you wouldn’t come.”
“I said maybe.”
I paused. “I just didn’t think I’d see you again, at least not this soon. Where’s your date?”
“Why not? Because we had an argument?”
I glanced back at him. “An argument?” I squeezed my fingers into my arm. “That wasn’t an argument, that was a finale. With fireworks.”
“Not for me, it wasn’t.”
“Well it was for me,” I hissed softly, glancing around the balcony.
His back straightened then. “Brian Ayers,” he said, holding out his hand and clapping him on the back.
“Nice to see you, fellow Bachelor. Here you are, Olivia,” Brian said, awkwardly handing me a glass while balancing two others. David’s gaze darted between us, and his face darkened. Brian blew a piece of hair from his forehead and looked around. “Where’d she go?”
“She’s over there by the ice sculpture,” I said, pointing. We all looked and she waved. Brian held up the drink to her, and she came scurrying over.
“So aside from this speech, what did I miss?” he asked us both.
“Can’t say, I just arrived myself,” David said.
“Not too much, just a lot of dancing and miniature hamburgers.”
“I could definitely go for some food right now,” David said, rubbing his stomach.
“Didn’t you come from dinner?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I’m a growing boy.”
“Well, what’ve you got there, young man?” Brian teased, taking David’s drink from him. “Iced tea?” David snorted as Brian whiffed the drink and made a face. “Whiskey. That’s potent shit.” He shook his head and passed it back. “I’m a gin and tonic man, myself,” Brian said, putting a damp hand on my shoulder.
I tensed instinctively when his fingertips brushed against my neck. The look returned to David’s face with a blaring intensity, and it was beginning to make me uncomfortable.
“And how about that portrait, Miss Bacall? When are you going to let me take it? You’d look just right hanging in my gallery room.”
“Oh,” I blushed, looking into my drink. “I don’t think so.”
“Don’t get shy on me, Olivia. You have magnificent eyes, they really are unusual. The camera would love them. Aren’t they magnificent, David?”
“They are.” In those two words, his tone of voice said everything. His drink swirled in measured circles. He wore a charcoal grey V-neck sweater over a slate grey button down. It showed the knot of a matching tie, which he now loosened as his eyes burned into me. He made no effort to hide the fact that he was infuriated by Brian’s behavior. And it had my body utterly thrumming as a result. The way he looked at me, like he couldn’t control what might happen next, almost brought me to my knees.
“We had the most fateful meeting, David. It was like something out of a movie. This one was walking her dog and got tangled in the leash. It took off after some poor fluffball, and Olivia here fell flat on her ass. Luckily I was passing by and gave her a hand up.”
“How romantic.” Deadpan. Just like that: how romantic. With the obvious absence of the exclamation that should follow.
“It wasn’t my dog,” I started to explain but was cut off.
“Some party!” The woman accepted her drink and prattled on about something or other, I wasn’t listening. David was looking at me in that way, penetrating and lusty with a twist of somber, and I was suddenly remembering the seatbelt. The memory of his hand grazing my skin, so close to the hem of my skirt, made me shudder. He raised an eyebrow at me and discreetly adjusted his pants.
“What do you say, David?” Brian asked.
“Hmm?”
“About taking this nice young lady to see the view of the water. I don’t think she’s ever been this high up before.”
She giggled. “Yes - ”
“Run along, you two,” Brian said mirthfully.
Brian winked, and I caught the tail end of David’s glare. He stuck out his elbow and the woman took it, smiling with giddy abandon.
“I don’t know what’s up his ass,” Brian said once they were on their way, “but he needs a good lay, and he isn’t going to get it hanging out with us.”
“How long have you known him?” I asked, scowling spitefully after Ritz, my new nickname for the redheaded ditz.
“Years. A good man. One of the only guys in Chicago I get along with; the rest are bullshitters, Liv, don’t be fooled. May I call you Liv? It feels so natural.”
> “Of course.”
“Enough about Dylan, though. Should I be worried about the monstrosity on your face? I admit you did a nice job of covering it up. Perhaps I need to throw down the gauntlet, though?”
I laughed. “No, it’s all taken care of. I prefer not to discuss it, however.”
“Very well, I trust you. So I know you have the scoop on the ladies here, fill me in. That one wasn’t my type, not very bright. Seems much better suited to Dylan.” I bit my cheek at the comment. “Who do you suggest? I need a girl like you, smart and beautiful, but edgy too. Come on, I know you’re a little wild,” he said when I started to protest. “Look at you in your leather dress.” I couldn’t help but laugh before breaking down the guest list.
“And, you know, my best girlfriend is here, she’s a real catch, but she came with someone.” I looked around the room and pointed her out to him. David, standing on the opposite balcony with his back to us, caught my eye.
“And you say she’s clever?”
“She is, though she might try to fool you,” I said distractedly. I sent Gretchen a text, telling her to come over alone. I could see David’s profile now through the glass, and he was laughing with the woman. To my surprise, they seemed to be enjoying themselves. Well, I thought, looking back at Brian. A real matchmaker.
“Hey!”
“Gretch, this is my friend Brian, one of our Bachelors.”
“Oh yes, I’m aware,” she said with a killer smile. “I’ve already had Liv fill me in on the best attendees.”
Brian laughed boisterously. “You know, I just had her do the same for me.”
“He did,” I confirmed. “I’m a good friend, don’t forget it.”
“And why aren’t you in the feature, Gretchen?”
“I was a couple years back.”
“Funny, I think I would have remembered.”
While they got acquainted, I checked for David again, but neither him nor the woman were anywhere in sight. I shifted uncomfortably in my shoes, rising slightly onto the balls to get a better view.
“I’ll be back,” I told them. “Listen, I need him single until June so don’t get any ideas, G.”