They lined up in the dark hallway behind a man in a crimson red cummerbund and a woman in a bright pink slip dress. Neither of them did anything about her red thong poking out beneath her hem. “I’m still confused,” Rachel admitted. “So because your family isn’t as old or rich as hers – which is impossible for me to imagine, mind you – she’s out of your league?”
The people in front of them were gradually checked off by a bouncer who made sure the headcount in the back rooms remained beneath a certain limit. Fire codes? Management stipulations to make the place look more desirable? If there was one thing Rachel learned that night, however, it was that even Zachary Feldman, the billionaire heir to one of the most established families Rachel had ever heard of, was still a small fry compared to others.
“That was a joke,” Zack told her. “It’s more like I’m not her type, and she’s not really mine. We give each other a good ribbing whenever we’re in the same place.”
“So you asking her out all the time is a joke?”
“Kind of. She’s got a boyfriend, anyway.”
What kind of man does a woman like that choose to date? “Would you go out with her if she ever said yes?”
“I mean… duh. Did you see that ass?”
The words he used were silly, but his tone was not the usual kind of playful Rachel had expected to hear. This isn’t the first time he’s dissociated a little when talking about the neighbors. Specifically, whenever the boyfriend came up…
But before Rachel could pry even more, they had reached the front of the line. The bouncer looked them up and down before jerking his thumb into the dark, black-light lit room. Magically, Tatiana awaited them on the other side of the entrance.
“Good, good, you should take full advantage of your guest passes.” Her teeth lit up beneath the black light. They weren’t as strong farther into the room. No, the only strong thing in there was the throbbing bass beat of a sensual song and…
And the man and woman in masquerade masks making slow, graphic love in front of the audience that was the rest of the room.
“So that’s how you know you’re in a sex club,” Rachel muttered.
“What?” Zack brought her over to the wall, where they stayed out of everyone else’s way. Tatiana insisted on bringing them their complimentary drinks for the back room. “Exhibitionists and voyeurs gotta get off. Does it bother you?”
Rachel laughed. “You think this is my first time in a sex club?”
“No. Way.”
“Way.” Rachel accepted her drink with thanks. “Went to one a few years ago with a friend. Nothing high class like this joint, though. Very middle class, but still nice. Mostly middle-aged swingers making the most of retirement, but there were some hot youngin’s who made the trip worth it. Buffet was good, too.”
“Please tell me you hooked up with someone there.”
“In the bathroom, yes.”
“Nice. Nice.”
“Calm down. That wasn’t happening there.”
Rachel was intentionally not paying attention to the erotic display going on the stage. Not because people having sex in a sex club made her nervous, but because… well, why would she look at them when she could admire the way Zack’s body cut in that suit? In the dark? With stubble growing all over his face again? He was ten times sexier than the guy on stage. Bigger, more muscular, more her type…
Had Zack brought her here in the hopes they would hook up again?
“Zack?”
Great. Was it another ex-girlfriend?
“Whoa.” Zack turned his full attention to yet another blond. This one, however, was on a different level from Cady and Kathryn. Neither of those women had curves that could come close to the body standing beside Zack. Nor did those women have the lushest golden hair to come spinning from a loom. “I had no idea you were in town for the weekend.”
A man came up behind the woman and looped his arm around her midsection, the largest hand Rachel had ever seen spreading across the stomach of her red strapless dress. This guy is huge! Broad shoulders, a hulking chest, and a suit that probably cost twice as much as Zack’s from the amount of material. He wasn’t overweight, per se. He looked plenty fit, especially when standing in a crowd of some of the best bodies personal trainers and dieticians could buy. But Rachel could barely comprehend a man who was both six and a half feet tall and built like a linebacker. Suddenly the other woman’s curvy body looked like a petite, demure muse’s. What does that make me!
“Miguel insisted that we come while he’s in the country.”
“Hi.” The man, who had an accent that Rachel could not quite place, waved one of his large hands at Rachel. “I’m Miguel. Don’t think we’ve met before.”
“Yes! Introduce us to your girlfriend!”
“She’s not my…”
“I’m not his…”
They both stopped. Surely, Zack understood how silly this situation was, right? They were in a sex club together, for fuck’s sake. In the back room where people with kinks openly got it on! Of course it looked like they were boyfriend and girlfriend! I’m not even going to fight it right now. After all, I’ve happily sucked his cock.
“Anyway, you may remember me talking about Judith,” Zack said. “This is, uh, my best friend Seth’s girlfriend.”
Rachel paled when she looked at Miguel and the possessive way he slung his arm around Judith’s shoulders.
“They have an arrangement.”
“It’s fine.” Judith said. Her demeanor was a pleasant blend of Kathryn’s cool approachability and Cady’s crasser manners. “Polyamory is the new cool thing! Or so I’m told by everyone who’s trying to cheat on their wives.”
“That is not our situation,” Miguel cleared up. “Anyway, I also know Zack from the marina. I bought the yacht in the station next to his.”
“Totally not what it’s called in English,” Zack said, “but close enough.”
“Where are you from, if I may ask?” Rachel batted her eyelashes at the imposing yet amiable man looming above her. “I can’t quite place your accent.”
“Because I’m from Monaco, but my family is Spanish. My accent is a damn mess.”
“He doesn’t know if he’s channeling French or Spanish,” Judith said with a sigh. “He’s either being romantically dirty or erotically dirty. I can’t keep up.” She smacked Zack on the arm. “Enough about this boring guy! Who is this lovely lady? Seth didn’t tell me you were seeing anyone new. Not anyone serious enough for you to drop into the city sex club for the first time in two years.”
“This is Rachel. We’re friends with benefits.”
“Oh my God!” Rachel would have taken a step back if she weren’t already up against a wall. “Tell people, why don’t you?”
“Please, Rachel. This is Judith. You don’t know her, but she’ll get the truth out of us in about five more minutes. I’m saving us time.”
“By the way,” Judith said, eyes lingering on Rachel’s dress. “I love your outfit.”
“Oh… ah… I admit that I borrowed it from…”
Zack cleared his throat. “She’s saying that because it’s her dress.”
Chapter 22
The summer night was clear, warm, and without a care in the whole damn world.
Or at least that’s what Zack assumed as he and his company of three sped down the interstate at speeds that would make Interpol on the Autobahn blush.
“Fun, isn’t it?” Judith screamed over the roaring engine as Miguel made the central and northern parts of the city his bitch. When the couple suggested they hop in Miguel’s car and go for a ride toward his place on the outskirts of town, Rachel had been the first to agree. It had helped that she had another drink between finding out she was wearing a dress Judith had left at Zack’s place one crazy night and being invited to leave the club with one of the most infamous couples there. Long story. She and Seth were over, half a bottle of wine was spilled on her poor lap, I paid for the dry cleaning, and she never came and picked it up.
Zack had been content with taking Rachel home for the night. Maybe they’d settle in with a movie. Maybe they’d take one of those nice showers together, because God knew he was accustomed to the finer things in life when he was around her.
Hopping in the cramped back seats of an Aston Martin Vanquish Volante with the top down and going at least a hundred miles an hour up the interstate was not on his list of quiet, romantic things to do. But he wouldn’t say no.
“This is awesome!” Rachel screamed, her sweet voice lost to the wind and the roar of the engine. She had squealed to see the valet drive the volcano red sports car up to the curb. Note to self: she goes nuts for red sports cars. The women had discussed how stylish and colorful Miguel’s most recent Aston Martin acquisition had been, while the man himself slyly told Zack about the powerful engine and the smooth handling. “Are you a car man, Zack?” “I’m more into the classics, myself.” “Ah! Back home I have a classic DB4GT Zagato. There were only 19 ever made, you know.” Zack had known that, but he was more into the classic American vehicles.