Want Me (Mess with Me 4) - Page 25
She slaps me on the ass playfully. “Now get out there and work it!”
The door to the closet opens and the sudden bright light makes us both squint. It takes a few seconds but my brain finally registers the identity of the man staring at us. Perfectly tailored suit. Intense dark eyes. Chiseled jaw. The faint aroma of billions.
Seth Barrington is hard to forget.
“Hey. You’re interrupting our hot girl on girl action here!” Ari puts her hands on her hips and sends him a saucy grin.
After a shocked pause, Seth laughs. It’s a pleasant sound, deep and rumbling, but it’s hesitant, almost like he’s
forgotten how. There’s something about him that makes him seem almost sad. He has the air of a much older man who has been through some stuff and doesn’t trust anyone.
Maybe it’s the way people always seem to want something from him. I noticed it at the office. People treat him like either a god or an ATM. That has to get old.
“Please don’t stop on my account.”
Ari preens under the attention. “The mood is gone. Come on, Anya. We have a mission.”
I follow Ari out of the closet, feeling exposed now that we’re venturing into the crowd. My earlier bravado is waning and it’s hitting me that I actually have to talk to people tonight.
Men. I have to talk to men tonight.
“Good luck,” Seth calls out after us.
I glance back over my shoulder to meet his eyes. The way he stares without wavering sends a little chill of pleasure over my nerves. It’s unnerving to be the center of such intense focus.
“Okay. What do we do now?”
While we were in the closet, a lot more people have arrived. Mya will be thrilled. Her efforts to hype this party up as the place to be this weekend clearly worked.
“The mission is to get a date with someone before the night is over. You’re supposed to be a bad girl. So go make bad decisions.”
“You’re awfully bossy. Just what are you going to do?”
Ariana smooths her hair. “I’m going to be good tonight.”
With a smile and a wave, Ari disappears into the crowd leaving me on my own. I take a deep breath.
It’s time to make it happen.
The mental image of a cheerleader with a bullhorn makes me smile. Only I could make mingling at a party this dramatic.
But I’m used to being in situations where I have an express purpose. At work I have a list of tasks to accomplish and talking to people is easy when I‘m trying to help them. Talking about … whatever people talk about at parties is an entirely different thing.
My eyes land on the buffet tables. Mya wanted a catered affair but because she had to organize the party so fast, she’d gone with a buffet. As I wander over to the tables, I’m grateful she made that decision. Getting a plate of food gives me something to do instead of standing in the corner looking awkward.
There’s a guy there staring at the warming containers of chicken breasts. I figure that’s a safe choice but then I notice it’s covered in a cream sauce that looks like it has mushrooms in it.
“Mushrooms? No thanks,” I comment, glancing at the guy from the corner of my eye.
He looks over and grins. “Exactly. I’ve been standing here for way too long trying to find something to eat. No caviar or French snails for me, please.”
I laugh at the exaggerated face of disgust he makes. See, this isn’t so hard? Wait until Ari sees me. It’s only been a few minutes and I’ve already found someone to talk to who seems nice. And cute, too.
I take a few surreptitious glances at him while he continues to peruse the offerings. Brown hair that looks messy in that adorable way men have of styling it. Dark brown eyes with lashes long enough to make me envious. He’s wearing a navy blue suit with no tie, a look I’ve always enjoyed on men. Dressy but comfortable. Like the kind of guy who knows how to be serious when necessary but how to have a good time, too.
“Are you having fun so far?”
I have to raise my voice a little over the music and then cringe at how boring the question sounds. Couldn’t I have come up with something a little more original? I might as well have asked him what his sign is or whether he comes here often.
Source: readsnovelonline.net