we?”
Ian gritted his teeth. Elizabeth was an interesting mix of innocent and sexy. All he wanted was to take her away from Milan’s erotic underworld of sex and drugs and show her its beauty. In sharp contrast, he wanted to see her in his element. He wanted to see her eyes light with interest by what she was going to witness in their darker, freer side of Fashion Week.
“This is Sotto Copertura. Under Cover would be the American translation.” He waited for the driver to open the door and pulled her out into the chill night air. “Nothing is off limits here, so let me know if you need to go at any point. If we get separated, Cain will be nearby if you need him.”
She stumbled, her gaze concerned. “Wait. What is that supposed to mean?”
Hurrying her to the door before any press could catch them, he blew out a slow breath. Pulling her close, he kissed her. “I’m expected to be here. It’s part of my public persona. I have to make rounds, schmooze, talk the talk. It’s possible we’ll end up in different directions. The things you see tonight might be a bit—over your experience level. It’s free in here. Really free. If at any point, you feel like it’s too much, just let me or Cain know.”
Her eyes were as wide as saucers. “You’re scaring me.”
He shook his head and tried to make himself relax. Making sure she was prepared was all that mattered. “Don’t be. When the stress of Fashion Week takes over, people need a way to unwind. They do so here. No one is going to make you do anything you don’t want to do, but you’ll see a lot. I just want you to know that you don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.”
To his surprise, she straightened her shoulders. “I’m game.”
He nodded and let Cain lead the way. They didn’t have to wait for the bouncers to check for his name. One of the benefits of celebrity status was people being paid to know his face. The club swallowed them in its dark, pulsing atmosphere. Bodies crushed close, perfume and arousal thickened the air.
Watching Elizabeth react was better than any relief he’d ever experienced before. Here, he could be free, but now that he had her on his arm, the way she saw his world was all that mattered.
People danced, their bodies pressed close in an intimate sway. More lined the bar and corners, heated, touching, their inhibitions gone in the dark, sheltered surroundings that begged for freedom and pleasure.
Elizabeth stared wide-eyed, her lips parted.
Scooting her in front of him, Ian pushed them through the crowd until he found a spot near the bar. “Do you want a drink?” he hollered over the music.
“Sure.” Her gaze sliced through the crowd again. “Whatever you’re having.”
Ian ordered two glasses of the house wine and turned back to her. “So? What do you think?”
She met his gaze, her eyes a deep blue. “There are two guys. Over there. They’re nearly, well, close to…”
Ian glanced in the direction she indicated. Sure enough, two men in a dark corner were in pre-ground-and-pound mode. He leaned in close. “That’s pretty much the norm. Too much for you?”
She smiled then, a really sexy, out-of-her-norm smile. Her cheeks were flushed, and she turned back to watch the men for a long moment. “Actually, I think it’s kinda hot.”
Chapter Six
Ian crushed her close, needing to feel her body. “I think you have fantasies I need to know about.”
“What do you mean?”
Her expression was so open, he didn’t have the heart to tease her. She wasn’t being coy or manipulative. She just found the atmosphere erotic. Still, guy-on-guy wasn’t as socially accepted. For the couple in the corner to turn her on, she had to have some hidden forbiddens he knew he had to uncover. The tough part would be not scaring her off of the subject. He’d have to ease into it. “Some people find two guys hot, some people find it offensive. More so than two women. Ever considered two guys?”
“Considered them
Ian gritted his teeth. Elizabeth was an interesting mix of innocent and sexy. All he wanted was to take her away from Milan’s erotic underworld of sex and drugs and show her its beauty. In sharp contrast, he wanted to see her in his element. He wanted to see her eyes light with interest by what she was going to witness in their darker, freer side of Fashion Week.
“This is Sotto Copertura. Under Cover would be the American translation.” He waited for the driver to open the door and pulled her out into the chill night air. “Nothing is off limits here, so let me know if you need to go at any point. If we get separated, Cain will be nearby if you need him.”
She stumbled, her gaze concerned. “Wait. What is that supposed to mean?”
Hurrying her to the door before any press could catch them, he blew out a slow breath. Pulling her close, he kissed her. “I’m expected to be here. It’s part of my public persona. I have to make rounds, schmooze, talk the talk. It’s possible we’ll end up in different directions. The things you see tonight might be a bit—over your experience level. It’s free in here. Really free. If at any point, you feel like it’s too much, just let me or Cain know.”
Her eyes were as wide as saucers. “You’re scaring me.”
He shook his head and tried to make himself relax. Making sure she was prepared was all that mattered. “Don’t be. When the stress of Fashion Week takes over, people need a way to unwind. They do so here. No one is going to make you do anything you don’t want to do, but you’ll see a lot. I just want you to know that you don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.”
To his surprise, she straightened her shoulders. “I’m game.”
He nodded and let Cain lead the way. They didn’t have to wait for the bouncers to check for his name. One of the benefits of celebrity status was people being paid to know his face. The club swallowed them in its dark, pulsing atmosphere. Bodies crushed close, perfume and arousal thickened the air.
Watching Elizabeth react was better than any relief he’d ever experienced before. Here, he could be free, but now that he had her on his arm, the way she saw his world was all that mattered.
People danced, their bodies pressed close in an intimate sway. More lined the bar and corners, heated, touching, their inhibitions gone in the dark, sheltered surroundings that begged for freedom and pleasure.
Elizabeth stared wide-eyed, her lips parted.
Scooting her in front of him, Ian pushed them through the crowd until he found a spot near the bar. “Do you want a drink?” he hollered over the music.
“Sure.” Her gaze sliced through the crowd again. “Whatever you’re having.”
Ian ordered two glasses of the house wine and turned back to her. “So? What do you think?”
She met his gaze, her eyes a deep blue. “There are two guys. Over there. They’re nearly, well, close to…”
Ian glanced in the direction she indicated. Sure enough, two men in a dark corner were in pre-ground-and-pound mode. He leaned in close. “That’s pretty much the norm. Too much for you?”
She smiled then, a really sexy, out-of-her-norm smile. Her cheeks were flushed, and she turned back to watch the men for a long moment. “Actually, I think it’s kinda hot.”
Chapter Six
Ian crushed her close, needing to feel her body. “I think you have fantasies I need to know about.”
“What do you mean?”
Her expression was so open, he didn’t have the heart to tease her. She wasn’t being coy or manipulative. She just found the atmosphere erotic. Still, guy-on-guy wasn’t as socially accepted. For the couple in the corner to turn her on, she had to have some hidden forbiddens he knew he had to uncover. The tough part would be not scaring her off of the subject. He’d have to ease into it. “Some people find two guys hot, some people find it offensive. More so than two women. Ever considered two guys?”
“Considered them
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