knee. Her tiny feet were encased in a pair black silk sling-strap heels with narrow ties encircling her slender ankles. Eye makeup in inky-dark shades made her gold eyes look dramatic, mysterious.
Enid’s gaze shifted to the lush, exotic-looking woman who’d come with Faye. Shiny curls fell to her bare shoulders, and a black crepe de chine strapless dress drew one’s attention immediately before a generous slit displayed an expanse of long bare legs in a pair of black satin Chanel ballet stilettos.
Holding the skirt of her midnight-blue cheongsam, Enid crossed the floor to greet them. “Thank you for coming,” she smiled, extending her hand to Faye.
“This is my friend, Alana Gardner. Alana, Enid Richards.”
“Please come have something to drink before I introduce you to the others.”
Alana stared at the tall, slender woman with ash-blond hair, cool blue-gray deep-set eyes and perfectly symmetrical features. A light tan added color to what would’ve been a normally pale face.
“I don’t think the other ladies are too happy about us being here,” Alana said perceptively. Her gaze shifted from Enid to the exquisitely dressed blond, brunette and red-haired women impaling the newcomers with hostile glares.
“That is not your problem,” Enid said with a polite smile. She waved a manicured hand. “Please come with me.”
Alana and Faye followed Enid to the bar where identical twin bartenders mixed, poured and stirred cocktails. They were bronzed, buffed and natural blonds; their perfect bodies displayed to their best advantage in black tank tops and tailored slacks.
Faye hadn’t believed Enid could improve on perfection, but she had. Her moonlit hair, brushed off her face and pinned at the nape of her neck, was the perfect complement to the Asian-style dress with side slits that exposed a glorious expanse of leg whenever she took a step. The dark blue Alexandra Neel sandals cost more than some earned in a week.
Enid smiled at a distinguished silver-haired man as he stared openly at Alana, his startled gaze fixed on the swell of satin brown flesh spilling over the revealing décolletage.
“Jonathan, I’d like you to meet to Faye Ogden and Alana Gardner. Ladies, Jonathan Hamilton.”
Both women recognized the name immediately. The Hamiltons were an old-moneyed family who’d made their fortune setting up department stores.
“I’m charmed, Mr. Hamilton.” Alana smiled, extending her hand in a limp gesture denoting helplessness.
Jonathan held Alana’s hand, then tucked it into thebend of his elbow. “May I get you something to drink?” Alana’s towering height eclipsed his by a full head.
“Why, aren’t you darling.”
Since when did you talk with a Southern drawl? Faye longed to ask Alana.
Her friend had spent the morning in tears after seeing Calvin off and Faye thought she was going to have to attend the Pleasure Seekers party alone until Alana called her back, asking, “Where the party at?”
She smiled at one of the wannabe Baywatch bartenders. “I’d like a gin martini, please.”
“What kind of gin?”
She gave him a blank stare.
“Give her a Beefeater’s. Make it extra dry and very dirty,” ordered a soft male voice behind her.
Faye turned to stare up at a tall, middle-aged man with close-cropped silver hair and intense gray eyes. Not handsome, but very attractive. The tailored lines of the dark suit on his slender body had not come off a rack. She smiled at him, bringing his gaze to linger on her mouth.
“What will you have, Mr. Houghton?” asked the other twin.
“I’ll have what the lady’s drinking.”
Faye lowered her lashes in a demure gesture. “Thank you, Mr. Houghton.”
He angled his head and smiled, the expression softening his rugged features. “It’s Bart.”
Faye extended her right hand. “Faye.”
He held her fingers, bringing them to his mouth and dropping a kiss on her knuckles. He waited until she looked up at him before releasing her hand.
Enid’s gaze shifted to the lush, exotic-looking woman who’d come with Faye. Shiny curls fell to her bare shoulders, and a black crepe de chine strapless dress drew one’s attention immediately before a generous slit displayed an expanse of long bare legs in a pair of black satin Chanel ballet stilettos.
Holding the skirt of her midnight-blue cheongsam, Enid crossed the floor to greet them. “Thank you for coming,” she smiled, extending her hand to Faye.
“This is my friend, Alana Gardner. Alana, Enid Richards.”
“Please come have something to drink before I introduce you to the others.”
Alana stared at the tall, slender woman with ash-blond hair, cool blue-gray deep-set eyes and perfectly symmetrical features. A light tan added color to what would’ve been a normally pale face.
“I don’t think the other ladies are too happy about us being here,” Alana said perceptively. Her gaze shifted from Enid to the exquisitely dressed blond, brunette and red-haired women impaling the newcomers with hostile glares.
“That is not your problem,” Enid said with a polite smile. She waved a manicured hand. “Please come with me.”
Alana and Faye followed Enid to the bar where identical twin bartenders mixed, poured and stirred cocktails. They were bronzed, buffed and natural blonds; their perfect bodies displayed to their best advantage in black tank tops and tailored slacks.
Faye hadn’t believed Enid could improve on perfection, but she had. Her moonlit hair, brushed off her face and pinned at the nape of her neck, was the perfect complement to the Asian-style dress with side slits that exposed a glorious expanse of leg whenever she took a step. The dark blue Alexandra Neel sandals cost more than some earned in a week.
Enid smiled at a distinguished silver-haired man as he stared openly at Alana, his startled gaze fixed on the swell of satin brown flesh spilling over the revealing décolletage.
“Jonathan, I’d like you to meet to Faye Ogden and Alana Gardner. Ladies, Jonathan Hamilton.”
Both women recognized the name immediately. The Hamiltons were an old-moneyed family who’d made their fortune setting up department stores.
“I’m charmed, Mr. Hamilton.” Alana smiled, extending her hand in a limp gesture denoting helplessness.
Jonathan held Alana’s hand, then tucked it into thebend of his elbow. “May I get you something to drink?” Alana’s towering height eclipsed his by a full head.
“Why, aren’t you darling.”
Since when did you talk with a Southern drawl? Faye longed to ask Alana.
Her friend had spent the morning in tears after seeing Calvin off and Faye thought she was going to have to attend the Pleasure Seekers party alone until Alana called her back, asking, “Where the party at?”
She smiled at one of the wannabe Baywatch bartenders. “I’d like a gin martini, please.”
“What kind of gin?”
She gave him a blank stare.
“Give her a Beefeater’s. Make it extra dry and very dirty,” ordered a soft male voice behind her.
Faye turned to stare up at a tall, middle-aged man with close-cropped silver hair and intense gray eyes. Not handsome, but very attractive. The tailored lines of the dark suit on his slender body had not come off a rack. She smiled at him, bringing his gaze to linger on her mouth.
“What will you have, Mr. Houghton?” asked the other twin.
“I’ll have what the lady’s drinking.”
Faye lowered her lashes in a demure gesture. “Thank you, Mr. Houghton.”
He angled his head and smiled, the expression softening his rugged features. “It’s Bart.”
Faye extended her right hand. “Faye.”
He held her fingers, bringing them to his mouth and dropping a kiss on her knuckles. He waited until she looked up at him before releasing her hand.
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