staring around the room much like she was. Grace took a deep breath and accepted the icy martini offered to her.
"What is this place?" she leaned into her husband’s chest, relieved by his return.
"I told you, a private party." He glanced around and nodded at someone across the room. This was more like it. Grace was used to him working rooms at parties so she relaxed and drank her cocktail a little too fast, handing the empty glass to one of the passing, nearly naked men holding a tray.
She flinched when a cool hand touched her bare arm. Skin prickling, she took in the sight of a drop-dead beautiful woman who was eyeing her as if she were a chocolate covered morsel. Grace glanced up a Ryan. She was used to beautiful women ogling and flat-out propositioning her husband. Grace was no slouch herself, five foot six, fluctuating between a size six and eight depending on how motivated she was to exercise, long dark blonde hair and deep green eyes. But Ryan was a specimen by anyone’s standards.
His deep blue eyes were framed in a nearly perfect face with a lean nose and strong jaw almost always covered in dark stubble. His dark blond hair was thick and smooth as silk under her hands. The slight obsession with exercise he nurtured yielded a rock hard body she’d relished from their inauspicious yet steamy, hot beginnings. But it was his company, his quick if somewhat dry wit, ability to talk to a wall and make it respond, and utter dedication to her pleasure, she treasured.
He'd ripped out her soul with his words, "we need a break" just four years ago after a year of expensive travel, gifts and parties so she’d done her usual drastic overreacting and bolted straight in to the arms of Kyle, her patient, young editor who’d nurtured a crush on her from their beginning. Granted, she’d been beyond pissed at Ryan's need to take control of her financial life. Knowing it would be the easiest thing, to just let him take over, pay off her debts and never consider it again, nearly froze her with terror. She couldn’t let herself lose that much control. What if it didn’t work out? How would she pay him back?
About that same time her agent broke the news that her series, "In the Limelight" was being purchased by a premium cable channel. The extreme relief of being able to support herself through her own writing, which meant she didn't need to depend on Ryan, was just washing over when the door of her hotel room reverberated with pounding.
She’d glanced at Kyle who’d rolled over and thrown an arm over his face at the noise. Knowing it was Ryan before she even got there, Grace had sensed his presence through the door, and she knew she'd say "yes" to whatever he proposed. Little did she know a platinum and emerald ring he’d had designed to match her eyes was waiting on the other side. Glancing down at it now, with her matching wedding band of simple platinum, she closed her eyes in an attempt to regain her composure.
"Darling," the lovely woman at her elbow finally spoke, yanking her back to the present. "Shall we?" Grace glanced at Ryan who'd grabbed a couple more ice cold martini glasses for them. He smiled and her heart lifted.
"Sure," she let herself be lead, with the woman’s arm through hers, across the room. Aware of activity behind the filmy curtains, Grace gulped at her drink, hoping it would calm her nerves. As she became more aware of what exactly was going on behind the curtains they kept passing, Grace gasped and clutched at the woman’s arm. Ryan caught up with her then, taking her glass and putting her other arm through his. Bracketed on either side, Grace let herself be led out of the large room into a wide, plush hallway. Beautiful people were draped around on leather furniture, some were kissing, some were drinking but all were completely naked. Grace gasped again, feeling like a voyeur, and tried to avert her eyes but they refused
"What is this place?" she leaned into her husband’s chest, relieved by his return.
"I told you, a private party." He glanced around and nodded at someone across the room. This was more like it. Grace was used to him working rooms at parties so she relaxed and drank her cocktail a little too fast, handing the empty glass to one of the passing, nearly naked men holding a tray.
She flinched when a cool hand touched her bare arm. Skin prickling, she took in the sight of a drop-dead beautiful woman who was eyeing her as if she were a chocolate covered morsel. Grace glanced up a Ryan. She was used to beautiful women ogling and flat-out propositioning her husband. Grace was no slouch herself, five foot six, fluctuating between a size six and eight depending on how motivated she was to exercise, long dark blonde hair and deep green eyes. But Ryan was a specimen by anyone’s standards.
His deep blue eyes were framed in a nearly perfect face with a lean nose and strong jaw almost always covered in dark stubble. His dark blond hair was thick and smooth as silk under her hands. The slight obsession with exercise he nurtured yielded a rock hard body she’d relished from their inauspicious yet steamy, hot beginnings. But it was his company, his quick if somewhat dry wit, ability to talk to a wall and make it respond, and utter dedication to her pleasure, she treasured.
He'd ripped out her soul with his words, "we need a break" just four years ago after a year of expensive travel, gifts and parties so she’d done her usual drastic overreacting and bolted straight in to the arms of Kyle, her patient, young editor who’d nurtured a crush on her from their beginning. Granted, she’d been beyond pissed at Ryan's need to take control of her financial life. Knowing it would be the easiest thing, to just let him take over, pay off her debts and never consider it again, nearly froze her with terror. She couldn’t let herself lose that much control. What if it didn’t work out? How would she pay him back?
About that same time her agent broke the news that her series, "In the Limelight" was being purchased by a premium cable channel. The extreme relief of being able to support herself through her own writing, which meant she didn't need to depend on Ryan, was just washing over when the door of her hotel room reverberated with pounding.
She’d glanced at Kyle who’d rolled over and thrown an arm over his face at the noise. Knowing it was Ryan before she even got there, Grace had sensed his presence through the door, and she knew she'd say "yes" to whatever he proposed. Little did she know a platinum and emerald ring he’d had designed to match her eyes was waiting on the other side. Glancing down at it now, with her matching wedding band of simple platinum, she closed her eyes in an attempt to regain her composure.
"Darling," the lovely woman at her elbow finally spoke, yanking her back to the present. "Shall we?" Grace glanced at Ryan who'd grabbed a couple more ice cold martini glasses for them. He smiled and her heart lifted.
"Sure," she let herself be lead, with the woman’s arm through hers, across the room. Aware of activity behind the filmy curtains, Grace gulped at her drink, hoping it would calm her nerves. As she became more aware of what exactly was going on behind the curtains they kept passing, Grace gasped and clutched at the woman’s arm. Ryan caught up with her then, taking her glass and putting her other arm through his. Bracketed on either side, Grace let herself be led out of the large room into a wide, plush hallway. Beautiful people were draped around on leather furniture, some were kissing, some were drinking but all were completely naked. Grace gasped again, feeling like a voyeur, and tried to avert her eyes but they refused
Similar Books
