Dazzle her: Laws of Seduction Book 3 (6 page)

Without glancing at the reporter, James ushers me through the door. Inside there is a large staircase leading up to a reception area where cocktails are being served. While James orders our drinks, I take in the expansive vista of windows overlooking the large fountain in the Lincoln Center Plaza. It is a breathtaking sight. James returns with our drinks. I notice a few celebrities scattered about. “Do you know many people are here?”

James scans the crowd. “Some faces are familiar, but I don’t see anyone I know well.”

“Is that who I think it is?” I ask in awe.

James looks over his shoulder and lifts one shoulder in a nonchalant shrug, like seeing one of the most famous Hollywood directors ever is an everyday occurrence. “Yea, it is. He is known for being a generous philanthropist. I’m not surprised to see him here tonight. I’’ll introduce you later if you are that interested.”

I struggle to keep my shocked excitement under wraps. “You know him?”

“It’s not that big a deal. The same people tend to go to these things, so you get to know them.”

I resolve not to act as star struck as I feel, but I can’t help covertly looking around for other famous faces. When I hear James’s deep chuckle, I look up to see what he finds so amusing, only to find him waving his hand in front of my face. I give him a dark look. ““It’s not that funny.”

This just makes him laugh harder. “I never would have taken you for such a celebrity chaser.”

“I was just interested to see who else might be here,” I inform him reproachfully.

“Uh huh.”

I realize he is teasing me now, and I can’t help laughing with him. “It may take some getting used to.”

“They’re flesh and blood people like you and me.”

“I know that. I’ve just never been this close to them before.”

James, who is still laughing, rolls his eyes. I do sound star struck. Out of the corner of my eye, I see another face that I recognize. It takes me a few moments to put a name to the face. When I finally recall that it is Selene, Tobin’s cousin, I see she is headed our way. The thought of Tobin reminds me of the horrid photos I saw at his show the night before, and I have to repress a shudder.

As she reaches us, I plaster on a friendly smile and introduce her to James as one of Davis’s friends. After a few minutes of questioning James on everyone he knows in order to discover if they have any acquaintances in common, Selene turns back to me. “Have you seen Davis recently? It’s as if he has disappeared.”

I don’t want to remind James of the last time I saw Davis, since it been with his hand on my ass. Although it had been completely innocent, James had not seen it that way and had exploded with jealousy. “He’s in Canada on a photo shoot. I’m not exactly sure when he’s expected back.” I feel James’s penetrating stare from beside me and resist the urge to explain that it is only because of Nick that I know this.

Selene smiles effusively. “That would explain it.”

Her reaction seems a little over the top, reconfirming my suspicions that she has a thing for Davis. Hoping to avoid the topic of Tobin’s photography exhibit, I loop my arm around James’s arm and squeeze. Smart man that he is, he makes an excuse and leads me away.

We enter a dining room that must seat three hundred people. James pulls the tickets out of the inner pocket of his suit jacket to check our seating before leading us over to a table near the front. There are two couples already seated at the table. The couple sitting across the table from us is young. They look to be about my age, and they nod their heads at James and me in greeting. The other couple is middle-aged and seems to know James well. The man gets up to shake his hand and slap him heartily on the back. James bends down and gives the woman, who has remained seated, the mandatory two air kisses. When did American greetings become so European, or were they always that way in these fashionably elevated circles?

James introduces me to the table, but before he finishes the introductions, James’s mother descends on the group, greeting everyone profusely. After a few moments, I realize that the young man following in her wake is her date. He looks to be about my age and walks over to shake James’s hand. James introduces him to me as his mother’s boyfriend, Rory Cabot. After greeting everyone else at the table, James’s mother turns to us. “I’’m sorry, James, but what did you say her name was again?”

I bristle with annoyance. She is once again speaking as if I am not present. I repress my angry retort, since I suspect she is doing it to get a rise out of me. I let James take care of his mother and turn to Rory. “How long have you and…” I pause. I am not sure what to call James’s mother.

Luckily, Rory doesn’t need me to finish. “We’ve been together almost two years.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask him how old he is, but I manage to restrain myself. Instead I ask, “Where did you meet?”

“We met on St. Bart’s. It’s was love at first sight. The funny thing was that we both grew up right here in Manhattan but never met.””

I actually did not think it was that odd, considering their age difference. “I’ve never been to St. Bart’s, but I’’ve heard it’s beautiful.”

“You should go. It’s my favorite island in the Caribbean.”

Before Rory can launch himself into a comparison of the Caribbean islands, the MC directs everyone to take their seats. There isn’t much opportunity for talking after the MC starts the dinner program. I listen with half an ear as he speaks. The other half of my mind is busy processing the events of the evening. I am now able to understand the issues that James has with our age difference. The fact that his mother is dating a much younger man may have affected his outlook. My father is also married to a much younger woman − granted she is not younger than me. It has never bothered me. Maybe because I could not even remember my parents being married. We had also all hated wife number three so much that it had been a relief when he met and married Angela. Angela was friendly, and she made my father happy. That was all that mattered to me. Trying not to be too obvious, I observe the interaction between Alana and Rory. They seem genuinely happy with each other.

As soon as the dinner is over, the dancing starts. James is speaking with his mother, who is sitting on his other side, and I watch as numerous couples move to the area in front of the stage, where a live band is playing. The man seated next to me asks me to dance. He is the same man who had greeted James with such familiarity. I smile in response. They are playing a Frank Sinatra song, and I hope that my partner doesn’t expect any fancy moves. I glance up at his face to see that he is smiling kindly down at me, which makes me relax.

“I had to meet the young lady who has snared the interest of the most elusive bachelor in New York City.”

This makes me blush, and I stumble a bit over my feet. “You can see that it is not my dancing that caught his interest.”

He throws back his head and laughs. “I’m Ted Lerner, by the way.”

I look at him more closely, and my eyes widen with recognition. “From the Lerner Network?”

“I guess you’ve heard of me.”

“You would have to live under a rock not to have heard of the Lerner Network.”

Ted laughs again. “I like you, and I can see why James does too. It’s refreshing to see the shoe on the other foot.”

My look of confusion causes Ted to chuckle before explaining, “Usually women spend the evening trying to get James’s attention, but this evening, it was a whole other story.”

“Are you saying that James was trying to get my attention?”

“Let’s just say my wife and I were taking bets as to how many times he would touch you during dinner.”

Heat rises to my cheeks. “Who won?”

“I did,” Ted says, grinning. “And I’m looking forward to collecting my reward.”

Since the conversation is heading into territory I feel best left unexplored, I ask, “How long have you known James?”

Ted dodges another couple when it looks like we are about to collide. “I’ve known him since he was a little boy. His grandfather was one of my original investors, so we go back a long way.”

“What was he like when he was little?” I can’t resist asking.

“To tell you the truth, I didn’t take much notice of him until he was a teenager. His grandfather had his hands full with that little cub of Satan,” Ted chuckles, remembering. ““We were all happy when he turned out as well as he did. His grandfather couldn’t be prouder of him now.”

So James had been a wild teenager. It was something else we have in common. James appears behind Ted and taps him on the shoulder. Ted steps back. When he sees it is James, he makes a production of turning me over to my date.

James pulls me tightly to him. Another slow song is playing, and I rest my head on his shoulder. “What has that bastard been telling you?”

I hear a hint of worry in his voice. I raise my head so that I can look up at him, and give in to the urge to tease him. “He was telling me all about what a hell-raiser you were as a teenager. I believe his exact words were ‘cub of Satan’’.”

James groans. “I was afraid of that. What else?”

“James, we were on the dance floor for two songs tops. He didn’t have time to get into specifics. It does sound like you’ve been holding out on me though. Care to tell me any interesting stories from your adolescence?”

“Not going to happen. That is a time in my life that I have gladly left behind me.”

Hmm, another thing we have in common. I decide not to tease him about it anymore. “Why didn’t you tell me we were sitting with Ted Lerner? I felt like a complete idiot when he had to introduce himself.”

“I thought you recognized him.”

I ruffle the soft curls at the back of his neck with my fingertips. James bends down to nuzzle my neck, making me lose the direction of my thoughts. Then I remember Ted’s bet with his wife. “He also said that you aren’t usually as affectionate with your dates.”

“That’s true. I can’t seem to keep my hands off of you. As a matter of fact, I think we should go someplace where I can put my hands all over you.””

His husky tone sends ripples of awareness down all of my nerve endings. “I think I could be persuaded.”

“In that case…” James pulls me off the dance floor, but I stop him from immediately rushing me out the door.

“Don’t you have to say goodbye to your mother?” The petulant look on James’s face makes me want to laugh. “You go on. I’ll use the ladies’ room and meet you at the front entrance.”

I make a detour to our table and pick up my clutch bag before heading to the ladies’ room near the front doors, which is deserted, unlike the one near the dining room. I am about to exit the stall when I hear voices. There is something familiar about one of the voices that makes me pause. I cannot quite put a face to the voice when I realize they are talking about James. They are talking with very low voices in front of the sinks, and I have to strain to hear. Even then, I can only make out snippets of their conversation.

“He must be into her if he is out with her again.”

The familiar voice speaks again. “Alana told me they haven’t been together that long, and hopefully he’ll be over her soon. Then James will come running back to me. Just you watch.”

CHAPTER 8

Deciding that I had heard enough, I exit my stall and walk over to the pink marble sinks to wash my hands. I look into the mirror and see two tall, elegant blonds. They look remarkably similar, down to their matching black outfits. I now know why one of the voices had seemed so familiar. Jenna Reardon, who had approached James and me at the Gotham Bar and Grill, stands regarding me with cold eyes. They don’t appear to be the least bit embarrassed to see the object of their gossip standing before them.

I know I will regret it later, but I call them on it. I turn to face Jenna and say, “What makes you think that James would be interested in you?”

“Hasn’t he told you about us?” She asks with a condescending tone that makes me grit my teeth.

“As a matter of fact, he has told me about you.”

“Then he obviously left out the best parts. James and I have a chemistry that is absolutely amazing.”

“Then why is he with me and not you?”

Jenna waves her hand dismissively, “He likes to play the field. I understand that. When he has all you little nobodies out of his system, he’ll marry me.”

Why is James such a magnet for delusional women? I wonder, thinking of Elizabeth. I raise my eyebrows and give Jenna a skeptical look.

“You don’t believe me. Ask his mother. She can tell you all about how James will date a woman for a few weeks, get what he wants from her, and then poof.” Jenna shoots her fingers into the air. “They’re gone forever. Just wait. The same thing will happen to you. Believe me, he would never stay with a common little nobody for long. He needs someone who understands his world.”

With that parting shot, she and her sidekick exit the restroom. Her words have hit me at my most vulnerable spot. Would James get tired of me and break it off? My mother’s advice to never get into it with catty females because it’s impossible to win echoes through my head. I need a few minutes to calm my jangled nerves. Reaching inside my bag for my lip gloss, my fingers brush against something unfamiliar. I peer down into my bag and notice an envelope that I’ve never seen before. I pull it out and see my name typewritten on the front. Curious as to how the envelope came to be in my bag, I open it. Inside there is a plain white card. When I see the words written there, my blood runs cold. “I know where you live.”