“Cici, are you trying to get me laid or what?”
“Yes, duh. It’s about time you had some fun. Okay. You need to make a grand entrance. Sashay into the room like this.” She giggles as she walks, swaying her hips side to side exaggeratedly, causing me to join her in laughter.
“Yeah, right. Come on. Let’s get this over with.”
Braden
What the hell is taking so long? I’ve been waiting all day for this, and my patience is wearing thin. Hell, I’ve been waiting all damn week in anticipation of having her in my clutches again. And she will be by the end of the night, I have no doubt. Her body still betrays her denial.
“Cici said that beauty rushes for no one,” Eli says as he returns to the kitchen, where we’ve been sipping the drinks he made us.
“Apparently. It’s not like she didn’t know what time I was coming. What’s taking so long? She doesn’t need to do anything to look better.”
“Is that so?” Eli asks with a raised brow.
“Cici’s probably done her up so much that she’s not herself, which would be a shame, is all.” I shake my head and take a sip.
“So what I hear you saying is that you’re into her. Which means I’ll be running interference between you and Cici if it blows up in your face.”
“Don’t worry, it’s—” I pause mid-sentence when a bombshell in a tight red dress comes gliding into the room.
Holy fucking shit. My dick concurs with the sentiment as blood instantly rushes to it. Fuck. Reaching down to adjust myself, I stay behind the bar, staring at Poppy, eyes roaming from head to toe, while all the filthy things I want come to mind. It’s not until Cici’s smirk appears in the periphery that I snap out of it.
“Took you long enough. Ready to go?” I choose anger over lust to diffuse any suspicion.
Eli snickers beside me. “That’s not what I would’ve started with.”
I turn, glowering in his direction. His comment is aggravating. However, he made his point.
Turning back to Poppy, I try to save face. “You look great, by the way.”
“Thank you.” The reluctance in her voice is evident, making me feel like a jerk for not having said that to begin with, because she truly is a siren.
Her red hair is a blaze against the burgundy red dress that accentuates her figure. She may not have the largest tits in the world, but they’re beautiful and damn—that ass. It’s… fucking perfect, and I know exactly how it feels in the palm of my hand. Before my thoughts get too out of control, I move toward the door.
“Let’s get going. Eli, thanks for the drink.” I nod in his direction.
“Anytime. Don’t be a stranger.” Eli responds, winding his arm around Cici as they walk us out.
“Take care of Poppy tonight, will you?” Cici asks as I step outside, surprising me. That sounded like an innuendo, which tracks with the glare Poppy’s giving her.
“I plan on it,” I state bluntly as I place my hand on Poppy’s back and lead her away.
“I can take care of myself,” she says defensively.
“I’m sure you can, sugar, but not nearly as well as I can, and you know it.”
Blake, the Dubree’s full-time driver, stands at the back of their town car holding the door open.
“Thank you, Blake.” I nod in greeting.
“My pleasure, Mr. Butcher, Miss Whitaker.”
Poppy smiles as she ducks into the back seat.
“Would you mind raising the partition, Blake?” I ask quietly.
“Already done, sir.” He winks knowingly.
