"I really have to go to the restroom," I said, giving him a brief smile.
"On the way back then," he said without a sign of chagrin.
"She's not here alone," Archer said, his tone bordering on menacing.
Mr. Smooth gave him an amused glance over his own champagne flute. "So I see." He let his gaze drop, sizing Archer up and seeming unimpressed. Turning back to me, he smiled.
"The offer still stands."
"Yeah, thanks." I stepped past him and over to the restrooms. Pushed inside and took a look around.
"Erin?" The stall doors were open, with no one inside. No couples having a quickie, hoping to stay out of sight. No one with a platter of shrimp, polishing it off alone in a corner, crying over their broken heart. I'm totally not projecting here, promise.
I stepped back and let the door close. "She's not in there."
"She could be outside," Archer suggested.
I nodded and followed him back the other way, towards the exit.
Stepping out into the night air, I scanned the street one way, then the other. I saw no sign of a young woman in a yellow floral dress. No hint she was here recently. Just a couple of others who mingled outside, one sucking on a cigar.
I wrinkled my nose at the smell and shook my head.
"She's not here."
"Could she have gone home?" Archer asked.
"I don'tthinkshe would have left without telling me," I said uncertainly.
Could I rule it out? I was her boss, not her mother. She didn't have to inform me of her comings and goings. Still, it wasn't like her to leave something like this without a wave, at the bare minimum.
"She and Solomon Danforth seem to have left around the same time," I said reluctantly.
"They were on opposite sides of the room," Archer said with a frown.
The fact he knew that didn't surprise me. He'd probably memorized every face there, what they wore, where they stood and who they spoke to. The man was like a sponge for information and knowledge.
"One of the people she was talking to might be Eros," I said.
A chill passed through me. If she was with him right now… If he was touching her, I'd rip his cock off and stuff it into cannelloni. Then I'd make him eat it.
"We could talk to the—" Archer started.
"What are you doing out here?" Erin's voice behind me made me startle and spin around.
I grabbed her up in a hug, which drew a surprised squeak from her.
"I know we haven't spoken for an hour or two…" she said with a laugh.
"I was worried about you," I admitted. "Where have you been?" I dropped my arms and stepped back, appraising her. She didn't look rumpled in any way. Her hair was neat, her dress uncreased.
"I went into the back of the gallery to make sure the servers knew to pass around the sliders," she said, frowning at me. "I hadn't seen them carrying them. They're taking them around now. Why, what did youthinkwas happening?"
"Aren't I allowed to worry about you?" I asked instead of answering.
A shadow passed over her expression. Memories of her past. Understanding why I'd be concerned.
"I'd never let that happen again," she said softly. "If anyone tried anything in there, I'd scream the place down. Or claw their eyes out." She scratched the air with her fingernails. Her lips drawn back, teeth bared.
