Shadow: How’s the premiere going? You behaving?
Kennedi stared at the message, thought about the cologne comment, the way his fingers felt on her collarbone, the shelf life of his restraint shrinking by the hour.
Kennedi: Barely.
Back in her hotel suite, Kennedi stared at the massive bouquet of roses that had been delivered while she was gone. She knew who they were from before she even read the card.
You killed it tonight. Couldn’t take my eyes off you. – R.
She sank onto the couch, staring at the flowers with butterflies taking over her stomach. Her phone buzzed.
Spirit: I’m looking for you at the after-party. You coming?
Kennedi looked at the flowers, thought about how she’d felt under his gaze all night. Alive. Electric. Desired in ways that made her skin tingle.
“Oh, what the hell,” she murmured, reaching for her red fringe dress and heading back out.
The rooftop bar was packed. Kennedi found Spirit flirting with some man, but her eyes automatically scanned the crowd for Rolani. She spotted him by the bar. Women surrounded him, vying for his attention, but he looked utterly indifferent.
A warm, possessive feeling spread through her chest.
“No ma’am, no ma’am,” Spirit said, materializing beside her with two drinks. “I know we don’t know each other that well, friend, but Rolani is not it. He’s unavailable emotionally, and he’s off his damn rocker.”
Kennedi nearly choked on her drink. If he was emotionally unavailable, maybe he didn’t want anything but fun. She could give him fun.
“I’m not thinking about Rolani. We just met.”
Spirit's eyes narrowed. “Oh, I see. You two got some chemistry going.” She paused. “Just be careful with that one. He's not a halfway man.”
Before Kennedi could respond, Spirit pulled her onto the dance floor. They danced for an hour. She didn’t have to look to know he was aware of her.
“He’s watching you,” Spirit leaned in to say. “Has been since you walked in. Man hasn’t looked at any of those thirsty women since you showed up.”
“I don’t care. I’m going to my room alone tonight.”
“Sure you are, baby.”
Eventually, Kennedi’s feet started aching, and she couldn’t fight the yawns anymore. She hugged Spirit goodbye and headed for the elevator, her resolve firmly in place.
Then someone grabbed her elbow.
She was tired of being touched without her permission tonight.
“Excuse you,” she snapped, jerking her arm away.
David. Again.
This was the third time tonight this man had put his hands on her. The champagne table. The dance floor. And now here, in an empty hotel hallway at one in the morning.
She pressed the elevator button, deliberately hitting the lobby button. Her instincts as a woman who traveled alone kicked in.
“Kennedi! Didn’t expect to see you here.”
She didn’t respond. Just watched the elevator numbers.
“Listen, I know we got off on the wrong foot earlier, but I really do think we should talk. About your platform. The opportunities I mentioned.”
“At one in the morning?” Her tone stayed flat. “Email me. Like I said before.”
