Looks Can Be Deceiving

My sides were cramping up and my stomach was churning. The burning in my legs also told me that I was done for the day. With a sigh, I drastically slowed my pace and looked down at Shadow. He returned my gaze with a heavy pant, his pace suddenly matching my own. I knew that was his way of letting me know that he was ready to go if I was.

“You did good, bud,” I smiled at him, reaching down to run a hand across his dark coat, “Let’s get you some water and get ready to go.”

We took our time walking towards the nearest bench in the middle of the park before taking a quick break. I sat on the edge of the bench while Shadow stayed on the ground, sitting patiently as I opened up a bottle of water for him. I tilted it and allowed him to drink from it, something he did expertly for a dog. I had my own water bottle waiting for me in the car.

Once Shadow had cooled down enough, we headed in the direction of the parking lot. It was far enough away from where we currently were, so we still had quite a way to walk. Shadow didn’t seem to mind the trip one bit, and I was still on an energy high from our run. My mind was finally clear, and my body had been relieved of all the stress I’d been feeling lately.

Shadow had spotted a few geese along the way and took off after them, though I knew he wouldn’t get too out of hand. If he did, I’d just call him back. He was extremely obedient for a puppy; I’d made sure of that. I watched as he happily galloped after a poor rabbit this time, his muscles flexing with strength as he hurdled into the air and caught the bunny.

I shook my head, “Okay, Shadow. Put him down!”

Shadow looked at me with an almost pout in his eyes, bunny still locked between his jaws.

“Shadow, right now!” I commanded firmly, pointing my finger at the ground. He whined and spat the rabbit out, watching with a longing expression as the bunny limped away. I giggled and called him back to me.

“Well, they always say Sheppards are good hunting dogs,” a voice stated, causing me to whirl around.

A man with blonde hair and grey eyes stood just a few feet away with his hands in his pockets. His hair was parted and gelled, but still had a messy appeal to it. He had a five o’clock shadow to support his rugged model look, completed with a simple grey shirt and jeans. He flashed me a small smile.

“Yes, they are,” I nodded, eyeing him cautiously, “Great strength and intelligence. Loyalty and protectiveness.”

At that moment, Shadow appeared by my side, crouched low and teeth bared. He was clearly a puppy, but he was still a rather decent size for a dog. I knew he would only grow to be bigger. Silent growls ripped from his throat in a warning manner; he would step in if this stranger got too close.

“I’ll say,” the blonde man grinned despite Shadow’s hostility, “So, do you stay around here?”

I wasn’t so sure who this kid was, or why he’d bothered talking to me. His conversation was light and harmless, but the park was nearly empty today. I hadn’t seen him anywhere near the park before, and he didn’t have a dog. He wasn’t dressed for exercise purposes, either. Now, he pops out of nowhere and wants to make small talk? I wasn’t buying it.

I grabbed Shadow’s leash and continued walking, “Actually, I don’t.”

I soon heard footsteps fall in line with mine and looked over, seeing that the stranger was now back at my side, “Then why come running over here?”

Shadow growled at his proximity and I inwardly smiled, “Because Heritage Manor doesn’t have a dog friendly park.”

He blinked hard, “Heritage Manor?”

I glanced blankly at him, “Yes. I’m staying there with a good friend of mine.”

“Oh,” he scratched the back of his neck, “That’s cool. So, I was thinking—“

“You’re already thinking, yet you don’t even know my name?” I cut him off, raising a brow.

He chuckled nervously, “Sorry, I always think backwards. What’s your name?”

I smirked, shook my head and continued walking, “It doesn’t work like that, honey.”

He called after me but I ignored him, looking over my shoulder once to smile at him. Sure, he was easy on the eyes and could dress himself. Sure, he seemed interested. But I wasn’t ready to even consider being involved with someone. That guy wasn’t looking to get to know me as an acquaintance; he was looking for a date, or even a plaything to fuck. I was no fool.

With a sigh of relief, I finally made it back to the car and cleaned Shadow’s mud-covered paws off with a towel before allowing him to get into the passenger’s seat. He sat quietly, tongue lolling out of his mouth as he looked out of the window while I got into the driver’s seat. I reached across the center console to buckle him in before doing the same for myself. Then we were off.

We hadn’t been driving for very long when I decided to turn on the radio. Shadow had been making nose prints all over the window so I rolled it down for him. He seemed to enjoy sticking his head out the window. As a familiar song came over the radio, I felt my chest tighten. I decided to turn it up anyway.

Though the lights were low, I could see you both
In a lover’s silhouette
And my heart stood still, I was froze right there
Staring down at her red dress

So I bolted out the door, jumped right into the car
It’s too dangerous to be in the vicinity where you are
Rolled down all the windows, just so I could breathe
Can’t believe you just actually did this shit to me

Memories of that day flooded my mind, though I tried my hardest to keep them at bay. I didn’t want to think about them. I didn’t want to think about him. Raking a hand through my hair, I took a deep breath and pressed down on the accelerator.

I’m goin’ ‘bout a hundred, mascara running
Laughing out of anger, but it don’t strike me as funny
Been too good to you, I’ve been virtuous and true
To have something like this happen in my own bedroom

Betcha gon’ know how it feels
When I get you back
Betcha gon’ know how it feels
And your heart’s been cracked
Betcha gon’ know how it feels
And we fade to black
How it feels, for real
And you see your whole world collapse

It was crazy how much I could relate to this song. For some odd reason, I couldn’t turn the station, no matter how much it hurt to be reminded of the near past. I clutched the wheel tighter, breathing deeply as I turned the corner to Heritage Manor.

So I pulled to the side of the road to fix my face
But I can’t cover with makeup what my tears want to raise
I wake up in a haze, morning dew and sun rays
As I drive, I hide my eyes behind my black Cavalli shades

A block from the house, slowly creep in the driveway
Tipetoe through the door, but you’re there, wide awake
You’re like, “Where you been?”
I’m like, “Sorry, but I fell asleep on Jasmine’s sofa
I could have swore that Ray Ray called you and told you”

You’re like, “You ok?”
I’m like, “I’m alright, go to sleep and I’ll be fine”
But if you only knew what was in the back of my mind
I’m really stung, but you’re really gonna find out in time

By that point I was crying. I kept my head down as the guard at the gates checked my ID and tags. He knew who I was and let me through, no doubt puzzled by my behavior. I drove slower this time, tossing off my sunglasses and wiping under my eyes. I had to get it together before someone saw me.

Betcha gon’ know how it feels
When I get you back
Betcha gon’ know how it feels
When your heart’s been cracked
When we fade to black
How it feels, for real
And you see your whole world collapse

This is for real, for real, for real
Oprah Winfrey, whole segment, for real, for real
20/20, Barbara Walters, for real, for real
60 minutes, for real

Baby, I had all the trust and you won’t look at what you put me through
You got me all crazy
Somewhere down the line you’re gonna get what you deserve you fucking jerk
You were supposed to save me, my sweet baby
Now we’re fading away

But you’re gonna know how this feels
Even if it’s the last thing I ever do
To be continued

As soon as the song was over, I cut the car off. I replaced my shades and unbuckled Shadow’s seatbelt before moving to my own. He watched me intently, so I forced a smile in his direction. He, like Matt, could read me like a book. He let out a grunt and pawed at the door, letting me know he was ready to get out. I chuckled dryly and reached over to open his door, watching as he went running and barking in the direction of the front door.

Slowly, I wiped down the seat he’d been sitting on before stepping out of the car and gently closing the door behind me. I would leave everything from earlier in the car for now. I trudged up the walkway, shushing Shadow as he yelped incessantly at door. It didn’t help, as the front door swung wide open, Matt grinning down at the puppy. I tried hard not to stare at the shirtless man before me, sweatpants riding teasingly low on his rather defined hips.

Having a gorgeous friend was torture sometimes. He had the little ‘V’ and everything!

“Have a good run?” he asked, referring to the note I’d left for him earlier. I stepped inside and allowed him to close the door behind me, kicking off my sneakers and leaving them by the door for now.

I nodded, “It was good to blow off a little steam. Shadow ought to be tired enough not to chew up your shoes this time around, too,” I added sheepishly, watching as he chuckled and flapped a hand about, “So, how’d today go?”

I remembered Matt saying something earlier about a big meeting with some executives. Apparently, he was closing some valuable deal, or something or other. It was all business talk to me, though I at least nodded and tried to act like I understood what he was talking about. I was sure he knew I was clueless as to what he was saying. I could barely understand how to file my own taxes, and even then I had to call my mom for help with it.

I watched as he took a seat on the leather sectional, flipping one ankle over his knee as he tucked his hands behind his head, “Today went very well, let’s just put it that way.”

“Oh?” I cocked an eyebrow at his calm expression, “Well, congratulations.”

He grinned in my direction, “Thanks.”

“It sounds like it’s worth celebrating,” I mused, watching as a smile grew on his face, “Have you and the boys made plans for the night?”

“As a matter of fact, we have,” he smirked then, tilting his head at me.

I didn’t like that look, “What?”

“As celebration, we’ve been asked to attend a party tonight,” he smirked once more, “And I need a date.”

I glared at him, exasperated, “I need to doll myself up for another fancy rich people party tonight and you’re just now telling me? Do you know how long black people’s hair takes to get perfect?”

He laughed heartily at my response, “Fuck them. All you need to do is get dressed; you look perfect already.”

I felt my stomach tighten in knots at the compliment. I was slowly getting better with receiving compliments from Matt, though that was only when we wasn’t dead serious and staring at me when he said it. Those eyes of his were enough to look into your soul and tear you apart at the same time.

It was weird. Not only was Matt an attractive guy and filthy rich at that, but he was genuine. The whole package. Women ran after that man like nothing I’d ever fucking seen before. Pretty women, overdone women, rich women, well-to-do and even average women and bums off the street. While he was polite and respectful, he hardly paid some deserving women any attention. His sights were set on the slutty, overdone ones, even if it wasn’t much attention he paid them at all. But then there was me, no one of romantic interest to him, and he was like a fucking compliment generator.

I personally didn’t get it. There were so many girls who were better than me in some kind of way who would kill over his attention, yet he never bothered with them. I thought that maybe it was because of our friendship that he felt it was so necessary to boost my self-esteem. Maybe he felt obligated to do that. He had to.

We didn’t have much in common. I wasn’t rich. Before coming to live with him or Lyndsey, I’d paid rent; Matt’s gazillion dollar mansion was already paid for, and from what I’d heard, this wasn’t his only home. He had several brand new cars, and I only had one semi-old one. His clothes cost car payments, and I felt nauseous anytime an article of clothing was above thirty dollars. He was serious, a little rigid, and highly structured. I liked to go with the flow and relax. He was gorgeous, and I…well, I wasn’t ugly. I just was.

“You’re not even listening to me, are you?”

I blinked, “I…what?”

He smirked then, playfully wiggling his eyebrows, “It’s because I’m half naked, isn’t it?”

I snorted, “You’d be surprised, dear Matthew.” That was next on the list.

“Right,” he grinned, pressing a hand to my back and pushing me in the direction of the stairs, “Shower and get changed. We’ll eat there.”

“And what am I supposed to wear?” I asked quizzically, tossing him a frown over my shoulder as I slowly climbed the stairs, “You didn’t exactly give me any time to prepare for this.”

He smirked, “Have I ever failed you, sweetheart?”

There he goes with that pet name.

I rolled my eyes, huffing out a sigh, “No.”

“Uh huh,” he chuckled, walking in the direction of the kitchen, “Everything you’ll need is on the bed.”

Narrowing my eyes suspiciously, I hurriedly clambered up the stairs, tripping twice, and approached my bedroom. The door was cracked open already, so I pushed it open all the way and stepped inside the room. The lights were off, casting a dark shadow over the entire room. I felt around the wall for the light switch, sighing when I found it and watched as the lights cut on.

Well, he never seemed to leave anything out. That was for sure.

I couldn’t fight the gasp that escaped my lips as my eyes trailed the crimson red dress. It was halter style and, from the looks of it, dipped extremely low in both the front and back. A pair of strappy, gold platform heels lay next to the dress in an open box. I moved the lid aside, and yelped when I read the name Gucci carved into the top. With trembling hands, I put the lid back and looked at the other items. Gold jewelry lay out in open boxes; I’d only glanced quickly at them so that I wouldn’t find another well-known name to have a heart attack over.

“Oh, God,” I muttered, eyeing the lace that lay partially tucked under the dress.

Fingers trembling, I grabbed hold of the lingerie and pulled it up so that I could see it for myself. It was royal blue and completely see-through all the way around. There was no bra, just a tiny scrap of lace in the shape of panties. Where was the bra? Holding the dress up, I noticed that there was no possible way to fit a bra under that style of dress without it showing, and sighed. I was going to have to go without.

“What do you think?”

Clutching my chest, I whirled around to face the owner of the voice. Matt stood leaned against the wall, arms crossed and lips curved up into a smirk. The panties fell from my fingertips and fluttered softly back to the mattress. I knew that look on his face. I was a female, after all.

“I..I- the dress is nice,” I answered rather dumbly, avoiding his intense gaze.

His chuckle filled the air, “I’m glad you like it.”

“I do,” I nodded jerkily, chewing on my bottom lip as I attempted to forget the racy lingerie behind me, “I’m excited to try everything on.”

“So am I,” he chuckled softly, heading back out the door, “I’ll leave you to it. We need to be out of here by seven.”

As his footsteps retreated down the hallway, I glanced over at the clock hanging on the wall and felt my jaw drop. Only two hours to not only get ready, but to get my heart rate under control as well.

***

“You never do disappoint, you know that?”

Turning my head to the side, I fought the urge to smile as my eyes met with Matt’s. He’d done nothing but shower me with compliment after compliment since the limo had arrived to pick us up from the mansion. I was sure he was doing it just to see me fidget awkwardly and avoid his gaze. Actually, I was positive that that was his motive for doing it.

“I didn’t know that,” I mumbled sarcastically, quickly looking back out the window as I felt his heated gaze rake my legs in the least subtle way possible. He was being a guy right now, and for once, I honestly had no idea how to handle the situation.

“You don’t, huh?” he asked teasingly, a chuckle sounding from his side of the seat.

I shrugged simply, “Uh uh.”

Suddenly, the scent of his cologne became much more evident, “Well, then let me tell you that you’re the most stunning thing I’ve ever seen.”

I would’ve been able to take his blunt comment, but the fact that I could feel his hand on my shoulder was sending my hormones into overdrive. He was making me nervous as all hell. I bounced my right leg up and down as I angled my body away from his, causing him to chuckle quietly to himself.

“Matt, quit it,” I stated warningly.

“Quit what?” he asked innocently his scent fading from my senses, “I’m simply a single man complimenting a single woman.”

“No, you’re attempting to seduce me, you sneaky little fuck,” I couldn’t help but to laugh as I narrowed my eyes at him over my shoulder.

He shrugged his shoulders with a grin, “I am. Is it working?”

“I don’t know what it’s doing, but it’s driving me nuts,” I muttered, clasping my hands tightly together.

“I bet it’s the good kind of nuts, though.”

“Oh my God,” I laughed, eyes fluttering up to the ceiling of the carpeted limousine, “You are going to be the death of me.”

“Oh, but I could say the same about you in that dress,” he smirked, watching me closely as he leaned back in his seat, hands behind his head.

“You’re the one who picked it out!” I sputtered, glaring in his direction as I adjusted the front of the dress. There was absolutely no way of getting around the cleavage it showed, though I did have to be careful not to let my boobs completely spill out of the damned thing. The hemline could’ve been just a tad bit longer, too.

“Personally, I’m thoroughly enjoying this.”

I laughed sarcastically, “At my expense, you had better!”

“Oh, I am. And will continue to do so.” He nodded seriously, reaching over and taking a drink of some wine from a nearby little wine bucket thingy. Only rich people carried their liquor around in little special buckets in their cars.

“You’re unbelievable,” I grumbled, looking away from him and crossing my arms under my chest.

“You doing that is only making your boobs look even better from over here.”

I growled and chucked my clutch at him, causing him to yelp and laugh loudly as the small bag bounced off his beefy arm and hit the seat next to him. He shook his head and chuckled some more, tossing the bag onto the seat next to my leg.

“Sweetheart, you’ve got to get over your compliment shyness,” he smirked, “You have complete strangers walking up to you off the street, asking for dates.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, “How’d you know about that?”

He stared blankly at me before shrugging, “I’m Matt Sanders. I know everything.”

”I’m Matt Sanders. I know everything,” I mocked, deepening my voice and puffing my chest with a roll of my eyes.

“Mock me all you want, sweetheart, but you know I’m right,” he shrugged, watching me with a rather amused smile, “I just don’t get how you’re not used it by now.”

“I can handle a bunch of strangers and bums just fine,” I rolled my eyes in defeat, “They’re easier to dismiss because they don’t know me. Those who do know me have the ability to judge me.”

“Like me,” Matt mused, eyes twinkling with something I couldn’t quite pinpoint.

“Like you,” I mumbled, turning back to the window, “But either way, I don’t like the feeling of being observed.”

All else was quiet in the limo, though a simple chuckle sounded from behind me. I subtly attempted to rub the goose bumps off my arms for the next few minutes while he was distracted with a text message on his phone.

The car rolled to a stop minutes later, and I released a sigh of relief. Matt wouldn’t torment me nearly as much with his borderline perverted remarks in front of people of importance. I waited as Matt slid out of the door first and offered me his hand. I chewed my lip as I grabbed onto it and allowed him to pull me to my feet. I stepped aside so that the driver could shut the door and drive off, feeling a shiver shoot up my spine as Matt’s warm hand came in contact with the small of my back.

Just like the last party, people had stopped and stared at the two of us as we walked in. Their eyes would immediately land on Matt, each eyeing him and moving out of our path. Then, as we passed, their attention would move to me and stay there. The feeling was extremely weird, and Matt could tell because he often chuckled quietly.

“You seem to have an effect on people,” he mused, guiding me through the crowded foyer.

“So do you,” I muttered discreetly, offering one familiar couple a smile, “Now make them look elsewhere.”

“And deny a beautiful woman the attention she deserves?” he smiled lightly, tapping my spine, “Absolutely not.”

I sighed, though I quickly yelped and grinned when he pulled me flush with his side, pressing a quick kiss to my shoulder. I couldn’t stay annoyed or upset with him for very long; he always found a way to make me smile in the end.

The gossip began as we wandered through the massive home, though Matt made sure to keep me right under him. I wasn’t exactly comfortable at functions like this, and he knew that. He braced a hand on my right arm from behind, anchoring me to his chest as he guided me towards wherever we were going. I tried ignoring the voices as we passed them by.

“You think that’s his new flavor of the week?”

“Try flavor of the month. He’s actually kept her around for a while.”

“She’s pretty; I’ll give her that. But knowing him, he’ll get rid of her soon.”

“Pretty? Yeah, if you call thunder thighs pretty.”

“He’s only in it for the sex.”

“I don’t think it’s just for the sex, look at how he holds her. On the other hand, she could just be playing him for the family fortune—”

I’d just about had enough of this petty shit. I gracefully made a beeline for the nearest exit the second I spotted one. Matt’s grip tightened my arm as he too caught up with my speed, though he stayed quiet. I ducked through the glass door and spotted an empty lobby of sorts with a huge fountain.

I found a seat on the steps and sighed, “How do you deal with it all?”

“I don’t, in a way.”

I frowned, watching as Matt took a seat next to me and leaned forward, elbows planted on his knees and hands clasped together. He was silent then, and I allowed him his time to think. I didn’t understand how he could stand to be around such ignorant people. I didn’t know how he kept his cool when people gossiped like that about his personal life and decisions, whether the details were true or not.

“Does it ever get to you?” I asked softly, turning my body to face him as I took his wrist in my hand, straightening out the cuff link of his shirt. I re-buttoned it and fixed the crease in the silky fabric before lowering my hands, only to have him grab them back.

“You would think so,” he murmured with a slight shrug, “With the…anger, I guess. But after a while, it’s easy to tune out. It’s just talk.”

“Well, I don’t like fucking talk like that. They don’t fucking know you. They have no reason to judge you or speculate.”

“Sweetheart, that’s what they do when you’re at the top,” he chuckled softly, smoothing a hand over my fingers with a smile, “All the while wishing that they were in your shoes. It happens.”

“There’s no need for all that,” I shook my head in frustration, “Why can’t they just congratulate you and then move on, aspire to be like you if they envy you so bad?”

“Because that’d be too much like right,” he grinned, standing up and offering me a hand, “So, don’t let them get to you. They don’t know everything about me, and they certainly don’t know everything about you. Let them talk.”

I grumbled incoherently as he pulled me to my feet and into his side. I was officially aggravated and we’d only been here a mere fucking five minutes. I would’ve been much better off celebrating with a small barbeque at the house with the group and some of their close friends together, rather than these petty strangers.

That thought alone made me miss my new friends. I’d had my doubts about Brian and his friends in the beginning, but we’d become so close during the past several weeks.

Johnny and I had become like partners in crime, being the youngest of the group. He’d taught ne how to be carefree again. He, Jimmy, and I were constantly pulling pranks on Matt to see how mad we could get him. Of course, I always got out of it, so long as I gave Matt a good pout. I couldn’t say the same for the others.

Brian still took on his older, protective brother role, but was fun to go drinking and play video games with. He was such a kid sometimes. You wouldn’t expect his goofy, down to earth personality when you constantly saw him in dangerous mode. That scowl he’d perfected could scare off Satan himself.

Zacky and I made a habit of finding insanely good music to share with one another. He always went with me to concerts, no matter how far we had to travel. He was still quiet, though not in a shy sense. He had so much information bottled inside of him; he was like a walking encyclopedia, especially when music was involved. A fiercely loyal person, I could count on the jade-eyed man for anything.

Being with the guys had changed Lyndsey for the better, especially after the invasion. She was bright and cheery all the time, and truly seemed happy. Brian had kept her safe, as well. He’d done a lot for her, and it showed. She never went anywhere without a smile on her face these days.

Raychel was no different. Although I hadn’t known her as long as the others, she was like a fucking ball of sunshine. Like Zacky, she was quiet – unless you gave her caffeine – and could always brighten up a bad day. She was loyal and understanding, something that went a long way in my books.

Sighing, I turned back to Matt, “Where’s everyone else? Shouldn’t they be here?”

He feigned hurt with a pout, “What, you don’t like being stuck with me?”

“I didn’t say that!” I shoved his arm, sticking my tongue out at him.

“Don’t you do that unless you plan to use it,” he smirked suddenly, causing me to roll my eyes.

“You wouldn’t, so don’t go there,” I shook my head, tugging on his hand so that we could go find the others.

“Who’s to say that I won’t?” he asked calmly, the corners of his lips twitching.

“Me.”

“You?”

“Yes. Me.”

“Really now?” he said, amused.

I nodded my head as he pulled me back to him, “Uh huh.”

A simple smirk spread across his face as he backed me into the wall, placing a hand on either side of my head. In my heels, I was nearly completely level with his height. I could feel his warm breath ghosting across my cheeks. He was a little too close for comfort, but I wouldn’t dare order him away.

“You tempt the hell out of me, sometimes,” he murmured gruffly into my ear, pressing us closer together.

“How do I do that?” I squeaked as he nuzzled my jaw with the tip of his nose, heat pooling in between my legs. A simple chuckle left him, but he never replied as he gently pressed a kiss to the base of my throat.

“If only you knew, sweetheart,” he smiled then, stepping away suddenly.

I frowned, “But I—”

“There you are! We’ve been looking all over for you two!”

Turning, I saw Raychel walking towards us with a smile, fingers laced with Zack’s. Johnny wasn’t too far behind them, balancing a cigar between the fingers of one hand, and a glass of wine in the other. I grinned and reached for her, pulling her into a quick hug before complimenting her dress. It was formfitting and silver, something she pulled off so well.

“Where are the others?” I frowned, noticing that Jimmy, Lyndsey, and Brian had yet to make an appearance.

“Knowing Rev, he’s off to romance some poor girl for the night,” Johnny shrugged, tossing back the small glass of wine. He finished it immediately and grabbed another as a server walked past. I shook my head with a giggle as he continued, “The two lovebirds are probably off doing what they do best.”

“Ew,” Raychel mumbled with a shiver. I nodded in agreement; I didn’t want the details.

“So, what now?” I asked curiously, eyeing Johnny, Zacky, and Matt. These were their friends. They knew how parties like this worked better than the pair of us did.

“We’re here to make an appearance,” Zacky’s quiet, raspy voice carried over the music and chatter from the other room, “We’ll make our rounds and find some entertainment for a bit.”

“Shake some hands, comment on statistics,” Johnny nodded in agreement, clapping Zacky on the shoulder.

Matt smirked, “Introduce them to the wives and let the women gossip—“

“Ew,” Raychel and I muttered simultaneously this time.

The last thing I wanted to do was sit and chat with the spoiled, petty housewives of the executives. Unless they were anything like Linda Thompson – and women like her were hard to come by – then I’d rather not be bothered. Last time, we were lucky. I had no intentions of surrounding myself with superficial gold-diggers who moaned and bitched at each other all day and night. I’d seen fucking Basketball Wives. And Real Housewives of New Jersey….and Beverly Hills…and Atlanta.

I shuddered at the thought. I’d rather not have an experience with people like that in real life, and I was sure Raychel felt the same.

“—Or not,” Matt chuckled smoothly as Raychel visibly cringed, tightening her grip on Zacky’s hand, “You can just stick with us. Though you’ll get bored, I assume. Most women do.”

I raised a brow at Matt in challenge, “And do we look like ‘most women’ to you? Out of this population?”

Johnny teetered with laughter, “Oh, Sanders, you’ve done it now! That’s right, Britt, tell him off!”

I blinked in Johnny’s direction, “Johnny, honey, I haven’t said anything yet.”

He grinned mischievously, “Oh, but you will. From what Lynds tells me, it doesn’t take much for you.”

With that, he pumped a fist in the air, gripped his champagne flute tighter and darted back inside the main room, grabbing the waist of a small blonde. I stared after him, watching through the glass wall as the woman scoffed in his direction before turning and locking eyes with him. A look of shock spread across her face before her demeanor changed entirely, causing a smirk to creep onto Johnny’s face. The look he gave her was one I’d rather not witness.

Zacky coughed as I averted my gaze and turned back to the three before me. Matt was clearly attempting to suppress a smile while Raychel’s face was tinted pink with embarrassment, no doubt having witnessed Johnny’s antics as well.

“You all ready to head back in?” Zacky asked, carefully watching both Raychel and I. I looked to Raychel with a shrug, who nodded at her boyfriend with a small smile. He returned the favor and nodded, holding her by the waist as they led the way back to the rest of the “party-goers”….if you could call them that.

“C’mon,” Matt murmured into my ear, steering me in the direction of the entrance to the great room after Zacky and Raychel, “It won’t be that bad. We won’t stay long.”

I took a few steps forward before turning to look him in the eye. He stopped just a step behind me, gazing at me certainty, his lips slightly tugging up at the corners. I chewed my bottom lip as his gaze darkened, some emotion I couldn’t quite pin swirling in the depth of his hazel eyes. My breath caught in my throat as the palm of his hand came into contact with my bare lower back, flattening against my skin and pulling me towards his body.

I suddenly understood what he was trying to silently convey, and nodded my head, “I trust you.”

His eyes twinkled then as he smiled freely, “Good girl. Come on.”

Somewhat reluctantly, I allowed him to pull me towards the other guests. I attempted to hide behind him as we slid past guest after guest, garnering every last bit of their attention. Unfortunately, he pushed me in front of his body, looping an arm around my middle, putting me dead in the spotlight. Once again, men stared and groups of women pointed and whispered feverishly at the sight of us. And so the gossip began.

“Head up,” Matt’s warm breath against my ear sent chills spreading across my skin like wildfire, “The less eye contact you make, the better.”

Taking a deep breath, I did as he suggested, straightening up and gazing impassively ahead, making contact with no one as we pushed our way through the throng of people. Only did I acknowledge someone’s presence when Matt did so first, as the people we spoke to were clearly associates of his, and thus, important to his business. Others shrank back or glanced nervously in our direction, even if they weren’t acknowledged. It made me wonder just how important Matt could’ve been to receive such reactions from people.

“Cameron, Luke.” Matt nodded curtly in the direction of two men, dressed sharply in expensive clothes with beautiful women at their sides. They nodded in response before returning to their dates. Some friends, I thought to myself.

“Mr. Sanders, it’s so good to see you!” a strawberry blonde beamed at Matt next, subtly – but not subtly enough for me to notice – pushing out her chest and batting her eyelashes at the poor man. She reached around me and flirtatiously stroked Matt’s bicep, causing Matt to stiffen, and me to begin a countdown from five before I got irritable.

“Melissa,” Matt spoke airily, pulling me into his chest before continuing on his way.

I rolled my eyes at him, “You so had a thing with her in the past. She’s giving you the puppy look.”

His expression of disinterest changed into one of self-satisfaction, “Women tend to do that around me.”

I snorted, “Women like that also tend to be walking STDs, purposefully get pregnant to get child support, or break in and hack men like you in their sleep. Or all of the above!” I smiled innocently, batting my own eyelashes at him as he flashed me an unimpressed look, “You’ll do well to remember that, Mr. Sanders.”

I watched in amusement as Matt chewed the inside of his lip and squared his shoulders, moving us quickly away from the pouting blonde just a few feet away. I felt the urge to turn my head and stick my tongue out at her, but I held it in. Briskly, Matt steered me through the crowd, not daring to stop the next time another female called his name. I giggled quietly, causing his lips to curve upwards.

“You would find this funny,” he muttered with a shake of his head, before stopping and coolly regarding yet another associate. I chose to say nothing but smiled, thanking Matt with my eyes as he signaled for a server to bring us drinks.

I then stood by Matt’s side as three other men huddled near with their dates, engaging in an in-depth analysis of the shares of stock they’d currently invested in. I smiled graciously at his associates when he introduced me to them, but like all other times, I tuned out soon after that. It wasn’t really that I was disinterested – okay, so I was – but I didn’t want to seem as though I was intruding on their conversation.

I knew the types of men that attended these social gatherings. They had everything, and then took some more. They were pilferering, dishonorable, lying snakes. Scum. They thought they could walk on water like Jesus, and had enough nerve to think they were powerful enough to give Jesus a run for his money…before they swindled him out of it. The world was their playground and everyone else was simply there for the ride. Nothing mattered to these men more than money and status, not even the women attached to their arms, sporting massive diamond rings, designer dresses, and their multimillion dollar surnames.

I knew people like that when I saw them, and I wasn’t at all comfortable being near such people. Again, I found myself wondering how in the hell Matt could not only tolerate such people, but keep up with them and put them in their place! I didn’t understand how he could live in such a superficial, perfidious world when he was neither of those things. He was down to earth despite his intimidating looks and knowledge of all things upper class. What could this lifestyle possibly hold for him here?

“You still on Earth with me?”

Snapping back into focus, I turned and blinked as Matt grinned in my direction. I frowned, looking behind him and noticing the group of people he’d been socializing with were long gone, and sighed to myself.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized with a shake of my head, “I suppose my mind was just elsewhere. I didn’t mean to come off as disinterested or rude.”

“You didn’t,” he chuckled, though I wasn’t all that convinced, “Seriously. Most women don’t bother with the conversations, simply because the men don’t allow them to at functions like this. I know it’s different from how we operate, and I hope you didn’t feel obligated to follow the same propriety.”

I cringed at that, knowing what was coming next.

“Penny for your thoughts?” he asked cautiously, moving towards me so that we could hear each other.

I snorted sarcastically, “I believe you’re rich enough.”

“Humor me,” he chuckled in response, slipping his other arm around my waist.

I narrowed my eyes at him, “I’m not in a joking mood.”

“Neither am I,” he cocked an eyebrow, his eyes flashing with challenge.

I sighed. I was sure I’d questioned the company he’s kept more than once before, so there was no point in me repeating myself. That and I didn’t want to anger him. I didn’t want him to think that I was criticizing him or his lifestyle, because it was honestly none of my business. It shouldn’t matter. He was my friend, regardless of what annoying, swanky parties he would drag me to, regardless of any slimy girls who would throw themselves at him, regardless of all the gossip and rumors that jealous housewives and wannabes would make up about our circle of friends.

“It’s not all that important,” I answered finally, speaking clearly with as much firmness in my tone as I could muster.

His brows raised again, “Really?”

“Really,” I nodded, before taking notice of the change of music in the background, “Do they have a dance floor here?”

Matt’s expression turned wary, “Why?”

I grinned then, “Cause, I wanna dance. I like the music,” I smiled, subtly swinging my hips as the sensual sound of a saxophone registered to my senses. I knew Matt wasn’t crazy about dancing, despite the fact that he was good at it.

“Do we have to?” he all but whined despite his gruff tone, eyeing me impassively. I nodded seriously, setting my empty wine glass on a nearby table and wrapping my arms around his neck, smiling expectantly as I slowly danced in place. He growled, “Fine, fine. Let’s go see.”

Pushing me behind him, Matt slipped through the crowd as I grasped onto the back of his shirt in attempt to keep up with his long strides. He noticed this and slowed his pace, shooting me a knowing look over his shoulder. I moved closer to him as the amount of guests in the area became more concentrated, and the music grew louder. It wasn’t long before we spotted the jazz band in another great room, where loads of couples were dancing, some more provocatively than others.

“Now, this is what I’m talking about!” I grinned, eyeing the dance floor anxiously.

The lights were dimmed considerably. The music wasn’t stuffy or bland. It was lively, yet set at a slow, sensual pace. Looking around, everyone in the room seemed more at ease and relaxed. Those who weren’t dancing were gathered just outside the dance floor, joking and laughing over drinks. From what I could see, there was no talk of stock markets or company policies or mergers. The women in the room spoke as freely as the men, and even those serving drinks seemed less uptight.

“This is where the real party is,” Matt nodded in agreement, placing a hand on my lower back as a silent urge to continue walking. I squeezed between couple after couple until I found a relatively decent spot just a few yards away from the small stage where the band was.

“How’s this?” I asked, turning to Matt and loosely coiling my arms around his neck.

“It’s good,” he shrugged, eyes glinting as he yanked me towards his body, “But this is better.”

I rolled my eyes, “You putting the Sanders charm on me again?”

“I didn’t think I was charming you,” he smirked in my direction, his fingers splaying across my hips as he pulled our lower halves closer together. I blinked at how close we were, but chose not to say anything. I was sure his actions were just for the sake of dancing, “But apparently, I seem to have that affect on you.”

“Asshole,” I grinned with a shake of my head, causing him to emit a smooth chuckle in response.

I tuned into the music and allowed my body to take control, following his lead as our feet glided across the hardwood floor. As we moved together, I would take a step forward as he would step back, circling my hips as I went. A ghost of a smile appeared on his face as his fingers tightened their hold on my hips. Shivers crept down my spine as I gasped in surprise, taking in a lungful of his signature cologne.

I knew that Matt was nothing short of attractive from the get-go. Tall, dark haired, tattooed, proficient, and so many other things. He was one of those full package guys. I was well aware of that; it crossed my mind often. Though I’d been too preoccupied with my own relationship woes to take much of that into account. A little time to regroup, and now, I was seeing him for who he was. I couldn’t exactly deny it at this point. However, I was still healing. I was still damaged goods, in a sense. The last thing I needed to worry about was another relationship or even a fling, no matter whom it involved.

And who’s to say that Matt was truly interested in me?

Sure, he gave compliment after compliment. He bought me things when he didn’t have to – no matter how often I fussed at him not to – and he was rather protective of me. And the flirting, sure. But I was determined that that was all part of his charm, just built into his personality. It was second nature to him, and I had to remember that instead of letting my hormones go wild anytime he looked at me or held me a certain way. That would only complicate things.

With this in mind, I straightened out my back and continued dancing, ignoring the dull ache in between my legs as Matt’s hand clawed at the nape of my neck, bringing me even closer to him so that he could bury his face in the crook of my neck. I was sure that he could feel my heart hammering in my chest as our fronts pushed together, but he gave nothing away.

It’s just dancing, it’s just dancing, it’s just fucking dancing, I panted inwardly, allowing my eyes to flutter shut as Matt’s other hand slipped dangerously low, close to my rear. Chewing my lip furiously, I gripped onto the collar of his shirt, just below the nape of his neck. My other hand fisted the fine material of his sleeve as we continued.

It was getting hot. Too hot. And that was my fault, I noticed as I instinctively rolled my hips into Matt’s. Almost as if out of reflex, he returned the gesture with force, knocking the breath right out of me. I was treading dangerous waters now, and I knew that, but I didn’t want to stop. I loved the feeling of being pressed against him, dancing with him like this.

Swiftly, Matt ripped me from his body and turned me around before snatching me back to him, my bare back meshing with his clothed, defined chest. I exhaled softly, pushing a lock of hair out of my face and gripping onto Matt’s arm as it winded around my middle, settling just under my bust. It was unsettling – in a good way – but I kept control of myself.

Just dancing, Santini. Dancing, that’s it.

Well, that’s what I thought until the feel of Matt’s lips brought me back to reality. My knees nearly buckled underneath me as a fierce current surged through my body with every wet kiss scattered across the side of my neck…one of my soft spots. If it weren’t for Matt’s arm around me, I surely would’ve been on the ground. A groan left his lips as he steadied me, pressing me straight against him.

Suddenly, I wasn’t dancing anymore. The other guests continued to move around us, paying no mind as they tended to their own business. I stood still, rigid with desire as Matt pushed my hair to the side and continued his assault on my neck, fingers dancing up and down my side.

I wasn’t sure what to do. It’d been so long since I’d been touched like this. This kind of touching was suddenly crossing all sorts of lines, but it was what I’d craved for so long, even when Tyler and I were still together. I needed this, I realized as I tilted my head, allowing him more access to my flesh. My breathing became erratic as a fine sheen of sweat appeared on my skin.

But this was wrong…wasn’t it? Matt was just a friend, though actions like this would complicate our friendship tremendously. I didn’t want to lead him on when I knew I didn’t need to be involved with another male in any way, shape or form. And Matt had his own commitment issues with females. I took notice of how many females he’d completely dismissed at these parties, females he’d clearly had sex with in the past and nothing else afterward. He wasn’t worried about relationships, and I’d just gotten out of a bad one. Blurring the lines was something neither of us needed.

With that in mind, I found the urge to pull myself away from him, turning and shaking my head as I looked into his darkened, hooded eyes. His lips were parted as he exhaled heavily, wetting his lips with his tongue. I found myself doing the same as his hands pulled me back towards him, this time in a more PG-rated embrace.

“I’m sorry,” he breathed, moving once more as the music continued, “I’m getting carried away.”

I followed suit, nodding, “Me, too. My hormones are getting the best of me.”

A smirk crept across his face, “A beautiful thing to see, for someone so closed off.”

I shrugged, inching us off the dance floor in order to avoid temptation, “I didn’t used to be so closed off.”

Matt nodded curtly in understanding, choosing not to reply as he tucked me into his chest, his arm circling my shoulders. Leading me out of the room, we walked down a dark, narrow hallway, passing some rather occupied couples. I frowned, feeling slightly uncomfortable given the circumstances. He chuckled quietly, ducking through a glass door that led to a balcony.

“I know you’re iffy about being around people you don’t know,” he shrugged simply, gesturing for me to take a seat on the small, painted iron bench there. I gratefully took a seat and curled my legs under me, watching as he lit a cigar and leaned against the railing, running a hand through his disheveled hair.

He knew me well, that was for sure. When we’d first arrived, I’d felt extremely uncomfortable and out of place. I hadn’t welcomed the gawking and whispering with open arms, that much was for sure. But after having found the room with the jazz music, I felt a little better about this whole party. It was like another party inside of the first one, only more intimate, more cozy. I’d enjoyed myself. It was as if everyone else around had no significance as we danced and had fun.

I voiced my thoughts, “It’s not so bad anymore. The dancing made up for it.”

Taking a seat next to me, Matt smirked, “Did it, now?”

“Mind out of the gutter, Sanders. I just meant that I’m having a good time now,” I shook my head, eyeing him coyly as he continued sucking on his cigar.

“Oh, the things I could say in response, Santini,” he grinned playfully, leaning forward and blowing a perfect ring of smoke in my direction, “But I won’t. I’m just happy to hear that you’re enjoying yourself.”

I couldn’t help but to smile in return, “Thanks for bringing me.”

“Anytime,” he murmured with another smile, gazing at me as he stood to his feet, “You ready to go?”

I shrugged, “I am, if you are. I figured you’d want to stay longer.”

He shrugged back, “The only purpose of coming was to make an appearance. That’s how these types of things work, regardless of what the other guests may think. We can let the others know and see if they wanna join in or stay here.”

I thought about his suggestion and nodded in agreement. I wouldn’t mind seeing the others and hanging out for a bit longer, Lyndsey, especially. We’d gone from seeing each other several times every day to seeing each other briefly every couple of days since our living arrangements had been made, and it felt weird. I’d grown so used to having her just a few feet across the hall, and while Matt would make sure I visited her any time I wanted, it still wasn’t quite the same.

Nodding, I smiled, “Sounds good. What about dinner plans? I thought we were supposed to eat here.”

“That was the plan, but I think you’ll do better with dinner with the gang than everyone here, am I right?” Matt guessed, smirking knowingly in my direction as he held his hand out to me.

I smiled coyly, giving him all the confirmation he needed. With a chuckle, he nodded and lead me back in the direction of the great room. We passed the jazz party along the way, Matt smirking to himself as I gazed longingly at the dancing and laughing guests. I considered pouting pitifully at Matt just for the effect, but that all changed when reached the main event and the whispering started up again.

“Come on,” Matt pulled me closer to him, sensing my discomfort immediately.

He wasted no time in making a second round through his colleagues, congratulating some, and bidding others goodbye. Like the last party, people shook his hand before offering me a more elegant gesture of departure. I smiled politely and obliged, exchanging farewells with some of the other guests whom we’d spoken to briefly before.

We spotted Lyndsey and Brian in the foyer, surprisingly not attached at the lips. They were laughing at something, though I wasn’t sure what. Lyndsey spotted me immediately and smiled, pulling Brian over to us and coiling her arms around my neck in a tight hug. I giggled and hugged her back, swaying the two of us from side to side.

“You ready to get out of here already?” she grinned knowingly, elbowing me in the side.

I rolled my eyes, “You know me well, huh?”

She sighed dramatically in response, “Well enough, I suppose.”

Just then, Jimmy rounded the corner, sporting a scratch on the side of his cheek and a head full of disheveled locks. Lyndsey gaped over at him, “What the hell happened to you, Jimbo?”

“It’s not what, it’s who,” Johnny hooted with laughter, skidding to a stop beside Jimmy before tightening the dark blue tie around his neck. Jimmy was suddenly doing the same, fixing the collar of his button down shirt before brushing out the creases in his suit jacket. Believe me, I was surprised to see him dressed so spiffy, too.

“I don’t wanna know,” Lyndey shook her head in warning, eyeing the two of them cautiously, “Save it for your next business trip. When we aren’t present.”

I nodded vigorously, “Definitely agreed.”

Jimmy smirked, “Her name was Daniella—“

“AH! AH! AH!” Raychel suddenly shrieked, clamping her hands on her ears as she too rounded the corner, stopping just behind Johnny with Zacky hot on her trail, “I saw enough from across the room, I’d rather not hear about any of it!”

“Well, now that everyone’s together again, can we go?” Matt drawled sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he glanced at me. I giggled, catching Raychel’s eye as she winked in my direction. I stuck my tongue out at her.

“C’mon, fuckers,” Brian sighed dramatically, pulling a cigarette out of his carton and lighting up as he and Lyndsey headed in the direction of the interest, “Let’s go so The Hulk can find something to eat.”

A growl ripped from the back of Matt’s throat, causing the entire group to howl with laughter. I shook my head, peeking over at Matt to see an unimpressed expression plastered across his face. I bumped my hip with his, smirking playfully at him, causing him to cock an eyebrow in my direction. I stifled a grin as he grumbled incoherently to himself.

“Maybe you need the meal more than I do,” I mused, smiling sweetly over at the muscled man. His eyes narrowed into little slits at me before he moved quickly, causing me to screech with laughter as he circled his arms around my waist and lifted me into the air, “Matt, what the hell!”

A quick spank to the rear and his chest rumbling with laughter was all I felt, fueling a perverted remark by Jimmy as the others snickered with amusement. I was sure that we received some strange looks as Matt hauled me out of the elegant mansion over his shoulder, and I prayed that I wasn’t exposed. For a minute or two, I fought against him until I realized that it was moot point. After that, I kept still, bracing myself against his broad shoulders as his arms tightened around my thighs.

Even upside down, I could tell that Raychel and Lyndsey were smirking at me.