Cami has a lot of friends here, they are all casually hanging out around the sofas. She’s wearing a little sparkly skirt and a halter top, super femme and the exact opposite of Louise. Louise always moves to the beat of her own drum and today she is wearing a pinstriped tailored suit that complements her curves.
I stand off to the side, listening to all the chatter but not joining in the conversation. I am just relaxing, happy to take in my surroundings and observe. I make eye contact with Louise who has Cami sitting in her lap and raise my glass in salute.
The DJ is playing some great dance tunes and I’m almost at the point where I will go dance. I’ve never been a woman of many words. I like to have meaningful conversations rather than trivial small talk, but when it comes to dancing I can really let go.
“Do you dance, Charlotte?” Cami asks. I tear my eyes off the dance floor and she gives me a knowing look. Apparently we have this in common.
“I love to dance,” I shout over the loud bass of the song that’s just started to play.
Louise slips her hand into Cami’s and smiles. “Do you want to?”
“Yes!” Cami yells, fist pumping into the air. She leaps up off of Louise’s lap and steps aside for her to stand up.
She’s high energy, I laugh to myself. I don’t know how long I could keep up with her. Louise grabs her hand and starts to pull her onto the dance floor, Cami quickly turns to grab my free hand pulling me with them.
Louise gives me a smirk then winks when she steps closer to Cami and starts grinding on her. Laughter I can’t control erupts, I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt this way. I’m free. No worries about what Henry is going to do next or what will happen to all the employees he might screw over. It feels good, it feels damn good.
I close my eyes and just move to the beat of the music, taking a second here and there to sip my drink. One song turns into the next and when I finally open my eyes the dance floor is packed and my drink is empty. I hold it up in the air and it’s quickly taken out of my hand.
The music is pumping and a positive vibe fills the air around the packed dance floor. Louise and Cami are still close, as are a few of their friends, but I’m happy with my own company, lost in the music. The smile hasn’t left my face since I got here. I think I’m going to like the carefree me that lives in London. Suddenly, I get bumped from behind then grabbed tightly by my upper arms, before I fall into the person in front of me.
“Pardon me,” a voice says loudly close to my ear to be heard over the beat.
I shiver as a warm breath hits the sensitive spot below my ear. The voice sounds oddly familiar. I pride myself on being great with names, faces and recognizing voices, but I don’t know anyone here but Louise, and now Cami so how…?
I turn around to see and meet a pair of familiar blue eyes, which widen with surprise, before he schools his features.
“Hi…uh…” I pause, trying to remember his name, then it dawns on me that I didn’t get it earlier today.
Still holding me by my upper arms, a slow smile spreads across his face, quite at odds with the pounding rhythm surrounding us. He leans in closer so I can hear him over the music. “What’s your name, kitten?”
I pull back to look at him, laughing at the name. I suppose there are much worse names to be called, but I’ve never been a nickname sort of person. No one has ever called me anything other than Charlotte and I prefer to use people’s full names.
I move closer and shout my response. “Charlotte. What’s yours?”
He holds up a finger, motioning for one moment, then takes my hand in his and walks off the dance floor. We walk out onto the open air patio area and I notice out of the corner of my eye Louise and Cami are right alongside us. Close enough to help me if I need them, but far enough away that they won’t be able to hear our conversation.
I ignore them for now and focus my attention on the tall dark semi-stranger before me. “Forgive me, I didn’t get your name this morning.”
He chuckles deeply. “No, you didn’t give me a chance. I’m Rhys.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Rhys.” I hold my hand out to shake his. He looks at it for a moment, then takes it in his, lifting it up to his lips and kissing my knuckles.
I gasp. I can feel my face heating up, god damn it. Real smooth, Charlotte, blushing for nothing. Somehow he knows how to take me out of my comfort zone, and not in a bad way.
He smiles, his lips still lingering over my skin, then he sets my hand down. I rub my finger across my knuckles, where his lips just were and swallow hard.
“Friends of yours?” His eyes continue to bore into mine, he doesn’t look over to Louise and Cami once. It makes me wonder how he even knows they are there.
“Yes, my best friend in fact,” I confess. It’s funny to me that they think they have to stick around and watch. But I’m grateful at the same time. I’ve always had to fend for myself, even in my marriage. It’s nice knowing Louise has my back, even if it does leave me looking like I need their protection.
“It’s good that they’re protective of you, this can be a dangerous city for a woman on her own,” he says softly.
“Who says I’m a woman on my own?” I challenge.
Rhys gives me a knowing look. “You were traveling alone today and your friend met you at the airport. You’re here with friends tonight. I think it’s a fair assumption.”
I nod once, conceding the point, but not offering him any actual information.
“If you were mine, you wouldn’t be spending your first night in London out with friends.” His eyes seem to darken as he speaks and I feel my face flush again.
I’m used to being in control, leading conversations the way I want them to go. I don’t know how to deal with the way this man seems to put me off balance or why I’m not opposed to it.
“Rhys darling.” A blonde woman steps up beside him, looking me up and down, then turns to him.
“Lisa.” His jaw firms slightly and he has regret in his eyes.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know they are here together. She steps even closer to him putting her arm around his waist, his stance becoming even more rigid. She towers over me with her reedy thin frame and bleached blonde hair. Her makeup is perfect, flawless…well that’s until you get to her eyebrows. Those are painted on thick and dark. I inwardly grimace at how harsh the look is, making a mental note to ask Louise if that is a ‘thing' here.
“Who’s your little friend?” She turns, giving me an up and down look again.
I stand a little taller, it irritates me when women act like this. “I’m Charlotte,” I inform her on his behalf.
“Oh.” She cocks her head and wrinkles her nose. I notice that nothing else on her face wrinkles and wonder how often she gets her Botox fix. “An American,” she sneers.
“Don’t be rude.” Rhys frowns.
She playfully swats him on the chest. “Oh Rhys, she’s American, rudeness is a way of life for them. Just look at their President.”
I let out an affronted laugh. I open my mouth to tell this high society moron that rudeness is in fact an international language and that our President does not represent me or the vast majority of Americans. But before I can get a word out he cuts in.
“Lisa you’re being impertinent. You can’t base your opinion of a nation on one ridiculous person. I think you owe Charlotte an apology.” He gives her a glare.
“It’s quite alright, Rhys.” People like her are ignorant and there is no reasoning with them. I find not acknowledging their behavior is the best solution. But hello! Mr. Scottish Laird has a vocabulary on him, he really is quite a surprise under all that ink and hair.
“No, it’s not alright. Lisa, do you have something to say to Charlotte?” He quirks a brow at her.
She looks me up and down again with a sneer. “Nice outfit,” she scoffs.
Wow. I have to suppress a laugh.
“Okay, we’re done for the evening,” he tells her, his tone cold and
hard. He turns away from her toward me.
“Rhys!” she shrieks, stomping her foot like an infant. “You’re not serious right now.” She is so shrill, that even over the music pumping from inside, she makes my eardrums ache.
“Go home, Lisa,” he dismisses her.
I cross my arms in front of me, watching the exchange, trying to figure out if Lisa is going to burst into a ball of tears like a child or start screaming like an old fish wife. His eyes narrow further and the color drains from her face.
“You’re just going to let me leave alone?” She pouts, trying to play the guilt game.
He pulls out his cell phone and starts typing away. After a brief pause, he looks up at her. “Jack is downstairs waiting for you, he will see you home, then come back for me.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?” She has a stunned look on her face.
“Deadly,” he retorts. There is no emotion there, he is the epitome of control.
I see her swallow hard, then she looks from me back to Rhys and seems to know she’s fighting a losing battle. She changes tack completely and becomes contrite, nodding solemnly.
“Will you call me later?” she asks quietly. It’s clear she has mastered all the ways to get what she needs in life, but she has hit a wall with Rhys tonight and is clearly shocked by the fact.
“I will talk to you tomorrow,” he tells her firmly. One thing is clear from his tone, it’s not going to be a pleasant conversation.
She looks up at him pleadingly. I almost feel sorry for her. Rhys is being hard on her, but whatever this is, it feels like it was a long time coming. She obviously brought it on herself. People watching is one of my favorite pastimes, I could study this exchange all night, but Lisa turns her attention to me at that moment and opens her mouth to say goodness only knows what. Then she changes her mind and closes it again.
“It was a pleasure meeting you.” I can’t resist twisting the knife.
Her eyes flash with anger, but she reins it in, turning away without another word and disappearing quickly through the thick crowd.
“I’m sorry,” Rhys says beside me, sounding deflated.
Looking back at him, I study his face for a moment before I answer. “You don’t need to apologize.”
“She isn’t a bad person,” he assures me, though I wonder if perhaps he is trying to remind himself. “Just misguided sometimes.”
“It’s water under the bridge. She was just playing her girlfriend card.” I look over his shoulder to see Louise fanning her face dramatically. I shake my head. If it wasn’t for Cami, I would introduce them.
“It’s not really hers to play,” he murmurs resentfully.
“Perhaps you should tell her that.”
His chuckle falls flat. I don’t know why anyone would put up with behavior like Lisa’s, but it’s his choice. “I better get back to my friends,” I tell him, feeling the need to separate myself from the beautiful man with the complicated love life.
“Can I get your number?” he asks, catching my elbow to halt me and then letting it go just as fast.
I still for a moment then look back and shake my head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
He faintly tilts his head and studies me for a moment. The crystal blue of his eyes bore into me, breaking his stare I look over at Louise and Cami.
“Charlotte,” he implores in his rich whiskey voice. I move my gaze back to him, shaking my head. “How long are you in town for?”
“I’m here to stay,” I reply softly.
A hint of a smile quirks on his lips. “Maybe we will run into each other again then.”
“Perhaps,” I offer. “If we are meant to be friends, I’m sure the stars will align and we will meet again.” I was channeling my inner Louise with that line of rubbish. I have to bite the inside of my lower lip to keep myself from smiling.
“You are very intriguing, Charlotte.”
My name on his lips gives me pause, but I force myself to finish our goodbye. It’s for the best. This is the first day of my exciting new life, the last thing I want or need is to get tangled up in a messy break up. “I’ll catch you later,” I say with finality. Turning to walk away, I try to make a smooth departure but trip on air. One second I’m falling and the next I’m caught around my waist and lifted back up to my feet. I don’t even have a second to process what happened before he speaks.
“Careful, kitten,” he murmurs close to my ear. “You’ll hurt yourself.”
I shiver, goose bumps ripple down my arms. I turn around to look at him and our faces are too close for comfort. I take a step back so that I can breathe. “Thank you, I’m not usually so clumsy.”
“It was my pleasure…What’s your last name?”
I wonder for a moment if I want to give him that information, but then it comes unbidden from my lips. “Rose.”
“Charlotte Rose.” He takes my hand, bending down to kiss my knuckles. “Until we meet again,” he says softly, and then he turns and walks away.
Standing there watching the way the crowd parts for him, I really see him as a Scottish Laird walking about his castle, his people parting like the ocean waters. I shake myself, what the fuck, Charlotte? I really need to stop reading my dirty little historical romances when I’m alone.
“How do you know him?” Cami asks in wonder.
Startled out of my daze, I look to my side to find both Louise and Cami standing next to me.
“Yeah, how?” Louise has her eyes narrowed and a calculating look on her face.
“I met him this morning at the airport.” I look at Cami. “When Louise was late.”
Louise groans and that only makes my smile wider. I won’t be letting her live that down anytime soon.
Cami lets out a dreamy little sigh, staring longingly where Rhys disappeared.
Louise raises a brow then breaks out laughing, shaking her head. “Someone has a crush.”
Cami blinks then throws her arms around Louise. “You know I love you, baby.”
“I’m not jealous. I think it’s cute.” Louise kisses the tip of her nose. “Besides, he’s gorgeous, I don’t blame you at all.”
“He asked me for my number,” I confess.
Cami’s eyes go wide. “Shut up! That’s not like him. He’s usually so elusive.”
“You know him?” My gaze snap to hers, shocked.
“Our families go way back,” she says flippantly. “We tend to run into each other at social functions in London and in Scotland.”
“Old money,” Louise stage whispers and Cami nudges her.
“Money, schmoney.” Cami chuckles.
“Is he a good guy?” I can’t help but ask, tucking my hair behind my ears, a nervous habit I have.
“He’s perfect, that Lisa is a nasty witch though.”
“She has room for improvement,” I agree. “What’s the story there?”
“Oh, you know, on again, off again. She has her sights on the family money. He knows he can do better, but he works hard and she’s always around…true romance,” she explains.
“I didn’t give it to him,” I tell them quickly, not wanting them to think I would knowingly come between a couple. I place a hand over my eyes shaking my head. I’ve been here all of ten minutes. How in the world am I even having this type of conversation already?
Louise laughs and after a couple of seconds she snorts heartily. “Oh, Charlotte! You do know how to pick them. He isn't really your type anyway.”
“Yeah, I know, he has a girlfriend,” I huff not mentioning his beard or tattoos.
“Eh.” Shrugs Cami. “Girlfriend is a strong word for what she is. They were on the rocks since day one and now…well, I don’t think there is a term for what they are I can use in polite society.”
“Fuck buddies, huh?” Louise’s eyes are sparkling with hysterics.
“Well, whatever they are, I won’t be the reason they cease.” I nod firmly.
Louise finally calms down. “Cami, do you think he has taken
a fancy to Charlotte?”
“He certainly looked smitten. My guess is we haven’t seen the last of him.”
“I didn’t come here to find a man. He is more your type, Louise.” I shake my head.
They both look at each other and crack up.
“I’m sorry, Cami,” I blurt, flustered. “I didn’t mean offense.” Ugh! I’m just getting myself in deeper and Louise is in hysterics again.
“None taken. He is totally our type.” She wiggles her eyebrows up and down.
“Okay.” I grimace. “I don’t need a freaky visual. I just mean I don’t need a boyfriend.”
“We weren’t looking for one either.” Louise looks at Cami with a soft smile.
They are cute together. I’ve never seen Louise in a real relationship before, she’s usually single or in something casual when I visit. All this sweetness is new to me.
“Nope, we already have a man to share,” Cami chirps and then covers her mouth as she giggles.
My eyes widen. “Louise, you’ve been holding out on me.”
She smirks and shrugs her shoulder. “You’ve been stressed. I didn’t want to bother you.”
I roll my eyes. “Bullshit. You didn’t want to explain it to me or have me asking questions.”
“That’s not true!”
“Mmhmm, you have a lot of talking to do!”
She huffs defiantly but grins all the same. “Shall we get out of here then?” she suggests.
“Sounds good. I need to use the restroom first.” I look around for a sign that indicates where they are.
“They are down that hall.” Cami points to the hallway just inside the door behind me. "Do you want us to come with you?”
“No, stay here, baby.” Louise pulls her into a hug and buries her face into Cami’s hair. “Charlotte likes to be alone in the loo.” She smirks my way.
I roll my eyes. They are a little too lovey dovey for me. “I’ll be back.”
Walking into the bathroom, I find that all the stalls are taken but thankfully I’m the first in line. One of the stall doors opens and I come face to chest with a sniffing Lisa. I inwardly groan, guess she didn’t leave like she was told. The damn woman is an amazon. I take a step back looking up into her condescending smirk.
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