From the moment she struck her first pose, Jaden felt at ease. This was fun! She used the kitchen in a way she never thought possible, turning the utensils, counters, and pans into objects laced with sexuality.
“How did I do?” Jaden asked as they finished.
“Amazing!” Aaron and Rob replied in unison. “I think we’ve got everything here. Thanks so much, Ms. Thorne, for a splendid day. We’ll be in touch soon. My boss will be very happy.”
Jaden escorted the men to the front of the restaurant where Geoff nervously paced in front of the window. After casually saying their goodbyes, Jaden immediately dug out her phone to text Ivan:
Now there are two models in this relationship!
Ivan was about to get a run for his money.
Chapter 18
“Here Comes My Girl”
STILL RIDING ON THE HIGH of her fantastic day parading around like a fashion model, Jaden headed back to the kitchen, no cameras snapping now, and back to reality. Swinging open the double doors, she was met with a round of cheers and hollers.
“You guys…” Jaden said, blushing and averting her gaze from the rowdy kitchen crew. “Thanks for all your help today, but if you don’t mind, I need a few minutes to myself. I’m still feeling a bit overwhelmed.”
Jaden retired to the small staff room at the back of the kitchen and took the buzzing phone from her pocket to see what Ivan had replied, but to her surprise it was Tasha texting her:
Great! Now I have two models to deal with.
Come out front and don’t keep me waiting.
Befuddled, Jaden tried to understand the text. Quickly checking her history, she confirmed that she wasn’t going crazy—she had, in fact, sent the last text to Ivan as intended. That must mean… Without even finishing her thought, she high-tailed it out the doors and into the restaurant. When she saw them, Jaden couldn’t believe her eyes. Ivan and Tasha stood in the corridor of the entrance, Tasha in a flowing, pale yellow minidress and Ivan wearing a slim-cut black shirt and gray jeans with a bouquet of flowers in hand. His hair was tied up in a sleek ponytail, and a five o’clock shadow darkened his face.
Jaden rushed over to them. “Okay, what is going on? What are you doing here together?”
“Ivan suggested the three of us go out tonight to celebrate your big day. How could I disagree with an idea like that?”
“A superstar day calls for a superstar night, right?” Ivan leaned in for a kiss and placed the lush bouquet of orchids in her hand. “Congratulations, baby girl. I hear you did amazing.”
His face beamed with pride, causing Jaden to blush even more. “You guys…I wish I could, but I have to work tonight. No rest for the wicked or something like that. And how did you hear that—”
Just then she heard a voice behind her. “Jaden, I hope you weren’t thinking of slipping out without letting me say goodbye. It was a fantastic day, and it looks like you’re in for a fantastic night! Let me treat you and your friends to dinner, if you have time. You did such a great job today for us. I owe you.”
Stunned by, well, just about everything going on right now—Geoff’s offer, Ivan and Tasha’s surprise visit, the article in this morning’s paper, and the apparent success with OD—Jaden graciously accepted. “Thanks, Geoff. That’d be great.”
“Fantastic! I’ll seat you at the chef’s table. Fitting, right?” He smiled and motioned for the waitress to show them to her table. “Have fun, and remember, it’s on the house.”
The group expressed their thanks as Geoff strolled off.
Turning to Tasha, Jaden kept her voice to a whisper. “Why didn’t you at least give me a hint? I don’t have anything to wear.”
“You don’t have much faith in me, do you?” Tasha gave Jaden a smart-ass look as she motioned to Ivan. “Doctor, if you please.”
From nowhere, Ivan produced a cream-colored box secured with a large blue ribbon. He planted a quick kiss before handing her the box. “This is for you, baby girl.”
Jaden eagerly untied the ribbon and removed the lid. Within the box was a stunning blue dress—perfect for a fabulous evening. “You’re too good to me,” she breathed and glanced down at the colorful bouquet in her hand. “And the flowers, I love them. Thank you.”
Giving her another soft kiss, Ivan whispered, “Only the best for you.”
“Right this way, Chef Thorne,” the waitress said, beaming with excitement. The young, woman guided them to the chef’s table and seated each of them, placing Jaden at the head of the table.
Taking command, since she knew the menu inside out, Jaden ordered the entire meal for the table, complete with a bottle of shiraz, winking at Ivan. That task complete, Jaden excused herself to change into her new dress. She returned fifteen minutes later, thrilled with Ivan’s purchase, and was floored to find him and Tasha chatting away. There was a certain comfort in having her boyfriend and her best friend get along so well. Her last boyfriend had been standoffish and jealous of anyone she knew.
“So how did you two get a hold of each other?” she asked them, slipping back into her seat.
“The internet is a funny thing,” Tasha said. “You can contact anyone and their sister if you need to, but it’s all Ivan’s doing. He’s the one who planned it.”
Tasha looked at Jaden and grabbed her in a hug. “I’m just so damn proud of you, girl. Would you have believed any of this was going to happen when you decided to move to Miami?”
Jaden looked from one to the other, happy that Ivan had included Tasha in this special night. “No, but it seems I have a lot to be thankful for.”
For the next hour they dined and discussed everything in their lives. Tasha prattled on to Ivan about Micky being the one, and Jaden bragged about her and Ivan’s relationship, causing Ivan’s cheeks to redden on more than one occasion.
“You don’t need to sell me on his good points,” Tasha teased. “I already know this one’s a keeper.”
Twenty-one jokes, sixty-three laughs, and four bottles of wine later, the dinner came to a close, but Jaden had a feeling the night was only beginning.
Ivan, who now seemed slightly more than tipsy, cleared his throat importantly. “Well, ladies, now that we’ve had our fill of great food and wine, it’s time to set off on the next leg of our adventure.”
“Really? There’s more?” Jaden asked.
“Are you kidding me? This is the time the clubs start to get good,” Ivan exclaimed. “I was thinking we’d hit LIVE for a few shenanigans.”
LIVE. Jaden had heard tales of it, but never imagined she’d hang out there. It was ranked one of the top nightclubs in the world, so the constant line to get in made it seem impossible.
“Awesome!” Tasha cheered. “Let’s go.”
Jaden looked at Ivan as if to say, yet another story! Feeling ready to conquer the world, she nodded. “I’m in. Let’s get this show on the road.”
Ivan tossed a tip on the table, and they set out to hail one of the yellow taxis that scurried around Miami Beach like ants on an anthill. They piled into the cab and Tasha called out, “LIVE—and step on it.”
As the cab sped away, Jaden wanted to let Ivan know how much she appreciated everything he’d done for her tonight. Showing up unexpectedly with Tasha, the flowers, the dress—this was turning out to be one of the most memorable nights of her life. Discreetly, Jaden untwined her hand from his and reached between his legs to gently caress the other gift she hoped to be unwrapping later tonight.
Ivan leaned in for a lingering kiss, parting Jaden’s lips with his tongue, but pulled back when Tasha cleared her throat. “I’m so proud of you,” he said, squeezing her hand.
The taxi pulled up to the curb and they could see the line, as usual, five people deep and trailing down the block, with a gigantic guardian keeping watch. A shot of disappointment ran through Jaden, but Ivan didn’t seem fazed.
“I don’t know,” said Jaden. “Looks like we’ll have to wait all night. Should we go somewhere else?”
“
I’m sure with you two beauties on my arms, this’ll be a cinch,” Ivan reassured them.
They waded through a mob scene of tourists and locals dressed to the nines with Ivan in the lead. He didn’t stop until he’d reached the head of the line. There they were met by a three-hundred-pound monster dressed head to toe in black. He wore an earpiece and a stone cold look as he worked the small velvet rope. Jaden cringed at the thought of being turned away. She wasn’t any different than the other people waiting in line.
But as the giant of a man turned to see Ivan, he slowly cracked a smile, lowering his guard for a split second, and then dropped the rope, acknowledging Ivan with a simple nod of his oversized head. Feeling as if she were doing something illegal, Jaden snuck a look at Tasha and glued herself to Ivan’s side. Looking over her shoulder, Jaden watched as the behemoth of a man returned to his defensive lineman’s stance and fought back the crowd trying to press in after them.
“What was that all about?” Tasha screeched directly into Ivan’s ear.
Ivan smiled but ignored Tasha’s question as he led them further into the club. Jaden’s eyes widened while they made their way around the outskirts of the overcrowded dance floor. The club resembled something out of an X-rated Dr. Seuss book. Dark blue and red neon lights shone brightly against the flat black walls. She ran the palm of her hand along the sleek surface of a massive column that shot up from the floor. Looking up, she could see that the top of the pillar was capped with beautiful women wearing outfits that would make Hugh Hefner blush. The heady air that surrounded them was filled with smoke emanating from a machine and the sparklers on the champagne bottles being delivered by scantily clad waitresses.
Blasting from the speakers was trance-inducing music that filled their ears with a beat created solely for women to get their groove on. Strobe lights danced around them, highlighting dancers and DJs, and the mob in the center of the room resembled a sea of people, all of whom appeared to be looking for a quick lay. Surrounding the trove of lust and alcohol were tables of brightly colored beverages and high-rolling clubbers spending their cold hard cash.
Jaden clung to Ivan’s arm, in awe of the sights before them. Making a beeline for the side staircase, they encountered another monstrous guard, but after another acknowledging nod, they headed past the second velvet rope.
As she slowly climbed the stairs in front of Ivan, Jaden suddenly felt his hand snaking up her inner thigh. His fingers trailed along, coming to rest at the edge of her thong. She turned back to see him smile, no doubt pleased to know what she’d been wearing underneath her kitchen whites. Looping his finger around the thin strip of satin between her legs, he pulled it aside and caressed her velvety soft folds. “Damn,” he whispered.
Jaden’s breath caught in her throat but she maintained her composure. She looked at Tasha, who was occupied with trying to see what awaited them at the top of the stairs, and then looked over her shoulder again at Ivan. “You know you’re pushing it, right?”
“Just say the word and I’ll stop.”
Jaden stopped abruptly on the stair ahead of him, and Ivan’s forward momentum caused his hand to slip farther between her legs. “Don’t you dare,” she warned.
As they topped the stairs, Ivan released Jaden with a little pat, and she turned her attention to the more relaxed section of the club that greeted them. They now overlooked the ocean of flesh below, admiring it from a distance. At the bar a cute little brunette, clad in a miniskirt that hid nothing from view, stood behind the gleaming black counter amidst an array of multicolored bottles and glasses. Ivan ordered a round of shots: lemon drops for the ladies and a whiskey for himself.
Women more silicone than flesh, and men wearing enough gold to significantly reduce the deficit, lounged on plush red sofas and armchairs as Jaden looked around. Rather than the outlandish lighting and smoke effects of the lower level, this area featured track lighting that spanned the length of the room. It wasn’t meant for dancing but relaxing, and Jaden liked it very much. This was more her style.
The shots arrived, and Ivan handed them out, raising his in toast. “Here’s to good times with great friends. Arriba abajo al centro pa’dentro!” he said as he moved the shot glass up, down, in, and down!
The girls followed suit, slamming their shots in a single gulp.
After drinking down the last drop of his whiskey, Ivan turned to order another round of drinks, but Jaden protested. “This round’s on me, doc.”
Ordering her drink and Tasha’s was easy, but Ivan was a complex man with complex tastes, and this wasn’t the type of place to order a shiraz. Looking him up and down, she smiled. “Give me one dirty martini, a vodka and cran, and a whiskey on the rocks.”
Jaden picked up their drinks, cast Ivan a knowing smile over her shoulder, and maneuvered her way through the scattered tables, sofas, and people to where Tasha had found a spot in the corner. Jaden grinned when she noticed a few eyes following her as she passed.
Jaden arranged the drinks on their table, and they sat, enjoying the people-watching and music around them. Jaden wondered what Ivan had said to the bartender before they left, until within minutes a server showed up with their second round, then the third, and then the forth. “You started a tab, you little sneak,” she admonished him. Jaden now teetered between the edge of tipsy and the black abyss of drunkenness. And she suspected her companions were not far behind.
“I love this song,” Tasha announced, loud enough to gain the attention of everyone in the lounge. She jumped to her feet and staggered to the middle of the room, pushing aside the empty tables to make an impromptu dance floor.
“Turn it up!” one of the clubbers yelled, and within seconds he’d joined Tasha in the center of the room.
“You had to bring us to a club, didn’t you?” Jaden chided. “You’ve obviously never seen Tasha drunk.”
“Nothing wrong with a little harmless fun every—” Ivan started to say, but abruptly fell silent. Jaden suppressed a giggle as her foot traveled up the inside of his leg. Surrendering to the moment, he spread his legs farther apart and granted her access.
Jaden’s foot moved in sync to the beat, her toes massaging him into a heated fury. With everyone in the lounge now dancing, she could’ve easily snuck beneath the table unseen—and without any protest from Ivan—but she enjoyed watching him squirm under her skillful touch. The look of pure pleasure on his face added to her already incredible high.
Sinking back into his seat, Ivan rested his head on the back of the chair, his eyes rolling in bliss as he squeezed them shut.
As the DJ changed the beat, Jaden’s foot retreated. She just had to dance. But she swayed in her seat, not wanting to leave Ivan completely alone.
He eyed her as he adjusted his jeans and sat up straighter in the chair. “Go dance if you want to,” he said.
“What, and leave you sitting here by yourself? No way. Not unless you come dance with me.”
“Umm, baby girl, that’s not gonna happen for a while, not after that little stunt you just pulled.” He shifted again in his seat. “Why don’t you go dance? I’ll join you in a few minutes.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Jaden asked, but was out of her seat before Ivan had a chance to answer.
The server appeared with their next round of drinks, and Ivan gladly reached for his. He sat back and savored it as he watched Jaden make her way to the middle of the crowd. Stunned at seeing his girl dance for the first time, he couldn’t help but watch the way Jaden and Tasha danced together, their bodies pressing and pulsing to the beat. It was enough to drive a gay man straight and a married man single. Sweat coated their bodies, and they glistened in the light of the lounge like a glitter-coated fantasy. Dirty thoughts crowded Ivan’s mind as he watched the spectacle unfold, and he strained harder against his jeans.
Slamming down the last of his drink, he joined in the festivities. Hard-on or not, there was no way he was passing up the chance to dance with the two most gorgeous girls in the clu
b. Ivan pushed his way through the thrumming dancers to Jaden’s side. It didn’t matter that his dancing abilities had been hindered by the alcohol he’d consumed, because with Jaden in front of him and Tasha behind, he looked like a pro.
A man would have to be out of his mind to not want two beautiful women using him as a stripper pole, but Ivan only had eyes for one of them. As untamed as his fantasies might be, Jaden was the only one he wanted.
Everyone surrounding them had stopped to stare at the sweaty tangle of limbs they created. Jaden, leaning against Ivvan’s front, worked his lingering hard-on with her ass, and Tasha worked her own kind of magic from behind. But as the music changed to something slower, Ivan noticed the gray pallor that now tinted Tasha’s face.
Pulling Jaden closer, he raised his voice to be heard over the music and pointed at Tasha, who was now half-walking, half-crawling back to their table. “I think we’d better get her home.”
“I think you’re right.”
“Wait for me at the table,” Ivan told her. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
Nodding, Jaden hurried across the floor, a little unsteady herself, Ivan noticed, to where Tasha now sat hunched over in a chair.
“That was quite a show you put on out there, hun,” the bartender said as Ivan approached.
“Thanks,” he murmured as he retrieved his credit card and signed the receipt.
Looking down at the slip of paper, the bartender frowned. “What, no phone number?”
“Maybe next time,” Ivan said and shot her a wink. But he knew if he got his way, his bachelorhood would be a thing of the past.
As he moved to rejoin his partners in crime, Tasha’s gray complexion became more and more apparent. Picking up his pace, he rushed to the table. Jaden helped him scoop up their friend, and they hurried off, past the party still in full swing, down the stairs, past behemoth number one, through the sea of flesh, past behemoth number two, and onto the sidewalk outside.
“Tasha,” Jaden said as they struggled through the doors and onto the street.
The Winemaker's Dinner: Appetizers Page 14
