“My name is Delilah,” she answers with a touch of shyness.
“It’s her first time here, so we want to treat her like royalty, Bernard.” Ethan winks at her. I love the way her cheeks color when she blushes. The soft pink runs from her forehead and plunges right down to the cleft between her breasts. Damn.
“That shouldn’t be a problem, Ethan. We treat all our guests with kid gloves, but we pay particular attention when it’s their first time here. After all, you never forget your first time.” No, you don’t. “Let me go over the menu and the specials with you. Do you already know what you want to drink or do you need a few more minutes to decide?”
“Excellent, Bernard. I’m starved,” I say, grabbing the wine list. “We’re definitely going to order a bottle of wine or two with dinner. I think we should kick off this evening in style. I vote for a bottle of Dom Perignon,” I suggest. “Ethan? Delilah?” I bounce my gaze from one to the other, looking for their agreement.
“You’re full of great ideas tonight, mate. I’m always up for champagne.”
“Wow. Are you sure?” Delilah’s eyes widen so much, I fear they’ll take over her face.
“Of course I am. There’s only one way to do this. Go big or go home.” I grin. “Isn’t that what they say in your part of the world?”
Her laugh resonates throughout the restaurant. And soon Ethan and I join in. This is going to be a great night.
* * *
After we place our order, we sit for a few long seconds in silence. Delilah leans in and when she does she gives us a perfect view of her cleavage. My God, it’s going to be surreal to have those in my mouth. I wonder if she’s ever climaxed just by having a guy suck on her nipples? “This might sound a little innocent, but everybody here seems to know you. It’s amazing. Actually, it’s a little intimidating.” She lets out a nervous laugh. “Ethan, are you moonlighting as a rock star and is Xander your backup singer? Is that it or do you come here every single night of the week?”
“It’s a little of both. Xander and I are regulars. We come here three to four times a month, but you’re not too far off on your first question. We were in fact pop stars in our previous life.”
“What do you mean? Are you vampires?” Delilah’s repartee is sharp and quick.
We all get a good laugh at her joke.
“We were performing and singing since we were twelve. We were willing to put on a show for anyone willing to listen,” he chuckles. “With hours of dedication and practice, we became really good. We used to watch every single old school video of boy bands and learn from them. Then we’d shake everything up and stamp our own unprecedented brand on our sound and moves. When we were sixteen our band, 4Ever, won second place during the first season of Britain’s The X Factor. It was Xander, two other mates and me. We were four friends with a big dream. We thought coming in behind the winners was the end of it, but on the contrary. Our career exploded. We topped the charts for five years straight. We were all best mates from school who were lucky to have some showmanship abilities. Xander’s rap got us up the charts and I worked my street dance moves. Edward made the girls swoon with his ocean-blue eyes—he was the main singer of the group. The rest of us were backup vocals. Bryan is blond with green eyes and he was a wall of muscle even as a teenager. In fact, he’s still as ripped today as he was back then. That definitely got the girls all worked up… especially when the three of us ripped our shirts off as Edward serenaded them.” Delilah explodes in laughter. “No, seriously, it’s amazing what a six-pack and some toned biceps can do. The secret sauce behind our success is truly how sharp and business-minded our managers were. They strategically packaged us as a teenage girl’s wet fantasy. And it worked.”
“Quite well, may I add,” I interject. “During our five years’ rise, we sold twenty million records. We had eighteen Top 20 singles and four Top 10 albums. We were a big deal. Your Love is My Salvation and Love Got No Boundaries were constantly playing on the radio. Our ballad, I Swear To You My Love, was ridiculously popular and it became the first song in so many weddings across Britain as our fans grew from teenagers to adult women. Had we had the jet-fueling boost of social media back then to push us even further, we would have undoubtedly gone viral.” Our legion of female fans was completely gaga about us.
“Seriously?” she asks with wide eyes. Ethan and I nod. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this close to celebrities.”
“Technically we’re former celebrities.” Ethan chuckles. “We retired eight years ago at the age of twenty. It was the most exhilarating time of our lives, but it’s better to step down when you’re still at the top. Making the transition from teen sensation to an adult star is quite the challenge. After returning to school for a few years, I pursued a career as an art buyer and auctioneer.”
“That’s incredible. Are you also in the art world, Xander?” Delilah’s blue eyes are now focused on me.
I shake my head. “Like Ethan, I went back to school, but I stayed in the industry by becoming a music talent agent—”
“You mean a very successful and sought-after music talent agent and talent scout,” Ethan adds.
“All right, I’ll admit it. I’m quite good at what I do because I love it so much.”
“What happened to the two other guys who were in your band?” she asks.
Ethan tackles that one. “We’re still very close friends. Edward and Bryan got a degree in hotel management, packed their bags and moved south. They bought a hotel in Ibiza six years ago and they’ve been living under the Spanish sun ever since.”
“I can’t believe I’ve never heard of your band before.” Her lips drop into a frown.
“Our songs got some play in the US, but not much. Our success resided right here in Britain. We also had a string of smash hits in Ireland and Australia,” I say.
“How come no one’s mentioned your former stardom at the gallery? I mean, at least I have an excuse because I’m American, but everyone else I work with is British… well, other than Katrina.”
“I know it’s hard to believe, but not everyone was a fan. Not to mention that eight years is a lifetime in the world of entertainment. Many acts have followed us, which makes us much less memorable.” Ethan chuckles. “Ashley, Benjamin and Gemma recognized me immediately the first time they met me. The others haven’t got a clue who I am. Once people get over the initial shock, they start treating me like a normal person. This wouldn’t have been the case during the heyday of our popularity. That said, some are still as awestruck today as they were back then.”
“Wow.” Delilah shakes her head. “I’m just a junior curator who lucked out on a summer internship in London and it was like winning the lotto. I might be wrong here, but you don’t look that old.”
“We’re both twenty-eight,” I answer.
“Double wow. You guys were superstars and now you’re already on your second successful career. You’re not even thirty. It makes me feel like a kid instead of the twenty-four-year-old I am.” There’s nothing remotely childish about your body or your charming personality. You’re all woman in my book.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, sweetheart. We were at the right place at the right time,” I say. “Reality TV made it possible for us in a blink of an eye. Before these types of shows, we would have had to slave for years before making a name for ourselves.”
“What he said.” Ethan points his thumb at me. “All four of us were smart enough to ride the waves to their fullest and make the most of it once it was over.”
“Thanks for making me feel better about your impressive life.” She sighs. The way her shoulders lower, I can only assume it’s relief. She looks back up at us and scrunches her nose. “Now that you’ve mentioned it, I think Gemma asked me if I knew of this group when she was helping me set up the conference room for the meeting you had at the gallery on Wednesday. I had some questions about you.” She points at Ethan.
“You were talking about me?” Ethan puts emphasis on each word. H
is sentence comes out in a very deep voice. He leans into the table and Delilah sits back against her seat. My best friend is much taller than the little curvy redhead. Watching them like this is like watching kids playing on a seesaw. Even though there’s a good distance between them—since they’re sitting on opposite sides of the table—Ethan fully dominates her.
Delilah fidgets nervously with her hands. “Y-yes. Gemma was nice enough to answer them.”
“Did she answer all of your questions?”
“I-I think so,” Delilah answers hesitantly.
“I see.” When Ethan curls up one side of his mouth like this, he means business. “Now that we’re officially good friends, I hope you’ll feel comfortable enough to come to me if there’s anything else you want to know. And I mean anything at all.” He nearly growls that last part of his sentence.
She nods. It’s just a quick jerk of the head and if I weren’t carefully observing her, I would have missed it. “Yes. I will,” she says softly.
“Why don’t I put my number in your phone? That way we’ll have an open line of communication between us. No need for surrogates.” Smooth. “And for good measure, why doesn’t Xander do the same, just in case you have questions about him as well?” It’s not a suggestion. It’s the first step in claiming her. Ethan extends his hand, waiting for her to drop her phone in his palm. Leave it to him to turn up the heat.
“Oh,” Delilah lets out in a whisper. There she goes turning that lovely shade of red again that makes my cock hard. Damn.
When she’s still staring at Ethan and I like a lost puppy, he presses. “Now, Delilah. I’d hate for us to get sidetracked and forget.” That’s unlikely to happen, but that’s a convincing argument.
“Oh, of course,” she babbles, reaching for her bag. She’s very obedient. Another thing I like about her.
CHAPTER 14
Ethan
The chefs at Hush’s restaurant never disappoint. Like always, the meal was exquisite. From Delilah’s moans of satisfaction, I’d say she enjoyed every last bite.
We started off with a charcuterie platter of cured meats followed by a cheese platter consisting of an assortment of British and Irish cheeses. Bernard took pity on Xander’s plea for food and brought us a massive basket of rustic artisan bread and butter, which he attacked with a vengeance. For the main dish, our sexy little redhead feasted like a queen on a plate of herb-roasted lamb chops. I had to hold back not to lick the bones of that succulent French roasted chicken rubbed with herbes de Provence Xander and I both ordered. It was that remarkable.
Throughout dinner, we kept the conversation light, casual and flirty. Like pretty much anyone who finds out we used to be pop stars, Delilah was fascinated. She had a thousand questions and we gladly answered each and every one of them. Once we had satisfied her curiosity, we turned the tables on her. She told us all about how different her life is here compared to New York and Austin. It’s thrilling getting to know the woman who’s captured our attention a little better. It was impossible to miss how well all three of us mesh together. This connection can only be heightened when Xander and I share her.
Since the restaurant closes at midnight and it’s still a little too early to corrupt her, we head back to the lounge. Before leaving, I made arrangements with Bernard to have an assortment of desserts and drinks delivered to the private room in about an hour. That should be plenty of time for us to persuade Delilah to spend the rest of the evening with us.
We stand at the entrance scanning the room and taking in the crowd. The ambience is so potent, it washes over me, pulling us into its lure. I suspect it’s the same for Xander and Delilah. As if we coordinated it beforehand, we take a step forward at the same time. Delilah’s eyes are focused straight ahead, but my best friend and I share a knowing look—one we’ve exchanged a number of times over our lives when we know great things are coming. If we’re so well in sync now, it’s going to be mind-blowing when we retreat to the private room. The music is thumping loud as bodies gyrate to the sultry vibes of the latest deep house smash hits. Clubgoers seeking libation line both bars, patiently waiting their turn. The staff hustles to satisfy everyone’s needs. Although there are swanky sitting areas scattered around the room with modern leather couches and marble coffee tables, it seems no one is interested. I guess the music is too good to sit it out.
Delilah looks up and blinks her beautiful blue eyes at me. It wouldn’t take much more for her to wrestle anything she wants out of me. “Wow. Where did all these people come from?”
I take a step forward and lean closer so she can hear me. My thigh rubs against the roundness of her ass and my cock stiffens. I doubt I’d shock you if I confessed that I’ve been sporting a hard-on since I laid eyes on her a few hours ago. I’m almost in pain right now. The urge to stake my claim on her—with my best friend—is overwhelming at this point. It’s as if I can’t think of anything else. Of course, I don’t let her in on my plans to dominate her. I keep it light. For now. “It gets packed here when the DJ starts playing some of the best club mixes in the city. No one spins it like DJ Deep Matrix.”
“I believe it. There must be twenty times more people than when we left three hours ago,” she exclaims.
“I’m sure you’re right, but that’s nothing compared to the crowd next door. They limit the number of people allowed in the VIP section, but next door it’s a madhouse,” I say.
The DJ mixes in a new song and the room roars. Hands shoot to the ceiling and pump up in rhythm with the music. You’d think the roof is caving in. There’s an unmistakable, electrifying energy that runs thick in a room when there’s that many people taking pleasure together. Xander places a hand on Delilah’s shoulder and she turns to her left.
“Do you like to dance?” he asks.
She takes a step forward and pivots to face us both. “I’m not the best dancer, but I can hold my own.” We can’t ask for more.
“I like the sound of that.” Xander licks his lips, seemingly satisfied with her answer. I chuckle inside. He’s so eager.
“It’s been such a long time since I’ve been able to shake my thing on the dance floor. I might be a little rusty, but I can pick it up quick.” She swishes her hips from left to right, her black dress flaring out, exposing those legs I’m dying to caress. I’m not sure if she’s being playful or if she’s trying to seduce us, but if she continues, I might just come right here. Goddamn, woman. Stop torturing me.
“I guess tonight is your night,” I mock. “This is definitely the place to have a knees-up.”
“A what?”
Xander and I laugh aloud at her freaked-out expression.
“For you Americans, it means you’ll dance to your heart’s content,” Xander answers before I do.
“Got it.” Now she’s the one laughing.
“I, for one, can’t wait to see your moves.” There’s a lot about her I can’t wait to see, but let’s ease into it.
“I second that,” Xander says.
Curiosity gleams in Delilah’s eyes. “Do you guys like to dance? And more importantly can you dance?” Her words sting, but the glee in her eyes doesn’t contain an ounce of malice.
“Is that even a question?” Xander folds his arms over his wide chest. He looks so convincing when he pretends to be obfuscated.
“I’m just asking,” she challenges. “Are you avoiding the answer or should I just take that as a no on both counts?” She’s a cheeky little one.
I step in to save our honor. “What kind of two-bit has-been pop stars would we be if we didn’t?” I quip. I try my best to bite off my growing smile, but I fail miserably when she squints at me.
“Well, excuse me for asking.” Her American drawl is so sexy. She places one hand on her hip, lifts her right index finger at us and cranks her neck. Oh, she means business. “How was I supposed to know two sophisticated men like you could hold your own on the dance floor?”
“Honey, we can do much better than that. We can bring the house down and
take you with us.” Xander mimics her defiant stance.
“In that case, I only have one thing to say.”
“What?” Xander ask in unison.
“Bring. It. On,” she answers. We reward her brazenness with our cheerful claps.
“Let’s do it, girl.” Xander hauls Delilah to the center of the room. She takes a few steps forward and stops in her tracks. She turns around to face me.
“What about you, Ethan? Aren’t you coming?” Her eyes are pleading.
My lips split into a wide smile. “I’m right behind you,” I say, lifting my hands in the air and stepping towards her. Truth be told, I just wanted to watch her walk away from me.
Xander leads the way and we form a line through the crowd. One by one, people step aside as if the Red Sea is parting in front of Moses. He slips past women eyeing him up and down and men doing their best to regain their partners’ attention. Xander definitely stands out. As soon as he finds an empty space under the flashing lights, Xander moves close in front of Delilah and starts to dance to the lively rhythm. She moves to his beat. I’m rocking it out in the open space to their left. I can’t wait to tug her close and grind against her until her hard nipples scratch at my chest through the fabric of her dress. For now, I observe. I’ll cut in a little later.
“Hey, Ethan,” Xander calls out. “Delilah here wasn’t joking when she said she could shake her thing.”
My eyes drop to her ass. “Indeed, bro. I’m willing to go out on a limb and proclaim that from the rolling of her hips and the way she sways so beautifully to the sound of the music, there’s a naughty little vamp trapped inside dying to come out and play. Preferably, she’ll select us as playmates.” I grin from ear to ear.
“I think you’re right,” Xander mocks.
Without warning, Delilah swats my arm before doing the same to my best friend. “You two are impossible.”
“We get punished for speaking the truth?” I protest. “How is that fair?”
Deliciously British Page 14
