Page 123 of Tangled Up In You

“She’s not here,” Sophie said. “She flew out earlier today to London. She didn’t tell you?”

“My girl, she has a flair for the dramatic.”

“That’s putting it kindly,” she replied.

“And you’re staying here for a while?”

“Just a couple more days. Then I’m off to London too.”

“Well, hope you don’t mind if I crash here, ’cause I’m not getting on another plane right away.”

“Of course not. No, you should stay. Hey, we’ll make a night out of it,” she said, suddenly excited.

“What have you in mind?” he asked as he moved toward the kitchen to help himself to a beer.

“Be my date tonight at the Jeffrey Fashion Cares event?”

“What?”

“I have to make an appearance. But after that, you and I can go find our own fun. I heard there’s a great new burlesque club—very sexy in a retro way. I’ve been wanting to check it out.”

“How many ways are you trying to get me into trouble with Colette?” he asked with a laugh.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Well, first, she’s not going to like me being your date. Second, she’s really not going to like me going to check out mostly naked girls. And third …”

“Third?”

“And third is, fuck it,” he said, resolved. “It sounds like a great time, Sophie. You and me and no fucking drama. Yeah, let’s do it.”

She smiled because she was having fun for the first time in a long time.

Sophie gaveConor a ticket and instructed him to meet her at Manhattan’s Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum for the Jeffrey Kalinsky fundraising event in support of LGBT causes. She then dressed to stun in a formfitting Dolce & Gabbana dress and went to her favorite New York salon to get her hair and makeup done. With sexy, just-rolled-out-of-bed hair and dark green smoky eye makeup, she was impossible to ignore.

When she met up with Conor at the event, he looked at her with such naked desire that she felt a tingling in her core. And when he chose to ignore Colette’s calls, she knew he was focused on only her.

They stayed only as long as they had to, careful to mingle with others before stealing away together. They had a great time at the burlesque show. It was a performance by good-looking young women who were just as aware of their luscious bodies as they were of how to tempt men without any vulgarities. At one point, two of the dancers focused on their table, preying on Conor.

Sophie watched with amusement as he unabashedly enjoyed it when the women sat on his lap or playfully waved their breasts in his face. He then watched with pure joy as the women turned their attention to Sophie and treated her to the same bit of teasing.

When the show let out after midnight, they were still both wired. As they headed out to the street, they talked about going to a bar for another drink. But when a photographer unexpectedly blinded them with repeated camera flashes, they instinctively covered their faces.

Conor grabbed Sophie’s hand and pulled her along at a sprint. Luckily the lone paparazzo was not nearly in the shape they were and they soon left him behind. But being “caught” was a buzzkill to their good time, and they decided to go back to Colette’s brownstone.

74

SOPHIE

Sophie pulled on a pair of thin sweatpants and a well-worn men’s V-neck tee shirt before joining Conor in the living room. The fire he had built was the only light in the room, making for a romantic feel.

“Now that’s a look,” Conor said as he came from the kitchen with a bottle of champagne and two flutes. “No, really. I think that makeup looks perfect with that outfit. What were you doing with the whole designer dress thing?”

She laughed. “I should take it off but I suddenly feel completely lazy.”

“Well then, have a seat before you drop.”

There were large pillows near the fireplace for the exact purpose of cuddling up in front of it. She arranged a few and relaxed before the warmth of the glowing fire.

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