Page 26 of Mayfair Madame
This was ridiculous. I was a grown woman, not some teenager going on her first date, but it didn’t make me feel any more confident.
Get a grip, Ellie. Get your arse back in the bedroom and find something to wear. If she likes you as much as she says, then she won’t give a flying fuck what you’re wearing.
I rolled my shoulders and took a deep breath.Let’s do this.
Item by item, I sorted through the pile until I settled on a low-slung pair of dark jeans and a short-sleeved red shirt Kate had bought for me. I’d never worn the damn thing, convinced it showed too much cleavage. I dug out the bra she’d persuaded me to buy. In for a penny, in for a pound. Might as well go the whole hog and wear that as well.
I added a belt, a few silver chains around my neck, and a couple of rings. My shoulders dropped as I looked at my reflection. The shirt was too clingy; the jeans too tight. Fuck that muffin top, but it was too late to do anything about it now.
It was almost nine thirty, and I still needed to do my hair and make-up. I’d done a cursory job of drying my hair, so messy waves were falling around my face. It didn’t look too bad.
A bit of eyeliner, a smattering of mascara, and a coating of red lipstick and I was ready to go. This had disaster written all over it.
Pull yourself together, Ellie. You are beautiful; you are strong, and you are the best person you can be.
At least that was what my therapist had told me. It was now or never, but by the time I arrived at the bar, I was ready to turn back. This would never work. Before I could leave, Melinda was walking towards me.
“Ellie, you came. Naomi will be so pleased.” She took my hand and led me into the bar. “Look who I found skulking outside. If I didn’t know any better, I’d have said she was about to make a run for it.”
Melinda looked totally different from the last time I’d seen her. Gone was the business suit, replaced by a tight-fitting black dress, an updo, and lots of gold. I was definitely underdressed.
“You must be Ellie.” An impeccably dressed tall man with dark blond hair addressed me. “I’m Oscar, and this here is Marco. Naomi’s at the bar. What’s your poison? I’ll go grab it for you.”
“Um, just a beer, please. I’m good with that.” All these beautiful people and here was me. Short, fat and totally not beautiful.
Marco was as gorgeous as Oscar, with jet-black hair and eyes almost as dark. If I were into men, he would absolutely be my type.
“Here, take a seat.” He patted the high-backed stool next to him, his voice low and husky.
“Thanks.” I hopped onto the stool and looked around the bar. I’d never been here before, but it seemed nice with dark oak-panelled walls and a long wooden bar. Shelves were stacked with every kind of spirit I could think of: gin, whisky, rum, brandy. The bars I usually frequented didn’t have half the stock.
It wasn’t difficult to spot Naomi’s imposing, statuesque figure, her blonde hair stark against her dark skin. She laughed at something Oscar said; her smile lighting up her face.
It was a moment before she turned and saw me, but when she did, her smile widened and my heart stuttered. Breathing became difficult, and for a moment, she was the only thing I saw. Everything else fell away, the surroundings blurring.
“Take a breath, Ellie,” Melinda said softly in my ear. “She’s been so looking forward to this evening.”
“Me too,” I said, more to myself than to her.
“Drinks coming through.” Oscar placed a tray of drinks on the table and handed them out. “Vodka for Marco, wine for Melinda, and a beer for Ellie.”
“Ah, not there.” Melinda nudged him out of the way as Naomi took the stool next to me and crossed her long, shapely legs.
“Ellie Sharpe, you came. I’m so pleased.” I’d forgotten how melodic her voice was as it washed over me, heating me from the inside.
“I almost didn’t.” I gestured to the surrounding people. “Look at you all. I feel positively underdressed.”
“You look perfect. The red suits you. It brings out the blue in your eyes.”
“Well, aren’t you the sweet talker?” I sipped from the bottle, the glass cold in my hand.
“I’m actually not used to it.” Her rich brown eyes settled on my face. “The people I go out with usually do all the sweet talking. They pay for my company.”
Her scent was potent, and it took all my strength not to reach out and touch her. Was her skin as soft as it looked?
It was as if we were the only two people in the room. I heard nothing and saw nothing but her. Her eyes never left mine. God, if only we were somewhere else.
“I’d pay.” I was mesmerised, unable to look away. Her bare skin tempted me with its luscious glow.
