Page 67 of Dial L for Lawyer
She just smiles, capping her lipstick. "I guess we should say goodbye to everyone then."
"Five minutes. Then we're gone and I’m gonna fuck you until sunrise."
“Promises, promises.”
We exit the bathroom separately—her first, me a minute later—and make our way back to the VIP section. The table's dynamics have shifted in our absence.
Logan and Audrey are gone, their abandoned napkins covered in equations that probably hold the cure for something.
"Where did they go?" Serena asks, gesturing to the napkins as she slides into the booth.
"They left twenty minutes ago," Layla says, extracting herself from Bennett's lap long enough to answer. "Something about testing a hypothesis. I'm choosing to believe that's code for finally hooking up."
"Fifty bucks says they actually went to look at data," Bennett counters.
"You're probably right," Dominic sighs, appearing with another bottle of champagne. "Logan wouldn't recognize a sexual advance if it came with peer-reviewed citations."
"Be nice," Serena scolds, but she's smiling. "They're perfect for each other."
"Perfectly celibate," Dominic mutters. He eyes us both, taking in our appearance. "And where did you two disappear to? Don't answer that—your face says everything, Kingsley."
"We were dancing," I say.
He grins. "Then why is your fly down?"
I check automatically—it's not—and he laughs. "Too easy. You're so gone on her."
"Jealous?"
"Desperately." He raises his glass. "To Caleb finally getting the girl."
"To Serena finally giving him a chance," Layla corrects.
"To all of us getting laid except Dominic," Bennett adds.
"Well, if someone would invite Jenna to these things…" Dominic muses, and Bennett just shakes his head.
"Never going to happen, Dom."
"A man can dream," Dominic sighs dramatically.
I ignore them completely, sliding my hand down Serena's back, my thumb tracing the edge of her corset. "Ready to get out of here?" I murmur against her hair, inhaling the scent of champagne and her perfume.
She turns her head just enough for her lips to brush my ear. "Lead the way."
That's all the permission I need. "We're out," I announce to the table, already pulling Serena to her feet.
"Already?" Layla pouts. "It's barely midnight."
"I have plans," I say, not taking my eyes off Serena.
"Gross," Dominic says cheerfully. "But also, get it."
"Text me in the morning," Layla tells Serena, then adds in a stage whisper, "Details."
We say our goodbyes, my hand a permanent fixture on the small of her back as I steer her through the throng. Every person we brush past is a potential threat, a stray hand that might touch what’s mine, and the possessive, animal part of my brain wants to clear a path with violence. We hit the cold night air and she shivers, leaning into me.
My driver has the car waiting, the door already open.
