Page 58 of A Certain Appeal
I throw up my hands. Does something happen when you spend your adulthood bouncing between the coasts? Because neither Darcy nor Wickham seems capable of a singular personality. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Wickham. He said not to go into business with you. Unless you intend to poach me from Toby, I’d say the advice doesn’t apply.”
The cool mirth drops from him. He tips his head, eyes narrowing. I wait him out. I’m done with this. The Twins are acting weird, Wickham has turned into another person entirely, and I just want to turn on a movie and get started on Ming’s meals. But the silence stretches on. What the hell does he want?
“Girls!” he calls. His smirk is back in place. “Let’s head out.”
Tonic appears in the doorway. “Weren’t we waiting to see Jane?”
“Bennet said he’s fine. Ginn,” he says to the redhead, who has stepped in behind Tonic, “don’t you two have a practice space reserved for six?”
Tonic’s brow furrows, and Ginn drapes a hand over her partner’s shoulder.
“That’s right! Totally forgot about it. I got us in this morning.Didn’t I tell you?” Ginn looks at me. “Give Jane our best, though?” Her tone is too saccharine to be sincere.
I give her a tight smile. “Will do.”
Ginn walks out and Wickham follows. Tonic lingers in the doorway. Her brow is still creased, and she holds her hands in to her chest, pressing back the cuticles of her right hand, one by one.
“Tonic?” I ask.
“I’m sorry,” she blurts, taking a step back. “Tell Jane. I’m really, really sorry, Kitten.”
I nod slowly. “Sure, I’ll pass it along.”
Her gaze is fixed on the floor between us. “I’ll see you this weekend.”
“I’ll be there.” I eye her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“To-nic!” Ginn singsongs from the other side of the apartment. The front door scrapes over the mat. “Let’s go!”
“I’ll see you.” Tonic darts down the hallway. I follow, catching sight of her in time to see her step out after Ginn. Wickham holds the door for the girls, then saunters to the opening with a tip of an imaginary cap my way.
“Ms. Bennet, thank you for your generous hospitality.” The door shuts behind him.
I stare at where he was standing. What in the hell just happened?
CHAPTER
17
Friday afternoon, I relay Wickham’s visit with the Twins to Ming.
She wrinkles her nose. “What’s that all about?” she asks, and takes a sip of her latte.
We’re in the break room at Work It, enjoying having the floor to ourselves while the rest of the staff is upstate. Toby’s been traveling to check in with the new offices and asked me to organize a team-building day to make sure morale at HQ didn’t fall off. It was sweet, like a new baby has arrived and Dad’s taking the family dogs on special walkies so they don’t feel neglected. I volunteered to stay behind and man the office in exchange for time off when my cousin visits.
“And for Tonic to be so skittish? I guess she’s the more quiet of the two, though they’re pretty evenly matched.” Ming frowns. “This guy have a personality-zapping dick?”
I turn to catch my profile in the full-length mirror I brought in from the ladies’ room. “I don’t know what hehas. However, I’d submit heisa dick of some kind.”
Ming places her cup and saucer beside her on the counter. “Any aspirations for this dress, or are you going to put it out there and see what it reels in?”
“It’s amazing, Ming. Truly.” I sway side to side, letting it flare. The bodice fits like a second skin, highlighting the tiny gaps between the pearl buttons. It treads the line between sweet and saucy, leaning just enough in the direction of the latter I’ll have to seriously consider where I show it off. I twirl a full 360 degrees, the draft created by my skirt giving me the shivers. The sensation continues after I stop, though. I check my profile again and see that the hem is caught on the right back fastener of my hold-ups, exposing my leg from just below my butt cheek.
I angle my backside toward Ming. “Any thoughts on how to avoid this?”
“Why would you want to? Look at that little tush. I wanna take a bite out of it.” She gnashes her teeth, making grabby motions with her hands. “Also, I love that you’re wearing a garter belt to your day job.”
I peek at the clip keeping the thigh-high stocking in place. I don’t generally wear them here, but it was cool enough to justify hosiery today. Plus, there’s something fun about sneaking a feature of my Kitten persona into the office, even if I’m the only one who knows I’ve done it.
