Page 55 of Seduction
Penina Ross
Jake engaged me in a mission to taste a little of everything on the buffet, like the deconstructed shrimp po’ boy, jambalaya rolls, red beans and rice, and crawfish etouffee. Gumbo shots were served in mini bread cups large enough for us to pour the contents into our mouths and enjoy chewing the one succulent shrimp, a plump piece of crab, and andouille sausage along with the buttery crusted bread that held the delicious surprise in only a few bites.
I knew I should’ve stopped at one, but I was on my sixth gumbo shot.
“Whoa,” I said, savoring the flavors, which were still in my mouth after swallowing. “That was good. How did you get an invitation to this party in the first place?”
“A friend,” he said finally. By his tentative smirk, I could tell that the openness he’d had in the limousine was a thing of the past. That woman had certainly shaken him up.
I smiled warmly at him. “Well, tell your secret friend thank you.”
He took a swig of the same cocktail he’d ordered earlier. Jake wasn’t a big drinker, and I liked that about him.
Then he put his mouth near my ear. “When are you going to trust me?”
The answer was easy. I put my mouth close to his ear. “I trust you. But still, you’re hiding a lot from me.”
He moved his mouth back near my ear. “Like what?”
I switched positions with him again. “You tell me.”
Jake leaned away from me to study me as if he could see my full expression past my mask. Suddenly, my stomach grumbled. I’d eaten too much and needed some relief.
I clamped a hand over my belly and said, “I’m going to the ladies’ room. Think about your answer while I’m gone.” I winked at him. Before I could leave him, Jake tugged me against him for another hot and heavy smooch. When our lips parted, I was dizzy and wobbly as I walked away.
* * *
The path to the ladies’room was down a long corridor where the walls were a long decorative iron screen with frosted glass behind it. Soft light lingered beyond the glass, and I immediately wanted to know what was behind the barrier. Also, the atmosphere was vaporous, and a mild perfume lingered in the air.
I didn’t even notice the women standing in line to use the restroom until I came upon the last person. When I asked her, I learned that I wasn’t the only one having problems digesting the tasty but rich gumbo shots, which were still rumbling in my stomach. I counted all the bodies standing in line.
“There are fourteen people ahead of us,” I said.
The woman stole a glance at me. “There are six stalls, so it shouldn’t be that long.”
I thanked her. It was nice of her to take the sting out of waiting for me.
As I settled at the end of the line, a masked man wearing a red suit with a ruffled white shirt appeared out of the vapors beyond the bathroom door and headed in our direction. I stood straighter when he stopped beside me.
“Ma’am, you’re VIP. Please proceed upstairs to the VIP restroom.”
My jaw dropped.How in the world can he identify me as VIP?My stomach grumbled again, so I chose not to question him about it.
“What stairs?” I asked.
“Continue up the hallway, and you’ll find them.”
The woman standing in front of me stole a glance at me, curiosity in her eyes. Whatever was in my stomach wanted out, so I nodded and started walking as fast as I could. When I reached the end of the corridor, there was only one way to turn. But instead of moving forward, I stopped in my tracks. The woman who’d questioned Jake earlier was right there.
* * *
I thoughtshe was going to walk past me without saying a word, and I was about to say,Hi, Renata.
However, Renata pressed a hand over her chest and said, “I’m sorry for disturbing you and your partner earlier. I really thought I recognized him.”
I looked deeper into her eyes. “I’m sorry. May I ask who you thought he was?”
She rubbed her elbow nervously. “Umm… just an old acquaintance I’d run into from time to time.”
