Page 198 of The Perfect Spiral
We continue towards the entrance to the hotel hosting tonight’s event, walking into the main foyer for him to greet people.
I admire how easy he makes it look, how effortlessly he talks to people, while I stand there like an idiot. I see lots of supermodels and actresses cozying up to him. I’d wager he’s slept with half the women in this room.
Suddenly, an arm tugs me out of my thoughts and pulls me towards a body. I crash into a wall of muscle. “This is Alex,” I hear Knox say. I compose myself and stand up straight, looking around to see who he’s introducing me to.
I see the icy glares I predicted would come my way tonight. Tall blondes, brunettes, and a single redhead look down on me with their skyscraper bodies in heels.
The girls flaunt their natural beauty, their endless legs, and their radiant, baby-soft skin. I offer them a timid wave and a tight smile before my gaze drops back to the ground. God, I’m so terrible with people.
“She’s my date for tonight—”
“Date? You’ve never brought a date before....” I glance up to see one of the blondes glaring at me, her upper lip stiff. She sips her drink, swirling her straw around.
“Yeah, well, she was coming here anyway. She gave a talk at a Science Conference yesterday on girls in STEM. It was really good!” I see a wave of relief wash over their faces as they relax slightly.
“Oh, so you only brought her because it was convenient and you felt sorry for her. Makes sense.” They all nod their heads in agreement. I’ve been here less than ten minutes and I’ve already been labeled an inconvenience.
“Actually, no, so don’t insult her. I brought her because I wanted to. Even if she hadn’t given that talk, I still would’ve asked her, Rachel.”
His voice carries a hint of irritation and I stand there, shocked that he would defend me.
Drew never stood up for me.
I bite my cheek to suppress a smile.
“God, I miss you saying my name, Knox. That deep, husky voice of yours. It gets even deeper when we’re alone. You look sexy tonight, very, very sexy.”
She steps towards him, her fingers tracing a slow path down his chest. Her voice drops a few octaves, aiming for seduction. She does it well, I’ll give her that.
“You know what else I miss... your big... hard...dick inside m—” she whispers in his ear, but I hear it. Loud and clear. He grabs her hand and removes it from him.
“That’s enough,” he states plainly, his tone low and alert. The other girls stare at him, wide-eyed in shock that he stopped her. To be honest, I am too.
I turn to grab a drink from one of the circulating trays. It looks like some sort of cocktail. It’ll do. I need something to help me get through this event if it’s going to be like this all night.
Feeling a hand rest on my arm and a whisper behind me, I know it’s Knox’s agent. “Sorry to interrupt, but we need the two of you to come with us for a photo op for People Magazine.”
I twist my head to look at her. “Both of us? I’m not sure I want to be in a magazine spread....” She nods her head, scanning theroom for the models. She catches Knox’s eye and tilts her head to the side.
“You’ll be fine. It’s just a spread for the event. Nothing about a relationship will be published. I’ll make sure of it. Don’t worry,” she assures me as we walk towards a private room.
Before we enter, Knox pulls me into a side room and tells his agent to give us ten minutes. He instructs her to knock four times when they’re ready.
Inside the room, I look up to see intricate design patterns sprawled across the ceiling. A single chandelier, adorned with silver and white crystals, hangs from the center of the room.
Paintings with gold frames hang at eye-level around the room, each one telling a different story.
But the one that catches my eye is a portrait of a young woman sitting in a barn, gazing longingly out of a window. She’s holding what appears to be a small black cat in one arm, while her other hand rests on the wooden window frame. She’s strikingly beautiful.
“That’s my favorite one too. It’s beautiful, isn’t it? So simple but striking at the same time. She reminds me of you when you hold Boomer in your arms.”
“It’s stunning. She’s stunning,” I say, my mind lost in the painting. Shifting my attention back to the room, I add, “This room is so stunning too.”
He nods, his hands tucked in his pockets. A small smile plays on his lips as he watches me take in our surroundings.
“I’m sorry about those girls out there, baby doll—”
“It’s fine. It’s not your fault. But thanks,” I shrug, wandering around the room, my hands brushing over the material of the chairs and the marble table under the chandelier.
