shook her head and added, “Just be careful. The girl who does my nails is convinced he pays off the women he dates. Word is that he’s got some very unusual...tastes. Things he prefers in the bedroom. Things that are not fit to be discussed among polite company. That’s why they never talk about it. They’re well paid to keep quiet and probably don’t want anyone to know they participated.”
“That’s just speculation,” Nora scoffed as her pulse jumped.
What kind of things? Unfortunately, she had a good enough imagination and some of what she envisioned couldn’t be unseen. It was a delicious panorama of poses, featuring Reid Chamberlain in splendorous, naked glory. Not that she’d ever seen him without clothes, but Reid was devastating and gorgeous in a suit. It wasn’t a stretch to assume he’d look good out of one, too. Throw in this new dark and mysterious side? It only added to his appeal. And heightened her nerves.
“Besides, it’s dinner between old friends,” Nora continued, her voice growing stronger as her resolve solidified. Whatever his predilections were in the bedroom, she’d probably never find out. “That’s all. I’m a mom. We don’t incite men’s fantasies.”
And she had to keep Declan forefront in her thoughts. There were no grown-up sleepovers in her future, not when she had a two-year-old who still woke up calling for mama in the middle of the night. This was a thank-you dinner, nothing more. An escape from her father’s scary health problems and the scandal of the inheritance drama.
Eve’s brows quirked as she spun Nora to face the mirror. “Honey, that body is every inch a man’s fantasy, and by the way, you’re a strong, entertaining woman. A man can and will be as attracted to what’s up here—” she tapped Nora’s temple “—as by what’s down here.”
All three Winchester sisters followed Eve’s gesture as she indicated Nora’s torso. Even Nora couldn’t argue that the dress did highlight her curves. Nor could she argue that any man who was worth her time would be attracted to her brain.
“Regardless, I’ll be home by ten,” Nora promised. “Ten thirty at the latest.”
She kissed Declan and left him in Gracie’s capable hands. They settled in to watch cartoons, waving to Nora as she left, nervous as ever.
On the way over to the Metropol, Nora sat ramrod straight in her seat, too edgy to relax. The driver didn’t try to talk to her, which was a blessing.
Her imagination went into overdrive again. If Reid did have unusual tastes...did that automatically mean she’d say no? The thought of being a bit more adventurous than normal with someone she trusted got her a little hot and bothered. Because of course Reid was still Reid. There was nothing anyone could say to convince her that he’d turned into a monster who incited women into submitting to his twisted sexual practices.
Besides, her heart belonged to Sean. Anything that took place with Reid could be left behind once she went home to Colorado. It was freeing to not have the slightest worry about what might happen in the future.
When the concierge snapped for a bellboy to escort her to the penthouse—a different bellboy from last time—she forgot to breathe for a moment as the elevator doors slid shut. This was a one-way ticket to something she had no idea if she was really ready for.
You’re being silly. You have no idea if the rumors are true. No idea if Reid even planned to do anything more than eat dinner. Also? He wasn’t going to hold her prisoner. If she didn’t like where the evening was headed, all she had to do was leave.
Of course, there was always the possibility that she would be on board with more than dinner. Maybe. The jury was still out.
The elevator doors parted, leading to a small alcove with a dazzling white marble floor. She stepped out and faced a closed unmarked door directly opposite the elevator.
“Have a good night, ma’am.” With a silent swoosh of the elevator doors, the bellhop disappeared and then there was nothing left to do but knock.
Except the door opened before she could. Reid stood on the other side, wearing a different suit from earlier. This one had more closely cut lines and a darker hue and showcased his broad shoulders in a way she couldn’t quite ignore. His jaw was shadowed with stubble that lent his handsome face a dangerous edge. Or perhaps she was imagining the edge after her conversation with Grace and Eve.
“Hi, Reid.” Her voice came out all breathless and excited, turning the short phrase into something else entirely.
His gaze slowly traveled down her length, stopping every so often as if he’d run across something worthy of further examination. She felt the heat rise in her exposed chest but she refused to cover herself by crossing her arms. Still, her muscles flexed to do exactly that three times in a row.
“That dress was worth waiting for,” he finally said, his voice as smooth as it had been earlier.
“Waiting for?” She scowled to cover her excitement. Two seconds in and he was already starting the seduction part of the evening, was he? “I wasn’t late. I’m right on time.”
His dark eyes took on a tinge of amusement, but his smile still hadn’t returned. “By my count, I’ve been waiting fifteen years.”
Oh, my. She fell into the possibilities of that statement with a big splat. Had he harbored secret feelings for her way back, as she had for him?
That couldn’t be what he meant. He hadn’t exactly been sitting around pining over her. “What are you talking about? You forgot I existed the second you turned sixteen and your parents gave you that Porsche for your birthday.”
He crossed his arms and leaned on the door frame. “Would you like to continue this argument over a drink, or stay in the hall?”
“You haven’t invited me in yet.”
“I was busy.”
He gave her another sweeping once-over that pulled at her core. And still, he didn’t step aside to allow her to enter his private domain.
She could not get a handle on him, and only part of that stemmed from her sisters’ warnings swirling around in the back of her mind. He’d invited her here, yet didn’t seem to know what to do with her. Maybe she should help him out.
“Well, I’m thirsty,” she informed him with a touch of frost. “So I choose the drink over the hall. You must not entertain much or you’d have already poured me a glass of wine.”
A ghost of a smile played at his lips. “Forgive me, then. I don’t entertain often and my manners are atrocious. Please come in, Ms. O’Malley.”
With that, he stepped aside and swept his hand out. Clearly, she was supposed to take it. So she did.
The moment their flesh connected, awareness sizzled across her skin, raising goose bumps. A bit overwhelmed, she let him lead her into his penthouse.
With a whisper, the door shut behind her, closing her off from the world. And then she saw Chicago lit for the night beyond the glass wall at the edge of Reid’s enormous living room.
“Oh,” she gasped and his hand tightened on hers. “That’s an amazing view.”
Neon and stars, glass and steel, as far as the eye could see. The world was still
