5. Babe

Chapter 5

Babe

Noah

I adjusted my tie as I stepped into the ballroom where the women’s empowerment gala was being held. Chandeliers sparkled overhead, and the gold, white, and pink décor made it feel like I was stepping into a ball in a fairy tale.

Attendees were a mix of business owners, Silicon Valley elites, Hollywood A-listers, and members of old-money families. I had no doubt some were genuinely invested in supporting underprivileged female entrepreneurs, but others... well, let’s just say appearing philanthropic was the only reason they were even here.

“Dude, this is awesome.” Lex gave me a conspiratorial nudge, his eyes already scanning the room for potential conquests. “I’m totally getting laid tonight. ”

I snorted. “We’re here to represent Badden Apparel and do some networking, not for you to chase tail.”

“Can’t I do both?” Lex grinned, snagging two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and handing one to me.

“Gabriel will have you by the balls if you do anything to get yourself in the tabloids.” I gave him a warning look. “Behave.”

He rolled his eyes and threw back the champagne, finishing the whole flute in one go. “Got it.”

Out of the three of us Badden brothers, Lex was the youngest and the wildest. He’d been headed for the NFL—contract signed and everything—when one stupid decision and injury cost him everything. He hadn’t even been playing football when it happened; he’d been dancing drunkenly at a frat party.

Being one of Badden Apparel’s most recognizable models, and the top quarterback draft pick, had given Lex a lot of opportunities to get his image out into the world. Unfortunately, that image wasn’t always the best. He was supposed to be on his best behavior, so he could prove to our older brother that he could take on more at the company.

“Noah Badden, is that you?”

I groaned at the voice, and Lex chuckled at my reaction. Melissa Fritz was the last woman I wanted to deal with. She was old money and had this idea that we were perfect for each other. And, yeah, maybe I’d slept with her a few times.

There was no avoiding her, so I turned, finding her looking every bit the spoiled princess she was. Her navy-blue dress was form-fitting, showing off ample cleavage, and she was dripping in expensive jewelry that was probably worth more than this event raised.

“Melissa, lovely to see you.” I pasted on my most charming smile, letting her approach and air-kiss both my cheeks.

“I didn’t know you boys would be here tonight.” Her eyes raked over my body before she did the same to Lex. “You should have called me. We could have come together.”

“It was a last-minute decision.” It wasn’t.

She put her hand on my biceps. “Save me a dance later?” The suggestion in her tone didn’t disguise her interest in a dance of a different kind.

“Sure.” I turned, breaking her contact with my arm and heading for the table Lex and I were assigned. There were several people I wanted to talk to already there and no open seats for Melissa.

“Let the woman down gently, geez.”

Like Lex was one to talk.

After some networking, a dinner, and a few speeches from entrepreneurs who had been positively impacted by an empowerment grant, it was time for the final speech of the evening.

I hadn’t read through the list of speakers, but whoever it was created a buzz of excitement around the room. Especially among the tables that were filled with women who had received last year’s grants.

“Our final speaker of the evening is a woman who is very dear to our cause. Starting her own company at nineteen, she has spent the past seven years advocating for women’s health, autonomy, and entrepreneurship. Not only is she a major sponsor, but she also provides mentorships to several of our grant recipients. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to the founder of Ravishing Whispers, Miss Jade Dalton.”

The room burst into applause, and my jaw dropped as my new neighbor took the stage. She was a vision in a sleek, dark red gown that hugged her curves and had a slit to the middle of her thigh. It was both elegant and sexy, perfect for a gala focused on the power of women.

Lex leaned toward me, his eyes glued to Jade. “Dibs, bro. I’m totally taking her home tonight.”

I gritted my teeth, an unexpected surge of irritation rushing through me. “She’s not a piece of meat, Alexander.” I rarely used his full name, since it was reserved for business meetings.

“What? She’s a total smokeshow. You’re just mad because you didn’t call dibs first.”

I wanted to punch him. Instead, I focused on Jade as she stepped up to the podium, her presence commanding all the attention in the room.

“Good evening, everyone. I’m Jade Dalton, founder of Ravishing Whispers.” Her voice was confident, and her smile was dazzling, framed by red lips.

I blinked rapidly, trying to reconcile the poised woman on stage with the one who had been in my backyard at midnight last weekend, wearing her pajamas.

“At Ravishing Whispers, we believe in empowering women to take control of their pleasure and their lives. Society often tells us to be ashamed of our desires, to keep our voices down and our legs closed. ”

There was a feeling of unease in the room as it became clear that Jade wasn’t going to censor herself. Her speech wasn’t for the traditional attendees; it was for the women who wanted to break down barriers that unfortunately still plagued our world.

“But no more! We are here to shatter those outdated views and embrace our power as women. Whether it’s in the boardroom or the bedroom, we deserve to be heard, respected, and satisfied.”

Applause erupted from those in agreement, and I couldn’t help but join in. Jade had my full attention, and not just because I was attracted to her. She was a force to be reckoned with, and her dedication to the cause was evident in every word.

“Now, I know what some of you might be thinking…” She smiled, and if I wasn’t mistaken, there was a bit of mischief there. “Vibrators and female empowerment? How do those go together? Well, let me tell you, there’s nothing quite like the confidence boost of knowing you can make yourself orgasm harder than any man ever could.”

Damn, this woman was bold.

Lex leaned over again. “Bro, I can’t wait to find out what she’s like in the bedroom.” Was he really my brother? Because right now, I didn’t want to claim him.

I shot him a glare. “Shut up and listen. Clearly you need to.”

He held up his hands in mock surrender. “Chill, I’m listening. But I’m still calling dibs.”

I clenched my jaw, an unfamiliar feeling of possessiveness washing over me. The thought of Lex putting his hands on her made me want to break something.

I turned my attention back to the stage, trying to ignore the confusing emotions swirling inside me. Yeah, I found her attractive, but now I wanted to keep other men away from her?

As Jade continued her speech, the playful tone shifted to one that was more serious. Her eyes swept across the room, connecting with the audience as she spoke.

“The work we do at Ravishing Whispers goes beyond pleasure products. We’re committed to supporting and uplifting female entrepreneurs, especially those who face additional barriers and challenges. For too long, brilliant ideas have gone unrealized because there hasn’t been a way for a single mother to fund her vision, or for a woman fresh out of high school to give her dreams a shot.

“The playing field has never been even, and it’s about time someone did something about it. That’s why we’re here tonight. We can’t just talk about empowerment—we have to invest in it. When women succeed, we all succeed.”

As she wrapped up her speech, the room erupted into applause. It was clear this wasn’t only business for her—it was a cause she believed in with every fiber of her being. Some people leapt to their feet, me included, in a standing ovation that seemed to go on forever, even as she exited the stage.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her. At that moment, she was more than my sexy neighbor with the mischievous cat. She was a woman who was making a real difference in the world, and damn if that didn’t make her even more attractive.

“Dude, I’m so getting her number.” Lex clapped his hand on my shoulder, his eyes fixed on Jade as she mingled with the crowd.

I gritted my teeth. “Lex, I swear to god, if you?—”

“Relax, bro. I’m just going to talk to her. You know, lay on the Badden charm.” He winked. “Wish me luck.”

Before I could stop him, he was off, weaving through the crowd toward Jade. I watched, not wanting to cause a scene by going after him.

They talked for a few minutes, and relief washed over me when she finally excused herself, leaving Lex standing there with a slightly dumbfounded expression on his face. I smirked as he walked back my way, his ego clearly bruised.

“Shot you down, huh?” I tried to keep the satisfaction out of my voice but failed miserably.

Lex shrugged. “Can’t win them all.”

“Well, maybe Melissa will be fair game. Good luck.” I quickly turned as Melissa walked toward us.

I made a beeline for the bar, desperate for a drink after watching Lex attempt to hook up with Jade. As I approached, I saw her standing there, waiting for the bartender. She probably wasn’t going to be happy to see me, but that was all part of the fun.

Before I could reach her, a man slid up next to her, putting his hand on the small of her back. Damn it. Did she have a boyfriend? The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind.

It should have; she was a catch.

I stopped a few feet back to wait for her to turn around and see me. Her reaction would be worth it, even if she was even more off-limits than before.

Jade’s body language stiffened, her shoulders tensing as she sidestepped away from the guy.

Okay, so maybe not her boyfriend.

I was close enough to hear exactly what he said. “You’re the sex toy queen, huh? I bet you know all sorts of fun tricks.”

Jade turned her head so she was looking directly at the man. “Excuse me?”

“A woman like you, running a company like that? You must be wild in bed.”

I clenched my fists, ready to intervene, but Jade beat me to it. “I don’t know who you think you are, but I suggest you remove your hand from my back and walk away before I cause a scene.”

The guy laughed, completely oblivious that he was about to get his ass handed to him. If not by Jade, then by me.

“Playing hard to get? I like a challenge.” His hand dropped lower, nearly touching her ass.

That was it. I couldn’t stand by and watch this any longer. I stepped forward, right as Jade knocked his hand away. She looked absolutely murderous.

“Your speech was great, babe.” I didn’t put my arm around her and kiss her temple like I really wanted to, but I did take her hand.

Jade’s eyes widened as she looked over at me, but I gave her a subtle smile before turning my attention to the man who was now staring at us, an incredulous look on his face.

I stuck out my free hand, giving him my most charming smile. “I’m Jade’s boyfriend, Noah Badden, part owner and chief operations manager of Badden Apparel. And you are? ”

The guy hesitated for a moment before taking my hand. “Uh, Mark. Mark Jameson.”

I squeezed his hand, harder than necessary. I knew who this guy was now that I was getting a good look at him. “Apex Investments, right? I’m very familiar with your company, Mark. In fact, I think I’ll be giving your boss a call first thing on Monday. I’m sure she’ll love to hear how one of her employees is harassing women at a charity event meant to empower them.”

Mark’s face paled. “No, man, it’s not like that. I was being friendly and wanted to buy her a drink.”

I still had a hold of his hand and squeezed even tighter, feeling more than a little satisfaction when he winced. “Friendly? Is that what you call it? Because from where I was standing, it looked a lot like harassment.”

As soon as I let go of his hand, he immediately cradled it to his chest. “Come on, you know how it is.”

“No, actually, I don’t. It’s time for you to leave, Mark. And I strongly suggest you take a good, hard look at how you treat women.”

He mumbled something under his breath before turning and practically running away.

“I had it handled.” Jade was annoyed, but she didn’t let go of my hand as I led her away from the bar. “But thank you for saving me from having to knee him in the balls.”

“I would have loved to see my girlfriend do that.” I smirked, trying to lighten the mood and get her mind off what had just happened.

Jade pulled her hand away with a roll of her eyes. “I’m not?—”

A throat cleared from behind us. “Jade?”

For the second time in one night, I watched her stiffen from a man’s voice.

We both turned around. I knew the man standing there very well from the pain in the ass client he was. William Dalton was not only old money and rich as fuck, he was also one of the new owners of the Seawolves.

He was just as surprised to see me as I was to see him. “Noah Badden, what a pleasant surprise.” He extended his hand.

I shook it and gave a nod in greeting to the woman with him, who had her lips pursed in a rather tight line. Were these Jade’s parents?

Before I could even introduce myself to the woman, she pulled Jade to the side. “Jade, that speech was completely inappropriate. How could you embarrass us like that in front of all these people? Haven’t you embarrassed us enough?”

“Mother,” Jade hissed under her breath. “People can hear you.”

Her mother scoffed. “Well, people could certainly hear you when you talked about... about…” Wow, she couldn’t even say it out loud.

“Orgasms? Self-pleasure?” Jade sighed. “Why did you even come tonight?”

“Oh, trust me. I didn’t want to, but how would we look if I didn’t attend a charity event where our daughter was speaking?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

William cleared his throat. “We’re disappointed that you would share such intimate details so publicly. How will you ever find a suitable husband when you belittle men by talking about such things?”

Jade’s shoulders slumped, and without even thinking, I stepped in next to her and slipped my arm around her waist, pulling her close to me. “Jade’s speech was amazing. It’s incredible to see a woman speak so confidently about sex and owning her own business.”

Jade’s mother looked at me like I’d grown a second head, but I smiled, refusing to back down.

William narrowed his eyes on where my hand was resting lightly on his daughter’s waist. “Jade, what is this?”

Jade surprised me by leaning into me and placing her hand on my chest. “This... is my boyfriend.”