30. Kian

30

KIAN

I stand in front of the full-length mirror in my dressing room and adjust myself for the millionth time since putting my dinner suit on.

I've been rocking a semi since the moment I raced into the dressing room at the boutique, thinking that something was wrong.

Something was very fucking wrong.

Lorelei in that dress.

Fuck.

I bite down on my curled fist at the image of her standing before me in that fitted royal blue gown.

My cock gets harder again.

I've jerked off three times since getting back here, but I'm still fucking hard. And I still can't get her out of my head.

I thought that blowing off Sasha and taking Lorelei as my date tonight was genius.

I mean, it is fucking genius, because as much as Lorelei annoys the shit out of me with her defiance and need to rile me up in any way that she can, Sasha—all the others—are worse.

All they do is try to impress me. Try to make themselves perfect in the hope that I might want them for more than a night.

None of them have yet to do either of those things.

Sure, they're fun for an evening. They've given me what I needed. But there has never been anything more to it.

But with Lorelei…despite everything, I'm quickly learning that I enjoy spending time with her.

She's different. Her attitude toward me is refreshing. And trying to figure her out, to peel back a few of the steely layers she has wrapped around her, is fucking addictive.

I'm pretty sure she believes that she's closed off and giving nothing away. But she's wrong. Every single day, I learn more about my new assistant, and every single day, I need more.

"Fuck it," I mutter, attempting to hide my semi for the final time.

Marching out of my dressing room, I swipe my cell and wallet from the end of the bed and head toward the exit.

We may have only parted ways an hour ago after the longest hair and makeup appointment in history, but I'm already yearning to see her all dressed up.

"Good evening, sir," Jamie says from his position beside the limo idling outside my apartment block.

Do I think Lorelei will hate such a show of wealth when we roll up to collect her?

Absolutely, yes.

A smirk curls on my lips as I slide into the back of the limo.

I can't fucking wait to see her face.

I sit back and watch the city pass me by as my anticipation increases for the night ahead.

If I didn't know better, I might even say I was excited.

M y knock rings out in the silence of Lorelei's hallway.

I shake my head, unsurprised that she's making me wait.

Anything to infuriate me.

I knock again, picturing her standing on the other side of the door with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Pain in the ass.

I knock for a third time, the joke becoming less and less funny.

"Open the door, Lorelei. I know you're there."

It takes a few seconds, but finally, the sound of movement inside the apartment hits my ears before the lock releases and the door opens.

A rush of her sweet perfume assaults my nose a beat before she appears before me.

Fuck.

If I thought I had a semi earlier…

"Jesus, Lorelei," I mutter, my hand coming up to my mouth just in case I'm drooling.

I'd seen the final hair and makeup, and I'd seen the dress, but my imagination couldn't put it together as well as this.

"You look…"

"Wow, have I really made Kian Callahan lose his words?" she teases as she slips out of her apartment and locks up.

I take a step back, giving her some space, but it's about all I'm capable of.

"Are we going to this thing or just hanging out in my hallway? I've got to be honest, you overpaid for all this," she says, gesturing to herself, "if you planned on spending the night here."

"We're going," I say gruffly, already hating the idea of sharing her with anyone else tonight.

With my hand on the small of her back, I guide her toward the elevator, willing my body to get a grip of itself.

I should not be this affected by a woman. Especially a woman I made my assistant and a huge part of my life.

The second the elevator doors close, the air turns thick.

"You look beautiful," I say honestly, my voice rougher than usual.

Lorelei stands tall beside me, not giving me even a clue how she feels about that compliment before she responds with, "You don't scrub up too badly either."

One side of my mouth twitches with a smile.

"I didn't think you had a thing for billionaires in designer suits."

"Don't read too much into my compliment, sir. I was merely being polite."

Oh, ouch.

"Good to know. I was being entirely sincere. Every other man at the event tonight is going to wish they were me when I walk in with you."

"Maybe tonight won't be a total bust, then. I guess there could be worse outcomes than hooking up with a hot, wealthy guy."

Something bitter and poisonous shoots through my veins and my lips part to respond, but the doors open and Lorelei glides out. I swear, she could be floating for how smoothly she walks.

My eyes automatically drop to her ass that's perfectly wrapped in the royal blue fabric.

Is she wearing panties under there?

"You flash bastard," she announces long before she gets to the exit.

Jamie notices us coming and rushes to open the doors.

"Good evening, Miss Lorelei," he says, his eyes almost bugging out of his head and his cheeks blazing bright red at the sight of her. "You look incredible."

"Thank you, Jamie. I really appreciate it."

She shoots me a look over her shoulder, her eyes dancing with mischief and her smile downright filthy.

Christ. Tonight is going to be hard. Pun very much intended.

With Jamie's attention fully on Lorelei, I adjust myself once more and trail behind her.

"Well, this is fancy," she muses as I join her in the back of the limo.

"I thought your dress deserved it."

"My dress?" she deadpans as I reach for the bottle of champagne chilling on the other side of the limo.

"Yes. I knew the person wearing it would hate it."

"And you would be right."

"Tonight, we do things my way."

I frown when she throws her head back laughing.

Not the reaction I was expecting.

"What?" I ask when her giggles continue.

She sobers as I pass her a glass of champagne.

She takes a sip, making me wait.

"When do we have a day when we do things any other way?"

"I listen to you," I argue.

"Do you?"

"Yes."

"Okay, so you might listen, but that doesn't mean you agree or go with my suggestions."

"I'm your boss."

"Ah, yes, and that means you're always right. I keep forgetting that."

I watch as she takes another sip, her red-stained lips pressing against the glass and then her throat rippling as she swallows.

I wonder if the skin there is as sweet as I imagine…

As she reaches into her purse and looks at a message on her cell, my eyes drop to the split that's cut almost to her thigh, exposing her muscular, tanned leg.

My mouth waters—I can't help myself.

"Are you going to behave tonight?" I ask. There's a part of me hoping that she'll say no and that she'll be naughty with me, but there's another part that keeps reminding me that I'm her boss. That she's my sister-in-law's best friend. That she hates me and everything I stand for.

My head might know all those things, but my body—my dick—doesn't give a single fuck.

"Oh my god," Lorelei gasps, dragging me from my salacious thoughts. "Tell me that we don't have to get out here?"

I glance up to see what she's talking about and find a huge crowd, paparazzi, and a red carpet.

"I didn't buy you that dress for nothing."

Swallowing what's left of my champagne, I take her glass from her hand and sit forward.

"Ready?" I ask as Jamie pulls to a stop in front of the red carpet in preparation to let us out.

"No. You can get out here and soak all that up. Jamie can take me around the back or something."

I chuckle. "Absolutely not. You're walking in on my arm whether you like it or not."

She harrumphs, keeping her eyes on the crowd.

"You're not nervous, are you, Temptress?"

"Pfft, never. I just…I'm no one. They don't want photographs of me."

Jamie opens the door, and the excitement from outside immediately fills the limo.

Sure, we might be no one compared to the celebrities Kieran manages to get to these kinds of events, but still, I have every confidence that our photos will grace plenty of news outlets come sunrise.

"I strongly disagree." Without another word, I move toward the open doors.

Cameras immediately begin flashing before I hear my name murmured in the crowd.

Leaning back into the limo, I hold my hand out for my plus one. I didn't want to mention it, but the only reason people are interested in my arrival is to know who I've brought with me.

I've been connected to numerous high-profile women in the past, so they're probably expecting someone they know. Someone like Sasha.

Well, they're about to get a shock.

Tingles shoot up my arm the second she slides her small hand into mine, and it only gets worse as she emerges from the car.

No one here knows her name, but that doesn't mean she's any less than any other woman who's walked in her shoes. If anything, she's more, and that thought is fucking terrifying.

"Kian, who is your date?"

"Turn this way."

"Kian?"

"What's her name?"

The second Lorelei is standing, I wrap my arm around her waist and pin her to my side as the volume and excitement around us increase, along with the incessant camera flashes.

"This is insane," she whisper-shouts.

Ducking my head low, I brush my lips against her ear, letting everyone make what they want of the intimate move as we continue toward the entrance.

"Welcome to my world, Temptress."

She shudders against me, and my hand tightens on her waist.

We make our way down the red carpet, turning each way for photos before someone else arrives behind us and steals our attention.

"Oh my god," Lorelei gasps the second we're inside the venue for tonight's event. "That was insane."

"Ow," I complain when she suddenly slaps my arm. "What was that for?"

"Why the hell didn't you warn me?"

"I wasn't aware I had to," I say honestly. She may not have grown up in his life, but she's been friends with Tate for long enough to know she attends these kinds of events.

"Unbelievable."

Another couple steps into the building—the woman immediately locks eyes with me, and I nod politely.She's an actress, one that Lorelei would recognize if she stopped glaring at me for even a second.

They move away without a word as a loud cheer erupts from the crowd outside.

"Ah, sounds like my little brother might have arrived," I say. But when I look at Lorelei she's got her nose stuck in her cell again.

Finally, she puts it back into her purse so she can go and see what's going on.

I follow her lead, watching as Kieran works the crowd like a pro.

Lorelei balks"Has he brought two dates?"

"Quite possibly. He's?—"

"A Callahan," she interrupts.

"Hey," I argue.

"What? It's true and you know it."

I shake my head, unable to argue as Kieran gets closer, his dates close behind him.

I don't recognize either of them, but that doesn't mean they're not famous in their own right. Kieran has an image to uphold, and he always chooses his dates wisely. Just like I do… or did…until tonight.

He bursts through the doors with more energy than any adult should possess.

"The king is in the house."

"Oh, Kingston is here?" Lorelei asks without missing a beat and looking around as if he's about to emerge from somewhere.

My brother's eyes land on my date and then widen to the point I'm sure they're going to pop.

"Lorelei Tempest, what a surprise," he says before pulling her in for a hug as if they're best friends and spinning her around.

"Put my date down, asshole," I complain.

Kieran stops, his eyes finding mine.

"Calm down, K. I'm not going to steal your date. I know how important she is to you."

"Shall we go and get a drink?" I suggest, once again wrapping my arm around Lorelei's waist and attempting to steer her away from my shit-stirring brother.

"Yes," she says happily. "But only if Kieran and his dates join us. I'd love to hear more about how important I am."

"I think Kieran will probably be needed elsewhere. This is his event, after all."

"Nah, they can all wait for me." Throwing an arm around each of his dates, he leads the way toward the bar.

"Sorry about him," I whisper to Lorelei.

She smirks, her eyes twinkling.

Oh yeah, I made a massive fucking mistake putting those two together, and something tells me that I'm never going to hear the end of it.