Luckily, I find some mouthwash and thoroughly rinse my mouth at least half a dozen times. Ugh! That was not pretty. I haven’t been sick like that in years.
I take a deep breath and blow into my hand to make sure that all I can smell is mint before stepping out of the bathroom. I’m ready to face the world again, the world that is this boat anyway.
I quickly go past that door and up to the main level to join my fiancé.
I find him on one of the cream-colored leather sofas against the wall, sitting between Victor and some other friend of his whose name I can’t remember.
People gather around them, listening to Spence talk about the stock market or something—topics that always cause my eyes to glaze over.
People are always hassling him for financial advice, and it happens so often that I just zone out. I guess if I were really smart, I’d listen to what they say and learn a few things myself.
I work my way through the small crowd, and Spence spots me, sending his gorgeous smile my way.
“Move over, Harry,” he tells the man to his right, “my lady needs a seat.”
Harry moves over a little, so that I can sit between them, and Spence drapes an arm around my shoulder.
“Are you okay? You were gone a while?” he whispers in my ear, making sure not to let anyone else hear.
I nod and offer him a small smile.
I decide not to tell him that I just got sick; otherwise, he would have us leave right now, and I know he’s having a good time. So, I just sit quietly, nestled against him and listening to him talk.
I sometimes forget just how smart he is. When he speaks, you can sense his confidence, and I still feel the power that radiates off him, though I’m no longer intimidated by it.
I place a hand on his thigh and squeeze, not caring if anyone sees it.
He runs a finger up the back of my neck in response—this is how we communicate with each other when we can’t talk out loud.
Suddenly, Anya comes pushing through the crowd and plops down on her father's lap, next to us.
Seth stands nearby, looking like the cat who just ate the canary, avoiding my eyes.
“Hi, daddy!” Anya says brightly, kissing Victor on the cheek. Then, she peeks over and smiles conspiratorially at me.
“Hi pumpkin,” Victor chortles, he’s drunk as a skunk already.
“So, Spence,” Anya turns her attention to Spence, interrupting him, “I hear the Masque is next weekend?” she inquires.
Spence turns to her.
“Spence, huh? Whatever happened to calling me Mr. Manfredi?” he smirks at her, amused.
“I’m all grown up now.” She smiles at him, biting her full bottom lip.
“Yes, I suppose you are,” he nods, glancing over at Seth.
“So, I was wondering then, can I come to your party?” she asks him hopefully, jutting her bottom lip out in a fake pout. “I’ve been a good girl, and I’ve always wanted to go, and now that I’m old enough…please?”
She leans in and gives him some big puppy eyes. Spence laughs out loud at this.
“Vic! Your little princess here wants to attend my party next weekend. What do you think of this?”
He elbows Victor, who stares up at his daughter on his lap, eyebrows furrowed.
“Well now Anya,” Victor starts, shooting Seth a look that says he remembers just what he did last year at said party, “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
Victor shakes his head.
“Well daddy, unfortunately, it’s not up to you,” she states before turning her gaze back to Spence in anticipation.
Spence sighs, seemingly trying to decide whether he should give in. He looks over at me, seeking my opinion without actually saying the words. I shrug at him; I don’t want any part of this.
“I suppose you’d be bringing a date?” Spence says, raising an eyebrow at Seth.
“Is that a yes?” she asks hopefully, grabbing Spence’s arm.
He just nods once, though he doesn’t look very sure of his decision; he actually seems a little irritated.
“Oh, yay!” Anya squeals, leaning in and hugging Spence around the neck, before planting a lingering kiss on his cheek. “I’m so excited!”
“I’ll have you and your date added to the list,” he murmurs, shaking his head and looking over at Victor, who is frowning at Seth, who is looking around, slightly uncomfortable.
“Sorry, Vic,” Spence says quietly.
“I guess I have to get used to this shit at some point.
“What my little girl wants, she usually gets, so why should this be any different?” Victor mutters as Anya hops off his lap and hurries over to Seth’s side, pulling him away from the crowd.
“How’d those two meet anyway?” Spence asks Victor.
“Seth was showing me some new properties that I’m interested in, and you know that I like to deal with him directly instead of his staff. The boy knows his onions.
“Anyway, Anya happened to accompany me during one of those meetings, and she went crazy for him. I couldn’t stop her. She was determined, to say the least,” Victor explains.
So, I guess that explains that. Victor doesn’t approve by the tone of his voice.
I suppose if I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t either, knowing what he knows and having been there last year in that VIP room just before everything went down with Seth, Lucas, and I.
Spence, Victor, and his wife had left us alone in that room, knowing full well what was about to go down. That thought still makes me inwardly cringe.
“My little girl is growing up, and I hate it. I’m just glad that you were off the market before she came here because she’s had a crush on you for years,” Victor reveals, and Spence chuckles.
“Even if I wasn’t.” Spence shoots me an assuring look before turning back to Victor. “I would never go there, Vic. I’ve known Anya since she was a little girl.”
Victor laughs raucously.
“She used to call you Mr. Hottie Manfredi and even had pictures of you on her wall that she cut out of magazines. Seriously drove her mother and me crazy.”
Spence frowns at this, looking slightly uncomfortable, and I mirror this discomfort a little bit.
I don’t like the thought of that girl fawning over my fiancé, however innocently, because she doesn’t seem so innocent anymore.
Later on in the evening when the sun has set and the heat has eased off, most people congregate on the upper deck.
The upper deck is half-covered with another full bar underneath and bar seating tables and chairs. There is even a hot tub up here. This is the party floor.
Loud music is playing through invisible speakers, and the party is now in full swing. Most people are relatively intoxicated, including Spence and me.
In my inebriated state, I’m finding Paulette The Horrible pretty fun as she tells me some hilariously inappropriate story.
We laugh and giggle loudly with Spence at my side, who was chiming in every once in a while.
Out of the blue, Seth comes over to us, looking like he wants to say something.
“Can I talk to you a minute, Spence?” Seth asks him, glancing at me. My giggles halt abruptly.
“Alone?” he adds.
Spence’s smile disappears, but he nods once at Seth.
“Excuse me a moment, my love,” Spence murmurs to me, kissing my forehead and walking off with Seth.
I watch as they climb the steps to the uppermost level where the bridge is. I wonder what that is all about. Then, as if that wasn’t awkward enough, Anya stumbles over to me, clearly drunk.
“Hi, Roxanne.” She smiles at me, her dark brown eyes twinkling.
“Hi, Anya.” I smile politely at her.
“So, that was crazy earlier, right?” she giggles, obviously referring to our little run-in downstairs earlier today.
“Sorry about that, I was looking for a bathroom,” I tell her, feeling my cheeks warm.
“Oh, it’s okay. I didn’t mind,” she says smoothly. “You could have stayed if you wanted to.”
“Excuse me?” I gasp.
“Yeah,” she smiles. “You heard me. You know what? I think you are really hot.”
She reaches out and runs a long fingernail down my arm. I watch her in disbelief and then notice Paulette watching us with interest.
“Um…,” I murmur, not sure what to do.
Anya moves in closer to me—too close—and leans in to whisper in my ear.
“I think that you and I should have a little fun together. I like girls too, you know.” Her breath tickles my skin. “And let our guys watch us.”
I pull back and look at her, shocked.
“Whoa there, Anya,” I say quietly, trying not to draw any attention to this little scene. “I don’t think that is going to happen.”
“Why not?” she asks, still touching my shoulder.
“Because that would be inappropriate, and I’m not interested,” I tell her.
“Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, Roxanne. I think you will be amazed by just how much you will like it,” she purrs, moving in close again, and this time, pushing her breasts against mine.
She’s about the same height as me and so our faces are only inches apart as she stares me down. This girl has the gift of seduction, that much I can tell.
Now I understand why she always gets what she wants.
“Anya, please,” I whisper, my eyes darting nervously from side to side.
God only knows who is watching us and what they are thinking. She just smiles and backs away slightly.
“Just…think about it,” she says softly, biting her lip.
“See you at the Masque, Roxanne,” she says and strides away.
“Wow!” Paulette blurts once Anya is gone.
“Holy shit, right?” I agree.
“Victor’s daughter is a naughty one, isn’t she?” Paulette giggles.
“Apparently,” I mutter.
“Watch out for that one, Roxanne; she’s up to no good. I would know,” Paulette states, raising an eyebrow.
Paulette may have a point there. Anya almost reminds me of a female version of Lucas, and that couldn’t be a good thing.
Spence and Seth eventually come back down, and I’m surprised when I see that they are laughing. Spence has an arm around Seth’s shoulders.
They approach me, and I watch them cautiously and confused, very confused.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“I just apologized to Spence here for my behavior earlier,” Seth says. “I told him that I was just surprised, but I’m actually happy for you guys and wish you nothing but happiness.
“Also, I hope we can be friends again. Water under the bridge?”
“Really?” I ask dubiously. This is quite the turnaround.
“Of course! Why not, right?” Spence chimes in, flashing his best smile. I look between them, not sensing any tension. They just smile back at me easily.
“Okay…” I offer a small smile, still unsure. “If you say so. I’m glad we can move past everything and be friends again.”
“Great!” Seth replies, excitedly—too excitedly; it doesn’t seem natural on him.
Spence moves to stand between Seth and I and puts an arm around each of us.
“Water under the bridge or boat or whatever,” Spence chuckles before smacking us both on the back and turning to head over to the bar for a drink, leaving us standing there on our own.
I look over at Seth, who is smirking at me, clearly amused.
“So, now you’re happy for us?” I ask quietly.
“I’m going to try to be,” he nods.
“What made you change your mind?”
“Rox, I’d rather have you in my life in some way than not at all, okay?” Seth says, taking a deep breath.
“Really?” I whisper.
“Yeah really,” he says quietly and steps closer to me.
He leans in slightly. “And the day you finally realize who you’re really supposed to be with, I’ll be there.”
“Seth!” I snap. “I’m marrying Spence. I love him.”
“I don’t doubt that you do, Roxanne, but I think that you still have deep feelings for me too,” he argues.
I frown at him. “So, you were just lying to Spence about being friends again?”
“No, I meant it.”
“Friends don’t try to steal their friend’s fiancé.”
“I’m not trying to steal you, and really, you can’t steal something from someone if it was never really theirs in the first place.”
“What does that mean? Of course, I’m Spence’s.”
I’m glaring hard at him now.
“Okay. We’ll see,” he says lightly.
“Seth, seriously…” I fume.
“Relax, Roxanne. I’m not going to try anything; I’m just going to be your friend, and I’m just going to be here whenever you need me, alright?”
“Yeah well, I’m not so sure that’s a good idea anymore.”
“Things were different then,” I mutter. “And what about your little girlfriend?” I add, and he snorts.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Roxanne! Do you really think she and I are serious? Please.” He smirks.
“She tried to proposition me tonight, you know?” I tell him, and I don’t know why I do.
“Really?” He raises his eyebrows.
“Yeah. She said I should have joined you two earlier. You guys should really learn to lock the door, by the way.”
“That was interesting,” Seth chuckles, not commenting on the other part.
“Not funny.”
“It was a little funny,” he counters.
“No…it really wasn’t. Not to me.” I frown.
“It bothered you?”
“No,” I say quickly, avoiding his knowing eyes.
“Yes, it did,” he murmurs just as Anya comes over and wraps her arms around his neck, kissing him and effectively ending our conversation.
It’s probably a good thing that she does because it was going nowhere good, fast.
“Hi babe,” she coos. “Let’s go in the hot tub,” she says, pulling on his arm.
Seth shrugs and lets her pull him away, but not before smiling over his shoulder at me.
“That could be fun,” Spence says from behind me, causing me to jump and him to laugh.
“Sorry, did I startle you?”
“Um…yeah… What could be fun?” I ask, taking the glass of wine he hands me.
“The hot tub,” he says, gesturing toward it with his chin.
“I don’t have my swimsuit,” I say, feeling a smile tug at the corners of my mouth.
A distant memory of my very first sexual encounter with Spence comes to mind, and I remember how I had said the same thing to him then.
“Just wear your underwear; it does the same job as a swimsuit,” he smiles, tugging me toward the large hot tub.
It’s big enough to fit at least twenty people. We make it to the edge and look down into it. Anya is already climbing in with just her bra and panties, and Seth is pulling his pants off.
I watch as he climbs in, my eyes landing on his wing tattoo.
I quickly turn my attention to Spence, who smiles at me as he removes his jacket and tie and then starts undoing the buttons of his white shirt.
“Come on, Roxanne.” He winks at me.
So, I go with it—I turn and pull my hair aside to allow him to undo my zipper. He pulls it down, and I shrug out of my dress and step out of my shoes. I’m now in only my nude-colored bra and thong.
Feeling overly exposed to the crowd, I quickly climb into the tub and slide down until the water is up to my neck.
I look up at Spence, who has just stepped out of his shoes and pants. Now wearing only his underwear, he gathers up our clothes and puts them down on a nearby chair before coming back and stepping in.
God, he’s so sexy. If we weren’t in public right now, I’d be jumping him this instant. I glance over at Seth and Anya only to find Anya’s eyes glued to Spence and Seth’s eyes glued to me.
“Wow! This party just got a lot more interesting!”
We all look up at a grinning Paulette, who undresses and climbs in as well. Soon, a few more people join in, forcing the four of us to move in closer together.
Yeah, things just got a lot more interesting.
