“The only beauty I see is before me,” Andy said. He could smooth talk practically anyone out of their panties. Except me.
We had gone on a date once and, although he’s beautiful and charming, I could see right through his web of charisma. I’m convinced that the phrase player was specifically named after him.
“I’m here to pick up Fiona’s dress,” I told him, ignoring his compliment.
“Of course,” he said with a head nod. Andy went into the back of the store to retrieve Fiona’s dress while I walked through the maze of lifelike mannequins, running my fingertips along the exquisite fabric.
My phone rang, echoing Paramore’s “Heart” through the empty store.
“Hello?”
“Don’t forget to pick up my dress,” Fiona’s overly excited voice said.
“On it.”
“Awesome! Now maybe you can tell me why Micah is standing in our kitchen waiting for you?”
I bit my lip at her displeased tone. “There is someone in Hemlock we need to talk to who might have known Amy Harper.”
Silence.
“I told him I’d contact the guy myself, but he insists on coming along. Plus we think Rush might serve…might hold some answers to our many questions.”
I shook my head at the near miss of mentioning brew, but luckily Fiona hadn’t caught it.
“How are we supposed to have fun with an uptight Micah acting as a third wheel?” Her voice was on the verge of being whiney.
“We’ll investigate and then you and I will have some drinks and dance. Micah will just have to deal with it.” A thought occurred to me, what were we going to do with Fiona while we were investigating? We couldn’t leave her alone in the club. I gritted my teeth because I knew of one way to keep her safe while Micah and I were questioning Anthony, but I doubted she would like it.
“Um, Fiona, I think Aiden should go with us too.”
She released an irritated sigh and said, “Why don’t all of your love interests come, geez, Gwen.”
“Witches are being murdered, Fiona, I think that’s more important than shaking our asses to Beyonce. Aiden needs to come so that you’re not left alone while Micah and I question the guy,” I spat out; annoyed that she was being so difficult.
“Fine, but you’re buying my drinks all night to make it up to me,” she compromised and then I heard the click of the call ending. I flipped my phone shut with a little more pressure than I meant to. I hoped that Fiona’s date with Liam would go really well tomorrow night, that girl needed a distraction.
“Here it is,” Andy said holding out a white garment bag.
“Thank you,” I said as I grabbed the bag. “’Night Andy.”
I wanted to just throw her dress into the back of my Jeep but that would be immature, so I carefully laid it across the backseat and headed for home.
I flipped my cell phone open and dialed Aiden; he would’ve been awake for an hour now.
“Yes, my Gwen?
I felt slightly embarrassed about what had happened between us the night before but not enough to let it bother me. He was gorgeous and I was single, so we hadn’t done anything wrong.
“Are you busy tonight?”
“Oh, are you planning our first official date?”
“No, I’m going to Hemlock tonight with Fiona and Micah. I wanted to know if you’d do me a favor.”
“Ah yes, how could I forget that you’ll be with Micah tonight. What is this favor, my Gwen?” he asked, his voice only slightly annoyed.
“I need you to come with us so that Fiona won’t be alone while we question someone.”
“So you want me to baby-sit while you go off with your ex?”
I cringed, not because he sounded mad, but because what I was asking sounded really bad. I was one hundred percent sure I was over Micah and interested in Aiden, but I was doing a lousy job of showing it.
“Just for a short time and then we can spend the rest of the night dancing,” I told him, hoping that would be enough to entice him.
“Only if you promise me some really good dancing, maybe a lap dance?” I could hear the amusement in his voice. I cringed at the thought of grinding on top of Aiden in a room full of people.
“Possibly, I wouldn’t risk not coming if I were you!” I could play games just as well as he could.
“Consider me intrigued,” he said, his voice low and sexy. A flashback to our intimacy the previous night invaded my mind and sent chills racing through my entire body. He had that effect over me.
“I’m pulling into the apartment complex right now. We’re leaving within the hour,” I told him and then I flipped my phone shut. Grinning like an adolescent girl. I grabbed Fiona’s dress and headed up the concrete stairs.
She had the stereo blaring, so when I opened the door, I was hit with the thumping bass line to some kind of techno song. I threw my purse and jacket on the kitchen table and made my way back to Fiona’s bedroom. She was in the process of standing in front of her full-length mirror and trying on different outfits. One minute she was wearing a skimpy red dress and then it was instantly replaced with a sparkly white one. Magic was a sure way to save a girl time when it came to choosing an outfit.
“Who’s the best friend in the whole world?” I said as I held out the heavy garment bag. She gave her reflection one last glance and then shifted it to me. “Thanks,” she said, grabbing the bag out of my hands.
“You’re still pissed at me?”
“Why on earth would I be pissed at you? I mean, I planned for tonight to be a girls’ night out and then I learn that not only is it not going to be just the girls, but you invited your ex-boyfriend as well as your new boyfriend.”
I knew she was really pissed because she flung her custom made dress from Andy onto her bed. Under normal circumstances, she would have taken it out and admired it before carefully placing it back in the bag and hanging it up.
Fiona and I used to go out all the time when we were younger and liked to party. But since breaking up with Micah and opening my shop I hadn’t gone to a club in almost two years. She wasn’t so upset that guys were going with us; it was the fact that she wouldn’t have my attention all night. We wouldn’t be able to dance together or hit on cute guys together, she’d be the odd man out.
“Look I’m really sorry. I told Micah that I couldn’t go with him to Hemlock because I had plans with you tonight but he planned on going at night anyway, so he invited himself. The interview shouldn’t take that long and then we’ll have the whole night free to have fun, I promise. The only reason Aiden is going is because I want you to be safe. Amy Harper was from Hemlock, so whoever killed her could be from there too and we could be targeted,” I explained, hoping this would be the end of it. Fiona had a hard time seeing the big picture because she lived in the now. She wouldn’t worry about being caught by the murderer, until she was caught.
“Yeah, okay. I’m sorry; I don’t mean to be so bitchy. I guess when my father told me that I was too old to still be single, it got to me. I wanted to have a fun night like we used to, so I still felt young,” she said, her words winding down to only a whisper.
“We’re only twenty-six. If we’re still single when we’re forty, then you can worry. You should know not to let anything your father says bother you.” I threw an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a hug. I could feel her tightened muscles instantly relax and she leaned her head on my shoulder.
“I’d go with the red dress,” I told her.
Ten minutes later, after scarfing down a turkey sandwich, it was my turn to try on outfits. I couldn’t really go all out club glam because I had to look semi-professional. I didn’t want to show up in a mini and stilettos to our interview, that wouldn’t be a good first impression. Deciding on a pair of black skinny jeans, red halter top, cropped black leather jacket, and a red pair of Manolo Blahniks I borrowed from Fiona. I left my long dark locks down so that they flowed down my back and magicked my makeup. I hated putting it on myself.
Content with my appearance, I headed back to the kitchen. Micah and Aiden had both arrived, looking a little testy to be standing so closely to each other. It’s a myth that vampires and werewolves are mortal enemies. I’ve known a lot of vampires who dated weres. In terms of Micah and Aiden, it was simple; they just didn’t like each other.
Micah was dressed in dark washed jeans that looked brand new. His shirt clung tightly to his broad chest, naturally muscular from being a were with an incredible alpha line.
Aiden was dressed completely opposite. He wore black pinstripe dress pants with a turquoise dress shirt that had the first two buttons undone, showcasing his smooth toned chest. His dark hair framed his face and contrasted beautifully against his blue eyes. “Hey guys, looking good,” I told them as I went to get a bottled water from the fridge. Arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me against the hardness of a chest. Even if it wasn’t obvious, I would have known it was Aiden, even if I was blindfolded. His energy affected me like nothing else. The scent of spices and soap wafted all around my body and I inhaled the pleasure of his essence. Aiden always smelled amazing.
He pulled my hair to one side to reveal my neck. A shiver danced up my spine. He pressed a kiss at the crook of my neck and I leaned against him, forgetting Micah was standing only five feet away.
Fiona cleared her throat in an overly loud tone, her way of telling us to break it up. I turned to face her and blushed when I noticed Micah staring at me.
“You guys are worse than two horny teens,” Fiona said. Aiden chuckled and I wanted to die of embarrassment.
“I find it’s hard to contain myself whenever my Gwen’s in the room.” His hand trailed down to rest on my ass and I nudged him with my elbow. He was purposely trying to piss off Micah and although it wasn’t prominent, Micah’s jaw line had tightened the tiniest bit.
“Yeah, yeah, Gwen is a mouth-watering piece of ass; can we get a move on?” Fiona said with humor. If there was ever a person who did not crave the limelight, it was me. I grabbed my purse and gave Aura a head rub before heading for the door.