Page 139 of Sweet Temptation

Actually, we lost him on the back deck, where he had a great vantage point over the whole yard and was watching our backs right now.

“Well, welcome,” Mia said. She looked at Summer’s empty hands, then mine. “Do you need a drink or anything?”

I wasn’t sure what anything was, but she didn’t elaborate.

“I’m going up to talk to Trevor,” Summer announced, nodding toward the DJ platform above us. Then she glanced at me. “Why don’t you… mingle?”

“Sure,” I said, though I had no idea why. The last thing I knew how to do at a party like this was mingle.

I watched Summer climb up the ladder to the bridge that connected with the treehouse thing, my eyes glued to her ass in the those black satin pants. She went up behind the DJ and slipped her arms around him. He turned and when he saw her, he took off his headphones and greeted her with a hug, lifting her right off the floor.

“Who’s Trevor?”

The question fell out of my mouth before I could stop it.

“Oh, that’s Toxic,” Mia said. “But spelled with two K’s and an S.”

Huh?

“So as not to be confused with all the other DJ Toxics out there,” she explained with a small smile.

“Oh.”

“Can I get you anything?”

“No, thank you. Maybe in a bit.”

“The kitchen is stocked if you want anything. Please, help yourself.”

“Thank you.”

I stood there, not sure what to do. Usually, as a bodyguard at events, I’d been more of a shadow figure, trying to make myself as invisible as possible on the sidelines. But my clients didn’t usually introduce me to their family members like I was a friend—or a date—and refrain from telling them I was security, then leave me to “mingle.”

I looked around. Justice had turned away to talk to some guys, doing the hosting thing.

Mia looped her arm through mine. “Come with me.”

Maybe she’d taken pity on me. Did I look that socially inept?

She introduced me around to some of her friends. They all seemed nice. High, maybe, but nice.

All the while, I kept looking around, watching the yard fill up. Summer seemed safe here. It was her brother’s house. And everyone seemed to be having a good time.

So what was that prickle at the back of my neck about?

Mia stopped to chat with some friends, and I stood by, trying not to look too awkward or out-of-place. In my simple black jeans and leather jacket, I definitely wasn’t dressed like most of the people here were. There was more faux fur, glitter and ruffles than I’d ever seen in one place—and I’d once had a drag queen as a client.

It was like everyone was in costume, and yet I got the feeling they dressed like this all the time.

I wasn’t the only one not drinking, though. There were conspicuously few people with drinks in hand. And if people weren’t drinking alcohol at a party this cool, there was usually only one reason.

I wondered what kinds of drugs were going around.

I kept an eye on Summer up in that DJ treehouse the whole time. And I wondered if she’d left me with her sister-in-law on purpose, knowing that Mia would show me around.

Maybe she was hoping I’d loosen up a bit.

I wandered over to a small table nearby, where a few girls stood under the giant purple elephant. There were a bunch of pink drinks in little cups, and a sign someone had painted with a heart on it was on the table.

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