Page 117 of For the Sub

She was perfect in every way, willing to comply with his wishes, even if it wasn’t in her best interest.

He needed to be careful with her.

After fastening the clasp, he took hold of her and turned her back to face him. “It’s gorgeous on you.”

He drew her toward a mirror and stood behind her so that she could see it and his reaction at the same time. “Better than I imagined. And I imagined plenty.”

She fingered the piece, tracing each symbol. “It really is pretty, Sir.”

And the silver looked stunning against her alabaster skin.

With a sense of pride, he offered his arm, and they rode the elevator to the hotel’s rooftop restaurant.

The maître d’ greeted him by name, then introduced himself to Brandy and welcomed them both to the restaurant.

“Your aunt has not arrived yet, Mr. Malloy. May I show you to your table or the bar?”

As if on cue, the elevator dinged again, and the doors parted to reveal his aunt, wearing a long, sequined gown and dripping with jewelry.

“Incoming,” he warned against Brandy’s ear. “Fair warning, she’s a bit like you, in that she speaks what’s on her mind.”

“I adore her already,” Brandy teased.

He laughed. “I was afraid of that.”

Tall, and thin to the point of being gaunt, Aunt Mame bore down on them, shimmering and shining, and of course teetering on what had to be at least four-inch heels.

Her short silver hair was spiked and held in place by some gravity-defying feat.

After sparing him a glance, she had eyes only for Brandy, and her bright red lips were parted in a genuine smile.

Now that he’d seen Aunt Mame, he was glad he came.

When he’d first lost Eleanor, Mame’s vibrant energy had been hard to take, but now it was infectious.

He expected a hug or for her to present her cheek for a quick kiss, but she continued to ignore him completely in favor of sweeping Brandy into her arms. “Hello, darling! Thank you, thank you.” She stepped back and held Brandy by the upper arms. “I’ve been dying to look at you. Beautiful. My gawd, that hair.”

“Aunt Mame, meet Brandy Hess. She’s a web designer and she—”

“Yes, yes.” She scowled at him. “I’ll get to you in a minute, Niles.”

Immediately, she returned her attention to Brandy, leaving him and the maître d’ just standing there.

“Right now, I have to let Brandy know how much I love her.” She waved her hand, and her jewels danced in the overhead light. “Somehow she got you out of your godforsaken mausoleum of a house and to my party.”

Mausoleum?

“She could be on the police blotter for all I care. In fact, hiding her in the kitchen when the coppers show up could be fun.”

Brandy laughed.

And for one of the first times in his life, he was at a bit of a loss.

Though he’d been married to Eleanor, his aunt had never given her this kind of attention. “Brandy, meet my incorrigible aunt, Mame Malloy.”

Brandy shot him a grin. “We’re involved in a mutual-admiration society, already.” Then she returned her attention to Mame. “In just these few seconds, I think we could be great friends, ma’am.”

“Mame, darling. Please. Don’t make me feel old.”

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