Page 50 of A Real Good Bad Thing

“You’re very welcome. Enjoy,” she said. “Ready to go back to the living room?”

“As ever,” I replied faux cheerily, because what else could I do? Together we returned to the throng of women.

Bianca stood up when Monica came in and asked excitedly, “Did you bring it?”

“I did,” Monica said in a sex-kitten voice. Setting the cardboard box on the table, she took out a smaller one that looked distinctly like the box that had held my diamond when Eli had given it to me. I perked up with interest when she popped open the velvet jeweler’s box.

All the guests gasped. Was Willow giving out diamonds as party favors? What kind of world did Eli inhabit?

“Oh, it’s gorgeous,” one of the women said.

Blindingwas another word that worked. The stone glittered in the overhead light. And it was bigger than the jewel around Willow’s neck.

But it looked fake.

Because itwasfake—rhinestone studded and shaped like…

Willow pulled the item out of the box, squealing happily. “Oh, I’ve had my eye on this one.”

Ugh. Three over-shares and you are out.

Or rather,Iwas out.

I smacked my head as if remembering something. “I forgot I have a late-night dive. Must go.” Not waiting on anyone to tell me goodbye, I rushed out of there like my tail was on fire.

* * *

I marched down the stone path and around the front of the house, and walked smack-bang into a firmly muscled chest.

Jake steadied me before I stumbled backward. “Did you find the jelly beans?” he asked with a teasing smirk.

“No,” I huffed. “Willow hijacked me into a TMI party with a gaggle of women in bandage dresses shopping for dolphins, rabbits, and butt plugs. When I managed to get away, I was stymied by a sex-toy mistress, who followed me to the ladies’ room—”

“She didn’t join you in there, did she?”

“No, but she waited outside to give me the most awkward incentive gift ever.”

Jake raised his eyebrows. “Tell me more.”

I shoved the velvet pouch at him. “Go ahead. Look inside.”

He opened the drawstring, took out the item, and held it up to the light spilling from the house. “That’s what we call sneaking in through the back door.”

Despite my frustration, I laughed. “For a minute there, I thought we’d uncovered where the diamonds were. On…butt plugs. But this gem is fake.”

“I’m fascinated to know that someone is making gold-plated dildos and jewel-encrusted vibrators.”

I headed for the car, running a hand through my hair, like that could erase my frustration over the whole damn night. The party had been a total bust. The dinner invite had amounted to nothing. “And I’m aggravated to think we’ll have to return to search another day. Plus, my champagne buzz is nearly gone, so I could really use a Cherry Popsicle.”

“Is that code for a ruby-encrusted—”

I was not in the mood for innuendo. “No. There’s a bar along the beach that serves frozen cherry margaritas with a block of cherry ice that you can suck like a popsicle when you’re done. I need one to erase the image of my stepfather’s fiancée holdingthat thing.” I gestured at the black pouch.

“Fair enough. Let’s go.” We resumed the walk to the car, and he asked, “What’s a bandage dress?”

“It’s a dress that’s very clingy and tight.”

“Sounds uncomfortable.”

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