Page 2 of Tempted

“Isn't it so radiant? The galaxy theme really seems to be a hit with the clients. I’m so proud of what we were able to pull together.”

I nodded. “It truly is special. My clients have been gushing about it all night.”

She was a bitch, but she was also damn good at her job.

“I don't think we've met, I'm Gloria!” She reached her hand towards Curtis, who was holding at least two fingers of scotch, the fucking asshole.

“Oh, sorry! This is Curtis.”

“The fiancé,” he said crisply.

He said fuckingwhat? I jolted and tried to cover it with a wide smile.

“Oh my god, I had no idea!” Gloria's eyes darted to my ring finger, which clearly didn't have an engagement ring on it.

“Ahh, it's a gorgeous solitaire cut. It's being resized right now, but I love it.” Lying had become second nature in this place, but this was something else altogether.

“You have to show me when it comes back! I'm so happy for you. It was nice to meet you,fiancé. I've got to run. Have a lovely night, you two!”

She rushed off, and I was left standing beside Curtis, feeling winded as rage flooded my body. Thankfully, it did manage to distract me from the pain in my feet and I was able to storm – as much as one can storm in three-inch heels – toward the ladies' room without even acknowledging Curtis.

I threw back the full flute of champagne on the way, leaving the empty by the bathroom door.

Grabbing the corner stall, I took a deep and shaky breath. My therapist had explained that breathing into different areas of your body helped calm anxiety. But she never mentioned full-body rage. I didn’t think that was going to be much help. But, murder? That would do the trick.

Closing my eyes, I thought about all the ways I could kill and get away with it. Water poisoning. I think that's a thing. Salt pills? No, that high blood pressure would take years, and I needed something immediate that drenched me in blood.

That made me feel better in a dark, very Cary Elwes in Saw kind of way. Squishy, slick blood. Warm and gooey. Nope, too far. I heaved a little at the thought and laughed. Yeah, that helped.

I took one final breath and opened the stall, ready to head back out.

A knock came at the bathroom door and a hand popped into view with a glass of champagne. Only one fool would be willing to embarrass himself by coming into the women’s bathroom to check on me: Hugh.

Ensuring the other stalls were empty, I opened the door.

“The coast is clear, you can come in,” I said, walking to the sink.

“You okay? It looked like you needed this.”

I turned on the water and scrubbed my hands a bit harder than necessary while I sized up the impeccable one-button charcoal gray suit he was wearing in the mirror. It was all angles. He’d paired it with a crisp white button-up sans tie. Always on the daring side, three of the buttons were undone, and a golden jade bar winked against his honey umber skin. A highball glass of whiskey was gripped in his hand, and the wordsnackcame to mind.

“Armani?” I asked, ignoring his question.

“Picked it up this morning, I didn't think it was going to be ready in time. Figured it would impress Lucian.”

The CEO. He didn’t need to impress Lucian. Hugh walked into the room and owned that bitch. He turned heads and charmed clients. And with this suit, he’d definitely received some stares. Perfectly tailored, it hung on Hugh like a second skin.

Hugh had started to grow out his heart-shaped beard, but he kept it shaped and tight. Seeing the fuller beard on him was something. It contrasted a bit with his bald head, but half thepeople he talked to didn’t even notice because his charisma is what really caught your attention.

I dried my hands and grabbed the flute from him, feeling a zap of electricity as our fingers brushed. I shrugged it off and told my hormones to chill, a one-sided conversation we’d had many times before.

“It's definitely impressive,” I said, smiling.

He smiled back. “This was all me, girl. And you – you look phenomenal.”

The gown I’d gone with had a taupe collared silk top that connected to a flared-out blue, bronze, and silver metallic feathered skirt with a slit that came all the way up between my thighs. Sexy, but enough material to be a little modest. I’d tied the long sash around my waist to the side and finished off the chrome look with equally stunning smoky bronze and blue eyeshadow and a dark brown lip stain.

I took a lot of joy in dressing up for these events. Plus size clothing had changed so much in the last two decades and I felt like these events finally gave me the opportunity to lean in and try something new and different that didn’t include dressing like a 75-year-old grandmother counting down her days.

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