Joshua glares at him. “Because I’m not fucking going there.”
“You already went there, dumbass.”
“Shut up,” Joshua screams and Ben raises his eyebrows at Cameron, signifying psycho chicken.
“Book the VIP room tonight, Ben,” Joshua snaps. “I need to get laid.”
Ben smiles. “Yes,” he mouths at Cameron while he starts dialling another number.
The three cars pull up and they jump in and drive away.
I stand in the bush with my hand on my hips. Are you kidding me? He’s not going there. I’m not frigging going there. VIP room. My blood boils. I should blow up that bloody place. I narrow my eyes and storm back upstairs with renewed vigour. Right, when I get home I’m ringing Jes and I am going to tell him that it’s on baby… and, yes, I fuck on first dates. Mr Stanton is going to miss the boat. Tough luck. And if anyone around here needs to get laid, it’s bloody me!
I walk back upstairs and over to the scattered group.
Bridget is sitting with Wilson. She smiles when she sees me. “What did you do to Joshua?” She raises her eyebrows.
I narrow my eyes. “Nothing … yet.” I glare at her.
Wilson smiles. “He ran out of here like a scared puppy.”
“He should be scared. I’m going, Bridget. Binge drinking at my house at eight.” I pick up my bag and make my way to the door.
She nods and smiles at Wilson. “Jeez, binge drinking at eight, could get messy.”
“So then what did you do?” Abbie asks.
“I kept hiding,” I mutter into my drink.
She rolls her eyes. “You should have jumped out of the bush and punched him straight in the nose.”
I nod as I run my hand over my face. “Yeah, I know,” I reply.
We are sitting in my lounge room. It’s ten o’clock. I am in my pyjamas and we are drinking wine.
“You should have seen him when he came back through the stairwell door. He was totally freaked out.” Bridget smiles.
Abbie points her glass at me. “How was he anyway?”
“Ridiculously hot. On fire.” I sigh.
“Hotter than that guy you kissed last week?”
I pull a disgusted face. “You are kidding, right? No one compares to Joshua Stanton. How in the hell do I get him out of my system?”
We sit in silence as we think.
“Screw it out,” Bridget smiles as she flops back onto the lounge.
“What?” I screw my face up.
“Just have sex. Some poor unsuspecting random guy. Have sex with him. Trust me. Things will be different once you have been with someone else. Broaden your horizons.”
“I do need sex,” I whisper.
“Then JFDI.” Abbie raises her eyebrows at me.
“Huh?” I frown.
“Just fucking do it,” she snaps. “Right. Tomorrow we are having a girly day. Pedicures, facials and then a massage, then we are going to the Ivy and you,” she points her wine glass at me, “are going to score, hopefully with Jesten.” She raises her eyebrows.
“No, not Jesten,” I reply as I shake my head. “We are friends, not Jes. He’s too like Mr Stanton. Someone completely different. Maybe a big beautiful black man.”
“Ohh, yeah,” Bridget laughs. “Now we are talking.”
What a day of pampering. We have just left our beautician where we had facials, pedicures, waxing and bleaching, squeezed in around a beautiful lunch, and now we are going to Abbie’s massage parlour. She comes here once a month.
It is in an industrial area. We pull up out the front of a four-storey dark glass building.
I frown as I look out of the car window and to the bodyguards in the car behind us. “How do they get business out here? Nobody is around.”
Abbie smiles as she closes her car door. “Trust me, the massages are so good, repeat business isn’t a problem.”
Bridget and I smile and hunch our shoulders. “My last massage was three years ago at the physiotherapist. t.”
Abbie smiles and bites her lip.
We walk through the large glass doors. My eyes and those of Bridget are instantly lifted to the opulent surroundings. Wow, this place is beautiful. It’s all cream with huge mirrors and plush carpet. The smell of aromatic massage oil hangs heavy in the air and piped music echoes through the space. This is female opulence at its best. I feel a wave of excitement run through me. Yes, I do need a massage. Good thinking, Abbs.
We wait in the grand reception area and Bridget grabs my hand and giggles. “Wow, check this place out.”
“I know,” I mouth. “Who knew?”
A tall blond muscled-up man, wearing all white, walks into the room. His eyes light up when he sees Abbie.
“Hi Abbs.” He walks around the counter and gives her a kiss on the cheek. She runs her hand up his muscly arm. What the hell? My eyes widen.
“Hi Adam,” she purrs.
“Why did you cancel your last appointment? I was looking forward to it,” he smiles.
Bridget’s eyes and my eyes meet in horror. Holy shit, she’s banging her masseur. Now I have seen it all.
She shrugs. “I had a lot of stuff on. I’m here now, so you can make it up to me.”
He gives her a carnal smile. “Are these your two friends you were telling me about?” His eyes flick over to us.
“Yes,” she smiles at us as she bites her bottom lip.
“I will go and get their masseurs. Back in a minute.” He smiles at us and leaves the room.
Bridget smacks Abbie hard on the arm. “Oh my fuck,” she whispers. “You’re banging your masseur. Who are you?” I start to giggle uncontrollably, what next?
“You can thank me later,” Abbie whispers.
We stand in silence as we wait. Adam returns moments later with two men also dressed in white. Oh shit, they are both gorgeous. Bridget’s eyes meet mine and I swallow uncomfortably. One has brown hair and large brown eyes and the other is tall and well built, maybe Italian or something. Dark eyes, dark hair. Holy shit.
Bridget widens her eyes at me and I nod uncomfortably as I smile. Jeez.
“This is Markus,” Adam holds up his hand to the man with brown hair and gestures to Bridget. “He will be looking after you today.” Bridget smiles nervously at Markus and he gestures to the hallway which he leads her down. I swallow the lump in my throat and my eyes flick back to the Adonis in front of me. “This is Antonio, he will be looking after you today.” He raises his eyebrows in question.
“Natasha,” I whisper.