“Yeah, but it’s uncomfortable.”
“Quit complaining,” Red grumbled. “I’m starving. Just throw on a dress shirt and nice pants.”
“What are we talking about?” I asked. I was so lost in thought that I’d missed the beginning of their conversation.
“The restaurant downstairs,” Dylan explained. “It’s on the fancier side, but it’s the only place that had a table available on short notice. It’s not quite black-tie, but…”
I pressed my lips into a thin line. “Oh, dear. I don’t think I have anything that fits the bill.”
“Just go in whatever you’re comfortable in,” Red said. “You’ll look beautiful, either way.”
Cash snorted. “ButIhave to dress up?”
“Because you’re naturally a slob. At least if you dress the part, the restaurant staff might not kick you out right away.”
“Rude.”
“It’s the truth.”
I giggled. Listening to them bicker was endlessly entertaining. “You’re like an old married couple,” I teased them both. “I saw a bunch of shops downstairs. I can go down and pick something up for tonight.”
Dylan frowned. “You shouldn’t have to spend that kind of money.”
“Don’t worry about it. I may as well treat myself a little while I’m here. Live it up, you know?”
“Do you want one of us to come with you?” Cash asked.
I smirked. “You just want an excuse to hang out with me.”
“Yeah, and?”
I laughed softly, kissing him on the cheek. “I think I can handle it. I’ll meet you three at the restaurant. Be good while I’m out.”
“Can’t promise you anything,” he teased.
I left the way I came, grabbing my wallet and phone before walking out. As I left through the suite’s front doors, I could feel their heated gazes lingering on my back.
There were a number of luxury brand stores to choose from, so I was admittedly a little worried about the price tag. I could always charge the purchase to the company card, but I could hear Leonna screaming in my ear about the expense. I would just have to spring for a new outfit. I had more than plenty saved, and I meant what I said before. It was alright to treat myself every once and a while.
I wanted to look and feel good when I walked into that restaurant, knowing their eyes would be on me and me alone.
* * *
The restaurant was a fancy place situated right in front of the Bellagio Fountains, offering a perfect, unobstructed view of the lights and water show. A maître d’ stood at a perfectly placed podium waiting to assist guests, and the crystal glasses and polished silverware were fancier than anywhere I’d been. Even theairsmelled more expensive. It wasn’t hard to see why it was so pricey.
It wasn’t a difficult task spotting Dylan, Cash, and Red. They had a table next to one of the numerous floor-to-ceiling windows just in front of the fountains. A shiver passed through me as I let my eyes wander. They looked good in their suits. Clean cut and professional, hard muscles hidden beneath tailored fabric. If I didn’t know any better, I could have sworn they stepped off the front page ofGQ.
Their reactions to seeing me were priceless.
Dylan was the first to stand, his eyes dark with a hunger I’d never seen before. Red was next to rise, his lips parted slightly in speechlessness. Cash stood, too, wearing a dazzling smile that was frankly more mesmerizing than anything our view could offer.
I caught my reflection in the mirrored backsplash of the restaurant’s bar. I’d chosen an emerald-green slip dress made of silk with an incredibly low back. It was so soft against my skin, the fabric lavishly luxurious. I felt like a million bucks, and the way the guys were staring at me only reaffirmed the feeling.
“Hello, boys,” I purred as I approached the table. “What do you think?”
“I think you’re trying to give me a heart attack,” Cash chided. “You look stunning, Julia.”
Red pulled out my chair for me and tucked it in as I sat. “Gorgeous,” he murmured in my ear.