“She’s not a kid,” I snap.
Adrian only laughs.
“You got lucky with that one,” Fritz says.
“Sure did,” I admit.
Bren takes another puff of his cigar and shakes his head. “I’m not thrilled about it. Lola is like Sofia’s little sister. You hurt her, we’re going to have problems.”
I shake my head. “I wouldn’t. I care about her, Bren. You have nothing to worry about.”
Before we can take the conversation any further, Sofia walks into the room in a black satin gown with only one shoulder strap. There’s a black leather detail above her cleavage, and she looks stunning. All of us stare at her in awe.
She makes her way over to Bren and sits on his lap, and it seems he’s forgotten anyone else is in the room with them. She’s the only thing he can see. The man is putty in her hands. She grabs his cigar, and his now-free hand drifts to her waist.
“Hello, boys,” she says, still locking eyes with Bren. Then she takes a puff of the cigar and blows the smoke into Bren’s mouth.
“Will you two get a room?” Fritz barks, and we all bust out laughing at him.
Someone needs to get laid, I think. Fritz is grumpier than usual.
The laughter only dies when Lola walks into view. All the air gets sucked out of the room as I forget to breathe while I watch her. Her smile is wide as she finds me and walks straight to me.
I stand slowly, waiting for her to reach me so I can kiss the back of her hand and spin her around. As I do, Sofia whistles.
Lola is wearing a skin-tight latex gown in a peachy-nude shade with a slit so far up her left thigh, it’s almost indecent. The bust and torso area look like some sort of corset in the same latex material. You almost have to look at her twice, or you’d think she’s naked. Her blonde hair is in thick, loose waves cascading down her shoulders, and her makeup is minimal but sultry.
Lola looks fucking edible. My dick twitches in appreciation as I spin her a second time, this time focusing on the latex material hugging the perfect curve of her full hips and ass.
I get close to her ear, taking in the intoxicating smell of a new perfume I don’t recognize, and whisper, “You’re breathtaking, doll.”
“Thank you,” she says. “You clean up rather nicely yourself. You all do,” she says, spinning around to address the other guys.
“I picked out that dress for her,” Sofia says with a huge smile.
“You can dress Lola any time,” I tease, and Sofia shoots me a wide smile.
For all her complaining at the start, Sofia seems to be on board with the idea of us now. I think she, like Bren, realizes what a good influence Lola is on me and how much she seems to smile around me—a smile I have to remind myself was mostly absent from her features when I first met her.
She’s brightened up, like the scorching sun, and her warmth is inviting to anyone around her.
* * *
Our security detailencases us as we exit our limo and walk toward the red carpet. I don’t miss Lola clutching at the material of Matt’s jacket sleeve. Has she felt unsafe? Being in public? Or is she anticipating the attention now that the interview is out there?
But her shoulders seem to relax as she looks from face to face, her eyes widening then dropping in embarrassment as she finds famous person after famous person walking ahead and behind us on the red carpet.
Photographers yell out Bren and Sofia’s names since they’re just in front of us, but as soon as they get a glimpse of Lola, they go wild. Flashes go off in quick succession as they try to capture my delectable date, and they yell her name. Only, they don’t call her Lola. They keep calling out Dolores.
We stop to pose for a few pictures together, and I correct them, “Lola. Her name is Lola.”
Her grip is tight around my waist, and I realize she must be nervous, but I’m so damned proud of her because, in front of the cameras, she hides it well.
The thought is also unsettling because she could have faked everything she said during our interview.
I take her hand and lead her inside.
* * *