“Not to mention talented! We heard your poem,” Rob adds.
“Oh gosh, don’t remind me,” I cover my face with my hands, embarrassed.
“Hey, don’t hide! You’re a star now,” Ben says, poking me with a chopstick.
“Ew, don’t get that fishy chopstick on my dress,” I protest laughing.
“Would you listen to her?!” He looks at Rob and Ella in amazement. “One day in LA and you’re already a diva!” he says to me teasingly.
“Have you been here before?” Ella asks curiously, leaning forward. Her hazel eyes bore into me as she swishes her long blonde hair over her perfectly tanned bare shoulder. It’s hard to believe that someone so beautiful can be as nice as she is. She’s wearing a white strapless minidress that barely covers the essentials up top or down below—but somehow, she makes it look classy.
“Nope, first time. I appreciate you all showing me around. And this place is amazing!” I gesture to the restaurant. It’s small and romantic, with a dark, moody vibe. Our table is discretely tucked away in a corner, away from prying eyes. Ben mentioned that he’s arranged the discrete nook for us in advance. Given that he’d been out of the public eye for so long, it would have been total mayhem with the paparazzi if he’d suddenly made a super high-profile appearance now. And I’m more comfortable in this more intimate setting.
“Well, we certainly hope to see much more of you around here, Lacy,” Rob says with a smile, giving Ben a meaningful look.
“Yes! I need a fun girl to join when the boys go all rock’n’roll on their nights out,” Ella chimes in. “So, Ben,” she turns her attention to him, looking serious, “don’t fuck this up, okay?”
“Hey, hey, how did I become the villain at tonight’s dinner?” Ben pleads, his hands up defensively.
“If the shoe fits,” Rob replies with a grin. “What’s up with you two anyway?” he asks, looking from me to Ben. “The gossip rags are going wild speculating.”
“Let them speculate,” Ben says, giving my thigh a secret squeeze under the table, where Ella and Rob can’t see.
“You can’t at least telluswhat’s going on?” Ella asks pouting.
“Let’s just say, we’re getting to know each other better,” I interject with a smile. I don’t want Ben to feel like he’s on the spot in front of his friends. Ben is still rubbing my thigh with his strong hands under the table, working his way further and further up. In response, I bring my hand to his lap, massaging gently. I smile to myself as I feel a slight pressure under my hand, and notice Ben shift uncomfortably in his seat.
“A lot better,” Ben adds with a grin and a wink to Rob.
“Don’t be a dog,” Ella swats at him. “See what I mean, Lacy? When you get these two together, they’re incorrigible.”
“Yeah, yeah, come on, you always have fun with us!” Rob retorts.
“Speaking of fun, what’s the plan for after dinner?” Ben asks.
“How about dancing at JayCee’s new club?” Ella suggests, pulling out her phone, “Should I text him for a VIP table?”
She has JayCee’s private number?!I freak out internally while trying to keep my face calm.
“Sounds good to me,” Rob says.
“You in?” Ben asks, giving me a quizzical look.
I look from Ben to Rob to Ella, all eyeing me expectantly.
“Oh yeah. I’m in.”
I feel a rush of nervous excitement wash over me body as I say the words. This is going to be a fun night.
Chapter Twelve
Benjamin
ThelittleshowLacygave me before dinner got megood. I’ve basically had a half hard-on all night. Every time I look at her and remember her face, saucy and mischievous, as she raised her dress and showed me her red thong underneath, a fresh rush of blood goes to my cock. And then when she started massaging me under the table at dinner?
Mindfuck.
It’s been a while since I felt this way. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve been holed up at Rose Manor like a priest in a monastery for six months—zero lays—or if it’s seeing Lacy transform from her usually pretty but sweet look into a full-on rock’n’roll goddess. Maybe it’s a little bit of both. But it’s definitely doing it for me.