The middle-aged woman sniffed again. The blond woman, however, gave Danica a sly look whilst scraping her teeth along her bottom lip. Someone had fantastic no-smear lipstick.
“She’s absolutely charming! Danica, where have you been hiding dolls like this? Don’t hold out on me, I know you’re keeping them locked away. Not fair.”
The person standing next to the woman stifled a laugh. “You’ll have to forgive my wife,” they said, taking Alicia’s hand as well. “She’s nothing but trouble.” Alicia tried to take solace in the friendly wink she received. “Kennedy Anderssen. This is my wife, Lara.”
“Oh, right, right, how rude of me.” The woman wrapped her arm around her spouse’s torso, looking quite pleased with herself. “Enjoy your time at the top,” she then muttered.
Danica quickly turned her back on that couple, ushering Alicia toward the others. “Don’t mind them,” she muttered in her ear. “They like to screw with people.”
Was she actually warning Alicia out of the goodness of her own heart? Or was Danica trying to protect her carefully put-together image?
The only other person to give her a somewhat warm welcome was the young woman with the dark curls. She excitedly shook Alicia’s hand and suggested they get lunch sometime. Unfortunately, Alicia could not remember her name. Jane? Jamie? Jessica?
“Unfortunately, we must be going,” Danica said, putting a protective hand on Alicia’s shoulder. “I’ve promised Ms. Colbert that I would take her out for the evening.”
“Hm.” Lara was the only one to take a few steps with them. “Watch out for flies, Danica. They’re swarming.” The bite of her smile was more than vicious.
She gave her a cool look before wrapping her arm around Alicia’s waist and directing her toward the exit. “I know. Thank you, Mrs. Anderssen.”
She raised one pencil-thin eyebrow. “Suit yourself.”
Alicia didn’t know what she meant by that until they were well on their way out the door.
“Danica!” shouted a man with a flashing light in his possession. “Who’s the new woman?”
Alicia yelped to have a female reporter get in her space. Danica snatched her date into her grasp, firm, protective.Oh my God!A blur of bodyguards intervened. Not just the one Danica went around with, but a full pair of them, big, burly, and ready to punch someone in the face. Or grab their cameras and smash them on the ground.
The limo driver hopped out and opened the back door as quickly as possible. “Get in,” Danica growled, pushing poor Alicia into the backseat. “Don’t say anything to these snakes. Don’t even make eye contact with them.” She resumed her smile as she stood up and gave one wave to the press. Danica was quick to join Alicia in the back of the limo. One of the bodyguards got in the front seat with the driver.Is he coming with us?Does he have to come with us?Alicia never thought she would be dating someone important enough to need a bodyguard.
“I’m sorry about that,” Danica said with more candor than usual. She didn’t buckle her seatbelt, but she did shake out her cuffs and straighten her jacket. “I didn’t count on that many vultures. I knew there would be a few… ah, it’s a high-profile event. Of course, the paps are here.”
Alicia heaved a sigh of relief. It felt good to be rolling down the street in a tinted limo. “It’s okay. Although I’ve never experienced something like that before.”
“I don’t usually take the front exit at these events for that reason.”
“So, why did you this time?”
Danica considered her complexion.The way she looks at me is otherworldly. Half the time, Alicia couldn’t figure out if that was lust or disbelief in her eyes. From what she could tell, she did not look at other people like that. Only her.
“Perhaps I wished to be seen with you.”
Alicia turned away. “I can’t tell if you’re joking. If you are, that’s a pretty harsh thing to joke about.”
“I do not jest, Ms. Colbert.”
As much as she liked the way Danica said her name… “Call me Alicia. Please. We’re on a date. Right? You call people by their first names while on a date.”
Finally, Danica relaxed into her seat, although she did not invite Alicia into her space.Good. Not ready for that yet tonight. Give her a few hours. Spending more than fifteen minutes with this woman was sure to turn her on. Longer than that? She couldn’t be stopped.
“As you insist, Alicia.”
Her eyes fluttered as she took in the way she said that name, too. Soft. Tender. There were tender aspects to this woman? “I do… Danica.”
They shared a heavy look. For the first time since meeting, Alicia actually felt like they were on an even playing field. Made her feel a bit bolder than usual.
“Although there are some occasions in which ‘Ms. Colbert’ is more than fine.”
“Let me guess.” Her eyes went straight to her keyhole. “When that dress is coming off.”
