“It’s pretty thick,” she says, then giggles, but I frown down at her. Finally, she opens her eyes. “What?”
“Why have you had to develop such a thick skin?”
“Oh gosh, for a thousand reasons, Simon. Being a woman is reason enough. I’m here for your seminar for a reason.”
How did I almost forget? For a brief moment, she was just a beautiful woman in my bed, and the rest of it, the seminars and fame and money that go along with it, didn’t exist.
But it does exist. And it’s the reason she’s here.
It’s the reason we’re both here.
“Are you okay?” she asks as she cups my cheek in her palm.
“Never better,” I reply with a reassuring smile. “I really should go back to my room so we can both get some sleep before tomorrow’s class.”
“I can’t believe it’s the last day already,” she replies, ignoring the part about me leaving. “It was a quick two weeks.”
I take her hand in mine and kiss her fingers. “Thank you for coming here, Charly. I’m so happy that I met you.”
“Is this goodbye then?”
“No,” I reply and shake my head. It should be. But I know I’ll seek her out tomorrow. “I’ll see you tomorrow in class, and then at the cocktail farewell party.”
“I might skip that,” she says and bites her lip.
“Don’t.” I hate that it sounds like a plea. “I would love to dance with you.”
“Okay. I’ll stay for the party.”
I grin and kiss her nose, then leave the bed while I still can. I pull my clothes on, thankful that my room is on the same floor and the chances of anyone seeing me leave her room are slim.
“Good night.”
She raises up on an elbow, the sheet wrapped around her and her long dark hair falling over her shoulders, and I know that I’ve never seen anything more beautiful than she is right now.
“Good night.”
***
The party is in full swing.
One hundred women are dressed to the nines, enjoying free drinks and music, a photo booth, and each other.
They’ve accomplished so much this week, and this is their reward. They get to unwind, relax, and have fun.
The music is booming, and I’ve been dancing non-stop, from woman to woman, spinning them around and thanking them for being here.
This suit is too warm, and all I want is to hole up in my room, alone, for about a week. I can speak to any room of people, and have, from twenty people to twenty thousand, but at the heart of it, I’m an introvert and this two-week seminar exhausts me.
Not to mention, I spent the majority of last night with Charly.
Which I’m definitely not complaining about.
Speaking of the sexy woman, I haven’t seen her yet this evening. I hope she didn’t change her mind and leave before the party.
I’ve reached the edge of the room, and as I twirl a pretty blonde in my arms, dip her, then set her back on her feet and turn away, I spy Charly standing by the wall.
Suddenly, the music, the other people, everything is gone and all I can see is her. She’s in a curve-hugging black dress that plunges in the front showing off her cleavage. The hem ends just below her knees.
And the red fuck-me heels she’s in make me want to sink to mine.
I cross to her, my hands in my pockets so I don’t do something stupid like pull her in and kiss the fuck out of her in front of all of these people.
“Hello, Fred Astaire.”
I grin. “I don’t care if I’m bad. I like to dance.”
“No one ever said you had to have rhythm to dance,” she agrees and her gaze skims over the room. “Looks like the party is a success.”
“You’re stunning,” I reply, happy that the music is loud enough that no one else can hear. “And I want to strip you out of that dress and fuck you senseless.”
Her eyes flare and she licks her lips, then offers me a smile.
“I think that would be frowned upon right now.”
“Later then,” I reply.
“I’m sorry.” She shakes her head, glances away. “I can’t. I’m leaving in just a bit.”
“When?”
“In a couple of hours. I just came by because I told you I would and I wanted to say goodbye to Heidi and Violet.” She turns her eyes back to me. “And you.”
“Charly—”
“Hey, no hogging him,” a woman named Cheryl says and grabs my arm, pulling me back out onto the dance floor. I want to pull away, but Charly just shakes her head, smiles, and walks away. My eyes follow her as she walks through the room and out the door, and suddenly my stomach just aches.
She’s gone.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Todd says, smiling at Cheryl, “but I need to steal him away for a minute.”
I smile at the woman and follow Todd outside where it’s a bit quieter. Women are clustered in small groups, chatting and taking selfies. I wave at them as Todd leads me to a private area, then turns on me.
“You let her walk away.”
I glance around to make sure that no one is listening.
“What would you expect me to do, mate? She has to go home, and I have to go back to London on Monday.”
“You’re being an idiot. I’ve never seen you look at anyone the way you look at her. Go after her. Ask her to stay the weekend. Spend some time with her when you don’t have to keep it a secret.”
“It makes no difference if we say goodbye now or in two days, Todd.”
But fucking hell, I hate it.