She’d left her hair down tonight, and it flowed over her shoulders in gorgeous waves of auburn curls. It was a stunning contrast to the brilliant blue of the dress, and the color of the material made those unusual eyes of hers look bluer tonight than they ever had before.
She was a knockout. A total head turner. As was the sexy man still fiddling with his bow tie beside her. Ethan had never been happier that he’d staked his claim than he was right then, looking across the back seat of the limousine at the devastating pair opposite him.
“Something amusing, petite fille?” he asked.
“No, sir.” She shook her head, but the twinkle in her eyes said otherwise.
Ethan arched a brow, and that made her laugh a little harder. Something about her happiness in that moment made his own nerves relax somewhat. Not an easy feat, considering where they were going tonight.
Nothing put him more on edge than the possibility of having to communicate or interact with the senator, and while he’d done his best to curb some of the usual tension for Chloé’s sake, the underlying strain of having to plaster on a smile at this kind of event was difficult to fully squash.
Ethan frowned as Zayne stuck his finger between his collar and tie. “If you hate it so much, why don’t you just take it off?”
“You know why.”
“Who cares what he thinks?”
“It’s not about what he thinks. It’s about how much I want to put up with listening to him bitch.” Zayne grimaced and looked at Chloé. “Sorry, Red. My father can be—”
“An asshole.”
Zayne snorted at Ethan’s blunt description. “Yeah, that about sums it up. But don’t worry. It’ll all be directed at us. Not you.”
“Oh, I’m not worried.” She crossed her legs and relaxed back in the seat. “I’ve been dealing with bigoted people my entire life. My family isn’t exactly the run-of-the-mill-type.”
That’s right. She would understand that. “It must’ve been interesting, growing up with three fathers.”
“It was the best. I have the most wonderful family in the world.” Her smile was so genuine, so full of love and adoration, that Ethan couldn’t help but wonder about the men who had raised her.
Who were they?
What were they like?
But the idea of meeting parents wasn’t one that he relished. He didn’t do well when it came to dealing with authority figures, and the ones he had dealt with… Let’s just say the senator had seen his knuckles on more than one occasion.
“I’m sure they think the same of you. They must be very proud to have raised such a beautiful young lady who speaks fluent French—”
“And is the executive chef of a Michelin-starred restaurant,” Zayne chimed in. “My father would kill for me to have those credentials.”
“He should be proud of you no matter what.” Chloé reached over, batted Zayne’s hands away from his tie, and straightened it out for him. “You’re handsome, funny, and you own your own…office.”
“Now who’s being funny?” Zayne took hold of her hands and brought them to his lips to kiss. “Thanks for the pep talk, Red. But the only way to make my father proud would be to deny everything I am.”
Ethan bit back a caustic response and instead settled for staring out the window. They were coming up on their destination, and he needed to get out of this headspace before he got out of the car.
“Chloé? Have you ever been to the LondonHouse?” he asked.
She settled back into her seat and shook her head. “No. I’ve heard about it, of course, but never been. Is that where we’re going?”
“It is.”
She frowned and looked between the two of them. “The LondonHouse is a black-tie venue? I thought it was a rooftop bar and food?”
“It is. But the Juliette Grand Ballroom isn’t.”
“Ballroom?” The expression on her face matched her dismay. “We’re going dancing? Oh, mon Dieu, I knew I should’ve asked.”
Zayne started to laugh, and turned to face her. “I’m taking it you don’t dance?”
“No. I do not. And especially not in these heels.” She pressed her fingers to her forehead and closed her eyes.
Ethan couldn’t help but take pity on her. He leaned over and gently pulled her hand away from her face. “We’re not going dancing.”
“We’re not?” She looked to Zayne, and when he shook his head, she let out a breath. “Then where are we going?”
Zayne scoffed. “Somewhere much worse.”
Ethan let her go as the limousine pulled up at the valet. “We’re going to dinner, just like we said. With Zayne’s father, and a couple hundred of his most…delightful friends.”
DELIGHTFUL? NOW THAT was a joke.
But they were profitable, and that was the only goddamn reason Zayne was sitting in the back of a limo wearing a stupid penguin suit.
Well, that and he had possibly the best-looking dates on the planet tonight.
Ethan stepped out of the car first, and Zayne glanced at Chloé, who looked as though she had about a million and one questions. But they’d have to answer those on the way up. They were already running late, and if there was one thing Ethan didn’t like, it was being late—to anything. Even some pompous political dinner he’d rather trade for a visit to the dentist.
Zayne climbed out of the car next, and then both of them held out a hand for Chloé. As she stepped out of the limousine, several men who were parking vehicles and entering the venue stopped to do a double take, and Zayne couldn’t blame them. She looked like a goddess in the dress they’d picked out for her. Add in her golden cuffs and the luscious waves flowing down her back, and it was difficult to look anywhere other than at her.
Chloé looped her arm through Ethan’s as Zayne placed his hand on the small of her back, and the three of them made their way up the stairs, where a doorman ushered them inside.
The place the senator had chosen for his event was right up the old man’s alley. The lobby was all shiny and new, with marble floors, mirrors, and chandeliers—but as they made their way in the direction of the elevator lobby, the place took on that historic charm.
Each of the elevator cars were topped with brass floor indicators, and the golden doors were so shiny you could see your own reflection. The picture they made as they stood side by side made Zayne itch to get the hell out of there. But when the doors swept open and Ethan ushered them inside, he took a deep breath and fell in line.
They were about to press the button for their floor when another couple rushed up—but when the man’s eyes lingered on Chloé a little too long, Ethan took a step forward and said, “Not this one.”
The look on their faces was almost comical, but that was nothing compared to Chloé’s as the door slid shut and a burst of laughter escaped her.
She clapped a hand over her mouth. “I can’t believe you just did that.”
“Neither can I. But I’m not quite ready to share you yet.”
He took her chin and pressed a hard kiss to her mouth, pushing his tongue between her lips in a way that had Chloé moaning and Zayne’s dick throbbing. When he was done, Ethan raised his head, then Zayne took hold of her waist and pulled her around for his turn.