She lifted the velvet ribbon with a teardrop diamond pendant attached. “It’s stunning. I love the simplicity of the choker. It’s so Victorian and feminine.”
“Yes, it’s very sexy. I’m not into fussy jewelry.” I took the diamond choker from her. “Here, let me tie it on.”
She turned around, and I knotted the velvet ribbon, placing a finger inside to make sure it wasn’t too tight. She turned around and smiled shyly. Her vulnerability touched me as I looked from her neck to her big limpid eyes.
I held her. “You’re an exquisite creature.”
She pulled away and looked at me. “Is it a diamond?”
“I wouldn’t buy a fake.”
“It must have cost you a fortune.”
“Money is there for beauty. That’s my motto in life. Take it and enjoy. Only don’t wear it when visiting your mother.”
Her eyes darkened. “I’ll give it back to you after the ball, if you like.”
I lifted my hands. “Please don’t take offense. I was referring to the people that hang around that place.”
“Thanks to your generosity, I can use the money from the paintings to rent her an apartment away from there.”
“I can help if you like.”
A sad smile touched her painted lips. “Blake, you’ve already done so much.”
I placed my arm around her waist and breathed in her fragrant soft hair.
The grounds were lit in purples and reds projecting onto the overtly ornamental Baroque palace.
“It looks like a big wedding cake,” said Penelope as I helped her out of the car.
“If one goes for eating bricks,” I replied dryly.
Penelope giggled while adjusting her mask. “How’s that?”
“Striking,” I answered, removing the leather mask from my lapel.
“Yours is so simple,” said Penelope, sounding disappointed.
“I’m not into ostentation.” I held her hand, and we entered the grounds guarded by men in livery.
The chandeliers dazzled, and the regal ballroom was filled with the usual lords, ladies, and offspring. As a nod to the Venice festival, the ball, as always, showcased Baroque music.
“It’s so old world,” said Penelope, taking a glass of champagne from a tray.
“A bit stuffy. But an attractive building.”
She glanced up at the fresco of a bacchanalian romp. “Oh my, that’s gorgeous.”
“Penny!” came a voice from behind.
We turned, and there stood Lilly, holding James’s hand.
James came up to me. “Blake, old man. Look at you.” He turned and acknowledged Penelope. “And look at you. You’re both going to win the Gorgeous-Couple-of-the-Night award, I think. You’re sure to make front cover of Hello.”
I smiled at Lilly. “Blue’s your color.”
She said, “Thanks” and then directed her attention to Penelope, touching the diamond at her throat. “This is gorgeous, Penny.”
Penelope glanced over at me, smiling widely. Her excitement brought a smile to my face.
“Back in a minute. Off to the girl’s room,” she said.
I indulged in Penelope’s effortless beauty as she glided off, arm in arm with Lilly. She had the admiration of the males she passed. Penelope’s natural elegance confirmed my belief that grace was innate and not something one could learn or only possess with money.
We had our own admirers, too, with the usual cohort of wealthy daughters ogling us. I wasn’t fooled by those expensive gowns and rounded vowels. Those girls showed no qualms about getting down and dirty with any rich stranger who took their fancy.
“Oh, if it isn’t Blake Sinclair,” I heard over my shoulder as a waft of Chanel No. 5 drifted my way.
I turned and recognized a woman from the last ball, who’d taken me into the Dark Room for a little dirty playtime. Her name had slipped my memory. Leaning in, she whispered, “I’m still waiting for you to return the favor.”
“I’m with someone.” My cool response hopefully said it all.
Her mouth turned down, and her eyes cooled as she floated off.
James smirked. “Ghosts of past dalliances all over the place.”
“Why are we here again?” I asked.
“Because it’s tradition. And let’s face it—just seeing our girls dressed up makes it worthwhile.” He lifted his glass. “And they always serve top champagne. And let’s not forget the Dark Room.”
The Dark Room was a secret chamber for hedonists, a leftover tradition from the days of rakes. The more conservative guests had no idea of its existence. Only those keen on debauchery knew of its location, which was somewhere in the bowels of that castle.
“Not tonight. I’m not parading my girl in that den of wolves.”
James laughed. “What, not even a threesome?” He lifted a brow.
“I’m not as kinky as you.”
“Says Mr. Voyeur.”
“I haven’t done that for a while.”
“Penelope’s really gotten to you,” said James.
“Does Lilly know of your penchant for threesomes?”
He nodded sheepishly. “She doesn’t mind the idea of being tongued by a girl. She just doesn’t want me to fuck the other girl. I can live with that. Lilly’s enough for me.”
“So why do you need to watch her with another girl?”
“There’s something tantalizingly erotic watching two girls at it.” James’s brow arched.
That came as no surprise. The guy was more sordid than I could ever be. “I’m a vanilla man myself.”
“To each his own. And as long as everyone’s having fun. There’s Emma over there. She’s rather partial to bit of cunt sucking.” James nodded subtly toward a woman dressed in a man’s suit.
“You’re licentious and wanton,” I said, thinking of the previous ball. when I’d entered the Dark Room and had two girls perform lewd acts on my cock.
As that murky little image played out in my mind, Penelope glided toward me, and my heart warmed. The pull she had on me worried me. I wondered if I shouldn’t seek another appointment with the therapist to discuss my addiction to Penelope. The first appointment had gone poorly, unsurprisingly. I’d ended up leaving with a script for sleeping pills, after my reluctance to apprise the therapist of my soap-operatic past.
I held out my hand to Penelope. “Let’s go into the ballroom.”
“Yes. Lets.” She smiled, brimming with excitement.
The music suited the florid surroundings, as the waltzing guests swirled around. Most of the younger women wore fitted gowns revealing as much flesh as possible.
“I think I’m wearing the most fabric,” said Penelope.
I noticed men’s heads turning toward her. “You’re dazzling. Mystery tantalizes.”
Accentuated by the lace mask, her eyes had a teasing smile. “Then that explains my attraction to you, Blake, because you’re the very personification of mystery.”
“Let’s keep it that way. You might tire of me otherwise.”
She studied me closely. “You don’t like the person you’re hiding?”
I paused to think. “That’s a big question and probably best suited to midnight after a few Scotches.”