dress was safer, with a low back that said sexy and a front that said sophisticated.
Then there was the copper sequins with a neckline that plunged so low in the front it would require a little tape to keep her from exposing herself to the room. She thought about Victor’s observation about her being an exhibitionist and him being a voyeur.
The black went back in the closet, and Shannon sat down at her vanity and started to work on her hair. Messy bun, nothing tight and uppity. Free. She went a little heavier on her eyeliner and added those pointy ends that Avery did so well. She slid on a pair of nude strappy Jimmy Choos before stepping into her dress. It took a little yoga to zip up the back, but not as much as usual, since the back was nearly as provocative as the front.
A little tape here and a little tape there.
She turned in a circle, ran a hand over her stomach.
There were perks to her slender frame, and wearing dresses like this one, where the straight lines hugged only the right parts and accentuated her breasts, was one of them.
She finished with a pair of diamond cut curtain earrings that flowed from her ears nearly as much as the dress flowed at her heels. A simple diamond bangle bracelet. No necklace. Eyes would be on her. And if a man’s gaze lingered longer than expected, it wouldn’t be because he was admiring her jewelry.
She could nearly feel the heat of Victor’s gaze already.
Her small clutch was filled with the necessities. Lipstick, powder, her ID, cell phone, a little bit of cash, and a condom.
She grinned at the last item and snapped her purse closed.
Her doorbell rang and she checked the time.
Five minutes early.
She smiled and grabbed her coat. There was no way she was going to reveal this dress to Victor until they arrived at the event.
Her heels clicked along the tile floor on her way to the door. Shannon tied her belt on the long coat, squared her shoulders, and smiled.
Victor was in a tux. Clean-shaven, his thick, dark hair combed back. She drank him in.
He looked past her eyes to her hair and the bottom of the coat where her dress peeked through. “Why do I get the feeling this is going to be a very long night?”
“Because you’re wise that way?”
He growled and stepped closer for a kiss. “You’re beautiful.”
His lips met hers, soft, simple. “I like the tux.”
“I haven’t met a woman who didn’t.” He winked. “Are you ready?”
Shannon reached around the door and locked it, then remembered the need for a key and retrieved one from her kitchen. She tucked it into her purse, saw the condom, and wondered if she would need it before the end of the night.
Victor placed a hand on the small of her back and led her to the waiting limo outside.
“Someone went all out.”
“I only do a couple of these a year. What’s the point of having money if you don’t enjoy it once in a while?”
She thought of the three-thousand-dollar gown she was wearing and said, “I completely agree.”
Because of the infamous LA traffic, it took them nearly an hour to drive to the venue.
Victor poured champagne in the back of the limo and told her about the event.
“They call it Global Task Force. GTF for short. It’s been around for a while but started to get its legs when recycling became a fashion.”
“I didn’t realize tossing my plastic in the right color barrel was fashion.”
“For a lot of people, it is. They do a pretty good job of bringing awareness to smaller cities that haven’t adopted the idea of recycling on a bigger scale. They have events like this one, where computer companies meet with guys like me who make a profit from removing the usable parts and melting down those that aren’t.”
“I thought you were in scrap metal.”
“I am. I’m just using that as an example.”
“Got it. So who am I going to meet tonight?”
He topped off her champagne and smiled. “Some of my oldest clients, like I told you before. Good people. I think you’ll like them.”
Shannon narrowed her eyes. “Most of these events are all about posturing for power.”
“There will be a fair amount of that, but not from me. My accountant told me years ago to pick a couple of charities I could honestly give money to at events like this. My lawyer added that I shouldn’t get heavily