Black Butterfly (34 page)

The drive home was short. The girl’s disappeared to the bedrooms while he delayed Todd by brining in their things. A moment later, still wearing their coats, the two men walked out to the deck to avoid being overheard. Nolen knew one of the immediate threats would have to be neutralized. Todd’s idea of therapy seemed a bit off, strange. He needed to understand where his friend’s head is.

“So, in a matter of weeks, we’re changed men?” Todd joked, leaning on the banister, the wind combing through his short blond hair.

“I guess you could say that,” Nolen answered in a dry tone. “This thing with Portia—”

“Man, just let it go damn. I said I have a plan.”

He stared out at the ocean.

“Ok, man, what’s going on with you?” Todd asked. “You keep sulking. Are you that worried about the damn girl?”

“I might be under investigation by the SEC again.”

Todd chuckled. “What else is new?”

“Well, this time I may have gone too far,” Nolen said bitterly.

“How far?”

“Seven Billion dollars far.”

“Is it tied to the pictures I took?”

He nodded. “I’ll work it out,” he said.

“Yeah man. Let’s hope you do.”

Trish pulled out the frying pan as Sydney could see her clearly from the stool she perched on to the left of the kitchen island. “So your name is Patricia, huh?”

“Yep,” Trish said, taking bologna out of the fridge.

“Why wouldn’t you want us to know your name honey?”

“It’s the last name I’m not fond of. Hesser.”

“Hesser?”

Trish opened the cabinet, pulled out the ketchup bottle, and posed with it. “Yes, Hesser!” she said and winked.

Sydney exploded into laughter, so did Trish. “You’re kidding, right? Hesser ketchup?”

“I wish I were!”

“Wow. A ketchup heiress!”

Soon silence filled the space between them. Trish turned the bottle in her hand looking at the label. She saw something Sydney didn’t. It was all so strange. They had been friends for a short while but she felt she knew Trish much longer. Now she realized she didn’t know her at all.

“I can’t stand ketchup.” Trish said, giving the bottle a toss to the open garbage can. She returned to the stove preparing her specialty. Sydney’s nose wrinkled. She hated bologna sandwiches, but Trish ate them morning, noon, and night. It was a weird inexpensive obsession that Sydney had never really understood.

“I’m looking forward to tonight,” Sydney said. She decided to change the subject.

“You should be looking forward to tomorrow,” Trish cast Sydney a look over her shoulder with a sheepish grin.

Sydney frowned. “What happens tomorrow?”

“I overheard Todd on the phone, making the arrangements. Apparently we get the works in the morning, starting with a wakeup call to whisk us off to a spa.”

“Spa?”

“Sorry. I don’t want to ruin it for you.”

Sydney shrugged. “Don’t worry. I knew Nolen would do something like this. I just hoped he wouldn’t. I kind of just wanted some time with him doing normal stuff. Like walks on the beach or watching TV.”

“Tell me about Nolen.”

“Nolen?” Sydney repeated, slightly surprised.

“Yeah,” Trish said while preparing her sandwich. “You two seem so connected, but he doesn’t say much.

Kind of moody, don’t you think?”

Sydney laughed. “He talks trust me. Yeah, we’re connected. It’s weird. We just fit, you know?”

“Yeah, I know.”

“He has all his business complications in his head or something, and secrets.”

“Secrets?” Trish asked, looking over her shoulder.

“Well, I guess I shouldn’t call them secrets, exactly. He just has a lot of stuff inside, stuff he refuses to share. Guess what?”

“What?”

“He was a genius as a kid. Really smart.”

“Wow? Really?”

Sydney nibbled on her bottom lip thinking over how great it would have been to be a brainiac. Nolen could have been a surgeon or a scientist. “Yeah. That’s why he has so much so young.”

“How old is he?”

“Twenty-seven.”

“That is young.”

Sydney nodded. “He acts like he’s allergic to the idea of love, yet he wants to enjoy the benefits of being in love.”

“So you two are in love.”

“He says so. I say so. But I think we are both keeping an eye on the other person. We’re trying to justify how fast things move between us. We’re learning each other. Girl, he’s a handful, but we’re making progress.”

“So he’s definitely the one?”

“Yes. And Todd? What’s up with you and this therapy you mentioned?” Trish took a bite out of her sandwich. “He’s concerned about me and my refusal to face the past. We’re friends. He wants the best for me I suppose.”

“But therapy? He doesn’t know you that well to make that kind of suggestion.”

“I kind of connected with him Syd. Like you and Nolen. But we, um, we’re different.”

“How are you different?”

Trish blushed. “I guess you’re sleeping with Nolen huh?”

“Yeah, and you and Todd are too right?”

“No.”

Sydney sat back on her stool. “Well that’s not a shock. You two only been hanging out for what… three, four weeks?”

“It’s not that we don’t want to.”

“You want to take things slow? Right?”

Trish blushed. She set her sandwich down and turned to look out the window. She walked over and pulled the blinds up to let the sun defrost the icy windowpane. She did so without answering Sydney’s question.

Finally she turned and forced a smile. “I have issues with sex. Todd doesn’t mind, but um, he and I know that I’m not normal that way.”

“Trish what aren’t you telling me?”

“That I’m happy. Really happy for the first time, in a long time. I don’t care that it’s been a few weeks.

Things are easy with Todd. He and I are alike. We both have painful childhood experiences, and I can talk to him.”

“I like him,” Sydney said, smiling. “Especially if he makes you happy. And if you think therapy is a solution to your issues, maybe you should try it.”

“I don’t know. I can’t even tell you what my problems are.”

“But you told Todd?”

Trish cut her a sly look. “I’m sorry Syd.”

“Don’t be.” Sydney rose and walked over to Trish. The girls embraced. She let her go and smiled. “There are things I’ve shared with Nolen that I haven’t told you. I understand it. I just want you happy.”

“I love him.” Trish grinned.

Sydney tried to not be worried by the proclamation. She knew Nolen only a short time longer and she felt the same way. Somehow she worried that with Trish it was different.

Later that night -

The girls stepped out of the car and into the waiting hands of their tuxedoed companions. Lanterns lit the winding trail up to the mansion with a wintry glow. Nolen slipped his arm around Sydney, and she held her mink tightly, glad that she’d allowed him to buy it. The cold made it hard to breathe.

A quick glance ahead, she saw that many ladies felt the same. The women dressed in furs and the men in their tuxes, paraded up to the doors of the party greeted by staff. Sydney wished that she’d convinced Nolen to stay at Todd’s instead of attending a party that promised to be boring. He led her inside, and she lost sight of Trish. Several guests approached Nolen, who spoke politely, but refused to give anyone more than three minutes. The women stared at Sydney in wide-eyed shock as he introduced her, and the men eyed her as well.

Sydney became painfully aware that she was the only woman of color in attendance except the girl at the front collecting coats. Nolen either didn’t notice or didn’t care what gossip would be stirred over their pairing. It made her love her guy even more.

Making his way to their host, Nolen exchanged pleasantries as Sydney accepted a glass of champagne and scanned the crowd. Her blood ran cold when she spotted Xenia across the room, sipping her own champagne. At Sydney’s nod of recognition, Xenia made her way toward them and Sydney let go of Nolen’s hand. He glanced at her in surprise and then followed her gaze. His face hardened as he spotted Xenia approaching.

“Well, Sydney, fancy meeting you here,” Xenia said without extending her hand. “Didn’t know you cared about the waterfowl.”

“Hello, Xenia.”

“Xenia,” Nolen said.

Xenia smiled at him. “Nolen, I haven’t spoken to you in days. We’ve missed you at the studio.” Their host excused himself, and Nolen slipped his hand around Sydney’s bare back. “How is my investment?” he asked, kissing Sydney’s cheek.

“Which investment?” Xenia asked sarcastically. “Looks like you paid for my starlet as well as my show.”

“The only one here with a price tag between her legs is you,” Nolen said, returning the sarcasm.

Sydney put her hand to his chest. “Nolen, don’t.” Turning to Xenia, she smiled. “It was nice seeing you, Xenia. Enjoy your night.” She grabbed Nolen’s hand and pulled him away.

“Don’t chastise me. You don’t have to take that shit from her!” Nolen said. He snatched his hand away.

“Stop it!” Sydney said firmly, but quietly. “She wants to upset you and ruin our night. I won’t give her that power. So put your ego in check and let it go!”

Nolen looked away, the fury blazing so hot in his brown eyes they glistened like stones of amber. He trailed Xenia with his glare. She knew he wouldn’t let this drop easily. The bottom line was Xenia owned the production and Nolen owned them both. He was her boyfriend now, and tongues would cluck including Xenia’s. They needed to learn how to deal with it. Sydney smiled; she turned his face back to her, holding him by the chin. She kissed his lips. “Let it go, please.”

“I didn’t mean to be so abrupt with you,” he softened.

“I know.”

Trish and Todd joined them, sipping their champagne. “Enjoying the party?” Trish asked.

Before Sydney could answer, a photographer jumped in front of them, snapped a picture, and rushed off into the crowd. Trish looked on with a frozen look of shock.

“There goes my anonymity,” Sydney said, with a eyeroll.

Nolen smiled. “I told you—”

“I know. We should have stayed in New York,” she mumbled.

Chapter 17

When a Man Loves a Woman

Sydney entered the dark bedroom she shared with Nolen first. She dropped her purse onto the dresser and didn’t bother to turn when she heard Nolen close and lock the door. Feeling fuzzy in the head and warm all over her body from the champagne, she stumbled in her heels, trying to kick her way out of them.

“You need some help?”

“Are you saying I’m drunk?” she asked, spoiling her serious question by hiccupping.

Sweating in her mink, which seemed to weigh a ton, she turned and allowed him to help her out of it. He pulled the hairy coat from her shoulders and tossed it to a chair. Sydney cast her gaze downward. She grinned looking at her shoes. They were really cute on her feet.

“Something funny?”

“Mmmhmm…” she swayed. Her gaze went back over her shoulder. He shed his tuxedo jacket and then removed his bowtie walking away from her into the shadows. If she hadn’t drunk that fourth glass of champagne her vision wouldn’t keep blurring. Turning she put a hand to her hip. She waited for him to acknowledge her provocative stance. Even if she was drunk, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of admitting it.

He looked at her over his shoulder, smiling slyly. “You sure you don’t need any help?”

“I’m not drunk!”

“Of course you aren’t, Beautiful.”

Smiling seductively, she walked unsteadily toward him. “Like I said, I’m perfectly fine.”

“Ok, but I wouldn’t mind helping you out of that dress.”

Sydney stretched out her arms above her head and moved her hips in a slow circular motion. “Go ahead!” Nolen dropped his cufflinks into his pocket and then pulled out the tails to his white shirt as he approached. Sydney closed her eyes, tilting her head back and causing her locks she’d straightened to a silky mane, to fall in layers down her bare back. “Ummm, I’m waiting,” she breathed. When Nolen was excited, he could be a handful. Tonight she prayed for a little of the bad boy mixed with his tender loving. Her body ached for it.

He stopped directly behind her. Sydney stilled, the warm yet soft press of his lips grazed her left shoulder. Should she tell him her desires tonight? Will he know?

“You’ve teased me long enough in this,” he whispered, unzipping her dress. “Are you ready to play?”

“Yes.”

“Yes what?”

“Yes, please.”

Leaning into his chest with her head still tilted back, she exhaled as his cool hand slid into the opening of her dress and slowly worked its way to her breast. She bit down on her bottom lip. He pinched her nipple. A sharp sting went through her right breast, followed by a warm tingling sensation when he released her. The same hand went smoothly down the middle of her abdomen. Free and loose from the champagne, she felt weightless under his exploration. The clingy material of the dress dropped and gathered at her waist. Nolen stood still, his palm flat and reaching beyond her navel, his shaven jaw pressed against hers.

“I’ve wanted you from the first moment I saw you.” He said in a husky, bittersweet voice.

“When you saw me dance.”

“No. When I saw you alone.”

Sydney opened her eyes and remembered. He told her he saw her nursing her foot and praying for courage. A tongue traced the outer shell of her ear and she forgot the question. Had he asked one? Or was he just stating his desire for her again. She didn’t care. This was part of it. The slow seduction would soon burn away any thoughts but the ones of him.

Thumbs hooked the sides of her dress snug to her hips and inched the material down, until it dropped carelessly to her ankles. She hadn’t worn hose or panties. The dress didn’t allow for it. Sydney’s eyes lifted and she could see them before a mirror. She hadn’t noticed earlier. He was behind her, and the sliver of light pouring in from the windows to the far left chased enough shadows to reveal his face. Nolen’s expression was neutral, his gaze focused on her, and only her. She watched his strong hand as it slowly descended down the crest of her labia and parted her feet just a bit to grant him permission.