“Well, you have one now,” Knight told me.

“It’s just… just…” my breath hitched then I heaved out, “skin technology.”

His arms squeezed again and stayed tight around me as he said in my ear, “It’s an accomplishment. You worked for it. You earned it. Now, you f**kin’ celebrate it.”

I sucked in breath, pulled my head back and dashed my fingers on my cheeks, looking at him.

He was slightly watery.

He was still all kinds of beautiful.

“Thank you,” my mouth moved with the words but no sound came out.

I know he got it when his face dipped, his lips went to my ear and he whispered, “Anything for my baby.”

I took in a stuttering breath.

My body was taking in needed oxygen.

But I knew as it got what it needed to breathe, still, I’d lost my heart.

Knight let me go but took my hand.

Then he led me up to my party.

* * * * *

Knight had stayed for half an hour but then he had to get to work.

But I had no orders. This was my party.

I drank lemon drops.

For my man, I didn’t go to the dance floor.

On lemon drop three, I cornered Viv in relative privacy.

“Right,” I leaned in, semi-shouting in her ear, “don’t get pissed and maybe later you’ll thank me but right now, gotta know. Are you into kink?”

She jerked back and her brows were knit over narrow eyes as she shouted, “What?”

I leaned in again and semi-shouted, “Kink. Serious shit. Sexually.”

Her head turned, she caught my eyes and semi-shouted back, “Why we talking about this now, girl? Knight do something to flip you out?”

“No,” I semi-shouted in return. “He… uh, might have a live one for you.”

She again jerked back but her brows shot up this time.

I held my breath, hoping that she wouldn’t be pissed at me for telling her secret.

Then she asked loudly but curiously, “Brother?”

I let out my breath and fought back a smile.

Vivica, God, I loved her.

I nodded.

“Hot?”

I shook my head. “No clue. Knight vouches for him though. Said he’s absolutely a good guy but he’s not into, um… kink. Straight up, um… other stuff. And he’s seen you around and said straight out he wants to,” I leaned in and semi-shouting again said in her ear, “bring you to heel.”

She leaned back, her eyes wide, her lips forming the words, “Oo lordy.”

I grinned.

Her eyeballs rolled to the ceiling. “Please God, make him be hot. Please God, make the brother be hot.”

“Is that the go-ahead for me to give the go-ahead to Knight to give the high sign?” I asked.

Her eyeballs rolled back to me and she yelled instantly, “Fuck yeah, bitch!”

I giggled as I unclasped my bag, pulled out my phone and typed in a text.

K, V not into kink. Give R high sign. She’s nearly panting. xxoo A

I got no text back.

Fifteen minutes later, a six foot seven inch, broad, bulky, muscled, bald, glorious, midnight skinned black man in a suit like Knight’s but with a black shirt came walking up the steps, eyes glued to Viv.

My eyes first went to Viv to see her eyes glued to the brother and she was doing a bad job at pretending she wasn’t hyperventilating.

Then my eyes went to Knight’s window.

Then I smiled.

Huge.

* * * * *

On lemon drop five when I was bordering on tipsy, I felt a hand light on the small of my back.

It wasn’t Knight. I would smell him.

I also knew this because the touch was light and it was quick then gone.

I twisted my neck and looked up at Hulk aka Kurt.

“Yo!” I shouted, he blinked then the sides of his lips inched up a quarter of a millimeter.

Then he announced, “Knight wants you in his office.”

Oh goodie.

“You’re escorted,” he finished.

“Lead the way, my man,” I invited, still shouting.

He shook his head.

Then he led the way. I followed and when we left the VIP section, he stayed close. Sometimes, his body skimmed mine. Sometimes, his hand skimmed my waist to guide me. Sometimes, he shifted in front of me, arm out, professionally pushing people aside so I could get through.

Mr. Sebring.

God, my boyfriend was hot and cool in such a myriad of ways, it was mind-boggling.

And he was all this and he didn’t even have to be there.

The bouncer that stood beside the door to the stairs to Knight’s office saw us coming and he had it opened before we got there.

I smiled at him and went through.

The door closed behind me.

Kurt didn’t follow. I was alone on the stairs.

I walked up them, carrying my lemon drop and when I got to the top, I knocked.

The answer was Knight calling, “Anya.”

I turned the knob, pushed it open a couple of feet and stuck my head in, twisting it around the side of the door until I saw Knight standing at the chest against the wall that had all the booze.

“Okay if I come in?” I asked.

“Babe, Kurt was sent to fetch you to me. You don’t even have to knock.”

I smiled at him and came in fully, keeping my eyes on him and watching him shaking his head, lips twitching.

I closed the doors and went to him, belatedly noticing he was opening a bottle of champagne. One of those bottles that had the flowers painted on it.

Which meant an expensive bottle.

There were two sparkling clean champagne flutes sitting on the low chest.

Celebration

For me.

Okay, all right.

Okay, right.

I licked my lips.

This was it. It had happened.

God.

I was in love.

God.

The cork popped.

I stopped close, put my clutch and lemon drop glass on the chest and leaned a thigh into it as I watched him pour.

“Um… already spoiled with the party, sweetheart,” I said quietly.

“Not enough,” he muttered, still pouring.

My belly dropped.

Yep.

In.

Love.

“Okay, then, further spoiled with you hooking up my girl.”

His eyes came to me and he held the glass out to me.

“Not enough,” he said firmly, I took the glass and he went for the other one.

I shut up.