The Perfect Fit: A stand-alone why choose romance(47)

Jacob is not a waste of oxygen. He’s a nice guy—and that’s exactly why we didn’t work out. Not a single throat necklace during our entire nine-month relationship. When it comes to guys, it seems I’m genetically programmed to seek out the morally gray variety, which is unsurprising really. If I saw a shrink, I’m sure they’d tell me I have daddy issues. And I would laugh and tell them they had no freaking idea.

Jen answers while I’m still trying to come up with a reply. “No, she’s dating West Archer.” I shoot her a warning glare, but she sticks her tongue out at me.

That little nugget of information certainly gets Bree’s attention though. I swear I’ve never her seen her lost for words. Her usually beautiful face pinches with a mixture of disbelief and envy. “You are not,” she eventually says. “West Archer doesn’t date.”

I open my mouth to reply, but once again Jen beats me to it. “He damn well does. Lily’s living with him, aren’t you, girl?” She nudges my arm.

My cheeks burn. “Um, kinda.”

“And his partners too? Xander and Ezekiel?” She says their names like she knows them personally. Given that her father is a rich banker, she probably does.

I shrug. “Yeah.”

“Liar,” she spits.

Bitch! I pull West’s black Amex from the back pocket of my jeans and hold it up. I really didn’t plan on spending a cent of his money, but I can’t possibly pass up the opportunity to prove to Bree that I’m not lying. “He’s such a sweetie. He gave me his card and told me to have a great time. Drinks are on me, ladies. What’ll it be?”

Bree narrows her eyes. “A bottle of Dom.”

I swallow hard. Shit. That will cost almost a thousand dollars in a bar like this. I don’t want to spend that much of his money. “How about a cocktail?” I suggest instead.

Bree folds her arms across her chest. “If you’re really dating West Archer, prove it. He can afford a bottle of Dom. Unless you’re on an allowance?” she says with a sneer.

Why is she such a complete twatwaffle to me?

“No, he won’t mind,” I say as breezily as I can. “A bottle of Dom and three glasses coming right up.”





After buying not one but four bottles of Dom Perignon and drinking one of them by myself, I can barely stand let alone walk to the car that Xander sends for me when I text him. I never should have tried to keep up with Bree and Jen. I should have known better. Groaning loudly, I put my head in my hands, but it spins violently, and I slump against the wall outside the bar.

“Come on, lightweight.” Jen wraps an arm around my waist and bundles me into the back of the car.

“Come with me,” I whine, grasping at her top. “We can take you home.”

She laughs. “I can’t. Trey’s taking me to some club. You could have come with us if you could handle your alcohol. Now I have to take Bree,” she whispers that last part, and it makes me giggle.

“Champagne makes me dizzy,” I slur. Leaning my head back, I close my eyes. The vehicle starts moving, and I reopen them to find Bree standing on the sidewalk, glaring at the car.

Cuntface.

West is waiting for me outside the apartment building. Oops, he looks mad. I shrink back against the seat, but he climbs in after me and pulls me out of the car, scooping me into his arms and striding toward the entrance with a curt thanks to his driver thrown over his shoulder.

I hiccup. “Sorry.”

He presses the button for the elevator. “For what, princess?”

I trail my fingers over his jawline. “How did you know I was here? Are you sh-pying on me?”

He arches a beautiful thick eyebrow at me. I trace my fingertip over one and smile. Have his eyebrows always been this perfect? It’s like they’re manicured. “The driver called and told me you might not make it from the car to the penthouse without assistance.”

“So, you’re my assistant,” I say with a grin.

He laughs softly.

“I can’t afford to pay you.” I drop my head on his shoulder as he steps into the elevator, and the world immediately starts to spin. “I have no money.”

“You can pay me in kisses,” he says, pressing one to my forehead.

“Kisses,” I snort, and then gasp when I remember that I bought four exorbitantly expensive bottles of champagne using his credit card. “I spent all your money.”

“You did, huh? Wow. Must’ve been some night.”

I wince. “I bought four bottles of Dom Perignon. But it wasn’t for me. It was for this girl from college. She hates me and she said things and then, and then she looked at me like I was crazy … I’m sh-sorry.”

“I gave you my card so you’d spend some of my money, princess. It’s fine.”

“I’ll pay you back. Might take about five years, but I will. Promish.”

“We’ll see. But let’s get you to bed first.”

“I love you, West Archer,” I say with a dreamy sigh. Closing my eyes, I press my face into his neck and inhale his masculine scent.

I’m pretty sure I didn’t mean to say that aloud, and I’m also sure that he squeezes me a little tighter and presses a soft kiss on my forehead.

My eyes snap open and my head spins when the elevator doors open to the penthouse. I squint at the four men looking at me with a mixture of amusement and concern. “Why are there two Xanders and two Zekes?” I whisper.