Janelle Denison: Into The Night

And that meant it was time to reevaluate her current place of employment. But until she found an alternative, she needed a steady paycheck and had a story due on Monday. So, instead of going into tonight’s assignment with a negative attitude, she’d decided to focus on the more positive aspects of the evening. And maybe, while she gathered the information she needed to write her article, she’d have a good time, too.

After running her fingers through her hair, she headed to her closet and changed into the outfit she’d bought earlier that day. She returned moments later and twirled around in the middle of the bedroom for Michelle’s approval.

“So, what do you think?” Nicole asked, perching her hands on her slender hips, now encased in a slim-fitting, hot-pink, summer-style dress.

Michelle’s wide-eyed gaze echoed her surprise. “Wow, you look amazing. And hot. Sizzling hot,” she added with a grin as she sat up on the lounge chair to get a better look at what Nicole was wearing. “I’ve never seen that dress on you before. Or those shoes, for that matter. I’m used to you wearing more tailored outfits for work, not something so blatantly sexy.”

Tonight was certainly about work, and a bit of fun, too. Hence, the sexy playfulness to her wardrobe. “I found both the dress and shoes on sale at Nordstrom and couldn’t resist getting the outfit for the summer.” It wasn’t something she’d ever wear to work, but she’d find a few reasons to wear the dress again after tonight, because she really did love it. “I didn’t want to go tonight wearing a pair of slacks and a button-down blouse. Talk about boring.”

Michelle laughed. “Oh, you look anything but boring, especially in those three-inch heels and baring more skin than I’ve ever seen on you in public.” She tipped her head to the side, her gaze turning much too speculative. “In fact, I’m beginning to wonder if tonight is more than just an assignment for you, that maybe you’re finally open to finding Mr. Right during this speed-dating event.”

Nicole shot her friend an are-you-out-of-your-ever-lovin’-mind? look. “Hell, no, I’m not looking for Mr. Right, or anything serious for that matter.” Her voice was emphatic as she pushed a pair of silver hoops into her earlobes, then followed those up with three matching bangle bracelets.

Getting tied into a committed, long-term relationship wasn’t on her radar for a good long time. She’d been there, done that. The experience had been more than she’d ever bargained for emotionally, and had nearly destroyed her self-worth, along with her self-confidence. It had taken a long time to recover from the aftermath of giving her whole heart and soul to a man who’d used her as his plaything-and dismissed her from his life as soon as someone younger and just as guileless caught his eye.

She’d been so naive, so trusting back then, but she wasn’t that romantic, starry-eyed teenager any longer. She was jaded, she supposed, and toughened by the experience. At twenty-five, she just wasn’t ready, or willing, to risk her heart and emotions on anything beyond building her career as a journalist.

These days, the only thing she relied on a man for was sex. And even at that, it had been nearly six months since she’d indulged in one of those seductive, tempting, feel-good kind of romps between the sheets. Nicole had made do just fine on her own since then, but the truth was, a vibrator didn’t compare to the real thing. She missed being touched and caressed by strong, capable hands, and kissed by a soft, warm male mouth. She loved the feel of a man’s hard body moving against hers, enjoyed the friction and slow climb to a powerful orgasm that drove him equally wild.

Though she enjoyed the intimacy of being with a man, she insisted on a friends-with-benefits arrangement, one specific go-to guy for hot but uncomplicated sex. No strings attached, and especially no messy emotions involved. Just mutual, physical pleasure, and no obligations to mess with her head or her heart.

How was that for dating in the twenty-first century?

Nicole shook her head on those thoughts and looked on the bright side of things. “I figure if I’m stuck with this assignment, I might as well enjoy myself,” she told Michelle as she double-checked her purse for everything she needed, then pulled out a tube of her favorite lip gloss that tasted like crème brûlée and shimmered with pink undertones.

Michelle lifted a delicate brow. “So, you’re going to mix business with pleasure, hmmm?”

“Why not?” After swiping the gloss across her lips, she dropped the tube back into her purse and snapped it closed, then grinned at her friend.

“God, you are so bad sometimes,” Michelle said with a shake of her head, though her tone was light and infused with amusement. “Well, have a good time, but don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Now, what fun would that be?” Nicole wrinkled her nose at her friend, who’d become much too conservative since getting engaged.

She sashayed out of the bedroom, a smile on her lips. Tonight Nicole planned to make the most of her humdrum assignment and her sexy new outfit. She might not be looking for a serious relationship like the rest of the applicants at the event, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t have a good time and enjoy any male attention that came her way-even knowing she’d be coming home alone to a cold, empty bed and her own personal vibrating Casanova stashed in her nightstand drawer.

Nathan noticed her as soon as she walked in, as did all the other guests mingling in the private banquet room situated in the back of Simply Fondue. Despite his initial reluctance to be here, for Nathan it was lust at first sight.

She’d snagged the men’s attention because she looked so vibrant and gorgeous in her formfitting hot-pink dress-a direct, in-your-face contrast with the more conservative, button-up outfits most of the other ladies had chosen to wear to this evening’s event. She looked so incredibly sexy with all those tousled blond curls falling to her shoulders, so alluring with that sweet, sensual smile curving her full, shiny lips. Then there were those high heels accentuating her slender legs and prompting a man’s thoughts to travel down an erotic path that included some very steamy fantasies with her in the starring role.

What man wouldn’t be drawn to all that sensuality, tied up in such a neat and totally hot package waiting to be unwrapped like a decadent present? A guy would have to be a eunuch not to notice, and appreciate, her sultry beauty.

And he was not a eunuch.

If anything, the woman in pink’s appearance was going to make for an interesting evening. Nathan couldn’t help but wonder if she was on the prowl for a husband, or just looking to have fun.

Before arriving at the restaurant, he’d cleared his head of the Ramsey case for the night in order to get through this dating event and fulfill his obligation to Valerie. The TRG assignment would still be waiting for him tomorrow, but for now, he forced himself to relax and go with the flow for the next few hours.

He kept to the perimeter of the room until the actual event started, politely talking to the women who approached him but not going out of his way to mingle like many of the other guys were doing. This was all about him filling a vacant seat for Valerie’s friend, and he was already counting the minutes until his good deed was done.

Swirling the ice in his glass of root beer, Nathan glanced back in Pink’s direction. She was at the sign-in table, getting her name tag and filling out the required paperwork before the event began.

Grabbing a pen, she bent at the waist to write down her personal information, and Nathan nearly groaned out loud. God, she had a nice, shapely ass-smooth, firm curves that would undoubtedly fit quite well in the palms of his hands. Or against his thighs if he molded himself to that tempting behind…