Free Hero - The Assignment: A Military Romance by M. S. Parker Page B

pitched her voice loud enough for the guys to hear.
    “I'm not up for hearing all about chord progressions and talks with big record labels. Too boring. At least this band's got a beat I can dance to. Remember your fling with that guy in the jazz band?”
    “Experimental jazz.” Paris sighed on a smoky exhale. “Yeah, he was sexy, but that noise was awful. And he was poor as shit.”
    A couple of the guys behind her had either gotten brave or stupid – I was guessing the latter – and started to step between us. Paris flicked her ash at their feet and grabbed my elbow, spinning me back through the crowd. The bouncer opened the velvet rope without a second glance, and we strolled back up to the VIP lounge.Ricky sat in our horseshoe booth with both arms hooked over the strapless shoulders of a pair of bleach blondes. One was in vivid green, and the other in a blinding orange, but everything else matched from the style of their dresses, to their overdone eyeliner, and rhinestone hair clips.
    Seriously? Rhinestone?
    “Identical twins,” Ricky said with a triumphant grin.
    “Look again.” I shook my head. “And you might want to lay off the shots.”
    Ricky peered at both the bleach blondes in turn, seeing that aside from their identical hair and boobs, they actually looked different. He grinned at me, then spoke to them, “Sorry, ladies, but my real diamonds are back. Red and real's what does it for me.”
    I repressed the desire to roll my eyes at his statement, watching as he shooed them out of the booth. They scowled at me as the waiter Ricky signaled escorted them from the lounge. When Paris and I sat down, a bottle of chilled champagne appeared, and Ricky sat up to pour for us like nothing had happened.
    “So who's ready to dance?” he asked, his eyes sliding over to me.
    “I think I'm going to have to call it,” I said, my words slow and sticky from the marijuana. “Grandfather's been calling.”
    I pulled out my phone to try and sell the lie. When I looked at the screen, it took a few minutes for me to realize it was actually true. A line of four missed calls and Grandfather wasn't a man who was used to waiting.
    Shit.
    I immediately called him back. “Grandfather?” I asked as the crowd cheered the return of the band.
    “Leighton? Where are you?” I could hear the disappointment. “Never mind, just come to my office when you get home. I've got a late overseas conference call so I'll be up. We have something to discuss.”
    He hung up without waiting for me to respond, and I glared at the phone. From behind me, I heard the familiar giggle of a high Paris. I turned in time to see her collapse against the back of the booth. I stared at her for a moment, then started giggling as well.
    “Let's dance!” she said suddenly. She jumped up and grabbed my hand.
    “No, wait, I've got to go.” I frowned. “Where am I going?”
    Ricky was right behind me, and his arms slid around my waist, fingers brushing against the undersides of my breasts. “You're going up to the roof with me. I paid the bouncer to let us go up there.”
    He pressed his lips against the space below my ear. One hand slid up to cup my breast.
    I frowned despite the buzz I still had going on. He knew I hated it when he did that in public. I shifted so that his hand dropped back down. “No, I really have to go somewhere...home. I have to go home,” I said.
    “Come on, babe, I gotta have you.” He licked my earlobe. “On the roof. Imagine doing it with all of LA spread out below us.” He put his hand back on my breast and squeezed.
    I spun around and shoved him back. “I've told you before that's too far.”
    He held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. My buzz was gone, and I was just pissed now.
    “I've been summoned.” I suddenly didn't want to party anymore. I didn't want to see my grandfather, but he was as good an excuse as any. “Don't want to keep him waiting.”
    Ricky stared at me for a moment, then deliberately turned