Just Like Her

Chapter 5

Emma

He was taller than I remembered—much beefier, too, especially compared to the scrawnier man who he was speaking with.

I hovered in the doorway and watched as he clasped the other man on the shoulder and nodded along to whatever his companion was saying.

Tom's eyes crinkled in a smile when they met mine. I drew a deep breath and knew those green eyes were going to be the end of me. They were so startling in color and even more so in how they seemed to play his every emotion, every thought like flashes across a screen.

Tom finished his conversation and walked over to me. He hesitated for a half a moment before leaning down to kiss my cheek. "You came."

Trying to focus on preventing my knees from wobbling, I briefly closed my eyes. I opened them again as I felt him lean back to a more casual distance.

"You invited me," I grinned.

"You look..." His eyes roamed over me and over the draping wrap-dress Trisha had lent me. It was made of a silvery-lavender colored velvet, and the way the fabric fell caught the light and accentuated my curves. "Stunning," he finally breathed.

"Thanks," I blushed.

"But what's with the torture devices?"

I laughed and let him steer me toward the bar, the thin heel of my strappy stilettos clicking against the marble floor. "They went with the dress!"

"Guess we won't be walking to dinner then," he teased in my ear.

The bartender appeared and took our drink orders just as five perfectly manicured fingers casually appeared around Tom's left bicep.

"Sorry, Tommy, can I steal you away for a moment?" The owner of the hand, a petite yet rather voluptuous looking woman, said. "There are a few donors I need to introduce you to."

As if noticing me for the first time, she smiled in greeting and winked. "It won't take long, promise."

Tom sent me an apologetic look, saying, "I'll be right back."

I smiled tightly. "I'll be here!"

I turned to retrieve my glass of wine from the bartender with a sincere 'thank you' and then turned back to watch Tom follow the woman. They stopped eventually in front of a man dressed in an expensive looking suit and a rather glamorous looking woman. She wore a long evening gown, that might have looked somewhat out of place except that it flowed elegantly and was not adorned with any jewelry.

I sighed as I watched them. The woman beside Tom was truly stunning. The tight, strappy dress she wore displayed every one of her tantalizing curves. The neckline was incredibly low, but her cleavage was mostly covered by layers upon layers of a shimmering chain-link necklace. Her hair—pin straight and nearly maroon in color—was cut asymmetrically so one side was slightly longer than the other. On anyone else, the look would've come off as ridiculous, but on her... it oozed effortless cool.

I sighed and took a long sip of wine.

The four of them together made an almost unfairly attractive group. Tom shook each of their hands and spoke with them briefly, all the time smiling and nodding. Every once in a while he glanced in my direction and his eyes crinkles.

Tom and the beautiful woman met with two other small groups of people before he plunked down onto the bar stool next to mine.

"Sorry about that," he said as he ran a hand through his hair, crumpling it slightly.

I smiled. "Quite the charmer."

He blushed and leaned against the bar next to me. "Part of the job description."