I glanced down at myself. “Thanks. Yours is pretty too.”
Her lips curled in a smile. “Thank you.”
Dr. Handsy Perv broke off from his conversation and started heading in our direction.
“Don’t worry.” She set down her drink, then shifted so she was beside me and slipped her arm through mine. “Us girls need to stick together. I’ll get you out of here.”
We started toward the ballroom doors, arm in arm.
“Thank you so much.” I glanced over my shoulder. “Oh my god, he’s following.”
“Persistent, isn’t he? I’m Ruby, by the way.”
“Sophie.”
She gave my arm a reassuring squeeze as we walked through the large double doors. “Some men don’t know how to take a hint. We’ll disappear into the ladies’ room.”
The restrooms were just across the hallway and we ducked inside. I let out a long breath while Ruby checked her hair in the mirror. She got out her phone and started typing.
“Are you here alone?” she asked.
I smoothed down my dress and shifted my coat, which was still hanging over my arm. “Yes, unfortunately. You?”
“My husband is here, but he went back to our room already.”
“Are you from out of town, or just making a night of it?”
“Making a night of it. Hotels have a way of spicing things up.” She tucked her phone into her black clutch. “I’ll make sure the coast is clear.”
“Thank you so much.”
“My pleasure.” She opened the door and peeked out, then let it fall closed again.
“He’s still out there, isn’t he?” I asked.
“He is, and he’s standing in the middle of the hallway so he’s blocking your access to the ballroom and the lobby.”
I shuddered again. So creepy. “I’m genuinely worried he has a syringe in his pocket and he’s going to drug me.”
“He gives off that vibe, doesn’t he? How about we go upstairs to my room? We can have a drink while we wait for him to give up the chase.”
“I don’t want to impose—”
“Nonsense,” she said, slipping her arm through mine again. “We’d love to have you.”
Smiling at my good fortune at having bumped into Ruby, I let her lead me out of the ladies’ room. We took a quick right, toward the elevators, and she pressed the button.
“Sophie,” Dr. Handsy Perv called behind me.
“Pretend you don’t hear him,” Ruby whispered.
Come on, elevator. Come on, open.
“Sophie, where are you—”
The elevator dinged and the doors swished open. Ruby and I darted inside and I jammed my finger on the close button.
Dr. Handsy Perv jogged down the hallway toward us, but the doors closed just in time.
I let out a long breath.
“Wow, he really must like you,” Ruby said.
My tummy felt a little tickle as the elevator rose. “I don’t know if anyone has ever made me more uncomfortable than that guy.”
“Then I’m glad we ran into each other. No one needs that in their life.”
The doors opened to the second floor and I followed her down the hall.
“Thank you again,” I said, my voice emphatic. “You really didn’t have to do all this. You’re missing the auction.”
She waved off my comment. “Believe me, I don’t mind. This is much more fun. Besides, before I got married, I dated a couple of creepers. I know how awful it is.”
She stopped in front of a door and swiped her key card, then pushed it open.
I hesitated behind her. Dr. Handsy Perv had to have given up by now. And I could find a different set of elevators, go back down to the lobby, and be on my way. I probably shouldn’t be going into a stranger’s hotel room, even if she was nice.
“I should actually get going,” I said. “I appreciate your help, but—”
“It’s no trouble at all, I promise.”
A man in a dress shirt with the tie undone appeared in the open door. He was tall, with sleek dark hair and a square jaw.
They made a gorgeous couple.
“There you are,” he said, slipping an arm around her waist. He brushed her lips with a light kiss, then his eyes moved to me. “Did you make a friend again?”
“This is Sophie. Isn’t she sweet? I invited her up for a drink.” She glanced at me. “This is my husband, Marcus.”
“Hi,” I said.
His gaze flicked up and down and he gave me a friendly smile. “Nice to meet you. Come in.”
Ruby hooked my arm and led me inside.
Their suite was beautiful, with a sitting area, a wet bar, and big windows. Through another door, I could see a large bedroom with a king bed. Ruby dropped my arm and I wandered slowly around the room, gazing at the opulent furnishings and beautiful art on the walls.
“Ruby is the social one of the two of us. She makes new friends wherever we go.” Marcus paused next to the bar. “What can I get you, Sophie?”
Before I could answer, Ruby sidled up to him and slipped her hand in his. “Honey, I was thinking. We already had drinks downstairs. Shouldn’t we do something more fun?”
Marcus looked me up and down again, the corner of his mouth lifting in a smile. “You’re right. I think we should.”
Ruby turned back to me and nibbled on her lower lip. “What do you think, Sophie? Are you up for a little fun?”
I froze in place, not sure how to answer that question. The energy in the room buzzed with sudden weirdness. What did she mean by that?
“Um…”
Marcus glanced at her with a raised eyebrow. “You didn’t ask her already?”
“I wanted to introduce you first.”
“You know I trust your judgment.” His eyes flicked to me. “But she’s perfect.”
“Isn’t she?”
“Um, perfect for what?” I asked.
Ruby took a step toward me and grabbed my hand. “Marcus and I like to add a little spice to our relationship by including a friend.”
My eyes widened. Did she mean…
“Oh… I’m not… I don’t…”
She ran her thumb along the backs of my knuckles. “I know you’ve probably never done something like this before. You have a certain innocence about you. It’s why I asked you up here. But I think the three of us could have an amazing time together.”
Marcus tapped something, then held out a silver tray toward Ruby.
My eyes widened more.
There were three lines of white powder on the tray.
Oh holy shit.
My heart slammed a furious beat behind my ribs. Oh my god, she’d brought me up here to do cocaine and have a threesome with her and her husband.
“Would you like some?” Ruby asked, gesturing toward the tray. “It really enhances the experience.”
Sudden panic made my mind go blank. Instead of doing the rational thing and politely declining, then walking out the door, I did the Sophie thing.
I made a mess.
Stepping backward, I jerked my hand out of Ruby’s grasp. I teetered on my heels—damn it, I’d been doing so well in them tonight—and flung my arms out for balance. My hand crashed into the tray of drugs—drugs!—and sent it flying through the air, spraying a shower of white powder all over Marcus.