Acquainted With the Night Read Free Page A

“And that’s the way I like it.”
    Vivien Wong joined them at that moment. She was in bright red, a tunic with a mandarin collar that emphasized her Asian features. “Okay, knock it off,” she said tartly. “Jesus, I invite you two to a cocktail party so you can mingle and you just stand in the corner and neck. With each other. How boring.”
    CJ hugged her hostess. “I keep telling you, Viv. It’s the opposite of boring, believe me.”
    Alex added, “And that’s not really necking. I could show you the difference, if you’d like.”
    Vivien rolled her eyes and then hugged Alex, too. “I’d like that,” she said, suggestively. Flirting with Alex was one of her occasional hobbies, but the unspoken rule was that she could only do it in full view of CJ.
    “I meant with CJ, not you,” Alex said with mock severity.
    “Christ, you two are boring as hell!” Vivien exclaimed.
    CJ laughed at her. “Not so boring,” she said. “I think Alex was ready to throw a punch or two at one of your guests a minute ago.”
    Vivien’s eyes widened. “Which one?”
    CJ gestured across the room, where Steph was having what looked like a disagreement with Patty. “Stephanie,” CJ said.
    Vivien exclaimed, “Christ on a pancake! I had no idea Patty was bringing that cunt to my party.”
    CJ choked on her wine. “For heaven’s sake, Viv! Just because we broke up doesn’t make her a…” CJ hesitated over the word.
    Vivien shook her head and turned to Alex. “For God’s sake, she can’t even say it, despite the fact that she presumably spends much of her leisure time in and around one. I hope to Christ she at least manages some choice language for you in bed.”
    CJ, suddenly angry again, demanded, “Why is everyone suddenly so interested in the details of my sex life?”
    Alex’s face turned hard. “Is that what Steph said to you? She really is a—”
    CJ interjected, “She’s not a nice person.”
    Vivien threw up her hands. “I give up. I’m going to go play hostess and flirt with the bartender.”
    “Which one?” CJ eyed the two women behind the bar.
    Vivien smirked before she answered, “The blond Viking-looking one, of course. Alex, this one is all yours.”
    CJ watched the slow smile cross Alex’s face.
    “That’s true,” Alex murmured. “She is.”
    When the time came for Alex to go, she touched CJ’s arm. “I’m going to go change. I’ll come back and say goodbye to you before I leave.”
    “See you in a minute,” CJ said.
    Alex disposed of her glass and said goodbye to her hostess. CJ watched her walk across to Viv’s townhouse, where she’d stashed her uniform earlier. After a couple of minutes CJ followed, opening and closing the door to Viv’s spare bedroom quietly.
    Alex turned around, surprised. “What are you doing here?” Alex asked.
    “Thought I’d help you get dressed,” she said in her best sultry tone.
    “I’ve been getting dressed all by myself for about forty years,” Alex remarked.
    “Hmm. Then maybe I came in to help you get undressed. I’m much better at that anyway.”
    Alex deliberately removed her blouse and tossed it onto the bed. “I’d have to agree with that. But I have to go.”
    CJ crossed to her, close enough to run one long finger under Alex’s bra strap, easing down to touch the soft skin at the top of her breast. “That’s too bad. I love the black bra.”
    CJ smiled as she felt Alex’s breathing speed up.
    “Sweetheart, I really can’t be late for this meeting.”
    “Oh, I know,” CJ acknowledged. The finger was wandering into the valley between Alex’s breasts. CJ saw her nipples tighten underneath the lace and she grinned again in approval.
    “CJ, honey…”
    CJ dropped her hand. The look on Alex’s face was mixed relief and disappointment. “I was just making sure,” she said.
    “Making sure of what?” Alex demanded. “That I had to go off to a meeting in front of a couple of hundred people with my panties damp?”
    CJ leaned