London Falling by Audrey Carlan Read Free Book Online

my phone back into my purse.
    “Nothing. Just texting with Collier. I have a date.” Already, I was imagining the ways in which I’d defile that beautiful man. My hands itched to be all over him.
    “You’re kidding? You have a date? A bonafide sit down and eat, go to a show, dancing kind of date?” He cringed. “With a man?” His expression clearly shocked. He leaned forward and gauged my reaction.
    “Who has a date?” said a voice I knew as well as my own from behind me. Aspen sauntered in, her long blond hair blowing in the wind as if she just came out of a shampoo commercial, which actually could have happened. She does have a huge modeling agency as part of her empire.
    “Bridge!” Tripp hollered with delight. My best friend was a riot. A true funny man. Not!
    My sister stopped dead in her tracks and pretended to almost faint. “No way!” I rolled my eyes.
    Tripp pulled out her chair and kissed her cheek. “You look gorgeous as usual, Pen. Love suits you.”
    She offered Tripp the biggest smile I’d ever seen. I loved Aspen’s boyfriend, Hank more and more for making her so happy. She deserved it even if the odds were against their relationship. With her being a top performing billionaire work-a-holic, and he a laid-back cowboy construction worker, a love match was not in their favor. However, it just proved that no matter the odds, love always prevailed. Except for me. Love was a bitter, cold bitch that I stayed far away from.
    “So tell me more about you going on a date. An official date? The kind one has when they’ve first met someone they may be interested in getting to know, in case you don’t remember what that is,” she added.
    “Ha ha. Real funny. Yes, I’m going on a date. Not a big deal. Just dinner.”
    Tripp and Aspen looked at one another and rolled their eyes.
    “Bridge, when was the last time you were on an actual date?”
    “I go on dates all the time with my clients. What are you talking about?” I knew what they were talking about but they didn’t need to make it something it wasn’t.
    “That’s work!” Tripp chided.
    “It’s more than work sometimes,” I winked. He knew my sexual proclivities; they were the same as his. All work and no play made London a dull girl. I made certain there was never a dull moment between me and clients especially the ones that were worthy of bedding.
    “Fucking your clients or boy toys don’t count and you know it!” he accused.
    Aspen nodded and waved the waiter over.
    “Martinis?” she asked us brusquely. Tripp and I nodded then continued our heated glares. “We’ll take two Stockholm seventy five’s, and I’ll have iced tea,” Aspen ordered.
    “Very well, Mam,” the waiter scurried off with her order. It was strange that Aspen didn’t order herself a drink. Before I could ask she started in on the third degree.
    “All joking aside. Who’s the mystery man?” Aspen asked.
    “You probably know him. Collier Stone.”
    “My lawyer?” she laughed. “That’s rich!”
    “No, you’re rich. Collier’s a sexy man who asked me on a date and I agreed. We’re going out to dinner tonight.”
    Tripp and Aspen shared a knowing look. Tripp took a deep breath then continued. “James Bond is hot, I’ll give you that.”
    Aspen snorted at Tripp’s nickname for Collier. “I haven’t actually met him. I always work with his brother Nate. But, are you ready for a real date?”
    “You act like I haven’t been with a man in ages. As a matter of fact, I had Dylan just last night.”
    “That’s sex, not a relationship,” she chastised.
    “I don’t do relationships.” My tone was scathing, harsher than I intended.
    Our drinks arrived and Aspen took a healthy sip of her tea and continued. “Exactly, our point.”
    “Look guys, I know you’re just trying to make sure I’m happy. Believe me, I am. Very much so. Collier asked me out. I said yes. At this point, I’m going to dinner with the guy, not marrying him.” That