Read Online Kiss Is a Four-Letter Word by Erin M. Leaf - Free Book Online Page B

out."
    Simon thought about all the years he'd been the best of friends with this man. Thought about all the things they'd been through together. No, Eli wasn't the kind of man to let go of something once he got his fists around it. Simon moved close and grabbed Eli's hands, closing his fingers around Eli's warm skin and squeezing. Eli looked him in the eye and nodded, squeezing back.
    Simon wasn't the kind of man to let go either.
    ****
    The fourth time Sherry set eyes on Simon and Eli, she had just stepped into the Mandarin Oriental hotel in New York City. The setting sun threw the lights from the buildings into sharp relief against the darkening sky. She looked up at the familiar landmarks of the city, then gathered her courage and went inside. When she reached the ballroom, she looked into the enormous space that stretched in front of her. Three huge chandeliers lit tables cluttered with crystal and silver. Three glass walls soared up to an eighteen-foot ceiling. The view of Manhattan left her gaping. She felt very much out of place.
    The people around her didn't really set her at ease, unfortunately. Celebrities mingled with the super-rich in formal tuxedos and gowns that sparkled as brightly as the skyline glimpsed through the windows. Sherry had never seen so many diamonds all in one place and holy hell, was that Brad Pitt? Sherry felt like a fish lost in a meadow of butterflies, desperately searching for water. What was she doing here? A waiter paused near her and she swiped one of the glasses of champagne off his tray, ignoring his sympathetic smile. She wanted to drain it but forced herself to take small sips. The last thing she needed was to pass out just inside the doors.
    "First time at one of these things, huh?" the waiter asked.
    Sherry looked at him and sighed. He seemed like a nice guy with his tousled blond hair and twinkling eyes. "Yeah. Is it that obvious?"
    He shrugged. "They're just people, like anyone else. Most of them are assholes and some of them are nice." He grinned at her.
    Sherry laughed, starting to feel a little better. "Do you work at these things a lot?"
    "I'm an actor, of course I work a lot of these things," he joked. A man in a black uniform waved at them and Sherry's new friend straightened up. "Well, gotta get moving. Good luck." He sent her an encouraging smile and gracefully walked off, offering drinks to random guests. Sherry squared her shoulders. Time to get moving. At the very least, she could search for Eli and Simon rather than standing frozen near the door like a statue. She took a single step inside then another and suddenly the noise level dropped. Everyone was looking at the stairs on the far end of the room. Sherry glanced up. Poised at the top of the steps were Eli and Simon, looking more handsome than any men had a right to be.
    "Oh wow, there they are," a woman nearby whispered to her friend. Sherry glanced at them. The woman smiled. "Aren't they gorgeous?"
    Sherry couldn't help grinning. "That they are."
    "I wish I could meet them. I've been coming to this thing for the past four years but I can't seem to finagle an introduction to the two of them."
    Sherry frowned. "Are they that difficult to meet?"
    The woman stared at her. "You've never been to this before, I take it?"
    Sherry sighed. "No. I haven't and I know it's totally obvious that I’m new."
    The woman laughed. "Oh don't worry, it's fun. Nothing to stress over. And the food's always awesome." She nodded her head toward Eli and Simon. They were talking with an older couple now, still on the top landing of the staircase. "Meeting Eli Moest and Simon River is impossible. I've been trying to corner them for years. They're always surrounded."
    "By whom?" Sherry asked, curious.
    The woman tossed her long blond hair. "Investors. Celebrities. Politicians. Everyone wants a piece of the action." She smoothed her hand down her green gown. "Well, I'm off to try again. Maybe this will be my year. See you around."
    The woman