Anirudh couldn't believe his luck—running into Aurora here of all places, and finding out she was Eleanor's friend? Mind-blowing.
She'd swapped outfits since he last saw her, now rocking a black low-cut spaghetti strap dress with a sleek little blazer tossed over it. Her curves were practically spilling out, giving him an eyeful of smooth, creamy skin. The memory of kneading one of those soft mounds not too long ago hit him like a freight train, and his body was all too eager to respond.
That skirt? Barely there, just skimming her hips. Her long, killer legs, wrapped in sheer black stockings, screamed sex appeal with every step.
Aurora was a knockout in a tank top—now, dolled up like this? She was a walking felony.
He opened his mouth to say hi, but she beat him to it, strutting over with a grin. "Eleanor, this the hotshot you've been hyping up? Gotta say, he's got some swagger!"
"Damn right he does! But hands off, got it?" Eleanor shot back, chest puffed out, throwing Aurora a death stare.
"Please, Eleanor, you think I'd waste my time on a kid like him?" Aurora rolled her eyes so hard they nearly fell out, her voice dripping with mock disgust.
Anirudh glared at her, stung. Not interested? Then why'd she damn near devour him earlier? That's her version of not interested?
If he didn't know she was messing with him, he'd have called her out right there.
"Yeah, right. Like a flirt like you wouldn't pounce if you got desperate enough," Eleanor fired back with a smirk.
"Ha! I'm not that hard up. Get this—on the train to Iowa, I met a total stud. He's got my full attention now. Your little prize is safe—keep him and have your fun!" Aurora tossed Anirudh a sly wink and cackled.
"What are you yapping about? Move it—we've been waiting!" Eleanor's cheeks flushed at Aurora's shameless spiel, and she swatted at her with a playful huff.
Anirudh blushed too. That "stud"? Yeah, that was him.
Eleanor ushered them into the private room, and Anirudh's jaw dropped. It was a stunner convention—gorgeous women everywhere!
Four knockouts, each one a total babe with a body to match. Like attracts like, and these beauties were living proof.
They were so hot he didn't know where to look first.
"Alright, ladies, meet Anirudh—the guy I've been bragging about. Hot, right?" Eleanor beamed, showing him off like a trophy.
"Super hot," purred a woman in a killer reddish-purple miniskirt.
"Total charmer," chimed in another rocking a jade-green chiffon dress.
"Solid catch."
The rest nodded, clearly vibing, but stayed seated. Except for one—a teenage girl who bounced up like a jack-in-the-box and skipped over. "Hey, cutie! I'm Estella. So stoked to meet you!"
She stuck out a chubby little hand.
"Hey there! I'm Anirudh," he said, flashing a grin as he shook her soft, squishy hand. It felt great, but his eyes wandered to her chest.
Unlike the others, all primped and polished, Estella kept it chill in an off-white T-shirt with a pink bear on it—cute as hell. But her rack? Insane. A fifteen- or sixteen-year-old, barely over five feet, sporting a bust that rivaled Eleanor and Aurora? Unreal. Pair that with her chubby, doll-like face and big, innocent eyes, and Anirudh was hooked.
Baby-faced and stacked—straight out of a fantasy!
Eleanor setting him up with a girl like this? He was living the dream!
"Hehe, Anirudh, you got a girlfriend?" Estella asked, pulling her hand back like it was no big deal.
"Nope," he said straight-up. Wasn't that the whole point of this setup?
"Then how about me?" she grinned, all sweet and innocent.
"Whoa, what?!" Anirudh froze. That escalated fast.
The room erupted in laughter, Eleanor included. Aurora was losing it, her chest bouncing like crazy as she cracked up right in his face.
"Alright, Estella, quit messing with him. Let's eat, then hit karaoke," Eleanor said, swooping in to save him from the hot seat.
"I'm not messing! I'm for real! Think about it, okay?" Estella pouted, rubbing her nose as Eleanor dragged her back to her seat. Her blunt charm got everyone giggling again.
Once they settled in, Eleanor kept the intros rolling. The miniskirt babe was Rosalind—dad's a big-shot general in Chicago's military, college buds with Eleanor, now a CEO. They were the "Chicago Twin Beauties."
The green-dress hottie was Amy, Aurora's twenty-two-year-old sister, three years older than Anirudh, hitting the books for business at Chicago U. Then there was Laila, the icy stunner his age, starting at Chicago Business School with him tomorrow.
Eleanor had seriously hooked him up!
He plopped down between Eleanor and Estella, Aurora smirking at him from across the table with those flirty winks that sent his pulse into overdrive. Lucky for him, the waiters rolled in with a feast.
"To Anirudh's big welcome—cheers!" Eleanor kicked things off, raising her glass once the spread was set.
Anirudh eyed the blood-red wine and felt his stomach sink.
"Relax, it's just a little wine. Man up—you've gotta learn to drink!" Eleanor, all hyped up, egged him on. With no escape, he clinked glasses and chugged it.