Hen Party 1 (Hen Party #1) Page 5

  “But what if the good times get out of control and cause a heap of problems?” Kyra said.

  Paul stopped his performance. “Make up your minds, lovelies. Do you want me to strip or not?” He went to fetch his shirt from Elin.

  “Just ignore whiney Princess Ka-Ka,” Maddy said. “She’s a party-wrecker.”

  Kyra tapped her foot on the floor. “I am not.”

  There was no mistaking the agitation in Elin’s voice when she said, “Kyra, you don’t have to take responsibility for what happens tonight.”

  Kyra swallowed down the yucky taste in her mouth. She was creating drama because she refused to let Maddy have her way and threaten Elin’s rosy nuptials. “But I’m your bridesmaid and your friend, and I’m looking out for you.”

  Elin stared down at Kyra. “All of us are here to kick up our heels and forget the daily grind of earning a living, paying bills and housework. Please Kyra, stop your protests.”

  “I can’t.” Kyra couldn’t ignore her strong gut instinct. “I have a bad feeling about this stripper gig, and I can’t switch off my concerns,” she pleaded. “I wouldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t speak up and warn you tonight might not end in laughs.”

  “Kyra, I’m sorry you have a different opinion,” Elin said, and the radiant bridal joy that had previously lit up her face was fading to grey. She twirled one of the curls at the side of her face. “I’ll take a chance on celebrating the end of my bachelorette days with my friends and making a night we won’t forget,” she said sadly but with stubborn conviction.

  The Henriettas cheered Elin, and Kyra had to wait for the unruly noise to die down before she said, “I don’t think you’ve thought about the consequences of the party gig.”

  “I haven’t, and why should I?” Elin spread out her arms toward Kyra. “This is my last excuse for a wild party before I settle down into marriage and kids with the love of my life,” she said, her words choked with emotion.

  The Henriettas oohed and aahed in the background.

  It seemed that no one shared Kyra’s anxieties and everyone was against her point of view. Bleakness spread through like a cold winter wind.

  “That’s enough of the great debate,” Maddy said. “Shut it, Ka-Ka!”

  Kyra locked eyes with Maddy and refused to be the first to look away. “No, I won’t leave it alone,” she said with a shake of her head. “I know about your appetite for trouble-making and laughing it off as a good time. We are not playing on a hockey field and chasing adrenaline rushes now.”

  “Then I’ll help you understand the situation.” The intimidation in Maddy’s voice was naked and raw. “Elin knows what she wants, so quit interfering.”

  Kyra inhaled deeply and stood her ground. “No, the stripper gig is tacky entertainment for a bride-to-be,” she said, with enough ice in her voice to drop the chill factor below zero. “You’re leading Elin into unnecessary conflict with Marco.”

  “That does it. I’m taking you out of the circle of friends.” The fullback grabbed a fistful of Kyra’s dress and physically dragged her away from Elin and through a gap in the Henriettas to the middle of the lounge. The rest of the women rubbernecked after them because surprise, surprise, the clash with Maddy had become the main event.

  “Let go of me,” Kyra cried out and balled her hand into Maddy’s green sack dress.

  “Go on, get out of here,” Maddy barked.

  “You’re a bully without a conscience!” Kyra accused.

  “You’re a frigid prude who can’t keep a man!”

  “What the hell?” Kyra’s emotions crashed at the mention of her love life in front of the other women and Joe. “That’s a dirty, low-down, dig about my relationships. I’m moving your bad mouth out of here.”

  The fullback held her arm out to the side. “Yeah, go this way.” She gave Kyra a shove toward the front bar door.

  Caught off-guard, the jolt caused the chunk of green dress to yank out of Kyra’s hands. She stumbled in her high-heels, lurched forward and almost fell down to the floor. Around her, the chatter in the lounge quietened. A dozen sets of ruthless feminine eyes looked her up and down.

  Maddy’s harsh criticism had exposed her as a flawed woman who couldn’t stay in a relationship with a guy, but who the hell needed to know that anyway? She could hold her head higher than Maddy, any day, especially right now.

  “How dare you call me a frigid prude when your hook-ups deserve far worse names?” Kyra took another step toward the fullback. “But I won’t shame you, as long as you keep your loose lips zipped.”

  “Which ones do you mean—my north or my south?” Maddy chortled as she pointed at her mouth and then at the top of her legs.

  “Both of them flap too much,” Kyra stormed.

  “Purr-lease, your jealous pussy-cat is out of its cage.” Maddy laughed riotously with the Henriettas.

  Joe wedged his buff body into the gap between Kyra and Maddy. “Is the catfight part of the night’s entertainment?” he asked. “If it is, then I’m sure the men in the public bar will cheer you on while you rip apart each other’s dresses.”

  “Hey, that’s a good idea. Let’s try it out,” Maddy joked.

  “No! You two will not be taking your arguments out of this room,” Elin called out. The faces of the Henriettas turned back to the dance area where she stood, hipshot on the chair with Paul close by. “Maddy, calm down and stop picking on Kyra.”

  “Peace be with you, sister,” Maddy said, and gave Kyra a forked finger sign which roused more giggles from the Henriettas.

  Kyra’s face burned from being the brunt of another joke, but she wasn’t going to let the fullback destroy all of her dignity. “We weren’t fighting,” she said to Joe. “Maddy and I aren’t enemies. We were swapping relationship advice.” She sidestepped him and stretched one arm out in front of the fullback’s body. “Stay here!”

  Kyra strode back toward Elin. All of a sudden, Kyra felt a pair of hands pat along the top of her shoulders and continue underneath her hair. The unsolicited touch on her skin made the hairs stand up on the back of her neck. She flicked her head to the side to find Maddy was standing right behind her.

  “Maddy, stop!” Elin yelled.

  Panic raced through Kyra, and she couldn’t move her legs fast enough to get away from the fullback. A split second later there was a tugging sensation around her throat and the halter bow of her dress came undone. The panels of chiffon flopped to her waist, exposing her bare bosom. She shrieked in horror. With fumbling fingers she clutched at the fabric to hide her bust as Maddy sashayed away.

  “Well lookey-here, someone skimped on wearing a bra tonight,” Maddy drawled from the other side of the lounge where the Henriettas had gathered around her. “My eyes are hurting from the instant breast stardom I’m seeing.” With a triumphant punch in the air, she turned in a circle. “Ka-Ka, your naked double-D’s earn double merit points on the Henrietta’s Honor Board for outstanding achievement.”

  A double-D bra cup was an exaggeration. She was a standard C size. Nevertheless, raucous laughter filled the room as Kyra pinned one arm across the swirly red and purple material to keep her chest covered. She looked to Elin, who was white-faced as Paul helped her down from the chair.

  Kyra blurted out, “If you put my name on your tart-shaming board, I’ll throw it into the Swan River to wash away the smutty scores you keep on each other.”

  Paul and Elin approached. He gave Kyra the thumbs up. “Hey lady, you’re stealing my show, but the view is worth it,” he growled.

  The Henriettas clapped boisterously and chanted for Kyra to do a double strip act with Paul.

  She shook with outrage. She wasn’t a person with feelings to the Henriettas. She was someone to laugh at. “Maddy…” She glared at the fullback. Kyra wasn’t going to take the lack of respect any longer. The strength in her voice grew. “This is your opportunity to get your gear off. Don’t miss it.”

  “Oh, no,” Elin gasped. “Kyra, it’s a party joke, plea
se don’t take the teasing personally.”

  “It’s a personal backbite all right. I’ve had enough of being the target for cheap jokes.” This raspberry is for my relationship fails. I’m reclaiming my fighter-spirit. “I’ll deal with the situation. Elin, just stand back and stay out of it,” Kyra said.

  “But now I’m worried about you fighting with Maddy.” Elin clutched Paul’s arm.

  “Don’t worry about me. I’m wearing my big girl panties, and you’re not taking part in the argument. Think of your beau, not Maddy and me,” Kyra said.

  “What is she going to do?” one of the Henriettas murmured in the background.

  “Maddy is too stubborn and strong. Ka-Ka will never defeat her,” another woman added to the conversation.

  “It’s not a competition. This is pest control,” Kyra snapped. With her spare hand, she lowered her handbag to a table and tied up the straps of her dress in a clumsy bow. She glared at the source of her extreme humiliation, the smirking relationship advisor from hell. She stalked over to her, intent on wiping the smug expression from her face once and for all.

  “Kyra, stop!” Joe called.

  Kyra didn’t take her eyes off Maddy as she closed the distance between them. “You’re not going to ruin the night for Elin by behaving like a maniac. You’re leaving the party now.” She raised her voice, “Call a taxi, and I’ll put you in it.”

  Maddy scuttled behind the row of square dinner tables placed against the long main wall of the lounge. She bent over with the posture of a hockey player holding a stick on the ground, waiting for the ball to come her way so she could belt it down the field.

  “Ka-Ka, don’t be ashamed of flashing your bouncing boobs in our faces. Wear the pair of them with pride and use them to get more Vadge action.”

  “I’m done with your tart tips.” Kyra accidently scrunched up the linen cloth as she squeezed into the slot between two tables. She lunged to grab hold of the fullback. At the last moment, Maddy darted to the side and Kyra fell on the bench seat. She picked herself up to chase Maddy around the next table.

  “I was only helping you, um…break free. No, they’re not the right words.” Maddy raised her voice, “You’re too stuck up to ask for help with your man problems.” She jammed a table into Kyra’s thighs, knocking over the containers of condiments.

  Kyra was sandwiched by the table behind her and couldn’t move. “Damn you! Look after the fire between your own legs, not mine.” She shoved at the table to widen the gap and get free. The napkin holder toppled to the floor.

  Maddy swayed from side to side like she was on the astro-turf, deciding where to hit the ball to dodge her opponent. “I couldn’t keep watching your false starts with blokes without staging a relationship intervention. Someone had to tell you to get over yourself.”

  “I’m not listening to your rubbish advice.” Kyra dashed around the furniture and this time, caught a handful of Maddy’s awful dress. With all of her might, Kyra dragged the fullback’s weighty body away from the dining area.

  “After you’ve spent the night kissing a guy, getting all hot and steamy, you’ll thank me in the morning for liberating the prude.” Maddy cast a leering look at Joe. “What about him?”

  Embarrassment paralyzed Kyra’s limbs. “I’m done with the weird, too.” Trying to persuade Kyra to get it on with Joe, a man she’d known for an hour, was the fullback’s final attempt at whacko humor. With sheer, bloody determination rather than muscle power, Kyra hauled Maddy a few more steps closer to the front bar door.

  * * *

  Shockwaves rippled through Jovanni at Maddy’s suggestion that he should take Kyra to bed tonight. With a deliberate step, he navigated a path around the jumbled tables to reach the two bickering women. Never before had he witnessed the untamed menace females could inflict on each other. The hostile emotion directed at Kyra didn’t feel that different to the nasty rumors Gina made up about him and spread around Sydney because she’d married the wrong man and blamed him for the mistake.

  He strode up to Maddy and drew himself up tall. “Why is Kyra going to thank you in the morning?” he asked.

  The short woman gave an awkward laugh. “Do you really need me to tell you why?” she said, sarcastically. When he kept his silence, she grabbed a handful of her dress a few inches higher than Kyra’s twisted hold on the garment. “Well, you know, you’re Kyra’s Mr. Right, the bloke with the drooling good looks and expensive threads…” Her voice trailed off. “Okay, you’re Mr. Right, for now.”

  “Your match-making skills have missed the mark,” he said with authority. “I’m Kyra’s Mr. Wrong. I play my own part in relationship hemorrhages.”

  “All right, I can run with you being Mr. Wrong for now,” Maddy said. “Let the Vadge decide your title.”

  His gut tightened as Maddy gave a powerful jerk of her arms. The dress ripped through Kyra’s hands. With a startled cry, she slipped in her heels. Jovanni scrambled to catch one of her flailing arms to slow her fall and stop her head from hitting the hard boards. She landed in a crumpled heap on the floor, but appeared unhurt.

  Like the alpha victor in the catfight, Maddy triumphantly stood over Kyra’s sprawled figure. “Now, close your eyes and banish the princess forever,” Maddy said in a coarse voice. “Expecting the best of everything made you unhappy and hoity-toity toward men. Running home to live with your Mummy and Granny when you mess up your relationships,” she scoffed. “Changing jobs to escape the problems you stir up.” She bent down to Kyra. “Jump off the hamster wheel and give it all you’ve got to become a shiny new woman like we’ve never seen before.”

  Kyra’s eyes brimmed with tears. She gave a heartfelt sob before pushing herself up on one elbow. “What hamster wheel are you mouthing off about?”

  “Running around in circles and going nowhere. Your life is the hamster wheel, sweetie. Change it before life changes you,” Maddy said.

  Jovanni let go of Kyra’s arm and grasped her hand. “Let me help you stand up.” She avoided looking at him. His gaze softened over her defiant figure. She’d fallen down low, but she wasn’t knocked out by Maddy.

  “No, I’ll be okay,” she mumbled, but didn’t move a limb.

  He let go of her hand and squatted down beside her. “You can’t stay on the floor. You’ll get trodden on.”

  Her glistening eyes turned his way and, for a moment, he was transfixed by the fiery courage he saw in the hazel depths. His heart drummed victory for the strength she drew out of her humiliation and vulnerability. He didn’t want her to change who she was. Kyra Jamieson was a magnificent, passionate woman.

  “Okay, I’m coming,” she said eventually. Then, with her full, dignified beauty, she rose to her feet to face her tormenter.

  He swung around as the other girls yahooed for the catfight to continue. He had to end the spat before Kyra or Maddy got injured. “Kyra, don’t move.” She turned her head at the sound of his voice. “Maddy, go to the public bar until Kyra cools down,” he ordered. There shouldn’t be any more conflict there. Maddy was a tough woman, and the worst of the louts had left the pub.

  “Okey-dokey,” Maddy conceded with a shrug. “I’ll be back,” she threw over her shoulder before heading to the door.

  He rubbed a hand across his forehead at Maddy’s easy surrender and her threat to continue the fight later on. Where would it end?

  Chapter Five

  Kyra frowned as she watched Elin’s dash to the front bar door with stripper Paul following after her. “Where is Elin hurrying off to?” She turned to ask Jovanni. “Why is she leaving the lounge with Paul? Kyra was thinking out loud and Jovanni didn’t have the answers to her questions.

  “Is she upset with me because I stood up to Maddy? Is Elin deserting me?” Kyra ran her fingers through her long locks. “What have I done? Have I ruined my friendship with Elin? I have to speak to her and sort this out. Oh no, the sleaze bags in the bar might get to Elin.” Kyra went to take off after her friend.

  Jovanni stoppe
d her by cupping his hands around her shoulders. “You don’t have to rush off in a panic. The louts have left the bar.” As he tried to steady her, he felt a tremor pass through her body and his hands. With each passing moment of the party fiasco, she was dancing on the edge of her nerves and heading toward her own personal collapse. She bit down on her lip and looked up at him with soulful eyes. She melted his heart a little bit more.

  “Calm down before you hurt yourself,” he said.

  She wriggled her shoulders free of his grasp. He had to look away from her halter neck dress to keep his thoughts about her sexy breasts in check.

  She stared trance-like at the door. “Don’t tell me to calm down,” she said, her voice quivered. “I want to get rid of Maddy forever.”

  “I know you do. You’ve tried your best to end the stud show, you can’t do any more,” he assured.

  Red-faced, she dragged in a breath. “Who are you to decide what I can or can’t do?”

  The air sizzled between him as he hesitated to tell her why he cared about what happened to her. Because of her written reports to him, she was his trusted manager, the lady who intuitively knew how to get under his skin. She probed his thoughts, poked his emotions, and streamed light through the dark clutter.

  The bitter self-talk about his ex-lover Gina had quietened, but his chest was still tight with jealousy over Marco’s contentment with Elin.

  Jovanni wanted a loving woman by his side, too, and now there was only one smart, principled beauty to pursue. If he could find a way to breach the divide between the personal chemistry he had with her and their business positions. What about the family expectation of him to pair up with a girl from good Italian stock? Marco’s choice of a blond, Australian fiancée wouldn’t be forgotten for a generation.

  “I’m a bystander watching a group of women lose control of their behavior,” he said candidly. “Before you blast me with your flaming temper again, consider this: Maddy isn’t blessed with an attractive figure like you, so she uses whatever means she can to draw attention to herself.”