His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 164

No wonder everyone treated him with such profound respect.

Henry clapped his hands. "Tonight is a private party, so throw the rules out the window! Drinks, singing, dancing—anyone acting stiff foots the bill!"

Aside from Virginia, everyone in the room knew each other, so the atmosphere instantly fired up.

Some booted up the karaoke system while others cracked open bottles of liquor.

A blonde woman pulled Virginia over to the center of the sofa.

She was overwhelmingly friendly, eagerly introducing every appetizer on the table.

"Ginny, you have to try this. It's local caviar, an absolute knockout paired with champagne."

"What do you do for a living, Ms. Caldwell?" someone asked curiously.

Pinned under the inquisitive stares of the whole table, Virginia smiled. "I'm a psychologist."

A collective "Wow" rippled across the table.

"No wonder," the blonde woman said, her eyes shining. "I noticed you have this incredibly steady gaze."

Virginia offered a soft smile but didn't elaborate.

Sitting at the far end of the long table, Archer listened to the group's boisterous laughter without shifting his posture, though he'd occasionally lift his eyes to sweep a glance her way.

After a couple rounds of drinks, the blonde woman dragged Virginia up to dance.

"Come on, lady, just one song! Just one!"

Virginia wanted to decline, but Henry chimed in from the sidelines. "Come on, Ms. Caldwell, show us some moves. We're all friends here, let loose a little."

Unable to refuse, she rolled up the sleeves of her knit dress a couple of inches, exposing her fair, slender wrists.

Right on cue, the music transitioned into a slow-tempo Latin track. The beat wasn't overpowering—it felt practically tailor-made for her.

Virginia stood in the open space at the center of the suite and took a deep breath.

After having Cindy, she'd taken Doctor White's advice and studied modern dance for a while to train the lines of her shoulders, neck, and core.

On the very first beat, she dropped her hips and relaxed her shoulders. Her entire aura transformed in an instant.

Archer forced his eyes shut. By the time he opened them again, his expression had returned to normal, leaving only his white-knuckled grip on the glass as proof of his turmoil.

Henry leaned over, eyes full of awe. "Mr. Vanderbilt, does your friend have a boyfriend?"

Archer was deadpan. "..."

He set his glass down expressionlessly, offering no answer.

Perfectly timed, the song ended, and the entire suite erupted into roaring applause.

Slightly breathless and still flushed, Virginia was promptly dragged back to the sofa by the blonde woman.

"Ginny, you were phenomenal! We need a toast! Drink to that!"

The woman was tactful enough to hand her a glass of champagne with barely any alcohol content.

Virginia didn't decline; she tipped her head back and downed it.

"Sitting around is boring. How about a game of Truth or Dare?"