The title caught your attention right? Anyway, here's the background info. Muriel and Aubrey, two fashion designers, also best friends and partners in business, are at a party to attract new clients, etc. They are just newly famous with their products. Aubrey is always getting into trouble and needs Muriel to help him get out of them.

Note: This story belongs to me and only me. Do not copy. Everyone from the story is my invention. Anything in collusion with the outside world is purely coincidental. Read it and tell me what you think of it. This is my first time writing for an audience. I don't know how often I will update it, perhaps one chapter every one to two weeks.

Just so you'd know, this is for mature readers. If you can't handle description of kissing, pressing bodies, occasional mention of sex, or profanity, this story is not for you. It is not too late to turn back. Enjoy.

Playboy Chapter 1: Intruding upon a kiss

The moon was bright. Its rays shone down at the couple standing out on the balcony. Below was a beautiful garden that only grew more enchanting now that it was night. There was music and the sound of chatter in the background, the clamor of a dinner party in progress.

Aubrey was a notorious playboy. He was extremely beautiful with his strawberry-blond hair, violet eyes, and wicked smile. Women fell for him by the dozens. He was a fashion designer, which was part of the charm. Women love it when a man designs clothes just for them.

Right now he was looking down a gorgeous auburn-haired woman in front of him. She was flirting with him, smiling and lightly caressing the sleeve of his soft silk chemise with her hand. She placed a hand on his smooth muscular tanned chest, suggesting naughty things. The wind gently blew her hair back, revealing high cheekbones, dancing eyes, and rich plump lips just waiting to be kissed. Which was just what Aubrey did.

His lips met Grace's and he inserted his tongue slowly into her mouth, tasting her. He felt someone watching them and raised eyes only to meet those of his best friend and partner in business.

"I-I-I'm sorry," Muriel managed to gasp out and turned to leave.

The woman in his arms forgotten, he ran after the slim figure that was now escaping into the crowds of dancing partners.

"Muriel!" he called after her. Several people looked at him as if he was out of his mind. Muriel stopped and turned, surprised. She hadn't expected Aubrey to run after her. Rather, she thought he would have continued kissing the girl, perhaps even have sex with her.

"Muriel," Aubrey said as he came up to her. "I-I. . ." He couldn't think of anything to say. Why was it that only Muriel could make him speechless like this?

The Chinese girl looked at him calmly. "You don't have to explain anything. I understand."

"B-b-but-"

Muriel raised a hand, signaling him to stop. She smiled at him. "You have needs, perhaps more so than normal people, but I'm not blaming you. You're my friend. It's none of my business who you date or sleep with."

Aubrey blinked. Wow. She had taken that surprisingly well. Most women would have cried or at least chided him for being such a pleasure seeker. When will he learn never to be surprised at what she had to say? Probably never.

Muriel tilted her head, as if listening for something. It made her seem so beautiful, enchantingly so. Aubrey had wanted her the moment he first saw her, but she had turned him down. One of the few women who ever did so. That was what fascinated him, the way his charms never seem to work on her. Sometimes he wondered if she was a lesbian, but no, she never showed any interest in a romantic kind of way to anyone, opposite sex or no. She noticed men and women who were handsome or beautiful but it was just that to her, beauty, something to be admired from a distance. He wondered if she was hurt real bad in her past, but she never mentioned any special guy. There were guy friends by the dozens, but never any one that she seemed to dwell on like one would if one was in love with someone. Many guys fell hard for her but she always politely but firmly refused them, saying that they could be friends but not lovers. And the guys always seemed to love her, if not in a romantic kind of way, then in a sisterly way. Aubrey loved her in both ways, which was why he never pressed for a relationship with her after the first time; for fear that he would lose her. Besides, he enjoyed the sexual tension between them, or so he'd like to think. He felt attracted to her. What she felt, he had no clue.

"What are you looking at?" said Muriel, amused. He had been looking at her for a long time with warmth in his eyes. Not exactly a sexual look, more like a look of fondness.

"You, beautiful," Aubrey said, smiling, flashing his perfect white teeth.

Muriel laughed. "Your girlfriend doesn't look very happy. She's standing right behind you with a very annoyed look on her face." Aubrey turned to look and sure enough, there was Grace glaring at Muriel with eyes like dagger.

"Good luck getting out of this one," Muriel said, laughing as she turned for the refreshment table to get a drink. More like she was getting out of the danger zone and leaving me behind, Aubrey thought. Some friend.

With Muriel's laughter still echoing in his ears, he prepared himself for battle with a very jealous woman.

"What?" he asked, annoyed.

"Who is she? Why did you run after her?" The woman's voice was rising higher and higher, causing heads to turn and look at them curiously.

"Shut up. You're making a scene. We'll go to the corridors to talk." He grabbed Grace's hand and led her to the halls outside the ballroom. The halls were empty and dimly lit. The walls were decorated with paintings and flowery designs.

Aubrey looked at the attractive woman in front of him. He no longer felt any desire for her. He still thought she was beautiful, yes, but he was bored with her. He understood her moods and character. He preferred someone that was new, exciting, someone that kept him guessing. Someone like Muriel. He shied away from that thought. Muriel was off limits. For him to treat Muriel like one of his girls was unthinkable. She was pure, almost like a goddess in his mind. Off course he knew that she was not perfect, but she was close.

"Look Grace, you know how I told you that don't have girlfriends, only casual lovers. I haven't fell in love in a long time and don't plan to anytime soon."

"B-b-but-"

"But you thought that you could change my ways," Aubrey finished for her. Grace nodded. Aubrey laughed. Grace flinched at the sound. "You think you're the only one who ever thought that?" Grace shook her head. Aubrey's voice softened.

"Look Grace, I love you, but I love all girls. You're a good girl and needs a man to take care of you, a man that will stay true to you. Think of me with fondness but don't fall for me."

Grace looked up at the Adonis (Greek mythology of a beautiful man) standing before her. Her lips wavered as she tried not to cry. She looked up into Aubrey's eyes and saw only kindness and warmth in them. The knowledge that Aubrey loved her but was not in love with her came to her then.

"I'm okay," she said, smiling. She put out her hand for a handshake. "Friends?"

"Friends," Aubrey said. Grace tilted her head for one last goodbye kiss.

Aubrey's lips descended upon hers, a chaste, innocent kiss. Aubrey broke away first. He smiled. "Goodbye," he said, raising Grace's hand to his lips and planting a light kiss on the back of the hand. He abruptly turned and left.