automatically. I couldn’t help but think they’d seen what Kalen did. Therefore, I refused to look them in the face. When they stepped away, I turned, prepared to confront Kalen and maybe have a good laugh over our exploits, but he was gone.
My feet didn’t care how desperate I looked. I strode down the main hall, searching in each packed corridor for Kalen. He wasn’t going to leave me like this.
“Bails, there you are,” Lizzy said, stopping my search.
Looking in her direction, I remembered who I was here for. Oh, I’d find Kalen. He most definitely wasn’t off the hook. Still, this was her night. “How’s it going?” I asked. I’d tell her later about what went down. Again, this was her time. I wasn’t about to make it about me and share what happened with her at this moment. I’d tell her later and she’d have a good laugh at my expense.
“It’s great. Eva Ainston, Brooke Berry, Channing Gosling and Ian Reynolds were all here, or so my assistant tells me. Not to mention a billionaire Jeremy Glenn, the legendary rock star Paul Jackson, and the number one tennis player in the world.” Looking perplexed, she said, “I forget his name. I think he’s French. Apparently, they showed up on time. And I didn’t see any of them.” She laughed, so I did too.
“Wow, that’s just great.” I'd been busy staring at the blob and being happily molested by Kalen. Part of me wanted to celebrity stalk with my phone, but it might not look good for Lizzy. Her guests would be used to celebrities. So, I held back and figured I’d star gaze at a discreet distance, after I found Kalen of course.
“Yeah, and they bought things too,” she gushed. “I can’t wait for drinks later. I need to celebrate. I’ll just be a few more minutes. I’m trying to catch up with the Countess.”
She dashed off. I continued to walk the place and circled it again, wondering if I’d missed him leaving while I was talking to Lizzy.”
My phone chirped and I nearly broke the fastening on my clutch to get at it. “Hello,” I said, sounding breathless, and made my way into a little alcove.
When he didn’t speak, I thought for a second I might have lost the signal, but then I finally heard his voice. “Looking for me?” he teased, his voice rich and deep like chocolate.
“That’s not fair,” I said.
“You know what they say about pay back,” he crooned.
When I rolled my eyes, he said, “Don’t roll your eyes. We can always finish this at my place.”
He’d stoked a fire when he touched me, and I desperately wanted to go to his place but said, “I can’t. I promised a girls’ night after with Lizzy. We’re going for drinks.” I audibly groaned, letting him hear my disappointment. Then thinking that one turn deserved another, I added, “And we’ll probably go dancing.”
When he spoke, his voice was dark and utterly calm. “Now you’re playing with fire. I could come back in there, toss you over my shoulder and take you home with me. Or you can take care not to let any man touch what’s mine.”
There was no playfulness in his tone. The rules of engagement hadn’t been spelled out. “And what is yours?” I uttered, as if to say I was sure he wasn’t talking about me. Remembering his fire, I didn’t want to get burned. But each of us flirts with danger at some point in our life.
“My woman,” he growled. “You.”
“Is that so,” I smirked, liking the possessive way he spoke about me. I’d never been anyone’s woman. To Scott, I was his girl. But he’d always said it so causally, especially to his friends, as if he was hinting about the nature of what I’d really meant to him. In retrospect, things were clearer.
“Yes, so if you want every man that tries to talk to you tonight to live, you’ll shut them down. And quickly.”
“And what about you?” I asked, driving home the point. “Are you exclusive with me too, or is it just one sided?”
“It wouldn’t matter if I was so
My feet didn’t care how desperate I looked. I strode down the main hall, searching in each packed corridor for Kalen. He wasn’t going to leave me like this.
“Bails, there you are,” Lizzy said, stopping my search.
Looking in her direction, I remembered who I was here for. Oh, I’d find Kalen. He most definitely wasn’t off the hook. Still, this was her night. “How’s it going?” I asked. I’d tell her later about what went down. Again, this was her time. I wasn’t about to make it about me and share what happened with her at this moment. I’d tell her later and she’d have a good laugh at my expense.
“It’s great. Eva Ainston, Brooke Berry, Channing Gosling and Ian Reynolds were all here, or so my assistant tells me. Not to mention a billionaire Jeremy Glenn, the legendary rock star Paul Jackson, and the number one tennis player in the world.” Looking perplexed, she said, “I forget his name. I think he’s French. Apparently, they showed up on time. And I didn’t see any of them.” She laughed, so I did too.
“Wow, that’s just great.” I'd been busy staring at the blob and being happily molested by Kalen. Part of me wanted to celebrity stalk with my phone, but it might not look good for Lizzy. Her guests would be used to celebrities. So, I held back and figured I’d star gaze at a discreet distance, after I found Kalen of course.
“Yeah, and they bought things too,” she gushed. “I can’t wait for drinks later. I need to celebrate. I’ll just be a few more minutes. I’m trying to catch up with the Countess.”
She dashed off. I continued to walk the place and circled it again, wondering if I’d missed him leaving while I was talking to Lizzy.”
My phone chirped and I nearly broke the fastening on my clutch to get at it. “Hello,” I said, sounding breathless, and made my way into a little alcove.
When he didn’t speak, I thought for a second I might have lost the signal, but then I finally heard his voice. “Looking for me?” he teased, his voice rich and deep like chocolate.
“That’s not fair,” I said.
“You know what they say about pay back,” he crooned.
When I rolled my eyes, he said, “Don’t roll your eyes. We can always finish this at my place.”
He’d stoked a fire when he touched me, and I desperately wanted to go to his place but said, “I can’t. I promised a girls’ night after with Lizzy. We’re going for drinks.” I audibly groaned, letting him hear my disappointment. Then thinking that one turn deserved another, I added, “And we’ll probably go dancing.”
When he spoke, his voice was dark and utterly calm. “Now you’re playing with fire. I could come back in there, toss you over my shoulder and take you home with me. Or you can take care not to let any man touch what’s mine.”
There was no playfulness in his tone. The rules of engagement hadn’t been spelled out. “And what is yours?” I uttered, as if to say I was sure he wasn’t talking about me. Remembering his fire, I didn’t want to get burned. But each of us flirts with danger at some point in our life.
“My woman,” he growled. “You.”
“Is that so,” I smirked, liking the possessive way he spoke about me. I’d never been anyone’s woman. To Scott, I was his girl. But he’d always said it so causally, especially to his friends, as if he was hinting about the nature of what I’d really meant to him. In retrospect, things were clearer.
“Yes, so if you want every man that tries to talk to you tonight to live, you’ll shut them down. And quickly.”
“And what about you?” I asked, driving home the point. “Are you exclusive with me too, or is it just one sided?”
“It wouldn’t matter if I was so
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