okay?” Brandon leaned back and lifted her chin with his finger. She looked up and wondered how she was supposed to replace such a satin-voiced, dark chocolate-eyed, scrumptious-smelling man. He’d ruined her in so many ways, financially didn’t even register.
She nodded like a bobble head, still unsure if she could talk without breaking. Instead she melted into his chocolate gaze like an ice-cream cone in August, and felt her cheeks lift in a smile in spite of her attempts to remain immune. He’d come through when she needed a friend the most, and she couldn’t help but be grateful.
“I don’t believe you, but I think everyone else will.” He released her and stepped back, forcing her to reluctantly give up her hold on him or look like a clingy fool. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she whispered automatically, lifting a hand to her hair. She knew twirling a curl in her fingers made her look nervous, but she couldn’t help herself.
“I thought you said you would never wear this dress again.”
She blinked, remembering how the zipper had gotten stuck when she’d tried to release it. Six months ago it had fit like a sausage casing, now it looked as good on as she’d imagined it would when she’d bought it. The memory made her brighten enough to smile up at him.
“I’ve learned to never say never.”
A cocksure grin lit his face and he took her hand. “I’m glad to hear that.”
Before she could explain that she was still firm on never having sex with him again, he opened the door and started walking back towards the hallway to the ballroom, pulling her along with him.
“Wait a minute.”
“Nope, not a minute to lose. You came to work the party, not get attacked by the petulant offspring of the people you need to solicit donations from. We need to get you swirling in the right crowd.”
He kept up his pace, oblivious that she had to take two steps to his one, in three-inch heels no less. “Brandon, slow down. We can’t go back in there together.”
“We can and we are. I told you I’m done hiding out.”
She pulled her hand free of his, nearly stumbling from the loss of his momentum. “We’re not together anymore, so there is nothing to keep private. And if I let you lead me into that room, I can forget about clawing back the respect I’ll need to be an effective fundraiser.”
He turned to face her, the little crease between his eyes deepening. “If I show that I trust you after the Carlton Hotels deal, then everyone will see that they can trust you too.”
“You actually believe that.” Megan shook her head. “There are plenty of people who’ll see us together and think that I came with everything else you bought.”
His eyes widened in shock. “That’s not my fault.”
“Nothing ever is.” She found herself standing taller, more centered than she’d been before his rescue. Maybe his confidence was as infectious as his cologne.
“We’re not discussing this here. But if we’d been open with everyone from the start—”
“You didn’t want that.”
She softened her gaze, trying to explain. “Don’t you see? If you parade me in there like a trophy, they’ll be right.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“You’ll expect me to go home with you in exchange.” She shrugged and swallowed over the ache in her throat. “And everyone will think I went along with it because of all the money my father owes you. You know what that would make me.”
He blinked slowly and took a step closer. “I don’t like where this train of thought is headed. I have wanted to be with you, to take care of you, since long before you needed me to.”
“What I need is to do this on my own. I have to know that I can take care of myself.”
He nodded. “Fair enough, but that doesn’t mean I have to pretend you don’t exist.”
When he offered her his arm, she took it, knowing that fighting with him would be pointless. Heads did turn as they reentered the fray, but instead
She nodded like a bobble head, still unsure if she could talk without breaking. Instead she melted into his chocolate gaze like an ice-cream cone in August, and felt her cheeks lift in a smile in spite of her attempts to remain immune. He’d come through when she needed a friend the most, and she couldn’t help but be grateful.
“I don’t believe you, but I think everyone else will.” He released her and stepped back, forcing her to reluctantly give up her hold on him or look like a clingy fool. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she whispered automatically, lifting a hand to her hair. She knew twirling a curl in her fingers made her look nervous, but she couldn’t help herself.
“I thought you said you would never wear this dress again.”
She blinked, remembering how the zipper had gotten stuck when she’d tried to release it. Six months ago it had fit like a sausage casing, now it looked as good on as she’d imagined it would when she’d bought it. The memory made her brighten enough to smile up at him.
“I’ve learned to never say never.”
A cocksure grin lit his face and he took her hand. “I’m glad to hear that.”
Before she could explain that she was still firm on never having sex with him again, he opened the door and started walking back towards the hallway to the ballroom, pulling her along with him.
“Wait a minute.”
“Nope, not a minute to lose. You came to work the party, not get attacked by the petulant offspring of the people you need to solicit donations from. We need to get you swirling in the right crowd.”
He kept up his pace, oblivious that she had to take two steps to his one, in three-inch heels no less. “Brandon, slow down. We can’t go back in there together.”
“We can and we are. I told you I’m done hiding out.”
She pulled her hand free of his, nearly stumbling from the loss of his momentum. “We’re not together anymore, so there is nothing to keep private. And if I let you lead me into that room, I can forget about clawing back the respect I’ll need to be an effective fundraiser.”
He turned to face her, the little crease between his eyes deepening. “If I show that I trust you after the Carlton Hotels deal, then everyone will see that they can trust you too.”
“You actually believe that.” Megan shook her head. “There are plenty of people who’ll see us together and think that I came with everything else you bought.”
His eyes widened in shock. “That’s not my fault.”
“Nothing ever is.” She found herself standing taller, more centered than she’d been before his rescue. Maybe his confidence was as infectious as his cologne.
“We’re not discussing this here. But if we’d been open with everyone from the start—”
“You didn’t want that.”
She softened her gaze, trying to explain. “Don’t you see? If you parade me in there like a trophy, they’ll be right.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“You’ll expect me to go home with you in exchange.” She shrugged and swallowed over the ache in her throat. “And everyone will think I went along with it because of all the money my father owes you. You know what that would make me.”
He blinked slowly and took a step closer. “I don’t like where this train of thought is headed. I have wanted to be with you, to take care of you, since long before you needed me to.”
“What I need is to do this on my own. I have to know that I can take care of myself.”
He nodded. “Fair enough, but that doesn’t mean I have to pretend you don’t exist.”
When he offered her his arm, she took it, knowing that fighting with him would be pointless. Heads did turn as they reentered the fray, but instead
Similar Books
