about anymore, but avoiding the past now proved impossible as images continued to play under a cheerful voiceover.
The evening had been going so well until now. Good wine, amazing food, friendly people. She’d truly been enjoying herself. Even Derek appeared to get over his initial annoyance over her attire and had started smiling at her. Derek in a tuxedo was a breathtaking sight. Throw in a smile on top of that and you had one dangerously irresistible man. His scent teased her, reminding her constantly how close he sat, how little she’d have to move to be touching him. Sitting in his lap.
Then the slideshow started and everything ceased to exist around her. The past blurred everything out, threatening to expose her as an imposter in this room full of rich people.
When the lights came on, Ginger let go of Derek’s hand and pretended to dig in her clutch so no one would notice her puffy eyes. He suddenly stood behind her, pulling her chair back.
“Come on. Dance with me.”
Grateful for the chance to escape their table, Ginger didn’t dwell on her surprise over Derek’s invitation. Standing, she took his hand once more and let him lead her out onto the floor where several other couples danced to a soft instrumental. Finding an open spot, he pulled her into his arms.
A sigh escaped Ginger before she could stop it. Her body fit perfectly against his in her heels, bringing her head just under his chin. The expensive aftershave scent emanating from his throat smelled near enough to taste. They’d never stood this close to each other before without something sexual transpiring between them, and the reality of that pulsed in the air like a living, breathing thing.
To distract herself from those memories, she counted his flaws. Stubble appeared on his jaw much too quickly after shaving. His dark hair was cut too short, giving a woman nothing to sink her fingers into if the mood struck her.
Aw hell, who was she kidding? The man kicked her libido into warp speed just by existing. As they swayed to the music, he held on to her tightly, one hand riding just above her ass, sending a message to every other man in the room that he’d be the only one seeing her naked tonight. It infuriated her. It turned her on so crazily, she could hardly focus on the dance.
“I’m sorry.”
She tipped her head back to meet his eyes. “What are you sorry about?”
His gaze penetrated hers. “You were upset during the slideshow. I’m sorry.”
Ginger attempted a smile to disguise the painful drumming of her heart, but didn’t think she succeeded. She wished Derek hadn’t reminded her. “You don’t have anything to apologize for. I guess I was just thinking about someone who could have used a program like this back in Nashville.” She paused. “Even if it is just a recruitment program in disguise.”
Derek’s face registered surprise. “Picked up on that, did you?”
She shrugged, casting a glance over at their table where several detectives were still seated. “You seem so young to be their lieutenant. How did that happen?”
Apart from his shoulders tensing underneath her hands, his demeanor stayed the same. “It’s not a very pleasant story.”
“Okay. You don’t have to tell me.”
The hand riding just below her waist pulled her even closer. “New Year’s Eve three years ago, there was a hostage situation involving a Lithuanian man who’d been fired as a messenger from some major company located downtown in the Old Colony Building. I’d just made detective, and my partner at the time, Kenny, spoke fluent Lithuanian. His parents are first-generation immigrants and he happens to be the only man in the department with that particular skill.”
His hand skimmed up her back, moving underneath her hair, where he began stroking her neck gently. Ginger struggled to focus on his soothingly deep voice as he continued the story.
“Kenny translated for the hostage negotiator and they seemed to be getting through to
The evening had been going so well until now. Good wine, amazing food, friendly people. She’d truly been enjoying herself. Even Derek appeared to get over his initial annoyance over her attire and had started smiling at her. Derek in a tuxedo was a breathtaking sight. Throw in a smile on top of that and you had one dangerously irresistible man. His scent teased her, reminding her constantly how close he sat, how little she’d have to move to be touching him. Sitting in his lap.
Then the slideshow started and everything ceased to exist around her. The past blurred everything out, threatening to expose her as an imposter in this room full of rich people.
When the lights came on, Ginger let go of Derek’s hand and pretended to dig in her clutch so no one would notice her puffy eyes. He suddenly stood behind her, pulling her chair back.
“Come on. Dance with me.”
Grateful for the chance to escape their table, Ginger didn’t dwell on her surprise over Derek’s invitation. Standing, she took his hand once more and let him lead her out onto the floor where several other couples danced to a soft instrumental. Finding an open spot, he pulled her into his arms.
A sigh escaped Ginger before she could stop it. Her body fit perfectly against his in her heels, bringing her head just under his chin. The expensive aftershave scent emanating from his throat smelled near enough to taste. They’d never stood this close to each other before without something sexual transpiring between them, and the reality of that pulsed in the air like a living, breathing thing.
To distract herself from those memories, she counted his flaws. Stubble appeared on his jaw much too quickly after shaving. His dark hair was cut too short, giving a woman nothing to sink her fingers into if the mood struck her.
Aw hell, who was she kidding? The man kicked her libido into warp speed just by existing. As they swayed to the music, he held on to her tightly, one hand riding just above her ass, sending a message to every other man in the room that he’d be the only one seeing her naked tonight. It infuriated her. It turned her on so crazily, she could hardly focus on the dance.
“I’m sorry.”
She tipped her head back to meet his eyes. “What are you sorry about?”
His gaze penetrated hers. “You were upset during the slideshow. I’m sorry.”
Ginger attempted a smile to disguise the painful drumming of her heart, but didn’t think she succeeded. She wished Derek hadn’t reminded her. “You don’t have anything to apologize for. I guess I was just thinking about someone who could have used a program like this back in Nashville.” She paused. “Even if it is just a recruitment program in disguise.”
Derek’s face registered surprise. “Picked up on that, did you?”
She shrugged, casting a glance over at their table where several detectives were still seated. “You seem so young to be their lieutenant. How did that happen?”
Apart from his shoulders tensing underneath her hands, his demeanor stayed the same. “It’s not a very pleasant story.”
“Okay. You don’t have to tell me.”
The hand riding just below her waist pulled her even closer. “New Year’s Eve three years ago, there was a hostage situation involving a Lithuanian man who’d been fired as a messenger from some major company located downtown in the Old Colony Building. I’d just made detective, and my partner at the time, Kenny, spoke fluent Lithuanian. His parents are first-generation immigrants and he happens to be the only man in the department with that particular skill.”
His hand skimmed up her back, moving underneath her hair, where he began stroking her neck gently. Ginger struggled to focus on his soothingly deep voice as he continued the story.
“Kenny translated for the hostage negotiator and they seemed to be getting through to
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