“Where’s David?” Greg asked.
“We came in separately because of the photographers,” I explained. “I’m sure he’s circulating the party.”
“Speaking of which,” Gretchen said, rising onto the balls of her feet and waving at a woman I presumed to be a colleague from her PR firm, “I’m going to check in with work.”
Once she’d left us alone, Greg rubbed my back. “How’re you holding up? Gretchen told me everything.”
“All things considered, I could be a lot worse,” I said. “How about you? Work it all out with Gretchen?”
“Hope so, Livvy. I told her that once we’re more settled, I want us to get a place together.”
I raised my eyebrows. I couldn’t imagine Gretchen wanting to move that quickly—or Greg, either, for that matter. I’d hardly gotten to know the person he was now, but the guy I’d been close with back in college had clearly been easily scared off by commitment.
“How does that make you feel?” I asked cautiously.
He exhaled forcefully. “Great.”
“It’s okay to be nervous about that, Greg.”
He winked. “I’m not.”
“All right, just don’t make promises you can’t keep,” I warned.
“Greg.” David’s deep voice came from behind me just as his arm rested across my shoulders. He stuck out his other hand to shake Greg’s hand.
“Hey, man,” Greg said, grinning. “Welcome to the family.”
David also grinned, but it was directed down at me. “Right,” he said. He slid a hand along the nape of my neck, lifted my hair, and let it fall onto my back. “I missed you out there. Next time I want you by my side.”
His hand in my hair and against my skin felt so nice, so reassuring, that I closed my eyes and nodded. “Next time, yes.”
He whispered his next words near my ear. “You have any idea how incredible you look in that dress? Every man in here is drooling over you.”
I opened my eyes and smiled slyly. “They are not.”
“They are. And I don’t love it, but it’ll be fine as long as they keep their distance.”
I gave him a teasing smile, but he didn’t seem to think it was funny. Greg disappeared. David continued playing with my hair, murmuring about how good I looked, until a client from his New York project interrupted us. David kept me close with an arm around my shoulders as they chatted.
I looked around for Gretchen or Greg. When I didn’t see either of them, I turned my attention back and joined the conversation David was now having with multiple people. The wives in the group couldn’t tear their eyes from him, but neither could I. As he relayed details about the development of the hotel, most of which flew over my head, I admired his easy confidence. It took a great deal of effort not to stop him for an impromptu make-out session, or at least press a kiss to his square jaw, the only place I could reach without him bending to meet me.
While we made our way around the party, I was no longer walking by his side; I was floating. He never lost contact with me, either holding my hand, my shoulders, or touching my hair. When women inevitably flirted with him, I linked my arm around his waist, and he answered by squeezing me closer.
As one woman ignored her husband to gush about the hotel, I decided I couldn’t take any more flirting without a stronger drink. I tried to tug my hand out of his, and he looked down at me immediately. “What, baby?”
I glanced at the woman apologetically, because she’d had to pause mid-sentence. “I’m just going to refresh our drinks,” I told him. “Excuse me.”
“Wait,” David said, dragging me back by my hand.
“What?”
He wrapped his arm around my waist and drew me close for a kiss. Embarrassed by the display, I tried to pull away, but he tightened his grip. “Don’t be long,” he murmured before releasing me.
I crossed the lobby completely flushed and on cloud nine. Since a mass of people crowded around the makeshift bar, I opted for the dark and sexy lounge instead, where David and I had gotten drinks during Revelin’s soft opening.
I set down my purse and had just put in my drink order when I turned and saw a man coming toward me. Even in the dim lighting, I recognized his gait, as familiar to me as anything. A fuming, disheveled-looking Bill marched in my direction.
7
