She didn’t know what it was she saw there, but it made something in her chest ache, and when they got back to the hotel, that ache had spread through her entire body. With a small, secretive smile, Stephan told her, “I had an incredible evening. Thank you for humoring me and gracing me with your attention for a night.”
It was an odd thing to say, she thought, but she nodded. “Thank you for dinner and conversation. I really enjoyed it.” It made her heart flutter lightly in her chest. Never in her life had Mickey felt the way that being with Stephan made her feel. And, she had to admit, she kind of liked it. Being pampered, for the first time ever, she wondered what made him so interested in her and how had she, a simple decorator, aroused the attraction of someone so clearly handsome, capable, and utterly rich.
“Goodnight, Mickey. Sleep well.” He bowed over her hand, touching it to his lips but not kissing it, and then he walked away. She stared after him briefly, wondering if she should have said something more, done something more. But her heart fluttered, and she dove into her room, giddy and tired and curious about this very large but seemingly sensitive man.
Chapter 6
“You’ve been strangely present the last few days.” Liam’s observations came with a teasing lilt to his tone, and Stephan clenched his jaw. “In fact, you haven’t left the hotel in three days. Not since you went to dinner.”
Stephan shook his head, continuing to walk toward the board room where they would be meeting with Mickey and her team once again to iron out some additional details of this massive event. “And what does it matter to you? I’m taking some responsibility off your shoulders. You should think of it as a mini vacation.”
Liam chuckled. “That might be true, if you were getting anything done. Instead, I’m having to follow behind you and make sure I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed in every document. It would be easier to do it myself.”
“Then I’ll let you,” Stephan snapped.
Liam was silent for a moment. When he spoke again, his tone was very somber. “You like this woman. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“I hope not, as I like a great number of people, and you don’t seem to care about that.” It bothered him how he felt so drawn to Mickey. What did that say about his altruism? He had a mate. He’d lost her, and he suffered every day for it. But months ago, he’d seen Mickey and had failed to forget her. And a few days ago, fate had seen fit to drop her in his backyard, so to speak, and he couldn’t get her off his mind. Worse, she was pushing Aiyana from his thoughts, the pain fading in lieu of this new attraction he felt for another woman.
Curse the body, he thought. The soul knew there was only one mate for his kind. Or did it? After all, this new sensation was deep within him, and it was more than a physical draw. However, he had no intention of admitting that to Liam. “She is a beautiful woman. I apparently need a distraction for a while.”
“She seems to be a very special sort of distraction. That’s all I’m saying,” Liam muttered.
“It’s nothing,” Stephan argued, his hand on the doorknob. “You should keep your opinions to yourself until you have solid backing for them.” He didn’t feel good about biting Liam’s head off, but he needed to stop this train of thought.
Of course, it did little good. As he opened the door, and Mickey looked up where she stood at the other end of the room, beaming at him. He was going to have to find a way to throw a wall between them. But not today. Not yet. He smiled back, walking toward her. “Good morning. I see we’ve received the silver threads to tie off the gift bags.”
She nodded. “Good morning, Stephan. Yes. They’re thinner than I expected, but they are delicate and beautiful. I think they’ll be perfect threaded through the red velvet.” She pointed to some photos she had laid out. “I think I want to move the chocolate fountain to this corner. It seems out of place over here, too close to the dance floor.”
He leaned over to look, his body an inch from hers as he gazed over her shoulder, smelling her soap and shampoo, and reveling in that scent. He knew the moment his breath tickled her neck, her body twitching ever so slightly, her breath hitching, and her heart thrumming. “I think you know well what you’re doing. You’re the expert, and I digress to you.”
Mickey turned her head to look at him, and her lips were mere inches from his. It proved difficult to concentrate, his eyes falling on them and unable to break away as she told him in a husky voice, “I feel like this corner is a little dimmer, shrouded by some shadows. More romantic.”
Seductive.That was the word that came to mind. Stephan stood there, holding his breath for a moment, and then he stepped away, trying to center himself. “Yes, I think you’re right. What else is on the agenda for today?”
Mickey opened her mouth to talk, but the door opened again, and David walked in. Stephan squeezed his hands into fists at his side, then flexed his fingers. David was an issue. He was always there, always around, and always capturing Mickey’s attention. And something about him breathed danger.
Still, he forced a smile. “Good morning, David. We were just getting started.”
David gave him a short nod, then turned a winning smile to Mickey, who graced him with one of her best smiles. The interaction was more than Stephan could stand. It was early, but he needed a drink.
Clearing her throat, Mickey ran down a quick list of things to accomplish, and she made some requests of Stephan he didn’t hear and blindly granted, knowing that Liam would take care of the details. He couldn’t focus, his attention on the man who continued to get in his way. He wanted to find a way to separate the two of them, to send David away for one reason or another, so that he didn’t have to watch the man flirt with and entertain Mickey through the day, as he seemed to do.
But he had no claim on her. He didn’t intend to stake a claim on her. Mickey was human, and on top of that she was not Aiyana, and she was no replacement for his fated mate. No one would ever take that place by his side or in his heart.
So why did his traitorous heart beat faster and ache when Mickey was near?
He couldn’t remember ever feeling jealous before, and it didn’t sit well with him as he walked out of the conference room and headed at a swift pace toward the bar by the pool. With a motion of one finger, his best bartender had a Crown and Coke in front of him, and he drained it quickly, trying to douse the flames of anger, jealousy, and desire. Desire for Mickey. Jealousy of her relationship with David. And anger at himself, for feeling anything at all.
The day wore on, long and hot, and Stephan lost track of time, and of how many drinks he’d consumed. His head swam a little, and he turned away from the blurry image of Liam coming toward him, probably to give him a report of the day’s activities and a verbal lashing for how he was acting. There had been few times in his life that he’d acted in such a way that it was unbecoming of his position. Stephan could hold his liquor, but he couldn’t fault any condescension from Liam, since there was no telling how many people had witnessed him draining one glass after another.
To his relief, Liam said nothing about his drinking. At least, until Stephan practically growled at the sight of Mickey walking toward the pool, her hips swaying in the bikini and sarong she wore, laughing at whatever David was saying to her, walking beside her with a golden tan.
Liam’s gaze followed his, and he sighed. “I understand the alcohol dulls emotions, but it might behoove you to explore those emotions rather than bury them.”
“The only emotion I have is pure, unadulterated hatred for that man,” Stephan replied through clenched teeth.
“Is the offense you take to him only because he is so close to the woman who has you on edge? Or is there something else?”
