“Thank you. Now I just hope it goes well.”
“I know it will,” Clara said, gently touching her arm. “All your fundraisers have been perfect.”
“Thank you.” Clara had such a calming energy about her. It was just one of the reasons Sky loved seeing her for acupuncture.
Clara inched closer. “Hey, I’m not sure if you’re aware, but Becket’s coming tonight.”
All the fine hairs stood on end at the mention of his name. Then she remembered her tree. Could she strangle him here? No. It was a formal fundraiser. Maybe tomorrow.
She forced a smile to her lips. “He told me.”
“Sorry. Hopefully he’s on his best behavior.”
His best behavior? Ha. She didn’t even think he knew what that was.
“He doesn’t bother me.”Lie. “He’s oil and I’m water. Everything he says and does rolls right off me.”Big…gigantic…lie.
As if the universe needed to prove that point, the doors opened and two men walked in, both tall, both broad—one of them Becket.
Good God. Did people not know how to arrive at events on time? And why did he have to look so hot in formal wear? Likereallyhot?
The suit cut across his broad shoulders too freaking perfectly, and when his gaze hit hers before running over her body, it felt like he was undressing her with his eyes.
She kind of liked it.
No. No, you don’t like it. You don’t like him.Remember the tree, Sky. And the fence. And every other thing he’s done to you.
Her hands fisted. “I’ve, um, got to go talk to some people.” She turned and took off in the opposite direction, almost running from the neighbor who she absolutely needed to avoid at all costs tonight. Because part of her wanted to kill him.
But another part of her wanted to do something she absolutely would never admit out loud.
* * *
Red silk rolledover Sky’s thighs as she moved, and Becket couldn’t fucking look away. He’d been watching her all night. The imprint of her nipples against that dress. Her sexy back and shoulders. How abackcould be sexy, he had no fucking clue, but hers was.
“You should talk to her.”
Becket forced his focus to shift from her to Holden, who came to stand beside him. “She’s been doing everything she can to stay as far away from me as possible.”
In fact, as the ballroom had filled up, she’d conveniently always been on theoppositeside of the room as him. He wasn’t going to lie, he was kind of surprised. He’d expected the woman to rage at him the second she saw him.
“Why would she do that?” Holden asked, even though he knew their history.
“I trimmed her tree this morning.”
“Trimmed?”
Okay, maybe it was a bit more than a trim. “It was blocking my view of the street.”
“Ah, the town thief.” Holden’s fingers tightened around his glass. “Have you told her that’s why you did it?”
“Yep. I told her it was a safety thing. She didn’t seem to care.”
“Did you tell her it was for her safety too?”
“I assumed she’d know that.”
Holden shook his head. “With your history? Probably not. Talk to her.”
