I open the door to see a dozen roses before I see Lucas standing behind them, the vase in his hands. “Oh, they’re beautiful! Come in!” I don’t want him to have to stand outside with the heavy flowers and glass holder any longer than he has to.
Once inside, I guide him to the half-circle console in the entryway, and he sets the bouquet down.
“Thank you! They’re lovely.”
“And to think I didn’t know you’d be wearing a matching dress.” He looks me over with a hungry gaze, his eyes deepening to a moss-colored green. “Forget the flowers, you look stunning,” he says, taking my hand in his.
“Thank you. You look handsome in that tux.” Actually, handsome doesn’t do him justice. He looked hot in the jacket and white-collared shirt he wore to the club, but tonight? Debonair is more like it.
He lifts my hand and presses a kiss to the top. “I wouldn’t want to mess that perfect red lipstick,” he tells me. “At least not yet.”
The sweep of his lips, his gruff voice, and the promise of later almost cause me to combust on the spot, and a small moan escapes from the back of my throat.
“Jesus,” he mutters. “We should get going before I strip you out of that dress and we don’t make it to the gala.”
My panties are now wet. “Can we skip it?” I hear the need in my voice. It matches the way my body is vibrating with desire.
“Don’t tempt me. But both of our families will be there, and we’ll have no excuse for not showing up as planned.”
I treat him to an exaggerated pout. “Fine.” But it isn’t. Because once we arrive at the hotel, where the fundraiser isbeing held, we can’t flirt, hold hands, kiss, or do any of the things that now feel natural when I’m with Lucas.
A little while later, we enter the elaborately decorated ballroom side by side. I catch sight of my family but before walking over to where they’re gathered, I deliberately brush my fingers over Lucas’s hand. It’s our official parting for the night, and as I watch him head in the opposite direction, where his parents are seated, I feel the loss.
“Rainey!” I turn at the sound of my mother’s voice.
“Hi, Mom!” I give her a hug.
“You look beautiful. You know, that dress reminds me of…”
“The night we met.” My father joins her and gives me a kiss on the cheek. “Hi, honey.”
“Hi, Dad. Having fun?” I ask.
He stares at me. “Do I ever have fun at these events?”
Mom rolls her eyes and nudges him with her elbow. “He’s having a wonderful time.”
“You met at the Meridian Hotel, right? The one your father owned?” I ask my dad.
He nods. “Your cousin, Asher, bought it and it’s closed for renovations right now.” Then Dad says, “I see someone I need to speak to, I’ll be back.”
He strides off and I laugh. “That’s Dad for you.”
Mom grins. “You should have seen his mood the first time we met. He’d come to celebrate his father’s birthday, so you can only imagine.”
I nod. I’ve never met my grandfather, at least not that I can recall, and from the stories my family tells, I’m better off. I have my mom’s stepmother, Melissa, and my dad’s mom, Grandma Emma, and her second husband, Michael. Not to mention all my aunts and uncles and, of course, my brothers. We’re an overwhelming bunch.
“Hey, sis! Mom.” Hudson walks over and hugs us both.
“There’s my charming brother. I haven’t talked to you in too long.”
Although I did hear from the twins after the rock through the window incident, I reassured them Dad had a company redo the security at the office and had a talk with my doormen. I knew better than to argue. A Dare man would do whatever he wanted.
Kind of like Lucas. At the thought of him, I glance across the room to see him laughing at something his father said. As if he senses my stare, he turns and meets my gaze. He treats me to a wink, and I feel better for having connected with him.
Turning back to Hudson before anyone notices I’m ogling someone across the room, I ask, “Anyway, what’s going on?”
He grins, his smile reminding me of Mom’s and mine. “Work has me buried,” he admits. “Miles too. But I should have been in touch more.”
