“Chauffeur?”
“And mechanic. I like working with my hands. Shows I actually know how to do something for myself.”
This struck a blow. Daniel watched it land.
“What a party.” Reginald rocked back on his heels.
“Yes,” he answered, hoping the brevity would convince this guy to leave him the fuck alone. It was a vain wish.
“Funny thing is this whole thing wasn’t planned until Tuesday. No one even knew about it until Sam started begging people to come. How’d you get an invitation?”
“She invited me,” he answered, watching as she began to beg off of another dance. “On Monday.”
A low whistle from the future duke or whatever the fuck he was calling himself.
“You must be something very special, then.”
“How do you figure?”
“Because there wasn’t a party until she told you there was one.” Before Daniel could ask what he meant, the man waved across the room, an excuse to dismiss himself. “Ah, Leopold! If you’ll excuse me. It was a pleasure to meet you.”
Daniel couldn’t remember the last time he’d had champagne, so maybe it was the drink tilting the room onto its side. Or maybe it was the realization striking him as Sam strolled up, casual as she could be, and took the full flute from him.
“Thank you—”
He cut straight to the point, just like her stupid Animos friend had. “Are you trying to show me how rich you are?” His voice lowered to a whisper. “You threw this whole party because you think I need to be bought?”
Sam’s eyes widened, too far for her face, but to her credit, she didn’t even attempt to deny it.
“What did he say to you?”
“I already like you. I liked you when you didn’t have a stitch of real clothing on your back. When I couldn’t tell if you were the Lady of Ashbrooke or a drunk who’d lost her clothes in a bad hand of poker. You don’t need tobuyme.”
He’d been too harsh. He knew it as soon as he saw Sam’s head drop in shame.
“I wanted to impress you,” she explained in a timid voice, one he didn’t quite believe.
“You didn’t want to impress me. You wanted to hide.”
He saw this entire party for what it was. A way to distract him from ever getting too close and seeing the real her. This was a circus. A sideshow attraction.
“Maybe a little,” she confessed.
For a long moment they stood there, neither knowing quite what to do with themselves. He glanced around the room, surveying the polite conversation and joyless dancing all around him. She thoughtthiswould impress him?
“You think if we leave, anyone would notice?” he asked.
“Why would they notice? None of them really know me.”
Daniel held her hand as though it was the most natural thing to do.
“C’mon, then.”
“Where are we going?”
“I’m gonna show you what a real party is. And we’re going to see how good a dancer you really are.”
Chapter Eleven
