“My parents insisted we take lessons when we were teenagers.”
“Well, you’re a great dancer.”
“So are you.”
They both fell silent after that, losing themselves in the music and each other.It was rare that Darwin got to dance with such a beautiful woman.Ballroom dancing wasn’t really a thing for people their age.Which, he had to admit as he gazed into Katrina’s pretty blue eyes, her body so close to his, was a shame.
“You never told me how things went last night,” she asked after a moment, her voice casual, as if they were talking about the weather.He could tell she was curious, though.
Darwin considered going with the standardit’s-classified-so-I-can’t-talk-about-itline, but decided against it.There were only certain aspects of the project that were classified anyway.Most of it was your average everyday Navy stuff.He could tell her about that part.
“It went okay,” he said.“It’s just some testing we’re supporting on San Nicolas Island.Nothing big.”
He felt her relax at that, and they both fell quiet again as they went back to dancing.
All too soon, the quartet stopped playing to take a break, and he and Katrina were forced to leave the dance floor.Personally, he would have stayed there, holding her in his arms, but that probably would have looked silly.
“There’s my father,” Katrina said with a sigh.“I guess we should go say hello.”
“I’m game if you are,” Darwin said, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze.
Giving him a grateful smile, Katrina led him over to where a group of men stood talking.A tall, distinguished-looking man with dark hair graying at the temples stopped in mid-sentence at their approach.
“Dad,” Katrina said, giving him a small smile.“I know you hate to be interrupted when you’re talking business, but Mom wanted me to say hello and introduce you to my boyfriend.”
The man turned his attention to Darwin, his steel gray gaze assessing him in much the same way Katrina’s mother had.He seemed equally unimpressed.
“Darwin, this is my father, Jameson Weber, and my older brother, Rhett,” she said, gesturing to a younger dark-haired man with blue eyes like hers, standing beside him.“Dad, Rhett, this is Darwin Sutton.”
“Sutton?”Rhett echoed as he shook Darwin’s hand.“That wouldn’t be the Silicon Valley Suttons, would it?”
Darwin smiled and shook his head.“No relation.”
That earned him a disappointed look from both Katrina’s father and brother.Whoever the Silicon Valley Suttons were, they must be loaded.Maybe he should ask if they wanted to adopt him.
“Your mother and I weren’t aware you were seeing anyone, Katrina.What do you do for a living, Darwin?”
“I’m a Navy SEAL,” Darwin said.
Jameson’s gaze went to Katrina for a moment before settling on Darwin, sizing him up again.Whether the man liked what he saw any better after hearing that was anyone’s guess.
Two of the men in the group exchanged glances, but didn’t say anything.Darwin was sure he’d seen them before but couldn’t quite place where.He was hoping Jameson or Rhett would introduce them, but neither did.
Katrina slipped her hand into his, giving her father and brother another polite smile.“We’ll let you get back to what you were doing.”
Darwin gave them a nod, letting her lead him away.He glanced over his shoulder at the two men he thought he recognized, still trying to figure out where he’d seen them.
Chapter five
“DoyoumindifI change before we eat?”Katrina asked, glancing at Darwin over her shoulder as they walked into her room a few hours later, plates of hors d’oeuvres and mini pastries they’d gotten from the ballroom in her hands.
“Go ahead,” he said, placing their wine glasses on the coffee table in front of the couch.“I think I’ll change, too.”
As Darwin disappeared through the connecting door into his room, Katrina walked over to the dresser and took out a pair of shorts and a super soft T-shirt she’d brought to sleep in.It was probably a little too casual for a first date, but after all the crap with her parents pretty much dissing Darwin––not to mention browbeating Asher into making Upton be a groomsman so she’d be forced to spend time with him––all she wanted to do the rest of the night was relax and chill.
Going into the bathroom, she quickly changed, then went back into the other room to wait for Darwin.Hopefully, he’d go with something casual to wear, too.
She’d just curled up on the couch when he walked in through the connecting door.He was wearing black athletic shorts and a gray T-shirt snug enough to show off the defined muscles of his chest and shoulders.She could definitely work with that, she thought, trying not to stare.It was difficult, though.He was really...built.
