Next to her Alex tensed, sensing her nemesis’s appearance.
Logan.
He wasn’t wearing the normal low-cut pirate shirt.Instead he’d exchanged it for a more formal, black silk button-down.Two buttons were doing the work of six to get it closed, resulting in an impressively deep cut that showed a chest glistening with oil.
Lilian would have rolled her eyes if it wasn’t so, unapologetically Logan.
“Well,” Janelle concluded, “all that is to say thank you!Now let’s get on with our awards so we can party the rest of the night.Yeah?”
A whoop of agreement echoed through the room as Janelle took the creamy envelope that Logan offered her.“First up is the winner for best food stall!”
Logan disappeared stage left, where a heavy curtain hid the behind the scenes work of the organizers.Nearly every woman in the room followed his departure, but Lilian found herself straining to catch a glimpse of what was happening backstage.
It was dark, too dark to see anyone.But as the curtain pulled to the side, she caught sight of a large metal clipboard.
Her insides froze.He’s here.
Before she could even take a moment to determine if she was nervous or angry, Lilian was moving.
“Where are you going?”Margo whispered.“They might say your name soon.”
“I’m just going to check on something, real quick.”She didn’t look back and kept pushing toward the edge of the crowd, moving toward a small stairway that allowed access to the stage.As Janelle continued to speak, Lilian followed the wall curtain to a doorway and pushed her way backstage.
To Hawk.
BackstagewasnothinglikeThe Crown Stage.It wasn’t even much like the stage she’d been on in high school.It was spacious, but empty.With only a few people milling around, organizing the envelopes for distribution and adjusting their masks.It was also completely dark except for the sharp line of light that opened to the main ballroom.
Lilian squinted against it, searching for the familiar tall figure who’d haunted her shop for weeks on end.For the clipboard sheknewshe recognized.
“Hey, you shouldn’t be back here.”She turned to find David standing to the side.Her relief was immediately swallowed by confusion at the tight T-shirt designed to look like a tuxedo.
“Um… David.What’s with the T-shirt?Didn’t anyone tell you what the dress code was?”
He looked down, his large hand smoothing out the shirt.“Margo told me, but I thought she was kidding.And I don’t really have anything that fits the dress code.”He shook his blond curls and focused back on her.“But that’s not important now.You shouldn’t be back here.”
“I… needed to check something.”She offered a sheepish smile, but David was shaking his head again.
“Sorry, Ms.Bodice.I have orders.”
She took a step back to the entrance stairway, but David’s large body was moving her in the direction of the exit.
“I’ll be quick, I swear.”
He sighed, looking as if he really did not want to be the one to kick her out.But a new voice cut in before he could apologize.
“It’s all right, she can stay.”
She knew that voice.
Stepping away from one of the back set tables was Hawk.The dark silk shirt and black trousers blended with the shadows, making him invisible.
David looked between the two of them like a dog sensing tension between his two favorite people.Hawk sighed and handed him an envelope as Janelle called out, “Next is this year’s winner for best act!”
No one moved.Hawk’s gaze stayed on Lilian, then dipped, taking in her gown.The deep cut between her breasts.The slit teasing the shape of her leg.Something dark and unmistakable flashed through his eyes.
Same,Lilian thought, returning the appreciation in kind.His long silk sleeves were pushed up to his elbow, revealing forearms that looked perfectly sculpted.A soft puff of air escaped her before she could stop it.This was not an outfit Hawk would have ever worn before.Which she was now very grateful for, because it would have launched him to the top of every woman’s fantasy list.
“Go, I got this.”Hawk didn’t sound angry or resigned.His eyes stayed on Lilian; the quiet stoicism of them made the floor tilt from under her feet.
