There was a lot of wanting going around.
When she’d called me Sir—jokingly, innocently—it was like a one-two punch. First, the dress. Second, her innocence. I was starting to wanther. I kept thinking about her. As she stood by my side, it seemed natural for me to keep my arm around her waist. It wasn’t just to show the board members that our relationship was real.
It was because Iwantedto.
Again with the wanting…
I introduced Rory to Haruki Sato and Rahim Aziz, two longtime board members. “Miranda told us you two are trying for a baby,” Haruki said, and I almost spit out my drink.
Rory gently elbowed me.
“That’s right,” I said, recovering quickly. I pulled her closer to me. “We want Luke to have cousins to grow up with. Nothing can replace his father, of course. But we want him to have a family.”
“I respect that,” Rahim said. “It’s terrible to lose a parent. What’s the status with Gigi?”
I shook my head. “Unfortunately, she’s not really involved in Luke’s life. She rarely sees him.”
Rahim looked confused. “That’s not what Miranda said.”
I stiffened. “Really? I can’t imagine what shedidsay, because what I told you is the truth.”
“She said that Gigi wants to spend more time with him—maybe even have Luke live with her and attend school in Manhattan.” He looked thoughtful. “Miranda was the one to bring it up.”
“Interesting,” I said, and left it at that.
“Luke’s a wonderful little boy,” Rory offered.
Rahim and Haruki smiled at her. “He’ll be lucky to have you as a second mother,” Haruki said.
“Thank you,” Rory said. I was the only one who could read the strain in her eyes.
It was both good and bad that Rory was sincere in her affection for Luke. On the one hand, it was positive for both her and the boy to have a connection. On the other, I knew it made lying more difficult.
For me, in the deep, dark recesses of my reasoning—a realm I didn’t care to examine—I was secretly relieved that she cared for my nephew. I felt this was somehow to my advantage. I wondered if she would ever consideractuallygiving Luke a cousin…
We chatted with Rahim and Haruki for a few minutes longer, until a butler appeared. “Dinner is served, Sir,” he said, and Rory bit back a laugh.
“It doesn’t have the same ring to it,” I growled in her ear, delighted when she shivered.
I pulled her against me and led her to the table, wondering whether she would ever call me Sir again.
And if she did, what exactly was I going to do about it?
I keptmy arm around Rory during dinner, which made it difficult to eat. That was fine by me—my appetite for food had vanished.
Another hunger had stolen upon me.
The feel of her skin, the way her eyes sparkled in the candlelight, and her polite attention to the board members captivated me. Rory had me mesmerized. Somehow, sitting next to her was an event in itself.
“This salad is delicious,” she said, chatting to the board member next to her, Abigail Furst. “I love radishes. My Grammy grows them in her garden. I’ve never had them in a pesto like this…”
She talked vegetables and home gardens with Abigail, drinking her lemonade, completely over her head, and yet, somehow still holding her own. Rory was just sonormal. I hadn’t spent time with anyone like her, maybe ever, but she brought a friendly groundedness to the dinner party, even though she looked like a super-hot Disney princess.
I rubbed her shoulder, my fingers trailing over her exposed skin, and noticed a faint blush creeping up her cheeks.Good.Iknew that I was playing with fire, but it pleased me to see her react.
I slid my hand from her shoulder and put it on her thigh, squeezing it. She tensed for a moment. I gave her a small pat, reassuring her, and she glanced at me.
“Do you want to skip dessert?” I asked. “We could always order some later in our room.”
