Page 32 of Bonds of Shame, Bonds of Lust

He turned his head a fraction. "I don't perform on cue, Bonds."

It should have annoyed me, but it started the hum. Bury that.

"Not even for a good cause?"

"Depends on the cause." He almost smiled. But didn't.

The auctioneer called the next item. A private tour of the new pediatric wing, hosted by our very own Dr. Lacey Bonds.

I shot a look at Allie across the table. She raised her champagne in mock innocence.

Bidding opened at five. Derek's hand went up first, casual, almost bored. Took it to ten. A cardiologist from a downtown center bid twelve. Derek went to fifteen. Twenty. The other man laughed and dropped out at twenty-five.

"Sold to Mr. Harrington."

Derek leaned back with his glass. "Looks like you're stuck with me again."

The flush went up my neck. "Lucky me."

Twenty-five thousand dollars for two hours of me walking a hallway. My attorney charges six hundred to explain that Brad is entitled to ask for more.

The applause died, the music came back, people drifted toward the bar and the doors. Allie caught my eye across the table one last time and vanished into the crowd, her work for the evening apparently complete.

Derek stood and buttoned his jacket with the precise motion certain men learn somewhere and never unlearn. "Walk you out?"

He said it like the answer was already settled, and I found myself on my feet. We crossed the room at a pace set by him and I didn't have to hurry. Once his hand came up near the small of my back to steer me around a knot of people, and I told myself it was old-fashioned manners and left the rest of it alone.

At the doors, he stopped and turned. The light caught his eyes and took some of the slate out of them.

"I enjoyed tonight, Bonds."

I didn't have a free hand to deal with the feeling that ran through me and was gone.

"You're easier company when you're not arguing with me," he said.

It was the kind of thing that should have set my teeth on edge, a man telling me I was more pleasant when I wasn't disagreeing with him, the exact sort of thing the Brad in my head would have said. I held onto the irritation. The other, cruder, thing held onto me.

He put out his hand. I gave him mine. His fingers closed around it, callused at the edges from whatever life he led outside of boardrooms, and he held my hand a beat longer than I expected. Then he seemed to notice he was doing it and let go.

"Good night, Bonds. I look forward to the tour."

"Good night, Derek."

He turned and walked toward the valet stand without another word.

I stood in the cool air coming through the open doors and told myself the lies I'd been telling myself all night. The dress. A man in a tuxedo at the same table. That was all it was.

17 - INTO THE SUN

Lacey

I was home Tuesday evening when my phone rang.

Dad's name on the screen. I let it ring twice while I considered not answering. My father felt like the last person I could talk to right now, but if I didn't pick up he'd know something was off.

I answered. "Hi, Dad."

"Lacey!" His voice was up, bubbly. "How are you, sweetheart?"