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I put my untouched glass down on the table and walk toward her. Her lips part as I come closer, a soft breath escaping them. For a moment everything else in the room fades.

She’s left her hair down, a golden sheet of waves around her barely-made up face. I can see the freckles across her nose, the pink staining her cheeks. Her eyelashes curl naturally, barely coated with mascara.

“I suppose some things are worth the wait,” my father murmurs behind me.

Georgia laughs softly, her gaze meeting mine. It feels like fireworks are going off in my chest. She deserves better than me. Better than this whole damn party.

And yet somehow, she wants to be here with me.

I take her hand and lift it to my lips, my mouth grazing the thin skin of her wrist. Then I pull her toward me, until our bodies are touching.

“You look way too good for this party,” I say softly into her ear. “Let’s get in my car and drive away. We can be back to London in two hours.”

She laughs. “Tempting,” she says. “But I feel like your mother would hunt us down.”

“She probably would. But it would be worth it.” Behind me, I hear my family murmuring, but I don’t care. The only person I care about in this room is in my arms now. I’m already counting down the hours until I can take this dress off her.

My mother clears her throat.

“Pour Georgia a drink, darling,” she says to me. Then she looks at Georgia. “You bought the dress after all. I’m so glad.”

Georgia’s smile barely moves as I pour a glass of champagne and pass it to her. Behind her, Kate arrives. “Please pour me one, too, Theo.” She looks at Georgia. “I love that color on you,” Kate says. “Reminds me of Robin Hood.”

“Lincoln Green,” Alex says.

“Oh god, Lincoln. Remember when I went to look at the university there, Theo?” Kate asks, taking a sip of her champagne. “You came with me. We spent the whole time huddled up in a bar.” She looks over at Georgia. “Don’t know why we bothered really. We both knew we were going to Oxbridge.”

Georgia smiles, though it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Always good to try things out first. Before you make a decision you might regret.”

I swallow down a laugh. Even Alex looks amused. Christ, this woman is perfect.

I slide my arm around Georgia’s waist. The silk of her dress is so thin I can feel the heat of her body through it. She takes a sip of champagne as the string quartet segue into ‘Winter Wonderland’, and Georgia smiles at me. “Remember how you played this for me the first night we met?” she asks.

“Seduction by piano,” I murmur. “Works every time.”

“It did on me,” she whispers.

The door from the hallway opens and Barbara appears, breathless.

“Guests are arriving,” she says quietly to my mother. “The Harpers and the Winstons are here. Two more cars have pulled up behind them.”

My mother straightens immediately.

“Right,” she says briskly, smoothing down the front of her dress. “Positions, everyone. Let’s go and greet our guests.”

My father drains the last of his wine and sets the glass aside with theatrical enthusiasm. “Showtime,” he says.

Alex pushes himself off the mantel. Kate checks her reflection in the dark window.

And beside me, Georgia takes a small breath as the house begins to fill with voices and footsteps, the staff already moving to open doors and take coats as the first guests step inside from the cold Norfolk night.

I glance at her one more time before the first guests reach us, and for one reckless second I think about saying the words out loud. The three little ones that have been rumbling in my mind for longer than I care to admit.

But I wait, telling myself there’s plenty of time for that, not knowing it will turn out to be my biggest regret.

21

GEORGIA