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“Are you here alone?” She twirled the ends of her hair in an unassuming manner as she waited for my response. “Is that too forward? You don’t have to answer.”
If another woman tossed her hair in my presence, I would have thought it was an immature attempt to flirt. Most women tried anything to get my attention, but this particular one had me from the start. She didn’t even have to try.
“I am here alone. This is my sister’s party,” I said. “She sits on the board of the charity this event is for.”
“The shelters in the city,” she said. “I wish I could…” She let go of the ends of her hair. “That’s a wonderful cause. I’m sure she’ll raise plenty of money. Just look at all these people. I saw at least three Jags and a Porsche on my way in to the hotel.”
“What do you wish?”
“What?” She took a long sip from her glass. “About?”
“You said you wished you could do something.” I stepped closer to her and swiped the hair she had disrupted away from her face.
“Did I?” Her sweet-scented breath fluttered across my lips as she focused on them. “I wish I was in a position to donate to the charity.”
“I’ll make a donation on your behalf if you join me at my table for dinner.”
“That’s generous of you, but no, I couldn’t intrude,” she replied.
“I invited you.” If she made this a challenge, I would only press harder.
“I can’t leave Jay.”
“He can sit with us too.” I glanced at Jay, who hung on Brandon’s every word. “Although, he may have found a dinner companion.”
“Oh.” She followed my gaze. “You might be right.”
“I’ll arrange for you both to sit with me.”
“You really don’t have to do that.”
“I insist.”
“What are we insisting on?” Angelica, my forward attorney, barked, successfully hijacking my moment. “Are you wheeling and dealing without me?”
“No,” I said before chugging my champagne like water. Now I really needed something stronger. “What can I do for you?”
“I just spent the last five minutes rearranging the seating chart.” She narrowed her eyes at my new friend, assessing her like a piece of evidence before returning her attention to me. “Would you believe they didn’t have me at your table?”
I absolutely believed it, because I requested Ellie banish Angelica to at least three tables away from me. I already had to endure her at the office. I didn’t want her analyzing my dinner carbs too.
“I thought you’d want to mingle since you’re not working tonight.” I set my glass down. “You’re with me all the time.”
“That’s my job.” She inched close enough to me that our arms touched before directing the conversation to my potential dinner companion. “He’s quite the handful.”
“I’ll bet.” The silver-masked beauty gripped her flute.
Shit, I can’t introduce her to Angelica because I didn’t bother asking her name. That isn’t like me at all.
“That’s a great color on you,” Angelica said to the nameless woman. “Who is it?”
“Who is what?” My friend was clearly out of her element, and she didn’t disguise that fact very well. My attorney wouldn’t go easy on her once she figured out she didn’t read Vogue.
“Who are you wearing?” Angelica motioned over the dress. “I don’t recognize the designer.”
“I, um…” She smiled and waved across the bar to Jay. “It was nice meeting you both, but I have to go.”
“Don’t.” When I reached for her hand, I saw the curiosity in her eyes through her mask. “I want to have dinner with you.”
