“Then it will happen for you,” Elijah told her serenely. “It hasn’t yet, that’s all. But if you want it that badly, you’ll keep trying until it does.”
She shook her head. “I wish things were as easy as you make them sound,” she said. “You don’t know what it’s like. You’ve always been surrounded by wealth and privilege, you don’t know how it feels to have to work for anything. You can’t say that people don’t like reaching for advancement when you’ve never had anywhere to advance to.”
“You know all about me, I guess.”
She had the grace to blush a little, but she didn’t back down. “I just know the type,” she said. “The son of a wealthy father who hasn’t made anything of himself independently of his father’s name and doesn’t really care to—am I wrong about that?”
“You’re not, but you don’t need to be so chilly to me about it.” The song that was playing ended and a new one started up. Elijah kept the dance going, and Stephanie didn’t pull away from him.
He hadn’t been bothered by her remarks. In fact, he found them entertaining. It was so rare that anyone called him out, and he didn’t think she was necessarily wrong. It was true that he had always been provided for, had always had his father’s wealth to fall back on. It was true that he could get by without ever worrying about achieving anything for himself.
But she didn’t understand the value of living like that. She didn’t know how peaceful it was, and how it freed you up to pursue the things you really enjoyed. What would be the point in grasping for achievement when he could have fun?
He would show her, he decided. He had been lightly debating with himself whether or not he was going to bring her home tonight. After all, doing so would mean doing it right in front of his father, who would not approve and who would make him hear about it for days. But he was captivated by her now, and he wanted her to see why he found the life he was living so enjoyable. He wanted to bring her home.
He waited until the dance ended before pulling her close and whispering in her ear—“Shall we get out of here? I think we’ve seen all we need to see.”
She tensed in his arms, and Elijah felt the usual thrill of knowing that the evening was about to take a delicious turn. These moments, the ones right before everything began in earnest, were always his favorites. He was already imagining peeling that sparkly dress off of her. Or maybe he wouldn’t do that—maybe it would be more fun if they left it on…
She pulled away from him. “I’m not leaving.”
“Oh,” he said. It wasn’t the response he had expected, but he could adapt his approach when necessary. “You want to stay a little longer before we take off? I can do that.”
“No,” she said. “That’s not what I mean. I’m not leaving with you.”
Had she misunderstood him? “I’m talking about going back to my place or yours for a few hours,” he said, leaning a little closer.
“I understand what you’re talking about,” she shot back. “Did you think you were being subtle? Your meaning was perfectly clear, actually. Did I do something to give you the impression that we were going home together?”
The argument they had been having before had been playful, but there was actual irritation on her face now. Elijah wasn’t used to women looking at him that way, and he also wasn’t used to rejection. “I thought we had a vibe,” he said, shrugging. “I thought we were on the same page. I guess you weren’t picking up what I was putting down.”
“I didn’t come here to go home with anyone,” she said. “I came here to make business contacts. Apparently not a thing you would know anything about in terms of priorities. But if what you’re looking for is a girl to take home, you’re barking up the wrong tree.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you.” He couldn’t decide whether to be amused or annoyed. She was starting to get a little too loud, to make a scene. “Maybe you and I had better give each other a little space.”
“Yes.” Her voice was brittle. “I think that would be very wise.”
And even though they were in the middle of a song, she turned and stalked off the floor without saying another word to him.
Elijah stood and watched her go, wondering how everything could have gone so wrong. He was far from inexperienced with women. He did know how to read them, and therehadbeen a crackle of energy between the two of them. It wasn’t just that she was hot, although she was. Elijah certainly had an eye for an attractive woman, but he wasn’t often blinded by that. A woman also needed to have a good personality, and Stephanie definitely had that. Their banter had been very exciting. He felt like he could have talked to her all night.
Clearly, she didn’t feel the same way.
With a sigh, he returned to his table. At least there was still dessert coming. The night wouldn’t be a total loss.
But as he sat down, he noticed his father watching him from across the room, and it occurred to him that the old man had probably seen everything that had just happened, and that he was probably feeling smug and satisfied about Elijah striking out.
Somehow, that made it all seem a hundred times worse.
Maybe I should just go ahead and get out of here on my own.
CHAPTER 5
STEPHANIE
Back at the bar, Stephanie ordered a second drink even though she was already feeling the effects of the first one. She thanked the bartender and stood with her back to the wall, eyes closed, sipping slowly until the heat faded from her cheeks.
The audacity of that man, trying to get her to leave the party with him after one conversation and one dance! Did that usually work for him? It probably did, she thought wryly. Guys like that were too used to getting what they wanted all the time. After all, he was the son of one of the most influential men in southern California. Who was going to say no to him? He had seemed genuinely shocked that she would.
