Salem slides a cream-colored envelope across my desk.
“From?”
“I didn’t open it because it says to be opened only by you.”
“Open it.”
I watch her slender hands as she slides a letter opener beneath the flap and a mental image of sliding my tongue between her legs hits me.I ache for her.
She takes the card out and chews the bottom of her lip.
“Who’s it from?”I bark out, harsher than I intended.
Salem looks up.“It’s an invitation to a party given by Heloise Perry.”
I wave my hand.“Decline it.”
Her fingers tighten on the card until the blood fades from her knuckles.
Her reaction surprises me.
“I think it would be a good idea to attend.”
“Do you know who she is?”I don’t wait for a response because it didn’t need an answer.“She’s the mother of Poppy Perry, the woman that my grandmother keeps insisting should marry me or my brothers.”
“I see.”
“If I show up there, she’ll think it’s because I’m interested in her daughter.”
“Not if you take someone with you.”
“You think I should go and take a date?”
She frowns like she hates that idea.That can’t be right.Clearly, I’m confused.Salem wouldn’t give a rat’s ass if I date.
“If you attend the party with another woman, it’ll make your stance clear and put a stop to the idea of you and Poppy.”
“True.Except the invitation is late notice which is unlike Heloise.”There’s barely enough time to get ready and reach her estate before the party begins.“I’m guessing she has something up her sleeve besides her diamond bracelets.”
“Better to face what you suspect head on rather than wait for it to come back and bite you in the ass,” Salem insists.
I don’t know why she’s so damn adamant about going but my intuition is telling me she’s desperate to be there.
“I can’t possibly find someone to go with me in time.”And you’re the only woman I want on my arm.In my bed.In my life.“Come with me.”
Her head snaps up.
“No one there will know you’re my assistant, so they’ll think we’re together.That should end the Perry family hopes of me becoming a son-in-law.”
“But…” She toys with the wedding band spinning it around.I notice there’s no indention on her finger like there would be if she’d worn it for years.
Maybe there wasn’t enough money for rings when they first married.Or maybe they married later.I hate torturing myself with thoughts like these.And taking her with me to the party isn’t the smartest idea, I know.
But if I can just spend time with her tonight, then tomorrow, I’ll work on getting over this obsession.I swear I will.
I toss the invitation onto the desk.“Or we can forget it.”
Salem snatches it up.“I’ll go with you.”
