Page 32 of Hats off to Love

He pauses and then says, “Nothing,” as he steps closer and lays his forehead against mine. My breath catches. This intimacy from him is foreign, and I’m not sure what to make of it. Is this how he is with someone he’s dating, or is this all an act for the people around us? Public displays of affection don’t really seem like the Stokes I know, but then again, I don’t really know him like this.

Lifting my hand, he kisses the back of it. It’s a sweet gesture, which has confused tingles moving up my arm, and I watch him as he watches me.

Something strange is happening here tonight. Something strange indeed.

A little over halfway through the party, needing a break from this overload of emotional stimulation, I excuse myself to go to the bathroom. I’ve just walked back onto the porch when I’m stopped by Suzy.

Oh, here we go.

“It’s so nice to meet one of Stokes’s girls,” she says to me in a condescendingly sweet tone, a tone that hasn’t been present all night until now. She tosses her hair over her shoulder then squares them off. Unfortunately, no one sees that I’ve just been accosted by a pit viper, and I can’t spot Stokes or Christopher to give them a Come save me look.

“One of his girls.” I laugh, letting her know I’m not intimidated but amused. Come to think of it, I’ve never met one of his “girls” so I have no idea what he’s drawn to, and I’d bet the bank she doesn’t either.

She bristles as if she was expecting a different response. “Well, Stokes and I go way back,” she says. “He does love to surprise us from time to time.”

Us? And who might that be? Her and her manipulative father? How exactly did Stokes end up working at this firm? She’s also lying through her teeth, and I want nothing more than to put her in her place.

I tilt my head. “That surprises me. Knowing Stokes, I’m not sure how you would think anything he does is for you, or anyone else, for that matter.”

Her eyes narrow. She’s clearly not a dumb person, and I think back to Stokes’s warning about lawyers. “And how long have you two known each other?” she asks patronizingly.

“Oh, we also go way back. Way, way back,” I tell her so she can hear my tone as well and know she better watch what she says.

“Really now,” she drawls, and I just smile in return. “Did you see the article in LuVu Tea? I can’t imagine all the attention he’s getting from being named the most eligible bachelor.”

She’s trying to get me riled up, but I refuse to take her bait. Instead, I smile wide. If she saw the first article, I’m certain she has seen the few after and is green with envy that it’s not her.

“We did. We laughed.” Well, I laughed at his expense. “Technically they aren’t wrong—he’s not married, so he is a bachelor. The attention is the same as always: gold-digging socialite groupies.” I look her over from head to toe then bring my eyes back to hers and smile again.

She may not consider herself to fit that description, but she does, to a T. With her expensive dyed-blonde hair, puffed-up lips, and tight clothes, just because she has a law degree, that doesn’t make her any different. All she sees is someone who can elevate her spoiled status even more.

“So how serious are the two of you? I mean he’s never mentioned you. Ever.”

I laugh, and this catches her off guard. He’s never mentioned her either. “Well, that really wouldn’t be any of your business, now would it? In fact, I think it’s quite inappropriate for you to ask about his personal life. After all, aren’t you just his boss’s daughter?”

Her nostrils flare, and her eyes widen at the slight.

“And you do realize you are talking about Stokes, right? He holds his cards and those he cares for close to him. He’s not an open book. Not to anyone.”

“Except maybe to you,” he says, coming up from the side.

Suzy sucks in some air and stands straighter. This poor pathetic girl. Clearly she’s been handed everything she wants on a silver platter, and she can’t imagine why someone like Stokes wouldn’t want to be with someone like her.

“Sorry,” he says to me, completely ignoring her. Bending, he runs his hand down my back and kisses me on the corner of my mouth.

My. Mouth.

Oh my word.

And just why?

My skin tingles, and I feel like I’ve been branded with a hot poker. I do my very best to not look shocked at the sweet gesture. Really, why do his lips have to be so warm and soft? And why do I react to them so? Instead of feeling like I’ve been kissed by a gross frog, my heart jolts, recognizing he’s a prince. Only this isn’t a fairy tale, it’s real life, and I’m not his princess.

“Christopher had a few questions for me regarding a contract I worked on this week.”

“No worries, although this is a party and you promised no work tonight.” I lean into him and smile up at him adoringly, batting my eyelashes for good measure. He’s amused by me and smiles back. It’s not fake, it’s not closed mouth, it’s rare, and it’s what I’m now recognizing as my smile.

“Rosabelle and I were just talking about you.” Suzy runs her hand through her hair to fluff it then puts it on her hip while holding her drink in her other hand. Her eyes are glued to him, and she doesn’t even realize he couldn’t care less that she is standing here speaking. “I asked her how long the two of you have been seeing each other, but she wouldn’t answer.”