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9

When we finally parted,I noticed the dance floor was crowded with people. Mason remained very close, and when I turned to him, his mouth hovered inches from mine, his breath warm on my face. My lips parted and he leaned in. My eyes fluttered closed. I didn’t care what anyone else thought.

“Did you have a nice dance?” Candice asked right in my ear. I startled, my eyes snapping open. What the hell? I get that we didn’t exactly have the dancefloor to ourselves, but was there a reason the COO was hovering right beside us? “Let’s sit down,” Mason suggested in a husky voice, eyes trained on me.

I nodded and allowed him to lead me away from Candice and back toward the table. I continued to puzzle as to why she seemed to care so damn much about our business, but I paused when my eyes fell on my father and Alyssa, locked together on the dance floor.

“Are you okay?” Mason asked.

Alyssa’s face glowed as my father twirled her around with a smile. My stomach dropped. Here I was having a fabulous time with a man while my mother was yet again deserted and suffering. I had behaved exactly like my father by choosing my own enjoyment and abandoning her. In that moment it didn’t matter that she’d insisted I come on this trip. I’d allowed myself to be convinced. Guilt overwhelmed me, and I suddenly craved space.

“I’m going to go get some…” What do I say?Air? “…more dessert,” I finished lamely. I managed a feeble smile so he wouldn’t think it was him and worked my way toward the chocolate fountain.

When I was sure no one was paying attention, I ducked behind a pillar with moving, holographic mermaids and tried to catch my breath.

“Trouble in paradise?” Travis asked, causing me to throw a hand up to my chest. What was it with people startling me?

“Are you following me?” I turned on him, releasing some of my frustration into the ether.

He smirked. “Just trying to stay out of the limelight. Not hard when everyone’s watching you and Prince Charming.”

“His name is Mason. And no one’s watching us but you. What’s it to you who I dance with?” I backed him into the wall, poking his massive chest with my finger. It occurred to me my heightened level of anger was groundless. Yet I couldn’t rein it in, which only made it worse.

“The gossip boat has sailed,” he said, still smirking. “It’s all anyone’s talking about tonight. You can’t miss it. You’re like a celebrity now.”

“That’s ridiculous.” I folded my arms and sucked in my lower lip.

“O.M.G. It’s like a Cinderella story.” Travis raised his tone in an outlandish imitation of a girl.

“Grow up.” I didn’t have time for this when there were bigger things to worry about.

“Glad to see it doesn’t matter what other people think.” His voice dripped with sarcasm, but I didn’t get the joke.

“Maybe Mason’s not the one I should be suspicious of.” I whipped around and rushed back to my seat, head down. If anyone was watching my every move, I didn’t want to know about it.

I was so focused on the floor I almost didn’t notice my seat was taken. I paused, unsure what to do. Nicole, Mason’s sister, sat in my place. She finally decided to show up, and she looked like a movie star in a shimmering white flapper dress and silver sandals. Her hair was a loose tumble of golden curls that framed her heart-shaped face like a cherub.

She giggled at something, and I realized Mason’s chair was also occupied by a handsome man in his early thirties, with short black hair and a pinstriped suit. My eyes roved back to Nicole, and she seemed to sense me, turning to find me gaping at her.

I pulled my shoulders back and smiled. “Hi.”

“Oh! I’m in your seat, aren’t I? I’m sorry. You and my brother were so busy on the dance floor, I didn’t think you’d mind. And then you disappeared. But here you are, so I’ll just slide over.” She made a production of slipping into the next seat. The man in Mason’s chair didn’t move.

I took the seat, unsure what else to do. The man next to me let his eyes linger on the spot where the split in my dress landed, mid-thigh, when I sat. I draped a napkin over my lap and smoothed it out, wishing Mason would turn up.

“I’m Nicole and this is Graham Chaplin. He’s the PR specialist for Paradise Atlantis,” Nicole said.

Graham offered his hand, and seeing no way out, I accepted it. He grinned, dropping his lips to my knuckles and running his finger beneath my palm. I yanked my hand back.

“Please, call me Graham.”

“So,” Nicole said, bringing my attention to my other side. I didn’t like turning my back to Graham, even for a second. “You’re here with Mason.”

“Yes. I’m Sam. Sam Meadows.” I offered a hand to Nicole, who shot me an “isn’t that quaint” look before barely touching her fingers to mine.

“I know who you are. I know all of our employees and their families. Congratulations on my brother’s attentions.”

Dumbfounded, I felt the flush hit my face. “Thank you, but—”