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“They’re really good,” she said, her gaze riveted on the pair.
Simon noticed her wistful sigh and wondered if she was thinking about her own experiences on the dance floor. Hadn’t she gone to prom? Was she pondering how much she’d missed in her life?
“My father loves to dance.” Simon toyed with a tendril of hair that dangled beside her ear. “He claims that’s how he got my mother to fall in love with him. He was the only man who never stepped on her toes.”
“I’ll wager there was a little more to it than that.”
“I never asked, do you like to dance?” He kept his voice low so he wouldn’t be overheard.
Her pale shoulders lifted and fell. “I haven’t done much dancing lately. I’m afraid I’m woefully out of practice.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
She smiled. “I’d love to dance with you.”
Simon wondered if tonight would mark another memory he’d never shake. He hoped so. But before he could take her up on the entreaty in her eyes, a long-fingered hand caressed his shoulder. He turned at the sound of his name and recognized the woman who had purchased a date with him at last year’s bachelor auction. The stunning redhead wore a figure-hugging gown of black silk and enough diamonds to finance a corporate takeover.
“How wonderful to see you,” she said, her voice at odds with the assessment in her eyes as she looked Caroline over. “Dance with me, won’t you? For old time’s sake?”
She put a wealth of meaning behind words that had no substantiation. They’d gone out for dinner once and he’d had to fight her off at her door. As a matter of fact, he couldn’t even dredge up her name.
He opened his mouth to turn her down, but Caroline beat him to the punch.
“Go ahead, Simon. I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about.”
Was that jealousy he saw in her clenched jaw and cold stare? His heart stuttered in his chest. Well, wasn’t that an interesting development.
“I won’t be long.”
He was wrong about that. Torn from Caroline’s side, he got snagged by friends wanting to catch up and his mother’s cronies wanting to hear all about his fiancée. All the while he kept his eyes peeled for Caroline, but didn’t see her on the dance floor. He hoped Hannah and Sarah were keeping her company.
It took Simon half an hour to get back to the table. His parents and aunt were the only occupants. “Where’s Caroline?”
“She and Sarah went looking for Hannah. I’m sure they’ll be back any second.”
Simon spied yet another female bearing down on him and shook his head. “I think I’ll go see if I can find them.”
He dodged through the crowd toward the restrooms, thinking that his sister would have headed there after leaving the table. Pregnancy seemed to have affected her bladder and she was always excusing herself to visit the ladies’ room. He circled the room twice before he spied his fiancée standing beside the punch bowl, flanked by two men Simon didn’t recognize. Remembering the way she’d been manhandled by that asshole in Atlanta, Simon’s hackles rose. She wasn’t adept at handling aggressive men. That was his job.
Simon’s concern eased only slightly when Caroline laughed and turned away, a drink in her hand. Suspecting what she held, he stopped her before she’d taken more than two steps and plucked the glass from her fingers.
“Oh no, my darling. No more of that.” He sniffed at the glass and confirmed his guess.
“Why not? It’s delightful.”
His eyes narrowed. “How much have you had?”
“This is my second glass. It’s quite good.” She licked her lips and smiled up at him. “What’s in it?”
“This, my tipsy love, is called Chatham Artillery Punch, named after the oldest military organization in Georgia. It includes wine, rum, gin, brandy, whiskey, tea, brown sugar, orange juice, lemon juice and champagne.”
Her mouth rounded charmingly as he listed the ingredients. “It’s delicious.”
“And very potent. Come on. Let’s take you back to the table.”
She stepped forward and into his space. Her scent found his nose; her hand stole beneath the lapel of his jacket to rest on his heart. “I’d rather dance with you.”
The band started a slow song, music designed for lovers. Simon set the glass down on a nearby table and led her into the circle of dancers. How much trouble could he get into on the dance floor?
