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Easy for him to say. She had to face the reception afterward, mingle with the bigwigs while representing her father, her family.
But Tyler didn’t leave her side.
He stayed and smiled right there with her. He kept his hand at her back and his strength gave her the fortitude to keep her smile in place even though she really just wanted to curl up into a ball and cry.
When the photographers finally had their shots and moved on to their next victim, Eleanor let out a long breath and looked at her rescuer.
“Th-thank you.”
One side of his mouth lifted crookedly in a half grin. “No problem, sugar. You looked like you needed a helping hand.”
Speaking of hand, his still rested against the curve of her back, burning through the thin red material and branding her skin.
“I don’t like crowds.” Were those the first words she’d ever actually formed around him without stuttering, grunting or mumbling? Finally, coherency.
“I noticed.”
She smiled despite the nervousness still chipping away at her resolve. “Now, if only this party were over.”
“Over?” He glanced around at the smiling, laughing people and shook his head. “Why would we want the party over when the night is so young?”
“I don’t like crowds, remember?” She crinkled her nose and frowned up at him. Goodness, the man was tall. Probably about six-four. Maybe everything that came from Texas was big.
He grinned down at her, then tweaked her nose with the tip of his finger. “I tell ya what, darlin’, you just relax. Have some fun. I’ll handle the crowd.”
She glanced around at the people making their way into the room that had been decked out for the celebration. “But surely you have someone with you? You always have someone with you.”
“You’re right. I do.” He winked then leaned close to her ear. “Tonight that someone is you, Eleanor. My friends call me Ty, by the way, and you and I are definitely going to be friendly.”
CHAPTER THREE
ELEANOR LAUGHED OUT LOUD for what seemed like the hundredth time that evening. Honestly, she couldn’t recall the last time she’d laughed so much.
Had she ever?
“You are very pretty when you laugh, Eleanor.”
Now, there was a comment worth laughing at.
“Because you keep saying funny things,” she told Tyler, not quite meeting his eyes. He’d complimented her repeatedly during the evening. Good thing she knew his reputation, that he was an incurable flirt.
With a grin that was way too intoxicating, he touched her face. “I want you to laugh at what I say, but only when I’m saying something worth laughing at. I was serious. You are a very beautiful woman, Eleanor.”
Despite the fact that she was sure he didn’t mean her to laugh, she couldn’t suppress the nervous little giggle that spilled from her lips. “Yeah, well, th-thank you.”
Because, really, what else could she say?
“Tell me about that,” he urged in a slow drawl.
She bit her lower lip, hoping he wasn’t asking what she thought he was asking.
“Your stutter.”
Face flaming, she shook her head. “Nothing funny about my stuttering so let’s not talk about it.”
“Have you always stuttered?” he asked, as if she hadn’t just spoken.
“Perhaps you didn’t hear what I just said. I don’t want to talk about me.”
