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I feel a strange glow, nestled in his embrace as we look out at the party. It almost feels like we’re partners. In this together.
“Long enough for me to eat my body weight in these crab puffs,” I reply. “Have you tried them?”
I bring one to his mouth, and he takes a bite.
“They’re good,” he nods. “How about I just write the caterer a check and have a hundred delivered to the house?”
I laugh. “Have you ever met a problem you couldn’t buy your way out of?”
He looks right at me.
“You.”
My heart stops, and the air between us suddenly crackles with intensity. He holds my gaze, and there’s something there in the icy blue depths I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. A glimpse of respect, and affection.
Then there’s the sound of a clinking glass, and he looks away. The moment is lost.
“Thank you all for joining us, to celebrate tonight…”
It’s Richard, up by the bandstand with Sebastian’s mother, Trudy, on his arm. They’re beaming together, clearly about to make some kind of speech.
I glance back at Sebastian, who’s watching with a stony expression, all his good humor gone again.
“It’s hard to believe that I’m here, celebrating my twelve years of happiness with this beautiful woman,” Richard says, gesturing to Trudy, who looks at him with stars in her eyes. “I can’t help thinking about how lucky I am. Of all things, tragedy brought us together. It might seem strange but finding comfort in each other gave us a new beginning that we desperately needed.”
I can’t believe they’re really doing this: Framing Sebastian’s father’s death as the reason they got together. I can’t imagine how Sebastian must be feeling, and even though it looks like he’s just sipping his champagne, nodding along to the speech, there’s a storm brewing in his eyes, emotion roiling beneath the surface that he’s obviously trying to hide.
A man like Sebastian Wolfe willalwayshide that side of himself. I know him well enough to know that.
I squeeze his hand. “Let’s get out of here,” I whisper.
He blinks at me, surprised.
“I mean, we have the catering number,” I add. “What else do we need?”
He sucks in a breath, and glances to the stage again, where Richard is still going strong, talking about partnership, and love, and destiny.
“Fine,” he says, almost a growl. “Let’s go.”
We melt into the crowd and make a discreet exit, emerging from the hotel entrance. I look around. It’s still early, and I’m all dressed up. “How about we go get dinner?” I suggest, as the car pulls up.
“No…” Sebastian gives me an unreadable look. “I have something else in mind.”
OK then.
We get in the car, and Sebastian leans forward to murmur an address to the driver. Then he pulls out his phone and taps out a message, before tucking it away.
“So what’s the plan?” I ask.
Sebastian doesn’t answer me. Instead, he opens a compartment in the car, and pulls out a slim black jewelry box. “I have something for you,” he says, handing it to me.
I take it, pausing. There’s a look in his eyes I can’t decipher, and the energy around him has changed now that we’re away from the party. It’s sharper; alert. Poised for something.
My pulse rises as I open the box. Nestled inside is a stunning diamond choker.
“It’s gorgeous!” I exclaim, lifting it out. Then I see, there’s a silver ring hanging from the front, and…
A long, supple leather band beneath it in the box.
