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If she hadn’t told him to stop?
What was it about him that made her so afraid? Not of him, but of herself?
She stopped dead in her tracks. A struggle broke out inside her—the deep desire to turn around and find him again, fighting against the logic that said to keep going and leave him far behind. This chance encounter had to be just that—she wouldn’t accept anything else.
He hadn’t found her. His being here had nothing to do with her. He’d recognized her without her mask and had decided to approach her, maybe offer himself up again.
But she didn’t need an escort.
What she needed was only herself.
“Ms. McKenzie? Is everything okay?”
Skylar blinked at her assistant, Kelly, who clutched her clipboard tight and pushed her glasses up her nose. Despite the way her hair was now pinned back into a bun, Skylar had seen Kelly’s hair down once before, when she’d changed at the office in preparation for a girl’s night out. Skylar thought Kelly’s loose wavy red hair contrasted beautifully with her pale skin, flowing well past her shoulders, highlighting her ample curves, both in front and in back. She’d told Kelly as much. And even though Skylar liked the woman very much, she’d politely turned down Kelly’s invitation to join her for a fun night out.
And she’d done it every time Kelly had asked since then.
“Why would it not be?”
Kelly let out a nervous laugh. “You looked like you were almost running for the exits. Were you trying to escape someone?” She tipped her head knowingly and said in a low tone, “Hardy Priese, perhaps? We all know how he can get with a few martinis under his belt. I’m glad you rattled his cage.”
Skylar shook her head and shot her a bright smile. “Just hoping to get a little air before the interviews, that’s all.”
Kelly grimaced ruefully. “I’m afraid that will have to wait. The press is already upstairs. You’ll first be meeting with Mr. Bauer, who’s doing a piece for a regional paper, in one of the suites. Afterward, I’ll take you to a larger suite where the local press is waiting.”
But if she left the ballroom, she might not ever see Jay again, Skylar realized.
About to turn around and search for him in the crowd, she stopped herself.
Tonight, she’d run away.
And the last time she ran, she’d done the right thing. Because in running, she’d also found the courage to leave Rex. And in doing so, saved her future from a dull and lifeless fate. Maybe tonight, she needed to trust her instincts and continue running.
“Skylar. Are you alright?”
She breathed in deeply and pushed her hair out of her face. She nodded. “Let’s go.”
Kelly assessed her with concern. “You look a little . . . flustered.”
Embarrassment flooded Skylar’s chest. Skin flushed, breath heavy, brow sweaty, she was certain she looked like she’d just slipped out of a broom closet in the hotel hallway after a quick sex session. And at that thought, her imagination took hold of the idea and refused to let it go. Her mind played out a fantasy of her and Jay together in a tight closet, his hands on her thighs, squeezing them as he held her against the door. It was his hot breath on her neck, his teeth nipping at her jaw, his thick cock stabbing at her core.
“Miss McKenzie? Are you alright?”
She blinked at the older man who now stood by Kelly’s side. Carlo Vargas. One of the investment strategy managers. She shook her head to clear her mind. Fuck. She needed to get control over her fantasies before she embarrassed herself any more tonight. “Just, um . . . got a little overheated up on that stage,” she lied lamely.
“Nice to see you, Carlo,” Kelly said in a perfunctory way before cupping Skylar’s elbow in her hand and turning her in the direction of the elevators. “Let’s get out of here,” she said in a low voice. “And maybe get some food in you. You seem a bit . . . not yourself. Maybe it’s a blood sugar thing.”
“No. No food. I’ll be fine.” The last thing Skylar needed was to try to eat with a stomach filled with butterflies. She followed Kelly’s lead, and the two wended their way through the crowd to the elevator bay, responding to outreached hands and friendly greetings with a regretful smile.
By the time Skylar exited the elevator, she felt more composed. She had two press meetings to attend, and the first was key. The reporter who’d scheduled the one-on-one meeting was a world-class freelance journalist. He usually published investigative reports but, on occasion, wrote puff pieces, so long as the puff pieces were to a certain standard.Empowered in Financehad been lucky enough to have piqued his interest, and she needed to do the charity justice. The next meeting would be with several local reporters from smaller newspapers along the East Coast, but despite their smaller numbers, she still needed to be on top of her game. She was eager to talk aboutEmpowered in Financeand hoped the media attention would bring more mentors to the program.
But she wouldn’t impress anyone if she entered the interviews looking like she’d just had a roll in the sheets, all breathless and flushed.
“Okay,” Kelly said before indicating the door to the suite. “I’ve told Mr. Bauer he has fifteen minutes with you.”
“How do I look?” Skylar smoothed her evening dress, the emerald green silk catching the light.
Kelly smiled. “Better. More pulled together. I guess you were right—you just needed to get out of the crowd.”
