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I took another sip of Champagne.
Ian settled his hand on the small of my back again, this time both proudly and possessively.
I squinted at him irritably.
His brows rose.
“I’m here, so sorry, what a rush,” Portia called out breathlessly, scampering in while smoothing down the skirt of her blush-colored cocktail dress, which looked to be made entirely of tulle and boning. It had a swirly skirt, and I was pretty sure the costume designers said it was too girlie for Baby to wear when Johnny asked her to dance, but it was a close runner-up, and now it had somehow found its way onto my little sister’s body.
“Oh, delicious,” Chelsea purred.
“Is she for real?” I asked Ian, not quite low enough I couldn’t be heard.
“Maybe I should ask you to behave yourself,” he suggested.
“I will if others will,” I returned, again, meaning to be heard.
He grinned rakishly.
Even if it was a great grin, I fought rolling my eyes.
“Oh, Stevenson, you’re a lifesaver,” Portia declared while accepting the last glass of Champagne on the tray.
“Let me introduce you, love,” Daniel waded in.
I stepped back to allow them room, and since Ian was still claiming me, he came with me.
He then dipped his mouth to my ear. “Have I done something to annoy you?”
I turned my head so he had no choice but to pull away to catch my eyes.
“I’d like an after-dinner rendezvous in the Conservatory.”
“This can be arranged, though I’m thinking what you’re thinking we’d do there is not as titillating as what I’m thinking of doing to you there.”
Such a damned flirt.
“It isn’t,” I confirmed.
“I’m also thinking you aren’t going to ask me to teach you backgammon.”
“Nope.”
He drew me farther away from the others.
Much farther.
“We don’t know each other well,” he said low when we were out of earshot. “So I’ll share something. I’m not a patient man, and I particularly don’t have a lot of it when a woman is pissed off at me and makes me wait to find out why.”
I tipped my head to the side, put my Champagne to my lips, didn’t release his gaze, and asked, “The Rose Room?”
“What of it?”
I dropped my Champagne hand so it was out of our way and got closer to him. “It’s your mother’s room.”
“No. Right now, it’s your room.”
“It’s the countess’s room.”
