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I’ve been to a few different parties now, so they’re not quite as intimidating as they were at first.
I’ve learned to read William’s expressions as we wander around and mingle, so now I can figure out which ones he likes and which he doesn’t. The ones he likes, I spend more time talking to, doing my best to be genuine and get to know them. With the ones he doesn’t, I’m coolly courteous and don’t bother sharing any of myself with them.
This is his world. Not mine. So there’s little point in my wasting my time and emotional energy on people who aren’t worth it.
It feels like he’s watching me more than normal tonight. Maybe I really do look better than usual, and he’s simply stunned by the transformation.
Hopefully it’s not more than that. Hopefully he doesn’t see something in me that’s not in Amber. Surely he won’t start suspecting after all this time.
He keeps a hand on the small of my back as we circulate, and I wish I didn’t like how it feels there so much. Like a gentle claim of ownership. Entitlement.
At one point, as we finish a conversation with an older couple, he cups my face with one hand and leans down to kiss me softly. It’s light. Brief. Completely appropriate for a crowd.
But it still causes a shiver of pleasure to run up and down my spine, so intense I lose my breath.
“What was that for?” I ask rather stupidly, blinking up at him.
“That was because I wanted to kiss you.”
“Oh.” My eyes are wide, and my cheeks are flushed. I have no idea what to say or what to do.
He’s not acting like he usually does, but that could mean so many different things.
I have no idea what’s going on.
His mouth twitches up, and he uses his finger to trace a line along my jaw and over to my mouth. He’s going to say something. I’m sure he’s going to say something.
And I desperately want to hear what he’s going to say.
But someone drops a plate across the room, startling me and drawing our attention. Then the moment is gone.
We move on to more mingling. While William is talking to a tedious business associate I remember from the garden party, I notice a familiar face recently arrived.
Haley, looking gorgeous with her red hair loose and that warm smile on her face.
She greets me enthusiastically from across the room, and I make my excuses so I can walk over to her.
She hugs me like we’re best friends and introduces me to her date, whom she promptly tells to go get them drinks and snacks.
While he’s gone, she says, “Looks like things are going really well with William.”
I blink in surprise. “What?”
She gestures toward where William is still talking to that same man—or rather, letting the other man talk while he nods as if he’s interested. “I saw the two of you when I came in. Talk about electricity crackling in the air.”
I giggle nervously. “It wasn’t like that.”
“Oh, yes, it was. I’m really happy the two of you have warmed up.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I tried to be supportive when you told me about your arrangement, but it just didn’t seem like a good idea to marry for mostly practical reasons. Sure, people do it all the time, but I can’t imagine it leads to real happiness. And I wanted you both to be happy. But I don’t mind admitting I was totally wrong. You guys have really got something going now. Which is crazy because for a while I couldn’t see any chemistry between the two of you at all. But now…” She grins.
I’m flushing hotly. “It’s not like that.”
“Oh, yes, it is.” She glances over my shoulder. “He’s looking at you right now, and I swear he could swallow you whole.”
It takes every ounce of my control not to look back and see William’s expression right now.
