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Normally, Delaney didn’t like being told what to do—not by anyone, but there was something in the way Tevryn administered his command that made her want to obey. Would it be so bad if she let him get her shoe? Maybe even helped her get it on and walked her to the car?
She never had time to figure out the answer as Tevryn returned with her shoe and instead of kneeling down he made a place for himself between her legs. Delaney was pretty damn sure he did that on a regular basis, and women just let him. He loomed over her—even though she was sitting up, he was much taller and so looked down at her.
Without asking, he leaned down, his lips brushing across hers. She felt herself leaning into him. His mouth captured hers, and he kissed her gently, igniting a heated flash of arousal she’d never felt before. God, he was sexy, and the kiss was seductive and intimate. He dragged his tongue across the seam of her lips and when she parted them to protest, it slid across hers, tangling with it briefly before withdrawing.
The kiss had been outrageous, but then he slid one arm behind her knees and another behind her back before lifting her off the railing and starting toward the door that led from the balcony back into the ballroom and the hotel lobby beyond. This was off-the-hook behavior, and she felt completely out of her depth, and yet oddly serene and comforted by his presence.
Who the hell was he?
Even holding her shoe as he carried her, he managed to open the door to the ballroom and stride through the guests who were still there.
“Delaney, are you all right?” called the mayor.
“She’s fine, Mr. Mayor, just a turned ankle. I’ll get her to her car and see that she gets home safely.”
Tevryn carried her through the lobby, eliciting way too many stares. Delaney buried her face against his neck, inhaling deeply and enjoying his scent before realizing how intimate that might look. The driver of her car saw them and brought the car forward, jumping out to open the door. Tevryn eased her into the limo and knelt to replace the still missing shoe.
“Can you help Ms. Pierce into her home?” he asked the driver.
“Sure thing.”
“Good man. Delaney, I want you to take some anti-inflammatories, put that ankle up, and put some ice on it.”
“I really am quite capable of taking care of myself,” she said.
“I’m sure you are, but as I’m here, why not let me? And I should caution you, Elron Whistler is a snake. You need to stay away from him. He is way out of your league.”
“Any business I have or don’t have with Mr. Whistler is between him and me and doesn’t require your approval or permission.”
She thought for an instant she might have insulted or angered him. Instead, he laughed. “For the moment you are correct, but that won’t always be the case. Take care of yourself, Delaney, and stay away from Whistler.”
Before she could say anything else, he closed the car door and patted the roof, indicating the driver should leave. She was whisked away from the hotel and Delaney couldn’t help but be reminded of her earlier feeling of being Cinderella. She only hoped the limo would get her home before it turned back into a pumpkin.
Leaning her head against the cool glass of the vehicle, she couldn’t help but wonder again just who the hell was Tevryn, and why had he warned her against Elron Whistler? She was meeting with Whistler in the morning. She’d find out for herself whether Whistler had anything to offer her.
Chapter 4
Delaney
Before she could even reach the front door, Lucy was opening it and pulling her inside.
“What happened? Sheesh, your ankle looks like it has to hurt.”
“I had a little mishap. It hurts, but I’ll be fine.”
“Do you think we should have it looked at?” asked Lucy with a hint of worry.
“No. I just twisted it. I doubt it’s even sprained. It’ll be fine by morning.”
Lucy eyed the offending ankle dubiously. “We’ll let it go for tonight, but if I don’t like the look of it in the morning, we’re going to the urgent care clinic.”
Delaney shook her head. “What is it about people giving me orders tonight?”
“Orders? Who else gave you orders?”
“Elron Whistler approached me and basically told me to be at his office in the morning. He mentioned his new manufacturing plant.”
“Holy shit, Delaney. That’s going to be a multi-million-dollar building. There are all kinds of rumors that he doesn’t want it near any of the tech hubs and is looking to purchase enough property that he can build staff housing. This could be huge for you.”
