Pacing the length of the suite, I tugged at the stiff collar on the starched white dress shirt while Dave set up the special dinner I’d arranged. How in the hell did people wear this shit? Running a finger between the fabric and my skin, I did my best to ignore the feeling of being choked by my own formalwear.

“You look very nice, Cameron,” Dave said as he dipped into his pocket for some matches.

“Thanks.”

He lit two tapered candles in the center of the table, nestled between the fresh lilies and other greenery that made up the centerpiece. “We sure are going to miss Lily around here,” he mused. “She was a joy to work with. Such a special girl.”

I stopped pacing. “Why would you miss Lily? She’s…”

In the next room.

After she’d dropped by her office to firm up the last details for our night at the ballet, I’d drawn her a bath and slid into the tub behind her to help program her new phone. Since we were naked, that quickly evolved into sex against the counter. She’d finally chased me out an hour ago so she could get ready.

Oblivious to my confused expression, Dave checked the flame under the chaffing dishes. “Mr. Greg told us this morning that’s she’d no longer be with us. It seems her picture was in the paper today and it caused quite a stir.” He finally looked at me, his eyes serious and troubled. “I was hoping that someone would have the balls to stand up for her.”

Ripping a hand through my hair, I dropped onto the uncomfortable chair. Fired. Because of me. “Are you sure?”

Dave nodded. “I take it you were unaware.”

“Hell no, I wasn’t aware.” I pointed to the closed bedroom door. “You mean to tell me she’s aware?”

His eyes widened. “Miss Lily is here?”

“You thought all of this was for someone else?”

Dave turned as crimson as the roses I had delivered for Lily prior to our arrival. Four dozen American Beauties. One dozen for each of the days I’d known her.

“It’s not my place to judge,” he said quietly. “I didn’t mean to offend.”

He looked so dejected, I couldn’t help but feel bad for the guy. “Don’t worry about it.” Clapping him on the back, I urged him in the direction of the front door. “Lily should be out any minute. I can take things from here.”

“Of course. Y’all have a pleasant evening.”

Once he was gone and the deadbolt was in place, I pulled out my phone to tap out a message to Chase. I’d always turned to my brother for advice. For guidance. But I wasn’t even sure what to ask.

Lily poked her head out of the bedroom. “I heard the front door close. Is the coast clear?”

Smiling, I slipped the phone into my front pocket. “All clear, darlin’.”

She swept into the room, tugging at the small train on her burgundy dress. Dumbstruck, my gaze traveled north to the soft skin spilling over the top of her tight bodice. And the tendrils of blond hair falling out of her loose bun. And her lips, painted to match the gown.

“What do you think?” She twirled in front of me, her smile fading when I didn’t move. Or speak. “I-I really liked the color. If it’s t-too much—”

“You’re beautiful.” I took her hands, spinning her around to get a better view of her ass. “Stunning.”

The light returned to her eyes, a brilliant smile breaking like dawn.

“Dinner’s ready.” I held the chair for her, and when she eased down, the deep slit on the side of her dress fell open, stopping just short of the Promised Land. Crouching to steal a kiss, I caressed her thigh.

“Thank you,” she said, her fingers twining in my hair.

“For what, baby?”

“Tonight.” Her gaze shifted to the lilies and the candles, then over to the roses, then back to me. “It’s already the best date I’ve ever had.”

The words slipped over her tongue without hesitation. And I knew they were true. Lily hadn’t had a hard life. But I felt her loneliness, like a weight on my heart.

I pressed my lips to the tiny crease between her brows where all her doubt resided. “Eat up. We haven’t even started yet.”

Lily surveyed the room over the rim of her champagne flute, eyes darting around to the knots of people sprinkled throughout the lobby. As excited as she was for our date, now that we’d arrived at the Performing Arts center, she was doing her best to blend into the wallpaper.

And, yeah… I got it. I’d insinuated myself into her world. And I didn’t fit. Not really. My hair was too long, and a hint of my tattoos peeked from the cuff of my dress shirt. I had no idea what Swan Lake was about, or who Tchaikovsky was.

But none of that mattered. Because I was here with Lily. It was her body molded to my side, her fingers linked with mine. And later, it would be her legs wrapped around my waist. Because we fit—her and me.

Lily’s gaze snapped to mine when I slipped the glass from her hand. “Let me get you another.”

She forced a smile and nodded. “One more.” As I turned to leave, she tightened her grip on my fingers. “What is it, baby?”

Levering up on her tiptoes, she pressed a soft kiss to my mouth. And the whole room faded away. Before I lost myself in her taste and backed her against the nearest wall, I broke the connection. “Be right back.”

With a wink, I sauntered off in search of the bar. After standing in the long line, and forking over a small fortune for a couple of glasses of champagne, I looked around for my girl. The crowd was thicker now, a sea of tuxedos, ball gowns, and painted on smiles. A group of six or seven inhabited the spot where I thought I’d left Lily. As I passed, I caught sight of her burgundy dress through a gap in the bodies. Her gaze snagged mine, panic etched on her features.

Holding those pretty blue eyes, I slipped into the circle, and shouldered my way to her side. “Here you go, darlin’.”

Despite Lily’s relieved smile, every muscle in her body vibrated with tension.

“Cameron,” she said shakily, her eyes on the couple in front of us. “I’d like you to m-meet my p-parents. M-Marcus and A-Abigail T-Tennison.”

Her mother ignored me, her narrowed gaze locked on her daughter. “Lillian,” she admonished. “All those speech classes, and you still haven’t learned to control your stutter.”

The guy at her father’s side chuckled, and I felt the scowl creep over my face. Before I could ask the chump why he was staring at my girl like he wanted to make her a meal, Marcus cleared his throat. “Cameron, is it?”

“Yes, sir,” I said, shaking his outstretched hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

He had the same piercing blue eyes, the same high cheekbones as his daughter. Which put me at ease for some reason. Marcus went around the circle, making introductions. “And this is Bradley,” he said when he finally reached the douchebag at his side.

Bradley. The ex-fiancé.

Swirling the amber liquid in his glass, the loser gave me a once over. “I thought your name was Knight. That’s what the papers said. Aren’t you a part of that rock band?”

Unless he’d been hiding under a rock, he knew exactly who I was. But I played along. “Knight is my stage name. But you can call me Mr. Noble if you’d like.”

Anger flashed across his features, and his lips parted, but before he could get the words out, a petite blond appeared at his side. “Sorry I’m late,” she chirped, popping up on her toes to kiss Brad’s cheek.

The blonde’s cosmetically engineered smile died when she noticed Lily. Moving closer to Brad, she cocked her head. “Lily. What are you doing here?” As if she just realized that Marcus and Abigail were mere feet away, she tried for a laugh. “I haven’t seen you at the ballet in forever.”

Lily cleared her throat. “H-hello, Amber.”

Amber’s attention shifted my way and it took all of two seconds for recognition to dawn. “Oh…wow,” she breathed. “You’re Cameron Knight.”

My eyes flicked to Brad. “That I am.”

“And you’re here…at the ballet. With Lily?”

I pulled Lily closer, but she was so stiff, it felt like she might shatter. “Yeah, I’m a little surprised myself. But since Lily loves the ballet, I figured I might as well get used to taking her.”

Amber nodded slowly, then turned her fake as hell smile on Lily. “So, how long have y’all been dating?”

Once again, I felt my girl struggling to get the words out.

“Long enough,” I interjected, my gaze settling on Abigail. “I’ve never met anyone like your daughter, Mrs. Tennison. She’s very special. You must be so proud of her.”

For the first time since her parents arrived, Lily straightened up. And I wished like hell I hadn’t said anything. Because the way she looked at her mother, her blue eyes pleading for the tiniest scrap of kindness, I wanted to lean forward and pull the compliment from the woman by sheer force.

“Quite,” Abigail said dismissively, offering nothing more than a bland expression. When the lights flickered, she slipped her gloved hand in the crook of her husband’s arm. “If you’ll excuse us. The ballets about to begin.”

Abigail looked anywhere but at Lily as Marcus tipped forward to brush a kiss to his daughter’s cheek. “It was nice to see you, Lily Bear. Have a good night.”

Since all my focus was on the heartbreaking scene playing out in front of my face, I almost didn’t notice Marcus’s outstretched hand. “Nice meeting you, Mr. Knight.”

I shook it mechanically, mumbling my goodbye. At the last second, Lily found her voice and took a step toward Abigail. “G-goodnight, M-Mom; it w-was—”

Anger on a scale I’d rarely felt flooded me when the woman turned away without letting Lily finish. And then something else. Sadness. It spread to all my limbs as Lily’s eyes lost all their sparkle. She tracked her parent’s movements in the crowd, sagging against me when they disappeared into the theater.

“So, Lily…” Brad said, rattling the ice in his glass. “Have you sold any paintings, or are you planning on keeping your career in food and beverage?”

The glancing blow snapped Lily out of her haze. And before I could deliver one of my own in response, she was in his face, her finger pointed at his chest.

“Don’t think that just b-because you have my f-father fooled that I don’t know exactly who you are. I know you c-called my b-boss.” Her focus shifted to Amber. “In case I never s-said it before, you t-two deserve each other. And just so you know, when Brad gets d-drunk, he still calls me.”

Amber’s mask of serenity cracked as she slanted her gaze to Brad, who made no attempt to deny it. But instead of giving him a piece of her mind, she turned her fury on Lily. “That’s pathetic, Lily. Almost as pathetic as dragging your one-night stand to the ballet and trying to pass him off as your boyfriend. Clearly you’ve been sniffing too many paint fumes.”

Lily’s throat bobbed as she fought to find the words. They were there. I could feel them. But when she couldn’t get them out, Amber smiled. And I saw red.

“I think it’s about time you two go find your seats. Or better yet—” Pulling our tickets from the pocket of my jacket, I shoved them at Brad. “Take ours. I’m sure they’re better. I don’t think I could stand sitting in the same room with y’all, and I sure as hell don’t want you anywhere near my girl.” I looked Amber in the eye. “Lily’s a brilliant artist. So I’d think twice before putting her down, because one day she’ll be able to buy and sell your ass. And probably mine.”

Shifting my focus back to Lily, I found her blinking at me in disbelief. And in that moment, I wanted nothing more than to get her alone so I could prove every word I’d said.

“Let’s get out of here, baby. I think we’ve had enough culture for one night.”

Lily smiled. Not the one she’d plastered on for her parents, or the idiots in front of us. The one that was just for me. And she nodded.

Turning her toward the door, I jerked when Brad’s hand came down hard on my shoulder.

“You want to step outside?” he bit out.

Step outside? Was this guy for real?

“You’ve been watching too many movies, son,” I said with a smile. “I’ll save you the trip outside and drop you right here. How’s that?”

Lily tugged at the back of my jacket. “C-Cameron! N-no!”

After a beat, I heard heels clicking against the marble floor, and when I glanced over my shoulder, Lily was racing for the exit. I’d never been the kind of guy who chased after a woman. But when Lily slipped through the door and into the night, my feet moved of their own accord.

Brad’s laughter rose up behind me. “Just remember. I got there first. ’Course, I wouldn’t touch her now. If she let you hit it, no telling how many guys have had a go at her.”

He’d said the one thing that could make me reverse my course. Fist cocked, I spun around, freezing in my spot when my gaze collided with Marcus Tennison hovering a couple of feet behind Brad. His eyes weren’t the only feature he shared with his daughter. The crease on his brow, deepened by age, showed the extent of his displeasure.

“What’s the matter, chickenshit?” Brad snarled. “Cat got your tongue?”

Even the great Marcus Tennison wasn’t going to keep me from pounding this motherfucker into next week. But when I lunged, Lily’s dad beat me to it, yanking Brad backward and out of my reach. “You better quit while you’re ahead,” he growled close to Brad’s ear.

The douchebag deflated the moment he realized who had a hold of his collar. “Marcus—”

“Shut up, Bradley,” Marcus spat, all his attention on me. “Cameron, if you wouldn’t mind finding my daughter. Maybe you can salvage your evening.” His face contorted with so many emotions. Regret. Sadness. Resignation. “Don’t tell Lily I intervened. It’s an empty gesture, at best. But rest assured, I will deal with this.” Brad winced when Marcus gave him a firm shake. “I love my daughter, and I want her to be happy. She deserves it.” He gave me a shadow of a smile, grim as it was. “If you’ll excuse us.”

My instincts told me that punching Brad in the face was no longer an option. So I nodded. “Yes, sir. I can do that.”

Amber stood frozen, watching as Marcus dragged her boyfriend toward the theater like a whipped dog. She jerked her gaze my way when I stepped to her side.

“I was more than willing to put your boy in the hospital, but I think Marcus has that handled. And we both know Brad is the only one who has a problem with his tongue. Mine works just fine.”

The flush that crept into her cheeks rivaled the color of Lily’s dress. But I didn’t bother waiting around to see if she burst into flames.

Jogging for the door, I scanned the area in front of the building. Spotting Lily on a stone bench under a tree, her gaze firmly planted on the ground, I blew out a relieved breath.

“C-Cameron.” She jumped to her feet when I strolled up, flinging herself into my arms. “W-what happened? Please tell me you d-didn’t hit him.”

I cringed, because hitting Brad was exactly what I’d intended to do. “Lily—”

“We’ve got to get out of here.” Grabbing my hand, she yanked me in the direction of the limos. “He’s going to call the p-police. You could go to jail.” Her eyes widened with panic when I didn’t budge. “Please, we have to g-go.”

“I didn’t hit him, baby.”

“You didn’t?”

Shaking my head, I laced our fingers, and slid our joined hands behind her back. “Nope. I just talked to him. We came to an understanding. Your name stays out of his mouth, and he gets to keep his teeth.”

Eventually, I’d tell Lily what happened. But not now. Because she was looking up at me like I was a hero. The champion she never had. And I was all about it.

“Th-Thank God. I couldn’t handle it if you went to jail b-because of me.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time.”

Well, shit. That had sounded better in my head. Lily wasn’t the kind of woman to be impressed with my brawling skills. Or maybe she was, because she beamed up at me.

“Well, I’m glad I’m the g-girl who got the benefit of your gallant behavior tonight.”

There was only so much hypocrisy I could take, so I touched my forehead to hers. “I’ve never gotten into a fight over a woman. But I don’t think I’d be able to control myself if someone ever tried to hurt you.”

She melted against me, and I could feel the rise and fall of her chest. Her gentle heartbeat.

“Come on, baby.” I brushed a kiss to her lips. “I’m tired. And I’m dying to find out what you’ve got hiding under this dress.”