Chapter Seven
Steele
I couldn't let her go. Her date was a belligerent mess and the way he talked to her made me ball my hands into fists. It didn't matter that even in his drunken state, Reese might recognize me from the roadhouse. I had to make sure Claire was all right.
Ross caught my eye from across the dance floor. We both knew what my father thought of scandals, no matter how small or well-intention. I shrugged at my friend helplessly and followed Claire.
Even through the crowd of gala guests, I could see her shoulders stooping lower and lower. Whatever nonsense her drunk date was spewing was bringing her down. It was all I could do to slow my pace and give her a little space.
If she didn't pack him into a car and send him home alone, I would have to step in. She didn't deserve his indiscriminate style of abuse and I couldn't stand the thought of her submitting to a man like that.
Reese wove through the guests and still managed to snag another flute of champagne. I heard the crystal shatter on the marble floor as he took offense to something the waiter said.
Claire glanced around, clearly mortified, and our eyes met. I stepped forward but she shook her head sadly. If Reese saw me again it would just cause a bigger scene. Still, I refused to walk away. There was something so kind and caring in the way she dealt with her date that my heart ached for her.
She was a beautiful angel in black satin and that degenerate Reese didn't deserve her.
"Steele Channing!" The announcer called and caught my attention. "Steele Channing placed the winning bid on the wine country weekend. This luxury item includes a helicopter ride to and from Sonoma, California and a weekend stay in a beach side mansion."
I'd forgotten all about the silent auction. All eyes turned to me and there was nothing I could do but make my way up to the dais to claim my prize. There the museum representatives shook my hand and made us all pose for photographs. In between the flashes, I lost sight of Claire and Reese.
It was rude but I ignored all the well-wishes from the other guests as I pushed my way through the crowd. Part of me wondered if Claire would be like Cinderella and disappear on me. Then I spied her struggling with Reese near a side door.
He slipped through her arms and it took all her strength to stop him from collapsing onto the hard floor.
"Here, let me help," I said.
I caught Reese under the arms and hauled him to a nearby bench just as security bore down on us. They stopped when they saw me, but I waved them over.
"I don't suppose you can just pour him into a taxi and send him home?" I asked Claire.
She gave me a pained look and shook her head. "I don't think it's safe to leave him alone like this."
"There are private offices upstairs, including a nice lounge with sofas. He can rest there until he sobers up," I said.
Claire shook her head again. "I don't want to impose on your relationship with the museum. We've already caused enough trouble."
"It'd be a shame to waste that beautiful dress," I said. "The night's still early and we could try another dance."
She gave a sad, tired laugh. "It is the one night off I have for the next three weeks."
"Then it's settled." I gestured to the security officers. "He'll be resting for a moment in the executive suite."
The senior officer nodded. "We'll post someone outside the door in case he needs anything, Mr. Channing."
"Thank you." I handed the limp Reese over to security and held out a hand to Claire. "He'll be well taken care of."
Claire didn't even notice my hand as she fretted over Reese. "He really isn't like this all the time," she said. "He's been under a lot of pressure lately."
I took her hand and tugged her gently away. "Don't worry, events like these always have their fair share of scenes. I'm just glad you'll be around to watch them break out."
That made a faint smile appear on her soft petal pink lips. "You really don't need to go to such trouble for us."
"For you, it's no trouble."
We watched as the security officers bundled a barely coherent Reese into the elevator. Then Claire waited as the old-fashioned floor counter ticked all the way up to the executive floor. Only then did she loosen her stance and allow me to draw her back to the party.
"I suppose the last thing you want is a drink," I said.
She smiled and glanced toward the dance floor. "Maybe we should work up a thirst first?"
I gladly swung her into another easy waltz and watched as her smile relaxed with every spin. When her eyes finally began to sparkle again a sense of familiarity washed over me again. Had I met Claire before?
"So, you won't have another day off for the next three weeks?" I asked.
Claire laughed. "You said you were a workaholic yourself. What exactly do you do?"
It's funny but very few women had ever asked me that question. Most only cared about the figures in my bank account and many believed my family name meant I didn't have to work at all.
"Board meetings, site visits, new acquisitions, more meetings, endless meetings," I said.
Claire laughed. "One thing right after another. That's why it's so easy to become a workaholic. There's always one more thing to do."
She fit herself closer to my body as we rounded the dance floor again. I felt the tension ease out of her body but it left her a little shaky. I pressed my hand more firmly to her back and was rewarded with a jolt of desire.
Claire's skin was silky underneath my fingertips and I longed to skim my hands up and over her smooth bare shoulders. The strapless dress had a demure neckline but it still plunged just enough for me to glimpse more delectable skin.
And I wasn't the only one that had noticed Claire's beauty. As we swept along the dance floor, I saw many appreciative glances sweep over her small frame. Women wanted her elegant gown, her flawless skin, and her effortlessly beautiful hair. Men sent wolfish glances over her bare shoulders, the curve of her neck, and her tasty smiling lips.
"I suppose you travel all over the nation for work," Claire said.
I forced my thoughts back into working order. "I do travel but most of the time the meetings come to me. I guess that's one of the perks of being the boss."
"Oh, so you're the boss?" Claire asked.
She really didn't know who I was. It gave me an unexpected thrill. Meeting someone who hadn't read my name a thousand times in business headlines was rare for me. And most women I was set up with had memorized my CV in the hopes of winning me over.
"Shh," I said, pulling her closer. "Ross still thinks he's got a chance just because he heads up one of our larger corporations."
"That's right, you're a Channing," Claire reminded herself.
I laughed and spun her around so her feet lifted off the ground. She landed just as the waltz ended. I hooked her arm through mine and led her off the dance floor.
"Hungry?" I asked.
It was a daring question because most of the women I knew didn't like to eat in front of me. They thought eating would either smear their makeup, ruin their dress, or diminish their delicate elegance.
"Starving," Claire said.
I flagged down the nearest waiter with a quick nod and led Claire to the small standing table. If I dared sit down at one of the larger round tables, we'd be surrounded in no time and I didn't want to share our salvaged evening with anyone.
"I highly recommend the foie gras bites. They came from Chez Blanc," I said.
We hadn't even taken our first taste when an older couple approached. Mr. Stemwell had worked with my father for ages and even though he told the longest, most rambling stories, I couldn't be rude.
"Steele, my boy, glad to see you dancing for once," Mr. Stemwell said. He nodded to Claire.
"He's a very good dancer. It almost made up for my poor efforts," Claire said.
Mr. Stemwell gave her a surprised smile. "Charming," he said.
His wife nodded and reached up on her toes to give me a gentle kiss on the cheek. "You two look so wonderful together, we just had to come say hello. Robert promised me not to talk your ear off."
I kissed both her thin hands and smiled. "Did you win anything at the silent auction?"
"Not much," Robert grumbled. "Someone stole the Sonoma Beaches mansion right out from under us."
"Don't complain, dear. We did end up with that nice sketch by Picasso."
Claire smiled politely as the older couple asked after my family. She didn't seem to mind the interruption and her attention never once strayed from the conversation.
When the Stemwells’ finally shuffled off, I tried to apologize but Claire waved it off.
"They're so sweet. It's just nice to know couples like that still exist in the world," she said with a happy sigh.
My heart surged against my rib cage. "Will you go out with me sometime?"
The wording was juvenile and the timing was terrible but it felt as if I couldn't hold back the question any longer.
Claire gave me a surprised smile but it faded before she could answer.
I turned and saw the security officer subtly flagging me down. "It must be Reese," I said.
Claire looked surprised that I knew her date's name, but she was too concerned to think about it too much. We abandoned our small round table and met the security officer in the side hall.
"He's fine, just awake and insisting on coming downstairs," the security officer said.
Claire pulled out her phone. "I'll call our town car."
"Bring him down to maintenance entrance," I told the security officer. The loading docks would be full of caterers and servers and I knew that Claire wanted to avoid any other scenes.
The security officer nodded and headed for the elevator. I explained to Claire's town car driver where to pull in. Then I guided Claire down the side hall to a narrow staircase.
"It might take them a few minutes to get him to the right elevator," I said. I held out my hand to help her down the steep stairs. "Unless you'd rather wait up here?"
Claire's smile was wistful. "Thanks but I'd better get him home."
I stopped on the stairs and she bumped into my back. "Home?"
"No, not like that. We don't live together," Claire laughed.
We were pressed together in the narrow staircase and the sounds of the gala were far away. No one was anywhere near us and we were finally alone.
"So, it's okay if I ask you for a real date?"
Claire grinned and lifted one delicate hand to my cheek. "Yes. I'd love to go on a real date with you."
Claire stood two steps above me so our faces were even. I could see her smile was genuine by the flecks of gold that appeared in her soft brown eyes. We were only inches apart and the gravity of my attraction was too strong.
I leaned forward and brushed my lips over hers once. She didn't flinch back or put a hand on my chest to stop me. Instead, she leaned forward and returned my first, hesitant kiss with a light teasing taste of her own.
Her eyes fluttered closed and I dipped forward for a deeper taste of her sweet lips. Claire opened with a soft sigh and our bodies flowed together. By the time we surfaced from a sudden and fathomless passion, her arms were wound around my neck and I had her pressed up against the staircase wall.
She blushed and straightened her bodice while I ran a sheepish hand through my hair.
"So, can I get your number?" I asked.
Claire giggled and I wondered at how she reduced me to a gawky hopeful lover. The youthful awkwardness felt good, almost as good as the currents of desire in my blood, and I knew it would be hard to wait until morning before I called her.