***
I’m right.
Abby seems right at home in the grand hotel ballroom, swimming effortlessly among the sea of women in glamorous gowns and the men in tuxedos, graciously smiling at each of them. Every now and then, she stops, subtly pointing someone out or whispering some tidbit of information in my ear while I do my best to pay attention and keep my gaze from wandering to the curve of her breasts even as they press against my arm.
“The man with the gold-rimmed glasses is Edward Tucker,” she informs me. “Most of his investments are in shipping and manufacturing. Still, he seems to like gambling so maybe you can convince him to take a chance on you.”
I nod. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“And the man he’s talking to is Phil Goldman. No need to waste time trying to impress him. If his wife – that woman in the red gown – tells him to invest in something, he’ll do it.” She lowers her voice a tad more. “I hear that’s the price he has to pay for cheating on her.”
“I see.” I bring my glass of champagne to my lips.
“And that…”
Suddenly, she stops and the next thing I know, she’s running off toward a woman in a blue gown.
“Sam!” Abby places her arms around the other woman.
“Abby?” Sam looks at her in disbelief. “I hardly recognized you.”
If Sam is here, that means…
“Well, well, well, Grant.” Nathan places a hand on my shoulder. “I have to say I like what you’ve done with her.”
“I haven’t done anything,” I tell him crossly, taking another sip of champagne.
“Really?” Nathan raises his eyebrows. “I would have thought you’d have done a lot by now, especially since you practically asked for her.”
I look at Abby, who is still busy talking to her friend, Sam. Good. She didn’t hear what Nathan just said.
“I’m well aware of what you think of me. But what can I say? Abby is a real lady so I have to act like the half-baked English gentleman I am.”
Nathan chuckles. “So, you’ve finally met your match, have you?” He squeezes my shoulder. “Well, good luck.”
I frown. What on Earth does he mean?
“I’m not the same as you, Nathan. I…”
I stop talking as Abby approaches, smiling at Nathan.
“Mr. Landers,” she greets him. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Please. You no longer work for me so call me Nathan.” He takes her hand and kisses it. “And I must say you look stunning tonight. I almost regret letting you go.”
Asshole.
“Oh, stop it.” Abby blushes, making me feel even more annoyed. “Sam will get mad.”
“No, she won’t. I’m only telling the truth, after all.” He holds on to her hand. “It seems working for Grant has been good for you, but if he ever gives you a hard time, you know you can still come to me, right? After all, in all those years that you’ve worked for me, I’ve grown to think of you as—”
“I think that’s enough,” I cut him off, unable to contain myself any longer.
I grab Abby’s arm. “Shall we dance?”
“Okay.”
I whisk her away to the middle of the ballroom, ignoring Nathan’s smug grin. That bastard. He was flirting with Abby on purpose just to provoke me into a fit of jealousy, and now that he has succeeded, he’s looking awfully proud of himself.
“Is something wrong?” Abby asks, a look of concern on her face.
“Nothing,” I tell her.
To hell with Nathan and his games. I have my own.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself,” I add.
“Surprisingly, I am,” she confesses. “How about you?”
“It’s not too bad, especially since I have you by my side.”
She falls silent, looking away as another blush coats her cheeks. At the same time, a lump forms in my throat, another threatening to form elsewhere.
Fuck. Maybe dancing with her isn’t such a good idea, after all.
All evening, Abby has been beside me. But now, she’s closer to me than ever. Her body is practically pressed against mine. I can feel her breasts brushing against my chest, and each time, my breath catches and a heat surges beneath my skin.
I want her. I want to kiss her right now, to take her home and be entangled with her under the sheets until morning.
So, you’ve finally met your match, have you?
No. I have to stay calm, stay in control. I have to wait for her to want me.
I have to make her want me.
Just then, my gaze crosses with that of a redhead in a purple gown. She smiles at me, and I smile back.
“Do you know her?” Abby asks.
“No,” I answer. “But I think I will. If it’s all right with you, that is. Is it?”
She pauses.
Come on, Abby. Say no and I’ll stay with you. Just say the word.
“Of course.” She lets me go with a forced smile. “You’re free to do whatever you want.”
I suppress a frown. She obviously wants me to stay, and yet she’s letting me go? She’s been confident all evening. Why be shy now?
“Are you sure?” I ask her.
She hesitates for just a second. “Yes.”
Your loss.
“All right, then. I’ll see you in a bit.” I go over to the woman who’s waiting for me.
Nothing makes you want something more than seeing someone else have it.
Now what will you do, Abby?