Page 22 of The Billionaire's Masquerade Ball

Did he want to?

Xander never had trouble keeping his distance from the many women who accompanied him to events and dinners. They were attractive, but only physically. He could admire them, like one would a painting, but that’s where it ended. His heart remained walled-up and unaffected.

But something about this woman had him all undone. And he didn’t even know her name.

The orchestra shifted below into another slow song. Xander shifted slightly closer, angling his body toward hers. Tentatively, afraid any moment she would run, he brushed strands of her long hair over her shoulder and let his hand fall to her waist.

“Hey,” he said. His voice was low, hardly more than a husky whisper.

She turned slowly toward him. Their faces were just inches apart. His gaze fixed on hers for a long moment. His heart felt like it was doing cartwheels in her chest. Again she looked like she was fighting the urge to run.

“I’m sorry about your father.”

Everything in her stilled and he thought for a moment that he had said the very wrong thing. He fought the urge to tighten his hold on her waist.

“What?” Her voice was hardly more than a whisper.

“In the hypothetical story—if that was you, then I’m sorry. I know something of loss. It’s hard to speak about.” With his free hand, he reached up to touch his chest. “It’s always right there.”

Her mouth fell open just slightly. “I …”

His gaze fell to her mouth as her voice trailed off. Xander lifted his hand to her face, tracing the rise of her cheek, then letting his fingertips move along her jaw. She moved her lips, as though trying to speak. Something touched his finger and he realized it was her tears.

“I made you cry,” he said.

“Twice now,” she said softly.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I cry all the time. You just seem extra good at getting me to do it.”

Cupping her face in his palm, Xander moved in closer. He couldn’t pull his gaze from her mouth, parted like she was waiting for him. There was the slightest tremble in her lip. He moved his thumb to brush over it and she leaned into the touch. Her skin and her lips were so soft, so inviting. His fingers were slick from her tears.

Xander’s gaze shifted to her eyes, looking for permission, or perhaps for something to stop him from closing the distance between them. Her eyes were already fixed on his. This close, he could finally see their color. They were a deep blue, still bright with tears. Gorgeous. He felt like he had already lost himself somewhere in their depths. Xander leaned closer still.

The song ended and people began clapping politely somewhere below them.

She blinked and it was like a spell broke. She was suddenly in motion, grabbing her shoes in one hand and lifting the skirt of her dress in the other as she bolted toward the balcony entrance.

“I have to go.”

The change in her had been so quick that Xander didn’t have time to recover. He couldn’t find the words to stop her and stood with his mouth gaping. Above the sound of the music rising from below, he could hear her footfalls as she rushed down the stairs. He had let her get away again.

Xander leaned over the balcony, hoping to see her emerge below. He couldn’t let her go without getting her name. Or apologizing. For … what? Suggesting she buy a company she couldn’t afford? Making her cry more than once? Almost kissing her? He wasn’t sure exactly what he had done, but felt like he needed to make it right somehow.

Moments later she emerged and he watched her walk across the room, the blue gown shifting colors as she moved, the short train flowing out behind her like water. The effect was stunning. He wanted to chase after her, ask her name. Or maybe spin her around and kiss her, the way he wished he had done just moments before. It would have been his first real kiss in fourteen years. His first since Sarah. Unless he counted the forced kiss from Olivia, which he didn’t.

Xander had been holding back his physical affection and closing off his heart for so long. Now the newly-released feelings rushed through him like a freight train, crushing and heavy. His chest felt tight and painful. He struggled to calm his breathing.

Was he having a heart attack? A panic attack? Xander steadied himself on the railing, taking deep breaths until the overwhelming rush of emotion passed. He spotted her near the dessert table, but still moving. He had to catch her before she was gone.

Xander pounded down the stairs and back out into the room. She turned just then, their eyes locking all the way across the room. He moved through the crowd, coming straight for her. She did not move. This time, she wasn’t running.

Suddenly the speakers crackled to life as someone spoke into a microphone on the stage.

“Ladies and gentlemen, one last time before we go, we want to recognize the founder of the Sarah Ryder Foundation and our gracious host for the evening, Xander Callahan! Xander, could you join me up here, please?”

Xander paused mid-step. The mystery woman’s eyes had flicked to the emcee, a local radio personality, and then back to Xander. So much for keeping his identity under wraps. He swallowed.

With a last long look at her, Xander crossed the room toward the stage. He saw when her jaw dropped with the realization of why he was heading up front. Just before he reached the stage, her mouth snapped shut and he got an eyeful of the pale skin at her back as she turned and strode away. As she did, Xander felt a big piece of his heart break off and follow right behind her.

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