Page 9 of Unwrapped

“Stay away from my daughter,” she hisses as she drags me away. “Let her get to know that boy. You’re way too old. She’s off-limits.”

Now, it’s my turn to be irritated at her insinuation. The folks she leads me to are at least twenty years older than I am, and the fake smile plastered on Mona’s face does not prevent the hostile looks she throws my way.

I listen with half an ear as the people around me talk about their holiday plans. I’d walk away right now, but Uncle Joe is watching me from across the room, likely smiling in approval at my forced attempts at social interaction, and Mona would likely tackle me to the floor the minute I take a step toward the only person at this party I want to talk to. But my eyes never leave Miranda and that asshole Glen.

Even from across the room, I can see they would make a good-looking couple. They’re about the same age, and according to what she just said to me minutes ago, he’s her type. Add the seal of approval from her mother, and I should bow out because this is one complication I do not need, but I don’t care.

He’s talking to her, and she’s listening, but she doesn’t look at him the way she looked at me. She doesn’t touch him the way she touched me. From their body language, I know they are not exchanging witty repartee. To my relief, she doesn’t touch him at all, but she does something with him she didn’t do with me. She laughs so hard, she has to use a napkin to dab at her eyes. He laughs too, shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders.

When the bartender hands him a drink, they clink their glasses together, which completely pisses me off.

CHAPTER 5

MIRANDA

“Are you serious?” I ask Glen as I get control of my laughter.

“Do you think I would make up something like that? Sherry totally tricked me into coming to this party. She offered to take me out to dinner for my birthday, which is today. As soon as we got on the highway, she told me the truth, but by then, she had locked me in the car. She stole my phone so I can’t Uber home.”

“I’m sorry,” I say between laughs. “That totally sounds like something my mom would do.”

“She promises to make me my favorite dinner tomorrow night, so I guess I can let it slide. Besides, meeting you makes it worth it.” I blush at his words and look away, but unfortunately, I look right into the eyes of Nick Bain. Even from across the room, I can see the funny and somewhat charming guy I just talked to is gone. His face is tight, and despite standing in a group of people, I know he’s only paying attention to me. He looks at me, then turns his head toward Glen, who is completely oblivious to the death glare he’s getting from across the room. Then Nick looks back and me and mouths “no.”

Taken aback by his audacity, I look away from him and focus on Glen, who is extremely good-looking with an easy smile and deep voice. His brown eyes are warm, and unlike Nick, he lacks that predatory look.

He offers me his arm, which I take, and we walk around the room, exchanging stories about college life while eating appetizers along the way.

Nick Bain watches us the entire time, and I do my best to stay away from him, but every time I look his way, our eyes catch. Even if he’s engaged in conversation, our eyes are like magnets whenever I look in his direction. It’s almost like he knows when I have the need to look at him.

God, he’s sexy as sin in his crisp white shirt and jacket. His hair is styled perfectly, and his blue eyes follow me everywhere. I do my best to ignore him, but every other minute I glance in his direction.

Dinner is served, and I find myself sharing the table with both Bain men, my mother, Sherry, Glen, and a few other people. Nick is sitting directly across from me, making it impossible for me to focus on anything else but him. Glen talks, and as if I’m on autopilot, I nod a lot, answering here and there, but those blue orbs are so probing, it’s hard for me to think. Eating is quite the feat because whenever the fork goes into my mouth, his Adam’s apple bobs, and his eyes darken as they stare at my lips.

I don’t look at him again after that, but I feel his eyes on me. As soon as they open the dance floor, my mother and Sherry suggest that Glen and I dance. Eager to get away from Nick’s intense gaze, I readily agree, but I can tell he’s not pleased. It’s the set of his jaw and the stiffness of his body that gives it away. But when he subtly shakes his head no, I know that I’ve had enough of him.

Who the hell is he to dictate what I do? I’ve known the man less than two hours and he’s trying to tell me who to spend my time with? These old fucks are too bossy for their own good. To prove my point that no one controls me, I take Glen’s hand in mine and lead him as far away from Nick Bain as possible, but no place in this ballroom is far enough away to escape those eyes.

He watches me as we dance to Christmas carols. I feel his presence so much that I excuse myself and go to the bathroom, only to come within an inch of colliding with him the minute I step out of the ladies’ room. I should have known he’d follow me. Maybe I did, and that’s why I came here alone.

“What are you doing?” I ask as he leads me down the hallway, away from the party and into a hidden corner.

He pins me against the wall and grabs my face with both hands. I can hear my heart beating out of my chest at his touch.

“You’re driving me insane in there. You do know that Glen is nothing more than a boy?”

“Well, stop looking at me then, and I guess everyone is a boy next to you,” I shoot back.

“I want to see you again. Meet me tomorrow.” It’s not a request, it’s an order. I shrug out of his touch and take a step away from him.

“Are you crazy? No.”

“Why not?” he asks, his eyes more piercing than ever.

“A million reasons. You’re my mother’s boss, and she hates you, by the way. Why would I go out with someone who’s been so awful to my mother? Oh, and you’re old. You’re my mother’sboss,” I repeat. “And Glen’s already asked me out and about a million other reasons!” I whisper-yell the last part to make sure he gets it.

“The Glen issue is simple. Tell him to fuck off. I have not been awful to your mother. She’s been hostile toward me since the day I stepped foot in the office. She has a problem with me because I’m not my uncle. And what other reasons? Are you talking about my melanin deficiency? What the hell century are you living in? You think I care about that? And I want to see you again, not your mother. And thirty-six is hardly old.”

“Thirty-six! That’s older than I thought. Holy shit!” I yell. “Do you realize when I was thirteen you were already twenty-six?”

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