Page 101 of Wild Blades

“Good evening, Zane. Please mind your language while in the presence of a lady.” She’s fashion royalty and should be treated as such.

“Evening Zane, looking good tonight. Although, I can see you rented a tux,” Kali drawls, her cutting comment to Zane making me roll my lips to hide my smile. “You should have had one tailored to fit you like Wade did.” Waving her finger up and down his body, she throws shade his way. It’s subtle but savage. “Your pants are two centimeters too long, your jacket doesn’t fit across your shoulders, it’s too wide, and wearing a premade bow tie is fashion suicide.” She tuts. “Give my office a call. They’ll hook you up with some designer gear, darling.”

He grinds his teeth together and I want to yell,Burrrrrrnnnnn,but I don’t. Instead, I lengthen my spine and feel proud of the way she dealt with him.

Kali hooks her arm into mine. “I've just spotted someone I want you to meet, Wade.” She leaves her empty champagne flute on the bar and hikes her long dress up to one side. “Excuse us, Zane. We’re working. You should do the same. Kash Stevens was floating around earlier. You know the radio DJ? You have a face for the radio. Try booking a slot with him.”

Kali squeezes my bicep, signaling for me to walk. With some parting words, she goes in for the kill. “Oh, and the guy from AliTech Pharmaceuticals is here this evening. He owns the largest manufacturer of contraceptives in North America. He could hook you up with some advice. I heard you could use it.”

Zane shoots her a venomous look, red blotchy patches bleeding up the skin of his neck beneath the white collar of his shirt. He’s seething.

“Have a great night.” I patronizingly give him a finger wave, leaving him standing in a cloud of shock and rage.

Weaving our way across the room, I push the laughter back into the pocket it’s threatening to pop out of. “You’re amazing, do you know that?”

“The tongue is mightier than a fist, Wade.” She scans the room as if trying to find who she is looking for. “My advice to you, take it or leave it, would be to use wit and sarcasm. It packs a greater punch than an actual physical one.”

“I’ll remember that.” I ingrain it into my brain. “You’re so sharp.”

“As are my cheekbones.” On tiptoes, she lifts her head over the sea of people. “Oh, there he is. Let’s go.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Kali

It’s been a long night. We’ve danced, laughed, and bid on auction items we have no need for, but bought anyway, to support the homeless shelter it’s in aid of.

Before dinner, I introduced Wade to several people I’m certain will help us on our publicity campaign. James Rogers fromSports Todaymagazine being one of them. Someone I had spoken to previously and begged for him to ignore any past headlines involving Wade. He was less than impressed and said no on the spot when I called him weeks ago, but having met Wade this evening, where he charmed the pants off him, James suggested doing an access all areas interview. He doesn’t want an average interview. He wants to spend a week with him alongside a videographer, something they are trialing for their online magazine.

Following the introduction, full of endless chatter, Wade was excited, begging me to make a note in my phone to follow it up on Monday.

Slowly, Wade’s confidence is growing by the day. Reluctant at first, he’s accepting what needs to be done to raise his profile.

At dinner, Wade answered every question that was fired his way from the other guests around the table. Mainly how the season was going, and if he thought they could win. I admired him for laughing off how hard he’s working to stay out of the press when someone asked him about that too.

It was refreshing to hear him admitting he’s been struggling since the death of someone close to him. Something he’s never even told the press. In a truly vulnerable moment, he looked mouthwatering delicious in his made for him tuxedo.

Ever the gentleman, attentively, he listened, asked questions, and cracked jokes, which had everyone laughing.

“Who are you taking to the snowboarding world cup?” Wade won two VIP tickets during the auction. It’s the week before Christmas and difficult to get tickets for.

“You.” Confidence dripping off his tongue, he drapes his arm along the back of my chair. “Are you a skier or a snowboarder?”

“Snowboarder, I’m not very good though. Haven’t ridden in years.”

“Hypothetically, if I was to book a trip to Whistler, would you come with me?”Oh hell, where would we squeeze that in?Wade brushes his thumb back and forth across my naked shoulder.We aren’t doing a very good job at keeping us a secret.

“Yes.” I swear he’s testing me.

“I have five days off in February. Would you come to Hawaii with me? It’s in my contract that I can’t do any sports that might cause me an injury. It would be a hot vacation, not a cold one.”

Wow. He’s planning ahead, and it’s months away. I know he said he wanted to give us a shot, but going on vacation together is a big commitment which tells me he’s serious about us. I move closer to him. “Yes, and that suits me better. I’m an old lady. If we went snowboarding, I might break a hip.”

“I had you moaning my name this morning while your ankles were around your own neck. I think you’ll be fine.” He gives me a cocky grin and a wink.

Memories of this morning make heat pool between my legs. It was deep. So deep. And the eye contact as our bodies became one is burned into my brain forever.

What a way to start the day.

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