Page 154 of His White Moonlight
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Bennett glancedat me again as he pulled up to the event entrance.
“Wait for me to open the door,” he said as he put the car in Park.
“You got it, boss.”
He growled softly and got out as the valet jogged over.
“I’ve got her.Just park the car.”He threw the keys at the guy and was at my door a second later.
His eyes locked on me as he offered his hand to help me out.I needed it.The dress Miranda picked out for me had a long skirt with a thigh slit so my shoes would be visible as I walked.It almost posed a potential trip hazard when transitioning from a sitting to a standing position.But I was pretty.Miranda had taste.
Gripping his fingers with one hand and holding the skirt out of the way with the other, I stood with well-practiced grace.Bennett’s gaze raked over me hungrily as I moved out of the way so he could close the door.
When he tucked my hand into the crook of his arm, his hands were shaking again.I glanced at him and found his gaze had dipped to my bare shoulders and the thin, one-inch scar often hidden by my sports bras.
“If you do anything inappropriate here, the deal we made to stay ’til the end is off,” I said.
“Tell me how you got that.”
“A knife fight.”
His gaze flew to mine, and I grinned as he inhaled slowly to see if I was lying.I wasn’t, but it wasn’t as scary as it sounded.The knife had been my own when I’d been practicing throwing it.It’d slipped from my fingers, and that’d been an important lesson in my quest to learn to throw a knife accurately.A skill that had come in handy to turn the tables a few times.
I started walking, dragging him toward the entrance of the well-lit venue as his shaking continued.
“Wrenly, I need?—”
“Therapy?A one-way ticket to Antarctica?A rabies vaccine?”
His shaking stopped, and he shot me an annoyed glance.I practiced my polite yet bored smile.His annoyance turned to a scowl.
“Don’t be a baby.Let’s get this magical night over with so I can take off these heels.How long is this torture session again?”
“Four hours once it starts.We’re a little early.”
“Oh, joy.”
At the entrance, he handed over his invitation.The woman welcomed us and passed the invitation to a waiting server, who led us through the carpeted welcome area and into a large room filled with round tables set with crystal stemware and gold flatware.Near the front of the room, additional tables and jacketed individuals waited next to easels displaying pictures of various items, including jewelry and paintings.
“This is your table, Mr.Wulf,” the man said, showing us to one of the round ones near the front.“You’re welcome to view the auction items and mingle before the dinner starts.”
“Thank you,” Bennett said.
I waited until the man went away to say, “Mingling?Does he want you to scare everyone away?”
Bennett frowned at me.
“Yep.That right there.Your business smile needs work.Like this.”I smiled warmly.“It’s so good to see you, Bennett.What have you been up to lately?Please tell me not just work.You need to visit the Maldives soon.It was magical.I discovered this little place that served the best drinks.Speaking of, be a dear and fetch me some champagne.”
While I spoke, his shaking disappeared, and his stoic mask slipped into place.
“One glass,” he said.
“Two.We agreed.Or you keep them coming and let me get tipsy so my guard is down.”
I saw a glimmer of concern in his gaze.“If you lower your guard to let me in, I don’t want it to be because of alcohol.”
