Page 44 of Sleigh Bells and Snowstorms
Kiss him back and enjoy every second of it—that’s what I’d do.
But he didn’t. His eyes lifted, and he moved his hand to the small of my back.
He approached a man with salt-and-pepper hair and said good evening. The way the other man’s back straightened and his chest lifted made it obvious he was pleased to be the first to garner Jensen’s attention.
I played the part of arm candy for a while as Jensen worked the room, moving from person to person. He’d introduce himself, obviously to get the other person’s name, and engage in small talk before offering a nod and moving on.
His ability to make it all seem so natural was impressive. He held eye contact in such a way that everyone he talked to probably felt—for a moment, at least—like the only other person in the room. And no one seemed to suspect he was anything other than a guest.
After a while, he glanced at me with a look that seemed to say,go ahead.With a little thrill running through me, I moved away and set my empty champagne glass on a table.
“Just talk to a few people,” Jensen said softly in my ear. “Make it natural.”
A pair of women probably in their sixties stood nearby, and although they were talking, they didn’t seem too engrossed in conversation. Smiling, I made eye contact and complimented their dresses.
It took a minute of chatting with them to get used to tuning out Jensen’s conversation heard through the earpiece and concentrate on the people in front of me. But as I moved around the room, introducing myself and greeting people, I found it easier to focus, letting his voice pass in the background.
I glanced back at him. Several young women surrounded him, and he was clearly enjoying the attention. Jealousy flared hot, and I had to stop myself from glaring daggers at them.
As if he could feel me looking, his eyes flicked toward me. He lifted his drink to his lips and spoke just before taking a sip. “Easy, darling. It’s all part of the game.”
Apparently, I hadn’t stopped the glare.
With a sigh, I went to get another glass of champagne from one of the servers.
“There’s a bloke near the piano who’s been watching you,” Jensen said. “Turn right and wander. Look lost.”
I did what he suggested and turned, then looked around while I took a few more steps. I caught sight of the man he meant. Jensen was right. He was watching me. Was that Julian? He looked familiar, but I couldn’t place him. If he lived in town, he might have been someone I saw out and about. Or maybe he’d been a patient. That was always a possibility. I tended to know who people were based on their medical emergencies.
“Do you notice what’s different about him?” Jensen asked.
“No.”
“That Brioni suit he’s wearing probably cost ten grand.”
“Seriously? I didn’t know they made suits that expensive.”
“It certainly makes a statement. Especially here. He wants to show off.”
The man in the expensive suit moved toward me, and I glanced away, pretending not to notice. My heart raced with excitement. What if that was him, and I was about to break Jensen’s case wide open?
“Natalie?” an all-too-familiar voice said behind me.
A surge of dread swept through me as I turned to find Tucker Ross—my ex-boyfriend.
He was dressed in a tux with a silver bow tie. A few years before, I’d made the mistake of falling for his charm and breaking my rule to never date coworkers. And it had gone spectacularly wrong.
“Hi.” My tone was a bit chilly, but I couldn’t help it. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“I didn’t know you’d be here, either.”
“It was kind of a last-minute thing.”
He looked me up and down with an appreciative smile. “You look great.”
I drew my eyebrows in. What was he doing? “Thanks.”
“I haven’t seen you in a while. How have you been?”
