“Chance,” I whisper as cool air hits my thigh and he groans when the red garter comes into view.
“Did you wear this for me, Princess?” he asks, teasing me with feather light touches around the scrap of lace. He continues pulling the dress up and I moan as he crouches down behind me and pushes it up over my ass. The numbers tick down and I wish I had something to grab on to.
“How did you know red is my favorite color?” he asks, smacking my ass hard and I cry out and reach behind me to grab his shoulder. “I’m going to be rock hard all night until I can get you back here and rip these off.”
“Chance,” I hiss in warning, rubbing my legs together to try and relieve the ache between my thighs. He groans and sinks his teeth into my ass. I don’t even get the chance to react before he stands up again and lets the dress fall to my feet. The doors slide open, revealing the lobby and I can feel his grin as he presses his lips to my neck. Then, like nothing at all happened, he links his fingers with mine and leads me outside on shaky legs.
“My lady,” he practically purrs as he opens the passenger door of my car and gestures for me to get in. After sliding into my seat, I watch him walk around the front of the car, looking better than should be legal in his suit.
“So, I’m curious,” I question as he slips behind the wheel and turns the car on. “Did you just happen to have a suit laying around or…”
“Or what? Are you asking if I went out and bought a suit just for you?” He watches me for a moment before grinning. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
I scoff, turning away from him as I cross my arms over my chest. “Never mind.”
“And what if I did, Carly?”
Our eyes meet and the mood in the car shifts, his playfulness falling away and I don’t know what to say. A part of me, the part that I’m trying desperately to bury, likes the idea that he spent money on a nice suit to go to this gala with me, but I know better. I know it’s a recipe for disaster that he can so easily knock down my defenses.
Shrugging, I look away from him. “It’s a shame to waste money on something you’ll only use once.”
Silence falls over us once more as he pulls out of the parking space and begins driving us to the hotel where they are holding the gala.
“You have a tell,” he says after a few minutes and I glance over at him.
“What?”
“I always know when you’re lying because you have a tell. So I know that most of what comes out of your mouth is bullshit. I just don’t know why.”
“Stop digging,” I whisper, my voice haunted as I look out the window to avoid his questioning gaze.
“Why?”
“Because you won’t like what you find.”
He sighs and I turn back to look at him. “I’ve liked everything I’ve found so far.”
I jerk my head away from him, sucking in a deep breath as I focus on the white line on the pavement. He can’t say things like that to me because I just might start to believe them. The hotel comes into view at the end of the block and I’m thankful for the distraction.
“Listen, about my mother… I’m just going to apologize now for anything she may say or do tonight. She’s not going to be happy that I brought you.”
He nods. “Is that why you asked me to come?”
I should tell him yes, but I can’t even force myself to say it. “No. I don’t really know why I invited you.”
Chance is quiet for a moment. “I think you do.”
Before I can say anything else, a valet opens my door and offers me his hand. Smiling up at him, I climb out of the car as Chance hands the keys off to the other valet and I walk around the car and meet him in front of the entrance to the hotel. He links his fingers with mine and pulls my hand up to his lips before kissing me and my heart skips a beat in my chest. He has to stop doing stuff like that. We walk into the opulent lobby and follow a group of women in designer dresses to the ballroom entrance. As soon as we step inside, I spot my mother by the bar and almost as if she senses me, she turns and locks eyes with me. She starts moving in our direction and I suck in a breath.
“I’m so sorry.”
Chance glances down at me, his brow furrowed, before he follows my line of sight. Leaning down, he presses his lips to the side of my head and whispers, “Stop apologizing. I deal with assholes far scarier than her everyday. Besides, it’s worth it to be here with you.”
His voice and words soothe me and I smile even if, in my head, I’m telling myself that I should hate his words. I just can’t do it though; no matter how hard I try.
“Carly, dear,” my mother says as she approaches us, smiling like she’s actually happy to see me. Whatever I think of my mother, I have to admit that she is gorgeous. Of course, that’s required if she’s going to snag herself another husband but even so, she looks good for fifty. The gold dress she’s wearing matches the hair that is artfully twisted into an elegant up-do and she’s wearing just enough jewelry to look sophisticated but not like she’s trying too hard. “I knew that dress would look magnificent on you.”
I force a smile to my face as I step forward and give her an awkward one-armed hug. “Thank you, Mother.”
She glances down at my hand, still clasped in Chance’s before turning to face him. “And who are you?”
“Mother,” I chastise her, already regretting my decision to bring him tonight. I never should have subjected him to my mother. She doesn’t even spare me a second glance as she inspects Chance from head to toe. He plasters a charming smile on his face and extends his hand.
“My name is Chance, ma’am. It’s very nice to meet you.”
She stares down at his hand for a moment, like it’s something dirty she doesn’t want to touch and when he shifts, part of one of his tattoos peeks out from the cuff of his shirt. Her eyes widen and she takes a step back. Humiliated by her behavior, I take a step back as well, ready to just say “screw it” and leave. Chance squeezes my hand and slips the other in his pocket when it becomes apparent that my mother is going to continue to act like a stuck-up bitch.
“What are you doing here with my daughter, Chance?”
He turns and meets my eyes, a warm smile on his face and I melt, mirroring his expression. “She asked me to come and to be honest, there isn’t much in this world I wouldn’t do for her.”
Mother smiles, a condescending look in her eye that raises my hackles. “I’m afraid you misunderstood me. What I meant was, what are you to Carly? Are you friends?”
“No, ma’am. I’m her boyfriend.”
My heart seizes in my chest and I’m about to object when I see the look of horror on my mother’s face. So, maybe I will let her think that we’re actually a couple because the expression she’s wearing now is priceless. It’s impressive, actually, with as much Botox as she’s had, that she can have any expression at all. She places her hand over her heart and her mouth opens briefly before closing again like she’s struggling to find her words. Honestly, I have no idea how the hell Chance is being so damn polite to her. After a second, she regains control of herself and forces a smile to her face but there is nothing genuine about it.