by Paige Cooper
I had tried calling Maryann earlier and releasing her from helping Dad tonight with his friend, but she refused. She was content to stay over. In all honesty, I think Maryann was getting used to my dad's crunchy personality. He could be a hard man sometimes, but once you knew him, you couldn’t live without him.
That meant I genuinely had no excuse to not go. I would have given Maryann my seat if it meant saving me from looking at Mark tonight.
My apartment seemed too quiet, and for a moment, I missed my dad fiercely. He always had something to say, and I could use that right now. He’d probably tell me to stop crying or I’d ruin my makeup. Better yet, he’d say the dress deserved a gracious host, not a crybaby.
A wry smile formed on my lips as I thought about him and the jabs he’d take at me. They were all harmless and meant to cheer me up. Nine times out of 10, it worked.
I fastened the earrings Mark had gotten for me onto my ears and watched as they sparkled in the mirror. I prayed to God they weren’t real diamonds because I’d feel so conscious of losing them all night.
Even though I tried to contain it, I was pissed at myself for being so weak around Mark. Once again, my primal feelings took control, and I lost myself.
My fingers went up to my mouth, slowly tracing the outline of lips that had been swollen hours before. I tried to be strong, but there was something that drew me to him. It was like kismet.
Part of me felt like meeting Mark was fate, and we were meant to be together. How else could I explain my total loss of logic around him?
Was that it? Was I so far in denial that I wouldn’t let myself admit that I loved Mark?
Yes.
No.
I didn’t love Mark. I couldn’t. All he cared about was getting another secretary to fall for him and his den of lies.
I sighed sadly as I swiped some lipstick onto my lips and gave my reflection a last once over. I had to give it to the man—he’d picked out one hell of an outfit.
I looked beautiful. And I rarely complimented myself like that. But I felt like something was missing.
His eyes. I felt stunning when Mark looked at me. Now, I simply felt okay. The tingle on my skin from his gaze was missing, and I felt incomplete without it.
Radio silence had existed between Mark and me since we’d kissed. I had walked out of his office and made a point to avoid him for the rest of the day. It felt strange.
In such a short time, my world had changed. I loved working alongside Mark when he wasn’t criticizing me. I loved spending time with him. I felt drawn to him like a magnet, and trying to deny that attraction felt unnatural.
Yet, here I was, going to a gala I wasn’t sure I should even be attending.
I locked my apartment door and carefully made my way down the stairs. With my new salary, I could afford to live somewhere more upscale and modern—at least somewhere with an elevator—but it sounded exhausting having to move my life, so I stayed put.
I’d called a cab company earlier. That way, I made sure I wasn’t standing downstairs in a ridiculously expensive salsa dress, trying to flag down a taxi.
I made a commitment, which was the main reason I was going. That was what I told myself as I got into the back seat of the cab.
On the way to the gala, I second-guessed every decision I’d made since accepting John and David’s job proposal. The cab driver was silent and didn’t say anything as we drove, which I was grateful for.
The driver pulled up to the curb and I stuffed a twenty in his hand, telling him to keep the change. I slipped out of the car in time to see John, David, and Mark step out of a limo together. They all looked amazing.
John and David wore similar black tuxes, but Mark caught my eye. He wore a dark blue tux that highlighted the stormy gray of his eyes and made me swoon.
He posed for a few photos with his brothers at the front of the hotel where the gala was being held. Hope for All raised money for a variety of different causes, but with a distinct focus on bringing education into underserved areas around the world.
It brought in high rollers, and somewhere in the memos Mark and his brothers sent one another, I remembered reading that it was their biggest charity event of the year.
After their photos were taken, they disappeared into the hotel. I made my way shyly through the back. I didn’t want to have my photo taken or be seen right in the spotlight.
As I walked into the hotel, a large board with the Allen brothers’ name appeared. They were tonight’s sponsors and donors. Together, they’d donated over five million dollars to the Hope for All Charity. The challenge was on to all guests to match and exceed that number.
I walked past the board, ignoring the image of Mark that gave me chills. It was a piece of cardboard!
Calm your libido!
The hotel was hosting the event in its grand ballroom, which led out to an open garden area where drinks were being poured. The hum of conversation sounded like a steady motor in the air as I grabbed a glass of champagne from one of the waiters and looked around.
On the left side of the room, a grand stage had been set up.
Every waiter out on the floor was dressed in classic black pants and a white shirt. Their trays were almost never empty, and by the time I’d sucked down half my glass of champagne, I’d eaten three different canapés.
Across from the stage, the ballroom was laid out in circular tables, each one with a number on it. I had no idea what table I was supposed to sit at. I didn’t even know anyone at this party. John, David, and Mark were the only souls I knew here, and they were so busy mingling it didn’t feel right to interrupt.
I felt out of place as I sipped on the champagne and scanned the table with the seating arrangements. Finally, I found my name—attached to Mark’s, of course.
We were at table one, head table.
I slowly weaved my way through the crowd when a hand landed on my shoulder. I turned around to find David looking down at me.
“Boy, am I glad to see a friendly face,” he said cheerfully as we both continued forward through the crowd.
“Same here, but you guys look like you’re doing amazing out there.”
“One more speech, a few words from Mark, and our responsibilities are over for the night. I know you’re at our table, but Mark will find you later.” David smiled, squeezing my shoulder slightly before moving on.
Finally, I found the head table and took a seat. Had I imagined it, or did David get a glint in his eye when he spoke about Mark and me? I shook my head, brushing off the odd feeling.
I still didn’t understand why I was here, but I didn’t have any more time to ponder it. A tap came over the speakers, and a woman’s voice rang out over the crowd. The only sounds now were hushed whispers as people made their way to their seats.
The table I sat at was empty except for me. Apparently, neither David nor John had brought their secretaries. I felt truly alone.
“May I have everyone’s attention, please? I wanted to take a moment to thank every single person for their support and donations tonight—”
The woman up on stage began to talk about figures and the importance of giving back.
I barely heard her, losing her sometime between the children who benefited and calling the Allen brothers up on to the stage. I was too busy thinking about making my exit without pissing Mark off too much.
“Hope for All means a lot to my brothers and me.”
I looked up as Mark’s voice registered in my ears. He was speaking now, and it instantly got my attention. I knew he was addressing everyone in the room, but I felt like he was talking directly to me.
“Years ago, I brought this charity to my brothers' attention, but I didn’t want the spotlight. So I’ve let them handle all the publicity. Tonight, I wanted to take a moment and thank every donor. Because of your generosity, we were able to help three million children last year receive an education that would have otherwise been impossible.
“We have funded 30 schools in 10 diffe
rent countries, servicing low-income areas. And aside from that, our charity has expanded into helping animal shelters euthanize fewer animals by providing the resources for them to find homes for those that need it.
“All of this work is important and will make a difference in the world that we live in. It is my biggest honor to be a part of this organization and to continue to support it, and I hope you all do the same for many years to come. Enjoy your meal.”
Mark held up a glass of champagne and toasted the room, but his eyes found mine in the crowd and I was lost to him once more. His speech was heartfelt; I’d never realized how involved he was in this charity. He had made it seem like he wanted nothing to do with it, but perhaps he wasn’t fond of the spotlight when he wasn’t in the courtroom.
Dad was right. There was so much more to Mark than the asshole who loved to order me around. I wanted to find out more. This time, I didn’t care how honest I had to get. Mark Allen would open up to me. Even if I had to make a fool of myself and tell him how I felt, first.
Chapter 26: Mark
N icole stood up with the rest of the crowd, clapping her hands after my speech. She smiled at me, and my heart felt like it might burst in my chest.
After our last interaction, I was surprised she’d showed up tonight, but I was incredibly grateful. All I’d wanted was her by my side. She looked gorgeous in the golden salsa dress I’d picked out for her, and I wanted to tell her that.
I made it off the stage and found my way through the crowd to Nicole. Other women tapped me on the shoulders, but I only had eyes for one woman tonight.
Music kicked up in the background as the gala swung into full motion, and I grabbed two more glasses of champagne from a passing waiter. The event was running smoothly, and now it was my turn to relax and enjoy the evening.
“This is for the ravishing beauty in front of me,” I said as I handed Nicole her glass of champagne, making it clear that she was the one I was focused on.
“That was a touching speech you gave up there.”
“Thank you.” I beamed with pride, my chest puffed out. I liked it when she thought of me as a good person.
Then why do you act like an asshole so often?
I wanted to push the thought aside, but Nicole’s next words echoed the sentiments that haunted me.
“I don’t understand why you’re always mean. It’s like you insist on projecting this persona out to the world, but I know there’s more to you. I keep seeing pieces of this kind soul inside of you, this gentle side. Why do you hide it?”
She looked up at me expectantly, leaving me no room to turn away from the conversation without looking like an asshole—which was exactly what I was trying not to do.
It took me a minute to digest her words. Every time Nicole stood up to me, I was taken aback. She was the only one in my life, besides my brothers, who would ever dare stand up to me.
“Being an asshole means you get results and you don’t get taken advantage of.” I shrugged and slurped my champagne up. I was way too sober for this conversation.
Nicole kept quiet, looking at me as if she was waiting for more. Nervous energy built up within me, and I shifted from one foot to the other. She really knew how to put a man on the spot.
“I don’t mean to be rude to you. It’s that I’m afraid of messing up. I can’t always read you or get it right. Sometimes I’m nervous, or I’m stressed about a case, and I take it out on you. It’s never my intent—”
I never finished my sentence because Nicole reached over, placed her palm on my cheek, and lightly pressed her lips against mine. I didn’t even have time to react and kiss her back.
Warmth spread through my body, and a tingle buzzed through my nerves. She made me feel amazing when I was with her, like I was on a constant high, but she also felt like calm and peace at the same time. How was that possible?
“You know, you were wrong earlier,” I whispered softly, finding my momentum and pulling her close to me. She left her glass of champagne on the table, and we slowly walked arm in arm across the room.
“What do you mean?”
“When you spoke about my love nest—by the way, I hate that word. But it’s not a love nest. You’re not another secretary. Why don’t you see that?” I turned her to look at me again, cupping her face in my palms and trying to make her see past the bluff I’d created.
“What makes me different?”
“I’m in love with you, Nicole Reed. I can try to deny it to you, to the world, hell, even to myself. But the truth is that I’m completely smitten and in love with you.”
A weight lifted off my chest as I said the words, and I let go of Nicole’s face. I didn’t want her to feel forced to say it back. I didn’t want her to feel like she had to stay.
I prepared myself for her rejection, and when it never came, I looked at her again and tried to gauge her reaction.
It was her turn to be shocked for a change, but she recovered quickly.
“You’re wrong, actually.”
“What?” I looked at her and raised an eyebrow.
“I’ll give this much to you—it might be true that I’m different, but isn’t that room where you’ve slept with all your other secretaries?” She put her hands on her hips, but the glint in her eyes told me she was playing with me.
“Okay. So you have me there. What was I supposed to do? Take them back to mine and invite them into my life? No. But it’s different with you. Everything is different with you.”
I wanted to lean in and kiss her again, but she hadn’t said anything to my admission. I wasn’t going to push her boundaries without an invitation. I’d done enough of that already.
The beat of the music stepped up a tempo, and I recognized the familiar clave of salsa.
“Come,” I said simply, grabbing Nicole’s hand and leading her out to the dance floor.
She let her body go, letting me lead the way as we danced together. I held her lightly as she arched her back, and I spun her gently before she fell back against my body, her right leg in between mine as her left leg extended out behind her.
It was sensual and intimate.
A crowd drew a circle around us, watching our bodies mingle against one another as we danced to the beat of the music, but I couldn’t see them. I couldn’t even hear them.
All I could hear was the beating of my own heart in my ears as I danced with Nicole. All I could see was her. My life would never be the same after this. Even if she didn’t love me back, I’d spend the rest of my life showing her I would work to deserve her.
Faintly, I registered the crowd around us, clapping and encouraging us on as I spun Nicole around. Her dress floated around her legs before she came back toward me.
Our eyes were locked onto one another’s. For once, I felt no need to correct her, no need to tell her how to do things. The moment was perfect. She was perfect. We were perfect like this.
Chapter 27: Nicole
T he slow pace of a love song warbled over the speakers and into the air as Mark and I met once again on the dance floor. A lot of the guests had already left for the evening, and only a few people remained on the dance floor.
The love song left Mark and I with two other couples on the floor. I’d never imagined a more perfect evening. I could hardly believe that four hours ago, I was regretting coming to this gala.
Mark held me in his arms, slowly spinning me around the dance floor, murmuring soft words of praise, little jokes, and terms of endearment against my ear every now and then.
He’d made a big admission earlier, and so far, I’d let that sit between us while I digested it. I had never expected him to be the first one to speak his feelings out loud, but now that he had, I found it was harder to speak my own.
I didn’t doubt Mark for a moment. I knew this was different for him because it was different for me.
John and David had left an hour ago, throwing their thumbs up in our direction and grinning like schoolboys who knew a secret we’d only found ou
t about now.
What was it about love that could turn two smart and rational people into idiots?
I wasn’t sure, but I was tired of being an idiot. I wanted to be honest.
The song ended and we slowly broke apart. I needed to find my bag, so I excused myself for a moment, leaving Mark to the mercy of the people who were finally able to grab a moment with him.
I knew I’d been the envy of many women here tonight. To them, it probably felt like I had monopolized Mark’s time on the dance floor. That was all right. I knew Mark wouldn’t have graced that dance floor if I hadn’t been here tonight.
We were kismet, and it was time I accepted that.
My body floated back to his naturally every time we parted. We’d been interrupted a lot by well-wishers, and Mark had been polite, but his attention came back to me every time.
I reached for my bag, which still sat on my chair that I’d barely used. This night had turned out completely different than I’d ever expected. I thought I’d end it alone at home with that bottle of wine I still hadn’t finished off.
Thinking of that wine, I probably needed to throw it out by now. With my luck, it would taste like vinegar.
A tap on my shoulder had me spinning around to find Mark’s gray eyes focused on me.
“I missed you,” he whispered as he pulled me into a hug.
“You didn’t seem lonely. You were charming the pants off of those donors.”
“What can I say? You bring out the best in me.”
“I want to see more of this. I see you for who you are, not the jerk you pretend to be. I want to see more of the real Mark.”
He nodded his head, holding my hand in his and squeezing it gently.
This was going to be a journey for both of us, but I realized that Mark was letting go of his control. We’d danced for hours, and he hadn’t corrected me once. In fact, he’d enjoyed the moment. He’d lived for the mistakes and made the best of them.
I realized that our relationship didn’t have to be dictated by him. I had a say in this—in us.
