Taking that challenge was almost too tempting.
He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, then ran out to the field again. He felt more calm and focused on the game than he had before; he didn’t have to worry about her. Whatever happened, she could hold her own without him.
A little twinge of guilt prickled along his spine. She was doing so much to help him out, not only with getting the cabin but also with the Marcus project, and all he was doing was taking. He needed to give something back to her, something that would help her as much as she was helping him, something that would show how much her support meant to him.
Sawyer made a quick promise to himself that he would do whatever he could to make the gala a special night out for her, not only personally, but professionally, too.
Chapter Nine
Olivia stepped out of Sawyer’s luxury SUV and smoothed her dress over her hips. She’d picked out a sleek crimson gown with a form-fitting silhouette and a side-slit up to the knee that made her feel taller and sexier than she actually was. Though she’d bought it off the rack, the dress looked as if it had been custom designed for her figure, hugging and caressing each curve like a lover’s touch. The thought sent an image of Sawyer’s hands to her mind and she swallowed hard.
The moment Sawyer first set eyes on her in the dress, his gaze raked over her, taking in every inch of the fabric and leaving behind a wake of electricity. When his eyes finally met hers again, a single word left his mouth. “Nice.” A single word uttered, but his expression said enough for ten men.
She didn’t want to care what he thought, yet at every opportunity, she found herself craving his praise. So far, he hadn’t disappointed.
“Don’t look so nervous.” He handed the keys to the valet and their small overnight bags to the bellman. When he offered his arm, she accepted. “You’re not walking into your execution.”
“I know. I don’t want to make any mistakes that might cost you clients. What if I say the wrong thing?”
“You won’t say the wrong thing.” He sounded more confident than she felt.
“You probably should’ve brought someone else.”
“First of all, you’re my girlfriend, at least as far as everyone else is concerned. And secondly, even if you weren’t my girlfriend, I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have with me. Certainly no one else would’ve filled out that dress the way you do.” He clicked his tongue at the end of his sentence and raised an eyebrow suggestively.
“So I’m eye candy?”
“Yes and no. You’re here because I’m stuck coming to this event every year, and this year I wanted to enjoy myself. I know I will with you. But I can’t help it if you fit the eye candy description, too. I didn’t tell you to wear that slinky little dress.”
She’d never been anyone’s shiny arm trinket before and she was relieved to know he saw her as more than that, not that she wasn’t flattered by the suggestion. But she was the jeans and T-shirt, hair in a ponytail, let’s go hiking type, not the put on a fancy dress and mingle type.
Passing through the lobby, she pointed out the front desk. “Shouldn’t we check in?”
“Matt is already here and he checked in for us. I’ll get the room key from him.” He guided her toward the ballroom at the other end of the lobby.
Key? As in singular room but multiple beds, right?
“The concierge will make sure our room is ready by the time we head up for the night.”
“And when will that be?” she asked.
“Are you sick of me already?” The twinkle in his eyes hinted at playfulness. She rarely got to see that side of him. Even at home, his home, he was usually thinking about work, or his grandparents, or both. The only time she’d seen him let loose was the few occasions they’d hung out with her brother or while the guys were playing soccer. Seeing this other part of his personality always made her want to smile, relax, and have fun too.
“Of course not. I was only curious how late this gala usually goes. I won’t turn into a pumpkin at midnight.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I quite like you in your current form.” Something about the way he said it made her wonder if there was truth to his teasing this time. “Now, are you ready to do some networking?”
“Why? Have you spotted one of your clients already?”
“No. But I see Lois Hanover, who I happen to be good friends with, over by the bar, and she might be someone you’d be interested in applying to in a few months. I’d like to introduce you.”
“Really? I thought we were here for your work,” she said. Was she ready to meet potential bosses? Not necessarily. However, if they were anything like Sawyer, then working with them could be great. Her nervousness shifted to excitement.
Maybe she was ready for this. Hadn’t she been waiting for a chance to take charge of her future? And now Sawyer wanted to give her that opportunity through one of his connections. Just when she thought she had him pegged as kind of self-centered, he went and did something completely selfless, and at an event that was very important to his company’s success, too.
“Don’t be nervous. She’s going to love you as much as I do.” His smiled wavered.
Her breath caught in her throat and she locked her eyes on his.
“Work wise, I mean,” he added quickly.
“Of course. I didn’t think you meant it in any other way.” She nodded. Regardless of his slip of the tongue—which obviously didn’t mean anything—she felt more confident in herself knowing he believed she’d impress Lois. She plastered a smile on her lips and squared her shoulders. “Lead the way.”
For the first hour, Olivia was introduced to various people—some clients, some Sterling executives she hadn’t met yet, and many possible future employers. She smiled, nodded, and laughed when appropriate. She lost track of the number of times she spoke about her education and travel. Sawyer guided her through the room, whispering tidbits of information along the way so she had an idea who each person was. Together they fell into an almost choreographed tag team, each talking up the other’s attributes in a way that came off as conversational instead of forced.
She hadn’t felt this exhilarated in a long time. Maybe never. Sawyer made a great professional wingman and she hoped she’d done the same. By the time they stopped mingling long enough to enjoy sipping a glass of wine, she realized she hadn’t fully appreciated the grandeur of the venue.
The ballroom was adorned with ornate crystal chandeliers, rich cream and gold paint, and gleaming hardwood floors throughout. In the center of the room, surrounded by tables, a large area was filled with couples dancing. The live band seamlessly flowed between up-tempo and slow songs. Currently, they were on an upswing and it helped give the room a festive, celebratory feeling.
She eyed the dance floor tentatively. She wanted to enjoy the music, and she would, as long as he didn’t ask her to dance. When it came to dancing, she had two left feet and neither one of them had an ounce of rhythm.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, whispering into her ear.
She turned her head slightly to look at him, but also to get his lips away from her ear. What she really wanted to do was lean into him, cocoon herself in his arms, and let his breath play on her body at its will. But she damn well wasn’t going to let that happen. “Nothing,” she replied. “Why?”
“You look upset. Or concerned about something suddenly.”
“I’m not.”
“You are. I can see it all over your face.”
Sighing, she answered honestly, against her better judgment. “I don’t like dancing.”
“All women like to dance.”
“Not this one.” Couples twirled and dipped, laughed and smiled, while shimmying to the music. Dread sank in her stomach like an anchor. “That part isn’t mandatory, right?”
He smiled. “You’re lucky I’m in a generous mood. I won’t make you dance with me, even though I really want to see how terrible you are.”
“Nice. S
o my humiliation is your entertainment?”
He kissed her cheek before whispering in her ear again. “I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to. Not here. Not ever.”
Was he still talking about dancing?
“Let’s go find some food.”
“It smells delicious. They certainly know how to throw a party.” Olivia took a plate and meandered past the buffet. Everything from simple sliced vegetables and dip, to oysters on the half shell, pastas…even a selection of caviar was displayed.
No sooner had they sat to eat when Sawyer quickly wiped his mouth and hands, took a swig of his drink and cleared his throat. He stood from the table and extended his hand.
“What a pleasant surprise to see you here,” Sawyer said, shaking hands with a tall, dark-haired man who looked imposing and serious, even with a smile on his face.
“It was a last minute thing. We were supposed to be out of the country, but last night our plans changed, so here we are. It’s nice to see you make it out of the office on occasion.” The man chuckled and smacked him on the shoulder, then gestured to the woman beside him. “This is my wife Ruth.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” He shook her hand. “This is Olivia.”
She stood, fighting the urge to check her teeth for little bits of food. Instead she smiled with her lips closed and shook the hand offered. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You must be Sawyer’s wife,” the man said.
She held her smile while trying to glance casually to Sawyer, unsure of how he would handle the wife comment. Better than expected, it appeared. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, his hand low on her hip, almost possessively.
“Olivia is my girlfriend. For now at least, right, sugar?”
She smiled adoringly at him. Not knowing who they were playing this up to, she did her best to look convincing.
The man kissed the back of her hand like a southern gentleman would. “Don’t wait too long. You wouldn’t want someone else to come and snatch her away. When I met my Ruthie, I was smitten at first glance, but had an ego too big for my head. So I dragged my feet and some other fella nearly swept her up. I learned my lesson back then, not to wait on things I want. Applies to work too.”
“What kind of work do you do?” Olivia asked, smiling politely. He seemed quite nice and not nearly as imposing as she thought at first glance.
“This is Todd Marcus,” Sawyer said.
“Oh.” She swallowed her sudden unease. This was their most important client and now she’d gone and not even recognized him.
Todd raised his eyebrows questioningly at her obvious shift to nervousness. Sawyer was right—people could read her emotions on her face. She’d make a terrible double agent. Hopefully she could manage to keep their fake relationship a secret.
“I see someone’s been bringing their work home to the little lady, huh?” Todd asked, but she couldn’t tell if he was upset about the idea or kidding around.
“Actually, Olivia also works at Sterling. She’s an essential part of our team.”
“Oh?” Now he was the one who sounded surprised and caught off guard. “And what exactly do you bring to the team?”
“I’m an administrative assistant mostly, but I have been trying to help out where I can with your project.”
“Life experience. Cultural insights from around the world,” Sawyer said, sounding almost a little defensive. “She is too modest. She’s really the key to authenticity with your campaign. With her knowledge we’ll be able to better target specific demographics in multiple countries.”
“Sounds wonderful. I’d love to hear more about it. Care to dance?” Todd extended his arm and the dread in her stomach became full-fledged anxiety. Sawyer gave the slightest nod, his smile never faltering.
She allowed Todd to lead her out to the dance floor. A waltz-style rhythm filled the air. “I’ll try not to step on your feet, but I must warn you that you’ve chosen a terrible partner.”
“Not to worry,” Todd said, gliding her around the dance floor with surprising ease. She almost felt as if she were floating. “I’ve had a terrible dance partner for the last twenty years. My feet no longer feel the stab of high heels.”
Olivia stumbled, but quickly regained her footing. “Good thing.”
“So tell me, how is it you have all this cultural insight and knowledge?”
“I backpacked around the world for a while. I guess that makes me something of an expert, or at least according to Sawyer it does.”
“But not to you?”
Crap. How would Todd Marcus believe they could do a good job if she disputed everything Sawyer claimed? The fact was, she did have more cultural experience globally than anyone else in the Sterling office, so she was the resident expert. She needed to start believing it herself.
“Well, I wouldn’t say I’m an expert, necessarily, but I do have experience with other cultures, which might be helpful in figuring out how we can make your product a staple in every home, in every market.”
“And how exactly do you plan to do that?”
Shit. Good question. Think. I can totally do this.
“I would start by looking at what each culture values most and then base the marketing on that.”
“Humor me with an example.”
It was hard to think with the room continually spinning around them as they moved. From somewhere in her peripheral vision she saw Sawyer chatting and dancing with Ruth, looking carefree as if this was any other day to him. Meanwhile, her pulse drummed in her ears louder than the music.
She’d always done well in high-pressure situations. This was no different.
“Okay, let’s say one region really values health more than anything else. Then we would focus the advertising on the whole person, and how your product can nourish them from the inside out. Healthy lives begin from the inside out and from the ground up.”
“I like that ‘ground up’ part. I’ve been trying to come up with ways my company can leave a smaller carbon footprint while still reaching its goals. It’s tough to pull off.” Marcus twirled her around in time to the music.
“The problem as a whole is somewhat overwhelming, true, but the solution could be as simple as a tiny change. Take for instance the amount of plastic we use in this world. Huge, right? But if everyone switched to reusable bottles, even just for water, then think of how much less plastic would be tossed away. Maybe you need to break your issue down into a more manageable portion. Focus on one change for the better.”
“I see your point. What other ways might we tailor our advertising?”
“In a region where they value family, maybe we would show how your products can seamlessly slip into their daily lives, making families healthier without getting in the way of all the other activities they do in a day. Big health, small package. Or you know, something like that.”
She bit her lip and prayed she hadn’t said anything stupid. Already, her words were gone from her memory. She’d always found it difficult to retain information when she was nervous.
“I like what I hear,” Todd finally said, as the song stopped.
Instantly, Sawyer and Ruth were by their side.
“This one’s a keeper. I think you’re right about her. She’s definitely an asset, and I hope you won’t keep her hidden away next time I’m at the office. I’d like to hear more of her thoughts.”
“Absolutely. As I said, she’s an important part of our team.”
“I look forward to talking with you again. Soon. Enjoy your evening.”
The men shook hands and said pleasant goodbyes. Before she could object, Sawyer had her pulled in close, his hands on her lower back, his hips swaying to the slow, sensual beat of the music.
“You promised me no dancing,” she said, peering up at him. It wasn’t her favorite thing, but being in his arms certainly made the experience more tolerable. This she could get on board with.
“I didn’t know Todd would ask you, but I’m glad yo
u agreed. What did you talk about? He seemed smitten with you.”
Was that a hint of jealousy in his tone?
“He wanted to know what made me an expert. I have no idea what I said to him. I hope it wasn’t something way off the mark.”
“Seemed like he dug your ideas, whatever they were. We’ll have to go over the conversation later, when you’re less distracted.”
He grinned down at her. The spark of fire she often saw at work was in his eyes, full-force, but there was something else, too. Excitement? Intensity?
“I really did bring you here because I wanted to enjoy the evening with you. I had no idea you’d be helping me win over my clients as well. You’re amazing.”
She shrugged, her cheeks warming with his praise. “I try.”
“Funny thing is, I don’t think you even have to. You’re a natural at this stuff.”
“When I was away, if I didn’t make conversations with strangers, I wouldn’t talk to anyone. It didn’t take long to learn I needed communication or I’d go crazy.”
His hand pressed against her lower back more firmly, forcing her body to make contact with his. The thin material of her dress did nothing to protect her from the feel of his body rubbing along hers, awakening it in ways she enjoyed more than she cared to admit. Every time he was near, she felt as if she’d woken from a long sleep.
Slipping her arms around his shoulders to cuddle deeper into his embrace, she fingered the cropped hair behind his ears. His eyelids dropped as her fingertips stroked the nape of his neck. All the swaying, slow music, and body heat made her wish for when this part was over so she could slip out of her dress, into pajamas, and what she hoped was a luxuriously soft bed. The thought made her sigh with contentment.
The song ended and she stopped moving, but the pause was only momentary before achingly long, drawn out notes began to play again. Deep, crooning vocals seeped from the speakers. Thick, rolling waves of sexual undertones washed over her.
The Hookup Hoax (Entangled Lovestruck) Page 9
