Stella in Stilettos

by Romes, Jan

  “Restless night,” she said with absolute truth.

  Misty smoothed a lock of hair from Stella’s face. “No guy is worth all this trouble.”

  Stella sighed. “I know.”

  “But you can’t let him know he’s gotten the best of you. Let’s get you into this thing.”

  Stella slid into the dress and stood back for a look.

  “That dress is so you. Not too naughty, but enough to make every guy at the party salivate.” Misty giggled. “Once Alex sees you, he’ll know he screwed up. And if you’re lucky, he’ll wipe out in the puddle of his own drool.”

  “You’re the best, Misty.”

  “I know, now get going.”

  Stella took a step in the high heels and almost turned an ankle.

  * * * *

  Trish and Steve were waiting for Stella at the door. “It’s about time, woman. I thought you were going to skip out on us.”

  “I left you a voice mail.”

  Trish wrinkled her nose. “I hate having that thing glued to me 24/7.”

  Someone was posing as Trish. The Trish she knew slept with her cell phone. Stella wanted to laugh, but she was too nervous. “Did I miss much?”

  “Nope. Everyone seems to be running behind, including your illustrious boss who showed up a couple of minutes ago.”

  And Alex?

  Steve put a hand on Stella’s shoulder. “The one you carefully avoided asking about is across the room with a leech hanging on him. He’s not very happy about it either and tried to pawn her off on me. I told him to get real.” His blue eyes sparkled with something indefinable. He looped one arm through Trish’s and the other through hers. “Let’s go. There’s dancing to be done.” Steve guided them into the hall but subsequently left to search for champagne.

  “You look beautiful,” Stella exclaimed. Trish was a vision. Part of her auburn hair was pulled up and the rest hung around her shoulders in soft curls, with a few loose tendrils to frame her face. The form-fitting black dress she bought on their shopping excursion was filled to perfection. To complete her look, a grin that said she’d found her soul mate.

  “So do you.” Trish nudged Stella with her shoulder. “I love that dress.”

  “Misty’s.”

  “Ah.”

  “I know,” Stella said.

  “Maybe she’ll let you borrow it for the trip to Key West; you know, in case we want to go someplace swanky while we’re there.”

  “I’m pushing my luck by wearing it tonight. By the way, have you told Steve you’re going?”

  Trish voiced a guilty chuckle. “Yes and no.”

  Stella cocked her head.

  “Actually, he sort of brought it up by saying he had to go away for the holidays and I told him I did too, but neither of us was specific.”

  “You have the start of a very strange relationship.”

  “Isn’t it great?” Trish started to say something about Alex when Steve returned with three glasses of bubbly. She winked as if to say they’d talk about Alex later.

  Maggie started things off by taking the microphone. “Good evening, one and all. Welcome to this year’s Christmas party.” She scanned the room. “Where’s Alex?” When she didn’t find him right away she repeated the question. “Alex Clay, where art thou?” She laughed into the microphone, and at the same time almost lost her balance.

  Hmm. Maggie must’ve had her own party before she arrived.

  “There you are.” Maggie pointed to the corner of the room.

  Stella didn’t want to look but her gaze drifted in his direction. Her pulse pounded in her chest and she tried to calm it with a sip of champagne.

  Maggie made a face. “Peel yourself off of him, Belinda. Come on Alex, you’re my co-host.”

  Alex had to pry Belinda’s hand off his arm, which made everyone laugh; everyone but Stella.

  Jealousy stirred its way to a hiss. Stella was glad it was drowned out by the roar of the crowd. She was angry with herself for letting Alex bother her. After all, she was there to make him jealous. Not the other way around.

  She took a big gulp of champagne and tried to focus on the decorations.

  Red poinsettias were scattered about and cream colored candles flickered from each table. The pleasing scent from pine boughs wafted through the air. The banquet hall was breathtaking, although not enough to hold her attention.

  Alex looked cheerful as he made his way to the stage. His body language said something different.

  Maggie slaked an arm around Alex’s waist. Stella let another hiss slide out. Did everyone have to put their hands on him?

  “Now where was I?” Maggie raised her glass. “To a great year.” She took a sip and looked directly at Alex. “And to an exciting one to come.”

  Stella narrowed her eyes and tried to take a sip of champagne, spilling a few drips down the front of her; luckily they trickled down her cleavage instead of spotting Misty’s dress.

  When Maggie hugged Alex, she almost choked. What was her boss going to do for an encore? Swat him on the butt?

  Steve was warm with understanding. He removed Stella’s champagne glass from her lips. “Easy, sweetheart.”

  Trish undid Steve’s move. She returned Stella’s glass to her mouth. “Drink up. It’ll help.”

  Steve winked at Stella. “Save a couple dances for me. We have feathers to ruffle.”

  Maggie announced that the music would start in a few minutes. “Enjoy.”

  Stella didn’t want to dance and certainly didn’t need any more champagne. To heck with her get-even plan. It was destined for disaster anyway. The best thing she could do would be to find the nearest exit.

  “Come on, ladies. Let’s check out the hor dourves before we dance.” Steve tugged Trish by the arm who in turned tugged Stella.

  Trish snagged a celery stick from a veggie tray. “Look at all this stuff.” She filled a small foam plate with chunks of hot pepper cheese, Colby and Muenster, and then heaped on baby carrots and a dollop of dill dip. “Aren’t you going to eat anything?”

  Stella shook her head. She was too anxious to eat.

  “The ham dip is excellent,” a familiar voice said very close to her ear. His hand, also familiar, found the territorial position of the small of her back.

  She trembled, and hated how easily he affected her, especially since she was there to do the same thing to him.

  Alex turned Stella around and searched her eyes.

  Stella’s thoughts went haywire but she kept her expression stoic; at least she hoped she did. At the moment, she wasn’t sure of anything. “Nice party. You and Maggie did a great job.”

  “I’m glad you came.”

  “Maggie said nothing short of death…”

  Amusement flickered in Alex’s eyes. “Care to dance?”

  Suddenly the hor dourves seemed like a great idea. “Maybe later.” She wriggled from his touch and took a full-size dinner plate from the stack.

  Alex’s soft chuckle made Stella load the plate. When she turned to face him, he looked at the ridiculous display of gluttony and slowly brought his eyes to hers with a grin. A vision of impaling his foot with her stilettos made Stella grin too.

  He swiped a celery stick from her plate. “When you’re done, we dance.”

  Cold day in hell, she thought wryly. When she was done she was high-tailing it out of there.

  Maggie sidled up and tapped Alex on the chest. Stella scowled behind a chunk of cauliflower.

  Alex didn’t hide his annoyance. “What do you need, Maggie?”

  Serves him right, Stella thought sarcastically. If he wouldn’t charm his way in and out of situations, he wouldn’t have to deal with the likes of Maggie Watkins. Since he did, he had to play her game.

  “I need to borrow you for a few minutes.” Not giving him a chance to balk, Maggie led him away.

  Steve removed Trish’s champagne flute from her hand. “Time to dance, sweetheart.” He pointed to Stella. “No sneaking off.”

  Ste
lla purposely slid a glance toward the exit. Steve arched an authoritative brow. “Bossy,” she mumbled under her breath. “No wonder you and Trish are perfect for each other.”

  “I mean it,” he said. “You’d better be here when we get back.”

  Before Stella could disobey, Jim Roberts moved in. “Hey, Stella.” His gaze dropped to her chest right away.

  “Hey, Jim.” Instinctively she tugged the bodice up higher.

  His eyes didn’t stay on her chest; they did a slow skim from her feet to her mouth. “The slit in your dress and those shoes… Wow, Stella!”

  “These shoes…are going to kick your butt if you don’t behave.”

  Jim’s brown eyes sparkled with challenge. “Let’s dance.”

  From across the room, she caught Alex drilling her with a hard stare. “I’d love to.”

  Jim pulled her close on the dance floor and grinned like he was holding a winning lottery ticket. Before he could cash the ticket in, someone tapped him on the shoulder. He grumbled about never getting a break and unhanded Stella.

  Stella’s heart rate spiked because there was only one person who commanded that kind of compliance. She was set to make a mad dash to the exit. Alex grabbed her wrist.

  “I was trying to be patient,” he said. “When I saw Jim latch onto you, it was time to make my move. If that halfwit would’ve put up a fight he’d be missing a few teeth right now.”

  “And if I put up a fight?”

  Alex ignored the question and jabbed her with blue-eyed indictment.

  Stella lifted a shoulder. “I was being friendly.”

  Alex softened his stance. “I know what you were doing.”

  The lyrics of a familiar love song filtered through the inch that separated them and Stella wished the CD would skip or hoped the electricity would unexpectedly go out.

  As though Alex read her thoughts, he sang the words into her hair.

  The sound was delicious shock. Stella took a breath and Alex crushed her closer.

  Stella gloried in how well they fit but that cautious inner-voice that had been her mainstay the last year warned her against those kinds of thoughts. It reminded her that she wasn’t there to get chummy with Alex; she was there to gift him with regret. But the feel of their chests touching rendered her willpower useless. Stella laid her head on Alex’s shoulder. God he smelled good! One small whiff led to another.

  Alex pushed the small of her back into him. She was so close she could feel … Her eyes grew wide with awareness. She’d only been in his arms for a minute; two max. There was no way…

  He parted them enough to look her in the eyes. His voice was abnormally husky. “You have me right where you want me, Stella.” He toyed with a lock of her hair.

  Desire stormed her, and she instinctively pressed into the proof that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. It was a bold move and she was having a hard time understanding why she was doing anything except making him regret being a bonehead.

  Alex ran his finger along her jaw-line. “Incredible.”

  His words stoked the embers of a fire that never seemed to die out. The need to kiss him almost buckled her knees. The small bit of fight left in Stella evaporated.

  “I couldn’t wait to see you, Stella,” he said.

  The truth spilled out of Stella like he’d drugged her with sodium pentothal. “I couldn’t wait for the music to start. I knew you’d come find me.” The memory of that great night in the bar made her forget everything but him.

  No more than an inch from her mouth, he whispered, “Tonight, you’re mine.”

  Stella gave into a moment of panic.

  Alex must’ve anticipated her fear, or he was clairvoyant. He laid his forehead on hers. “I know your beautiful noggin is going a hundred miles an hour. Stop thinking and let this happen for us.”

  For us. Let this happen for us. Those were the sweetest words she’d ever heard. She was scared but intoxicated by his touch. This was so wrong, yet so right. “You throw me off balance.”

  Alex responded to the admission without speaking. From its territorial position at the small of her back, his palm moved to the middle of her spine and back down to almost skim the top of her butt.

  Stella’s sharp intake of air made him murmur that if they weren’t surrounded by dozens of people he’d be doing the same thing to her without the barricade of clothes.

  The music stopped.

  Alex didn’t let go. “There’d better be another slow song or I’m in big trouble.”

  The part of him that said more than words, probed the front of her.

  “It’s dark, no one will see,” Stella teased.

  A discordant voice behind them made Alex groan.

  “You’ve had him long enough. It’s my turn.”

  “Vertical problem, solved,” Alex said.

  Belinda’s critical eye volleyed between them. “What does that mean?”

  “It means …,” Stella tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth, “…he’s tired of slow dancing and wants the DJ to play something he can really dance to.” She moved out of his arms so Belinda could move in. “And you’re up.”

  Belinda’s brows dipped in confusion before a smile landed on her mouth. “Awesome.”

  Alex shuttered his eyes at Stella like she was handing him over to the enemy again.

  “Have fun.” Stella bounced away. It was an ounce of revenge, but she’d take what she could get. That merry achievement was lost when she looked back and saw Belinda sling her arms around Alex’s neck.

  Handing him over to Belinda had been a stupid move.

  * * * *

  Stella pulled a fast one. He deserved it, and a hell of a lot more, but he’d settle for a little bit of get-even on her part. He just wished it hadn’t been with Belinda. The blonde-mongrel kept trying to plead her case about chemistry through the entire song and how one kiss would solve everything.

  The disc jockey announced a break. Thank God! Alex needed one too or his ears were going to bleed.

  It had taken some swift maneuvering to lose Belinda, but he’d done it. Alex bellied up to the bar, ordered a beer and scanned the room. No Stella. If she left, he was going after her.

  One more search produced Stella and Jim, standing in a corner chatting away. Actually, Stella was doing the talking and Jim was in a sex-wish trance. But then, who wouldn’t be? She was stunning in that take-me-now dress and those sexy stilettos. And he should be the one appreciating them, not Jim.

  With his bottle of beer in hand, Alex made his way through the crowd. Halfway to Stella, it occurred to him that Jim might be the guy she was dating. He stopped, took a hefty drink of beer and discounted the possibility. Stella had better taste than Jim Roberts, for God’s sake. Didn’t she?

  Jim spotted him approaching and backed off. He said something to Stella and headed to the Men’s room.

  Stella took off to the dessert table and had just taken a nibble of a chocolate-covered strawberry when Alex caught up with her.

  Before he could devour Stella or grill her about Jim, Steve and Trish descended on them.

  “It’s time you came back,” Steve teased. “We were beginning to think you were stuck-up.”

  Alex’s eyes connected with Stella’s. “I was stuck alright. But I’m not stuck-up.”

  Stella shrugged innocently and took another bite of berry.

  He lifted a brow. “You won that one, sweetheart. It won’t happen again.” Another slow dance started. Alex grabbed her hand. “It’s your turn to be stuck.”

  Stella fanned herself. “I’m way too hot and tired.”

  Alex gripped her wrist a little tighter. “We need to talk.”

  The green of her eyes deepened with defiance. “No we don’t.”

  He continued to tug. “Stop being stubborn, Matson.”

  When he finally got her to the dance floor, his hand found its favorite spot and she leaned into it. His spirits soared. Stella might be holding onto some anger but at least she was letting
him chip away at it.

  Alex cuddled her close and inhaled her signature scent. His hands massaged the soft, delicate skin at his fingertips, and she tried to pull away. “Stop fighting me.” Again he said, “We need to talk.” He felt goose bumps rise on her arms.

  “I don’t want to talk. Not tonight, anyway,” she said.

  He pulled her so close her breasts pushed into him. “We need to clear the air.”

  Stella shook her head against him. “No.”

  He broke the last wall of resistance by brushing his lips across her ear. Stella trembled and sagged into his chest, causing those earlier stirrings to spring back to life.

  Fate in the form of Maggie saved her.

  “We have door prizes to give away,” Maggie chirped happily. She latched onto his forearm. “Come on, big guy.”

  Steve and Trish danced over to them, and Maggie volunteered Steve with her other hand. “You’re on the hot-seat too, Benson.”

  Dammit, Alex grumbled without making a sound. He had Stella right where he wanted her and Maggie was giving her a chance to regroup.

  * * * *

  Trish waited until they were out of earshot before she expressed her annoyance. “Maggie is getting on my nerves.”

  “Mine too.”

  Maggie tapped the microphone and it made a series of loud thuds. “Time for door-prizes, people.”

  The only door prize Stella was interested in was the one standing beside Maggie.

  Maggie drew a slew of names for things like an iPad, a toaster oven, a bottle of spiced rum, hockey tickets and numerous restaurant gift certificates, while her boy-toys handed out the prizes.

  Trish held up her empty champagne flute. “We need a refill.”

  Stella was already feeling lightheaded. “None for me.”

  Trish wasn’t about to let her slack. “I’m not drinking alone.”

  Stella looked around the room. “You’re not exactly alone.”

  “Let me rephrase it. You have to drink with me.” Trish replaced Stella’s empty glass with a full one.

  “Are you in cahoots with Alex?”

  “Huh?”

  “Are you trying to help Alex by feeding me alcohol?”

  Trish laughed. “Not a bad idea.” She let out a whoop and her eyes glazed with excitement. “They called my name.”