Page 32 of One Drink
Chapter 13
Jake
I typically preferredto interact more with guests at charity events, but tonight I enjoyed standing on the sidelines, watching Stephanie. She took to a couple of the artists that would be featured in the article and introduced them to the prominent donors in attendance. I didn’t know what I enjoyed more—the way the young artists’ faces lit up from the positive attention they were getting, or the joy on Stephanie’s face from being about to help their careers take off. Her generosity and kind heart were things I loved most about her.
At least something was making her happy. I could still see the worry hidden behind her smile. Her father had embarrassed her, and she’d begged me to take her home after we finished eating. I convinced her to stay, but it hadn’t been easy. She was a flight risk, and I worried she’d disappear on me. Not to avoid me, but to put as much distance as possible between her and her father.
“Watching those two work the room together is a sight to see, isn’t it?” Robbie leaned against the pillar next to me.
“What’s that?” I asked. I’d been so focused on Stephanie, I didn’t hear him walk up.
“Maya and Stephanie.” Robbie pointed in their direction. “They seem to be getting along well, and they’re owning the room.”
“Yes, they are.” I’d noticed Maya was by Stephanie’s side and made a few introductions herself. That pleased me more than I expected it would. Finding love wasn’t easy for Robbie, and seeing the women in our lives getting along so well made me smile. Plus, I’d hoped Maya’s strength would feed Stephanie’s and help her see that her father’s opinion didn’t matter. “I can see how Maya earned her place as CEO under your dad’s management.”
“You should see her in the boardroom.” Robbie placed a hand over his heart, looked up to the ceiling with his jaw dropped. “It’s sexy as hell to watch her manage some of the older men. For the most part, they respect her, but a couple of them are stuck in Dad’s mindset.”
“I bet you like giving her a hard time sometimes, too.”
“Only when I think it will result in great make-up sex.” He laughed.
“Yeah, I don’t need to hear about that.” I gave him a teasing punch in the arm and took a sip of my whiskey before my eyes settled on Stephanie again. Her back was to me, and my eyes fixated on the thin line where the zipper ran down her back. Her sultry red dress brought out the warmth of her tanned skin, and my mouth ran dry just thinking about unzipping it to reveal what she wore underneath. My head spun as I imagined my hands slowly slipping beneath the fabric, reaching around to caress the soft flesh of her breasts to lightly pinch her nipples.
“Come on,” Robbie said, snapping me out of my fantasy. He finished his drink and sat his empty glass on the side table behind us. “Let’s go beg our lovely ladies for a dance.”
I tossed back my own drink before I followed him across the ballroom to where Stephanie and Maya were talking to a group of donors. A dance would certainly cheer me up. Hopefully, it’d cheer her up too.
I slid in next to Stephanie with one hand held out to her and the other on her waist. “May I have this dance?” I whispered in her ear.
She glanced over her shoulder, our eyes met, and she slipped her hand into mine. “You may.”
I squeezed her hand and lifted it to my lips, earning me a smile, before I led her to the dance floor. My hand shook as I slid it around her waist, while I held her other hand close to my chest. I was more than a little nervous with her in my arms as we embarked on our first dance. I’ve thought about this moment so many times when I watched other couples dance at charity events and balls. Now that she was in my arms, I couldn’t stop shaking. Our bodies came together, perfectly in tune with the music, and I slowly started to relax as we glided around the dance floor.
“Have I told you how beautiful you are?” I wanted to kiss her hard, show her how deep my love for her ran. Instead, I gently kissed her and tugged her closer.
“You might’ve mentioned that.” She wrapped her arm further around my shoulder and pressed her cheek to mine. Her breath brushed across my neck and sent a heat wave through my body.
“You’re pretty handsome yourself in this tux.” She whispered in my ear and before pressing light, soft kisses against my ear, neck, and cheek. I pulled her closer and dropped my head to her shoulder. My lips gently brushed across her bare shoulder until I reached her neck. She sucked in a breath when I lightly nibbled on the lobe of her ear. Our bodies locked together in what otherwise looked like an innocent dance, but to me it was far more intimate.
The faint murmur from the other guests silenced, and there was only us. Every concern I’d had about the newness of our relationship vanished. Because Stephanie was in my arms, and in this moment, and she was mine.
The song ended, and our bodies slowly glided to a stop. Our eyes locked, and the tenderness of her gaze stoked the gently growing fire inside me. I was ready to tell her how I felt—to finally speak the words out loud—and profess my love for her.
“Stephanie, I—”
“Jake!” The sound of Stephanie’s father’s voice bellowed from behind, breaking the spell that held us together. She stiffened in my arms, and I felt her walls start to reconstruct. I turned to face her father, but left my arm around her and held her close. “Can I speak with you a moment?”
I smiled at Stephanie and gave her hand a gentle squeeze before I turned to face her father. “Yes, Mr. Jones. What can I do for you?”
“A word in private, if you don’t mind.” I glanced at Stephanie and she glared at her father.
“Whatever you need to say to Jake, you can say to me.” She pulled her hand away and crossed her arms over her chest.
“I just want a moment of his time, honey.” He patted her arm and she flinched. Anyone could see how uncomfortable she was around her father, but he didn’t seem to pick up on any of her cues.
I gently placed a hand on her lower back. She tensed slightly before she relaxed and looked at me. “It’s okay, Steph. This won’t take long.”
She let out a deep exhale and dropped her arms to her side. “I need to use the restroom, anyway.” She leaned over and kissed my cheek, but it was cold and distant. “I’ll catch up to you in a few.”