“How?”
She looked straight into those devastating eyes of his. Why had she started this? There was no way out of this, and she knew she had to retreat now before she did something really foolish and tell him she was afraid of the fire in his eyes.
“Stay away from the fire,” she said, and turned to walk away.
“What if the fire doesn’t stay away from you?” he asked.
She pretended not to hear him and continued across the ballroom to her table. She told herself she hadn’t just issued a challenge to Rand but knew she had, and a part of her tingled in anticipation of what he’d do next.
Rand knew better than to follow her. A crazy kind of excitement buzzed through his veins. This was the first time a woman had inspired the feeling, and he wasn’t sure how to handle it. The logic part of his brain said that Corrine was a woman and a client and he should leave it at that, but deeper instincts called for him to probe deeper into her psyche until she had no secrets left. Nowhere to hide from him.
He detoured by his partner’s table. Angelica Leone-Sterling had the glow typical of a newlywed. More surprising to Rand, her husband, Paul, shared that same luminescence. Though they were both involved in separate conversations, Rand noticed their joined hands on the table.
For a moment he felt a pang at the loneliness of his life. Despite having four sisters and two loving parents. It was the same feeling that had dogged him since he was sixteen and a car accident had changed his life when his twin had died. But he’d learned to live with that missing part of himself. And until tonight he hadn’t realized that he wasn’t really living with it, rather just ignoring it.
He didn’t want to examine it now. He had to settle for flirty banter instead of meaningful conversation with the opposite sex. But then he knew that everything in life was a trade-off.
He was a successful businessman. He had a trust fund most people only dreamed of. And on most days that was enough. But tonight wasn’t one of them. Tonight his personal demon was rearing its ugly head and Rand fought to keep his jovial attitude. He really wanted to escape back to his dark corner of the world and go numb until he could escape.
He never should have followed Corrine to the bar and joined her for a Stoli. He knew better than to dance with a woman he wanted so badly that her perfume seemed etched in his memory, and her scent filled his every breath.
His reactions to Corrine weren’t helping, either. He could still feel her in his arms, dammit. She’d fit perfectly, and he’d wanted to nudge her head onto his shoulder and keep her cradled there all night long.
That woman needed someone to cradle her, even though she’d never admit it. Unfortunately, he couldn’t be that someone. The vow he’d made when he was twenty-one prevented him from being any woman’s “forever” man, yet he wanted to remind Corrine Martin she was a woman. There was something in her cool gray eyes that made him want to shake her up.
She’s a client, he reminded himself. “Never let the client get personal” was his mantra, but he wasn’t behaving true to form tonight. He blamed it on the fact that he’d been conned into going on stage at this charity event when he’d sworn never to do so.
The problem was he’d never been able to resist a challenge. He wasn’t sure when it had started, but he could remember having his first broken arm at age six when his older cousin Thomas had dared him to climb a tree. At thirty-five, he should be old enough to know better, but he liked the thrill he got from riding the edge of a dare.
It was a Super Bowl wager that had led to his participation in the themed “Buy a Bride” charity auction. Though he hadn’t been the only man on the stage, it was still humiliating to participate in such an event.
Angelica looked up as he approached and smiled at him. She’d changed a lot since her second marriage last year. She was happier and more willing to take a chance. Their friendship had started with her first marriage to Rand’s best friend, Roger. He and Roger had been roommates at military school and then in college. They had been closer than brothers.
Rand approached the table and made small talk until the right moment presented itself. He wanted a few minutes alone with Angelica.
“Want to dance?” he asked her, needing to talk to her without her husband around. Also, he needed to erase the memory of Corrine Martin in his arms.
“I don’t know. Your technique must be off. I saw Corrine leave you earlier.”
Great. He’d forgotten they were in a virtual fishbowl at these events. Usually he liked the attention and the feel of eyes on him. But when he’d held Corrine in his arms he’d forgotten all about being on display and had immersed himself in the sensations she elicited in him.
What was it with these women tonight? “The answer I’m looking for is yes or no.”
She sighed. He knew she’d probe into what had happened, and he should probably leave her sitting at the table with her husband. But he needed to talk to his best friend and congratulate her on the pregnancy she’d just announced. He wanted to warn her about life and how one had to be cautious when you got close to having it all.
He’d have to be on his guard around Angelica. Watch over her at work and make sure that she stayed safe for Paul and the baby. He owed Roger that much—after all, Roger had saved his life. He felt a little more pressure tightening the back of his neck.
“Yes. I think they’re playing our song,” she said.
The band had begun to play “I’ve Got a Crush on You.” It was the song they’d danced to at her first wedding so long ago. And over the years that song had helped them survive. Rand had held Angelica while she cried to that song on the anniversary of her first wedding.
There’d never been anything sexual between them; instead, she’d become like a sister to him. Though his own sisters would describe him as cold, he and Angelica had a warm relationship. Rand knew that was because of his debt to Roger.
Roger had guarded Rand’s secret addiction and pulled him back from the edge. He owed Roger at first. Then he’d come to know and care for Angelica.
Rand knew a moment’s fear for Paul and Angelica. It seemed as if they had too much. Rand had a healthy respect for the balance of the universe and the fact that you couldn’t have it all. He prayed that Paul and Angelica would be the exception to that rule.
“Congratulations on your pregnancy,” he said as they danced around the floor. They’d been partners in Corporate Spouses for more than ten years and friends even longer. Things were getting back to normal now. The tension at the back of his neck eased.
“Thank you. I’m a little nervous about it.”
Her confession robbed him of the advice he’d been about to give. He couldn’t tell her that fate never let anyone have it all. Because Angelica already knew that.
“I’ll make sure you have everything you need, kiddo,” he said.
“Oh, Rand. Thanks, but I think that’s Paul’s job now.”
He swallowed, realizing it was true. The one woman he’d allowed himself to care about belonged to someone else now. That’s good, he thought. Really, it is.
He
