And call me Tony.” He enjoyed the surprise on her face. Probably figured he hadn’t made it through high school. Yet she wouldn’t be disappointed for long.
“What was your degree in?”
Ah, well, the fun lasted all of thirty seconds. “I dropped out the middle of my sophomore year.”
Her eyebrows went up. “Really?” He didn’t think he imagined an inkling of satisfaction on her face. “May I ask why?”
He shook his head. “School just wasn’t for me. I like working with my hands.”
“Yes, but—”
He held up a hand. “No offense, Professor Shea, I understand where you’re coming from but that’s the way it is. I like what I do. I’m not going to change my mind.”
“Forgive me. I didn’t mean to sound as if I’m interfering. We all make our own choices.”
The song ended and Dakota and her father headed back toward them. Even from this distance he could see the alarm on Dakota’s face, and surprisingly what looked like disapproval in her father’s.
Mrs. Shea pushed back her chair. “I suppose we were lucky all of our children valued their education.” She smiled at him as she rose to her feet. “Nice chatting with you, Tony.”
Tempted to remind her of Dallas’s detour he decided to keep his mouth shut. It didn’t matter. He got the message. He lived on the wrong side of the fence.
She slipped away a second before Dakota returned to her seat. Her father nodded at Tony and then followed his wife back to their table.
Frowning, Dakota watched until they both sat down. “What was that about?”
“What?”
She fixed him with a pretty intimidating glare. One she’d probably perfected in court. “What did my mother want?”
He grinned and got up, pulling her with him. “She wanted me to dance with you.”
“Right.”
He was lucky. The song was slow. He shouldn’t have too much trouble keeping up. They got to the center of the floor and he guided them to the middle for some privacy. Not much, but better than having her mother’s gaze boring into his back as he slid both his arms around Dakota, his hands resting just above the curve of her sweet little backside. No holding one hand out in the air crap. He wanted to feel her chest pressed against him. Feel her thighs move with his.
She sighed softly, and then tilted her head back to look at him. “Come on. What did she want?”
No way was he getting into this conversation with her. He couldn’t without bad-mouthing her mother, and he wasn’t doing that. “Why isn’t your brother being groomed to be a judge?”
Her lips parted slightly as she hesitated, and if they were anywhere else, he would’ve accepted the invitation. And if she didn’t quit soon…
“Cody is far too mercenary, hardly civil servant material.” She laughed softly and swept a quick glance around. “Oops, did I say that?”
Civil servant? That stopped Tony. He hadn’t thought of it that way. “Defense attorneys make more money, huh?”
“Oh, please.” She chuckled and then squinted at him. “Are you kidding?”
He shrugged. “How would I know?”
“Defense attorneys can make oodles of money. Especially defending white-collar clients.” She whispered. “My brother’s favorite kind of criminal.”
“What happened to innocent until proven guilty?”
“I wasn’t referring to the innocent ones.” She paused thoughtfully. “Although they usually end up racking up a lot more legal fees.”
“You’re so cute when you’re being materialistic.”
“Hey.” She lightly pinched his shoulder. “I was being analytical.”
“Oh.” He smiled and brought her closer so that she pressed her cheek against the base of his throat. His lips were touching her forehead. This is where he wanted her. Not leaning away from him analyzing the legal profession.
Besides, the dance floor had gotten more crowded. Good for him. It gave him an excuse to draw her closer. Bad for her in that she could be overheard and, since half the people there were either lawyers, judges or somehow related, she’d be better off zipping it.
Her arms tightened around his neck and she rubbed her cheek against his jaw. His body immediately reacted. If the song suddenly ended and he had to walk back to the table, he’d be screwed.
“Hello, Dakota.”
She lifted her head and smiled at the distinguished-looking older man dancing beside them with a much younger blond woman. “Hi, Judge Hawkins.”
He nodded to Tony and then said to Dakota, “We’re not in the courtroom. I think it would be okay to call me David.”
“That would feel a little too strange.”
He smiled, nodded and they moved apart, but not before the man gave Tony a sizing up.
Tony ignored him. “Is that his wife?”
“Nope. He’s divorced. Three times now.”
“He looks old enough to be her father.”
“Probably is. He likes them young.”
He obviously liked Dakota, but Tony didn’t point that out. The song wound down and he hoped like hell the band would stick to a slow beat. They did and everyone on the dance floor stayed. Several other couples crowded in and damned if they didn’t all seem to know Dakota. Their once-private area was getting to be as bad as Grand Central Station.
When it was announced that it was time to cut the cake, he didn’t even mind. Maybe after that they could get out of here. Even if he and Dakota just rode to the airport together, alone, no parents, no coworkers, and the evening ended there, he’d be okay with that. Not happy, but okay.
Glasses of champagne were passed out while Dallas and Eric got ready to cut the cake. Dallas got a little impatient when the photographer kept trying to reposition them and she dug into the cake with her fingers and offered the piece to Eric. Everyone laughed. Except Mrs. Shea, but that was no surprise.
In Tony’s experience, shortly after the cake was cut the bride and groom usually left the reception. That meant he and Dakota would be leaving, too. He glanced at his watch. No matter, they’d have to leave within half an hour to get to LaGuardia in time for their flight.
An older, distinguished-looking man had intercepted Dakota right before the cake cutting, and Tony scanned the room locating her in time to see her drain a flute of champagne and exchange it for another. She caught his eye and smiled, then raised the glass to him before gulping down half the contents.
What
