so when he chuckled and said, “There’s someone I want to talk to,” Ash had nodded and turned away.
And then he’d seen her. His heart had thudded painfully. Breathing became difficult. Prickles of heat rose on his nape.
Emily.
He’d found her.
Some unfamiliar joy trilled through him.
And then annoyance raked him when he realized she was the one Roman was heading for.
She was impossibly beautiful in a light green gown that clung to her curves. Her hair was done up in some elaborate swirly confection; the touch of lipstick snagged his attention, making him imagine those lips engaged in more intimate pursuits.
She was dazzling in purple overalls and a floppy hat. All dolled up like this, she was irresistible.
As he and Roman approached, her muscles stiffened infinitesimally. A veil shrouded her eyes. She hummed with a tension that reached out and grabbed him by the balls, and not in a good way.
He knew he’d hurt her. He just hadn’t realized how badly.
Seeing it, feeling it, nearly destroyed him.
Because he realized, his lame idea of simply apologizing and handing over some sparkly bauble wasn’t going to be nearly enough. If he wanted to win her back, he was going to have to do much, much more.
Although what that might be, he didn’t know.
“Emily.” Roman greeted her with an effusive hug. She stared at Ash over his shoulder as he rocked her back and forth. The agony on her delicate features hurt. Like a knife to the gut. When Roman finally let her go, she seemed to shrink inside herself. She threw her shoulders back and plastered an enormous smile on her face.
It was, patently, the fakest smile he’d ever seen.
He didn’t like it at all. It wasn’t… her .
“It’s been a long time.” Roman turned to Emily’s companions and winced. They were both bristling, like soldiers readying for war, wary glowers flicking from him to Roman and back again. “Kaitlin.” Roman held out a hand. The redhead’s lip curled. So when Roman greeted the brunette with the short bangs, he didn’t bother trying. He merely nodded. “Jamie.”
“Roman.” This she spat. “What are you doing here?”
Roman laughed and waved to a waiter, grabbing another flute of champagne, though he’d already had three—that Ash had counted. “I had to come…when I heard our Emily was organizing the event.” His expression became overly sincere. “Oh and because I really really care about…” He glanced at Ash. “What’s this a fund-raiser for again?”
Ash cleared his throat. “Teen Waystation.”
“Yeah. Teen Waystation.” Roman threw back his drink and snagged another. “Obesity is a terrible problem in our society.”
Emily made a sound, something like a snort.
“Teen Waystation is a homeless shelter.” Ash knew. He’d read the prospectus before deciding the amount the foundation would give. Now, however, he wished he’d written the check for more. He shook his head and his gaze tangled with Emily’s. She appeared torn between outrage and bemusement. She opted for politeness.
“Thank you very much for coming, Roman. I hope you have a wonderful evening.”
It appeared then, that she intended to slip away. Denial howled. He couldn’t let her go. Not now that he’d found her again. He opened his mouth to forestall her, but Roman beat him to it.
“Do you know Ash Bristol?” he asked. “From the Bristol Foundation?”
Emily nodded graciously in his direction. “I believe we’ve met.”
Ash thrust out a hand because he knew she would take it. She couldn’t not in a situation like this. Her manners would not allow her to give him the direct cut in a crowd of wealthy donors. It was a sleazy way to get to touch her, but Ash had few regrets, because when her palm slid across his, a dizzying sensation assailed him. And he remembered.
Oh, he’d always remembered. He’d remembered it all. But this was more. This was sensory memory. His body recognized her touch and delighted, exalted in it. The
And then he’d seen her. His heart had thudded painfully. Breathing became difficult. Prickles of heat rose on his nape.
Emily.
He’d found her.
Some unfamiliar joy trilled through him.
And then annoyance raked him when he realized she was the one Roman was heading for.
She was impossibly beautiful in a light green gown that clung to her curves. Her hair was done up in some elaborate swirly confection; the touch of lipstick snagged his attention, making him imagine those lips engaged in more intimate pursuits.
She was dazzling in purple overalls and a floppy hat. All dolled up like this, she was irresistible.
As he and Roman approached, her muscles stiffened infinitesimally. A veil shrouded her eyes. She hummed with a tension that reached out and grabbed him by the balls, and not in a good way.
He knew he’d hurt her. He just hadn’t realized how badly.
Seeing it, feeling it, nearly destroyed him.
Because he realized, his lame idea of simply apologizing and handing over some sparkly bauble wasn’t going to be nearly enough. If he wanted to win her back, he was going to have to do much, much more.
Although what that might be, he didn’t know.
“Emily.” Roman greeted her with an effusive hug. She stared at Ash over his shoulder as he rocked her back and forth. The agony on her delicate features hurt. Like a knife to the gut. When Roman finally let her go, she seemed to shrink inside herself. She threw her shoulders back and plastered an enormous smile on her face.
It was, patently, the fakest smile he’d ever seen.
He didn’t like it at all. It wasn’t… her .
“It’s been a long time.” Roman turned to Emily’s companions and winced. They were both bristling, like soldiers readying for war, wary glowers flicking from him to Roman and back again. “Kaitlin.” Roman held out a hand. The redhead’s lip curled. So when Roman greeted the brunette with the short bangs, he didn’t bother trying. He merely nodded. “Jamie.”
“Roman.” This she spat. “What are you doing here?”
Roman laughed and waved to a waiter, grabbing another flute of champagne, though he’d already had three—that Ash had counted. “I had to come…when I heard our Emily was organizing the event.” His expression became overly sincere. “Oh and because I really really care about…” He glanced at Ash. “What’s this a fund-raiser for again?”
Ash cleared his throat. “Teen Waystation.”
“Yeah. Teen Waystation.” Roman threw back his drink and snagged another. “Obesity is a terrible problem in our society.”
Emily made a sound, something like a snort.
“Teen Waystation is a homeless shelter.” Ash knew. He’d read the prospectus before deciding the amount the foundation would give. Now, however, he wished he’d written the check for more. He shook his head and his gaze tangled with Emily’s. She appeared torn between outrage and bemusement. She opted for politeness.
“Thank you very much for coming, Roman. I hope you have a wonderful evening.”
It appeared then, that she intended to slip away. Denial howled. He couldn’t let her go. Not now that he’d found her again. He opened his mouth to forestall her, but Roman beat him to it.
“Do you know Ash Bristol?” he asked. “From the Bristol Foundation?”
Emily nodded graciously in his direction. “I believe we’ve met.”
Ash thrust out a hand because he knew she would take it. She couldn’t not in a situation like this. Her manners would not allow her to give him the direct cut in a crowd of wealthy donors. It was a sleazy way to get to touch her, but Ash had few regrets, because when her palm slid across his, a dizzying sensation assailed him. And he remembered.
Oh, he’d always remembered. He’d remembered it all. But this was more. This was sensory memory. His body recognized her touch and delighted, exalted in it. The
Similar Books
