“We’d be on our way, else we might never make it,” he said.
I nodded, incapable of speech.
“Have fun you two!” Khloe shouted, still hiding in the kitchen. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
That left open a plethora of possibilities.
He escorted me from the apartment and out the building to a waiting limo where the driver stood holding the door open for us. I ducked into the vehicle, sliding across the bench to make room for Dmitry as he followed me. I fisted my hands in my lap to keep from reaching out for him right away.
If I touched him now, I wouldn’t want to stop.
He kept his hands to himself as well as the limo pulled away from the curb and slid into traffic. We rode in silence to the museum, the air between us charged with unsatisfied sexual tension. I felt cramped in the spacious interior of the vehicle as his presence simply overwhelmed me. He was a big man, but he seemed larger with every moment that passed. When we reached the museum, it was a relief.
I didn’t know that I’d be able to control myself a minute longer.
The driver opened the door again, and Dmitry assisted me out. Hooking my hand back through his arm, he walked me to the museum’s front doors, and we entered to find it crowded with the well-dressed elite of Boston.
“Don’t wander away,” he whispered as he led me into the party. “I don’t want another man thinking he can steal you from me.”
His possessiveness thrilled me, and I nodded with a blush.
“Yes, sir. I’ll stay close.”
He jerked his chin in approval, then snagged two glasses of champagne from the tray of a passing waiter. Handing me one of the flutes, he clinked our glasses together and met my eyes.
“To what I hope will prove a very…fulfilling evening for the both of us.”
I didn’t miss the promise behind his words. My belly clenched with want, and I drank my champagne to give me something to do that wasn’t him and to calm my nerves. As we stood together, other guests began approaching to greet and speak with Mr. Maslow. I wandered off to the side as his attention was stolen again and again. I didn’t mind, though. I liked watching him interact with other people. He was poised and confident. Men came to shake his hand, and women batted their lashes and smiled at him with obvious desire in their eyes. He acknowledged each of them with a polite nod, but there was clearly no interest on his part.
I grinned into my glass, giddy that this man impressive man was here with me tonight. He wanted me and no one else. It was intoxicating, knowing I held his full interest even when he wasn’t standing right beside me or looking at me.
“You’re looking quite lovely tonight, Winter.”
I froze at the voice at my back, familiar and despised. Slowly, I turned to find an older man with graying hair and amber eyes smirking down at me.
“William,” I snapped, almost choking on his name. “I didn’t realize you’d be here tonight.”
Although it made sense, given his current connection to McAllister Holdings. It was the same reason Dmitry and I were present tonight, after all.
“I was going to say the same about you, my dear. You seem quite cozy with Maslow, hanging from his arm like a pretty accessory. I’m assuming that the new position is going well?”
“Get fucked, William,” I growled, hating that this bastard had the ability to make me feel cheap. “What do you want? Awfully risky talking to me in public like this, isn’t it?”
He shrugged. “I saw you enter and thought it would be rude not to stop over to say hello.”
I knew that was bullshit. He wanted to mess with Mr. Maslow, somehow, but he was jeopardizing his whole scheme by approaching me. Someone may be able to connect us. To figure out who I really was.
“You need to go,” I hissed. “If Mr. Maslow sees you talking to me, he’ll—”
“William, what a pleasant surprise.” I jumped and glanced over my shoulder to see Dmitry approaching us, his stride confident and a predatory grin lingering on his lips.
Shit. Did he hear me? How do I explain this?
He came to a stop when he stood next to me and draped his arm around my waist. It was a casual move to the undiscerning eyes, but I could tell he was staking his claim. Warning off the male he perceived to be a threat.
If only he knew how much of a threat William really was.
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