“Collins,” I corrected.
She released me, and her grin was back. “That’s my girl, Miss Alex Collins, and look at this dress. You’ll be the center of attention down there.”
I let out a long breath. “I guess it’s time.”
“It sure is. Let’s get this dog and—”
“Pony show underway,” I said, finishing her sentence. I went to the full-length mirror and did one last appraisal, pressing down the taffeta of my light blue dress.
Light blue… like eyes.
“You know,” I commented, “if I really were Alex and not Alexandria, I wouldn’t look like I just stepped out of Steel Magnolias.”
“You ain’t wearing no hat or white gloves. You look like a formal Alex.”
“Then why do I feel like Alexandria?”
“Because Alexandria’s a fine woman, too. It don’t matter what you call yourself. It matters what’s inside. You have a heart in there, one that knows what’s right and what’s wrong. That’s why one day you’re gonna make a great, powerful lawyer… maybe even a judge! Justice Collins.”
My smile faded. “Momma doesn’t want me to practice law.”
Confusion clouded Jane’s expression. “What? Not Mrs. Fitzgerald. No, you misunderstood her. She’s been telling everyone who’ll listen about you and what you doing.”
“I don’t think I misunderstood her, but that’s nice to hear.”
“Now git! Or that pony show will start without you.”
I nodded. Let the show begin.
Heads turned as I made my way down the winding staircase. There had to be at least ten people in the grand hall not including staff. With each step down, I saw more people in the front sitting room and more in the parlor. Keeping my smile plastered on my lips, I nodded and responded appropriately as each person welcomed me. “Alexandria, look how you’ve grown.” “Alexandria, it’s so nice to have you home.” “Congratulations, dear, on doing so well in college.” The front door continued to open allowing gusts of humid Georgia air to permeate the entrance as more and more people arrived.
The entire time, I searched the crowd for my mother. Where is she? She’s the reason I’m here.
“Alexandria!”
The muscles in my neck tightened as I turned toward my one-time best friend. She bobbed with excitement as her blonde hair, piled in some kind of curly bun, bounced and more curls fluttered around her perfect porcelain face. This was a world of smoke and mirrors. Everyone appeared ideal on the outside, but it was only an illusion.
“Millie.”
My neck stiffened and eyes rolled as she hugged me. With the eye roll, I caught the smirk of the tall, lanky man beside her. As soon as she released me, I offered my hand his way. “Hello, I’m Alex,” I said, fighting the urge to add andria. “You must be Millie’s fiancé?”
He shook my hand. “Yes, Ian. Ian Peterson.”
Millie thrust her left hand into my line of sight. The diamond was, well, a diamond on prongs. “Isn’t it wonderful?” she asked. “We’re so happy!”
“Yes, wonderful. Congratulations.”
“Ian has one more year of graduate school at Emory. So we set the date for next June, right after his graduation.”
“What about you, Millie?” I asked. “Are you going on to graduate school?”
She suddenly looked as if she’d eaten something sour. “Of course not. I have a wedding to plan.”
My plastered smile became increasingly thin. “I can see where that would take all your time.”
“Oh, you have no idea.” She leaned closer. “You don’t, do you? Last I heard you weren’t dating anyone.”
“I’m so glad my dating status is a matter of conversation.”
“Well, it wasn’t—really. It just came up when I was having lunch with Leslie and Jess. Jess said you never change your status on Facebook.”
Leslie and Jess were girls we’d gone to school with. At one time we were all part of the same crowd.
I shrugged. “Some of us are too busy dating to update our status.”
“Oh! Does that mean you are in a relationship?” The idea of having fresh gossip had her practically foaming at the mouth.
“It means it’s no one’s business but my own. I know from experience what can happen when others get involved.” I nodded toward Ian. “It was nice to meet you. Welcome to Savannah.” And I turned to walk away.
“Alexandria,” Millie called.
I exhaled as I spun back around. “Yes?”
“Since you’re home, you should have lunch with Jess, Leslie, and me. I know they’re coming tonight, but we need some girl time. You all have a shower to plan.”
There were more incorrect statements in her two sentences than I cared to clarify. “That sounds amazing.” This time I successfully walked away.
I finally found my mother in the parlor, a glass of white wine in her hand. I had to check my watch. Surely it was time for red. Hell, I was considering some of Alton’s Cognac. It was then I noticed Alton and the man he was talking to. They were laughing and patting one another on the shoulder—a refined pissing contest. Whichever man’s hand was higher was the alpha. I almost giggled as each pat moved increasingly higher. Pretty soon they’d be bopping each other on the back of the head.
“Mother,” I whispered in her ear. “Is that Senator Higgins?”
“Yes, dear.”
“Why is Senator Higgins at my party?” Remembering not to upset Adelaide, I refrained from labeling it graduation or welcome home.
“Well, you see, he’s working with Alton on a few things, things that will help Montague.”
The Montagues originally made their fortune in tobacco. Investments had diversified; however, tobacco was still a big piece of the pie. Taxes and other legal restraints on the cancer-inducing crop were always a battle.
I shook my head. “Well, it’s nice that we can get some bonus points with the senator at my party.”
“It’s quite an honor.” She stood taller. “How many of your friends have a senator at their party?”
“Gosh, Mom, I’m not sure. I’ll look into that.” I turned to walk away and murmured, “Right after I update my Facebook status.”
As I entered the sitting room, I caught a glimpse of Bryce at the far end of the room. Since he seemed occupied, talking with a man I didn’t know, I took a glass of wine from one of the caterers and turned. Being the guest of honor, I’d undoubtedly need to talk to him eventually, but I could delay that reunion as long as possible.
“Welcome home.”
Shit! I should have gone toward Bryce.
“Suzanna,” I tried for my most confident tone. “It’s nice to see you.”
“And you.”
“How are you these days?”
“Disappointed.”
My attempt at friendly small talk was shot to hell. Do I bite, or do I smile and walk away? I tilted my head and gave her my most sympathetic sigh. “I’m sorry to hear that. I hope things get better.”
“I have every reason to believe they will.”
“That’s great.”
Her tone lowered. “Don’t do it again.”
I straightened my neck. “Excuse me, don’t do what?”
“You know very well what I’m talking about. Don’t break his heart.”
“Suzanna, I haven’t seen or spoken to your—”
“I’m well aware of your lack of communication. But now that you’re home and he’s working for Montague—”
Interrupting her, I spoke in a hushed whisper. “I’m not home. I’m here for a visit. I will be leaving for law school in a matter of—”
A large hand landed on my shoulder as his voice whispered menacingly between Suzanna and me. “I hope we’re having a nice time at your party, Alexandria.”
My skin crawled at his touch. Stepping forward I turned toward my stepfather. “We’re just having a private discussion.”
Suzanna stood mute as I faced Alton.
“Don’t emba
rrass me or your mother. Perhaps private discussions would be better held in private.”
I returned my smile to my lips. To an outsider, I was having a nice conversation with Alton. “Perhaps if you were concerned about my embarrassing you, you should have thrown my party without me.”
“Alexandria, there are plans in the works. You don’t want to be the catalyst that changes them.”
“Someone needs to tell me what’s going on. I can’t support or change plans that I know nothing about.”
Alton reached for my arm, his grip tighter than it appeared. “Come with me.”
I planted my feet into the lush carpet, willing my heels to grow roots. “Unhand me this instant,” I said through gritted teeth, “or I promise you the biggest scene you’ve ever witnessed.” Red seeped from the collar of his shirt turning his neck crimson. Before it reached his face I added, “I’m sure the senator and some of your other cohorts would love to see your daughter lose her shit.”
He released my arm and leaned closer. “In my office in five minutes.” With that he turned and walked toward Bryce and the other man.
Suzanna’s eyes were wide as she stared at me. Instead of responding, I shook my head. The waiter was back with the tray of goblets of wine and I reached out and stopped him. Tipping my glass back, I emptied it, placed it on the tray, and took another. With a boost of liquid confidence, I turned back to Bryce’s mother. “It was a pleasure.” I allowed my usually-suppressed accent to grow thicker. “Let’s do lunch, shall we?”
I turned before she could reply.
As I resumed my duties as guest of honor, I fell into a nice conversation with one of my mother’s friends about Stanford. I hadn’t realized that she too was an alumna. It was so nice talking about the campus and hearing her memories that I lost track of time. Maybe it wasn’t that I lost track. Maybe it was my coping mechanism, the way I survived. I blocked out my confrontations with Alton like others blocked out a bad day at work. Once it was over, I put it aside. It didn’t do any good to dwell or recount it. Years of medicine for anxiety taught me that. I had forgotten all about my summons to his office until my mother appeared at my side.
“Excuse us, Betty.” My mother turned toward me. “Dear, we need you for a few minutes.” Speaking to both of us, she added, “It won’t take long.”
“What is this about?”
“I should have told you this afternoon. It was just that we were having such a lovely time. I—” She stopped talking as we came to the closed door. Then, before opening it, she said, “Please, Alexandria, don’t say anything rash.”
My step stuttered as she opened the door and three sets of eyes turned our direction.
DARKNESS DANCED IN the paleness of Nox’s gaze. “You don’t know your hard limits?”
I shook my head. “I-I’ve been very focused on school. I told you I just graduated. I really haven’t…” I lowered my chin. It wasn’t that I was a virgin. I wasn’t. But everything in my life as Alex had been sweet and overtly planned. Limits weren’t an issue. If I were to be completely honest, everything in Alex’s sex life had been boring. That was probably why I rarely dated. On the few occasions when I did become intimate, it was usually anticlimactic, in all meanings of the word. My vibrator and I had a better time than I did with the few men I’d known in college.
Chelsea said I overthought it and needed to put myself out more. I worried about the long-term consequences of following her advice. I suspected that many of my classmates would go on to impressive careers. The idea of running into one of them—a one-night stand—in a courtroom one day didn’t sit well with my long-term career goals. I was safer with my vibrator. It had no aspirations for the judicial system.
“You’ve had sex, haven’t you?” Nox asked.
“Yes,” I replied indignantly.
“So you know what you like? Right?” He was still looking at me with wide eyes.
I stood and wrapped my arms around my midsection. “Nox, I don’t think I know you well enough to have this conversation.”
Immediately, he was off the sofa and pulling me close. “You will.”
A shiver shuddered through me as his words rumbled from his chest to mine. His response was not only a promise, but also a threat. By the way my pulse skyrocketed, I was certain that the threat part intrigued me more than the promise.
“B-But we said one week. That’s it. That means no delving into one another’s lives.”
He lifted my chin. “Charli, it’s not your life I want to delve into.”
Oh shit!
My cheeks filled with heat. I wanted that too, but not yet. I was still trying to come to grips with the pendulum of emotions that Nox evoked within me. The way his voice ricocheted through my body, the way his touch surged with electricity, and the realization that even when I’d been upset, I still wanted him.
Then again, I reminded myself that I had been upset only an hour ago. I didn’t want make up sex to be what we did for our first time—first times were supposed to be special. “Can we take it a day at a time?”
He sighed. “We can. I want to reestablish the ground rules.”
Unknowingly, I rolled my eyes. “Again with the rules.”
“Yes,” he replied, undaunted by my reaction. “We touched on them in my suite, before you so rudely walked away.”
I pulled back from his embrace and crossed my arms over my chest. “I wasn’t rude. I thought—”
“You thought I was married.”
“I thought you were a cheater,” I clarified.
“Married men and cheaters… we’re establishing your list of hard limits. That’s good,” he added. “Charli, you don’t have to tell me any more about yourself than you want to. But I have a hard limit too—a rule: honesty. You need to be honest with me and I’ll do the same. You don’t need to tell me everything, but what you do tell me, I must be able to believe without question. I’m straightforward to a fault. I’m used to saying my mind, and I want others to do the same. I’m not a cheater or a liar nor do I get my feelings hurt. Don’t run away like you did tonight ever again. Tell me when something is bothering you—I can handle the truth.”
The guilt rushed over me. I lowered my arms and chin, no longer feeling as defiant as I had. My dishonesty about who I was had already broken his hard limit—his rule.
He reached for my chin and pulled my eyes back to his. “I mean it. Some of my tastes are unique—they aren’t for everyone. I understand that.” His thumb caressed my cheek. “And I’m willing to adapt if…” He paused. “…I like someone.” He leaned down and brushed his lips over mine. “Charli Moore, I like you. I have since the first time I saw you.” He shifted. “When Max was trying…”
I smiled at the change in his tone as he recalled this morning’s escapades. Jealous much? When he finished his account, I said, “I think I should go find Max.”
“Why?”
“Because I owe him a thank-you.” Fingering the small buttons of Nox’s shirt I added, “Because he brought you to my chaise.”
“I believe I mentioned that I would’ve gotten there one way or the other.”
“Well, I should thank Max anyway, because he provided you a way. And…” I leaned closer. “…I’m glad you got there.”
He held my hand, the one on his shirt. “If I only get one week with you…” His voice came breathier than before. “…I want it to count. Charli Moore, I want you to remember your stay at Del Mar.”
The guilt I’d felt earlier came rushing back, compressing my chest, and making breathing increasingly difficult. I hated cheaters and liars and wasn’t willing to be one of them. If this week was going to work, it was now or never. “Before that…” I lowered my chin and looked up at him through my lashes. “…I think I should confess.”
“Confess?”
“Though I only thought you broke my limit, I’ve broken yours, your hard limit—not intentionally,” I added. “More by omission.”
He stood taller, the ridges of his t
orso more defined under my touch. “How? What have you done?”
I exhaled. “I let you assume that Chelsea and I share a last name. We don’t. We have different fathers.” That wasn’t being dishonest. We also had different mothers, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to go that far.
“Is your name Charli?”
“It’s a nickname,” I answered honestly. Meeting his stare I asked, “Is your name Nox?”
The corner of his mouth twitched toward a grin. “It’s a nickname, too. So if Moore isn’t your last name, what is it?”
I tilted my head to the side. “Let’s spend the next week as Charli and Nox—no last names, no commitments. Can we do that?”
“You didn’t research who was staying in the presidential suite? You really don’t know my last name?”
I shook my head. “I didn’t. Not because I wasn’t curious—I am. But, I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t think of it until you mentioned it.”
His large hands traveled to my waist as his side grin turned into a full-blown sexy smile. As he tugged at the sash of my robe, his tone found the timbre that resurrected the butterflies deep inside of me. “Just know, Miss Charli no-last-name, the next time you break one of my rules, I won’t respond as lightly.”
“You won’t?” I asked, more aroused than curious. “What exactly does that mean?”
He moved closer, seductively teasing my breasts with the presence of his wide chest. “I guess we’ll need to find that out together.”
I had to lift my chin to see his eyes. The light blue sparkled with suggestions. The longer I stared, the more a part of me wanted to find out exactly what he had in mind. There was also a part of me that knew that wasn’t a good idea. I shrugged nonchalantly. “Then I guess I better not break any of your rules.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” he asked.
“Oh, I believe I can be all kinds of fun.” I gasped as he pulled me nearer. My nipples—the ones that had softened during our conversation—were now hard nubs burning with desire as they were pressed against his broad chest. That wasn’t our only connection that made my insides tighten. Lower, his hardening erection pushed against my stomach.
“Perhaps we could begin that fun tonight?” Nox asked.