Chapter 22
At eight o’clock sharp, I left my car with the valet at the Balleystone Hotel, not something that I would normally do, but when acting the part of Cinderella, it was important to use all of the amenities. The Balleystone itself was a fantastic historic mansion that had been converted recently into a lavish and exclusive hotel. Tonight it was hosting the Savannah Historical & Genealogical society’s annual fundraiser gala.
The doorman dressed in his own black and white tuxedo for the evening opened the door as I approached. The idea that I could get used to this kind of treatment flitted through my mind. Another thing I could get used to was the way I felt in this glorious dress. My only fear was that tonight would not be everything I hoped for. My nerves tried to take over, and I had begun to wonder why I thought Heath would even be here tonight.
Just inside the foyer, I paused to look at the photographs that lined the walls. The usual paintings had been replaced with sketches of Savannah before the dawn of its modern age. It was fascinating to see what Cara must have looked upon when she first came to the city almost two hundred years ago. I was lost in my thoughts and almost jumped out of my skin when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I whipped around and almost stumbled in my heels, but Kelly grabbed me with both hands and steadied me, “Whoa, there girl; steady as she blows.”
I laughed with true mirth, “God, Kelly. This place is so grand. I can’t believe that I’m here and in this great dress too.” I glanced around making sure that no one was in listening distance and leaned closer to confide in her, “I have to tell you that I’m feeling very much like Cinderella at the ball.”
Kelly laughed with me even as her eyes strayed to something behind me. I started to turn around, but she stopped me, “Uh uh. Don’t look now; it will spoil the effect when he sees you for the first time.”
“Who? What are you talking about Kelly,” I hissed.
She grinned. “You’ll see in 5-4-3-2-1. Show time.”
From behind me I heard a familiar voice, “Miranda?”
My eyes grew wide as I stared at Kelly. Her eyes told me what I needed to know, Heath Brandon was standing directly behind me. I schooled my features as any southern belle had learned and turned in all my elegance at his summons.
When I saw his face, I smiled with pleasure. “Heath! It’s great to see you. I had no idea that you would be here tonight to support the historical society.”
For a moment, it looked like he was not going to answer my question, but then he cleared his throat. “Well, actually I’m staying here as a guest. I had no idea there was a party going on. My loss,” he said as his eyes traveled over me taking in allof my splendor.
I raised my brow, “Truly.” I glanced over at Kelly and introduced them. “Heath, this is my friend Kelly Burton. Kelly, this is Heath Brandon.”
Kelly inclined her head at Heath and then grinned at me and jumped right in. “So this is Heath. It’s nice to finally meet you after hearing so much about you. I feel as if we are already old friends.”
Bless his heart, Heath looked confused, but with true gallantness he answered, “It would certainly be my pleasure to have you as a friend, but who should I thank for the good character reference?”
Kelly pasted a coy look on her face and looked between Heath and me in mock confusion. I was so going to kill her. “Well, you must forgive me, Heath, but I thought surely you were aware that I knew you through Miranda.”
Kelly continued her stunned innocence look, and Heath turned to stare at me through hooded eyes. And damn, here I was hoping to romance him, not put him off his dinner. When no one spoke, I turned helplessly to Kelly. “Perhaps it’s time we head into the ballroom. I think I hear the band starting to play a waltz.” Then to thicken the innuendo, I added, “I do so love to waltz!”
Instead, Heath reached out and captured my hand in his. I looked back at him, but his eyes still held that hard glint that said danger instead of affection. In his deep rumbling and completely sexy voice, he asked me to dance. “Miranda, I would love to waltz with you.”
His offer seemed more a demand than an invitation, and my back went up instantly. I said with as much ice as possible, “I’m sorry, Heath, as much as I would love to dance with you, I’m afraid the ball is a private affair, and you don’t seem to have a ticket.”
I tried to discreetly pull my hand from his grasp, but he clung to it like kudzu on a power line, meaning there was no chance in hell he was letting go. I breathed deeply and looked to Kelly for help. She had the audacity to wink at me as she reached into her evening bag. “I think I can solve this problem for you, Miranda. Ah..yes, there it is.” And what do you think she pulled out of that bag of hers…That’s right an extra ticket which she promptly handed to Heath. “You two go have a lovely time now,” and with that she walked away and left me alone with a man who looked as if he wanted to murder me.
I mumbled under my breath, “I am going to have to speak with her about picking up on signals for God’s sake!”
Heath tucked my hand into the crook of his arm and steered me toward the ballroom doors. “What was that, Miranda?”
I smiled sweetly at him, “Oh nothing, Heath. I was just saying how much I was going to enjoy this.”
Heath gave me that look again and then grinned his own wolfish smile, “Not as much as I will, my dear. Not as much by half.”
I swallowed deeply and allowed him to pull me onto the dance floor and into his arms.
As the music played, we quickly fell into step with the other dancers. The romance of it all was not lost on me, but it seemed to be the last thing on Heath’s mind. His eyes still held a dangerous glint, and I was powerless against them. My surrender must have shown in my eyes because Heath suddenly pulled me tightly against his body and hissed in my ear, “Damn it, Miranda! What kind of game are you playing here?”
I ran my hand from its perch on his wonderfully broad shoulder up to cup the back of his neck. I let my fingers tangle in his hair. “I’m not playing any kind of game. Why are you so angry?”
Heath glanced around the dance floor, but no one else seemed to be aware of our conversation. “I’m angry with myself for not being able to resist you tonight. And I’m angry with myself for putting you in danger.”
“Oh, Heath,” I breathed in relief.
He held up his hand to silence me. “Don’t. There’s more. I’m also angry with you for putting me in this position.”
“Me! Just what exactly is my fault! I came to a party with a friend, a party to which may I remind you that you did not even have a ticket to attend!”
Heath looked at me with a hard stare. “You knew none of that would matter to me when I saw you in that dress.”
I glanced briefly down at my gown and sighed in pure female pleasure. “Yeah, it’s definitely a great dress.” I ran my hand down its length as we twirled. “I love it.”
Heath grunted, “I love it too. That’s the problem!”
I looked askance at him. “It’s a problem that I look good?”
Heath looked heavenward as if praying for strength. “No, it’s a problem that you set my body on fire! It’s a problem that I can’t keep my eyes or my hands off of you! It’s a problem that all I want to do is take this damn dress off of you, lay you down in my bed, and make love to you! And it’s even more of a problem because by doing that, I will ruin the deal I am here to make tonight, which does not seem very important to me right now, but will be a huge regret for me in the morning.”
I looked into his eyes and saw the battle that he waged with himself. It was the same battle that was going on inside of me. I ran my hand down the side of his face, the face that I loved and the face that I saw in my dreams and in my fantasies.
I heard myself asking him, “When do you have to do this business, or can we keep dancing?”
Heath looked back at me as if searching my soul; he may very well have been. “Can I trust you?”
I nodded. “Yes,
you can because I have made up my mind that I can trust you.”
Heath tightened his grip for a moment almost painfully so, “Maybe you should not be so trusting.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t, but my heart will not believe anything else.” I paused weighing my options and decided to go for broke. “No matter what anyone else tells me about you; my heart knows you better than that.”
For a brief instant, his eyes softened into pools of liquid steel, and in the moment, I knew he understood exactly what I was trying to say. Then his eyes hardened again, and we moved effortlessly from one song to another. As we swayed, he told me what I needed to know. “I have to meet someone during dinner. I’m not sure how long it will take, and I don’t want you trying to follow me.” He pulled me away from his body and stared me in the eyes so I could see how important this was.
I nodded, “I’ll wait here for you. I’m having dinner with Kelly at the main table, and after that I’ll mingle until you return.”
Heath hesitated, “Or after dinner, you could take my key and rest in my room.”
I pretended to think about it. “I’m sure all of this dancing will have worn me out, so perhaps I should wait for you in your room.”
With that settled, he pulled me back against his body so that we touched as much as two fully clothed bodies could touch in full view of two hundred people.
We danced seamlessly from song to song, not really paying any attention to anyone or anything else but each other. Time passed all too quickly, and the band announced that it was time to adjourn to the dining room for the dinner and auction portion of the evening. Even though he was not staying for dinner, Heath insisted on escorting me to my table and who was I to refuse? This was after all my Cinderella evening, so naturally, my prince should be so charming. Kelly was at the table already as were several of the people with whom she worked. I recognized several of them from my visits to the Society. They welcomed me, and we fell into easy polite conversation.
Heath leaned down and spoke into my ear. “I’ll see you later.” He slipped me the key and squeezed my hand. I looked up into his eyes. If it was possible to combust from the passion I saw there, I would be ashes. I watched him as he walked from the room, wondering where he was going and knowing that I could not ask.