Chapter Five
Five
Who was he fooling?
Marshall figured it was time to stop lying to himself. This evening with Tally at the ballet was a date. Or at least he wanted it to be. He was attracted to this woman...mind-blowingly attracted.
Leaning against the counter at the coat check and valet station, he handed his numbered card to one of the young men with a curt nod. One attendant grabbed keys, while the other excused himself to collect coats from the hangers.
Absently nudging a cluster of gold reindeer on the far end of the marble counter, he listened to Tally talk to Felicity. Even the soft timbre of Tally’s voice sent his mind whirring.
Itching to have her alone, he drummed his fingers on the counter, eager for the valet to hurry the hell up and bring his car around. Audience members filed past in a brush of gowns and winter capes.
Felicity buttoned her cape at the neckline. “Tally, thank you so much for sharing the extra ticket with me.” She paused, looking over her shoulder toward the twinkling Christmas tree at the far end of the lobby. “And for arranging transportation. I’ve had a lovely time.”
Tally gestured to Conrad. “Actually, it was Marshall’s uncle who secured the box and limousines for us.”
Marshall gathered Tally’s wrap from the coat check. He’d chosen to drive his SUV. It had seemed practical at the time. Now he accepted reality. He’d wanted to be alone with her for the drive rather than sharing her with others more than he already had to at the show.
How had he become this drawn to her this quickly? Especially since she was risky, the kind of attraction that could get under his skin and not let go. He’d always been a far more methodical man.
Except when he’d been drinking.
Felicity tugged on her leather gloves. “Your uncle doesn’t strike me as a supporter of the arts.
” She winced. “That came out wrong. I’m sorry.
I only meant that the Steeles seem drawn to outdoor recreation rather than this kind of grandeur.
” The social worker gestured to the grand lobby full of jeweled patrons and crystal chandeliers.
Stepping closer, Marshall held up Tally’s wool cape. “We are. But the ballet is a family tradition going back to when we were kids.”
Tally swept her auburn hair free of her cape, the silky hair rippling into place in a curtain he wanted to touch, to test the texture between his fingers.
To see it splayed over a pillow.
Smiling, Felicity held her silver clutch to her chest. “You’re kind to include me.”
“Well, our circle is expanding.” To put it mildly. He reached in his own coat pocket, feeling for his sobriety coin, reassured by the cool metal. Hell, anything to ground him and not make him seem too interested in Tally.
Tally looped her festive red scarf around her neck twice. “Felicity, I’ll be right back. I see the parents of a child I rocked last year.”
As Tally walked away, quiet descended for a moment before Felicity said, “She is an amazing individual.”
“I haven’t known her long, but I agree.” Very much so.
She turned her full gaze on him, pinning him with an unmistakably protective stare. “Handle with care.”
This was not a conversation he wanted to have, and certainly not one he wanted Tally to hear. “As I said, I haven’t known her for long.”
Felicity laughed softly. “You know what I do for a living, right?”
Marshall wondered where his big, nosy family was when he needed them to interrupt. “You’re a social worker for children.”
“I’m a social worker and a licensed counselor,” she said with a knowing grin. “I read people for a living. And you’re not fooling me. In fact, I would wager you’re not fooling the others, either.”
He was saved from answering by the limousine arriving to pick up her and his uncle. A blast of cold winter air blew through the open door as they left. With each bracing breath, Felicity’s words sank in a little deeper. Maybe she had a point.
He was attracted to Tally, and she felt the same. In reality, he wasn’t her boss. She was aware of the distinction, too. They both knew his stepmother was her actual boss, having interviewed and hired her to make sure the holidays and fund-raiser went off without a hitch.
If she wasn’t his employee...perhaps that was the answer.
They would be going their separate ways after Christmas. Emotions and long-term entanglement didn’t need to come into play. He wouldn’t drink, but he would have her.
Time for a serious talk—about not being serious.
Conrad clasped Felicity’s hand, easing her into the limousine. Just the two of them. Alone. Finally.
He settled into the black leather seat. Christmas carols filtered through the limo speakers. Luckily, Felicity hadn’t commented on the fact that no one else was along for the ride to her place.
The rest of his family—and extended family—had departed, taking different cars to different destinations.
Felicity’s cape fell open, revealing the red dress that hugged her curves. Her emerald green wrap brought out the golden flecks in her eyes. Dark hair swept up into a chic updo of some sort, feathery wisps framing her elegant face and calling to his hands to cup her cheeks, to taste her mouth.
But he could see the reserve in her eyes still.
He was a patient man. So he simply allowed himself to enjoy the view.
Tonight had given him the time with her he’d hoped for when he’d offered the extra ticket to Tally.
No doubt about it, he’d wanted to ask Felicity out since the day he met her, but she hadn’t looked open to passing out her phone number when he’d helped her get her car out of the snow.
So he’d begun planning the right time and approach to woo this fascinating woman.
Somehow, he didn’t think she would be won over by grand gestures of wealth.
But she had appeared to enjoy the ballet.
His desire for her ramped up. Already he could imagine the affair they could have. No strings. Short-term. Just two professionals enjoying explosive chemistry.
Conrad peeled off his gloves and stretched an arm along the back of the seat, Christmas lights outside twinkling as they drove through the capital city. “Would you like some sparkling water? Or champagne?”
She swept back a stray lock. “Water, please, thank you.”
Did she know she was playing with her hair? Given her career skills reading body language, she had to know she was sending off sensual vibes.
Conrad reached into the mini fridge and selected sparkling water for Felicity before sitting beside her again.
She smiled, looking through her lashes at him. “I hear I owe you a thanks for the amazing seat and intermission party tonight.”
“You owe me nothing.” He passed her the small bottle of sparkling water as the limo pulled away from the theater. Their hands brushed, heat rising between them. “Attending The Nutcracker is a family tradition.”
“And you always have the intermission party?” She sipped slowly, her lips a pale pink that drew his gaze.
He focused his attention back on her eyes. “That was my gift to the family this year, expanding the experience. You may have noticed that our family is large and growing fast. It would take just about all year to shop for everyone. So I planned this instead.”
And yes, he’d had to pay a small fortune to purchase the extra seat with theirs, but it had been worth it to have her join them tonight.
Her eyes flickered over him, assessing. “Sounds to me like you’re downplaying your role in orchestrating this. It’s an incredibly thoughtful thing to do for your relatives.”
He stayed silent. He wanted to pull his weight being a part of the family, but was also aware this was his brother’s family.
Conrad had been married briefly, and almost married once.
He’d thought he might one day have kids of his own when he was engaged.
After his engagement had ended just shy of the altar, he’d opted to stay single and enjoy being an involved uncle.
All of which was too much to tell this woman he wanted an affair with. She was sexy as hell.
Which also didn’t sound like the right angle for a pickup line.
The driver maneuvered through the well-lit town.
Conrad had grown up here, and somehow the lights in the main square never ceased to fill him with something that felt a lot like hope.
His mother and father had taken their family to the annual lighting ceremony every year.
Always dressed in a puffy black parka, his mother had instructed him and Jack to make a wish the moment the lights powered on.
While he hadn’t made it to the lighting ceremony this year, he still found a wish on the tip of his tongue as they passed holiday lampposts.
His eyes flickered from the scene outside, back into another source of light. Felicity leaned forward, a question forming on her lips. He touched the furrow in her brow lightly, the dim lights of the car casting a warm glow across her face. “What?”
She shook her head. “Nothing important.”
“Try me.”
She narrowed her eyes, a smile playing with her lips. Those eyes sparkling. “I’m wondering whose idea it was for me to come—in the interest of thanking the right person.”
The more truthful the better. He had a feeling if she sensed he was playing with the truth, then he wouldn’t stand a chance. “I offered the extra ticket to Tallulah, hoping she would ask you.”
“Hoping, huh?”
The limousine turned, the bumps in the road causing them to jostle closer together. “You make quite an impact, lady.”
“Are you flirting with me?” Sipping her water, she watched him through her eyelashes.
“Absolutely.” And he could see he’d made progress with her, but she wasn’t at the point where she would accept. The chase was on. “Go out with me.”
She gave a low laugh. “With an eloquent request like that, I’m amazed you’re still single.”
A light chuckle escaped him. A genuine one. “I’m known for being one of the more charming members of my family. Yet you have me at a loss for words.”
“I think there may be a compliment in there somewhere.”