Chapter 38
The Gold Ballroom was enchanting.A crystal chandelier that had once graced a European palace winked with golden rays.
I scanned the room, searching for my mother. No doubt she was looking for me as well.
“Well, hot damn,” Charlie said as she sauntered toward us, holding a glass of champagne. She turned to Bones. “You clean up good.”
Bones grinned down at her. “Glad to see a friendly face.”
“I’m not a friendly face?” I asked.
“Another friendly face,” he clarified. He held out his hand to Charlie. “Royce Dalton, pleasure to meet you.”
Charlie shook his hand and batted her eyes. “The pleasure is all mine.”
“You’re not hitting on my boyfriend, are you?” I asked.
“Boyfriend?” Charlie raised her brows. “That’s new. And I’m not hitting on him. I’m preparing him for all the divorcees and cougars who are going to swoop in and try to seduce him.”
“Hmm. Have you seen my mother?” I asked.
“Yes, she’s standing with my mother,” Charlie said. “You’ve said nothing about my dress.”
It was a red confection that hugged her curves and matched the color of her lips.
“You look stunning, as always,” I remarked. “I’m surprised you wore a gown that didn’t show off your new shoulder tattoo.”
“I thought about it,” she stated. “But then I realized it wasn’t worth the fight with my mother.”
“You’re playing nice?” I asked.
“Trying to. Come on, I want to be there when your mother meets your new boyfriend.”
I was mindful of the plug with every step. And each step kept me on the brink of arousal. By the end of the night, I was going to be a puddle of hormones and greedy demands.
I glanced at Bones who shot me a knowing smirk. I bared my teeth. He winked.
We garnered several looks as we trekked across the ballroom. People stared with avid curiosity at Bones. He wore a tux like he’d been born in one. Part of me had worried that he’d feel uncomfortable. It wasn’t like a tuxedo was his everyday wear. He wasn’t James Bond.
My mother was holding court, laughing and conversing with my stepfather and godparents. Three carat diamonds winked at her ears. Her blonde hair was still shiny and bright and hadn’t yet begun to fade due to the inevitable passage of time.
“Hayden,” she greeted, a wide smile blossoming across her delicate mouth.
“Hello, Mom.” I dropped my hand from Bones’ elbow so I could lean in and brush my cheek against my mother’s.
My stepfather enveloped me in a quick hug and then I turned to Charlie’s parents and exchanged a greeting with them.
“Mom, I’d like you to meet Royce Dalton.” I gestured to Bones and watched my mother’s eyes light up.
“Mr. Dalton.” Mom held out her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Pleasure’s all mine, Mrs. Walsh.”
“Please, call me Marilyn.” Mom dropped her hand and gestured to my stepfather. “My husband, Arnold.”
My stepfather’s gaze that had been warm moments before was suddenly cooler, but he took Bones’ offered hand.
“And my godparents,” I added. “Dina and Patrick Sutherland. They’re Charlie’s parents.”
“Where have you been hiding him, Hayden,” my godmother teased.
“I’m afraid that’s my fault,” Bones said with an impish smile. “From the moment I met Hayden, I’ve been doing everything in my power to monopolize her time.”
Charlie choked on a laugh.
“Are you all right, darling?” Dina asked her daughter.
“Fine,” she said. “But I’m in desperate need of another glass of champagne.”
“Royce, can I interest you in a glass of scotch?” Patrick inquired.
“Only if it’s a glass of SINNERS,” Bones quipped. “It’s all I drink when I come to The Rex.”
I raised my brows in surprise. How could Bones possibly know about the hotel owner’s unique and ultra-expensive small batch single malt scotch? I filed the question away to ask later.
“Good man,” Patrick said. “Arnold, you want to join us?”
“Sure,” my stepfather replied. “We’ll be back in a few with drinks.” He kissed my mother’s cheek and then I watched my godfather, my stepfather, and my boyfriend all head in the direction of the bar.
When they were out of ear shot, Dina said, “I’m pretty sure your boyfriend has the power to reverse menopause.”
“Dina!” I laughed.
My mother giggled. “Well, darling, based on looks alone—and how he fills out a tuxedo jacket—I think you did very well.”
“Wait until you get to know him,” Charlie said. “You’ll like him even more. Plus, he treats Hayden like a princess.”
“How did you two meet?” Mom asked.
Bones and I had agreed to stick to the closest version of the truth we could without telling outright lies that would burn us later. “We met the night I went to Chaos with Charlie.”
“And it was lust—I mean love at first sight?” Dina joked.
“Lust,” Charlie stated. “Definitely lust.”
“Charlie,” I warned.
She held up her hands.
“That sounds like a good story,” my mother pressed.
“That’s basically it. We met at Chaos and then he pursued me until I finally gave in.”
“Hoops. There were so many hoops,” Charlie added.
I glared at her.
“Oh stop, you know there were hoops,” she stated.
“Hoops are good,” Mom said. “Hoop jumping proves that he wants to be with you. That you’re not just a conquest.”
“Nothing wrong with being a conquest,” Dina murmured, staring off in the direction of the bar.
“Stop ogling my boyfriend,” I said with a laugh.
“Darling, it’s impossible to do that,” Mom said. “He’s so…so…”
“Masculine,” Dina supplied. “Virile.”
“Ew, Mom, please never say that again,” Charlie muttered.
“There’s a rascal quality to him, isn’t there? It’s in the twinkle of his eyes,” Mom said with a sigh. “I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks, Mom.” My heart lifted.
The men returned and Bones handed me a glass of sparkling water with a lime. He took a sip of his scotch and then wrapped his arm around me, pressing me against his side.
“They make a beautiful couple,” Mom said. “Don’t they, Arnold?”
“Beautiful,” my stepfather agreed, though his tone belied what he was saying.
“Think of their children,” Dina said, causing me to choke on my drink.
“They’d be gorgeous,” Bones said easily. “But they’d get all of that from Hayden.”
“Oh my.” My mother placed her hand on her heart. “Already talking about children. It must be serious.”
“Actually,” I began.
“As serious as it gets,” Bones interjected, looking down at me. “I’m crazy about this one.”
“Hayden’s a hard sell,” my stepfather stated. He shot Bones a lofty stare. “It’ll take more than just a pretty face to make her fall in love.”
“I guess I’ve got my work cut out for me then,” Bones joked, causing the ladies to laugh.
Arnold downed half his glass of scotch in one swallow.
“I don’t know. I think Hayden might be sold,” my mother said thoughtfully as she looked at me.
“Let’s stop talking about my relationship,” I suggested. “There are so many other things we could talk about.”
“Like what?” Dina asked.
“Yeah, like what?” Patrick parroted.
“Oh, uh, how beautiful the room looks, the delicious food that will be served, the exorbitant donations being made tonight,” I suggested.
My stepfather reached into his breast pocket and pulled out his cell. He looked at the screen. “Excuse me a moment, I have to take this.”
“You promised,” Mom whined.
“I won’t be gone long.” He flashed her a strained grin and strode from the room.
Mom’s gaze wandered to Bones’ arm which was still tightly wrapped around me. He didn’t look at all concerned that my godparents and mother were openly examining him.
They began to talk to each other and for a moment they were so caught up in discussing us that I was able to whisper to Bones, “We could escape now, and I don’t think they’d notice.”
“They’d notice, and then give us hell tomorrow at dinner.”
“Tomorrow at dinner?” Mom asked as she turned to look at us again.
I sighed. “We’re both coming to Sunday dinner.”
“This is serious,” Mom said. “You never invite men to Sunday dinner.”
“Mother,” I warned.
“Anyone want to take bets on when they get married?” Patrick asked.
“A year out at least,” Mom said. “We’ll need time to plan the wedding, which would be nearly impossible in that time anyway.”
“Okay, that’s enough,” I stated.
“Royce doesn’t look like the type who wants to wait,” Dina said. “I give it six months.”
“Dina!”
“You’re both wrong,” Charlie interjected. “Hayden’s gun shy so it would take some time for Royce to convince her…”
“Traitor,” I snapped. I looked at Bones. “You want to say something?”
He smiled. “No. I’m enjoying the conversation.”
I elbowed him in the ribs, causing him to grunt and release me.
“Darling, if you married him sooner rather than later, you’d be able to take your rightful seat on the board,” Mom said.
I shot Charlie a panicked look.
“Okay, enough talking about them,” Charlie stated. “Who wants to see my new tattoo?”
As Charlie expertly diverted the attention of my godparents with her announcement about her tattoo, a server approached my mother and pulled her away.
Bones took the opportunity to sweep me to the other end of the room.
“Slow down,” I muttered. “I can’t walk as fast as you right now.”
He immediately slowed as I reminded him of the toy currently nestled in my body.
“I’m sorry about that,” I said when we had a moment of privacy. “I should’ve warned you that’s how they were going to be.”
“I’m not upset by that,” he said. “I think your family is hilarious—and they obviously love you very much.”
“Okay, but can you ignore all the marriage stuff?” I begged.
He took a sip of his scotch. “What did your mother mean?”
“About what?” I averred.
“You know what. What board? What seat?”
I sighed. “My father was the President and CEO of Spencer Pharmaceuticals. When he died, his trust was clear…in order to inherit my seat on the board, I had to wait until I was thirty years old or be married.”
He frowned. “Why those stipulations?”
“Not sure, really. I think because he thought if I was married, it would mean I was more stable.”
“But you’re not thirty or married,” he pointed out. “So, who’s in control of the seat?”
“My stepfather,” I said. “He and my father were business partners.”
“I see,” Bones murmured.
“It’s been a lifesaver, really,” I stated. “I haven’t been in a head-space to even contemplate taking my rightful seat on the board. It’s still too painful to think about my father’s company. Everything about it reminds me of him. It was his legacy.”
He took another swallow of his drink but didn’t reply.
“Your turn to answer a question for me. How did you know about SINNERS scotch?”
A smile swept across his face. “Prez is long-standing friends with Flynn Campbell. I know all about The Rex and SINNERS. Surprised?”
“Completely,” I said with a laugh.
“I heard Ramsey Buchanan is supposed to make an appearance here tonight,” Bones drawled.
“You know Ramsey?”
“I haven’t met him, no. Do you know Ramsey?”
“I’ve met him a few times. My parents’ circle overlaps with his.”
“I’m surprised your mother didn’t try to marry you off to Ramsey—what with him being the most eligible bachelor in all of Dallas.”
I sniggered. “She tried.”
“You’re not serious.”
“Well, sort of. I mean, she kept inviting him to events, but he was out of the country for a while. Always sent his condolences that he couldn’t be there.” I placed a hand on his chest and stared up at him. “Who knows how my life would’ve turned out if I’d met him.”
His gaze darkened. “Are you trying to make me jealous?”
“Maybe. Is it working?”
He covered my hand with his and then leaned close to my ear and whispered, “You deserve to be punished. I’m going to spank that ass and then fuck it. How about that?”
My breath hitched and I nearly shuddered from the primal, raw possession in his voice.
“Hayden?”
I whipped back so fast I nearly toppled on my heels. My mouth was suddenly dry and my face leeched of color when I realized who’d interrupted my private moment with Bones.
“Tyler,” I said, my tone shaky.
My ex-boyfriend was tall and thin, built like a runner, with sandy blond hair. His pale blue eyes shifted to the man standing behind me, the man who was currently wrapping a possessive arm around me.
I instantly relaxed into the solid wall of Bones’ chest.
“It’s good to see you,” Tyler stated.
When I didn’t reply, he took a step forward and held out his hand toward Bones. “I don’t think we’ve met.”
“We haven’t,” Bones said, his tone clipped.
Tyler stood straighter and dropped his hand.
Years of manners bred into me forced the words from my lips. “Tyler Armstrong, Royce Dalton. Royce is my?—”
“Boyfriend,” Bones interjected.
“Boyfriend,” Tyler repeated. “Your mother didn’t mention you were dating anyone.”
I clenched my jaw so hard, I worried I’d crack my teeth. “Well, I am. Excuse us.”
When I tried to take a step forward, Bones’ arm tightened around me even more.
I glanced up at Bones who wasn’t even looking at me. He was staring at Tyler. Without taking his eyes off my ex, he lifted his glass of scotch to his lips and took a drink.
“I’d like to get some air,” I said pointedly.
Bones finally looked down at me and cracked a smile. “Whatever you want, Duchess.”
He released me and took my hand, linking his fingers through mine.
We strode past my ex. I slapped a smile on my face as I met gazes of guests who I recognized but didn’t stop to greet.
Bones ushered me from the room with a sense of urgency. We didn’t speak as we walked across the marble lobby floor toward the elevators. He pushed the button, and a carriage came almost immediately.
I didn’t ask where he was taking me, I just enjoyed his command of the situation.
Bones kept his fingers linked with mine, even as we stepped out of the elevator to the Whiskey Room, the hotel’s sensuous rooftop bar with glass walls that showed off the Dallas skyline.
The fireplace roared with giant flames. Customers sat on leather couches and enjoyed after-dinner drinks and conversation.
Bones led me to the doors and we stepped out onto the roof terrace. I gulped a breath of fresh cold air and immediately shivered.
He stripped off his tuxedo jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders. I hugged it tight, a whiff of his cologne hitting my nose.
“That was your ex, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah.” I shook my head. “I had no idea he was going to be here tonight. My mother didn’t say anything?—”
“I’m not mad.”
“No?”
“Well, not at you.” He shot me a lopsided smile. “I was ready to punch his face in. But I don’t think your mother would’ve appreciated that at her event.”
“Definitely not,” I agreed. “But it might’ve been fun to watch.”
He grasped the lapels of his tuxedo jacket and pulled me close. “I need to touch you.”
I swallowed. “Touch me how?”
He gently backed me up until I hit the stone wall. Even though the city lights illuminated the sky and there were terrace lights, he’d moved me into the shadows at the side of the bar, discreetly out of view for anyone unless they walked a very specific path around the corner.
“Spread your legs, Duchess.”
I immediately spread my legs.
He caged me in with one of his hands pressing against the stone wall. The other hiked up the skirt of my dress.
Bones grazed a finger over the lace of my panties, causing me to shudder.
“I’m going to slide my fingers inside you, Duchess. I’m going to make you come and you’re not going to make a sound. Do you understand?”
I nodded eagerly.
He continued to play with the scrap of fabric shielding me from his complete touch.
I bit my lip to stifle my demand that he hurry up and make me explode.
His eyes were on me, watching me, gauging me.
Finally, he slid aside my thong and rested his finger at my warm entrance. He glided in the tip and stopped.
I glared at him, wanting to shout at him and beg him to continue.
He sank his finger all the way inside me.
I shuddered around him, clenching, the plug in my ass shifting as I did.
“Bones,” I whispered.
“Not a word, Duchess,” he growled.
I nodded so he knew I’d heard him.
He pumped his finger in and out, changing the rhythm until I was biting my lip to stifle my cries.
Bones added another finger as his thumb swiped across my clit.
My knees collapsed, but his arm was suddenly there to hold me up. His fingers were inside my body and I was clamping down on them like my life depended on it.
“You’re gonna come for me, Duchess. You’re gonna come all over my fingers while that plug is in your ass and you’re going to beg me for more. Aren’t you?”
I nodded as his fingers picked up speed. He knew just the way to curl them, just the amount of pressure to use.
The idea that anyone could walk by and see us and guess what we were doing had me clenching around him, squeezing until I was coming hard and fast.
Something clanked against the terrace stone as I grabbed his bicep and rode out my orgasm.
When my tremors began to subside, Bones gently slid out of me and I watched him lick my desire from his fingers.
I suddenly felt empty.
My eyes widened in horror when I realized what had fallen to the ground.
My orgasm had been so furious that my body had pushed out the butt plug.
I shoved against him and hastily looked around. It was laying on the stone near my feet. I hastily reached for my clutch that I’d set on the terrace wall and pulled out a white handkerchief. I urged Bones to move so I could lean down and wrap the butt plug in the handkerchief and then hastily slid it into my clutch.
“You’re bright red right now,” he commented.
“How can you tell? It’s dark out here.”
“Not that dark.” He gently grasped my chin and lifted my gaze to his. “You were perfect.” His lips barely touched mine.
“I probably look a mess,” I muttered. “We better get back to the ballroom before people start noticing we’re missing.”
“Duchess,” he drawled, a smile blooming across his face. “They see us coming back into the room, they’re gonna know. No way to hide it.”
I groaned. “Then let me find a bathroom so I can fix my appearance.”