THIRTY | Unexpected | Mitt
THIRTY
Unexpected
Mitt
D amn, Tinsley was stubborn. She was bullheaded and on a mission as she combed through the crowd. For a moment, I couldn’t see her until I glimpsed the red sparkle of her dress entering through some double doors. I followed her trail, but the desperation to catch up to her almost caused a collision with a server coming out of the kitchen as I made my way in. I muttered a brief half-assed apology, carrying on in my search for Tinsley. Within seconds, I heard her voice utter words God would frown upon, but I loved every syllable from her pretty little lips.
She ripped open box after box in a flurry. Her gorgeous face displayed pure panic as used tape fell out of her hands. One after the other, she searched inside and she backed away from the packages but paced the floor. She walked back and forth with her heels clicking against the floor as the kitchen help stared at her.
“What am I going to do?” she asked out loud and didn’t receive an answer.
Instead, a woman stuttered, “I don’t know what happened. There were simple instructions to put the food in the fridge upon delivery.”
“Of course there was. It’s food!” Tinsley exclaimed as she punched her fingers against the screen of her cell phone. “Everything will go bad if it’s left out at room temperature. I’m calling the company right away.”
Next, I heard Tinsley ramble on about speaking with someone in charge. She had an urgent matter to discuss. She held the cell phone up to her ear, and she talked with her other hand. The motions were quick, harsh, and frantic. Tinsley was extremely upset, and my cold-blooded heart hated seeing her this way.
“So, you’re telling me the men that delivered the food put everything in the walk-in fridge?” A brief pause. “Then why is everything outside of it and smelling like rotten food?”
After she expressed a few more curse words and told them where they could shove their catering business, Tinsley stated she expected a full refund. There was a brief argument, and then she hung up. She started talking with the surrounding crew, slumped back against the boxes, and I wanted to wrap my arms around her. I wanted everything to be all right for my angel.
My wife didn’t deserve this. The same way she didn’t deserve me blackmailing her into a marriage she didn’t want to be stuck in, but she was mine. I’d ensure she would get everything she desired, and Tinsley needed this event to go off with no complications. But spoiled, rotten food wouldn’t do.
I picked up my cell phone and dialed a number.
On the third ring, I received an answer.
“I have a problem. I need it dealt with right away,” I voiced with urgency into the speaker of the device. “I don’t care how much it costs, but get me a gourmet chef. I’ll text you the address.”
I hung up and punched in the address of the charity event with clear instructions that a chef should be here in less than ten minutes. Time was of the essence, and my wife was stirring in a pot, in over her head and about to boil over. This matter needed to be managed quickly, and the food prep had to begin.
Tinsley mumbled some words I couldn’t make out, but she appeared defeated. Little did she know, her bad luck was about to turn around. The clock ticked down and help was on the way. I got a text stating a chef was only five short minutes away, and I left the kitchen with a smile on my face.
A love song came on as I made my way back into the main room and couples swayed along the dance floor. I grabbed a glass of sparkling champagne from the nearest server and adjusted my tuxedo jacket. But a thought nagged at me while I sipped away, and the cool liquid bubbled down my throat.
Who took the food out of the fridge?
Someone intentionally moved all the boxes from their storage location. They knew exactly what to do, and I had a suspicion. But the night was still young and in full swing.
I still owed my wife a dance.
Suddenly, I saw Tinsley from across the room, and she was radiant. Beautiful. Goddamn breathtaking. I couldn’t take my eyes off her, but I hated seeing her fake a smile, acting as if everything was okay. She knew damn well she had a problem on her hands, and the event she had spent time on was about to tear at the seams. Her sheer will to continue on was amazing.
Tinsley’s emerald eyes, as green as an evergreen, found mine as electricity zapped through me and fired up my cock. The teeth of my zipper rose, and the constriction hurt, but it was worth it. She was worthy of everything in this damn world. My dick was a prisoner to her, and she made me weak in the knees.
Fuck. I needed her close. I wanted to hold her and make her forget whoever had made her uneasy.
What the hell was Tinsley Morgan doing to me?
Before I could turn away, my wife caught me staring, and she moved toward me. Time slowed down as I roamed my gaze down her perfect body, and her movements mesmerized me. The effortless sway of her hips, her glossy red lips and the way her skin bounced from her cleavage... Fuck. She was doing me in, and she didn’t even know it.
I ignored my raging boner and asked, “Is everything okay?”
She answered with a nod of her head. “It’s fine.”
Bullshit, angel. You can’t lie to me that easily.
“Lies,” I pressed with an edge to my tone.
“What do you care?” Tinsley snapped in a harsh whisper. “You got me wandering in on your arm, five minutes of flashes from the press, and I’m stuck at your side because I have no other choice.”
I cared a whole damn ton. More than I damn well should. But Tinsley could never know.
“I care because I still want that dance,” I answered and stared her straight in the eyes as I held out my hand.
“I already told you—I’m not dancing,” she argued back, refusing to take my offer.
I grabbed Tinsley by the back of her neck and pulled her in. She let out a small gasp through parted plump lips I desperately wanted to kiss. The sound she made had my cock throbbing against my pants, and her eyes grew wider at the feeling of my erection pressed into her belly.
I breathed, “I wasn’t asking.”
I moved my shoes to the beat, and my wife followed my lead. She had no choice as eyes settled on us, the perfect couple locked in each other’s embrace and lost in the heated moment. The dance was fucking hot, with her fiery breath at the base of my collar, and her perky tits pressed up against me. The small of her back made my hand feel like it was on fire, but I didn’t dare move it. I required her this close so I could smell her, touch her magnificent flesh, and see her pulse race in her neck. I wanted to see how much I made her come undone even though she’d never admit it, and I’d never reveal she tore me apart at the seams.
“Let me go right this instant,” she ordered.
I ignored Tinsley, and the huff she gave me made me smile. She was trapped and knew there was no way out of this forced spin as I grabbed her hand and twirled her body away from mine. Only to bring her back toward me and into my arms.
Tinsley whimpered softly.
Sweet fucking Jesus.
The sounds Tinsley made had me wanting to take her right on the dance floor in front of everyone, and I didn’t give a shit who saw me fuck my wife. I’d pound into her tight pussy and drive her wild. She was, after all, all mine. There’d be no doubt about who she belonged to ever again. Our entangled sweat-soaked bodies and the smell of sex would make front-page headlines.
Her hands were on my chest as my disobedient hand roamed up her body and discovered every curve she had. A shiver ran through her and made me groan at the arousal I knew was quivering through her. She wanted me as much as I craved her, but we couldn’t give in to the enticing heat swirling between us because the song was about to end.
I dipped my tempting angel right before the music stopped, and Tinsley stared up at me as I peered down at her. Her mouth parted and begged for me to claim her. My lips inched closer as my breath fanned her face, and she was my entire world. The universe I never dreamed I’d deserve, but there she was. Right in front of me, with her eyes closed as she waited for my mouth to capture hers.
Until cheers erupted around us.
Tinsley’s eyes snapped open, and she flung herself out of my embrace. The moment between us vanished as quickly as it came, and we stood at each other’s side. Breathless. Restless. Horny as fuck.
I groaned as I glanced around and smiled while cameras flashed brightly in our eyes. I took Tinsley’s hand in mine as she peeked up at me and she focused back on the hungry press. The moment I wanted had come true. We’d make front-page news for sure after this, but deep down I yearned for something more. I craved for one more fucking minute with my wife locked in my arms.
“Foods being served,” I announced to kill the temptation swirling in the atmosphere.
Good. The gourmet chef along with his team had come through. They had saved the day for my angel in red.
“What? No.” Tinsley panicked.
“Yes. See?” I breathed as I touched the small of her back, turning her to look around. I made a grave mistake—the palm of my hand was on fire again. Hot, searing, but I couldn’t tear myself away. The flames would engulf me whole, and my wife would have me go up in smoke.
“But the food is rotten.”
“I don’t see anyone complaining.” I shrugged as I watched guests eat their food with smiles on their faces. “The chef must be superior. I should have him cook for us sometime.”
“But I didn’t hire a chef,” Tinsley whispered in confusion.
Her perplexed face stared back at me, and her features became lighter. There was no longer a frown of worry or sheer panic in her eyes. A light clicked on inside of her, and she was glowing with her index finger pointed straight at me. There was that gorgeous, genuine smile.
“You,” she breathed with certainty. “You did this.”
I put up my hands with a frown. “Me? Nah. I’m too grumpy for that.”
She giggled. “Cut the crap.”
“Seriously,” I said.
She slapped a hand against my chest and pulled on my tie.
“Fine. Deny.” Her face was close to mine as I saw gracious tears in her eyes, and my icy heart melted a layer. “But I know you did this. Thank you.”
I had to be careful. Tinsley kept thawing the organ I always thought was frozen shut.
Suddenly, Tinsley’s face changed. Her eyes narrowed with alarm like they had last time something was wrong. She pressed a finger into the piece I saw peeking out from the ear, and she listened intently to whatever was happening on the other end.
“No. No. No!” she voiced frantically.
I followed her gaze as her eyes shot toward the stage, and I saw the curtain move. There was a commotion behind it, unknown to everyone else as they mingled, ate, and enjoyed themselves. But there was something wrong, and I’d make sure I was in on whatever happened this time around.
I asked, “What is it?”
“I can deal with it,” Tinsley argued with me.
I grabbed her shoulders. “Tell me.”
“The lead singer of the band fell incredibly ill,” she informed me in disbelief. “They believe he has food poisoning. I can’t believe this.”
An entire band gone. The performance was supposed to be the highlight of the evening. This was bad, real bad, for Tinsley.
“Are you certain he can’t perform?” I asked.
“He’s vomiting backstage as we speak,” Tinsley stated as hope left her, and I hated every damn minute of it.
“What music does the band play?” I questioned her as I took off my tuxedo jacket and handed it to Tinsley.
“Alternative rock,” she answered as her eyebrows narrowed. “Why?”
“Because I’m going to sing.”