Chapter 19
CHAPTER 19
Bayswater’s ballroom had been transformed for the gala. In the foyer outside the ballroom, my parents held a reception line that would make the queen envious.
“Beth.” Mom scrutinized me. “You’re flushed. Is everything okay?” The woman had an amazing ability to pinpoint exactly what I tried to hide.
I glanced at Porter. His lips twitched.
I changed the subject. “Mom. You remember Porter.”
Her expression cooled as she shifted her gaze to him. “Of course.”
“Good evening, ma’am.”
“Porter,” Dad’s voice boomed, his smile huge. “So nice you could make it.”
“Thank you, sir.” Porter’s manners were the only genuine thing in a mile radius.
“I was just telling some of my colleagues that my daughter is dating a military man. Everyone here respects and appreciates your service.” Dad’s eyes shone. “I’d love to introduce you around later.”
Oh, boy.
Dad was in full-blown campaign mode .
“I’d be happy to, sir.”
“Fantastic.” Dad beamed at Porter, barely sparing me a glance. “That’s fantastic.”
“We’re going to find something to drink.” I nodded my head toward the ballroom.
Mom frowned at me. “Aren’t you going to join the reception line?”
No chance in hell .
“We’ll come back,” I lied, as I slipped my hand into Porter’s hand and tugged him away.
We stood on the sidelines of the ballroom. It was a monstrosity of a room, with a dozen chandeliers and elaborate pillars. French doors opened to the huge stone balcony. The room was filled with New York’s elite. Some people I recognized from the front of the society pages, other people I had grown up with.
A waiter handed us flutes of champagne as we assessed the party, trying to take it all in.
“So, what’s our endgame here?” Porter spoke into my ear.
I worked to not shudder at the feeling of his hot breath on my ear. “Our goal is to survive this night while keeping a low profile.”
Which wouldn’t be an easy task considering this was my father’s big night.
“Anything I should know?”
I paused, thinking. “Don’t commit to anything. If someone invites you out, politely deflect but don’t commit.”
He snorted. “Okay.”
We stood and silently watched as people milled around. I couldn’t get Porter’s words out of my head. He admitted that he loved to take control during sex. My kink was I loved to give up control. When I was between the sheets, I wanted to be bossed around.
I peered at Porter through my eyelashes. I needed to remember why it would be a bad idea to sleep with him. He was my houseguest, and he was nursing a broken heart.
He was best friends with Jackson and Emily, which meant I’d probably see him at family events until the end of time. And he didn’t seem interested in anything but a friendship with me. Plus, he was helping me out with the whole fake-fiancé thing.
Sleeping with this man would be a stupid move on so many levels, but that didn’t stop this intense physical longing I felt for him.
“What are you thinking about?” His low voice broke through my thoughts.
“Is that why you two broke up?” I couldn’t bring myself to say her name.
Grey eyes widened at my intrusive question. He knew exactly what I was asking. He took his time answering. “Those are my preferences, but by no means are they mandatory. Once I figured out that she wasn’t into that, I was fine with slow, meaningful sex and cuddles.” His tone held so much dry sarcasm, I almost choked on my champagne.
“Are you telling me you reined back all your kink?”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
I thought about my own past. It wasn’t like I had been super honest with Yates about my preferences between the sheets. “I get it.”
“You do?”
I nodded. “Oh yeah.”
Porter looked like he wanted to say something but the dinner gong sounded.
“You deserve a treat for putting up with this night.” I stared up at Porter’s face.
I’d downed more than my fair share of wine as I feigned interest in painful conversation with table mates I barely knew. The speeches were worse, and I was grateful when the tables were cleared.
Porter cocked a brow, interest brimming in his eyes. “Like what?”
“Maybe another episode of Grey’s Anatomy ?”
“How soon can we leave?” A smile teased his lips .
“Soon.”
A woman in a pale blue dress caught my eye. She reminded me of Traci, but it couldn’t be. What would my former boss be doing at this gala? I strained my neck, struggling to see if it was her. I caught a glimpse of her profile. I was almost certain that was Traci, and if she was here, I wanted to know why.
I shifted my gaze to Porter. “Will you excuse me a moment?”
“Of course.”
I took off across the room, weaving around couples, catching and losing sight of the woman. She disappeared around the corner. I only caught a glimpse, but I swore that it was her.
I managed to weave my way through the crowd and reached the corner when a strong arm grabbed mine, spinning me around.
“Where are you rushing off to?” Yates’ voice drawled.
I tried to yank my arm from his. “Yates, let me go. This isn’t funny.”
“I need to talk to you.” His voice was serious, but I didn’t care. He stopped being my problem when he cheated on me.
Speaking of, I needed to find Traci.
“Later.” I managed to yank my arm from his. “I’m in the middle of something.”
He stepped in front of me, blocking my path. “What are you doing?”
I peered around him. “Did you see Traci walk past here?”
Yates glanced over his shoulder. “Are you serious?”
“I saw her. She was wearing a light blue dress. Her hair was pinned up.”
A smug expression crossed his face. “When are you going to admit to yourself that you’re not over me?”
“What?” Displeasure wrapped itself around my vocal chords, seeping into my tone.
“You’re obsessed with Traci. You keep bringing her up. Now you’re seeing her like someone would see a ghost? You know this has nothing to do with her and everything to do with me. ”
“Excuse me?”
He lowered his voice. “The fact that you can’t let her go tells me that you’re still stuck on me and what happened.”
“Don’t be an ass.”
“It’s true,” he insisted. “Even this whole charade with your military man. That’s your elaborate ruse to get me back.”
“You’re insane.”
“He’s all wrong for you.”
“At least he’s faithful to me.”
Two spots of color stained Yates’ cheekbones. “I’m not going to move on. You and I are destined to be together.”
“No.”
“Quit screwing up my life.”
“How am I screwing up your life? You have nothing to do with this.”
“I have everything to do with this.” The guy wasn’t making any sense.
I stepped back. “Good night, Yates.”
“Your father is going to put a stop to this nonsense.”
I froze. “Excuse me?”
He leaned down and hissed in my face. “Should have seen his face when I told him. You think he’s going to let you marry some common soldier? Think again.” Holy shit. Yates told my father I was engaged to Porter?
I glared up at him, infuriated beyond belief. “You told him? How dare you!”
He shrugged and put one hand in his pocket, already bored with this conversation. “You think I’m going to let you marry that guy?”
“Screw you, asshole.”
I turned and walked away, holding my head high, but I was rattled inside. Dad knew? And he hadn’t said anything? This fiancé ruse was supposed to be exclusive to Yates, but now that Dad knew, I felt the tethers between Porter and me tightened.
And I dreaded telling him.