3. Tessa
Chapter 3
Tessa
T he masquerade was a huge success.
I couldn’t keep the smile off my face.
It was nearing midnight, and the evening had run smoothly. Better than I’d hoped for. The dinner had gone well, apart from one lady who’d eaten something that had caused an allergic reaction. That had been dealt with, and thankfully the woman was fine. The silent auction had been amazing. One generous anonymous bidder had given fifty thousand dollars to the charity. Our biggest-ever single donation. Giddiness ran through me. I couldn’t wait to give the Windward Valley Children’s Charity their final check.
Now, the after-party was in full swing.
Crossing the lobby, I headed toward the ballroom. I could hear the throb of the music.
“Hi, Lara,” I called out to the blonde behind the reception desk. “Everything good?”
“Sure is, Tessa. You look fabulous.”
I wore a simple, black mask like the rest of the hotel staff. It had the Windward Resort logo in glittery diamantes on the side. My people were all wearing black, and I’d worn a black-and-silver dress for the evening. Black lace overlay atop silver silk; the dress long and slinky. It had a modest slit up one leg, and a deep V neckline that was not strictly work appropriate, but this was a masquerade ball. There had been nowhere to stash my emergency kit and I felt a little naked without it.
“Sounds like the night’s been a smashing success.” Lara beamed. “Congrats.”
“Thanks.” Then the Langston Hotels banner beside the desk caught my eye.
It was in shreds.
I jerked to a stop. What in the world? It looked like someone had taken a knife to it. “Lara, what happened to the Langston banner?”
She came out from behind the desk and gasped. “Oh gosh, I have no idea. It was fine last time I saw it.”
Crap . Staring at those angry gashes, I felt a small shiver. It had to be some kid playing a prank or something. “Okay, can you stash it out in the back? I’ll have Jazz source a new one.”
Lara nodded. “I’m on it.”
Putting the defaced banner out of my mind, I hurried to the ballroom. As soon as I stepped inside, I smiled. It looked like A Midsummer Night’s Dream , mountain style. There were flowers everywhere, that I’d carefully selected. There were lots of leaves, branches, and wildflowers, with touches of deep-burgundy blooms. Branches arched overhead, wrapped in flowers and fairy lights.
The outfits in the crowd varied from simple evening wear with elegant masks, to some who’d leaned into the mountain theme. There were fairies, princesses, and people with intricate animal masks. I’d seen several mountain lions and a few bird-like masks covered in feathers during the evening.
There was a woman in a frothy, pink-tulle dress and elaborate mask dancing in the center of the room. She looked like Glinda from Wicked . Several women dressed as pixies with glittery wings flitted past me. My smile widened. I had to find a way to convince Ambrose Langston to keep the Mountain Masquerade running.
The band was playing an upbeat tune, and the crowd was dancing. My staff moved through the guests with trays of drinks. I saw one of our new servers, Charity, chatting with a young, male guest. My gaze narrowed. She was busy flirting and not handing out drinks.
Sensing my scrutiny, the young woman turned, spotted me, and stiffened. A beat later, she hurried along.
Excellent . I glanced at my watch. Just a few more minutes and I’d be off duty. The crowd parted. My gaze zeroed in on a man standing at the edge of the room and I sucked in a breath. I hadn’t seen him before.
He was surveying the room like he owned it. I guessed he was about six feet tall, and his black tuxedo clung to his fit, lean frame. He wore a bronze mask on his face. Oh, it was the expensive one from the gift shop. I’d admired it earlier.
The crowd shifted and I lost sight of him.
“There you are.”
I spun and saw Sierra, Jazz, and Allie. They’d all attended this evening, not as staff but as guests. Sierra wore a short, green dress that made her look like Tinkerbell, and a gold mask. Jazz was wearing blush pink, and a matching mask with lots of sequins. Allie wore a silky, bronze dress, and a feathered, black mask. The dress showed off the long lines of her body. It occurred to me that she’d lost weight lately. I needed to have a little talk with her; find out what was going on. Still, her legs looked like a million bucks. Long legs I’d always dreamed about possessing.
“Are you all having fun?” I asked.
“Yes,” Sierra said. “And now you will, too.”
“I need to check on?—”
“No,” Jazz announced. “Ethan took over. It’s after midnight and you’re off the clock.”
Ethan was our night manager. His wife was an ER nurse who worked the night shift at the local hospital. He liked working nights, so they were on the same schedule.
My three friends bustled around me.
Jazz pulled a bundle of tulle from behind her back. She held it up and I realized it was a detachable, black skirt. She fitted it around my waist.
“What—?”
“Shush.” Allie whipped my staff mask off.
Sierra held up an ornate, silver one. It was intricate and pretty. She pressed it to my face and pulled the elastic around. Then she yanked my hair out of its sensible twist. Black strands fell everywhere. I barely ever wore it down because it always got in my way.
“Hey.”
Jazz wielded a tube of lipstick. It was blood red.
I held up a hand. “Guys?—”
“You’re going to have fun.” Jazz’s voice was threaded with steel.
Sierra nodded. “You worked hard for this night. You’ve been so busy lately, and worried about Langston Hotels, so tonight, don’t worry about any of that.”
“I don’t wear red.” It was too bright against my pale skin.
“You do tonight.” My assistant expertly applied it to my lips. Then she whipped out her perfume and spritzed me. It was her favorite jasmine scent.
“Wow,” Sierra breathed. “You look like a dark fairy queen.”
I swished the skirt a little. I couldn’t help it. A little fizz of excitement ran through me. Every girl secretly loved to swish a skirt.
Allie crouched in front of me. “One last thing.”
She pushed the tulle back to uncover my black and silver dress. She grabbed the slit in my skirt, gripped it, then ripped it upward.
I gasped. “ Allie .”
When she was done, the slit was now up to my upper thigh, showing off a lot of leg.
She rose and nodded. “Now you’re a sexy, dark fairy queen.”
“Go.” Jazz waved her hand. “Enjoy what’s left of the night.”
“Dance,” Sierra said. “Have some champagne. Kiss a guy.”
The three of them were grinning at me.
“Fine.” I smiled back at them. “I’m slightly annoyed with you bullies, but I still love you.”
Allie gave me a shove. I walked into the crowd and across the room. People looked at me. I saw one man give me a long, considering look.
My chin lifted. Damn, I liked it.
I nabbed a flute of champagne off a tray. It tasted like liquid gold.
Just for the next hour, I’d let myself forget about paying Emily’s mortgage, Josh’s college tuition, Langston Hotels, and everything.
Tonight, I wasn’t sensible, hard-working Tessa Ashford.
I was a dark fairy queen.
I circled the dancing people and a man caught my gaze. He was moving to the music and held out a hand to me.
I shook my head. He looked to be a foot shorter than me, a decade older, and lacked any rhythm. As I scanned around, I realized I was looking for him . The man I’d spotted earlier.
It was silly. He was probably here with his wife, girlfriend, or boyfriend. I made it to the stairs leading up to the mezzanine and leaned against the railing, sipping my champagne. A velvet rope cordoned off the upper mezzanine to keep guests on the main floor.
Darn it, my glass was empty. I held up the flute. As I contemplated getting another glass, I spotted a man at the edge of the dancefloor, grabbing the arm of a woman in a blue dress. His black-and-gold mask was askew.
“Come on, baby. Dance with me.” His voice was slurred.
Darn it . I couldn’t hear what the woman said, but even though she was wearing a blue, feathery mask, I could tell she was annoyed. She tried to yank her arm free.
I set my glass down and swept toward them. Spotting a server nearby, I leaned in. “Grace, there’s a man who’s had a few too many drinks and making a nuisance of himself. Get one of the security guards here to handle it. Discreetly.”
The woman glanced at the man and nodded. “Sure thing, Tessa. By the way, I love your skirt.”
“Thanks.” Right, now to distract and defuse things.
I came up behind the woman. “There you are.” I gently tugged her away from the man and put my body between them. “Trish was looking for you. Over there.” I pointed deeper into the crowd.
Relief crossed the woman’s face. “Oh, right. Trish. I’d better go and find her.”
“Hey, but we were dancing,” Mr. Casanova complained, sloshing some drink over himself.
The woman mouthed “thank you” and disappeared into the crowd.
Casanova focused on me. “Hey, do you want to dance?”
“Not really.”
He stepped closer and I smelled the fumes coming off him.
“But I just want to have some fun.” He tilted precariously to the side.
I grabbed his arm, taking some of his weight, and scanned for that guard. “Don’t we all. Honestly, it’s more fun if you have fewer drinks.”
“You might be right.” His cheeks paled. “I don’t feel so great.”
“Buddy, I am not surprised.” Don’t vomit on me.
He suddenly wrapped an arm around me, and knocked us both off balance. Oh, crap . We were going to fall, and I was going to be on the bottom.
A strong arm slid around my back, saving me from a tumble. Casanova managed to step on my toe before I shoved him away. My rescuer tugged me back against a firm chest, while Casanova teetered, but managed to stay upright.
Then I looked up… into a masculine face with a sharp jaw, full, perfectly shaped lips, and a bronze mask.
It was him .
“That would have been a nasty tumble.” His voice was a low, deep drawl.
Finally, a security guard appeared. He grabbed the drunk by the arm. “Sir, we have a seat for you over here.”
“Really?” Casanova smiled. “Are there drinks?”
“Sure.” The guard nodded at me and led Casanova away.
The firm arm holding me dropped away, and I turned.
My rescuer’s gaze was on me. With the mask and the low lights, it was hard to tell what color his eyes were.
“Looks like you’ve earned a drink,” he said.
Goosebumps prickled my bare arms. He had such a good voice, deep and sexy. God, he made an even bigger impact up close. He was tall, and the way his tuxedo fit —it had to be custom. The metal mask suited him, and contrasted with his dark, thick hair.
“I was only planning to have one.”
He snatched a glass from the tray of a nearby server and handed it to me. “The way you dealt with that guy was perfect. You helped the woman, didn’t make him agitated, and didn’t cause a scene. You beat me by a second.” He cocked his head. “Although, there is every chance I would have caused a scene.”
“He was drunk and a pest, but not dangerous.” I took the glass and sipped.
“You were like an avenging superhero in a ballgown.”
Champagne fizzed on my tongue. “Actually, my friends said I looked like a dark fairy queen in this dress.”
His gaze swept over my dress, lingering on the slit that exposed one leg. “They’re right. An avenging fairy queen.”
“You’d better watch out. Real fairies were said to be dangerous and cunning.”
Nearby, three suited men started singing at the top of their lungs to the current song. I winced, but the ladies with them were laughing and hooting, clearly enjoying the show.
The man leaned in. “Shall we get out of the crowd?”
“Sure.”
He pressed a hand to my lower back and we headed for the stairs.
“Ah, now I’m not being deafened by the wanna-be Backstreet Boys,” he said.
“I don’t know, they certainly get an A for enthusiasm. And they’re having fun.”
He looked around. “It seems most people have tonight.”
I sipped again, studying him over the rim of my glass. “Have you?”
“Actually, I have.”
He sounded faintly surprised. His gaze lingered on my face as he leaned on the railing beside me.
He smelled good. Sandalwood. Emily had several sandalwood candles in her shop. Coming from him, it made me think of oiled skin, and my hands stroking over a bare chest.
Jeez . Put a mask on and have a glass of champagne and suddenly I lose my senses.
“The night is still young,” he murmured.
“Not for me. It’s way past my bedtime.”
“You can’t leave. There might be more young women needing a rescue.”
I smiled. “I hope not.”
“Then dance with me,” he said.
I should finish my drink and go to bed. It had been a long, busy day, and no doubt I’d have a billion emails from Langston to deal with in a few hours. Instead, I took a large sip of my champagne and set the glass on a table. “All right. One dance.”
One dance with a handsome stranger. It couldn’t hurt. I’d promised my friends I’d enjoy myself.
His hand closed over mine. He had strong fingers. As he led me to the dance floor, the crowd parted for him. Then he pulled me into his arms.
Oh .
I felt… so many things all at once. Attraction and heat, yes. But also a sense that I was in the right place. Weird.
He pulled me closer, and I was pressed against his chest, strong arms closing around me. I rested my hands on his broad shoulders.
“You smell good,” he murmured.
“So do you.”
“I smell…jasmine.”
I laughed. “You have a good nose. A friend spritzed me with her signature perfume.”
His dark head lowered. His hair was thick, with a touch of not quite a curl, and I wanted to touch it. My hand flexed on his shoulders.
“And something else…” His mouth was almost touching my bare shoulder and my nipples pebbled. He drew in a deep breath. “Green apples.”
My moisturizing lotion. My heart thudded faster. Then, he swung me into a dance and I found that he moved well. I held on and let him lead.
The song changed and we whirled around the dance floor. It was like no one else existed. I felt drunk on him, and the way his dark eyes locked on mine.
This was crazy. I didn’t melt for a man I didn’t know. Especially not after one dance.
“Have you been to the Mountain Masquerade before?” I asked.
“No, it’s my first time.”
His eyes were brown, but it was too dark for me to tell any more than that.
“It’s been a great night.”
I felt a punch of pride. It had been a great night.
“I confess, I work. A lot,” he said. “I don’t have a lot of time for balls and parties.”
“Me too.” Unless I was organizing the balls and parties. “My friends joke I stress too much, and try to take care of everything.”
“It’s the only way to guarantee you get things done exactly the way you want.”
“Exactly.” I smiled, feeling a sense of kinship. His gaze dropped to my lips and my pulse did a crazy skitter. “But I remind myself that I need to trust my team. I need to delegate.”
Suddenly, a tipsy couple bumped into us, the pair of them laughing uproariously.
My dance partner slid an arm around me and spun me away. We ended up near the stairs where we’d begun. “Let’s get out of the crush.” He headed up the stairs.
“It’s closed off.”
“Why don’t we live dangerously?” He held the rope up.
“I don’t know. I’m kind of a rule follower.”
His lips curved. “Am I corrupting you?”
Not as much as I’d like . Whoa, where had that thought come from? “I’m the dangerous fairy queen, remember? Maybe I’ll corrupt you?”
“I’m willing to risk it.” He held out his other hand.
My heart thudded in my chest. I had a little bit more time before I turned into a pumpkin and needed to be responsible again. Why not? I placed my hand in his.
For tonight, I would forget all my worries and spend a little more time with my sexy, handsome stranger.