4. Elijah
ELIJAH
It was almost too good to be true, Elijah thought as he dug into his meal. His father had forbidden him from bringing a woman to tonight’s event, and now a woman had shown up as if summoned and sat down right in his father’s chair.
She was eating out of the palm of his hand, he could tell already.
Not to mention the fact that she was eating his steak.
That had been a masterful play on his part, offering to share the two meals.
He’d seen the disappointment on her face when that piece of fish had landed, and he didn’t blame her a bit.
The salmon was good, tender and flaky, but why would anyone choose that meal when steak was available?
He’d definitely won points with her by offering to share.
Now the winners of the various awards were being announced.
Elijah had been right to think that his father wouldn’t be returning from table one.
He watched the man ascend to the stage to accept his award.
As Oliver Norcross looked out over the room, his eyes lit upon his son, and the ghost of a frown crossed his face.
He was seeing Stephanie there, Elijah knew, and no doubt he was putting two and two together about what Elijah was doing with her.
But what could he do about it? He might not like the idea of Elijah associating with a woman at the party, but he couldn’t control everything.
Honestly, it would make more of a scene to ignore one of his tablemates than it would to socialize with her.
Which didn’t mean that socializing was all Elijah meant to do. Not by a long shot. He’d been watching Stephanie out of the corner of his eye since the awards ceremony had started, and he was really enjoying the sight of her.
She was a gorgeous woman, and in this room full of women who were so careful with their looks, she stood out.
Most of them didn’t have a hair out of place.
Stephanie had the kind of hair that couldn’t help being out of place, thick and curly, an auburn color that enchanted him. He wanted to bury his hands in it.
And that dress was really something. The way the sequins sparkled made it impossible to look away from, and that was a lucky thing, because if anyone asked he would be able to lie and say he was staring at the sparkles instead of at her figure.
Whether she’d believe that was anyone’s guess, but it was at least plausible.
I knew I would figure out a way to have a good time tonight.
The last of the awards was being given out now, and Elijah leaned over to Stephanie. “After this, there’ll be dancing,” he murmured. “Are you into that?”
“I could be.” She eyed him. “Are you asking me?”
He smirked. “I could be.”
“I wouldn’t mind.”
“Want to get out there and get things started? No point in waiting around for these people, they’ll drag their feet all night about it.”
She downed the rest of her drink and stood up.
Oh, she was a lot of fun. He’d wondered if he would have to persuade her to get up and dance, but it seemed she was just as eager for the prospect of enjoying herself as he was.
She made her way over to the dance floor and he followed, and by the time the musicians struck up their first notes, she was stepping out there.
He took her hand, spun her, dipped her, and then settled into an easy pattern of steps so that the two of them could talk. “Are you enjoying yourself?”
She hesitated. “More than I expected to,” she said at last. “I didn’t think this party was going to be that much fun.”
“Neither did I,” he agreed. “But I came because I had to. You don’t seem like you’re here for anyone else. You didn’t know anyone who accepted an award tonight, did you?”
“No,” she agreed. “I didn’t. But I’d like to win one of these awards someday.”
He couldn’t help it—a laugh escaped.
She drew back a little. “Why is that funny?”
“I’m sorry,” he managed. “I’m not laughing at you.
I’m sure you could win one of these awards, if that’s what you want to do.
I’m just laughing because I can’t imagine wanting such a thing.
To me it all seems like an awful bore. I mean, could you imagine having to come to this ceremony year after year?
You saw how it is. The past winners have to present the awards to the new recipients.
If you win one you’re going to have to keep coming back here again and again to give out the awards every year, and you’ll never be free of it. ”
She laughed. “You make it sound like being in prison,” she said. “I don’t think it would be so bad to have that task. It might be kind of nice, actually, to get to give awards to people. I think I would enjoy it.”
“Well, you and I are different,” he said firmly. “These people all think they’re so important.”
“And you don’t think so?”
“They’re nothing great,” he told her. “They’ve figured out ways to make money, that’s all. That isn’t so hard. Anyone can do it with a little effort and a little luck.”
Stephanie snorted. “You really think it’s that easy? Anyone in the world can succeed, as long as they make the effort? It’s a wonder we don’t have more wealthy people if it’s like that.”
“I’m not surprised by it,” he said. “People don’t want to work.”
“Oh, no, you’re not one of those,” she said, drawing back from him. “Of course people want to work.”
“They really don’t. I’m not saying it out of judgment,” he hastened to add.
“I hate those people who say poor people are only poor because they’re lazy.
That isn’t what I’m getting at. I’m saying people who are getting by but aren’t wealthy don’t want to work harder than they need to.
I mean, look at me. I’d rather do just about anything other than work. ”
“Well, I wouldn’t,” Stephanie said fiercely. “I want my company to succeed, and I want to work to make it happen.”
“Then it will happen for you,” Elijah told her serenely. “It hasn’t yet, that’s all. But if you want it that badly, you’ll keep trying until it does.”
She shook her head. “I wish things were as easy as you make them sound,” she said.
“You don’t know what it’s like. You’ve always been surrounded by wealth and privilege, you don’t know how it feels to have to work for anything.
You can’t say that people don’t like reaching for advancement when you’ve never had anywhere to advance to. ”
“You know all about me, I guess.”
She had the grace to blush a little, but she didn’t back down. “I just know the type,” she said. “The son of a wealthy father who hasn’t made anything of himself independently of his father’s name and doesn’t really care to—am I wrong about that?”
“You’re not, but you don’t need to be so chilly to me about it.” The song that was playing ended and a new one started up. Elijah kept the dance going, and Stephanie didn’t pull away from him.
He hadn’t been bothered by her remarks. In fact, he found them entertaining.
It was so rare that anyone called him out, and he didn’t think she was necessarily wrong.
It was true that he had always been provided for, had always had his father’s wealth to fall back on.
It was true that he could get by without ever worrying about achieving anything for himself.
But she didn’t understand the value of living like that. She didn’t know how peaceful it was, and how it freed you up to pursue the things you really enjoyed. What would be the point in grasping for achievement when he could have fun?
He would show her, he decided. He had been lightly debating with himself whether or not he was going to bring her home tonight.
After all, doing so would mean doing it right in front of his father, who would not approve and who would make him hear about it for days.
But he was captivated by her now, and he wanted her to see why he found the life he was living so enjoyable. He wanted to bring her home.
He waited until the dance ended before pulling her close and whispering in her ear—“Shall we get out of here? I think we’ve seen all we need to see.”
She tensed in his arms, and Elijah felt the usual thrill of knowing that the evening was about to take a delicious turn.
These moments, the ones right before everything began in earnest, were always his favorites.
He was already imagining peeling that sparkly dress off of her.
Or maybe he wouldn’t do that—maybe it would be more fun if they left it on…
She pulled away from him. “I’m not leaving.”
“Oh,” he said. It wasn’t the response he had expected, but he could adapt his approach when necessary. “You want to stay a little longer before we take off? I can do that.”
“No,” she said. “That’s not what I mean. I’m not leaving with you.”
Had she misunderstood him? “I’m talking about going back to my place or yours for a few hours,” he said, leaning a little closer.
“I understand what you’re talking about,” she shot back. “Did you think you were being subtle? Your meaning was perfectly clear, actually. Did I do something to give you the impression that we were going home together?”
The argument they had been having before had been playful, but there was actual irritation on her face now.
Elijah wasn’t used to women looking at him that way, and he also wasn’t used to rejection.
“I thought we had a vibe,” he said, shrugging.
“I thought we were on the same page. I guess you weren’t picking up what I was putting down. ”
“I didn’t come here to go home with anyone,” she said. “I came here to make business contacts. Apparently not a thing you would know anything about in terms of priorities. But if what you’re looking for is a girl to take home, you’re barking up the wrong tree.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you.” He couldn’t decide whether to be amused or annoyed. She was starting to get a little too loud, to make a scene. “Maybe you and I had better give each other a little space.”
“Yes.” Her voice was brittle. “I think that would be very wise.”
And even though they were in the middle of a song, she turned and stalked off the floor without saying another word to him.
Elijah stood and watched her go, wondering how everything could have gone so wrong.
He was far from inexperienced with women.
He did know how to read them, and there had been a crackle of energy between the two of them.
It wasn’t just that she was hot, although she was.
Elijah certainly had an eye for an attractive woman, but he wasn’t often blinded by that.
A woman also needed to have a good personality, and Stephanie definitely had that.
Their banter had been very exciting. He felt like he could have talked to her all night.
Clearly, she didn’t feel the same way.
With a sigh, he returned to his table. At least there was still dessert coming. The night wouldn’t be a total loss.
But as he sat down, he noticed his father watching him from across the room, and it occurred to him that the old man had probably seen everything that had just happened, and that he was probably feeling smug and satisfied about Elijah striking out.
Somehow, that made it all seem a hundred times worse.
Maybe I should just go ahead and get out of here on my own.