Chapter 37 #2
The next hour and a half was pure hell. Mrs. Asterdam welcomed her guests, and Mr. Asterdam sung his wife’s praises in a speech that was surprisingly sweet.
Then dinner was served. Olivia talked about her planned Bora Bora holiday, and her companion, a dull guy called Constantin who had joined us later, chatted with Henry about Kate’s favourite topic—investment banking.
Under other circumstances, I might have enjoyed the evening, but I just couldn’t relax, waiting all evening for the right moment to slip away from the party and search for clues.
But it wouldn’t be possible until people got up and started moving around the room.
Before that, my empty chair would be too obvious.
After the waiters had cleared away the dessert plates, the atmosphere loosened up and the music, which had been classically elegant during dinner, became a little more festive.
The first guests got up from their seats to greet others, and a few couples, including Mr. and Mrs. Asterdam, made their way to the dance floor.
Ethan stood and offered me his hand. “Care to dance?”
My eyes widened. “Now?”
“Yes, there might not be time later.”
He was right. Once we had the evidence we needed, we would need to get out of here, and it would be a shame not to take advantage of the opportunity. Who knew when we’d next have the chance?
I took Ethan’s hand and let him lead me onto the dance floor.
I wasn’t an experienced dancer, but I knew how to move to this kind of music.
Ethan placed a hand on my back and pulled me close.
The scent of his crisp aftershave rose to my nose.
I rested my free hand on his shoulder, and for the first time that evening, our mission faded into the background.
Ethan’s hand traced along my back as we swayed in time to the music.
“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?” he asked softly, his words meant only for me. Just like the look in his eyes was meant only for me—a true cocktail of feelings, the perfect blend of admiration, affection, and desire.
“Yes. Twice already, actually,” I replied with a smile.
I had rarely seen Ethan as lost for words as he’d been when he first saw me tonight.
He’d even let out a wow. I had never had a man respond to me like that before.
It was truly amazing what effect three little letters could have on one’s confidence.
“Well, the third—or fourth—time’s a charm. Because you really do look utterly enchanting tonight, Dreamgirl,” Ethan said with a smile. And as it did every time he used that endearment, my heart leapt to meet him, as if he’d trained it to respond to the pet name.
“You look really good too, Beelzebub.” I hadn’t called him that in quite a while, but this evening it was fitting. He looked devilishly handsome.
I ran my fingers over the fine fabric of his perfectly tailored dinner jacket.
The only thing about him that didn’t quite match his elegant look was the silver snake ring on his little finger.
Since he’d taken it from me, he had worn it every single day.
Seeing it there filled me with tenderness, and although I’d made him promise to give it back, I no longer wanted it.
He could keep it—along with my heart. I craned my neck to kiss him.
I intended to fleetingly brush my lips against his, but Ethan had other plans.
His lips lingered on mine, and the kiss became more passionate by the second.
It was almost indecent, given the company we were in.
Not that I cared in the slightest right now.
Ethan pressed me closer. I let my hands slip from his shoulders and ran them across his chest, gripping the lapel of his jacket to keep him close.
Our kiss only softened gradually to become less intense when the song ended and the rhythm of the music changed.
“I wish we didn’t have to stay,” Ethan whispered against my lips.
I felt exactly the same. I’d felt the kiss all the way down to my toes, but we both knew we couldn’t let this one chance slip away.
I rested my head on Ethan’s shoulder and let him and the music guide me.
With every turn, however, my gaze returned to Mrs. Darlington, who was watching us bitterly with a glass of red wine in her hand.
I wondered whether Mr. Darlington’s absence was due to his broken arm or the fact that the Asterdam villa lay beyond the bounds of his court-ordered house arrest. He had moved out of The Darlington to a villa in Mayfair, and Mrs. Darlington had gone with him—a decision neither Ethan nor I could understand, though at least it had brought a moment of calm to the hotel.
There were still a few journalists prowling around, but most had disappeared along with Mr. and Mrs. Darlington.
“I think it’s time,” Ethan murmured in my ear.
While we’d been dancing, minutes had slipped away like seconds, but now that I looked up, I saw that the dance floor was packed and the seating plan had dissolved, with guests drifting freely between tables. My stomach churned nervously.
“Do you want to start, or shall I?” Ethan asked.