Tess ran her fingers through the soft curls of her shoulder-length hair, pushing the dark strands back into place. Though she wasn’t a great beauty, she was pretty enough. Standing at Jeffrey’s side, they made a handsome couple. If she set her mind to it, she could pass as someone who belonged in the Beales’ social circle.
Tess took one last sip of her drink, then opened her purse and paid the bartender. But as she walked back through the lobby to the elevator, she began to doubt her resolve. Though she ought to be feeling exhilarated, all she could sense was a faint sense of dread. His parents wouldn’t approve, the party guests wouldn’t welcome her, and she be left as she always was—an outsider searching for a way in.
“So what else is new,” she muttered, quickening her step. She’d been an outsider her entire life and had survived quite nicely. If Jeffrey asked, then she’d say yes. He was the only one who mattered. She didn’t care what people thought.
Tess hurried toward the elevator. Though her nerves threatened to get the better of her, once she’d accepted his proposal she’d be fine. The doors to the elevator were just closing as she approached. “Hold the elevator!” she cried.
A hand appeared between the doors and they opened again. Tess hurried inside. “Thanks,” she murmured as she punched the button for the top floor. There were plenty of marriages based on friendship, on respect, on mutual goals for the future. “It’s not like I have men waiting in line,” she murmured.
“What?”
She looked up and saw a familiar face. The man from the bar stood on the other side of the elevator, his piercing blue eyes suddenly stealing the breath from her lungs. She blinked, her ears suddenly filled with an odd ringing. “What?”
“You said something. I’m sorry, I thought you were talking to me.”
“No. I was just thinking out loud.” Her voice cracked. “Thanks. For holding the elevator.”
“No problem.”
They waited together for the doors to close, both of them staring back out into the lobby, Tess’s heart slamming in her chest.
“Maybe you should push the button to close the door,” he suggested.
She risked another glance over at him. Gawd, he was drop-dead sexy. She’d never seen a guy so beautiful. And it wasn’t just the perfect features or the boyish smile or the thick, dark hair. He was dressed like he’d just stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine. From his suit to his immaculately tailored shirt to his silk tie, it was clear that there was a killer body beneath the clothes.
“The door?” he said.
“Yes,” Tess murmured. “Thank you for holding it.” Oh, God, she’d already said that.
He stepped around her, his shoulder brushing against hers as he passed, but then she realized what he wanted her to do. Stumbling forward, she reached for the button, but her legs were so wobbly, she tripped into the control panel.
A moment later, his fingers firmly closed around her elbow and he restored her balance. “Are you all right?”
“Yes,” she said, busying herself by punching at the buttons for the door. “Fine.” She pressed her hand to her chest and felt her heart pounding beneath her palm. This was how it was supposed to feel, Tess thought. This is what Alison had been talking about. Here she was, on her way to her own engagement party and she was flustered over a complete stranger.
“What floor did you want?” she asked.
“Twelve,” he said. He pointed to the panel. “I pressed it when I got in.”
“I’m going to the roof.”
“Not planning to jump, are you?” he teased.
She gave him a sideways glance and found him smiling. “I’m considering it. But I’m afraid of heights.”
“That would be fifteen, then,” he replied, pointing to the panel.
She quickly reached out and punched the button again. Though Tess thought an outdoor party on the hotel’s roof garden was a bit foolhardy in the middle of a Nashville winter, the Beales would no doubt bring in portable heaters to warm the chilly, damp air. Money was never an object with them. The roof of the Perryman was supposed to have a stunning view of the city and the river. Only the best for the Beales, regardless of the cost. Her engagement party would certainly be memorable.
He met her gaze again and she found herself staring into the most arresting eyes. There was a devilish twinkle in them that only intensified when he smiled. “It’s going to be cold up there. Are you dressed warmly enough?”
She shrugged. “It’s a party. I’m sure there will be tents and heaters.” She nodded toward the bottle he held. “What about you? Are you going to a party too?”
He shook his head. “I’m not in a party mood. I plan to spend a quiet night in my room, maybe watch a movie.”
“You and a bottle of scotch?” This time Tess met his gaze squarely, refusing to look away. “They say you should never drink alone.”
“I know. It’s such a cliché. But this is a very good bottle of scotch. And I haven’t met anyone I’d be interested in sharing it with.” He paused. “Until now.”
She felt a warm blush creep up her cheeks and a shiver skittered down her spine. This was crazy. She was supposed to be in love with Jeffrey. Why was she even allowing herself to flirt with this stranger? Especially when she had absolutely no idea how to flirt.
“You look beautiful, by the way,” he said, pointing the bottle in her direction. “That dress is … well, looking like that, you’re going to be the prettiest girl at the party.”
She hadn’t imagined it. They were definitely flirting. And for the first time in her life, she felt as if she wasn’t making a complete fool of herself. Tess had never really learned how to charm a man, how to draw him in and make him want her. She’d always blurted out something sarcastic or brutally honest, ruining the mood.
But this stranger seemed to be totally entranced by her. Tess felt her stomach drop as the elevator started moving up. She’d never put much thought into her appearance. But suddenly she was glad she had, if only to feel this way just once in her life. “Thank you. You’re very … charming.”
They were still smiling at each other when the elevator suddenly jerked. Tess fell back, slamming her shoulder against the wall. Crying out, she struggled to stay upright, but instead tumbled into his arms.
The lights in the car flickered and went out. Tess’s breath caught in her throat as she waited, his body warm against hers, her breath coming in shallow gasps. This was it. This was God’s punishment for flirting with a handsome stranger. She was about to plunge down to the basement and die on the very night she was supposed to get engaged. The Fates were cruel.
But when the elevator didn’t drop, Tess wondered if she wasn’t being sent a different message. Maybe she wasn’t supposed to go upstairs. Maybe this was exactly where she belonged.
DEREK NOLAN WAITED in the silence. His fingers gripped the woman’s arms, her skin soft beneath his touch. She hadn’t said anything since the lights went out and the elevator bumped to a stop. Though he couldn’t see her, an image of her was still swimming around in his head.
Until she’d stepped into the elevator, he’d been having a rather unremarkable night. He’d been prepared to spend his evening alone, with room service and a glass of the hotel’s best scotch, get a good night’s sleep and then head out at dawn to his next destination. The routine had become so familiar that there were times when he even forgot the