Therin risked a glance down the narrow corridor leading back toward the main stage. Hands hidden in the deep pockets of his black pants, he moved closer to where she lounged.
“The pamphlet they’re passing around mentioned that you play by ear.”
“It’s true.” She shrugged. “If I had a piano near, you could hum a tune and I’d prove it.”
Laughter rumbled easy and soft between them.
“Therin Rucker.” He extended one of the hidden hands he’d pulled from his pocket.
She accepted the shake. “Kianti Lawrence.”
His sleek brows rose again. “Like the wine?”
“Not quite.” She grinned. “Pronounced the same, but spelled differently. Many people tell me I’m much harder to take than the wine.”
The sound of voices growing nearer intruded on their second round of laughter. Kianti promptly eased her hand out of Therin’s grasp.
“Here she is, y’all!”
Kianti gave a short laugh as she often did when Cube David’s voice reached her ears. However, she’d hoped for just a few more moments with the mysterious music lover who’d just introduced himself.
Unfortunately, the three men following Cube made their presence known all too soon. Thankfully, they stifled any questions when they discovered her with “company.”
“Therin Rucker, Cube David—my bodyguard.” She made the introductions, still seated with her feet up. “Winton Terry—my business manager. Khan Choi is my stylist and this is Brody Parker my—uh—cook.”
Someone snickered and Brody’s mouth tightened.
Kianti didn’t attempt to hide her surprise or confusion when all four of her associates approached Therin for handshakes. They all grinned broadly and addressed her mysterious “music lover” as Mr. Ambassador, which roused a curious frown between her brows. She watched Therin chuckle as he engaged in light conversation with the guys.
She used the time to more closely observe him. She’d been trying like the devil not to gawk when she’d opened her eyes and found him standing there. Leanly muscular and quite tall, she doubted even the chic pumps she wore would prevent her from having to look up into his face. And what a face it was, every square inch of it drenched in a flawless cinnamon-brown. Then there were the long sideburns, which added a dangerous but nonetheless provocative appeal to his features. His hair was cut close and lay in waves of silky black over his head. She could have lost herself in the crystal appearance of his hazel gaze deep set beneath long, heavy brows.
“Well, we appreciate you attending tonight,” Khan was saying as the conversation began to taper off.
Winton chuckled. “Yeah, even if you are here to conduct top-secret political business.”
Contagious male laughter rumbled once more.
“Not so top secret,” Therin admitted while pressing a thumb to his eye to remove a laugh tear. “Anyway, I’m glad I attended, too.” His shimmering gaze focused on Kianti then. “Ms. Lawrence’s music is…quite powerful. It was nice meeting you.” His tone grew softer as he reached out to shake hands with the guys and say goodnight.
Alone with Kianti, the guys pulled chairs close. Brody claimed the closest spot and took her wrist for a pulse check.
“We leave you alone for a second and here you are meeting with royalty,” Khan noted while fluffing out her hair.
Kianti’s gaze and attention was still on the path Therin Rucker had taken when he made his exit.
Chapter 2
Therin woke early the next morning and was thoroughly agitated shortly afterward. The staff and their discussions that he had to shake off last night had descended upon his suite with their opinions of the previous evening.
“He stirred up a shitload of crap just by attending that thing,” Vaughn said while he helped himself to coffee from the breakfast cart.
“Put himself smack dab in the middle of some heavy hitters, that’s for sure,” Peter Stanson added while waving toward Vaughn for the carafe.
“Yeah, heavy hitters who either approve or oppose EYES and the ex-ambassador’s allegiance to it.” Chief of security, Morgan Felts, muttered a curse while stretching out on the cream sofa in the living area.
Therin predicted the conversation among his top three staff members would only grow more heated. For a change, he welcomed that. Hopefully, their discussion would keep his absence from being noticed for a while. He slipped out the suite without alerting their attention.
For a long while, he corrected himself upon arriving in the almost empty breakfast bistro located in the hotel mezzanine. Finding Kianti Lawrence there had him regretting that any shred of business had followed him along on the trip.
He thought back to the previous evening, recalling his loss of words when she’d first spoken to him. The sensible, less popular side of his demeanor told him to leave her alone. There was no need to grow more infatuated than he’d already become in the span of the ten-minute conversation with the woman. The only thing further “involvement” could result in was a one-night stand. That wouldn’t work for him—he knew that without question. Kianti Lawrence was a woman he was certain to want for more than one night.
He was surprised to find Kianti already having breakfast. Leaning against the arched doorway of the hotel’s eatery, he felt content watching her then as he had the night before. Almost. The same serenity and calm reached out to him from where she relaxed at the table across the dining room. He shook his head and smiled, taking note of her feet propped in the chair across from where she sat. He couldn’t help but admire her determination to relax wherever it suited her. Telling the sensible, less popular side of himself to go to hell, Therin pushed off the doorway and strolled toward her.
Early rising wasn’t unusual for Kianti given her hectic life of tours and rehearsals. Still, she did make a point of treating herself to a few mornings of sleeping in when she traveled extensively.
Sadly, sleeping in now meant having to wake up to her doctor and a morning pill. An early breakfast meant she could convince Brody she’d already taken her meds. She only prayed he wouldn’t suspect she’d taken herself off them. At least not until she could prove she didn’t need them anymore. Her dark eyes were focused beyond the windows by her table. The gorgeous dewy morning rear view of the hotel landscape was heavenly, but the cologne drifting past her nose just then was to die for. She smiled up at Therin.
“Mr. Ambassador.” Her dark eyes widened just slightly when she took note of the shyness evident in his expression.
“Ex-ambassador,” he clarified, pressing a hand to the front of the sweatshirt emblazoned with the Knicks logo.
She simply shrugged. “But you never quite live it down, do you?”
Once again that morning, Therin felt his mouth turn into a grimace. “I’m realizing that more and more every day.” He sighed.
Kianti’s smile waned. She’d never really known a politician, but it was clear this one wasn’t missing his post all that much. She would have loved to have known why.
“You look pretty young to have been an ambassador.” She decided to keep the moment light.
“Guess I’ve got my dad to thank for that. May I?” He gestured toward the vacant chair next to the one she’d propped her feet on.
“Please.” She was about to move her feet when he brought a hand down over them. Kianti bit her lip and stilled.
The muscle flexed in Therin’s jaw at the contact. He moved his hand, hoping she’d not recognize his reluctance to do so.
“So