Page 7 of Beau

Beau didn’t try to answer the man. He strode out of the ballroom into the corridor. This time, he didn’t see Aurelie walking into the bathroom. She was nowhere to be seen, as if she’d disappeared.

With the kiss still fresh on his lips, he ran to the ladies’ room door and knocked on the contoured panel.

An older woman dressed as the Queen of Hearts pulled the door open.

Beau frowned. “Did you see Miss...” he thought better of asking if the woman had seen Miss Anderson and amended, “Amelia Earhart?”

The woman shook her head. “I was the only person in here.” She stepped out of the bathroom, her gaze sweeping him from top to toe. “Let me know if you can’t find her. I’m available all night.” With a wink, she walked away.

Holy shit.

His first day on the job, and he’d already lost the client.

CHAPTER 2

Aurelie Anderson had never been kissed in public, on a dance floor, with everyone and his brother in attendance, including her father.

She’d run from the ballroom out of embarrassment.

Or so she told herself.

If she were honest with herself, she’d call it what it was.

At lie.

She’d run from the ballroom...no... from him because that kiss?—

Wow. Until that moment, she’d never known what it felt to have her world rocked by a single kiss.

Now. She. Did.

So, she’d done the only thing she could think of and ran.

For a woman who had control of every aspect of her life, she’d just met a man who, in less than an hour, had made her lose control to the point she’d allowed him to kiss her in a public place with the most important donors in attendance who could potentially make or break her father’s campaign for reelection.

In her bid to escape her wanton behavior, she’d aimed for the bathroom, but the Queen of Hearts had been there, applying bright red lipstick to her lips. Not willing to risk a conversation, Aurelie backed out, turned and spotted the exit sign glowing red over the door at the end of the hallway.

Air.

She needed fresh air to clear her mind and forget what Robin Hood had stolen from her.

A kiss.

He’d stolen a kiss.

Was it theft if she’d kissed him back?

She shot a glance over her shoulder, praying he wasn’t following her. In the back of her mind, a devilish thought outweighed the prayer with the hope that he would come after her. If they were out on the boardwalk, away from the guests and backers, she wouldn’t embarrass her father, and she wouldn’t have to push Robin Hood away so quickly.

Fearing he might follow her out the door, she ran toward the exit and burst through it, out into the open.

She’d wanted fresh air.

But in the deep south of Louisiana, fresh air included almost one hundred percent humidity without cleansing, refreshing rain.

She was immediately struck by the overwhelming humidity that made her sweat immediately.

Well, damn. She didn’t want to return to the ballroom and her father’s wrath and the curious and intrusive gawking of people who had no right to be all up in her business.

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