Page 28 of Black Velvet

"I think there are more important questions to tackle right now," I counter.

She lets out a breath. "Like what?"

"The first question that comes to mind is why are you wearing black tonight?" I ask, adding a reflective pause and leaning closer to her. "Was I right?Haveyou been waiting for me?"

Chapter 18

Elene

I blush at his question, seeking comfort in my glass, as I always do when I don't know what to say. My heart is still in turmoil, still shaken by the idea of having to play with someone I didn't want near me. Sure, I could have told him no and risked getting in trouble with the madam—but a part of me knows that that's not what I would have done.

I would have gone through with it, because the desire to please runs rampant through my veins, and it's impossible to shake that pressing urge to be good, to make everyone and anyone but myself happy. It was so much easier when I thought there was nothing—and no one—out there that could make me happy.

He’s changed all of that. For the first time in my life, I yearn for something, forsomeone.

And now he's here. Tonight. He's here, and he saved me from a situation that was more than just a little uncomfortable. I still don't understand what he was saying to the man. What did he mean by playing in the snow? And why did it scare the guy enough to leave immediately? And who is Alvin?

These things will remain a mystery for the present, as I allow my focus to shift to the situation at hand.

It really happened. He really came for me. Or so I hope. My doubts grew so strong when I couldn't find him, it's hard to make myself believe that the night might actually go the way I'd hoped it would.

"Have I been waiting for you?" I repeat his question, smiling, more to myself than to him. "Would it make you happy if I said I had been?"

He cocks his head to the side.

"I wouldn't believe you," he says. "But I would take it as a compliment, and those are always appreciated."

"Well, then there's no need for me to answer your question," I say. "If you won't believe the truth anyway."

He sips at his scotch, his gaze resting on me. He's wearing a different suit tonight. Even in the dim light, I can tell that it's navy blue and not black like the one he wore on opening night. I wish I could see him in the daylight, just to see how well the blue of the suit matches the silky dark brown strands framing his face. I bet he looks just as fantastic in the light as he does in the shadows.

"You still need to tell me why you're wearing black tonight," he says in a low voice, interrupting my thoughts. "Is that just how it works? Do you change the color you wear every other night? Are they assigned to you?"

I shake my head. "No. We each individually chose which color we would wear before the club opened."

"But you were an angel on opening night."

I nod, biting nervously at my lower lip.

"And you're a devil now," he observes. "So, you must have changed your mind since opening night, then?"

I nod again, suddenly feeling shy and unable to meet his probing gaze.

"What caused you to change your mind?" he presses. "And did you dress as a devil last night, too?"

My shoulders grow tense at his ongoing questions.

"I didn’t work last night," I say. I bring my eyes up to meet his, an uncomfortable thought haunting me. "Were you here last night?"

I almost sigh with relief when he shakes his head. "No, I don't have time to come here every single night, Elene."

The fact that he remembers my name wraps me in warm comfort. This must mean something, right? He cares enough to remember such a mundane detail that no one before him has ever troubled themselves with.

"You still haven't answered my question."

His gray eyes are piercing through me, and when I try to lower my face to evade his intense scrutiny, he stops me by placing the tip of his finger below my chin. It's the first time he's touched me tonight. Such a delicate and innocent gesture, but it churns my insides in a very different way than the other man's hand had before.

"Tell me," he insists. "And don't look away when you do."

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