Page 88 of Let Me Say It Again

I smiled. “Bianca Morelli. I’ll tell her you like it.”

“Like?” She tsked. “I love! I must have her design something custom for me.”

“She’s my half sister, but she doesn’t design evening gowns. This was just a one-off.” Was it wrong that it made me a little happy to know she’d wanted something she couldn’t have?

A pout pulling at her bottom lip, she murmured, “Boo.” Then bouncing back faster than a slinky, Sherrilyn beamed again. “Anyway, did you see some of the hunky men backstage? I did, and let’s just say it’s a good thing I’m happily married, otherwise I might be a very broke woman after tonight.”

Sure, sure because paying for a date with a good-looking man seemed like her only option if she were single. False. “I did not. I was, however, just about to go over and thank one of our biggest sponsors, who I heard not only donated money, but also his son. He’s having him auctioned off.” And by heard, I meant Maria had told me. The sponsor and man in question was none other than her soon-to-be father-in-law, Santo Deluca.

“Oooh, which hunk is he?”

I shrugged. That, I truly had no idea. Maria hadn’t said. Not that it’d matter. I was pretty sure all the Delucas were hot. “Can’t say,” I finally admitted when she didn’t seem appeased. Really, what I should’ve said was just find the hottest Italian American male, and she’d have her answer. No idea why I didn’t say that.

“You ladies having a good time?” Red asked, interrupting us and slipping an arm around my waist, his lips finding my cheek. The way he grazed them against my skin sent tingles down my body. He turned to Sherrilyn. “Your husband around here?”

Peering around almost as if she had no idea where he went off to, she finally raised a shoulder and bit her bottom lip. “He should be, but I don’t see him. I might’ve lost track of him.Anyway, I’m going to go make my rounds. Sit together later?” she asked me expectantly.

It wasn’t like I could very well say no, and I honestly wouldn’t have wanted to anyway, so I nodded and smiled. “Absolutely.”

With Red’s arm wrapped securely around my waist, we turned to leave. Out of earshot, I released a deep breath. This world was exhausting to say the very least, and we’d only just arrived. Hell, the event hadn’t even started yet. I was so screwed.

Taking a glass of champagne for me from a passing waiter, Red pulled me close to his body and whispered in my ear as he passed me the glass. “You’re doing excellent.”

I might’ve responded if my body didn’t practically go limp from feeling his warm breath on the shell of my ear.

“Let’s go over here,” he said, leading me away from the crowd to the one and only secluded corner in the place.

“I should go find Santo Deluca. He’s Maria’s fiancé’s father. Apparently, his son is around here somewhere, too. And he did sponsor part of this thing, so it’s only right.” I downed the contents of my glass in one gulp and eyed Red. “Just give me a nudge, will you? I’m not sure my body will go on its own accord.”

Laughing at me, he gently did just that, nudging me. “I’m going to see if I can find Mark. Meet you back here in fifteen before this thing kicks off?”

Nodding, I put one heel, one painfully high heel, in front of the other.

By this point, there were so many bodies milling about that I wasn’t sure I’d ever find anyone. Who knew that when you put the words charity and bachelor in the same sentence, you’d draw such a crowd?

Turning on my heel to see what my next move should have been, I was stopped. The warm hand of a man who wasn’t Red came down on my shoulder.

“Jade?” he asked me.

The man had attractive facial features that were so striking they couldn’t be denied by a nun. Altogether, his handsome looks stuck out like hot pink in a sea of black. He had dark, dark brown hair, so dark it was almost black, thick eyebrows, brown eyes that had a hint of darkness to them, matching his hair. To top it all off, he had a strong, chiseled jawline and full lips every woman in this room would envy. Or give their virginity, had any of them still had it, for a taste. Although, it might have made them cougars given his obvious young age, not that I thought that’d be a problem in their eyes.

“Yes,” I answered and turned up my elite sophistication. “Do I know you?” I blinked rapidly, once, then twice, searching my brain for him.

Chuckling, he pulled at the front of his black designer (I was sure of it) suit in a suave manner. Everything about him, including his choice of clothing, screamed I could cause serious emotional damage to you if we dated. He didn’t scream fuck boy, but was definitely somewhere in that zone. He seemed like he knew a thing or two about how to get the ladies. And if he didn’t, his looks and expensive style did all the talking for him.

Black three-piece suit with satin lapels.

Black dress shirt.

Crimson tie.

Rolling on the balls of his immaculate black patent leather loafers, he finally answered my question about whether I knew him. I didn’t think I did. I felt like I’d remember a face like his. “Nah, but I know you. You’re the newest Morelli.”

Biting back a cringe, I addressed his inaccurate statement. “Not technically. My name’s Jade Logan.” Morelli was Regina’s husband’s surname. If anyone knew Regina’s last name, I’d consider using it, but, honestly, Logan seemed to be asmeaningless as her maiden name, so why bother? Besides, I had been a Logan since day one.

“Same thing,” he said, brushing me off and smiling wide.

Okay, whoever he was, he clearly wasn’t one for facts.

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