Page 52 of The Bourbon Bet
Ah, no wonder. I rest a hand on his forearm. “You have her mouth and eyes.”
He nods and then moves us toward the front of the room. I’m no longer shackled by the weight of small talk and nerves, and my gaze wanders. The interplay of the chandeliers’ light on the pine plank ceiling and the warm hues of the settingsun through the large windows is stunning. I’m overwhelmed by the gala’s rustic elegance.
Stopping at a table next to the stage, Sebastian pulls out a chair for me. His body brushes against mine, and the fleeting contact ignites an electric tension along my skin. Warmth radiates from him, and I catch another hint of his masculine scent that makes my pulse quicken.
I sink into the chair, hyper-aware of his proximity. He takes a seat, and his knee brushes against mine under the table. A brush of warm wool against bare skin that sends electricity shooting up my thigh. He doesn’t pull away. Neither do I.
The heat of his leg seeps through the thin fabric, and my breath catches. I imagine those long fingers mapping the curve of my spine, those muscled thighs wrapped around mine. My nipples tighten against my dress, and I quickly adjust my posture, crossing my arms casually over my chest while reaching for my water glass. I press my legs together to contain the ache building between them.
Needing a distraction from my desire, I look around the table at those already seated. My heat dies instantly when my gaze snags on cold, assessing blue eyes. Thorne sits across from us, staring back at me.
My displeasure must show because his eyebrows flicker and then furrow. I quickly smooth my features as Sebastian introduces me to everyone at our table. First is his father, Louis. His hair is full gray but thick as his son’s. He is the one who gave Sebastian his proud, straight nose and strong jawline. On his other side is a man and a woman around his father’s age, whose last name I recognize. They own a chain of very popular ice cream parlors.
Sebastian doesn’t introduce Thorne or his date. After what I learned today, I can’t blame him. Working alongside someone who stabbed you in the back has got to be torture.
The sick irony makes my heart hurt. I'm sitting here sympathizing with Sebastian's pain while knowing I might do the same. What kind of person does that make me—feeling sorry for him while planning to hand over files to his backstabbing brother so he can force Sebastian out of the family company. He started the damage, but I might be the one to finish it.
Thorne’s jaw flexes, and he looks at me. Uh-oh. “Hello, Ms. Manchester. I hope you are well.” He rests an arm around the chair of the beautiful auburn-haired woman next to him. “I’d like you to meet my date, Gina.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I tell the other woman. After learning what he’d done to Sebastian, I can’t share pleasantries with him, but there’s no reason to be rude to his date.
Thankfully, the small talk is cut short as an army of waiters descends on us with silver trays of food. The chair next to Louis remains empty. Sebastian leans toward me, his suit jacket brushing my bare shoulder, his heat warming me even more. “Don’t wait for my mother. She rarely sits down at parties, even when she’s not running them.”
Seeing his family in one room, I wonder about the one missing. “Is your sister still in Thailand?” I ask.
“Yes. She’ll be there for another month.”
Louis swirls his drink. “Ms. Manchester, my son mentioned you’re renting one of our buildings.”
My stomach clenches. Which son? There is something in Louis’s tone, a casual curiosity that feels like a trap. I look at Sebastian, but he’s talking with the woman next to him.
“Yes, Mr. Blackstone. I have a bookstore on Whiskey Row.”
He nods. “How’s that going?”
“I’m committed to my business,” I say carefully. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it work.”
Louis raises an eyebrow. “Whatever it takes? That’s an interesting choice of words.”
My heart skips, then hammers. Does he know something? Has Thorne told him about their deal? The thought has my palms sweating.
I struggle to keep my expression neutral, but if Louis knows about my agreement with his son, would he tell Sebastian? The thought of betrayal blooming in his eyes has nausea clawing up my throat. He’d never forgive me. I’d becomeanother person who used and lied to him. It wouldn’t matter that I’m looking for alternatives. The fact that I’d even considered betraying him would be enough.
Taking a deep breath and hoping my voice doesn’t shake, I say, “I’m fortunate, the community is supportive, and I’ve worked hard to build a loyal customer base, but my business is new… and things come up.”
Louis leans in his chair, gaze never leaving my face. “Fortune favors the bold, isn’t that what they say? I wonder, Ms. Manchester, just how bold you’ll be.”
My breath catches. I hear the insinuation. He knows something, and he is toying with me.
I look at Sebastian again, desperate for an escape. But he’s laughing at something the older woman has said, oblivious to my distress. Thorne’s mouth curves into a smirk, full of cruel amusement when our eyes meet.
I’m on my own. And I’m drowning.
“I hope it works out for you.” Louis leans back with obvious satisfaction, like he’s relishing in my discomfort. He’s as awful as Sade described.
“What works out?” Sebastian asks.
“Her little bookstore.”
