I felt, rather than saw, a shadow beside us, and spun my head to see Gerald approaching. My brother and I had never gotten along, but I saw the relief in his eyes as he realized it was really me.

After introducing him to Hawk, or rather, Michael, it was strange to see Gerald deferring to the older man.

"Mother is going to be so excited to hear about you two," Gerald smiled with his forced fake sweetness. "She'll want to have you for dinner as soon as possible."

He gave me a pointed look. "Which means that she's going to require your new phone number."

Hawk recited his email. "Lila and I are doing a low technology experiment," he said. "No cell phones for a month, and we only check my email once a day. Apparently it's good for clearing your mind."

Wow, he really had read Mom's blog. She was always going on about challenges to better oneself. Although she loved email, she detested the immediacy of cell phones. To her, email was far more formal and therefore appropriate.

"Perfect," Gerald said. "I'm sure she'll want to have you both to the house this weekend. "

"Oh, I'm afraid we're out of town this weekend," Hawk said smoothly. "But I think we're free next weekend, aren't we, Lila?"

"I believe so." It was very sweet of him to give me some extra time to wrap my mind around what was happening.

"If you'll excuse me," Gerald said, "some dear friends just arrived."

The second he left, Hawk's arm slid around my waist for a tiny hug. "Is that okay, baby? Dinner with your folks once in a while, my folks once in a blue moon, and we'll basically be free of them."

My giant sigh of relief made him flash that handsome grin. "You're brilliant," I said. "I know I shouldn't say that because it's going to go directly to your head."

"Or somewhere else." His eyebrows went up and down suggestively.

"Oh my God, stop it," I smirked, setting my empty champagne glass aside. "I think it's time for us to do one dance in front of the event photographer, then call it a night."

After barely touching Hawk for the past hour, not to mention the past few days, his arms around me felt incredible. Our dancing was polite enough not to cause a scene, but Hawk teased me by tickling and groping me slightly whenever we were spinning too fast for anyone to notice, although he behaved himself whenever the photographer had his lens trained on us.

At the end of the song he held me close, pressing his erection against my belly. "I don't know if I can wait till we get home," he growled in my ear. "Seeing this elegant, proper side of you makes me need to strip you naked and have my wicked way with you immediately."

"Never trust the help to keep a secret," I said, imitating my mother's nasal voice. "We will not behave in such a fashion in front of your driver."

Hawk pouted, making me laugh a bit too loudly. "Let's go," he said, taking my arm and ushering us to the door.

It was going to take all of my willpower to keep our clothing on during the drive.