Page 3 of Unwrapping Spring Break

He gives me a quick nod, then makes my drink. While I wait, I glance over the crowd once more. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. Just as I lift the glass to my lips, a screeching voice catches me off guard.

“Jaxon! There you are!” The voice belongs to the only person who doesn’t call me Jax.Gretchen.I keep myself from flinching as she walks up to me. The woman is a busybody when she’s sober. Add a couple of martinis and she turns into an octopus, getting handsy with anyone who crosses her path.

Her hand rests on my arm, whether I like it or not. “You look simply dashing tonight.” Gretchen doesn’t pause for a breath to allow me to thank her for the compliment. “How was the ride with Lily? Was she ready on time? I swear that girl drags her feet just to toy with my blood pressure.”

“It was fine, Gretchen.” I’m about to explain Lily was on time, but again, she doesn’t give me a chance.

“It was lovely of you to be willing to share a car with her.” Gretchen’s hand smooths over my coat sleeve only to land on my chest. “We would have picked her up, but I had to be here to direct the staff. Otherwise, the bar would have been in the lounge and our drinks would taste smoky.” She must think it’s some kind of a joke because she lets out a raspy, forced laugh—her version of polite laughter.

Just as I’m beginning to give up any hope of escaping, my opportunity comes walking by in a tight black dress. Before I think twice, I reach out to catch Lily by the arm. I give her mother a polite smile as I slide out from under her touch. “Excuse me, Gretchen.” I take Lily to the dance floor before her mother can say another word.

“Hey!” Lily snaps as she glares at me. Her outrage falls firmly on me, but she still falls into step as I start the dance. “What the hell?”

I take her hand in mine while my other arm goes around her slender waist. Lily puts her arm over my shoulder automatically. She’s been to events like this. Country clubs, marinas, city events . . . Hell, if I remember right, Gretchen threw her a debutante ball. So, without a doubt, I know she’ll play along.

“Sorry,” I say, without meaning a word of it. “Emergency situation. It had to be done.”

I turn us in time with the song to give Lily a line of sight of where I came from. Her expression goes from beautifully annoyed to resigned understanding. She sighs.

“Mother’s had a few, huh? And she’s flirting again.”

We turn again, just in time for me to see Gretchen latch on to someone else’s arm.

“Mm-hmm.”

I lead us farther away from Gretchen and the one she’s cornered in place of me. With her daughter in my arms, I don’t want her eyes on us. “I don’t wish to be privy to social awkwardness, nor responsible for keeping her from embarrassment.” Tipsy Gretchen is Alexander’s problem. Not mine.

“Understandable. She flirts all the time, but it’s harmless. Even drunk, she knows where to draw the line. Of course, it still doesn’t make it easy for Dad. The society papers have a field day with her. I guess I’m glad I could be of service.”

She shrugs and drums up a smile for me. I’m too aware of how Lily feels beneath my hand. How the small of her back fits against my palm. How I can feel her hips sway as we dance with my arm around her waist. How delightful she smells—like strawberries.

It’s an unexpected reaction that takes my breath away. I’ve never had these thoughts for Lily before. While she’s grown up to become a lovely woman—stunning, with incredible wit and intelligence—she’s young. Too young for me. She’s always been Alexander’s daughter. That alone should label her as taboo. I’m old enough to realize this isn’t some sudden crush on a pretty woman, but I’m treading on dangerous ground, and I can’t seem to care.

She looks up at me, holding my gaze, and it seems she’s lost in the moment with me. Her eyes are a deep shade of hazelnut with small swirls of bronze. I could fall into them and never come out. I’m not sure I’d everwantto get out.

Her makeup is impeccable. Usually, I despise it when a woman paints herself so much it resembles going to war. However, Lily has mastered adding enough color to enhance her features, not hide them. A subtle warm-gray eyeshadow supports the fine line of black she framed her eyes with. Her lashes are naturally thick, and her lips—my God, her lips. Whatever shade of deep pink she’s wearing makes them utterly kissable.

I’m tempted to just do it—take a little taste to satisfy this startling ache. The wild thought brings me out of my trance. I shake my head, realizing I’m dangerously close to a line I have no right to even be near. While I may have misinterpreted Lily’s lingering gaze, nothing confirms she feels the same in this moment.

Prying my eyes away from her, I glance around the room. That’s when I realize the music has stopped, but we haven’t. We’re still swaying to an inaudible beat, putting us into motion. Hopefully, it hasn’t been more than a few seconds. I wouldn’t want to look foolish on the night of the grand opening.

Just as I’m about to suggest we go to the bar for a drink and maybe start a conversation about what silently transpired between the two of us, Lily has other ideas. Without saying a word, she withdraws from my arms, leaving me standing on the dance floor alone. I’m left with empty air where her warmth was moments before. The lack of her presence is thick, and I realize I wasn’t wrong.

One dance is all it took. Something floats between us, and I know Lily feels it too.

Chapter Three

Lily

UnlikeJax,Imanageto elude my mother. My appearance must be up to her standards, because when she sees me, she leaves me alone. If I had one hair out of place, she would have dragged me immediately and not at all quietly to the ladies’ room to fix it. After it happened at a function or two, I learned how to avoid the situation. Once she goes on her way, I can move freely around the party.

Dad corners me a couple of times when he isn’t giving speeches. He can be as overbearing as my mother in his own particular way. Tonight, he’s invited a handful of men my age, all of whom he wants to introduce me to. He hopes to find me the perfect match in a partner as he has in Jax, only not for business. The introductions are less than subtle.Here’s my daughter, the single teacher. Please whisk her away into the night before she turns back into a pumpkin.Okay, it’s a bit dramatic. I’m always polite but dismissive. I know anyone Dad picks out for me is bound to come with more than a bit of baggage.

Like Tucker, who turns out to be married with a baby on the way—not that Dad would know. He doesn’t pay attention to any of the Crimson social news. Or Jack, who wants to focus on his career and not a relationship. Or Elliott, who spent the entire conversation talking about his ex-girlfriend.

No, thank you.

I finally have the chance to hide. I squeeze in at a small table in the corner of the room and pull out a stack of papers. It’s a better option than thinking about what happened with Jax on the dance floor. The guy lookedgood, there’s no denying that, but even the homeliest of men can look great in a suit. So why am I suddenly noticing how handsome Jax is? I’ve danced with him many times before the one we shared earlier. This dance felt different. It felt so good—so right—to be in his arms.

---