Chapter Twenty Three

The song wasn’t a slow tune, which meant he really didn’t need to hold her so closely. Yet Kelly didn’t pull away. She was certain any one of the media staff that were present would snap a picture on their phone and immediately text it to their editor. The picture of her dancing with Felix would no doubt grace the cover of at least one tabloid first thing tomorrow morning.

Any other company looking to snag Felix would see that Darcy Enterprises had beaten them to the punch. With that thought, Kelly moved easily to the rhythm of the music. She smiled and eased out of Felix's embrace so she could spin around before coming back to join him. The move gave anyone aiming for a photo op an unfettered view of her smiling…and wearing such a beautiful dress.... Thanks to Lizzy.

Another minute and the song was over. The band would probably continue to play until midnight when the DJ, who was set up in the far corner of the ballroom, would take over. Kelly still hoped to be home early. Her work here was done, and she decided it was time to conclude this meeting.

“Well, I certainly don’t wish to stop your celebrating,” she said and dropped her hands from his shoulders. “I appreciate you taking the time to speak to me.”

Felix let his hands slip from her waist. “Surely you’re not leaving the party. We still have an hour to go until midnight. There’s champagne to drink and more dancing to be done!”

Kelly smiled at the joy in his green eyes. “Oh no, I think I’ve had enough partying for one evening,” she told him.

“Nonsense,” a deep voice said from behind her. “You have to make time for just one more dance.”

Kelly's shoulders instantly stiffened at the familiar voice.

“You don’t mind, do you, Felix?” he asked as he shook Felix's hand.

“Of course not,” Felix replied. “As long as she continues to have a good time. I’ll be talking to you soon, Kelly.”

She managed a quiet good night to Felix, her genuine smile already shifting to a cool, aloof one.

This time, the band did begin playing a slower tune, and to her dismay, Dimitri Collins stepped closer and asked, “Shall we dance?”

Kelly was still mad at him, and she didn’t like how close he was. Nor did she like how well he wore that suit. Dimitri was too tall, his face was too chiseled, eyebrows too thick and beard cut too precisely. There were waves in his cropped ebony hair, too many of them, and he smelled… Well, the cologne he wore smelled too damn good.

Dimitri stood with his hands in the pockets of his pants. And God, did he look amazing.

The perfect man in a tapered black suit that practically worshipped his tall frame. A stark white shirt emphasized the tones of his skin, while a light blue-and-gray pinstriped tie that appeared to be silk even to her untrained eye, drew attention to the hard wall of his chest. A pocket square of the same pattern and color as the tie peeped out of his jacket and a gold, black-faced watch adorned his right wrist.

She’d encircled her fingers around that strong wrist as his full mouth had sexed hers. She’d stroked that chest. Brushed her lips across it while he’d plunged into her over and over again. Faint twinges of pleasure echoed deep and high in her body.

Drawing in a breath, she frowned at him.

She wanted so bad to act unaffected by him, but then she ran her palms down her thighs in a nervous gesture she regretted revealing. She raised her gaze to Dimitri's and resisted the urge to fidget. She waited as his hooded, dark inspection swept over her from the middle part of her hair to the jeweled toe of her shoe. After an insurmountable amount of time— okay, seconds—his scrutiny returned to her face.

His expression remained as neutral as ever, but his eyes… The minimal amount of air left in her lungs made a break for it. Driven away by the gleam lighting his stare like flashes of dry heat. This was not good for her... This attraction to the man, she thought.

When he looked at her like that—she nervously fingered the small diamond pendant at her throat. When he looked at her like that, he almost made her feel things she didn't want to feel. And that was dangerous.

“Dance with me,” he stated, and the flinty tone contradicted the blaze in his eyes that had flames dancing along all her exposed skin. He withdrew his hands from his pocket and approached her. She almost dipped her head.

There was no way Kelly would ever let on that she was bothered by any of the above. She nodded and took the final step to close the distance between them.

“You look stunning tonight,” he said the moment his arms slipped around her waist, his hands flattening at the small of her back.

For the second time tonight, Kelly lifted her arms to let her hands rest on a man’s shoulders. The first time had been for business. This time, she prayed, would not overshadow the work she’d just completed.

“Thank you,” she replied, noticing that color of the tux also added to the intense look in his deep brown eyes, then she added. "Your suit looks great on you too"

He chuckled. “Thank you, Kelly”

For a split second Kelly thought she could become lost in his soulful eyes. She wanted  to run her fingers over his rich skin. That was ridiculous. She didn’t shake her head to clear the thoughts and remind herself of who and what he was, but she did shift her gaze to a woman across the room wearing a blue sequin gown. Again, they were most certainly surrounded by reporters, and photographers, so Kelly's smile stayed in place as she concentrated on moving with the music, instead of the fact that she was dancing with the enemy.

“You look.... Distracted,” Dimitri said after a few moments of silence.

“I don't really like to attend social gatherings like this,” she responded before snapping her lips shut. He did not need to know anything that personal about her.

Dimitri looked down at her seriously.

“You don’t like parties?” he asked, as if he couldn't believe her.