Rock Redemption (Rock Kiss, #3)(44)

“I just said that to get us away.” Kit’s eyes lingered on his face. “We can sneak out now if you want.”

“We have to stay at least until the bidding starts.” Finishing off the water, he set it on another tray. “Thanks. I needed a friend back there.”

Amber eyes glowed with fierce emotion. “No thanks needed.”

The next hour wasn’t bad. He liked being able to introduce Kit to people who could help further her career, but that was as far as he needed to go—soon as someone met her, they were drawn into her orbit.

The clear sound of a bell silvered through the air not long after they’d finished a conversation with Cyril King. A minute later, Margaret went up to the podium to make her speech on behalf of the foundation. Noah listened with half an ear, the rest of his attention on Kit; he didn’t want to waste a minute of this night he’d been given as a gift.

A night where he could pretend he was good enough to stand by her side.

“If you don’t bid during the auction,” Margaret said at the end of her speech, “I’ll hunt you down and guilt you into writing a check, so you might as well get something for it.”

Everyone laughed, the mood happy thanks to the atmosphere, food, and drinks.

The auction began straight afterward, and true to his word, Noah drove up the prices with relentless determination, even acting affronted when he was outbid. He almost went too far with the vomit plate; only Kit’s elbow jab to the ribs stopped him from acquiring the monstrosity.

“I think we’ve done enough,” he whispered, leaning down to her ear.

Kit looked carefully around. “It’s shadowy with the soft lighting, and we’re at the back, while everyone’s looking forward. Let’s go take a break.”

Noah had already spotted the best door; it led deeper into the mansion, and as far as he could tell, it wasn’t locked. Almost there, he saw a waitress about to pass by with hors d’oeuvres. “Thanks,” he said and grabbed the whole tray. Winking at her when her mouth fell open, he slid out the door Kit had already opened. He saw her pick up a couple of glasses of ice water from a tray that had been by the door before she followed him out.

The corridor was only dimly lit, but he could see another hallway to the left. When they reached the spot, they found it barred by a thick red rope. “Place really is like a museum.”

He jumped over the rope, had the pleasure of watching Kit hike up her dress to expose those knockout legs as she climbed over. His body tightened at the sight, his breath caught in his chest, but he ground down the response. He would not ruin his friendship with Kit for sex. Sex meant nothing. Kit meant everything.

“Hey, look.” She pointed to a suit of armor down at the end, her voice a whisper. “I wonder if it’s one of Tierney’s exhibit rooms? Do you think he has the mummy in there?”

Grinning at one another, they walked quickly down the carpeted hallway and into a large room filled with plinths on which stood busts, vases, other objets d’art. Each piece was spotlighted from above, but that was the only light in the room. Not gloomy, more atmospheric.

“Carpet’s thick,” Kit said, keeping her voice low. “We can sit on it.”

“Wait.” Noah put down the tray, then shrugged off his tuxedo jacket and laid it on the ground. “Now you can sit, my lady.”

She half smiled, half shook her head at him as she turned the coat over so it was the inside surface that touched the carpet. Sitting down, she said, “Your shirt might get dirty, but at least you’ll be respectable when we sneak back in.”

“Good thinking.” He tried not to watch as she kicked off her heels and flexed her feet. The red lines the straps had made on each foot looked as if they could do with a massage, and he almost offered. Only he didn’t think he could have Kit’s foot in his lap and not betray how much he wanted her.

Not for f*cking, for everything.

“Mmm.” She bit into a toasted little rectangle of bread topped with what might’ve been hummus and sun-dried tomato.

Her lips pressed together in pleasure so lush that— Shut it the hell down, Noah.

“Try this one.” Head bent to the tray, Kit picked up something on a toothpick. “I think it’s a prune wrapped in bacon and roasted.”

Thankful for the shadows that hid his internal battle, he accepted the dubious-sounding piece of food. His eyes widened on tasting it. “This is seriously good shit.”

“I know.” Kit ate two before dropping the toothpicks on the tiny pile they’d made on one side of the tray. “I always used to think this place would be creepy at night, but it’s kind of fun.”

The ensuing fifteen minutes passed by in a heartbeat. Afterward, Noah couldn’t have said what they spoke about, only that it felt like it had before—when Kit had smiled at him without masks and he’d been able to breathe. No weight pressing down on his chest, no knots twisting his guts. When he was with Kit like this, he could breathe.

“We should go back,” she said too soon, and he imagined he heard reluctance. “The auction will be over in a few minutes, and people will notice if you’re not there.”

Noah didn’t think he was the one who was the shining star, but he knew she was right. Someone was always looking for a story. Shrugging into his jacket, he stood in place while Kit went around the back and brushed it off.