Without a Hitch(36)

He’s found me.

My heartbeat thunders inside my ribcage when I meet Blaine’s gaze. His eyes darken at first, but then his head tilts with intrigue, and that one tiny gesture causes a hive of hungry bees to riot around my heart. I can’t begin to imagine how I look, but I don’t have time for Sexy McSexerson.

I scan the room once more and almost immediately end up back at Blaine’s side. Nova sits with her hand on his forearm.

Oh, crud. Is he married? My eyes grow hot as I watch them. Am I cursed? Closing my eyes, I count to five because I don’t have ten seconds to get my shit together, then force my feet to move toward them.

When I’m within speaking distance, I keep my gaze trained on Nova. If I stare into his eyes, I know I might crumble. I promised myself I would never be that girl, but I have a sickening feeling that’s exactly who he turned me into. The home-wrecker.

“Excuse me?” My voice falters, and my hands clench into fists. “Nova?” I try again.

Her smile makes my stomach drop. I feel dirty and sick.

“Abby, right?” She stands, and I’m at a loss because the entire table stands with her. Including McSexerson. I nod because I’ve forgotten how to speak. “Is everything okay?” she asks gently.

No! I want to scream. I think I had the best sex of my life with your man, and it turned me into his dirty little secret. I see him in my periphery, but he doesn’t appear distressed. What the hell? I could blow up his world right now. Why is he smiling at me like that?

“Abby?” Nova tries again, and it shakes me from my panic.

I shrug and hold up Audra’s shoe. “Any chance you know how to fix this? Momzilla won’t let Audra enjoy her party until she can wear these exact shoes.”

My body shivers. I’m not sure if it’s from the blazing heat in Blaine’s eyes or because I’m suddenly worried. What if I can’t pull through for Audra?

Nova inspects the shoe and offers me an apologetic frown.

“Okay. That’s okay. I—shit. I don’t know this city. Where the hell do you get a”—I peer down to see what kind of shoe it is and roll my eyes—“a Manolo at 7 PM?”

An older man with a kind smile steps up beside me. “Poor Audra. Banny? Call Monica at Saks.”

Returning his attention to me, he grasps my shoulders and forces me to look at him. “We’ve got it.

What else do you have to do?”

I stare in silent horror at these people with features so similar to Blaine’s. The older couple is obviously Blaine’s parents, and the way the older woman holds Nova’s hand makes my stomach curdle. They’re trying to help a home-wrecker.

“Abby?” Blaine’s voice cuts through the crowd.

“Ah, I need to extend this cocktail hour. How far away is the shoe store?”

“Nice to meet you, Abby. I’m Ollie, Banny’s dad. Saks is about eight blocks. We can get a car…”

So that’s where Blaine gets his almost-accent from. “Oh, that’s okay. It’ll be faster if I run.”

“Run?” Blaine chokes. “In that dress?”

Nova watches him with a curious expression, and I turn on my heel before he outs our indiscretion.

“We’ll take care of the reception,” Ollie calls to my back. “We know the manager.”

I offer a halfhearted wave and push through the crowd, only to be yanked back by my arm and fall into a wall of man.

“Pepper,” he commands. “Wait.”

I rip my arm free and shake it violently as if bugs were swarming up it. He holds his hands up at my aggressive behavior. “Go back to your family. I’m sure your wife, or girlfriend, or whoever she is, will be horrified that you chased down a one-night stand. How exactly will you explain that anyway?”

A troubling grin slides over his decidedly unhandsome face.

“My wife?”

I turn on my heel again and head toward the door. “I don’t have time for games, Blaine.” Every ounce of vitriol I can manage is spat in my words.

I burst through the doors and am assaulted by a bitter wind. Jesus. It’s flipping cold. I glance left, then right, and realize I don’t have my phone, any money, or a sense of direction.

“Ugh!” I yelp as something warm and silky slips over my shoulder. I can tell by the scent wafting from the fabric that it belongs to Blaine. Turning toward him, I’m struck momentarily speechless as he stands in a tuxedo vest and closes his jacket around my shoulders. His fingers work the buttons and skim my ribcage.

“Come on. We’d better hurry.”

“We? What about Nova?” I try to pull myself from his grasp, but he holds tighter to my arm.

“Nova? My sister?” My jaw officially comes unhinged, and he smiles devilishly. “I’m a lot of things, Pepper, but a cheater isn’t one of them. Now, come on. I know Mrs. Foundry. She can be a real bitch. My car is just…”

He scans the street. It’s gridlock. Car horns beep, people yell and curse, but no one moves.

Bending down, he lifts the hem of my dress, and I swat his hands away.

“Now is not the time to get frisky,” I snip.

He lifts his gaze but stays bent over, staring up at me with hooded eyes. “Does that mean there’s a time to get frisky later?”