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“Really?”
It sure hadn’t felt like one. I looked away. “I’m working.”
The bartender asked for our order. As Kavner spoke with him, I scanned for Bates.
“Kavner Fury.” A man in his late thirties and really shiny veneers on his teeth stopped beside us. “I’m Richard Everett. I was hoping to get a moment with you to discuss a deal I’m working on.”
For the first time, I could honestly say Kavner’s smile was fake.
“Not tonight, Everett. I’m here to enjoy the party, and my companion.”
Everett very poorly hid his disappointment. “Absolutely. I’ll call your office.”
Which I’m guessing he already had and had been turned away. “You get that a lot.”
Kavner’s mouth twisted. “Unfortunately, yes. There are a lot of people with excellent ideas and brilliant plans…that they’d like to use my money for.”
He handed me a fancy glass, with a cherry perched on the rim.
“Don’t worry, it’s only soda and lime. And I’m having one glass of wine since I’m driving.”
“Thanks.”
He took my arm. “Come on. Let’s circle around and look for Bates.”
As he passed through the room, people stared, and tried to catch his attention. I discovered very quickly that everyone wanted to talk to Kavner. To say hello, ask for a meeting, to talk business. Women shot him covetous looks, completely ignoring me.
I watched a mask slip into place on his face—eyes cool, tone polite. God, was this what he had to deal with, all the time?
I sipped my drink. An older man launched into a sales pitch, trying to sell Kavner on some business investment.
Enough was enough. I leaned against Kavner’s chest. “Honey, I need some fresh air.”
He slid an arm around my waist. “Excuse me, Silas, I have to take care of my woman.”
I nearly jolted at that. His woman?
What would it actually feel like to be Kavner Fury’s woman? To be the center of his universe? To hold his heart?
He took our glasses and set them on a table. Then he opened the back door, and we stepped out onto the back terrace.
The cool evening wrapped around us. We were on a long, stone terrace with carved stone railings. Beyond it, discreet, elegant lighting illuminated a swimming pool, and the immaculate gardens.
“You all right?” he asked.
“Yes. Just a ploy to rescue you from Silas’ sales pitch.”
Kavner stilled. “You did that for me?”
“I have no idea how you handle all the people constantly after you for your bank account, or your business acumen.”
He gave me a strange look, his gaze moving over my face. “Thank you.”
I cleared my throat. I had to look away before I did something stupid. “And of course, we need to find Bates.”
“Of course.” He leaned against the railing beside me. “And it looks like we did find him.” Kavner nodded his head.
I turned, and spotted a couple in the garden. The man was clearly trying to coax the woman in for a kiss. The woman was beautiful, with a full, curvaceous figure, and long, brown hair. The man was definitely Spencer Bates—long and lean, with shaggy, blond-tipped hair. He had the weathered, tanned skin of a man who spent too much time in the sun.
