Chapter Six

While he was on his own, Jason went to the nearest drinks station to get some ice water. He grinned as Lola came over to him, standing to his side.

“Just who is your date? I’m sure she has most of my guests drooling—and a few of them are green with envy. Such a flirt, too. She’s adorable…but very mysterious.”

With a conspiratorial wink, Jason indicated for Lola to come closer and whispered in her ear, just as Kris had said to do.

“Buttercup.”

“You tease.” Lola pouted but her eyes sparkled. “I think she’s made the same impression on you as she has the rest of the partygoers. I can’t wait to see who she really is. Well, dear, I can tell you this.” Lola leaned in close, dropping the timbre of her voice as well as its volume. “Whoever is under that makeup, you’re the focus of their attention. I’ve been watching. She’s a flirt, so long as her personal space isn’t invaded. But when you’re not there, she looks for you, and there are a lot of glances from her in your direction when you’re nearby.”

“I know. I feel really comfortable in her company.” Jason shrugged as Lola raised an elegantly plucked eyebrow. “I know. It’s not like me at all in a situation like this. But…I just do.”

“Perhaps you’ve finally found that missing piece. I know you think I’m just a sentimental slushie, but I’m usually very accurate about these things. Of course, I never interfere. If there’s no spark, then that’s the end of it. But I think there may be the smallest of sparks trying its best to become a bit more. Just because you were badly burned once before, doesn’t make all fires bad.”

“I guess. Even Kris said that my ‘I’m too busy for relationships’ excuse is wearing thin.”

“He’s a very astute young man.” Lola glanced around the room. “In fact, he may be even brighter than I thought.” With a swirl of her Wonder Woman cape, Lola walked away, leaving Jason to mull over her words.

A moment later and a loud screech announced Elsa’s return to the room, her face contorted with disgust.

“It’s a man. It’s a fucking man.” The high-pitched screech had all the guests turn to see what was happening.

Jason rolled his eyes at the peroxide blonde who’d been sniffing around him earlier, then fury bubbled inside as he saw her target.

Buttercup stood in the doorway, ashen faced, as Elsa pointed unerringly at her. But before Jason could react, Lola appeared, the crowd parting for her as she walked toward the blonde.

“Is there a problem here?” Lola’s voice was so cold that Jason shivered, and a few of the guests even backpedaled a little.

“It’s a man.” The blonde’s finger remained pointing over Lola’s shoulder, but Lola didn’t even bother to look around.

“I asked if there was a problem?” Lola waved a hand in the air. “I’m quite sure that tonight there will be women dressed as men and vice versa. If that’s a problem for you, my dear, then leave. Now.” Lola’s voice dropped at least an octave and it was the blonde’s turn to lose color.

“I’m sorry, Lola. It’s my fault. She’s had a few too many. Let’s go.” The blonde’s date came scurrying over, tugging at her arm. “I told you and you said you were all good with it. Don’t expect to hang around with me after humiliating me this way.”

Jason watched as the two women left, one with an expression like stone and the blonde bawling and pleading for forgiveness. Then he looked around for his date. There was no sign of Buttercup and a cold knot tightened in his stomach.

Then he caught sight of Lola pointing the way for him and he took off in that direction. There was a closed door directly opposite them and Jason didn’t bother knocking. Throwing it open, he strode inside, slamming the door behind him.

Buttercup stood in the middle of the room, hugging herself tightly.

“She’s gone. Are you okay?”

“That was not what I expected.” Buttercup shook her head and took a step toward the door. “This isn’t working. I should leave. I was a fool—”

“I already know it’s you, Kris.”

Buttercup stopped in mid step and turned slowly to face Jason. Slowly, Kris removed his mask.

“What? I mean…how? I was so sure—”

“The disguise is perfect. Faultless. But two things gave you away.” Jason smiled, slowly closing the distance between them.

“My hair?” Kris fingered it. “I knew I should have worn a wig.”

“Nope.” Jason now stood just inches away, and he gazed into Kris’ entrancing eyes. “Your eyes, for one. Each time I looked into them, I knew you. Not that it was you straight away, but when I paired that with your scent… It’s lighter, slightly more feminine, but it’s still your scent, one that I know—one that always make me feel safe, cared for and a million other things I just never realized before. Fuck, I’ve been such a blind fool. How long?”

“Have I loved you? It feels like forever.” Kris took a deep breath, as if needing additional fortification to continue. “I thought it was lust. After all, I mean… Well, look at you.” He took a deep breath, then continued. “That was my first year. By the end of it, I knew you so much better. You’re rich but you don’t exploit. You’re not just after a quick buck at someone else’s expense. You care for people. You like most of them at arm’s length, but you genuinely care about people who work for you—and their lives and families. By the end of the second year, I loved you. But since you weren’t interested in relationships and I didn’t want to lose my job and being with you the only way I could, I settled for what I could have, your trust and friendship. If I’ve lost those—”

Kris stopped, his voice choking off and Jason couldn’t have resisted even if he’d wanted to. As if handling the most precious piece of china, he enfolded Kris in his arms.

“Kiss me.” Jason waited, watching as shock then joy reflected in Kris’s eyes. Then he couldn’t see anything. He closed his eyes as Kris pressed his lips against his own. The pressure was light, tentative, and Jason pressed back a little harder, pleased when Kris met him with equal force before opening his mouth.

No other invitation was needed. Pulling Kris as tight to his chest as he could, Jason thrust his tongue deep, sliding it along Kris’ before easing back reluctantly.

“You taste like you smell. Perfect. You know, when I recognized you, I had ‘the moment’.”

“The moment.” Kris shook his head. “I don’t understand.”

“When you go on a blind date and you’re looking around, you see someone and have the moment where you think, let it be them. For a while, I wondered if you just couldn’t find anyone else to be here with me, that you were doing this out of duty. But, deep down, I think I always knew we shared much more than that.”

“So now what happens?” Kris asked.

“Well, I know this version of Kris likes to literally let his hair down and is an incorrigible flirt, but this old man is sick of being goosed and felt up. He’s thinking he’d like to go home…if you’ll come with me.” Jason held out his hand.

“So you’re…not upset that I’m your date for the evening? You’d maybe be willing to think about changing our relationship, to see where things go?”

“That’s what a date is for. Am I right? Trying things out, deciding if you want to spend more time with the person in a romantic setting… But I’ll be honest.” Jason shook his head. “I feel like such a fucking idiot. Was Manu, in his own inimitable way, trying to drop hints when we were on the yacht?”

Kris smiled. “I let something slip on the way to my suite, and he latched on to it like a dog with a bone. I confessed everything. I think seeing Fitz made me realize that I could lose you before I’d even tried to be more than a friend. But I told him that if he said one word to you, I’d resign. Then the day I went home, he rang me and said that I might be interested to know that you’d hardly been able to take your eyes off my legs. Well, that got me thinking about the costume. I’d already decided to let my fem side out, but I was going to have a longer dress. Then I thought, why not this?”

When Kris tugged at his skirt, displaying the stocking tops, Jason groaned out loud.

“If you don’t come home with me right now, I refuse to be held accountable for my actions.”

“Really?” Kris grinned with delight. “I guess I’d best not do this then.”

A heartfelt moan broke free from Jason as Kris edged the skirt high enough to offer a glimpse of the red silk panties he wore.

“You aren’t just a flirt. You’re a fucking tease, too.” Jason growled the words, his voice deep and husky. He moved in close, running his fingers over the exposed skin at the top of Kris’ thigh. He received a delightful shudder from Kris in response, and Jason uttered a soft moan.

“Fuck, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything so sexy in my life.” Kris’ voice was soft and breathy, and he drew Jason down into another kiss. “And your stubble’s driving me crazy.”

“It is?” Jason rubbed his chin, the coarse stubble already prominent, and a vision burst into his mind. “In that case, I know just how to pay you back—and you’ll love it.” This time the growl to his voice was deliberate and Kris shivered again. “Looks to me like someone likes playing with bears. Grizzled bears.”

“You’re not grizzled. You’re perfect. Now, let’s get out of here before I combust.”

“Firstly, let’s go thank Lola. She’ll claim credit anyway. We may as well gain some brownie points. Plus, she’ll want to know that you’re all right.”

“Okay.” Kris nodded, taking a deep breath. “Back to Buttercup.” Kris replaced the mask.

“Walk out there like a princess and own it, babe. But when you thank Lola, make sure Kris thanks her, too.”

“He will. May I have your arm?” Buttercup battered her lashes and Jason chuckled.

“Baby, you can have any part of me you’d like.”

“I can’t wait. Let’s do this.”

Once out of the office, Jason framed Buttercup’s face in his hands and kissed her, uncaring of the partygoers that milled around. Then he held out his arm and Buttercup slid hers through.

Ahead of him, Jason spotted Lola, and her husband was beside her. When she spotted him, an expression of relief quickly turned into one of delight. Jason almost laughed out loud at the way she tugged at Jeff’s sleeve, nodding in their direction, then pulling him with her to come greet them.

“Buttercup, dear, I see you’re all right.” Lola regally kissed Buttercup’s cheeks.

“Yes. Ja—I mean Westley and I had an enlightening discussion.” Buttercup glanced up at Jason, who nodded.

“Yes, definitely enlightening,” Jason confirmed.

Lola looked at him, her eyes narrowing, then she turned to Buttercup.

“Kris would like to thank you, too.” Buttercup leaned into Jason, who nodded, and Lola’s eyes widened for a second or two.

“Well, then, do I take it that this new enlightenment is going to mean you’re leaving my party early?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” Jason slid his arm around Buttercup’s shoulders. “But if it’s any consolation, you and Jeff can be our first dinner guests.”

“Oh, how delightful. We accept, don’t we, my love?” Lola battered her lashes at Jeff, who chuckled.

“When have I ever said no to you? Of course we do,” Lola’s husband replied.

“Good. We’ll confirm at a later date. In the meantime, I need to order a cab, after which Buttercup and I will be incommunicado on board my yacht.”

Lola gave a deep throaty guffaw, immediately followed by a peal of laughter, before hugging Jason, then Buttercup.

“A couple after our own hearts.” She leaned into Jeff, and he looked at her indulgently. “In that case, away you both go, but know that I’ll be calling tomorrow—just to make sure you’re both okay.”

“I don’t doubt it.” Jason held out his arm and Buttercup took it. “I’ll call the cab from outside. Then we won’t disturb the rest of your guests.”

“Or they won’t disturb you, more like.” Lola waved and, with Jeff at her side, merged back into the crowd.

Outside the house, Jason hit speed dial for his preferred taxi company, and within ten minutes, he and Buttercup were in the cab and heading to the marina. Jason took the opportunity to text Manu to let his friend know they were coming home early.

Then he took hold of Buttercup’s hand, gently rubbing his thumb over the back of it, trying to keep his ever-increasing anticipation—and arousal—under control.