Megan’s favorite part about the Breast Cancer Society’s annual fundraising ball was its venue at the Ebell of Los Angeles clubhouse. The historic two-story building was constructed nearly a hundred years ago in the Italian Renaissance style with a smooth white exterior and dark clay-tile roofing. The dining hall, where the main event would be held, boasted high engraved ceilings and stately columns. With rich wood panels and wrought-iron railings, it felt like a place from another time.
But what made the place truly magical for Megan was the tiled-roof colonnade that led to the manicured courtyard garden. The walkway arches surrounded two sides of the space, draped with silky fuchsia curtains to complement the pink theme, which commemorated the fight against breast cancer. Intricate topiaries lined the street-facing side so the guests could forget that they were idling in a building by a busy Los Angeles street.
Cocktail hour was well underway in the picturesque garden, and guests in tasteful formal wear milled about the ornate water fountain aglow with ambient lighting. Megan walked over to the bar set up in the corner and ordered a club soda with lime. Her Grecian, empire-waist gown effortlessly hid her baby bump, but there was no reason to announce that she wasn’t drinking.
“Thank you.” She took the glass the bartender extended to her and opened her clutch.
A long arm reached around her and placed a couple twenties in the tip jar. “I’ll have the same.”
“Daniel.” Her voice sounded huskier than she’d like, but she couldn’t stop her heart from fluttering at the sight of him. He looked magnificent in a classic tuxedo, fitted to show off his athletic physique to perfection. He wore his hair slicked back from his forehead, adding an irresistible air of sophistication. “You made it.”
With his drink in one hand, he placed his other on the small of her back and led her toward one of the draped arches. “Of course. I’ve been looking forward to it.”
“Looking forward to the ball? Or looking forward to seeing me?” She smiled up at him from beneath her lashes.
“I, uh...” He cleared his throat and recovered admirably. “Both. I was looking forward to both.”
They hadn’t met since the night at his penthouse. He had texted periodically to check in on her but they were more polite than anything else. She wanted to scream with frustration every time she got one, but she sent an equally polite response back. She was biding her time to make her move. And yes...she had every intention of making a move.
Something had shifted for her that night Daniel offered her ice cream in any flavor she could possibly want. His gruff tenderness and vulnerability moved her to the core, and she wanted him. It was foolish and inconvenient. He made it clear that he would regret getting involved with her. Maybe he was right. Maybe they would be sorry. She would loathe having yet another secret to keep from her father. But Megan knew she would regret it more if she didn’t at least try to explore the attraction between them. It was something rare and special—at least for her.
“Good answer,” she said. “Shall we go find Anne and get you those brownie points?”
“By all means. Lead the way.” His hand found its way back to the curve of her back, and shivers of awareness skipped down her spine. “We aren’t going to run into your father here, are we?”
“No, it’s hard for him to attend these events. Even after seven years, my mom’s death is still a raw wound for him.” She sighed. “I’ve been coming and donating on his behalf for the last several years, so we’re safe to proceed with our plan.”
Anne was in the dining room, adjusting the pink floral centerpieces and smoothing out the bows on the satin chair covers. She looked impeccably elegant in an emerald A-line gown, but a small frown marred her forehead.
“Everything looks absolutely perfect.” Megan leaned down to kiss the older woman’s cheek. “You can stop fussing.”
“Tim stepped out to the garden to get a drink.” Anne laughed and rotated the centerpiece by a quarter turn. “He said I was making him nervous.”
Megan wrapped her arm around Anne’s shoulders and turned them both to face Daniel. “Look who I found wandering about.”
“It’s good to see you, Mrs. Werner.” His words were friendly enough, but his expression was aloof as he extended his hand toward her. That wouldn’t do.
Megan cleared her throat softly. His eyes flitted toward her and she mouthed “Smile,” pantomiming a toothy grin.
“Thank you, Mr. Pak.” Anne placed her hand in Daniel’s with a regal nod. “I’m so glad you could make it.”
“You’ve done an amazing job. The event looks like a success,” he said with a hint of a smile. That was better. “And please call me Daniel.”
Anne made a noncommittal noise and said, “I didn’t realize you two knew each other.”
“He came over for dinner one evening and we kind of hit it off,” Megan explained. “Call us golfing buddies. We mostly complain about my father to each other.”
He held out his hand and hurriedly averred, “I have the greatest respect for Mr. Han.”
“Of course you do. We both do. Great man, my father.” Megan winked at him and whispered to Anne, “As an added bonus, Daniel is very fun to tease.”
“Megan, do be gentle with him.” Anne smiled sympathetically at Daniel. “You have to watch out for this one.”
“I appreciate the heads-up,” he said, his grin widening. “I’ll be sure to stay on my toes.”
“Look at you two...ganging up on me.” Megan was delighted that Daniel had relaxed enough to let some of his charm shine through.
“We have to even out the playing field somehow,” he said, still wearing that beautiful smile. He turned to Anne with humor twinkling in his eyes. “I’ll come find you if I need reinforcement.”
The older woman laughed, genuine warmth stealing into her expression. “I’ll be on the lookout for you.”
“Fine. Be that way.” Megan wrinkled her nose at them.
“Well, we’ll leave you to prepare.” Daniel raised his drink and said, “Here’s to record-breaking donations.”
“Thank you, Daniel. Fingers crossed,” Anne said with another fond smile. Then she pulled Megan over to the side and whispered, “Some men look like they were born to wear a tuxedo. Have fun playing golf with him.”
“Miss Anne,” Megan gasped. “We’re just friends.”
“Whatever you say.” Anne wiggled her eyebrows.
Megan cast a quick glance at Daniel, who appeared to be studying the tastefully decorated dining room with interest. “I had to nip my dad’s matchmaking fantasies in the bud, so don’t you start now.”
“Oh, I don’t know. You know what they say about the wisdom of elders...”
“I’m going back out to the beautiful garden to enjoy the evening with my friend.”
Megan hurried off before Anne could continue her teasing. But it was a good sign that she was trying to play matchmaker, too. Her dear friend had taken a liking to Daniel. Now it was up to him to keep the rapport alive.
“Hey, shall we go mingle?” she said, coming to stand next to him.
“Must we?” he drawled dryly. He glanced toward the throng outside with a faint grimace and sipped his drink.
“What?” She widened her eyes innocently. “You don’t enjoy smiling until your cheeks cramp, while making small talk with virtual strangers who listen to you with half an ear and silently judge you?”
“It’s so delightful. How could I not enjoy that?” He chuckled, the warm sound making her toes curl. She had to try to make him do that more often.
She hooked her arm through his and strolled onto the walkway that led to the garden. “If you pretend that all the people are gone, there’s a quiet beauty to this place.”
“Maybe we should hide somewhere to enjoy it.” He glanced sideways at her and let his eyes linger until her skin tingled as though he’d run his hands down her body. He wanted her as much as she wanted him.
“There may be an alcove at the end of this walkway,” she murmured and slowly sashayed her way past the crowd.
The time was ripe to make her move.
The sway of Megan’s hips mesmerized him as she glided down the walkway ahead of him. He caught up with her in three long strides and placed his hand on her lower back, his bottom two fingers pressed tantalizingly close to the curve of her ass. His nostrils flared as he caught a whiff of her sweet, floral scent, and reason slipped out of his mind.
He had been determined to keep his distance since the night she came over to his place. He didn’t want to betray Mr. Han’s trust further by sleeping with his daughter behind his back. And it wouldn’t be easy for Megan to keep another secret from her father. The last thing he wanted was to add to her already full plate. But when he saw her standing in the garden tonight—a vision in her flowing red dress—he knew he would crawl through burning coal to have her again.
She reached for his hand, and he threaded his fingers through hers, and she pulled them into a shadowy alcove and pressed her back against the wall. He placed his hands on either side of her head and stared at her face until his eyes adjusted to the dark. He sucked in a sharp breath when she slid her palms over his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“I don’t want to burden you with another secret to keep from your father.” He held himself in check even as desire pumped through his veins.
“I think fighting this attraction between us is the bigger burden,” she whispered. His head dipped toward her of its own volition, and she wet her lips. “What are you doing, Daniel?”
“Surviving,” he said, his voice a low growl. “Because I can’t live through another night without having you.”
She smiled then—a sensual, triumphant smile—and he was lost. He crushed his lips against hers with a groan and she immediately opened up for him. He plunged his tongue into her mouth again and again, drawing a moan from her. She pressed her body against his, molding his hardness against the softness of her stomach. His hips jerked helplessly as his fingers dug into her hips, pulling her even closer to him.
He cupped her breast over her dress and trailed hot, wet kisses down the column of her neck. Hooking his finger onto her shoulder strap, he tugged it down to reveal more skin for him to taste. His lips dipped to the curve of her breast, flowing above the low-cut bodice. She thrust her chest into his face, rising on her tiptoes. With an impatient growl, he tugged on her bodice because he wanted more...needed more. But the sound of ripping fabric stopped him short.
“Don’t stop,” she panted when he raised his head and tried to tug him back.
“God, Megan. If we don’t stop now, I might take you against this wall.” He kissed her hard so she could taste his desperation but pulled back before he lost control again.
“That’ll give this fundraising ball a whole new kind of vibe, because I won’t be able to keep quiet.” She pressed her forehead against his and let out a huff of frustrated laughter. “By the way, did you rip my dress?”
“I might’ve gotten a little carried away.” He grimaced as he slid her shoulder strap back in place. This was so unlike him. He wasn’t the type who ripped women’s clothes off in a rush to get them naked. He respected buttons and zippers. “I don’t think I did too much damage.”
“The tear is right under my arm.” Megan looked down at her bodice and adjusted it. “As long as I don’t wave my arms around, it shouldn’t be that visible. It’s a good thing tonight isn’t a bachelor auction.”
His forehead creased with a frown. “Would you be that eager to bid on an eligible bachelor?”
“Well, I am a sucker for a burly firefighter.” Her eyes twinkled merrily as she teased him.
“Oh?” He arched his eyebrow, not at all amused. “Not into cowboys, are you?”
“Truth be told, I’m sort of into the introverted corporate-executive type.” She gave him a sweet peck on the cheek—and wrapped him around her pinkie finger. He bit the inside of his mouth to stop himself from grinning like an idiot.
“I think they’re announcing dinner.” He frowned as a thought occurred to him. “Will we be seated at different tables since we came separately?”
“Don’t worry. I have a feeling Anne made some adjustments on the seating chart to have us sit next to each other.”
“I’ll have to thank her for that,” he murmured as they joined the throng entering the dining room.
“Nothing says thank-you like a big, fat donation,” Megan advised. “She’ll adore you for that.”
“Wouldn’t that be buying her approval?” He’d intended to make a generous donation—the fact that breast cancer took Megan’s mother away from her made the cause feel much more personal—but he didn’t want to use it as a way to get close to Anne.
“Not in the way you think. It won’t be the money but your willingness to donate to a good cause—your good deed—that will win you her appreciation.”
“This definitely is a worthy cause.” He hesitated for a beat, then said, “And I know it was years ago, but I’m sorry about your mother.”
“Thank you.” The surprise and warmth in her eyes made him glad he’d said something. “We loved her very much, and it was devastating to lose her.”
When they reached their table, he helped her into her seat, then sat down next to her. He reached for her hand under the table because he needed to touch her, and smoothed his thumb across her knuckles. He watched as a soft blush stole across her cheeks.
“This dinner is going to feel like an eternity,” she said in a low voice.
“I’ll be right here with you, slowly going mad, until I can take you home.”
“And what are you going to do after you take me home with you?”
“Make you wish our night together will last an eternity.” He drew small circles on the sensitive skin of her wrist, remembering how soft she was everywhere.
Tonight, when he had her, he was going to explore every last inch of her and draw a map of her in his head. He didn’t know how long he could have her, but he would guard every minute with her.