Page 52 of Boss of Me

He starts slowly toward me, his eyes never leaving mine as the crowd makes room for him.

My palms become clammy with sweat. I force myself to look down at the piano keys, focusing on the music and not my battering heart or the weight of his gaze.

When I finish the song, the crowd bursts into applause. Maverick claps the loudest and whistles his approval.

Gunner just stares at me. His face shows no emotion, but his blue eyes seem to burn brighter. Hotter.

I stand and take a bow, grinning as the applause grows louder.

Laurene starts whispering in Gunner’s ear. He nods distractedly and scrapes a hand through his hair, a now familiar gesture that betrays his agitation.

Mrs. Calder walks up to me with a delighted smile—the first such sighting of the night. “That was lovely, dear. You play quite well.”

“Thank you,” I say sheepishly. “I’m so out of practice.”

“I don’t think anyone noticed. But you’re more than welcome to practice on the piano anytime you want.”

“Really? You don’t think Mr. Ransom will mind?”

“Why would he? He spent a fortune on that piano and it hardly ever gets any use. Besides,” she adds with twinkling eyes, “he clearly enjoyed your playing.”

“Think so?” I can’t hide my uncertainty. “He’s hard to read sometimes.”

“I’ve known him all his life and I can read him like a book. Believe me, he was very pleased.” Mrs. Calder tucks her arm through mine and winks. “Let’s go check on dinner, shall we?”

The party moves outdoors, where paper lanterns strung across the lawn sway in the evening breeze and candles glow on tables covered with white linen. Soft jazz drifts through the open air, soothing and romantic.

The guests mingle after dinner, wandering from table to table as they enjoy the pleasant summer night.

Now that I’m off the clock, a hot bubble bath is calling my name. But instead of heading up to my room, I slip off my heels and make my way down to the dock. The grass beneath my feet feels warm and spongy, stretching down to the water’s edge.

Passing a large boathouse with an upper deck, I walk to the end of the dock and sit down, letting my legs dangle over the edge. The moon reflects off the glassy surface of the lake, the water rippling under a soft breeze.

I tug the elastic band off my ponytail and shake my hair loose with a deep sigh of appreciation.

It’s been a long day but I really can’t complain, especially not after receiving my first paycheck yesterday. When I saw the healthy sum deposited into my checking account, I felt like I’d just won the lottery. Not only was I able to pay all of my bills two months ahead, I even had enough funds left over to make a generous donation to my favorite animal shelter. I also gave Quinn seven hundred dollars to cover Sansa’s care expenses and buy something nice for herself. She balked at the amount andhad to be bullied into accepting it. But she did, with tearful gratitude.

With more money on the way and a warm breeze caressing my face, all feels right with the world.

When I hear footsteps behind me, goose bumps break out across my body. I don’t look over my shoulder to see who’s approaching. I already know.

He comes to a stop beside me, silently staring out over the lake. Out of the corner of my eye, I see that his tuxedo jacket is gone and his shirt is untucked, the sleeves rolled to his tanned elbows.

I wait for him to speak, my heart beating faster with each passing second.

“Beautiful night,” he says quietly.

I nod without looking at him.

He sits down beside me, his long legs dangling over the water. My pulse races, every breath filled with his scent. I can feel his heat, can practically taste him on the air.

“Thanks for all your hard work tonight,” he tells me.

I force a shrug. “Just earning my pay.”

“Mrs. Calder says you’re doing a wonderful job. I happen to agree.”

I look at him then. “Does your fiancée know where you are right now?”