Page 49 of Forty, Flirty & Framed

His throat works visibly."You look..."He pauses."...not like someone who works in marketing."

I can't help but laugh."I'm going to take that as a compliment."

"It was intended as one," he assures, his accent thickening slightly."Though clearly delivered poorly."

"Thank you for the mask.It matches perfectly."

"Thank Alana.She coordinated everything."His eyes drift over me again, lingering briefly before returning to my face."The color suits you."

"Credit goes to my mother.And possibly her doctor's daughter."

"That sounds like a story."

"It's an emerging saga."I smooth my skirt, noting how the silk catches the light."I have to say, I'm a little disappointed."

"About?"

"No kilt?"I gesture at his tuxedo."I thought 'Scotland's Sexiest CEO' would embrace his heritage tonight."

The corner of his mouth curls."After the past week?I'm trying to restore my professional image, not feed the viral monster."

"But the fans will be devastated.Think of all the hashtags going to waste.#KiltedForCharity.#HighlandHottieHelpsKids."

"Please stop."

"#BraveheartBenefactor?"

He groans, but there's a reluctant smile curving the corner of his full mouth."The entire point of tonight is to redirect attention away from my alleged...physical attributes...and toward Abernathy Corp's security innovations."

"So practical," I sigh."Fine.The tux is adequately devastating.I suppose the world will survive without your knees tonight."

"Devastating?"he echoes, one eyebrow arching above his mask.

"Professionally speaking," I add quickly."From a marketing perspective."

"Of course."That almost-smile grows more pronounced."Purely analytical."

The car glides through Seattle's evening traffic, the city lights blurring beyond rain-streaked windows.

July's lingering daylight has finally surrendered to darkness, but the streets pulse with the energy of summer.

"So," I venture, "who all will be there tonight?"

"The usual tech elite," he replies, relaxing marginally."Connor and his fiancée Ariana.Grayson and his fiancée Roz.Alex Drake and his wife Mackenzie just returned from their honeymoon."

"Are they all Stanford grads like you?"

"Connor, Grayson, and Alex did their MBAs together.Luke and I were in the Engineering Management program, but we all ended up in the same social circles."

"The billionaire boys' club."

“Aye.I guess.We prefer 'mutual support network for the chronically overworked.'"

"And you're the baby of the group?"I ask, remembering something from our midnight strategy session.

"I'm forty-five.They're all turning forty-six this year."His brow furrows."Why is that relevant?"

"Just building a comprehensive psychological profile."