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PART IV

Selene wanted to jump and shout, but she had to hold it all in.

She’d sung the national anthem and tried to put all of her love for her country into her voice. At the end, she had been shocked to hear the applause. It thundered.

Her heart had soared at the feeling.

And when she turned to walk back into the Capitol building, she saw William standing there, waiting for her.

She had to keep herself from skipping along the red carpet. She had to try and look elegant and composed. TRY.

William smiled when she approached him, just the corner of his mouth, but she could see the sharp sparkle in his eyes. It might be just the chill in the air that had frozen his features, but maybe...

He turned and offered her his bent arm.

She reached out and took a hold of it, but realized that with her embroidered gloves on, she couldn't feel the wool of his uniform coat.

As soon as the inner doors of the Capitol were closed behind them, she felt him tip closer to her. "You were amazing."

She turned to look at him and realized that he was just inches away.

"Really?"

He nodded and grinned at her. "Really." She heard the sound of something buzzing and his brows lifted up. "I can bet that's my sister texting me about your performance. If you ever need someone to hype you up, you should call Mary. She'd gladly be your personal cheerleader."

They walked along another hallway, and Selene turned her head so she could see the car on the other side of the doors ahead of them. "How about you?"

She remembered her old mock trial coach telling her to never ask a question she didn't know the answer to, but she'd just sung on a worldwide stage and was feeling a little like she was flying. What was jumping off of the figurative cliff when you already had wings?

"I know you weren't a fan of mine before today. Any chance I changed your mind? "

William's steps slowed and she slowed down with him. He took a step ahead and turned around to face her, taking her gloved hands in his. She really wished that she could feel the warmth of his skin against her own.

He was just that handsome.

"I think I'm going to have to buy a bunch of your albums. I need to hear your songs so I can hear more of your talent. I've never heard the anthem sung with such passion and talent. I've spent years in the military and never had emotions stirred inside of me like that. Never."

She filled her lungs with a breath and beamed at him. "Now that is a review that I'm happy to hear."

He let go of one of her hands and while he held onto the other, he turned to stand beside her, lightly lowering her hand onto his arm. "And now, I'm wishing they were having me stay around for the ball. I would love to ask you for a dance."

They continued walking down the hallway toward the car and she chanced a quick look at him. "And I would love to dance with you."

His soft chuckle reached her ears. "Even if I step on your foot?"

Her laughter echoed off of the walls. "Well, in this dress, you'd be lucky to find my feet under all of the layers of fabric."

She watched him school his features into a more dignified look and she did the same, but she felt the energy moving between them. It just kept lifting her higher and she knew that she'd never forget this day. Never.

Back at the White House, William delivered Selene back to the Lincoln Bedroom so she could change into her ballgown.

He'd stopped at the door and turned to face his back to it as a guard. The door at the end of the hallway opened a few minutes later and two Marines dressed in their full dressed uniforms just like himself walked by, talking amongst themselves. He kept his focus on them as they traveled down the hall.

This was as far from his ‘normal’ as he could get.

He'd been asked to guard Selene and that's what he was doing. Danger could come in many forms, and he wasn't going to be caught flat footed. It was his duty. And his sister?

She'd slit his throat if he let anything happen to Selene.

He'd have to call Mary later and tell her how the whole event had gone. He knew that she would have a million questions, and he hoped that he could answer some of them.

He'd been prepared for the schedule of events. He'd had plenty of time to memorize the schedule and it was simple in the extreme. Take the stunning singer from point A to point B. Standing there and listened to her heartbreakingly beautiful version of the song. Check. Fight off unexpected tears at the powerful effect of her voice.

That had been difficult.

He'd meant what he told Selene. He'd never had such a reaction to the national anthem before.

There was just something so... uplifting about her voice and he could see it in the faces of the others on the dais, they were as amazed as he had been. Her talent wasn't to be questioned. She'd filled stadiums over and over.

But there was a singular power in her voice that had rolled over him and left him shaken and stunned.

Then there was her smile.

She'd been so elegant and composed, but he could only watch from the back, his eyes continuing to scan the crowd as she performed. When she was done and the crowd burst into thunderous applause, he wanted to join them and applaud, but he had to keep himself composed.

The smile she turned on him when she walked in his direction would have brought him to his knees, but he'd kept himself upright by willpower.

The last thing he wanted to do was to embarrass the service, his uniform, and yes, the woman who dazzled him with her smile.

His phone rang and he withdrew it from his pocket. He'd set the ringer code for Claudia Schiffrin's phone.

"William Winchester."

"Hey, how is everything going?"

He smiled. Claudia sounded like she was finally able to breathe a little. "Selene is changing for the ball. I'm guarding the door."

"I would love to tell you more, but you looked fabulous on camera. I wouldn't be surprised if you find your picture on a few social media posts later."

"I doubt anyone is going to pay me attention. Selene was incredible."

"That she is." William could hear Claudia's admiration for Selene in her voice. "And now, I have to ask you a question."

William lifted a brow and held in a breath. "Yes?"

"Can I ask you to stay for the ball? The guard we'd assigned for Selene hasn't checked in yet and isn't answering any of my calls. I-"

"I can stay. Happy to."

"Thank you," she sighed. "Thank you. You already have a pass. If there are any issues, and there shouldn't be, just let me know."

"I've got this, Claudia. You've done an amazing job. I hope you'll get a chance to enjoy it, too."

"I'll enjoy the sleep I get after I get home. Have a good night, William."

"Same, Claudia. Enjoy your sleep."

She hung up but he could hear her laughing .

She deserved it.

The door behind him cracked open and he turned his head.

"Hey, Hotstuff?"

"Cali?"

"She's almost ready. Do you know when her guard-"

"Actually, I've been asked to stay for the ball. I hope that's okay."

Cali didn't answer him.

"Hey, Sel? Hotstuff is staying for the ball! Get a move on!"

The door shut behind him and he shook his head.

Cali sounded like a lot of fun, but he was kind of glad he wasn't guarding her as well. He was pretty sure she'd run him into the ground with her energy.

He smiled and waited for Selene to be ready to leave for the ball.

The band playing in the ballroom was really good, but she couldn't really identify the song they were playing. There were so many people in the room that she was fairly sure she couldn't be heard unless she shouted if someone wanted to talk to her.

"Here."

She felt a reassuring presence at her side and looked up to see William standing beside her. "Hey. "

"I brought you some champagne."

She took the glass from him with a smile. "Thanks."

He leaned in again, speaking close to her ear. "I can barely hear you. How do you think straight at an event like this?"

Putting her hand on his arm, she rose up, nearly on the tips of her shoes and spoke as close to his ear as she could get. "I don't know. I've never been to an event like this. It's crazy, right?"

He laughed and while she could barely hear it, she could feel it.

That's how close they were.

"Do you want to dance?"

She turned her head to look at him with the huge crush of people in the room. "I had thought about it, but I doubt..."

The noise was so loud in the room, she winced. She could feel a headache starting in her temple.

Reaching her hand up, she tugged on his sleeve.

She was relieved when he leaned in almost immediately. "Would you think I was an absolute idiot if I asked to leave?"

Selene saw him frown and worried that she had made a mistake.

"I'm here for you, Selene." He smiled at her. "If you want to go. We go."

She took a sip of her champagne, and it was delicious, but she still felt hemmed in by the crowd .

Even if she felt like dancing there was hardly a free space on the dance floor and while people had stopped to talk to her, she hadn't fielded any offers of a dance. It seemed like everyone felt the same way she did.

And the room? She lifted her champagne glass and touched the cool glass to her cheek, leaning into the cool touch of the glass. The room was stifling.

She turned to talk to him and found him hovering close.

His closeness didn't bother her.

She felt protected. And she knew that he was showing his concern for her.

"I feel like I should stay. Getting an invite to this ball? It's the hottest ticket in town."

He smiled at her. "I bet."

"Then maybe," she looked around the room and smiled at someone who caught her eye with their smile, "maybe I should stay. At least for another hour or so?"

William held out his hand and she put her hand in it without hesitation. "I'm here for you."

She smiled and felt the warmth in his touch.

It wasn't tense or possessive.

It was soothing.

And she could feel some of her nervousness falling away.

She might fill stadiums and such, but this was an event on the global scale. She felt... out of her element.

"Well," she fought her own awkward feelings, but sometimes her anxiety won out, "I feel like you're stuck with me. You kind of have to say that."

His immediate frown made her feel even worse.

She didn't want him to feel like she was belittling him or anything like that.

"William, I-" She sighed and shook her head. "I'm all out of sorts and my head... it feels like the air in here is super heavy... tight."

He still had a hold on her hand and wrapped his hand around hers as he started to walk.

She found herself walking beside him, the crowd around them moving enough to let them through.

Before she knew it, they were by the windows and while they weren't open, she could see outside.

The night sky was boundless blue from streetlights outside and she could see the Capitol building down the street.

She felt so much better, smiling at the sight first and then she tipped her head up to look at him. "Thanks. I feel so much better."

William stayed at her side, and she could see his reflection in the glass. It wasn't full color, but just shades of light against the glass, but she liked the look. "I bet all the ladies love how you look in that dress uniform. "

She could see his physical reaction in the glass. He drew back a little, his gaze still fixed on her.

"What ladies?"

She heard the shock in his voice and turned to look at him.

They were close, but she had enough room for her to see the strong line of his jaw and handsome planes of his face.

"The ladies," she shook her head. "You don't have to be modest. I bet you have women throwing themselves at you. That uniform? It's impressive. And the man in it?" She touched her champagne glass to her cheek again, but even the chilled champagne inside wasn't enough to temper the heat she was feeling. "I can't imagine anyone walking by you without smiling in your direction."

She heard his soft chuckle and then she saw him shake his head.

"I don't know who you're talking about. I spend my time on base. I have duties there. Responsibilities. I don't recall anyone throwing themselves at me, but I don't usually look."

There was a whole family of butterflies in her stomach.

Why?

She didn't know.

No.

She did.

As hot as the room was from the crazy crush of people out there, the heat she was feeling standing next to William Winchester had been building since the moment she'd met the handsome Marine.

Cali had more than her share of comments about him.

Her best friend had made no secret about her hopes for the night.

Cali had an active imagination. And a good eye for handsome guys.

And while Selene had begged off of the idea that she had an interest in William, Cali had eyes.

And she called her out on stuff.

It's why she loved Cali and why she avoided her at times.

She wanted... no, she needed her friend to call her out, but at the moment, she was alone with William.

As alone as she could be in a room that was likely far beyond the number of people allowed.

But the other people in the room didn't matter to her.

She really should just stop talking about other women in front of him.

That was the last thing she wanted.

She wanted him.

That thought was as immediate as it was true.

She didn't have time for guys.

That's what she'd been telling herself for the last few years and it was true. Time? She didn't have it .

She had career goals and goals took focus and time.

It was that effort that had kept her from really considering men as something more than friendships and working with them. The news? No, correction, the gossip columns and social media entertainment people? They loved to see her within a few feet of a guy and then BOOM, she was getting married.

She rolled her eyes inwardly.

"I guess," she murmured softly, “it's hard to see what's right in front of you."

He frowned, his gorgeous brow furrowing as he leaned in. "What was that? I'm sorry, I didn't hear you?"

She pursed her lips together and smiled. "Would you like to leave?"

His expression changed by degrees. Why? She didn't know.

"With me?" She smiled at him. "We can go somewhere? Walk?" Her own face lit up at the idea. She hadn't even planned on asking that, but when the word passed her lips, she knew that was the perfect idea. "Can we go for a walk?"

He shook his head, and her spirits started to flag, but then he spoke. "Sure. Why not?"

William took a step back and looked down at her skirt. "Are you going to be okay in your shoes?"

With a smile, she grasped her skirt at the sides and lifted it up a little. Looking down she lifted her right foot and wiggled it around where she could see it. When she put her foot down, she looked up at William and saw the barely restrained grin on his face. "The skirt is long enough and full enough that I wear sneakers."

"So we're going walking?"

She nodded. "Absolutely."

He turned to her side and held out his arm for her to take. "Miss?"

She rolled her eyes. "What was my name?"