Reign comes in, doing up a tie, and he stops dead when he sees me. His eyes slowly slide down my body, stopping at my shoes. They earn me a small grin before his gaze travels up again. “You look gorgeous, Tia.”
Gorgeous?
He’s called me sexy, pretty, even attractive before, but never gorgeous.
“Thanks. Do you need me to do your tie?” I ask, nodding at the tie he’s fiddling with.
“Yeah, thanks.”
I walk over, taking it into my hands. I begin doing it up.
“Are you looking forward to tonight?” I ask him, looping the soft satin.
“Charity functions are always a good way to give back to the community.”
“Be careful, Reign Braxton,” I joke. “I might actually think you’re a nice guy.” I finish up the tie and pat it down. “There.”
He leans forward, pressing his lips to my head. He holds them there for a long, agonizing moment before pulling back. “I am a nice guy.”
I smile when he takes my hand and we leave the room.
He’s probably right.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“You look lovely tonight, Tiani,” Harry, Reign’s second-in-charge, smiles as we walk through the entrance into the large, grand ballroom.
“Thank you, Harry.” I beam.
Reign keeps his arm hooked through mine as we step into the large space. There are tables circling a huge dance floor. Up the front of the room is a stage, all ready to go. There are prizes to the left, ranging from televisions to small gift baskets. To the right, a massive buffet is being prepared.
“This is nice,” I say to Reign as he leads me towards the hundred or so people currently mingling on the dance floor.
“They raise a great deal of money most years.”
We reach a group of people and I see Slutena. It’s hard to miss her. She looks like heaven in a dress. I suddenly feel small and insignificant as she rakes her gaze over Reign, a small smile on her perfect red lips. Her dress is to die for; long, red, and hugging her body in a way that makes the men near her drool. I can tell by the way it dips at the front that it also does the same at the back. Her hair is down, and loose curls fall around her too perfect face.
“Reign,” a man says, catching our attention.
I look up to see Reign watching Slutena, but he turns his gaze to the man speaking to him.
“Timothy,” he greets the tall, blond man. “It’s nice to see you here.”
“And you, Reign. Who is this lovely young lady?”
Reign looks down at me, and I see a certain fondness in his eyes. “This is Tiani.”
“How lovely to meet you,” Timothy says, offering his hand.
“You too.” I smile, shaking it gently.
“Please excuse me, Timothy,” Reign murmurs. “But I’m going to get a dance in with my girl before dinner.”
My girl.
Is he talking about me . . . or Slutena?
When he takes my hand and pulls me into the empty spot on the dance floor, I know he’s talking about me, and my heart aches. His girl. I’ve never been his girl. Just his employee.
“No one else is dancing,” I say when he puts his hands on my hips and pulls me closer.
“You’ve never cared about what everyone else is doing,” he says, sliding his hand up my arm until our hands connect.
Then we’re dancing.
“I thought Selena would have gotten the first dance.”
He shrugs. “Aren’t I allowed to enjoy you sometimes?”
“If it makes you happy,” I whisper, getting lost in those golden depths.
We dance close for a long time. My face is so close to his hard chest that I can smell him, and it takes everything inside of me not to close my eyes and breathe in his strong, masculine scent. Finally, as if hearing my inner pleas, a faster, more entertaining song comes on. It’s not that I don’t want to dance this close to Reign; it’s that dancing this close has my heart forgetting itself and my mind chasing it in circles, trying to snap it back to reality.
I go to pull away from Reign only to be stuck on the spot when he smiles down at me. “Oh, no you don’t.”
He spins me in a circle, and I can’t help but laugh. Then we’re dancing again, only this time we’re both laughing as he spins me and right at the end, dips me. I’ve not had so much fun with Reign, and more, Slutena is here, yet he’s only seeing me. At the end of the song, he leans down and grazes a light kiss across my lips.
I lose my breath.
“Reign.”
No, no, no.
Slutena.
Reign stares at me a moment, before turning his eyes towards her. “Selena,” he murmurs.
“I was wondering if I could have the next dance?”
Say no. Please, Reign.
“That’s up to Tiani.”
No! That’s worse. He should have said yes. Now I’m the monster if I say no. I mean honestly, would he actually not do it if I told him I didn’t want him to? Besides, I couldn’t do that to him, and he damned well knows it. So, with a fake smile, I step back and wave at him. “He’s all yours.”
Then I slink to my table and watch them dance, so perfect for each other.
And damn, if it doesn’t hurt.
~*~*~*~
I giggle as Reign tickles my thigh under the table.
It’s a rare sound for me, I know. I’m sure he knows it too, because he keeps on doing it. We’ve been joking and laughing together all through dinner, and it surprises me. I figured tonight would be all about me looking pretty and making Slutena jealous. Instead, he’s focused on me and me alone.