“For such a smart boy, you think you could manage a simple tie,” I tease. Giving a wink, I straighten my posture and instruct, “Just a loose knot. I’d like it to hang slack a little below my waist.”
As he works the fabric, my mind goes back to Declan. I haven’t spoken to him since yesterday, but I know he’ll be at the party tonight. He’s growing impatient with me, which is good, but just as before when Bennett and Declan were together, my nerves are heightened. I don’t mind if Bennett suspects that I might be having an affair, but to have him suspicious this early on could be fatal. I need to make sure that Bennett is none the wiser and to simply assume that through the time spent together planning this event, we have become nothing more than friends and that the only intimacy I crave is that of my husband.
“How’s that?” he asks as he steps away.
I turn and look over my shoulder at the back of my dress and smile. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
He wraps his arms around me and draws me in close. He’s clad in his black tux and bowtie—classic Bennett. Looking into his eyes, I softly sigh and relax in his embrace, whispering, “I miss you.”
“You have me, honey. I’m right here.”
“For now. But I still miss you, like I can never get close enough to you for it to be enough,” I tell him, my words nothing but maladies for my liking.
“God, do you have any clue what that does to me?”
“Hmm . . . tell me.”
“If I tell you, I’m going to unknot that sash and peel this gown off of you.”
My smile grows, and he kisses the corner of my mouth, always careful not to smudge my lipgloss. We spend a few moments holding each other before we slip on our coats and head down to the car.
When we pull up to the hotel, Baldwin parks in front and Bennett grabs the box with my mask. He opens it and pulls out the black, laser-cut metal mask and says, “Where did you find this? It’s really unique.”
His comment catches me off guard because I assumed it was a gift from him, but then it dawns on me that the reason there was no card or note was because it’s from Declan.
“Oh,” I say, taking a second before lying, “I found it online and ordered it.”
“Come here,” he says as he leans in. Gently placing it on my face, he loops the ribbon behind my head and secures it in a bow.
I can’t believe Declan did this and never said anything. “Does it look okay?” I ask.
“You’re perfect.”
I hold out my hand for his mask—a golden etched mask with large contrasting burnt orange and deep red swirls of flame. When I have it tied in place, I softly press my lips to his.
“Let’s go,” he says. “I want everyone to see how beautiful you look tonight.”
Laughing at his words, I remark, “Arm candy?”
“You’re so much more than candy.”
He takes my hand as we walk in, fashionably late, to the already busy room. I stop for a moment to take everything in: the dark room is flanked with fire-burning rustic lanterns lining the walls, lavish orange and red flowers and greenery filling the tables, people dressed in their finest gowns and tuxes, and masks that reflect the theme—devils, harlequins, studded black leather, and of course my own black metal mask.
“I didn’t think you could top yourself, but this is amazing, honey,” Bennett tells me.
The room is busy with friends, my husband’s colleagues, waiters serving various drinks and hors d’oeuvres, the band playing, and people dancing and mingling.
“Shall we?” Bennett says as he leads me into the dark, fire-lit room.
It isn’t long before we are mixed in with the crowd and greeting our guests. I quickly snatch a flute of champagne off a silver tray. Taking a sip, I hear Jacqueline from behind me, “Nina, I’m impressed.”
When I turn to face her, I respond, “You say that as if you had doubts.” My words come out a little tart, but she doesn’t seem to take offense.
“Never. You always put on the best events,” she says. “You look amazing, by the way. I love the orange.”
“Thank you. I had the pleasure of seeing your husband earlier today. Seems he and my husband couldn’t take a day off from business.”
“Boys will be boys,” she says, and then adds with a smirk, “Especially when it comes to money and slinging their power around.”
We both laugh at the honesty of her statement when I feel Bennett’s arm wrap around my shoulder. “What are you girls laughing about?”
“Do you really need to ask?” I tease.
“Do you think you could pull yourself away from gossiping about me so that I can take you for a spin on the dance floor?”
“But talking about the quandaries of the men in our lives is so much fun,” I mock with a grin.
“I can only imagine,” he states before giving Jacqueline a nod and complimenting, “You look lovely this evening, Jacqueline.”