Part 6 (1/2)

Savannah gave him a slow, seductive smile. Coming up close beside him, she leaned forward to take the gla.s.s of champagne off the tray, making sure the side of her breast brushed against his arm.

”Thank you.” She took a small sip of the sparkling wine, savoring its sharp bite. ”Mm, delicious.” Holding his gaze, she ran her tongue slowly across her top lip and gathered up the small droplets of wine.

Will watched her, transfixed. His blue eyes darkened to almost black. She made a show of taking another sip of champagne and saw him s.n.a.t.c.h a quick breath.

”Ahh hmm.” Lucy cleared her throat, breaking the silent, heated exchange. As one, they turned toward her. Will looked slightly dazed and it was a few moments before he took the hand Lucy had extended in his direction.

”I'm Lucy Duncan. You must be Will. My husband told me you were here. I understand you're joining us for dinner?”

Will smiled. ”It's nice to meet you, Mrs Duncan. May I say, you're looking lovely this evening. Your husband's a lucky man.”

”You bet he is and don't worry, I tell him every opportunity I get.”

Pete arrived back with the bottle of water, Declan not far behind him. ”What do you tell me every opportunity you get?”

Lucy grinned up at him. ”Will was just saying what a lucky man you are, darling.” She moved closer to him and took the bottle of water out of his hand. ”I was merely agreeing with him.”

An announcement that dinner was about to be served came from the master of ceremonies who stood behind a microphone on a makes.h.i.+ft stage at the far end of the room. People began to disperse, heading toward their tables.

”We're over this way. Table thirty-six.” Pete gestured in the direction adjacent to the bar. With his arm around Lucy, he shepherded his wife through the crowd. Declan reached for Chloe and followed suit. Savannah darted a look in Will's direction. His gaze remained steady on hers. A smile tugged at one corner of his mouth.

”Ladies first,” he murmured and made a sweeping gesture with his arm, inviting her to proceed ahead of him.

Savannah offered him a brilliant smile and hoped it concealed her nervousness. With her gla.s.s in one hand, she picked up the skirt of her long dress and made her way through the crowd to their table. The others were already seated. The remaining two vacant chairs were beside Lucy. When Savannah realized what close proximity she would be to Will, her heart hitched in excitement and low grade panic.

Determined to ignore her misgivings, she set her gla.s.s on the table and pulled out the seat closest to her friend. Will stepped forward to a.s.sist her and his hand brushed over hers. Her skin tingled from his touch. Ignoring the b.u.t.terflies that swarmed in her belly, she took her seat.

Will sat beside her. His thigh brushed against hers beneath the table. She tensed and her heart skipped a beat. Heat from his body traveled up her leg and pooled in her core. She couldn't be more aware of him. Oblivious to her plight, Lucy's gaze drifted around the room.

”There's a good turnout here,” she said.

”Yes, it bodes well for the auction to be held later tonight,” Pete replied.

”Is it always this well attended?” Chloe asked, directing her question to Will.

”I'm not sure,” he replied.

Acutely aware of his presence, Savannah struggled to keep up with the conversation. She picked up her gla.s.s and emptied the contents in a couple of swallows, feeling the need for something to settle her nerves. Lucy threw her a startled look, but remained silent. With a burst of renewed courage, Savannah turned to Will and smiled.

”I take it you haven't attended one of these before?”

He smiled back at her and shook his head. ”No, this is a first. And you?”

With a boost of alcohol-inspired confidence, Savannah flipped back her hair and laughed. ”Oh no, it's the highlight of my social calendar. Where else can you get good food, fine wine and enjoy the company of friends, new and old, all in the same place? And then there's the dancing... I just love dancing.”

Her eyes meshed with his. He gazed at her, amus.e.m.e.nt glinting in their depths.

”Is that right?” he murmured.

Savannah bit her lip and cursed under her breath.

Darn it, how could she have been so stupid? What was she trying to do-make him remember? She scampered for something else to say. ”Do you dance?”

The words fell out of her mouth. Heat flooded her face.

What the h.e.l.l was she doing?

Lucy's stiletto found her instep. ”Ouch,” she said.

Will frowned. ”Is something the matter?”

Savannah plastered a smile on her face and replied through gritted teeth. ”No, no of course not. I'm fine. I think it must have been a-a pin or something that dug into me.”

”A pin? As in a dressmaker's pin? You dance and sew?” His eyes now twinkled with laughter.

Savannah averted her gaze. In desperation, she prayed for the floor to open up and swallow her.

What the h.e.l.l was wrong with her? Was she a complete nincomp.o.o.p?

”So, Will, tell us about yourself? How long have you been in advertising?” Chloe asked, coming to Savannah's rescue.

The distraction appeared to work. Will leaned back in his chair and prepared to answer. Savannah breathed a surrept.i.tious sigh of relief.

”My family has been in advertising for as long as I can remember. My father inherited Rutledge Advertising from his father who'd inherited from his father before him. I grew up with ink running through my veins.”

Lucy smiled and joined in the conversation. ”So you'll take over when he retires?”

Will gave a derisive laugh. ”Who knows? Dad's not going anywhere in a hurry. He might be carrying a few extra pounds, but he's as fit as Michael Phelps. He still swims at least twenty laps a day, rain, hail or s.h.i.+ne. He'll live forever.”

With her wayward tongue now firmly back under her control, Savannah risked another question. ”What's your role in Rutledge Advertising at the moment?”

Will lifted his gla.s.s and took a mouthful of beer before replying. Savannah watched the movement of his throat as he swallowed. His tongue snuck out to swipe at a tiny piece of froth on his lip.

Her belly clenched with nerves and something else. Heat rushed through her. She did her best to stem the blush that blossomed in her cheeks.

Will eyed her knowingly, almost as if he could see the desire that held her body in its grip. She dragged her gaze away and reached blindly for her gla.s.s, forgetting that she'd already drained it.

The first course of their meal appeared. Savannah murmured her thanks to the waiter who set a plate before her. She waited for the rest of their party to be served. Using that time to regain control of herself, she snuck quiet breaths until she was sure her equilibrium had once again been restored.

Glancing down at her plate, she smiled in appreciation. ”Mm, oysters Kilpatrick. My favorite.”

Will leaned in close and just like that, her senses were once again knocked askew.

”Some people say oysters are an aphrodisiac,” he murmured against her ear.

Savannah's pulse spiked from his nearness and the intoxicating scent of his cologne. ”Really?” she managed. ”How interesting.”

Will popped an oyster into his mouth, chewed briefly and swallowed, his gaze still on hers. ”Isn't it just?”

Savannah forced herself to concentrate on the meal in front of her. Her hands were less than steady when she took an oyster off her plate and lifted it to her mouth.