“As tedious and impossible as that is,” he said, “it would be more pleasant than rubbing elbows with a bunch of wanna be movers and shakers. But duty sometimes requires a tuxedo and nerves of steel.”
Lauren gaped, her reaction instantaneous, her processing skills fully recovered. She might not approve of her father wholeheartedly, but she loved him. “You do know this is my father’s birthday party, right?”
“Ah,” Julie said. “I think I should say ‘Oops’ here because I thought you two had officially met. I’m assuming that’s not the case.”
Royce’s far too sensual lips curved slightly. “Nice to finally meet you ‘officially,’ Ms. Reynolds,” he said, extending his hand to Lauren. “Though we’ve certainly crossed paths at a few events.”
She ignored his hand. “You knew who I was but you still made that comment about my father’s party?”
“When your father invited me here tonight, I suggested he cancel this monkey-suit event and have a family barbecue,” he said. “I even offered to bring the beer and my brothers for entertainment. He wasn’t interested. So yes, I knew who you were when I made the comment.”
“You told my father...” She shook her head. “Did you really?”
He held up two fingers. “Scout’s honor. And while I was never a scout, I was in the FBI for 7 years, so that’s close enough.”
“And how did my father reply to your suggestion?”
“He told me to ‘wear the damn monkey-suit and get your ass to my party.’”
She laughed. “Oh my God. That’s so my father. You really did tell him that.”
“I’m not known for my decorum, not even when I was a hostage negotiator.” He held out his hand. “Shall we try again? Nice to meet you, Ms. Reynolds.”
She liked him. He was so different from, well, everyone else here, and actually, quite like Julie. She slipped her palm against his, unprepared for the instant tingling awareness that rushed up her arm. “Lauren,” she managed, and to her dismay her voice cracked. “Call me… Lauren.”
He brought her knuckles to his lips, his gorgeous blue eyes lifting to hers. “Lauren,” he repeated softly, before releasing her hand, and man, oh man, she wanted him to touch her again like she’d never wanted to be touched before.
“I see someone I need to talk to,” Julie said. “I’ll be back in a few.” With a turn, and a covert wink at Lauren that said she’d just made up the ‘someone to talk to’ as an excuse to leave Lauren alone with Royce, she disappeared.
Royce leaned an elbow on the bar. “How long have you two been friends?”
“Five years,” she said, happy to have a comfortable subject to talk about. “We met our last year of law school.” Lauren pushed herself up on a bar stool and crossed her legs, her dress riding up a bit above the knee, which she quickly righted.
Royce’s eyes dropped to follow the action, and a combination of nervousness and awareness rushed over her. “You two seem very different,” he commented, his gaze lifting to hers, his elbow settling on the bar.
“And that’s bad?”
“Not bad,” he said. “Just unique. Typically people are who they hang out with. But I guess you’re both attorneys, so that’s a common denominator.”
“I know plenty of attorneys I won’t give the time of day to,” Lauren corrected. “Julie and I share basic values about what is right and wrong and a passion for helping people. Those things are more common denominators for us than one piece of paper that says we get to practice law.”
He arched a brow. “Isn’t she a divorce attorney?”
“She’s passionate about getting people out of bad marriages and into a new life. It’s not always what you do to make a difference, it’s that you really try to make a difference.”
“Sounds like a perfect campaign pitch to me.”
“And let me guess,” she said dryly. ”You heard I was running for office from my father.” He gave a quick nod, and she shook her head. “Of course you did. I love my father, and I’ve supported his career, and I don’t regret that. But no matter how much he commands me to run for office, it simply isn’t going to happen. As in, ever. Under no circumstances.” She lowered her voice. “My life has been completely my father’s in so many ways because of his public position. That ends the day he leaves his office. You have no idea how much I crave that day.” The confession was out before she could stop it. She had no idea why she revealed such a thing to this man, this stranger, but it was done and there was no turning back.
He stared down at her, studying her with unnerving intensity, as if he was reading her soul. He, and her confession, were inescapable. And so she found herself doing the same with him, openly assessing this man she found so alluringly different from anyone she’d ever been with before. The air expanded around them, shifted, thickened. The rest of the room faded away, lost to a sudden, intense crackle of electricity. “I think,” he said softly, “that I’d like to know more about you, Lauren Reynolds.”
Something wonderful, wild, and wicked stirred inside her with his words, with the heat in his expression – something wild, wicked, and oh so unfamiliar. This man didn’t fit that ‘safe’ profile she’d gravitated towards because it was expected of her. There was nothing safe about him, and a lot of that was exciting. But the idea of acting on her feelings sent a rush of tension through her. She bit her lip and cut her gaze to his chest. She might be confident in a courtroom, but she wasn’t Julie; she wasn’t a seductress who knew how to bring a man to his knees. She had Royce Walker’s attention and she didn’t know what to do with it.