Page 63 of Beginning at the End
She blushed.“Oh.Um, thank you.”
“Thank you for accepting the compliment.”
“Yes, well, you wore me down last night.”She turned her back to him.“The clasp?”
His fingers smoothed the hair away from the back of her neck.She felt him kiss her before he took the edges, and there was a tingle of magic.
She froze.“How badly am I going to need to kick Pandora’s ass for that?”
He laughed.“It will change with your clothing.I was surprised one of my people was making that sort of thing here, but it is very adaptable.I get to be responsible for earrings and bracelets.”
She sighed.“Right.How do I look?”
Sern looked at her, and he grinned.“Like Likon is the biggest idiot in the city, possibly the continent, and I am the luckiest man.”
She blushed.“Right.Ready to go?”
Sern chuckled.“You have no idea.”
He held out his hand, and they walked downstairs and out to his car.The drive to the hotel hosting the event was accomplished with Sern holding her hand as they travelled, and she recalled the feel of those long fingers until she called a halt the previous evening.She also understood why he was successful in court.He was good with his mouth and excellent with his tongue.
He glanced over at her and smiled, squeezing her hand before continuing to the hotel.
Kern was speaking to her, and she blinked.“Uh, sure.One project of five minutes or less.I can do that.”
Her boss grinned.“Excellent.We are going to show the Women’s Day video as proof of skill.We might be able to get some funds for the school meals project.”
“By pimping out your employees?”
He paused.“By outsourcing talent and resources.”
“Uh-huh.Oh, the buffet is open.”She watched the white-clad staff move aside.
“Right, so you are good for me auctioning off your editing services?”
“Yes.For this event only.Send my lawyer a memo.”
He glanced over at Sern and nodded.There was a nod in return.Kern pulled a thick envelope out of his pocket and brought it to the auctioneer, who took it with a grin, setting it in front of the tablet that had been set up.The tablet started to play quietly on a loop, and it was the video.
A small crowd gathered around it, and Kern came back rubbing his palms together.“This is going to be good.Ford is already checking his bank balance.”
“That sounds suspiciously as if you were taunting him with it beforehand.”
Kern grinned, and his lenses gleamed.“It does sound like that, doesn’t it?This is a very good cause.”
“I agree.”
Sern joined them and slid his fingers around hers.“Everything good?”
“Yes.”She looked up at him and saw the ladies who had greeted her when she arrived.They were giggling and looking at the joined hands.
She looked around and saw Likon staring at her in her rich red dress that followed her unlikely waist and flattered her curves.
“Come on, Duran wants to introduce you to Emhara.”
“She and I have met, but sure.”
They crossed the room to where Art was standing with her three mates.
