Tongue Tied

Chapter 4

The gigantic dazzling chandelier in the center of the ballroom ceiling laid a warm glow over everything. Around us were several dozen attendees smiling, laughing, drinking, and dancing; clad in some of their finest dresses and suits for the occasion. Many of them I knew but didn't care to mingle with. A very stylish local orchestra was seated on the stage at the back end of the ballroom playing light classical music. I'd recognized Greensleeves, Fur Elise, Ode to Joy, and various other popular compositions. They seemed to know more Beethoven and Mozart than anything else.

We were surrounded by noise. People were gossiping and laughing, the music kept getting louder, glasses were clinking. But all I could focus on was Alec. He set his glass on a metal tray carried by a waiter who didn't even notice as he passed by. I stifled a giggle at his actions while he led me to the makeshift dance floor in the center of the room. His hand grasping mine, along with him lacing his fingers with mine, sent tiny bolts of electricity through my fingertips. I chose to brush that off as sexual chemistry rather than anything else.

Alec pursed his lips as he scanned the crowd around us. He had yet to make eye contact with me since we'd made it to the dance floor. His expression was that of carelessness mixed with amusement. I didn't know how to decipher that. One hand traveled a little too slowly down my side to rest on my hip while the other held my hand in a relaxed grip. He skillfully led our attempt at a waltz, eyes still focused on others around us.

"Why are we doing this so openly?" I whispered. He'd always been strict about never letting anyone see us getting along. Too many tattletales in town knew us and our families.

Alec's eyes finally met mine in a steamy gaze and I knew the glossed over look in his stare meant he was more interested in our after-dance activities than what was going on in that moment.

"If anyone asks, I'll just tell them I was trying to charm some information out of you about the Rutherford Laurence deal," he shrugged, a boyish smile finding its way to his lips.

"Clever." His boss and his family would surely believe that. Alec and I had always been competitive in business.

"Speaking of which." His smile morphed into a cocky smirk. "How are things going with Rutherford Laurence?"

I could tell by his tone he wasn't just asking to make small talk. Even though we'd become fairly good friends as of late, Alec and I still wouldn't pass up the opportunity to try to steal each other's clientele.

"Better than they would be with Harper Media," I retorted quickly, raising an equally cocky eyebrow to his smirk that was beginning to falter.

Harper Media was the advertising agency Alec worked for. They were also Corbin and Hilliard's biggest competitor aside from Parker and Associates, whose clientele was quickly being snatched up by Alec or myself. No wonder Genevieve still despised me.

Alec's arm traveled from my hip to the small of my back, his grip intensifying as he tugged me tighter against his body. I could feel his belt buckle beneath his blazer as he continued our dance in silence, our bodies pressed firmly against each other while he led me around the dance floor.

I noticed a few people staring from across the room. Surely Alec and I would hear something in the coming days about our oddly pleasant public encounter. Our families were heavily involved in the companies we worked for, resulting in the constant reminder from both of them that it would be considered conversing with the enemy if Alec and I were to even acknowledge each other's presence.

The familiar, yet unexpected sensation of something hard under Alec's clothing pressing against my stomach brought my focus back to him. The reflection of a million tiny crystals hanging off the chandelier danced through his eyes. Their usual light ocean-y color was now a steamy dark London blue, making it obvious he had more than just dancing on his perverse mind.