Dare to Love by user (read dune TXT) 📗

Jake laughed. “Any money I make is new to me.”

She had to separate these two before an explosion occurred. She smiled sweetly at

Jake. “I’m starving. Let’s go inside and find our seats.” Jake held out his arm and Lucy slipped hers through. “Later, Sheldon,” he said.

“I’ll be counting on it,” she heard Alex reply before she dragged Jake into the ballroom.

Jake couldn’t hide his proud smile as they walked through the double doors into the

ballroom. He never lost the thrill of seeing the finished product of what he’d started. Ten

years ago he’d worked on this hotel. He remembered the intricate sloping roof that

caused him and his crew fits.

“Why are you smiling?” Lucy asked.

“Just remembering the construction. I helped build this hotel.” Her eyes widened. “You did? It’s a marvelous piece of architecture.”

“It was a pain in the butt to weld the steel together.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. What the architects put on paper and the ease with which it transfers to steel

erection are often like oill and water.”

“I hadn’t thought about that. But it truly is lovely, Jake. You should be proud to have

been a part of it.”

He was. Everything that carried part of his work he looked on with pride. He’d worked damn hard to get where he was, to learn what he’d learned through the years.

Jake allowed Lucy to lead him through a throng of people, most of whom she knew

and waved at or stopped to greet. Which was fine with him since it gave him the chance

to ogle her without her knowing.

Damn, she looked incredible. And way out of his league in the minors versus majors

way. The black velvet dress dipped dangerously off her shoulders. Her full breasts swelled over the top of a low cut V-shape in the top, and every time she inhaled they

threatened to spill over. He wondered how long it would take him to whip off his tux

jacket and throw it over her in case her breasts accidentally fell out the top of the gown.

She wore no jewelry other than little pearls in her ears. But she didn’t need any.

The

dress and the body in it were enough.

They reached a table at the front of the room, and Lucy directed him to his assigned

seat next to her. It didn’t take long for her father to come bearing down on them.

“What is he doing here?” he whispered.

Lucy heaved a breath. Jake tried to keep one eye on her father and the other on her

breasts.

“Father, we’re in public and if you make a scene you will look ridiculous. Smile and

pretend to be polite.”

Raymond opened his mouth to speak, glared at his daughter, then stiffly inclined his

head toward Jake. “Mr. Dalton.”

“Mr. Fairchild.” No way would Jake do anything to embarrass Lucy tonight. He smiled politely.

They had a relatively quiet and peaceful dinner, despite the fact Raymond invited Alex Sheldon to sit at their table. On the other side of Lucy, of course. Jake did his best to

ignore the man, who seemed more focused on getting Lucy’s attention.

Fortunately,

Lucy’s attention stayed on Jake.

A fact he didn’t mind one bit. They made small talk and she asked him about his work, he asked about hers, but they never got into any serious discussion since both

Raymond and Alex eavesdropped on every word they spoke.

“So, you’re in construction.” Alex said the word as if Jake sifted through people’s trash for a living.

“Jake helped build this hotel,” Lucy said.

Jake noticed the way her eyes sparkled with pride. He liked that.

“Tell me,” Alex said, lifting yet another glass of wine to his lips. “Which style of Victorian homes so indicative of San Francisco architecture are your favorite? I tend to

prefer the Italianate.”

Before Jake could respond, Lucy stood. “Let’s dance,” she said, holding out her hand.

Despite his wanting to stuff Alex Sheldon’s superior tongue down his own throat, he

nodded. How could he resist an offer of a dance with Lucy? They stepped onto the dance

floor, the orchestra playing soft strains of an old melody that Jake couldn’t quite place.

She glided into his arms, her hip resting against his thigh. His palm splayed over the

bare skin of her back. Silken soft skin, and that smell of summer.

“You really can dance.” Lucy lifted her head and met his gaze, surprise showing in her eyes.

“Thought I could only do the hoe down, did you? I didn’t get to show you my best stuff the other night at the bar.”

She laughed, and he found that he loved the sound. Deep and throaty, as if she could

really belt out a good bit of giggling if she chose.

The music barely registering in his mind, he focused on Lucy’s cheek against his jaw, her full skirt billowing around his legs, the perfect feel of her in his arms. He tightened his hold on her and whirled her a few turns around the dance floor.

“I’m sorry about my father and Alex.”

He shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. I can take care of myself. Besides, isn’t that why I’m here?”

She tilted her head. “I suppose so.”

He’d give a million dollars just to kiss her neck. Probably not a good idea to do that

here.

“Still, it irritates me when they act so condescending and disapproving.” He slid his hand along the soft skin between her shoulder blades, enjoying her quick

intake of breath. “I told you. Don’t worry about me. I can handle whatever they throw my

way.”

She pulled in her lower lip and worried it with her teeth. His gaze was riveted on the

short glimpse of her pink tongue, still tasting their kiss on his lips. What he wouldn’t give

to take a little nibble of that lip himself.

Unfortunately, the music ended. Lucy’s face was flushed, her cheeks a rosy pink.

“You really can dance.”

He smiled. “Had to take lame dancing lessons at school. I have a fairly good memory.” He’d hated those classes when he was an early teen. Now he was grateful he’d

had them.

They stood in the middle of the dance floor, neither of them moving. If he were a betting