Secret Cinderella

RODERICK LAUGHLIN DRUMMED his fingers in annoyance as he waited for the coats. His headache seemed to be growing in direct proportion to the noise. The blue haze of cigarette smoke wafting in from the balcony outside added yet another layer to his discomfort. He’d had more than enough frivolity for one evening. As soon as his companion came off the dance floor they were leaving.

Parties like this were Shereen’s forte, not his. To see and be seen was everything in a modeling career and Shereen relished every moment. Roderick, on the other hand, had never been fond of large crowds but he’d promised to bring her tonight, so he had. Still, enough was enough. In his opinion, there were better ways to start a new year.

The pain in his head lightened a bit as he pictured several alternatives. Unfortunately, Shereen wasn’t likely to want to spend the early hours of the new year in bed when she could be dancing and drinking and posing to be admired. Convincing her to leave would probably cost him a fortune for some trinket that had caught her eye. Roderick didn’t care. He wanted to go home.

The young woman manning the coatroom set aside some sort of textbook she’d been studying and returned promptly with his topcoat and the full-length sable fur that had been his Christmas present to Shereen. Shereen wasn’t interested in being politically correct and the coat had caused more than one furrier to throw up his hands in despair. She’d insisted on an exact match for her shoulder-length dark sable tresses. Now that brunettes were all the rage on the runway, the silver fox fur that had matched her hair last year was no longer adequate.

Roderick rubbed fiercely at his temple as he withdrew his wallet and generously tipped the tired-looking woman behind the counter. Anyone who could study an anatomy text in this crush deserved all the help she could get. Her face brightened in gratitude when she saw the bill’s denomination.

With her heartfelt thanks echoing in his ears, he shrugged into his coat and lifted Shereen’s. Mentally he had to admit that the garment had been worth all the effort. Shereen looked exquisite framed in fur, particularly when the coat was all she wore. But then, Shereen looked terrific in anything—and especially in nothing at all. It was her most endearing quality.

Roderick turned, deep in rumination of his new plans for ushering in the new year, and nearly bowled over the petite young woman who had sprung from nowhere to stand directly in his path.

“Darling! Thank you. Are we ready to leave now?”

In a single motion almost faster than the eye could follow, she lifted the sable from his careless fingers and disappeared inside. He only had an instant to notice the shocking bit of glittery green that posed as a dress on her provocative form before both were totally concealed in the voluminous folds of the coat.

“What the devil do you think you’re doing?”

She didn’t even look at him. Her gaze seared the crowd at his back. Instinctively, he raised his head to see what had caused the flash of fear that darkened her lively blue eyes. He was still surveying the crowd when without warning she turned back to him and stretched up on her toes. Clasping his face, she tugged it down to within inches of her own.

“Please help me.”

At least, that’s what he thought she said. Then her lips covered his, whisper-soft and tasting of champagne. Her hands delved beneath the tuxedo’s jacket and slid around his waist. Her enticingly feminine body arched boldly against him.

The unexpected kiss was urgent, lacking all trace of finesse. Reckless, almost frantic, her lips moved against his mouth. His shock and annoyance faded under the impact.

Her lips were incredibly soft.

The warm, velvety feel stirred an instant, unanticipated reaction. He took control of the kiss without making a conscious decision. Slowly he moved his mouth over hers in a gentle but insistent demand. Her lips parted in surprise. Roderick slid one broad hand beneath the threads of her long, silky hair and cupped the back of her head to deepen the kiss. She froze.

He’d meant to shock her, but he found himself strangely reluctant to let her go. He allowed himself another brief moment to trace the outline of her mouth with his tongue. Startled eyes opened in alarm. Bright crystal blue, they held his gaze as she stood rigidly in his arms. Her breath felt warm against his skin even as Roderick nibbled gently on her bottom lip. He was mildly astonished when she made no effort to pull free of his embrace.

“What are you doing?”

Her breathy words sounded puzzled rather than angry. Amusement carved a reluctant smile. “No woman’s ever had to ask me that question before.”

The expression that flitted across her features was hard to define and gone in an instant. She dropped her hands from his body.

“I wouldn’t have thought someone so practiced would need to have his ego stroked,” she said with just the slightest hitch in her voice.

Roderick raised his eyebrows letting his enjoyment show. “Ah, but they do say practice makes perfect.”

She tilted her head to one side. “Uh-huh. If you find a way to market all that practice, you could be a wealthy man one day.”

He found himself wanting to tell her that he already was a wealthy man and it had nothing to do with his ability to kiss, but discretion stopped him in time. Before he could think of another suitable response, an inebriated man bumped into them. Roderick gripped her arms through the soft fur of the coat to steady her. The man muttered what was probably an apology and kept going. The fascinating young woman looked pointedly down at Roderick’s hand. Only then did he release his hold on the fur.

She took another step back and her gaze swiftly darted about the crowd before she trained those amazing eyes back on him.

“I have to leave. If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, do you think you could walk me out?”

It hit him then. She was scared. Oh, she had it under tight control, but fear nipped at the edges of her features. Tension pleated her brow as her gaze slid about the room again.

What was she afraid of? Several possibilities came to mind. Intrigued, Roderick resisted an impulse to follow her gaze.

“Could we hurry?” she demanded breathlessly.

He allowed a quick glance around even as he amazed both of them by tugging her against his side. “All right. Let’s go.”

“Thanks. I’ll give you the coat back when we get out of here.”

Who was she? What was she doing here?

With his coat thrown over one arm, he held her firmly in place and began to escort her toward the nearby exit, still sheathed in Shereen’s sable fur. Since the music was still playing, it was unlikely that Shereen would miss him for the few minutes it would take to escort this woman down to the lobby.

She was so much shorter than Shereen that the fur trailed nearly to the floor. She had to move with care to avoid tripping over the hem, but somehow the coat failed to look ludicrous on her—even though it didn’t match her lighter brown hair.

No, not brown, but not quite auburn, either. There were appealing glimpses of red and gold highlights where the overhead chandeliers created glints among the long, curling strands. Most of her hair had been pulled back from her face to cascade down her back, but several strands had escaped, giving her a delightfully tousled look. She’d pulled the sides up and back, holding the hair in place with a simple iridescent green clip. Inexpensive plastic, he noted as she dodged around a crowd that blocked the main exit.

She didn’t belong here.

What was she doing in this room full of wealthy movers and shakers? Security was supposed to be tight at the hotel, although Roderick hadn’t been impressed with what he’d seen. He’d noted several ways a person could get inside without being stopped. Obviously, this woman had used one of them.

Unless she was here as a paid companion.

He found he didn’t like that disturbing thought, but he couldn’t stop chewing on the idea. It was the dress, of course. Too bold. Too bright. Too cheap.

No one stopped them as they left the crowded room. As far as Roderick could tell, no one was paying them any attention at all.

“Amorous boyfriend?” he asked quietly.

She didn’t respond. He wasn’t sure she had heard him.

The mezzanine was filled with the overflow from the party. As the loud music faded, his nervous companion continued to dart glances at the crowd as they moved with subtle haste among the revelers. Her agitation was more palpable now. Roderick felt his own senses coming sharply alert. She moved briskly, taking two quick steps to every one of his longer strides. He sensed she was barely restraining a desire to break into a run.

“Would you like me to slow down?” he asked.

“No!”

“Stay cool,” he advised at this sharp reaction. “No one is watching us.”

She turned a fragile, heart-shaped face up to his in surprise. He had the distinct impression that on some level she’d all but dismissed his presence despite the arm he still had around her shoulders. Roderick could honestly say he wasn’t used to being dismissed by anyone, much less a woman he had just kissed. He tamped down an indignant spurt of annoyance. She’d asked for his help. The least she could do was show a little gratitude.

“Not the elevators,” she said impatiently, nudging him away from the press of people waiting before the slow-moving glass cages.

He didn’t blame her. He preferred the escalators himself, but probably not for the same reason. As he guided her through the throng, she lifted her face and offered him an unexpected smile.

“Thank you.”