The CEO Buys in (Wager of Hearts #1) (30 page)

Chloe decided not to comment on how the bride radiated happiness, but it was true. Maybe it was because she was pregnant, but Angel’s face glowed, her smile lighting up every time she received a guest’s good wishes. When she looked up at her new husband, the smile both grew and softened.

Nathan’s grip on her hand became tighter the closer they got to the newlyweds. She reached across and laid her other hand over the back of his, making her borrowed bracelet glitter. “I won’t leave you, I promise,” she murmured.

“I’m sorry,” he said, easing the pressure.

Then it was their turn. Chloe braced herself, wondering what sort of greeting Angel would give them. From what Ed had told her, Nathan had not been cordial toward the woman he considered his mother’s usurper.

But the bride’s smile did not falter or dim. “Nathan, you were so good to come,” she said, putting her hands on his shoulders so he would bend to let her kiss his cheek. “I know it wasn’t easy for you.”

Chloe felt him stiffen. “It seemed like too important an occasion to miss,” he said. “Angel, meet Chloe Russell.” He moved Chloe forward so she stood in front of him almost like a shield.

“Best wishes to you for a happy future,” Chloe said, holding out her hand.

Angel drew her in for a hug. “Thank you, my dear. I feel as though I’m carrying our future with me,” she said, resting one palm on the soft swell of her stomach. “Strange miracles sometimes happen.”

A shudder passed through Nathan. Chloe quickly moved sideways to get him away from Angel. That brought them face-to-face with General Trainor.

“Congratulations, sir,” Nathan said, squaring his shoulders and offering his hand to his father.

Ironically, Nathan’s posture was more rigid than the general’s. The older man pulled his son in for one of those quick, hard hugs men give each other. Chloe let her hand slide loose from Nathan’s arm so he couldn’t use her for that shielding maneuver again.

When the general stepped back, Chloe could see a glitter of moisture in his eyes. Hope bloomed in her chest. The father was prepared to embrace his son. Now she just had to get Nathan to meet his father halfway . . . or even a quarter of the way. She got the sense that General Trainor would be willing to go the extra distance.

The general touched the hilt of the antique sword that hung in its scabbard on his belt. “Having this with me for the ceremony was something I hadn’t hoped for and probably didn’t deserve. Thank you for your generosity.”

“You’re thanking the wrong person,” Nathan said, putting his arm around Chloe’s waist to nudge her in front of him. “She’s responsible for the sword’s presence.”

When disappointment shadowed the general’s eyes, Chloe wanted to stomp her stiletto heel hard on the arch of Nathan’s foot. “He’s exaggerating,” she said. “I’m sure you know that Nathan doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to.” She deliberately did not look at Nathan to see how he reacted to her statement. Instead she stood on tiptoe to give the general a peck on the cheek. “Many congratulations, sir. You and Angel make a lovely couple.”

“Well, she’s lovely, and I make us a couple,” Nathan’s father said, a spark of humor on his face. He took both of Chloe’s hands and gave them a squeeze. “It’s good to have you here, young lady. I’m glad my son brought you.” He gave Nathan a shrewd look. “Or you brought my son. Either way works for me.”

Chloe slanted a look up at Nathan. His brows were drawn together in what she thought might be regret. “I wish you and Angel happiness together,” he said. “I think you’ve earned a chance at it.”

His father’s posture stiffened and Chloe waited to see what that meant. “That’s a good wish,” the general said, “and a surprising one. I accept it with humility and gratitude.” He shifted his gaze back to Chloe. “Stick with him, Chloe. We Trainor men improve with age.”

She gave the general a smile as they moved away to let the next guest offer congratulations. Nathan led her toward the bar across the room, muttering, “Let’s get something to dull our senses.”

“Is it that hard to be civil to your father?” she asked with genuine puzzlement.

He stopped in the middle of the dance floor and frowned down at her. “Civil, no. Sincere, yes. Celebrating his marriage to his pregnant girlfriend is not something I’m able to feel joy about.”

“You sounded sincere when you said he deserved a chance at happiness. And it surprised him.”

He gave a tight smile. “Surprising the general is an accomplishment in itself.” He looked down at the floor. “My mother’s mental health issues were not his fault. He didn’t handle them well, but he didn’t create them.” He took a deep breath. “No one deserves to go through the hell of having his wife commit suicide.”

He lifted his eyes to hers, and they were bleak with pain. She wanted to wrap herself around him and make him forget. Instead she cupped her palm against his cheek, feeling the satin of his freshly shaved skin. “You don’t need a drink. You’ve forgiven him.”

He made a gesture of disagreement. “There’s a difference between understanding and forgiveness.”

“One leads to the other.”

“You’re an eternal optimist.” He took her hand away from his face and used it to move her toward the bar again. “A glass of champagne and a scotch on the rocks.”

“Here you are, Mr. Trainor.” The bartender handed the slim glass flute to Nathan with a smile before he picked up a scotch bottle. He was a short, sturdy man, his sandy hair shot through with streaks of silver.

“Thanks,” Nathan said, passing the flute to Chloe as recognition dawned in his eyes. “Dino Sparks,” he said. “I can’t believe you’re still here. How are you? And when the hell did you start calling me Mr. Trainor?”

The two men shook hands. “You’re a big shot in New York now,” Dino said, going back to pouring the scotch.

“I wouldn’t be if you hadn’t taught me everything I know about electrical wiring.”

Dino’s face lit up, but he shook his head. “I showed you a few tricks, that’s all. You got smarter than me fast.”

“Chloe, I’d like you to meet my mentor, Dino. I did a lot of my best tinkering in his workshop. I think I still owe him a replacement tone probe amplifier.” The lines around Nathan’s mouth had lightened as he introduced them.

She shook hands with the bartender. “I love meeting Nathan’s old friends. Did he ever blow anything up?”

Dino burst out laughing. “Ever? He caught something on fire at least once a week.”

Nathan grinned. It was like watching him when he slept; he became a younger, more carefree version of himself. “I did it on purpose, you know.”

“He liked to set off the fire alarm,” Dino said, nodding. He looked around and lowered his voice. “Just to annoy his father.”

Chloe wished Dino hadn’t mentioned the general, but Nathan’s grin didn’t waver. “And it worked,” he said with relish.

Just as she was about to prod Dino for more stories, Uncle Fred’s voice boomed through the loudspeakers. “General and Mrs. Trainor invite everyone to join them on the floor to share their first dance as a married couple.”

The lilting strains of a waltz swelled through the room as the general led Angel to the center of the room. After a second of standing in perfect stillness, Nathan’s father spun his new wife into a graceful turn in time to the music. Guests lined the edge of the dance floor, watching the couple move together with fluid ease. After one circuit of the floor, the general barked, “Does no one know how to follow a simple order? Get out here and dance.”

Laughter rose from the crowd, and a few couples did some tentative box steps. None could hold a candle to the general and his bride.

Suddenly, Nathan took the champagne flute from Chloe’s hand and set it on the bar beside his scotch. “Let’s give them some competition.”

“Wait . . . what?”

“We’re obeying the general’s orders.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and propelled her toward the dance floor while she tried to walk slowly, hoping the music would change. She was wearing high slender heels and a straight skirt, not optimal waltzing attire. Not to mention the fact that she hadn’t had a waltz partner in, oh, ten years at least.

The music was still going when Nathan led her onto the parquet and turned her around to face him. She took a deep breath and put her left hand on his shoulder, feeling the solidity of him through the light wool of his suit. When he put his hand on the small of her back, she felt a zing of exhilaration along with her nerves. Then he took her right hand in his, his arm strong and firm so she could rely on it for guidance. They stood still, looking into each other’s eyes for a moment as the music came to the end of a phrase. She shifted her grip on his shoulder, and he gave a tiny nod.

Then he was spinning her around the floor with the same expertise as his father. For the first few steps she was stiff with worry that she would stumble and embarrass both of them.

“You’re thinking too much,” Nathan murmured as he stopped twirling to allow her to catch her breath and balance for a split second. “I’ll support you.”

“I—” Chloe shut up as he swung her into another dizzying circle. He flattened his palm on her back and pressed her closer so their bodies were touching. Now she could feel the shift in his weight, the subtle lean to one side or another, the change of angle in his elbow, and she could let him take her wherever he wanted.

She forgot they were competing with the general. She forgot that Ed, Ben, and a platoon of Marines were watching. She even forgot the bet. It was all Nathan, his gray eyes locked on her face, the strength of his arms enveloping her, the heady feeling of melding together both bodies and minds to move as one. She wanted the music to go on forever.

But it stopped and applause rippled around them.

Nathan finished the turn and brought them to a halt, his eyes lit with something like the same elation she felt. “You make a good partner in all kinds of situations,” he said.

Her delight dimmed at his ambiguous words. All the realities of the situation crashed back into her.

“I see those dance classes your mother forced you to take weren’t wasted.” General Trainor walked up to them, his arm around Angel’s waist. He smiled at Chloe. “The mothers of all the teenage girls got up the money to start a dancing class, but they needed partners. So the teenage boys got to attend free, which made their mothers apply serious pressure.”

Nathan didn’t smile. “Once we found out we were not only allowed, but expected, to put our arms around the girls, it wasn’t so hard to persuade us.”

Chloe smiled for him. “I can imagine the hormones raging in that room.”

“My cousins Brenda and Sally went to that class,” Angel said. “They spent half their time moving the boys’ hands back up to their waists.”

Chloe slanted a glance up at Nathan. He still refused to smile. When she looked back at Angel, the other woman gave her an almost imperceptible shrug, as if to say they had both tried their best.

Fortunately, another couple came to speak with the newlyweds, so Chloe tugged Nathan off the dance floor.

“You know, I actually enjoyed dancing with you,” she said. “Until you ruined it by making it about your father.”

Although he didn’t flinch, she could tell that she’d startled him. “It wasn’t about my father when we were dancing.” He stroked his thumb over the skin on the inside of her wrist. “I wanted to waltz you right out of the room and into a closet where I could lock the door and have you up against the wall.” His voice was low and intense.

“That was only because you thought you were winning the dance contest.” But his touch and his words sent a streak of electric arousal up her arm and back down low in her belly.

“No, it was because your body and mine were perfectly attuned. I could practically feel your thoughts through my hands. I wanted to be inside you with that happening.”

Chloe swallowed hard as his words vibrated through her, spinning into a tightly coiled ball of sheer desire between her legs. “Where’s that closet you mentioned?” she managed to choke out.

His thumb went still as his grip on her hand tightened. “I can find one in sixty seconds flat.”

For a moment she was tempted. Their time was running out and she wanted to store up memories. She glanced around and caught sight of Ed and Ben, talking earnestly to a group of uniformed men and women. She shook her head. “Maybe later. Right now, we have to be good guests.”

“I see I’ll have to ply you with champagne.”

Raising her eyes to his face, she nearly went up in flames in the heat of his gaze. “Totally unnecessary. Just dance with me again.”

He smiled with a wicked edge. “Don’t they say dancing is a vertical expression of a horizontal desire?”

“Except we’re planning to stay vertical with our desire.”

“We’re very adaptable that way.”

Chloe’s phone shrilled in the special tone reserved for calls from Grandmillie. One small, selfish part of her wanted to cry out in disappointment at the interruption of this hot and sexy banter with Nathan. But her heart twisted with fear as she fumbled at the catch of her handbag. Grandmillie knew where she was. Only an extreme emergency would cause her to call Chloe.

“It’s your grandmother,” Nathan guessed as he scanned her face. The hungry glint in his eyes faded as concern took its place.

She nodded as she swiped her finger across the phone’s screen and lifted it to her ear. “Grandmillie? Are you okay?”

“It’s Lynda. I’m at the hospital with Millie. She didn’t want me to call you, but I thought you’d want to know.”

Chloe reached out blindly to take Nathan’s hand as the word
hospital
walloped her with dizzying force. He closed his fingers around hers in a comforting grip.

“Thank you for overruling her.” The buzz of conversation was making it hard to hear her neighbor’s voice. “Wait, let me find a quieter place to talk.”

Without a word, Nathan put his arm around her waist and led her toward a side door. It opened into an empty hallway. He released her and pulled the door closed, shutting out the noise.

“I’m here,” Chloe said. “What happened?”

“She blacked out and fell again. She called me when she came to because she didn’t want to bother you at the wedding. Since it’s Saturday, I took her to the hospital. She’s awake and speaking clearly, so there doesn’t seem to be any permanent damage. The doctor says she’ll be okay.”