“I wasn’t encouraging him,” she answered calmly. “Is he dangerous?”
Yeah. The conversation had been innocent enough. It had been the only thing that had kept him sane.
Zane shook his head. “I don’t know his personal life well enough to know how he treats a woman. I’ve never had a reason to get into his business. He hasn’t been with Colter all that long. All I really know is that he’s crazy about Elena, but she’s always looking for something better. I have no idea why he puts up with her.”
“Zane, I know you want to protect me, but someday I’m going to have to go back into the real world. Someday soon,” she told him quietly, her beautiful blue eyes staring him down.
Nope. He didn’t like that thought at all. Not after all she’d been through. “You are in the real world.”
She shook her head. “I’ve always been alone, solved my own problems.”
“Why does it have to be that way again? Why do you have to be alone now when you really need support?” Not that Zane wanted to be just her friend, and it was getting harder and harder each day not to want to be more. Literally harder.
She shook her head and broke their locked gazes, her eyes straying to her fluted glass of champagne as she stroked the stem. Hell, even that turned him on. He wanted those caressing fingers all over his fucking body.
Suddenly remembering why he’d been gone so long, he put his hand into his jacket pocket and pulled out the items that he’d bid on and won in the silent auction.
“I won one of the bids on the auctions. I want you to have these.” He pushed a white velvet box across the small table.
Truth be told, he’d made damn sure he won by bidding a small fortune on the items. The minute he saw them, he knew they needed to belong to Ellie.
She looked at him in confusion and then down at the box, tracing the decorative gold lettering on the top. “Mia Hamilton?”
He nodded. “She does something special for my corporate fundraiser every year. The majority of the proceeds this year are going to a joint charity for domestic abuse victims. Mia’s sister-in-law founded it. Asha Harrison. They’re doing a lot of good work. My brothers and Chloe all support Asha’s Fund.”
Ellie nodded slowly. “I’ve heard about it. Lara is involved, too.”
“There are a lot of wealthy donors now all over the country. It’s a great charity that has very few administrative overheads since they have a lot of volunteers.” He nodded at the box. “Open it. I hope you like it.”
“Zane, is this a piece by Mia Hamilton?”
“Of course,” he answered sensibly.
“I can’t believe I’m even touching it. Her stuff is exclusive. I’ve never seen anything but pictures.”
Zane smiled. “Another first,” he replied as he impatiently reached over and popped the box open.
Ellie’s astonished gasp was audible even in the noisy ballroom.
“Oh. My. God.” She leaned back as though she was afraid to touch the jewelry.
Zane hadn’t seen all of Mia’s work, but he was pretty certain she’d outdone herself on the necklace and earrings she’d made this year. Somehow she’d made a fortune in sapphires, diamonds, and gold still look classy, delicate, and feminine. The chain of the necklace was alternating hearts made of small diamonds and blue sapphires with a slight violet tint. The chain met in the middle to support a heart pendant made of a large sapphire with diamonds framing the center heart. Mia had paired the necklace with simple drop earrings made of the same gems.
“I thought they were pretty. The sapphires almost match your eyes,” Zane said anxiously, getting worried about the nervous look on her face.
“Pretty? Zane, these are the most beautiful pieces of jewelry I’ve ever seen. Can I touch them?”
He reached out and took her hand, placing her fingers on top of the necklace. “They’re yours. Of course you can touch them.” He was secretly pleased that she seemed so enchanted by Mia’s creations.
She carefully traced the delicate hearts on the chain, and then ran a careful finger down the sapphire pendant. “You know I can’t accept a gift like this,” she told him adamantly. “But I’m really happy that I was able to see these in person. I didn’t go to see what was on auction.”
He got up and plucked the necklace from the box. Standing behind Ellie, he slipped the chain around her neck and fastened the clasp. He didn’t bother with the earrings since Ellie was already wearing a costume pair that he wasn’t about to try to take out and replace.
Sitting back down again, he surveyed the stunning contrast of the sparkling gems against Ellie’s creamy skin. “Perfect,” he declared, satisfied that the necklace had found the place where it had always belonged.