Their Virgin Mistress (Masters of Ménage #7)(64)

"It will get out." She'd been doing her job for too long to be naïve about her chances of the incident going away.

They would run a blurred photo of her. Now that she thought about it, maybe she'd made a big deal out of nothing. She was the sister of a royal. The press preferred Piper. So she'd had a tiny nip slip. Maybe, given the dim light and the thick crowd, the wardrobe malfunction had barely registered in a photo. The press would blow it out of proportion and put a huge star over her barely-there nipple and the world wouldn't end.

Talking to Oliver had put a few things in perspective.

She had no idea why he thought he'd seen his soul and found it wanting, but she knew a man in pain when she saw one. He'd changed since the night he'd taken her virginity. This was a different Oliver, more contemplative. More thoughtful. More in need than ever.

"I'll go help him." Oliver nodded and walked away.

She found herself in Rory's arms. Quiet, polite Rory. She could handle him. Truly, Rory would listen to reason and she could move forward with her plans for a very quiet evening-and a very quiet life-alone. "What is Callum preparing?" 

"The bedroom for our play," he said matter of factly. He could have been talking about the weather. "Do you know how to waltz, love? The next song is a waltz."

Her head spun, and she shook her head. "No. I don't."

"Put your feet on top of mine and relax. I paid the orchestra to ensure the next song is a waltz. You see, I'm the only one of the three of us who paid attention in dance class. Oliver was too busy ogling the teacher and Callum, for all his athleticism, has horrible rhythm. Really, this will be our thing. I'll teach you to waltz first. Eventually, we'll tango. That's my favorite."

Tori squirmed in his arms. The notion of them sharing a dance thing was sweet but …  She would have to let him down gently. "I'm sure you're very good, but I don't really want lessons."

"That's why you're going to stand on my feet and I'm going to do all the work."

"I'm too heavy. Rory, if you have something to say, can't we sit down and talk?"

Those polite blue eyes hardened, turning to steel. "Darling, I'm through talking. I've talked to you for months and all it got me was sent to the back of the line. I was acting like a self-sacrificing martyr, but I'm done with that. I'm afraid you're going to have to deal with me."

"I don't understand." The whole world seemed to have tilted and she wasn't sure where she stood anymore.

"I'm well aware. You didn't fully know me before. I let Oliver take the reins of the company because he needed the work to occupy him and he needed to feel in control. So I stepped aside from the CEO position and took over legal. When he's ready for another role, I'll assume the helm again. I'm the shark, Tori. I've buried that part of me because my brothers needed someone to hold us all together, but I've always been the shark. So you're going to have to deal with me and I'm not going to politely sit down and listen to all the reasons you think this won't work. I'm going to dance with you and lay out my rationale. You'll listen because I haven't even had a kiss out of you yet."

Heat zipped down her spine. Tori had been fooled by his gentlemanly façade, but she now sensed his ruthlessness underneath like a living thing. He didn't play fair. For some reason, that turned her on. "How is that my fault? I didn't even know you wanted to kiss me."

"Didn't you? I suspect you did. Here's the thing, darling. You can dance with me or I'll take that kiss here and now in front of everyone."

She flushed. She could feel her skin turning pink. He wouldn't. She glanced up at him through her lashes and changed her mind. He would-absolutely. He would lay his lips over hers and claim her lips in front of everyone so there would be no mistaking that she belonged to him.

The orchestra began the waltz and she decided to not start another scandal. Very gingerly she stepped onto Rory's dress shoes, her right hand in his as she placed her left on his shoulder.

"Good choice." He wrapped his free arm around her waist, and she felt his strength as he pressed her against his body. "Typically we would keep a bit of space between us, but I don't feel like playing by the rules this evening. A good dance is a lot like making love. It should be two bodies in complete sync, trust and joy marking the movements. Hang on to me."

She gasped as he took off. The ballroom whirled around her, but Rory held her firmly and he wasn't letting her fall. After a moment of panic, complete exhilaration took over. She'd never danced before. Not like this. Rory held her tight, twirling her across the parquet floor. She relaxed and let her body flow against his.