“Good god, who the hell is that?” George asked, his eyes wide. “Harry, you know I love you, but I’m afraid I’ve just seen an actual Greek god.”
Penny looked up as the crowd began to part, everyone looking to the new guy.
Damon Knight’s suit fit him perfectly, as though it had been custom made to fit his massive, muscled body. The dark suit contrasted with the pristinely white dress shirt and blue silk of his tie. Dark haired, with deep gray eyes, he didn’t walk into the ballroom. He strode in like a lazy panther looking about for his supper.
“That’s not a Greek god,” Harry said with a smile. “That’s sex on two legs, mate. If you can manage to sleep with that, I’ll high-five you. Unfortunately, I don’t think he’s looking for a boy.”
Damon turned, his every movement graceful and masculine. His eyes searched the crowd, not paying a bit of attention to the stir he was causing. He ignored the women who sent him looks, brushed past the waiters. He was on the hunt. Damon Knight was looking for someone. He was looking for her.
His eyes flared when he finally found his prey, and she would have sworn she saw anger there. She was fairly certain it wasn’t directed toward her, but a nervous thrill flared up as he stalked across the ballroom.
“Hello, darling.” He reached out a hand. “Had I known you were going to be treated like this, I would have gotten here sooner.”
She was almost afraid to take that hand, but something about the deep quality of his voice had her moving before she could properly think it over. “I slipped.”
“Really?” George asked, getting to his feet. He stared Peter’s way. “It’s interesting that you tripped just as this arsehole shows up.”
“Oh, Georgie, you know Pen has always been a clumsy cow,” Bea said, her eyes not leaving Damon. “How do you know Penny?”
The humiliation didn’t seem to end today. She hadn’t wanted Damon to see her like this, to see how everyone viewed her. He would very likely rethink her place as his partner.
She expected him to help haul her to her feet, but he simply gripped her hand, leaned down, and picked her up in one strong move. He cradled her body to his chest. She clutched her purse, not wanting to drop it.
His eyes found hers, a startling heat in them. “Are you all right?”
She managed to nod. She’d never been held like this, up against a man, his strength bolstering hers. Being held by Damon made her feel petite, feminine.
Damon turned to Bea, cuddling Penny close. His voice was arctic cold as he replied. “I know your cousin because I’m her lover. I’m taking her to the washroom so I can make sure she isn’t hurt. When I return, I expect you to be pleasant and polite or we shall have a problem, you and I.”
Even Bea, known for being the Queen Bitch of the World, backed off.
Damon turned to Peter, who shrank back. “Seriously, Penelope? You almost married that?”
“We didn’t actually set a date.” There was a breathless quality to her voice. What the hell was happening?
“You couldn’t have handled her, little boy. Go home.” Damon walked off, carrying her toward the posh-looking set of washrooms.
Everyone was still watching her, wondering very likely if she’d paid an escort because there was simply no way they fit together.
“I’m fine, Mr. Knight.”
“Damon, darling. You call your lover by his Christian name. Unless we’re playing, and then you may call me Sir or Master. I would prefer Master. I won’t have time to earn the title with you, but it’s for the best.” He didn’t hesitate, simply moved toward where he wanted to go, and the crowds parted for him.
The way he said “lover” practically made her shiver.
He kicked in the door to the loo, though it was more a grand suite of rooms complete with six women standing in front of a mirror doing their makeup. “Out.”
“Damon, this is the women’s room.” Even as she spoke, the women were rushing to get out. One huffed and began to say something about rudeness. The look in Damon’s eyes had her fleeing like the devil was on her heels.
He set her on the counter top, her legs dangling, before he turned the lock on the door with a decisive click. He placed her purse on the settee opposite them. “Stay there.”
“Damon, you can’t just take over the loo.”
He walked back to the stalls, checking each to make sure they were alone. “I just did. As for selecting the women’s room, well, you’ve never seen a men’s room. Trust me. I made the right choice. Smells so much better in here. Do you want to explain to me why you were allowing that woman to humiliate you?”
“She’s my cousin.”
“That means she gets to behave like a horrible bitch around you? Thank god I don’t have any family.” He got to one knee and gently pulled her shoe off. The minute his big hand encased her skin in warmth, she shivered the tiniest bit. Harry had just done the same thing, but his hands hadn’t made her want to soften and curl up against him.
She had to be stronger than that. “What was I supposed to do, Mr…Damon? If I had said something back to her, I would have caused a bigger scene.”
He studied her ankle, turning her foot in his palm, and then lightly running his hands up her leg to her knee.
Thank god, she’d shaved. And why did having a hand on her leg seem to make her core heat and melt?
“Sometimes it’s all right to cause a scene. Life isn’t a series of polite encounters. She wasn’t playing nice, so why should you?”
He didn’t understand. He couldn’t possibly. She turned her mind to a more immediate question. “How did you find me?”
His hand moved to her other foot, as careful with this one as the first. “I tagged your mobile. I then did a complete analysis of you, your family, and your friends. According to your sister’s social media postings, there was a wedding today. Your raging-bitch cousin sent some of her friends e-mails detailing how much fun she was going to have with you and that they should watch to see how you embarrass yourself at this particular event. She thinks she’s going to Thailand for her honeymoon.”
He had the evilest smile on his face as he said the last bit. It made him look like a very gorgeous, ridiculously sexy devil.
It also frightened her a bit. “What do you mean she ‘thinks’ she is?”