She’d gone for elegant black. As she turned Cam stepped back to take in the full effect. The dress hugged her petite figure like a charm. Tiny straps showed off her creamy shoulders, the waistline was cinched with a sparkly clasp. Its short skirt flared, leaving plenty of thigh to admire. And the arch of her feet in those gold strappy heels made his mouth water. ‘You look sensational, Didi.’
She smiled, drawing his attention to her carefully outlined lips and the shimmering charcoal framing her silver eyes. He doubted he’d ever escorted a more beautiful woman, but something about the stunning image niggled at him.
She seemed to pick up on that vibe and the smile disappeared. ‘Let’s go, then,’ she said briskly, reaching for her coat draped over his arm.
‘Hang on.’ He returned her coat to the stand, fingered the box in his pocket. He’d wanted to give her some token, something to show how he felt about her. Even if he wasn’t sure yet what that feeling was. Would she be offended? Only one way to find out. He withdrew the box.
She looked at it, then up at him with wary eyes. ‘Soft centres…?’
Her voice was unsteady, the way his knees suddenly felt. ‘It’s just a little something to wear tonight,’ he said, holding it out to her. ‘I’m not sure if you’re a jewellery girl but figured what the heck, a bit of bling couldn’t hurt.’
When she made no move to take the box, he opened it himself. The single teardrop gem winked on its glittering chain.
‘Is that real?’ she whispered, and squinted closer. ‘It looks real.’
‘It’s an Argyle pink diamond on a platinum chain. You being the creative sort, I thought something simple was probably wise.’
She looked up, met his eyes. ‘I don’t call that simple or wise.’
And didn’t that just about sum up their relationship? ‘Wear it for me, Didi.’ Without waiting for a reply he stepped behind her to slip it around her neck, unaccountably disappointed that her almond-honey scent had been drowned out by cosmetics and styling lotion and a darker cloying fragrance that on any other woman would have been seductive.
On Didi it was just…wrong. She didn’t need heavy fragrance to seduce, all she needed to be was herself. Shaking away the dangerous thought, he stepped in front of her again to see how the stone looked against her skin.
She touched the stone lightly with one finger, but her eyes gave him no clue to her feelings, as if she’d deliberately blanked her expression. ‘Thank you. It’s the most beautiful piece of jewellery I’ve ever worn.’
‘You’re welcome.’ He wanted to lay his lips on hers and feel them smile against his as she had last night but the slick red gloss looked more like a shield than an invitation. Instead, he reached for her coat. ‘Shall we go?’
The hotel ballroom was all glitz. Crystal and silverware sparkled on snowy cloths sprinkled with colourful foil confetti. Towering floral arrangements spilled their early spring fragrance, mingling with French perfume and hors d’oeuvres being circulated on silver trays.
Cam lifted two glasses of champagne as a waiter passed. Then he saw a tall slim blonde wearing gold leopard-skin lamé as if she’d been born in it heading in their direction.
‘Let’s find out where we’re seated,’ he murmured to Didi, handing her a glass and turning away.
‘Cam.’ The woman caught at his arm. ‘You weren’t trying to run away, were you, darling? I know you’ll want to buy a ticket or three in tonight’s raffle.’ She swept between him and Didi waving her little box of tickets, then reached up to buss both his cheeks.
He forced a smile. Dominique was in her mid-forties and had been pursuing him for at least five years. ‘Evening, Dominique.’ He stepped around her to create a triangle. ‘I’d like you to meet Didi O’Flanagan. Didi, this is Dominique Le Hunte. She’s our fund-raiser extraordinaire.’
‘Di-di.’ Dominique’s latest Botox treatment prevented her eyebrows rising but she tinkled out a laugh. ‘What a quaint little abbreviation.’ She proffered a limp hand dripping with diamonds. ‘Why…what’s so terrible about your birth name?’
‘It’s Dee-aahn,’ Didi replied with exaggerated aplomb. ‘My sister never could get it right so she said Didi. I’m afraid it stuck.’
Cam smiled privately at the way Didi’s lie rolled off her tongue and raised his glass to her with an intimate grin that had Dominique frowning. Or would if she could, he mused.
‘Well—Dee-aahn—it’s…nice of you to…attend.’