“Try me.”
“Okay, Hutch,” she said, her tone placating. “I’ll behave from here on out. No flirting. No innuendo. No dancing.”
“I didn’t say no dancing. A man has to take what crumbs he can get.”
She cocked her head. “I’m confused. Are you a barbarian laying down the law or a puppy begging for scraps?”
He stroked the backs of her hands with his thumbs. “What do you think?”
For a long second, their gazes locked. Her eyes were nothing so simple as blue. They were dark at the outer rim, like midnight, but lighter near the pupil. He was mesmerized studying them.
“Hutch?”
He heard her say his name, but he was lost in a fantasy where she was stark naked on his bed. “Hmm?”
“We probably should get back out there since we’ve finished eating. After all, I’m one of the ones in charge.”
“Yes...” He whispered the word, still caught up in a vision he hoped like hell would come true in only a few hours.
Suddenly, his dream woman stood up. “Hurry,” she said, excitement in her voice. “I think Deacon is about to make an announcement.”
Hutch followed her, disgruntled. They found a spot near the front. The stage was set up just behind the orchestra. Deacon Chase stood at the microphone with a genial smile on his face and a raised hand. When the crowd at last fell silent, he spoke.
“First of all, friends and neighbors, Shane Delgado and I would like to welcome you to The Bellamy. This hotel and all it encompasses is a dream come true for us. We’re delighted to have all of you here tonight. I hope you’ll spend a lot of time at The Bellamy in the years to come, not only overnight for special occasions, but also dining with us on a regular basis at either the Silver Saddle or the Glass House. Our new spa, Pure, is open to the public. All you need to do is make a reservation.” He paused and cleared his throat. “I know everyone is eager to get back to the dancing, but I hope you’ll grant me a moment of personal privilege.”
He held out his hand, and to Hutch’s surprise, Simone’s friend Cecelia took the stage. Deacon introduced her with a broad smile. “If you think we have a beautifully appointed hotel, this is the woman who gets the credit. I’m forever in her debt for helping us make The Bellamy a reality. Even more than that, I am beyond happy that she has agreed to be my wife.”
The room erupted in shouts and cheers. Shocked, Hutch looked sideways at Simone. “Did you know about this?”
She nodded, beaming. “He gave her the ring several weeks ago, but they only told close friends and family before tonight. I guess this makes it official. Look how sweet they are together.”
He did look, and Simone was right. Judging from the expressions on their faces, Cecelia and Deacon were ridiculously happy with their new status. Hutch continued to brood while Simone joined the crowd of friends who wanted to congratulate the bride-to-be and her groom.
Deacon Chase had chosen well. As far as Hutch could tell, the billionaire hotelier and the gorgeous platinum blonde had a lot in common. Case in point—the two of them, along with Delgado, had turned a dream into a reality. Deacon built hotels. Cecelia had the know-how to furnish them.
What did Hutch and Simone have in common? Not one damn thing.
Suddenly, his bow tie choked him, and the room was far too hot. His heart beat out an unfamiliar cadence in his chest. Working his way over to Simone, he reached out and tapped her on the arm. The crowd was so noisy, he had to bend down so she could hear him.
“I’m going outside for some fresh air,” he said. “Stay here and enjoy your friends.”
Big blue eyes searched his face. “Are you okay?”
He dredged up a smile and brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. “Never better,” he lied. “I’ll be back shortly.”
“How will you find me?”
Was she serious? “Honey, that red dress stands out in a crowd. Don’t worry. I won’t leave without you.”
Desperately, he plowed his way to the other side of the room. Had the fire marshal okayed this crowd? Hell, the marshal had probably been invited for that very reason.
Outside, he jerked his bow tie off and stuffed it in his pocket. After that, he took a deep, cleansing breath and leaned against a marble statue of Pan in a clump of daisies. He wished he smoked. Since he didn’t and never had, the next best thing was walking. He’d read the press packet about the new hotel. The grounds included several miles of wooded trails.
He didn’t care where he went at this point. It wasn’t like he could get lost. This was Royal, not the middle of a wilderness.
The night was perfect...too perfect. He walked with his head down, trying not to notice the moonlight or the sweet scent of flowers in the air. If he proposed to Simone and she accepted, there would be no going back. He wouldn’t be able to return to Sudan to escape her hold on him.
Could he and would he be able to love three babies who weren’t his biological offspring? That seemed the least of his worries at this point. He adored children. He always had. Besides, the triplets carried half of their mother’s DNA. If he loved Simone, he would love her babies, too.