Page 5

“Nice to meet you,” I said politely.

Enduring Ellis’s roving eye was all part of the job.

He and my father picked up their conversation where they’d left off—something about a new committee they were both serving on. I tried to tactfully drift away, but Michelle held me fast. It was also part of the job to smile and nod.

I loved my father and I knew he was doing good, important things. If dressing up and being polite helped him win elections, then I was happy to play my part. But I still dreamed of breaking free, of doing something more with my life.

College would give me a chance to get out into the world, and beyond the opportunity to nerd out on linguistics to my heart’s delight, I’d also, finally, be able to explore other currently-uncharted territories…of a more personal nature.

That’s why I was so anxious about my gift. It could change everything.

Unable to help myself, I glanced back across the room at the dark-haired man in his perfect tux. Yep. Still gorgeous.

He was looking at me again, too. His eyes were like flames, flickering and hot. Everything inside of me felt like it was on fire in the best possible way.

I might have been a virgin, but I wasn’t a prude. I had a vibrator. I’d paid attention when Grace or the girls at my lunch table had gossiped about their sexual exploits. And I knew what it felt like to steal kisses, even if they’d only been from the prep school boys that were invited to our chaperoned dances by the academy’s principal. But up until now, all of my experiences had been exploratory. They didn’t mean anything except a little fun for the moment. Though it wasn’t like I was missing out—I’d never met anyone in real life that inspired the kind of reckless, achingwantthat I imagined was possible.

Not that I would have been allowed to pursue those feelings even if Ihadfelt them. My father had a strict no-dating policy, one I was planning to challenge now that I was eighteen. An adult, I reminded myself again. My own woman. And if I was away at college, there’d be no stopping me.

“Are you enjoying your party?” Ellis asked, jarring my thoughts with a hand to my arm.

“Ah, yes. My father has been very generous with me.” I didn’t love that this guy was touching me, and his stare made it obvious he thought I looked good enough to eat. When I tried to inch away, he moved in closer. My father, meanwhile, had turned to speak with someone else.

“I hear you’re quite the little dancer,” Ellis said.

“How lovely of you to say!” Michelle cooed, edging in next to me and pouring on a fatal dose of the southern charm. “By the way, have you spoken with Congressman McDonnell tonight? His head is just bursting with ideas about alternative fuels and I don’t know what.”

“That man is uncivilized,” Ellis said sourly.

“Then we’ll have to challenge him to a duel! Isn’t that him, over by the punch?”

She took his arm and made to drag him away, shooting me a conspiratorial wink. Michelle was very good at this.

“Actually,” my father said, stepping in to block Ellis, “I’m sure Victoria would love to dance with you first.”

“Wonderful!” Michelle chirped, shooting me an apologetic look.

“Of course I would,” I said, accepting the hand Ellis offered. I knew what was expected of me. And I’d done this before. Forcing a smile, I let him lead me back out onto the dance floor.

He was a passable dancer, but his eyes stayed glued to my chest even as we made small talk. I couldn’t help wishing, just once, that a man would ask me to dance because he wanted to get to know me better, not just ogle me. And I knew exactly which man I’d wish for.

I craned my neck, looking for him in the crowd, but the congressman kept twirling me every time I thought I’d caught a glimpse.

Beyond that, I was completely distracted by nerves. What if I was wrong about my big surprise? It could just as easily be a new car, or a posh vacation. Not that I wouldn’t be grateful…but those things wouldn’t help me build a life. I loved my father, but I knew he didn’t understand my obsession with studying linguistics. Nobody did.

“Those classes are going to besoboring, Tori. And you know you’ll never do anything with that degree, right?” Grace had constantly ragged me during our study sessions.

But she was wrong, on both counts. I’d never get bored in a class that explored the link between language and humor, or one that broke down the difference between ‘bullshit and lies’ (I’d read all about it on the UChicago website). And who wouldn’t be interested in learning about the culture of the Deaf community, or psycholinguistics? Plus, while the degree was something I needed on a soul level, I was also considering a career in academia—so it’s not like my studies would be totally useless. Grace was set to inherit a billion-dollar designer handbag empire someday, but I wanted to forge my own path. Politics may have been in my blood, but they weren’t in my heart.

Finally the congressman led me off the dance floor, his hand pressing at the small of my back, a little too close to the curve of my rear. He dropped that hand the moment my father came into view, though. He was still standing with my stepmother, but someone new had joined them.

The mystery man.

My heart jumped into my throat. Up close, he was even more striking—those green eyes sharply intelligent and assessing. This was a man who missed nothing. But what did he see when he looked at me? I was so captivated that I barely noticed Ellis departing from the group.

“Victoria, darling,” my father said, taking my hand between both of his. “Remember how I told you I had a surprise for you this evening?”

I nodded distractedly, my attention still fixated on the man. He had the most incredible lips, full and sensual. They were set in a firm line, though. One that made his expression inscrutable. I had no idea what he was thinking.

“Well. Here it is,” my father said, gesturing expansively with one of his arms.

“Where?” My eyes darted around the room, but I saw no UChicago banners in white and maroon, no cake with a tuition check popping out of it, not even a scrap of wrapping paper. I looked back at my father. He was grinning broadly.

“Right here,” he said, clapping the mystery man on the back. “This is your present, Tori—meet your future husband, Stefan Zoric.”