Even if it would break my heart. I didn’t want to leave Sebastian behind, but Finn was right. There was no place for me in Sebastian’s world, and I didn’t want to drag him into mine. Not when he would hate me for it and what I’d done to his father.
Finn studied me, his features eerily similar to Fletcher’s in that moment. Then he nodded, apparently satisfied by whatever he saw in my face. He gave my arm another gentle squeeze before snagging a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.
“Now, on to more important matters,” he drawled. “Like who I plan on bringing home for the evening. I was thinking about her.”
He tipped his glass at a woman standing about twenty feet away from us, one of the most breathtaking women I’d ever seen. Her spaghetti-strapped black gown was sleek and stylish and brought just the right amount of attention to her perfect body while also highlighting the rich toffee color of her skin. She had wonderful curves, but her face was even more beautiful, with dark, expressive eyes and glorious cheekbones. A thin diamond headband held her black hair back off her face, showing off her scarlet lips and the gentle slope of her neck. She wasn’t wearing any other jewelry, but she didn’t need to.
I might have had something of a Goth Cinderella vibe going on tonight, but she was the sort of woman who would look gorgeous long after the ball was over.
“Who’s that?”
“Roslyn Phillips,” Finn said, never taking his eyes off her as he sipped his champagne. “She’s opening up a new nightclub. It’s called Northern Aggression.”
“Northern Aggression? Clever.”
He nodded. “Clever, indeed. She came into the bank a few months ago to get the financing. You should have seen the way she had all of the bigwigs eating out of the palm of her hand. They thought she was just a pretty face to start with, but she really wowed them with her business plan. That is a woman to be reckoned with.”
And apparently, a woman to be admired, judging from the men standing three deep around her. Still, I had to respect the graceful way she spoke to each of them in turn, never favoring one over another, even though they were all competing for her attention.
“I see two CEOs, a couple of CFOs, and a drug lord gathered around her,” I said. “And you really think that she’s going to go home with you tonight? Keep dreaming, Finn.”
“Ah, yes. But I have one thing that all of those other schmucks don’t.”
“Really? What’s that?”
He flashed me a cocky grin. “I’m Finnegan Lane, baby. The best there is at everything—including the boudoir arts.”
I couldn’t keep myself from laughing or teasing him. “Well, good luck, Mr. Lane. Although I would think that someone like her would be more your speed.”
I pointed over at the blond girl who had come in with Harry Coolidge, the one who looked so much like Bria. She and Charlotte had finally connected, and the two of them stood next to the table full of birthday presents. The blond girl was talking animatedly, glancing around with excitement at all the people, but Charlotte was focused on the present that her friend had given her. She slowly untied the pink ribbon, lifted the box top, and set it aside. She dug through some tissue paper before pulling out a delicate pink cameo that was a match for the blue one the blond girl was wearing. Charlotte must have liked it, because she immediately hooked the cameo around her neck. The blond girl beamed at her friend.
“Her?” Finn asked, his voice taking on an offended, incredulous note. “She looks like she’s fifteen at the most. That’s way too young for me, Gin. I do have some standards, moral and otherwise.” He paused and glanced at the girl again. “Maybe in ten years or so. When she’s all grown up.”
I laughed at his arrogance, but if there was one man who could make something happen, even ten years into the future, it was definitely Finn.
“You know, one day, you’re going to meet a girl who won’t automatically fall in love with you or be immediately seduced by your so-called charm,” I sniped. “I just hope that I’m around to see it happen, when the ego of the mighty Finnegan Lane gets the bruising and beat-down that it so richly deserves.”
Finn threw his arm around my shoulders. “Have I mentioned how much I love it when you talk about me in the third person? Totally makes my ego kick up another notch. Or ten.”
I couldn’t help but laugh again.
“. . . and so I want to raise a toast to my father and to keeping his legacy alive and well for years to come.” Sebastian was finally finishing his speech. “Cheers.”
He raised his champagne glass high, and so did everyone else in the ballroom. There was a moment of silence. Then the music started up again, and the guests resumed their previous conversations.
Porter separated himself from the crowd and went over to Sebastian, who was shaking hands again with some of his guests. Sebastian whispered something to Porter, who handed him a fresh glass of champagne. Sebastian took that glass and headed in my direction.
“Looks like my cue to leave,” Finn said. “Just think about what I said, okay, Gin?”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. Despite all of our differences over the years, our childish fights, our failed summer romance, and our continued rivalry, he really was the best brother a girl could have, blood or otherwise.
Finn winked at me, then slipped off into the crowd, heading straight for Roslyn Phillips. One moment, he was standing on the fringes of the men around her. The next, he’d insinuated himself by her side. I didn’t know how he managed it. Sometimes I thought Finn was part magician and part cat.
“Ms. Phillips, I don’t think you’ve had the pleasure of my company yet,” Finn murmured, his smooth, suave voice drifting over to me. “My name is Finnegan Lane . . .”
And that was all I heard before Sebastian reached my side, a wide grin on his face from his moment of triumph. He passed me the glass of champagne that Porter had given him. I didn’t much care for champagne. It was too bubbly, too light and frothy, for my liking, as though I were drinking fizzy air, but I didn’t want to be rude. He tinked his glass against my own, and we toasted each other.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get out of here and go have that talk.”
“Are you sure you want to leave now? The party is just getting started again.”
Sebastian stepped closer to me and pressed a soft kiss against my cheek. I breathed in his scent, sweet and spicy at the same time. Once more, desire stirred in my veins, deeper and more intense than before, because I knew that this night would be the only one that I ever had with him.