Read Under His Cover-nook for Free Online Page B

smiled.
    Don’t count on it.
    “Don’t mind him,” Rhys said. “He flirts with all the ladies in the office.”
    “Are you sure that’s all he does?”
    Rhys laughed. He made small circles on her back with his hand and the vibration from the chuckle tingled across her skin. Desire curled in her belly. Jade stepped out of his embrace. “I really don’t think it’s appropriate for you touch me.
    A flash of irritation crossed his face. “Come on,” he said, nodding his head in the direction of the music.
    He led her to a ballroom down the hall to the left. Inside the double doors about a hundred or so people were seated at tables covered in white linens, set up to form a U-shape around a dance floor.
    “You didn’t seem to have a problem with me touching you earlier,” he whispered in her ear. 
    The music she’d heard while in the lobby was completely different from inside this ballroom. This was more classical, boring. A string quartet played from the far corner. She didn’t know which earlier he was referring to, but it didn’t matter. “I wasn’t your employee earlier ,” she emphasized with a tight smile on her face. “People might think we’re involved if you keep touching me like that.”
    The walls were lined with Ficus trees covered in white lights. Small envelopes were tied to some of the branches. Up in front, sat a small raised dais with a podium in the center.
    Rhys walked over to the closest tree, pulled two envelopes from a branch and stuck them in his breast pocket. “I think you’re overreacting. You’re acting like I slipped my hand under your dress. Maybe that’s what you really want.”
    Jade winced. The reality was, she did enjoy his touch, wanted it much more than she was willing to admit. But wanting him interfered with the job she had to do. She nodded toward his chest. “What are those for?”
    “Donation envelopes,” he answered, guiding them to their table. “Each of the envelopes has an amount anywhere from twenty-five dollars to one-hundred. Whatever you pull, you agree to donate that amount to the foundation.”
    It almost impressed Jade he took two envelopes before she remembered that he came from money. The most he’d have to give was two hundred dollars. He probably had that in his pocket right now.
    They found their table up front, which had a beautiful arrangement of roses, carnations, baby’s-breath and greenery in the center. The table sparkled with china, crystal and silverware. He pulled her chair out for her, and she sat.
    “Good evening everyone,” he said to those already seated at the table.
    “Good evening, Lieutenant Governor.”
    There were four other couples at their table. “This is Jade Conner.” Waving to the couple on his left he said, “Jade, this is Cynthia and Mike Cooper, Phyllis and Anthony Johnson, and Sharon and Erik White.”
    She smiled to the group. “Nice to meet you,” she said.
    “I love that dress,” Mrs. Johnson commented.”
    “Thank you.”
    As their salads and then entrées were served, the conversations around the table went from politics, to local events around the community, to gossip. Jade contributed when she had something interesting to say. Rhys solicited her opinion many times, and each time his leg brushed against hers, a tingle zigzagged up her spine. A few minutes after their dinner was served, a man went up to the podium.
    He tapped the mic before he began to talk. “I want to thank each and every one of you for coming to our annual Multiple Sclerosis charity dinner.” He paused for a moment as everyone clapped. “I’m not going to bore you with a long-winded speech, but your donations tonight are going to help send a lot of children to our summer camp, help with their medical bills, and the annual marathon. It’s not a requirement, but if you’d like to donate more, please take an envelope from one of the trees, and remember to let the ladies at the back table know which envelope you pulled before