Michael Thorp watched his wife Darla make an entrance into the venue with all the ceremony of one of the heads of the House of Windsor. Her Naeem Kahn gown flowed elegantly about her, forcing Michael to admit that the outrageous amount of his money she'd spent having it custom made was not wasted. Over the years Darla had grown accomplished at all the requirements of being the wife of a wealthy man. She wore all the right designers, had her hair privately styled at home by the hottest stylists and at countless staid dinner parties discussed all the trending topics. She was the perfect wife in the eyes of his parents.
What Darla had not learned to do was be the woman of a man with normal appetites. From the moment they married, Darla made it plain that she had no desire for an actual marriage. Theirs was a business arrangement. She would become the ideal wife for a man of his wealth and stature. In return, Michael would not begrudge her limited access to his money.
The arrangement had worked well, especially in light of Evelyn's marriage to Leonard Jones. Michael found a series of mistresses who understood their place in his life and did not demand more. And though theirs were also business relationships, over the years Michael's other women shared far more companionship with him than Darla ever bothered to attempt.
"You could at least pretend to be my escort tonight." Michael looked over at her but did not reply. "I'm surprised I didn't find you somewhere drooling over her. I guess I should be grateful for that." Darla's tone was dripping with sarcasm. She'd made the rounds at the reunion for over an hour before accepting that her husband had no intention of coming to her.
"I'm through pretending."
Michael was not surprised to see Darla soften her stance at his terse reply. Her face lost its angry expression and her body language became more gentle. "Michael-" Darla placed a slender hand on his tuxedoed arm.
"There's an offer on the table, Darla. Take it."
Michael walked away without a backward glance. Halfway across the room, Cathy Klein took advantage of a break in the band's playing to announce that the committee had selected a king and queen for that night's reunion. The excitement level in the room increased, especially when the king and queen were named.
All eyes were upon them as they made their way to the stage from separate corners of the room. Evelyn's steps were careful, her expression unrevealing. Michael maintained a similar expression. His only concession to his enjoyment of the moment was the warm hand he placed possessively at the small of Evelyn's back as they made their way up the steps onto the stage. Michael held Evelyn's gaze as he placed the diamond tiara on her head; he moved in just a bit closer than necessary to her as she reached up and placed the crown upon his head. "You know," Evelyn murmured through clenched teeth, "I think you enjoy crossing the line with me."
Michael just smiled and held out his hand to lead her to the dance floor. He had Evelyn at a disadvantage and he knew it. She would not make a scene in front of the entire class by pulling away from him."You know," he said conversationally as they moved smoothly into a slow, lazy dance, "I promised myself that if the opportunity came tonight, I would kiss you. Now seems like the perfect moment, don't you think?"
Evelyn's eyes grew wide. She did not put it past Michael to do exactly as he said. "Don't you dare!"
"Promise me a kiss before you leave here tonight," Michael murmured, "and I will behave."
Evelyn was outraged at the blackmail attempt. "I am not going-" Her words were cut off by the forceful press of Michael Thorp's lips against hers. Her lips parted in sheer surprise and Michael took advantage of the opportunity to deepen the kiss. A ripple of murmurs traveled through the crowd of reunion-goers. If Michael heard them, he was past caring. He bent Evelyn backward, forcing her to cling to him or fall.
For just a split second he felt Evelyn soften to his kiss. Almost instantly afterward she began to push against him in an effort to break free of his arms. Michael did not hold her against her will. That momentary surrender to his kiss was all the proof he needed of her attraction. It was proof she could not deny.
"Damn you!" Evelyn raised a hand to slap him. Michael easily snared her wrist before the blow could land. They stood there in a frozen tableau, with Evelyn staring daggers at him.
"You should have promised," he murmured, low and unrepentant.
Evelyn twisted her wrist from his unresisting clutch. Almost visibly she gathered up her composure and strode angrily for the privacy of the ladies' room. Michael stood there, a little half-smile upon his face as Evelyn stormed off. He watched her go, uncaring of the amazed faces of those all around him. The multimillionaire was so intent upon watching Evelyn, he did not see when his wife angrily parted the crowd and moved toward him.
"How dare you," Darla Granville Thorp hissed at him. "And in front of these people! Did you forget you had a wife?" In the silence of the auditorium, observers could easily hear each word.
"You were never my wife, Darla. You've always been my accountant. Let's not pretend otherwise."
Michael accepted the ringing slap she delivered with only the barest turning of his head. When he gave no other reaction to her words or slap, Darla Granville Thorp whirled around and stormed off the dance floor in the opposite direction from that which Evelyn had taken. Reunion-goers watched with open-mouthed amazement to see just which woman Michael Thorp would pursue. To almost no one's surprise, he strode purposefully through the crowd in pursuit of the woman who had held for him a little over twenty years fascination.
"Attention, everyone!" Principal Cathy Klein announced from the midst of the stunned crowd. She waited until they ceased their scandalized murmuring and turned their reluctant gazes her way. "This is still a party. So let's get back to the matter at hand - celebrating twenty years of friendship and yes, history." She paused. "I'll tell you what, though." She raised a glass of champagne to her lips and drained the glass. "I can't wait to see what the hell the next class reunion will bring!"
