This latest group was comprised of young men, well younger than the rest had been. They were actually right about my age I'm guessing. From Sarah's introduction, I learned they were authors and editors mostly….and extremely flirty. I mean I tend to be a flirty person. Well actually I'm just overly nice but it gets taken as flirty a lot so I just work with it. Anyway, how I looked in my dress was commented on in the first few minutes of conversation. That's not been a topic brought up during every group and when it was it was just a 'break the ice' comment of that I looked beautiful. The comments from these guys were different though. It was more of an 'I looked hot' kind of comment with one actually saying that. Normally comments like that wouldn't bother me. You can't go 14+ years with a set of boobs like mine without getting used to some oogling. But because it was happening in front of Taylor at a professional event it bothered me a little. I caught quickly that it bothered Taylor too. I could feel Taylor's muscles tense under my fingers. He hadn't said anything but I could tell he wasn't happy about the way these men were talking to me. I refused to be the reason for some cock fight at a well-publicized event. Maybe changing the subject would work.
"How's business going guys? My publisher says that sales overall are finally coming back up since the recession is over finally."
Most of the men recovered graciously with comments centering around that sales were basically good. Except for one…A man named Adam, senior editor, from a competitor publishing house.
"Sales are good from what I'm told. I wish we would have gotten you at Salt. You would have been a wonderful addition….as well as a nice distraction. You would have been wonderful to look at across my desk." He added with too much seduction to be appropriate.
Taylor took a deep calming breath. Ok I need to end this. I let go of Taylor's inside arm and slid my hand under his arm and around to the small of his back, letting myself snuggle into the side of his body. He followed suit wonderfully by wrapping his arm around my back, pulling me into him. With a smile I looked Adam in the eye and I said "I'm pretty happy right where I am."
Adam caught the meaning. He nodded and took a long drink from his glass. The conversation with that group was relatively short, which I couldn't be happier about. Even though he was so comfortable to lean into, it was really hard to have a coherent thought this close to him. Sarah had caught my eye as she walked by in the distance and just grinned. Yep she'd be asking later.
The men excused themselves with some comment about wanting to go catch up to their boss before he left. When they walked away I retracted myself from his side. Looking up apologetically at him I said "Thank you for that. You worked well with me."
"No thank you. You saved me some really bad press from having to knock out that guy."
"Ya I could tell you weren't impressed by his comments."
Taylor shook his head "I know you're beautiful and all, and I don't blame him for looking, but he didn't need to be so tactless."
I could tell the thought still bothered him. Trying to change the subject a little, I said "Sarah walked by and saw me cuddled up to you. I'm positive she'll ask later. Just a warning."
His instant laugh made me smile. "She did huh? Well…you didn't have to move….I was good with you cuddled up to me."
The fact that he was so careful with the words he chose made me smile inside but the fact that he wanted me there again made me beam so much so that I was worried about it showing. I had to keep some kind of cool. "I didn't know if you'd be uncomfortable. Or of course the press issue."
He leaned in to whisper in my ear. "I'm perfectly ok with the press seeing me with you. And it was nice having you in my arms…even if it was just one arm." His hot breath on my ear sent goosebumps up my arms. When he leaned back I caught just a few seconds of his heady gaze before it changed back to the sweet eyes. That was enough to make me want to see so much more of that. I wanted this man more than I should. Once again the glimpse of Sarah walking up, alone this time, brought me back to reality. She has the best timing tonight.
"So I saw you're taking your duties to heart this time, Taylor" Sarah joked. Taylor took it in the stride though saying "I do everything whole heartedly" with a chuckle. Then she turned her gaze back to me. "What about you honey? I saw you getting all cozy…"
"Just using Taylor to save myself from the piranha you sent over last time. A few of those boys had no manners."
"Uh huh…I bet it was just to save yourself." She gave me a wink that made me blush and Taylor chuckle again. I was going to get her for that later. "So there's only a couple more people that I want to send your way. Have you grabbed any of the appetizers yet?" When I shook my head no, she went on "Ok then grab something. That'll give me a couple minutes to round them up again."
"Sounds wonderful. I'm starving" With that she left with that same goofy knowing smile but not before leaning in to hug me and saying "your welcome" in my ear. I just shook my head and watched her leave.
"Well let's grab something to eat. These things aren't known for their food but it's edible."
"That'll work." We each grabbed a couple options off the floating trays that whizzed by at the end of a waiter's arm. We made small conversation, mostly about the food, while we ate these few things and waited for Sarah to return. I was watching her cross the room with a group of people when I took one last drink of my champagne and replaced the glass on a tray. I turned to Taylor, slipping my hand back in the crook of his elbow and said "Thank you for waiting out this thing with me. You've made it so much more enjoyable." He blushed a little before saying "It's been my pleasure. I've enjoyed my evening with you. I was hoping to spend a little of it with you afterward." He was interrupted by the closeness of Sarah's conversation with the newest group…movie directors this time.
Come to find out several of these directors were ones that knew Taylor. I was still reeling from what Taylor said to me when they each wrapped an arm around Taylor, opposite from me, and pulled him into a friendly back slapping greeting. I had pulled my hand back to give him more room to hug these director friends when the second one came up. I would have with the first but I was stuck in my own head and didn't notice until it was too late.
"Well I don't need to introduce you huh, Taylor." Sarah cooed.
Before she could continue with introducing me, Taylor slid his arm around to the small of my back and beat her to it. Of course she just beamed, eating all of this up.
"Guys, this beautiful woman to my left here is the talented Kaley Emerson. Author of Until the Darkness Hits."
"Oh that's why you're here. That makes sense" said one of the men making them all laugh.
"Ya I heard he's a fan of mine." I nudged his side with my elbow and smiled at him. He pulled me in closer to him. I'm pretty sure that's the reason why I didn't catch the names of the 3 directors in front of me when Sarah finished introducing them. Well either that or the small intoxicating circles that he kept rubbing on my side with one finger while she talked. He only stopped because I said "Huh what was that?" when I completely missed a question I was asked. He quietly chuckled squeezed my side and let go of his grip a little, letting me pull away just slightly, affording me enough space to think. We had great conversation, just the 5 of us. Of course Sarah escaped with a "duty calls" comment early on. Taylor never moved his hand from my low back where he had snaked it after he let me go at the beginning. They were just saying their good byes, talking of how they were headed home to catch the tail end of the basketball game. They each bid me farewell with a half hug telling me it was wonderful to get to meet me and that maybe they'd get to see me again. When the last one hugged Taylor good bye I caught him say "She's gorgeous and talented man. Don't let that one get away." It was Taylor's response of "I wasn't planning on it" that sent my world spinning.