She smiled encouragingly and tilted her head a bit to soften the man’s coming disappointment. She tried tugging her hand free again, but he didn’t relinquish his grip.
“San Diego. You were there with your Master. I don’t see him around.”
Panic spiked through Darcy, the kind of icy fear that came with gooseflesh prickling down her spine. She and Scott had kept that aspect of their relationship relatively private. He didn’t overtly dominate her in public, and she rarely used his title outside of their home.
Warm hands landed on her shoulders. “Darcy, are you almost finished here?”
Darcy shrank back against Theo’s broad chest, taking refuge in a place she considered safe. She felt his solid strength flowing into her, and she finally mustered enough courage to blatantly pull her hand free. “I’m sorry. I don’t recall your name. A year is such a long time.”
“Darcy.” Theo’s stern warning couldn’t be missed.
She turned as much as she could with his hands gripping her shoulders to find his gaze focused on the man she couldn’t place. His warning hadn’t actually been directed at her. “I’ll just be a minute, Theo.”
“One minute. That’s all.” He glanced down at her for a second, but it was long enough for her to catch the slight lift of his brow. It was a small gesture with a loud message. If she wanted to continue the conversation, she could. If she wanted it to end, he would provide a way out. When he returned his attention to the man, she followed suit.
The man’s smile cracked a bit, but he didn’t seem at all cowed, merely annoyed. “I also work for Victor Snyder. Security.”
She used this new set of parameters to search her memory. He wore a casual dress shirt and khakis. Nothing about his face or build was distinctive. Perhaps if she saw him in his uniform, it would sufficiently jog her memory. She wasn’t usually so bad with names and faces. She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I still can’t place you. Perhaps if you told me your name?”
“Thirty seconds.”
The relaxed tone of Theo’s voice gave no clue to the tension radiating from his body into hers. Darcy shivered, uncomfortable with the situation.
The man flicked his gaze back up to Theo. A brief flash of distaste caused his lip to curl before it settled into a cold smile. “You must be Darcy’s new Master. A word of advice? Her Masters tend to disappear. Watch your back.”
Blood drained from Darcy’s face, leaving behind a cold, sticky feeling. Her limbs trembled. Victor had been there for her after Scott disappeared. He had provided her with a lawyer when she was too dazed and grief-stricken to think to ask for one. “How dare you say something like that? One word to Victor and he’ll fire you for this.”
“Time’s up.” Theo peeled her away. With his hand firmly planted on the small of her back, he guided her out of the room.
Few people loitered in the wide main hall in front of the banquet room. Darcy took in a several deep, calming breaths. Theo watched, an unreadable expression on his face. Finally she managed a tenuous smile.
“I’m sorry about that. You don’t have to stay with me. I understand if you want to call it a night. Thank you for helping me earlier.” She didn’t use his title because she wanted to make it clear that he owed her nothing.
Theo slid his fingers along her cheek until he cupped the side of her head. He brushed his thumb over her eyebrow. Then his caress moved down. The tips of his fingers rested lightly against her jaw, and he used his thumb to rub the same arc along the edge of her bottom lip. The depth of intensity in his bottomless brown eyes stirred a recognition deep inside her.
At last he spoke. “Sir.”
Her lips parted. “I’m sorry, Sir. I just don’t want you to think I expect anything from you. I’m more than grateful for your help, both before the speech and just now.”
He nodded and dropped his hand. “I like you, Darcy. I don’t go
“San Diego. You were there with your Master. I don’t see him around.”
Panic spiked through Darcy, the kind of icy fear that came with gooseflesh prickling down her spine. She and Scott had kept that aspect of their relationship relatively private. He didn’t overtly dominate her in public, and she rarely used his title outside of their home.
Warm hands landed on her shoulders. “Darcy, are you almost finished here?”
Darcy shrank back against Theo’s broad chest, taking refuge in a place she considered safe. She felt his solid strength flowing into her, and she finally mustered enough courage to blatantly pull her hand free. “I’m sorry. I don’t recall your name. A year is such a long time.”
“Darcy.” Theo’s stern warning couldn’t be missed.
She turned as much as she could with his hands gripping her shoulders to find his gaze focused on the man she couldn’t place. His warning hadn’t actually been directed at her. “I’ll just be a minute, Theo.”
“One minute. That’s all.” He glanced down at her for a second, but it was long enough for her to catch the slight lift of his brow. It was a small gesture with a loud message. If she wanted to continue the conversation, she could. If she wanted it to end, he would provide a way out. When he returned his attention to the man, she followed suit.
The man’s smile cracked a bit, but he didn’t seem at all cowed, merely annoyed. “I also work for Victor Snyder. Security.”
She used this new set of parameters to search her memory. He wore a casual dress shirt and khakis. Nothing about his face or build was distinctive. Perhaps if she saw him in his uniform, it would sufficiently jog her memory. She wasn’t usually so bad with names and faces. She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I still can’t place you. Perhaps if you told me your name?”
“Thirty seconds.”
The relaxed tone of Theo’s voice gave no clue to the tension radiating from his body into hers. Darcy shivered, uncomfortable with the situation.
The man flicked his gaze back up to Theo. A brief flash of distaste caused his lip to curl before it settled into a cold smile. “You must be Darcy’s new Master. A word of advice? Her Masters tend to disappear. Watch your back.”
Blood drained from Darcy’s face, leaving behind a cold, sticky feeling. Her limbs trembled. Victor had been there for her after Scott disappeared. He had provided her with a lawyer when she was too dazed and grief-stricken to think to ask for one. “How dare you say something like that? One word to Victor and he’ll fire you for this.”
“Time’s up.” Theo peeled her away. With his hand firmly planted on the small of her back, he guided her out of the room.
Few people loitered in the wide main hall in front of the banquet room. Darcy took in a several deep, calming breaths. Theo watched, an unreadable expression on his face. Finally she managed a tenuous smile.
“I’m sorry about that. You don’t have to stay with me. I understand if you want to call it a night. Thank you for helping me earlier.” She didn’t use his title because she wanted to make it clear that he owed her nothing.
Theo slid his fingers along her cheek until he cupped the side of her head. He brushed his thumb over her eyebrow. Then his caress moved down. The tips of his fingers rested lightly against her jaw, and he used his thumb to rub the same arc along the edge of her bottom lip. The depth of intensity in his bottomless brown eyes stirred a recognition deep inside her.
At last he spoke. “Sir.”
Her lips parted. “I’m sorry, Sir. I just don’t want you to think I expect anything from you. I’m more than grateful for your help, both before the speech and just now.”
He nodded and dropped his hand. “I like you, Darcy. I don’t go
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