Wrapping up her speech with an entreaty to take the information that had been placed on their tables and take action to register, Sarah left the stage to resounding applause, wishing her sister Tori was with her tonight. Sometimes they came together, sometimes Tori spoke instead of Sarah, sometimes they both did, but Tori was better at delivering the personal story and Sarah the medical perspective. Either way, it was always nice to have a familiar face to share the adrenalin rush of public speaking with afterwards.

Hovering out of sight at the side of the stage, Sarah stood in the shadows to watch the next speaker, not yet ready to slip back to her seat.

As her heart rate settled she became aware she was under scrutiny. Shrugging off the idea as nothing more than some guy ogling her because of her skin-tight red dress, she stayed focused on the speaker, choosing to ignore the sensation and hoping they’d grow tired of the view. But when the speaker had finished Sarah could still feel someone’s eyes on her.

She turned. The ‘gentleman’ in question was seated at a nearby table and, judging by the stains on his teeth, it looked as though he had a few too many glasses of red wine under his belt. Sarah watched, horrified, as their gazes met and the man lurched from his chair and began to weave a path towards her.

Once he reached her she’d be trapped between the stage stairs and the back wall and, while she was well able to get rid of unwanted attention, she’d really rather not have to deal with it. He was intruding on her high, the high she got from delivering a good speech, the high she got when she was reminded that, thanks to organ donation, her family was intact.

Could she dash up the steps and across the stage? It only took a glance to see that wasn’t an option—the band was returning to their instruments and she’d be in their way.

She swept her gaze back across the tables.

And then she saw him.

Leaning against the bar at the side of the room, impeccable in a perfectly tailored dark suit, was Ned.

Correction. Leaning against the bar, looking immaculate and watching her with an appreciative look in his green eyes. Was that a sparkle of amusement as well as he watched her predicament?

She sent a half-smile his way before checking on the lecherous diner’s progress—how much time did she have left to escape? Her chances of avoiding him were increasing as more people were moving about, heading for the dance floor. Perhaps she’d be able to melt into the crowd. Perhaps she’d be able to reappear by Ned’s side.

Mr Lecherous had been waylaid but he was still looking her way.

She glanced back at Ned.

He was gone.

Enough was enough.

He’d watched her being targeted by the old drunk guy. OK, not that old, and maybe not even that drunk, but definitely undesirable. Initially he’d found it interesting, curious to see how Sarah would handle it. She wasn’t in any danger and he didn’t imagine she’d lack the confidence to tell the bloke to take a hike. In fact, he was looking forward to witnessing that. He’d derive great satisfaction from watching another guy crash and burn before he tested his own style of charm on her.

But now she’d seen him.

She’d seen him and smiled.

Now he didn’t want to sit back and wait. He wanted to get what he’d come for, and that was her.

He wanted to get to know her better.

He wanted to see what she was like away from work.

And if his luck was in, he wanted to see if she tasted as good as she looked in that red dress.

A dress like that should be illegal. A dress like that was just asking to be taken off. By him.

He made short work of the distance between them. Then he was by her side, a second before the competition arrived at a stumble. Satisfaction swelled through him when Sarah didn’t even appear to notice his competitor’s unsteady arrival. As soon as she saw Ned, her face lit up with a smile that was all for him.

And when he held out his hand, she didn’t hesitate before stepping into the circle of his arm. She was tucked against him as she asked, ‘What are you doing here?’

‘You wanted to know what was under this fireman’s uniform.’ He bent his head to speak softly in her ear, and was rewarded as a small sigh escaped her full lips, painted to match her dress. ‘I thought it best to show you.’

She looked down the length of him, slowly, almost like a caress, and the movement caused an involuntary clenching in his groin before she brought her gaze back to meet his. ‘A tuxedo?’ There was amusement in her eyes but there was also appreciation. It was appreciation that he returned in full.

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