“Actually, showing up armed would probably get us killed. Better to show up doe-eyed and pretend I believe Mateo is just an uber-successful businessman. When I was a kid, my mom used to drive me past their mansion at night and tell me stories—” I stop, shaking my head. “That wasn’t the point. Let’s get back to the point. How do we know the Bishop’s Landing Morellis?”

“Well, obviously you don’t, but if you keep going to these events with me, you’ll get to know at least the main players. We run in a lot of the same circles, so we show up at the same events fairly often.”

The prospect of attending more events with him snags my interest. “More events? Are you expecting to be stood up frequently?”

He smirks and takes a sip of his champagne but doesn’t answer.

*     *     *

When we get to the party, it’s unlike anything I’ve experienced before. The gala Lee took me to before was hosted at a public venue, but this one is at a mansion. It feels more like a castle as the limo rolls slowly toward the entrance, stopping every now and then for people ahead of us to get out and head inside. Beautiful people—men in tuxedos, women in glittering sheaths and beaded ball gowns.

No wonder he got me that spa day and bought every item of clothing on my body.

Well, almost every item.

Optimistically, I donned a pair of red lacy panties from my own drawer. Not like he’ll see them, but hey, a girl can dream.

When there are only two cars ahead of us, I start preparing to get out. I slide my phone back inside the clutch and sit forward so I can pull on my coat.

Lee sits forward too, stopping me before I get the coat on. “Wait,” he says. “Before we go in, I want to give you your Christmas present.”

Stunned, I drop the heavy material and fold my hands on my lap. “Christmas present?”

He nods, reaching into his deep coat pocket and drawing out a gift box. It looks like jewelry, but he couldn’t have bought me jewelry. That’s a gift men buy for their wives and girlfriends, not their personal assistant.

I take the box from him, but I don’t open it right away. I wasn’t expecting this and I feel so unsure. “You want me to open it right now?”

He smirks. “That’s why I gave it to you.”

I hesitate, but only for a moment. Nestled on a soft bed of black velvet is a beautiful gold bangle bracelet. I don’t wear a lot of bracelets, but because this one is from Lee, it immediately shoots up the charts and becomes my favorite piece of jewelry.

“Wow, Lee. This is beautiful. Thank you so much.”