"Triple shot of whiskey, no ice."
She shifted as the male form attached to the voice squeezed into the area behind her. Saluting the bartender with her glass, she started to move away when a warm hand on her forearm stopped her. She turned, surprised, and looked up into eyes the color of her jewelry. Most of his face was hidden behind the mask, but his silver-white hair was too familiar to be anyone else's.
"We have similar taste in alcohol," he said, and lifted his glass to her.
"Did you follow me here?" she demanded, refusing his salud.
"I got you invited."
She suddenly felt foolish for believing David Kingsly. No blue blood like the Kingslys gave a damn about some small-town assistant GM at a fast food joint! She tossed the whiskey back and gulped it down, then slapped the glass on the bar before turning away.
She searched for half an hour before spotting her sister sitting in one of the airy rooms off the hallway near the buffet. There were several women sitting and talking while choosing delicacies from large silver trays. They'd all removed their masks.
Hannah glanced up with a smile at her approach and patted the seat beside her. Katie sat, irritated to see who followed with a confident stride and two glasses of whiskey, one with ice and the other without. He drew the eye of every woman in the room and silenced those around her with his presence.
"Excuse me, ladies. Katie, you forgot your drink at the bar," Kris said, holding out the iced whiskey to her.
She didn't miss Hannah's stunned look, as if it were a miracle her homely sister could catch the eye of anyone!
His move was too deliberate to be other than planned. He stood far enough away that she had to stand and walk a step to reach him. When she accepted the glass, he followed with a quick and confident, "Let's take a walk around."
If not for Hannah's surprised silence, she would've refused him. He held out an arm she ignored, instead marching past him. He caught up to her in the hallway.
"Whatever it is you want, the answer is no."
She felt his gaze and suspected she'd pissed him off again with her directness. He placed a hand on the small of her back and led her through the crowd to the ballroom with the orchestra and the dancers. He snatched the whiskey from her hand and placed their glasses on a table.
"I don't dance," she told him.