Derek smiled and wrapped her in a tight embrace. “Me, too.”
He kissed her gently, again and again. Heat rose in her belly, and she trailed her fingers along the back of his neck, trying to get closer. They missed the sunset, but when Derek whispered in her ear, Lexi felt like the sun’s rays had collected in her heart. She touched Derek’s cheek, sliding her fingers over his beard and tracing his sideburns. “You make me feel like I’ve finally come home.”
He hugged her and kissed her forehead. “You have.”
24
Gracie called Lexi the next day to tell her that she had set up a time to visit Jordan when she went to Chicago in three weeks. When Lexi told her friend about the masquerade ball, Gracie wasn’t surprised that Derek would be in the lineup. “He’s talented and has more than just good looks. I’m sure they were looking for men like that for the auction.”
“But I’m really worried,” Lexi said. She recounted the conversation that had haunted her for days. “I told him about Eliza, but Derek doesn’t really think it’s a problem.” She pulled off a few dead leaves from the violet she was trying to nurture in her kitchen window. “He said maybe she has a sponsor and she’ll bid on him and try to embarrass him or something.”
“You’ll have to curl your hair. Tons of curls, pinned up all over.”
“What?”
“And your costume will be absolutely stunning. Maybe in a dark purple. You look good in that color.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Lexi, you’re going to that masquerade ball. There’s a reason you met Derek—maybe it’s a bigger reason than you falling in love with him.”
Lexi swallowed. She hadn’t confessed her feelings to Gracie, but she didn’t object to the conclusion that she’d fallen in love with Derek. “I can’t go to the ball. The tickets are, like, two fifty apiece. That’s a pretty big giveaway that I have money.”
“Ugh, you’re still not over that? Girl, you have one week left. Either Derek finds out that you like to swim in money in your spare time, or he doesn’t. I don’t care what he knows or not; you’re going to that ball, and you’re going to be the highest bidder.”
Lexi bit her lip, and a tremor passed through her shoulders. She wanted to do exactly what Gracie proposed. Eliza Crowe was up to something, and Lexi had never liked crows anyway. “I don’t know what kind of mask to get.”
“Yes!” Gracie squealed. “Isn’t it nice that you’re a millionaire and money is no object? Because I just Googled masquerade ball costumes, and you are going to die when I send you this link.”
Gracie was right. Lexi did about die when she clicked the link and it opened to a fabulous gown with alternating shades of purple with a golden sheer layer over the large ruffled skirt. The mask that went with the costume had a beautiful plume of feathers in white, gold, and purple, with golden combs that kept it in place. She closed her eyes and imagined Derek’s face when he saw her in the costume. For a moment, she could see the appreciation in his eyes . . . but then they melted to hurt and betrayal as realization flooded his vision. Lexi shook her head. Maybe it wouldn’t happen that way. If she could tell him before the ball . . .
But then Lexi remembered Derek’s new camera that was on its way courtesy of her meddling, and her shoulders slumped. “There’s no way I can tell him. I’m in too deep. I’ll go and find out who this Eliza chick is working with. If she is the highest bidder, I’ll beat her. Maybe I can keep my identity a secret.”
“Lex, I’m worried that you’re right. You shouldn’t have waited so long to tell Derek the truth.”
“I know. I’ll figure it out, though.”
“You will,” Gracie said. “You always do. Now let’s get your costume ordered. You’re going to have to pay some serious rush fees to get it to Kauai in time.”
Lexi enlarged the image of the costume, scowling at the photo and the trouble she’d gotten herself into. But then she clicked on a 3D image of the mask, and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She thought of Derek’s kisses and the way he held her like a treasure. Maybe after she surprised him, Derek would surprise her.
25
Lexi spent every spare minute with Derek for the next week. She went with him to be fitted for a specially tailored sport coat. The light gray color brought out the green flecks in his brown eyes. Underneath, he wore a sleek dress shirt in hunter green. The buttons and lining were dark purple, and Lexi smiled when she thought of how he’d look next to her colorful costume. She helped him pick out a clever mask that went well with his beard. He balked at the one-hundred-seventy-five-dollar price tag, but since the mask was made by islanders and paid for by the charity organization, Lexi was able to convince him to order it.
She straightened the lapels of his sport coat, her fingers tracing the unique stitching around the edges of the fabric. “You look good.”
Derek leaned forward and brushed a light kiss on her lips. “Thanks, but this isn’t really my kind of getup.”
Lexi touched the ivory buttons on his sleeve. “It suits you, though. You might think about adding a picture of this—” She motioned to Derek. “—to your portfolio and bio.”
“For you, I might consider it, but only because you’re some kind of business genius.” Derek tapped the end of her nose.
Lexi admired how his broad shoulders filled the cut of the jacket just right. He’d trimmed his beard and hair the day before, and everything about him was crisp and desirable. A little thrill fluttered inside when she thought of her own costume lying on the bed in her spare room. She hoped that circumstances would prevent Derek from finding out her identity, but at the same time, she thought a picture of the two of them together could easily make one of the covers of the magazines covering the event.
“Lex, are you sure you can’t come with me?” Derek asked. The way he used her nickname made her want to kiss him, so she did.
“To the ball? I thought the tickets were sold out.”
“They are, but maybe you could help me get ready. And what about Oahu?” His voice trailed off, a look of insecurity passing over him. Lexi fell one more step in love with him. He was so humble, he really had no idea what his furrowed brows did to her.
Derek had been invited to hop over to Oahu on Thursday and Friday to participate in a publicity shoot for some of the big names coming in to Kauai on Saturday. With his new gear, he was like a kid on Christmas. Lexi couldn’t be happier for him, but she would miss him.
“I want to come, but I promised Jordan that I would cover for him this weekend. I’m hoping that he won’t end up needing me, but just in case, I’d better stay here.” She didn’t elaborate that the work she would be doing was for Burke’s Higher Steps—something she’d volunteered for before ever moving to Kauai.
“I’ll miss you.”
“But I’ll see you sometime Sunday, right?”
Derek nodded. “Wish me luck. I’ll call you soon.”
* * *
With the help of Jordan’s assistant, Porter, Burke Enterprises was registered for the masquerade ball, and Lexi had the authority to bid for one of the bachelors. A beautifully designed brochure was emailed to her with full-color photos of the fifteen bachelors. Even if Lexi wasn’t completely biased, Derek stood out from the others. With his rugged, sexy appeal and the way his dark eyebrows arched over his deep-set eyes, Lexi knew there would be several bidders. She touched her computer screen where Derek held on to his suit jacket, the tendons in his hands standing out. She imagined the feel of his muscular arms around her and smiled. Derek was irresistible in more ways than his looks. With the help of positive affirmation, Lexi envisioned Derek’s face creasing in his characteristic grin when she won the bid for an exclusive date with him. The outing would include a photo shoot where Derek would show the lucky winner how he worked and some of his favorite places on the island to photograph, including his undersea expertise.
Each bachelor offered a specific appeal for his exclusive date, and they included a range of talents
. There was a helicopter pilot from one of the local tour companies, a captain of a deep-sea fishing vessel, an actor, an agronomist from the farming sector of Kauai’s lush fields, a novelist, and a prize-winning surfer.
There were dozens of sponsors for the event, and if she could keep Derek safe from Eliza, Burke Enterprises would be a regular contributor so that he wouldn’t ever have to be up for auction again.
On the day of the masquerade ball, Lexi’s nerves were frayed. She’d spent several hours trolling the internet and studying Eliza Crowe, but hadn’t discovered her motive. Lexi even enlisted the help of one of her old virtual assistants, and finally, on Saturday morning, they found a suspicious-looking tweet.
The message trail indicated that Eliza had been positioning herself to get in the good graces of a large souvenir photography company called GlobePhoto. Lexi studied the short sentence, scrutinizing it for any hidden meaning she was missing.
My new partner & I will be swapping photos tomorrow pre-masquerade ball to prep for our debut with GlobePhoto! Aloha world!
Lexi tried to tell herself that it didn’t have anything to do with Derek, but every time she read it, chills ran along the back of her shoulders. Derek was a prime candidate for a company like GlobePhoto because of his experience capturing the different terrains of Kauai. But Derek would never agree to give up his own company to go with the huge conglomerate, especially now that he was involved with his new venture. Lexi and her personal assistant searched through every piece of information they could find, but there were no clues as to how Eliza might be able to pressure Derek into working with her.
Trying to get her mind to rest, Lexi clicked back to the image of Derek in his new jacket. Man, he was good-looking. Reading over the summary of his date made something click in her mind that filled her stomach with ice. The winning date for Derek included taking the person on a photo shoot to watch him work, specifically his unique underwater photography. He was one of the few on the island who could capture marine life in a way that sparked the interest of everyone from casual admirers to other photographers. Was Eliza hoping to steal his techniques, or would she form an alliance with GlobePhoto behind Derek’s back?
Lexi shook her head. It didn’t matter if she couldn’t solve the mystery, as long as she kept Derek out of Eliza’s clutches.
26
Derek craned his neck, trying to follow the woman in the purple dress. Her blond curls were pinned up loosely around her feathered mask, which covered more of her face than some of the other masks he’d seen. The way she moved reminded him of Lexi. From across the room he’d been certain it was her, but Lexi always wore her hair straight.
In his hurry to follow her, he almost ran into Eliza Crowe, who gave him an appraising look. “Well, good evening, Derek. Are you enjoying yourself?”
“I am. It looks like the night will be a success.”
“Oh, this is just the beginning.” Eliza ran her fingers down Derek’s forearm. She wore black gloves that reached past her elbows. “There are some huge sponsors here, and I happen to know that one of them is interested in you.”
Derek pretended not to be concerned, but he was starting to worry. What if JoNelle was helping front a bid for Eliza? He recalled Lexi’s warnings about his overzealous competition. For the first time, he wished he’d taken her advice and found a sponsor.
Eliza scrutinized him, waiting for an answer. “You have a lot of talent, and people are starting to take notice,” she purred.
“Thank you. I enjoy my work—for me, it requires solitude to get into the zone. I’m just grateful that my photography can do something positive for Kauai and the local economy.” He tightened his jaw because he sounded like a dork, but he hoped Eliza caught the hint. She narrowed her eyes, and Derek remembered how hard she’d tried to convince him to form a partnership with her when he first came to Kauai.
“You’d be wise to consider all of your options.” Eliza placed a hand on her chest, as if he should consider her as one of his options.
“I told you before that I’m not interested in working with you, regardless of the circumstances.” Derek’s words were flat.
Eliza shrugged and took a step away from him, but then she turned her head and called over her shoulder, “Oh, did you hear? They’re changing up the booth spaces at art night. I doubt Hanapepe will be seeing much more of Fuse Photography.”
Derek swiveled on his heel without a reply. How could Eliza mess with his space at art night? He strode across the room toward the stage, looking for JoNelle. He needed to do something to keep Eliza from bidding on him. Lexi had been right—whatever Eliza had planned, it wasn’t good.
He scanned the room, but when he found JoNelle she was holding a microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the auction to begin. The bachelors are on their way to the stage now. Please prepare yourselves for this exciting event.”
Derek’s steps were robotic as he moved toward the stage. JoNelle’s announcement faded behind the ringing in his ears. He tried to reassure himself that Eliza couldn’t hurt him, but the fact that she knew about his booth at art night was not a good sign.
As he climbed the steps to the stage and turned to face the crowd, looking for Eliza, his eyes landed on the blond woman in the beautiful purple-and-gold dress he’d seen before. She was watching him, but she ducked behind someone else when he caught her eye.
Derek took a deep breath. Lexi’s not here, he thought, but I wish she was.
* * *
Lexi had barely escaped when Derek spotted her. It thrilled her that his gaze had turned to one of recognition and curiosity, but at the same time, she panicked as she hurried through the ball gowns, trying not to trip in her six-inch heels. The masquerade ball was glorious, with Hawaiian greenery, plumeria, bougainvillea, and palm trees dotting the room. White twinkle lights were draped around the entryways, and the stage looked like it was a cross between a medieval castle and a Hawaiian paradise. But Lexi wasn’t concentrating on the décor or the food; she kept her attention glued to the predator she’d seen stalking Derek moments before.
Eliza Crowe’s sleek black hair was styled in a tight chignon, and her mask was wreathed in black feathers with sparkling rhinestones. The feathers climbed up in a tuft above her head, which made her easy to spot across the ballroom. She wore a sleeveless black gown with iridescent panels that reminded Lexi of the black crows she’d seen on the roadside. Lexi pressed her lips together and willed the ball of nerves between her shoulders to relax. Eliza would not win tonight.
The first bachelor stepped forward next to JoNelle, who opened the bidding at ten thousand dollars. Lexi’s mouth dropped open when the man was awarded to the highest bidder a half a minute later at the sweet price of sixty-five thousand dollars. Lexi’s palms were sweating in her purple gloves as she considered how much preparation Eliza must have put into her plan if she really thought she had a chance to win Derek.
Eliza walked toward the center of the room and then stopped to whisper to a couple dressed in elegant evening wear. The woman’s teal gown reminded Lexi of a peacock, and the man held a mask that resembled a fox. They laughed and watched the stage. Eliza leaned toward the woman and whispered something else before walking to a table with two men. What if Eliza wasn’t planning to purchase Derek after all? She could have teamed up with anyone in her quest to sabotage Derek. Lexi’s mouth went dry. She’d arrived at this ball intending to watch and make sure that Eliza didn’t win, but now she wasn’t sure who her rival might be.
Lexi clenched her hands into fists as the next bachelor went for seventy-six thousand dollars. She scanned the crowd and made eye contact with Derek. With a squeak, she stepped to the side and ducked behind a professional basketball player. She gripped her bidding paddle and moved surreptitiously through the crowd along the back wall in semi-darkness. Derek was the twelfth bachelor up for auction, and Lexi didn’t have much time left to figure out the best strategy to protect his photography business, keep Eliza’s grabby h
ands off her man, and save their relationship.
27
Derek kept catching sight of the woman in the purple ball gown, but it was only a glimpse before she disappeared again. Every time he saw her, he wanted to leap off the stage and remove her mask to see if jade eyes hid beneath the rim of rhinestones, feathers, and glitter.
JoNelle had instructed all the bachelors to appear confident and happy because they didn’t have anything to worry about. Derek looked at the center of the room and his mouth tightened into a thin line. Eliza sat near two men who, by the looks of the expensive cut of their tuxedos, were probably sponsors. They sipped from wine glasses, and Eliza appeared cool and poised, her bidding paddle resting on the table in front of her. Her demeanor changed when the announcer started reading Derek’s bio; she straightened, picked up her paddle, and smiled at Derek as if he were a plate of lobster. Derek forced himself to look away from Eliza and smile at the crowd. He prayed that someone, anyone, besides Eliza would win the bid.
JoNelle kept upping the starting bid as the night progressed, so Derek’s spot opened up with a bid of fifty-five thousand dollars. The amount of money was dizzying when Derek thought of all the ways he could use even half of that. But he stood up straighter and smiled wider, because the cause was a good one. The number of refugees tonight’s benefit could help was just as staggering as the bidding prices—the goal of one million dollars didn’t seem insurmountable anymore.
Someone in the crowd called out a bid for seventy thousand dollars. The woman wearing a teal gown was not Eliza, so Derek breathed a sigh of relief. But then Eliza stood and waved her paddle. “One hundred thousand dollars for Derek Mitchell,” she called out, her face triumphant.
Several people stopped talking and turned to stare at Eliza. Derek narrowed his eyes, studying the two men next to her. Their eyes flicked to his and he straightened once again, smoothing his features.
Hawaiian Masquerade (Destination Billionaire Romance) Page 13