Free Exception to the Rules by Stephanie Morris

that was the key. A large part of her fear was channeled off into sexual awareness. Yes. It made sense. And at least for tonight, she felt thankful.
    Inside, the club looked spectacular. Adorned with coral and lavender balloons, customer-made to match Marcella Girardi’s favorite colors. She’d been afraid that it would look like a clash of colors, but the elegance of the flowers, the sheer drapes, and the art work made it appear to be something out of a beautiful dream. The décor worked, and when the dance floor was packed and the music filled the air, the atmosphere would transform into something erotic and sensuous, exactly what she was aiming for.
    Kallie waved from the bar and headed their way. She looked great in her simple red gown. With her hair pinned back by a sparkling diamond clip and the small hanging diamonds in her ears, she seemed to glow.
    “Oh, you’re dazzling!” Kallie walked a complete circle around them. “Just ravishing! Both of you.”
    “And check you out,” Bas said. “You’re going to have every man in this room begging for a few moments of attention from you.”
    Her cheeks flushed and she averted her gaze. “Yeah, right.”
    Bas reached for her hand. “Hey,” he said very softly. Kallie brought her gaze back to his after several heartbeats. “While I was on a mission in Ecuador, deep in the rainforest, I watched a caterpillar turn into a butterfly. The transformation was breathtaking, and later when I tried to tell a friend about the magnificence of the butterfly, I couldn’t find adequate words. Now all I would have to do is point to you, and he would understand.”
    Kallie’s cheeks turned hot pink and her eyes grew moist. “I’m not—” 
    Bas leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Knock ‘em dead, beautiful,” he murmured, just loudly enough so that Gaea could hear.
    Her attention drifted from her assistant to this unusual man she’d hired to be her escort. How could he have known that Kallie had been struggling to transition from a somewhat geeky youth into a confident young woman? That the dress, the entire approach to Kallie’s look, was new and untried? That what Kallie needed most was a man, especially a very handsome, self-assured man, to affirm that she was stunning, that she could relax and enjoy this new phase of her life?
    Kallie practically floated away with an indistinguishable promise to check into something, leaving Gaea alone with Bas. Well, as alone as one could be while waiters and team members scurried about adjusting this and straightening that. He smiled at her, but not in a cocky, boastful way, which she had kind of expected. He’d made Kallie’s night, and most men she knew would have worn that success like a trophy.
    “Would you like something to drink?” he asked. “Or maybe there’s some work I can do? I’m pretty good with a screwdriver, or even a food tray.”
    Gaea shook her head. “No, thanks. It looks as though we have everything under control, but if you’d like, you can come with while I do the final check.”
    “I would love to.”
     
    * * * *
     
    After a good forty-five minutes of checking with the hired staff, the liquor supply and the DJ, Gaea led Bas back into the main room of the club. Kallie stood at the door, welcoming the first of the party goers. From the distance, Gaea couldn’t see who it was. As they walked across the dance floor, she felt Bas’s hand slip from her shoulder to the base of her neck. His long fingers felt a bit ticklish and very warm. Her first reaction was to cringe, but she pushed it aside quickly.
    She’d never really thought about all the places a man touched a woman that went beyond casual boundaries. An acquaintance could definitely touch a shoulder, a hand, even an arm. But to touch the face or neck carried with it an unspoken message: I’m entering into the land of intimate here. You’re allowing me to. That means were more than friends, and if you let my hand linger, it means you’re