The Best Of The Year - Modern Romance 2016. Кейт Хьюит
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‘An art exhibition...?’ She had gone to a couple of those ages ago, with her parents. The art had been incomprehensible and the crowd had been shallow and overdressed.
‘There will be no need to stay long,’ Theo said mildly. ‘Just long enough to create an impression. Although...’
‘Although what?’ Alexa tensed and looked at him.
In the blue-grey twilight his face was all angles and shadows. She felt a dangerous ripple of response snake through her body and she caught her breath and held it for a few panicked, confused seconds before slowly releasing it.
‘Although perhaps we might stay a bit longer than absolutely necessary. After all, it would a shame to waste a dress like that on a forty-minute appearance...’
Alexa was lost for words. He had paid her a compliment, in a backhanded sort of way, and his lazy velvety voice swirled around her like a mind-altering drug. He was leaning against the door, utterly relaxed, and his eyes were broodingly sexy as he watched her, obviously not caring that it was rude to stare.
Of course, she told herself feverishly, what he had meant was that it was a dress designed to grab the headlines, so why waste it? Why not stay as long as they could so that it had maximum effect? It hadn’t been a compliment directed at her personally.
At any rate, it didn’t matter one way or the other. This was a business arrangement. They were co-workers, so to speak.
‘I’ve never liked those sorts of things.’ Alexa rushed into nervous chatter. ‘I think that was the best thing about being away from Italy...not having to go to openings and art shows and film premieres... Not that I was ever forced to, you understand, but I think my parents enjoyed showing me off. The hardship of being the only child of a rich family!’
She was blabbering, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself because she knew that if she did she might have to analyse the rush of giddiness that had assailed her on the back of his stupid compliment. And then she would have to link it up with the weird way her body seemed to behave in his presence.
Did it all stem from her lack of experience with the opposite sex?
Blabbering on seemed an easier option than wrestling with those kinds of questions.
‘Most people would kill to endure that sort of hardship.’
Cheeks flaming, Alexa turned to look through the window before glancing back at him. The space between them was as big as it could possibly get on the back seat of a very big car, but it still felt tiny. If she reached out she would be able to touch him.
‘I get that,’ she said stiffly. ‘I wasn’t complaining. I was talking too much because...’
‘Because you’re nervous?’
‘Aren’t you?’
Theo shrugged. He liked the way her hair fell in waves around her. It was much longer than he had originally thought, and it wasn’t poker-straight, which seemed to be the only style women below the age of thirty-five wore their hair in the circles he mixed in. A year out from them might be a pleasant break in the monotony. She looked as though she had just climbed out of bed and run her fingers through its length and then left it to its own devices. She was dressed to kill and wearing war paint, but there was still something lacking in artifice about her. She would do those cameras proud.
‘Why would I be nervous?’
‘Because we’re pretending to be something we aren’t,’ Alexa said bluntly.
‘You never did tell me,’ he murmured, ‘whether you have a boyfriend or not.’
‘Because it’s none of your business.’
‘Of course it’s my business,’ Theo returned smoothly. Was it? Really? Probably not. But he was suddenly curious to find out. ‘Reporters will do anything to get background material so that they can flesh out a non-existent story, and you’d be surprised at the efforts they go to to rake up mud. If they uncover a lovelorn pro bono lawyer weeping in a corner somewhere they’ll have a field-day. I’m going to have to be prepped with a suitable story.’
‘Are you telling me that you’re as pure as driven snow when it comes to...to...women? That there are no skeletons in your cupboard that can be uncovered?’
‘My love-life is an open book!’
Theo grinned, and she was fascinated at how that open grin could be so engaging. She was as nervous as a kitten and he couldn’t have been cooler.
Did anything rattle the man?
‘We’re here.’
Alexa realised that the limo was slowing in front of an impressive white building, fronted with imposing stone columns and a bank of shallow stairs leading up to double doors, which were open. In front of them two uniformed men were checking invitations.
‘Boyfriend or no boyfriend?’ Theo pressed, circling her wrist with his hand, staying her before she could get out of the car.
‘No boyfriend! Okay?’
Theo shot her a smile of such satisfaction that she wanted to smack him. Instead she gritted her teeth and returned his look of satisfaction with one of simmering resentment, which just made him smile a little more.
‘No boyfriend. Good. The fewer complications, the better. And stop scowling. Our relationship is too fresh for us to be having arguments in the back seat of a limo. We’re still in the honeymoon phase... The way I leave the toothpaste uncovered and forget to put the toilet seat down hasn’t started getting on your nerves just yet... So let’s smile a lot and face the music...’
He laughed softly at her indignant, helpless expression and gently urged her out of the car as her door was opened for her.
It was a big deal. Cameras flashed at the throng of people clustered outside or making their way in. Even as the car had stopped Alexa had been able to recognise faces. A couple of high-profile politicians, celebrities clinging to other celebrities, as if terrified of moving out of their comfort zones, businessmen in suits, accompanied by wives dripping in diamonds...
Just the sort of crowd she preferred to avoid.
They stepped out of the car and every reporter with every camera seemed to turn, as one, in their direction.
This was the difference between being rich and being rich and newsworthy. The blinding flash of bulbs going off dazzled her, and the steadying arm of Theo, curving around her waist, felt like a solid rock of support in turbulent waters. She knew that she was actually leaning against him. Loathing the man, yet still finding his support strangely comforting.
There was an excited babble of voices and heads turned in their direction.
‘You look amazing.’
Theo leant to whisper huskily into her ear and she looked up at him, sensed the popping of cameras taking a picture of their whispered conversation.
‘So don’t be nervous. I’m right here.’
He felt her automatic protest and his hold on her tightened. He laughed softly under his breath.
‘Remember,’ he murmured, still pressing close to her, so that no one could overhear what was being said, ‘what I told you about retracting those claws in public... Don’t forget that we’re in love...at the honeymoon stage...you can’t get enough of me...’
Alexa had no idea how she managed to deal with the next hour and a half. She drank two glasses of champagne and ate some of the canapés that were passed around. Questions peppered her from various quarters, including from several people—friends of her parents—who wanted to know what was going on.
The gossip mill was in full swing, and they couldn’t have announced their togetherness in a more public manner.
Theo didn’t leave her side. His arm was around her at all times. She was conscious of that with