The Best Of The Year - Modern Romance 2016. Кейт Хьюит
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were still entwined with hers and she slowly lifted them to her lips and grazed his knuckles with her mouth.
Heat flared in Theo’s eyes. She could almost hear his sharply indrawn breath.
Alexa felt a rush of unfamiliar daring. She raised her eyes to his and held his stare, watched the way his slow smile transformed his face and tried hard not to panic when he leaned in close to her, creating a little bubble of intense intimacy between them.
Nerves threatened to overtake her, but she could feel the blonde’s glassy blue eyes boring into her back and that gave her the impetus she needed to lean right into him. To offer her lips to him.
And when he kissed her she responded with an enthusiastic lack of inhibition. She slid her tongue against his and stifled a little moan as, eyes closed, she indulged in naked, forbidden desire.
This was what was expected of her. She was his fiancée. He had confirmed that to an ex-girlfriend, who would have been surprised if they had continued sitting opposite one another making polite conversation. Theo De Angelis was an intensely physical man. You just had to look at him to know that. So kissing him like this, curling her hand into his hair, was only to be expected.
She was just playing the part she had been commissioned to play!
It was liberating to think that she wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary.
It was permission granted to sink into a kiss that was...explosive.
When she pulled back she knew that she was shaking a little, and she licked her lips and forced a smile.
‘Just for show,’ she mumbled, and Theo raised his eyebrows.
‘I like it,’ he murmured softly. ‘I sense a change from all those other displays of affection you didn’t seem to enjoy—or was I wrong about that...? Were you actually burning up and looking for a few encores?’
‘Of course not!’ Her mouth was still tingling from that searing kiss. ‘But...’
‘But you thought you’d take the opportunity to get one up on the delectable ex-girlfriend who’s been shooting you daggers behind your back...?’
‘Of course not!’ But she blushed furiously.
Theo grinned. ‘Trust me, I don’t have a problem with your reasoning.’
‘I...I hope you don’t think that was anything but acting,’ Alexa breathed forcefully. ‘It’s just that you’ve announced that we’re engaged... I thought it would look odd if we didn’t act like a newly engaged couple. I mean...you’re the one who’s kept telling me that we have to make this stupid charade look real...’
‘Of course...’ He paused, wondering just how real he would like the charade to be. Complications aside... ‘And I’m heartened that you’re now in such a positive mindset,’ he told her, ‘because I should tell you that I’ve been called away on business. I will be out of the country for a week. Maybe a bit less...maybe a bit longer. It’s hard to tell because this is a complex deal...’
‘I know.’
‘You do?’
‘My mother broke the news while she was poring over all the pictures of us together at that art opening we attended last night. Don’t worry...’ Now, more than ever, Alexa was looking forward to a few days on her own—away from his powerful, charismatic personality and the weirdness of their situation. ‘I’ll make sure to keep the home fires of the newly engaged couple burning...’
‘You won’t have to do that,’ Theo informed her kindly.
‘I won’t?’
‘Don’t be silly. How could you think for a moment that I would want you out of my sight for an hour, never mind a week...? No, there will be no need to keep those home fires burning, because you will be right there with me...by my side...’
ALEXA WAS APPALLED. She stared at him in open-mouthed consternation, forgetting that her every move was being watched by an interested party.
‘Coming with you?’ she stuttered.
‘Step one in assimilating into my lifestyle,’ Theo said smoothly. He leaned back and slouched elegantly in the chair. ‘You may hate premieres and art gallery openings, but there will be a certain amount of socialising that you will have to do—like it or not.’
He signalled for the bill without taking his eyes from her face. ‘I’m not a fan of meeting and greeting people I have no intention of forming any sort of relationship with,’ Theo said drily, ‘but it’s all part and parcel of the game.’
‘Why do I get the feeling that everything about this arrangement is on your terms?’
‘Explain.’
‘Your father is the one who needed a bail-out,’ Alexa muttered, feeling terrible at having to remind him of that little detail, because she liked what little she had seen of Stefano De Angelis and was sorry that he, a proud man, had found himself in the position of having to ask for financial assistance from a man he was not on speaking terms with. Although she was beginning to suspect that their so-called feud had petered out into two old men warring through habit over something both had long forgotten about.
Theo’s mouth tightened. His father might have taken his eye off the ball, but he didn’t need to rehash that misfortune. And he certainly wasn’t interested in anyone rehashing it on his behalf.
‘He is—but that’s old news now. I don’t see the point in moaning about what can’t be changed.’
‘I’m not moaning.’ Alexa fiddled with the stem of her wine glass and wondered where all the contents had gone. She’d barely been aware of drinking. Or eating, for that matter. She raised her eyes to his and struggled to look away. ‘I just think that my life has been completely disrupted while you continue to carry on as if nothing much has happened...’
‘Stop feeling sorry for yourself. It makes sense for you to move to London after we are married. I can’t conduct my business from here. And remind me... As far as I am aware you don’t currently have many ties to this place. You’ve quit your job and your only other interest appears to be helping at a shelter somewhere. Nothing that can’t be left behind at a moment’s notice.’
Alexa felt rage rush through her with tidal wave force. If they’d been anywhere but here she would have been tempted to chuck something at him.
How dared he take her life, sum it up and write it off in a handful of words?
But perhaps that was how he treated all women? she thought with scathing distaste.
‘Are you like this with all women?’ she asked tightly.
‘How do you mean?’
Theo frowned, puzzled. How had they gone from a perfectly rational conversation about the dynamics of their married life to some opaque query about his treatment of women? He realised that never before had he had to hold himself to account with anyone—far less a woman.
Her bright eyes glittered as she waited in silence for a response.
Theo raked his fingers through his hair and muttered an oath under his breath. ‘I have no idea where you’re going with this...’
‘It’s a simple question,’ Alexa said stubbornly.
‘I’m extremely fair in my treatment of women,’ he said impatiently. ‘Exemplary, some might say.’
‘Really?’
‘Time to go, I think.’
‘Only if you answer my question.’ She didn’t know why it was important to her. She just had a vague feeling that she had to have some say in what was going on or else he would take control of the reins and she would find