The Best Of The Year - Modern Romance 2016. Кейт Хьюит
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moving on he was intent on pursuit. Ego and pride, he presumed. Not exactly the most endearing traits in the world, but he wasn’t going to pretend that there was anything more to it than that.
‘But you don’t know...’
Theo stared down at her flushed, earnest face and his libido kicked into gear with surprising ferocity. What was it about this woman that made him want to drag her off to the nearest empty room and take her?
He actually caught himself doing a brief mental tour of what he could recall of their route towards Immigration, trying to figure out if there were any cubbyholes he could pull her into, so that he could yank down those oh, so prim and proper trousers, taking her underwear with them, and have sex with her in the most basic way possible.
Reluctantly he gave up the idea, but this, he thought, was precisely why he would carry on his pursuit... Because to back off now, when neither of them wanted to, whatever she said to the contrary, would be like having to endure an indefinite erection without the benefit of a cold shower to get rid of it.
‘Nor do you,’ he said with a hint of impatience. ‘Now, don’t forget that we’re back in the public eye. Try not to trail behind me—and it would help if you wiped that anxious expression off your face.’
With his free hand he massaged the nape of her neck, underneath her silky hair—which Alexa knew was unnecessary because there was no one with a camera around. But he had warned her that he wasn’t going to play by her rules... He was just proving to her that he had meant what he said.
And right now, in these crowds, she was powerless to do anything about it.
Even when they were in the back of his chauffer-driven car—he had called from the airport for it to come for them—she still had an insane urge to close the gap she had studiously put between them.
Like a predator, with all the time in the world to hunt its prey, he made no move to get closer to her, contenting himself with watching her through brooding, speculative eyes that gave her goosebumps.
Finally she hissed, with one eye on the driver, although the screen, as always, was up, ‘I wish you’d stop staring at me!’
‘Why?’ Theo drawled.
‘Because I don’t like it!’
‘Liar. You like it—and so do I.’
His words floated around her like a physical caress. There was lazy intent in his eyes and she looked away hurriedly, her body turned on to screaming point. Because he was one hundred per cent right... She did like him staring at her—liked the way it made her whole body tingle, as though it had been plugged into an electric socket...
She heard herself launch into nervous chatter, babbling even while her body recalled how and where it had been touched, and fought against the seductive temptation to think about how and where it would be touched again...
She was surprised that they made it to her house with her nervous system still intact. Of course he hadn’t opened his computer once, or checked his phone at all. He’d just leaned against the door, limbs loose, his fabulous green eyes pinned to her face, fully aware that he was unsettling her and amused by it.
‘I’ll come in with you,’ Theo murmured, pressing a button and talking to the driver once the partition was lowered.
‘There’s no need,’ Alexa said hastily.
He didn’t bother to answer, instead stepping out of the car and moving round to wait for her as she followed suit.
‘There’s no need to pretend now that we’re here,’ she muttered as he neatly tucked her arm into the crook of his.
‘Oh, I know that,’ Theo murmured silkily, ‘but remember what I said to you?’
Alexa’s breath caught in her throat, because she knew that she just didn’t have the weapons for a sustained assault.
‘And remember what I said to you!’ But her voice was weak.
He actually laughed under his breath. Laughed and patted her on her arm. ‘You want me. Don’t fight it, Alexa. Enjoy it while it lasts. Now...’ his tone changed from lazy to brisk as he rang the doorbell ‘...why don’t we see what all the fuss is about with your father?’
NOT ONLY WAS her father waiting for her, so was her mother. And, even more ominous, so was Theo’s father. All three were hovering by the door, and she got the uneasy feeling that they had been waiting for their arrival.
Alexa automatically stepped a shade closer to Theo, who had sized up the situation and taken charge, smoothly querying their joint presence by the front door with the quirk of an eyebrow but not commenting on it, instead leading the way into the kitchen while conducting a running commentary on their trip, omitting the salacious details and focusing on filling his father in on Bob and Felicity.
They followed him like sheep.
The man was a born leader, and she could understand why her father had dangled the carrot of shares in the family firm, ensuring that he would oversee holding its reins in the years to come. A true marriage of convenience.
‘So...’
Somehow, without her noticing, Theo had managed to pour their collected parents glasses of wine and put the kettle on for coffee for both of them. He sauntered towards the kitchen table, which was a long oak affair that could comfortably seat twelve. He looked perfectly relaxed and utterly in charge.
‘Which lucky family member gets to tell us what’s going on...?’ he drawled, patting the chair next to him, into which Alexa sank with a sigh of relief, because nervous tension at this new, unsettling situation had piled up on top of the nervous tension already wreaking havoc inside her. He looked narrowly from face to face and his father cleared his throat.
‘We have been talking, son—’ Stefano said, sitting at the head of the table while the other two followed suit, flanking him on either side. Alexa’s mother nervously twirled the stem of her wine glass and looked at her daughter,
‘Let me, Stefano,’ Cora interrupted. ‘Now, Alexa, your father’s come clean and told me everything. I know you two have been worried sick about me, and I understand that you reached this...this...arrangement with poor Theo for the best possible reasons, but I don’t need protecting as much as you think.’
She looked lovingly at her husband, who looked away sheepishly.
Alexa’s brain had stopped at the description of Theo as ‘poor’, as in helpless, and she wanted to burst into hysterical laughter.
‘I’ve had health problems, all three of you know that, but they’ve been physical—not emotional. Yes, I’ll admit that I may have told your father, Alexa, that I longed for a grandchild—longed to see you settled down with a nice man—but what mother doesn’t wish that for her child? There was no need for you to concoct this silly scheme...’
‘So what are you saying?’ Alexa looked between the three parents in bewilderment. She was trying to follow what her mother was saying, but it was like walking in treacle. When she looked at Theo he was frowning, his brooding eyes speculative. It hit her just how much she had come to admire the silent strength of his personality, and was floored by how much it hurt to love him when her love wasn’t returned.
Stefano picked up the thread of the conversation. ‘We’re saying that there’s no need for this charade any longer. Certain things will remain in place...’
‘I promised you shares in my company,’ Carlo said, addressing Theo, ‘and that stays in place. I won’t pretend that I didn’t...’ he cleared his throat ‘...see certain advantages to helping your father out financially...’
‘Because you’re a manipulative old man.’ Cora smiled indulgently at her husband. ‘But, Alexa, darling, I don’t understand why you didn’t