by Aimee Duffy
He shook his head. ‘That won’t cut it.’
‘Excuse me?’
Her frown told him she’d jumped to a conclusion that may involve burning off some of the chemistry between them. But that’s not what he wanted. This time. ‘Relax, Blondie. I’m not talking about your virtue.’
Her face flamed scarlet. ‘I’m not –’
‘Good to know,’ he said, and meant it. At least now he could rule that out. ‘I’ll fill you in on what I want from you when we get out of here.’
Before she could protest, he took her hand and led her to the She-Bitch who’d been the first person to stick the knife in when his life fell into the shitter. If he looked closely, he could almost see the horns hidden beneath her hair.
Sebastian didn’t release her as he led her through the crowds to meet the journalist from the Independent – which really didn’t help with her concentration. He looked even hotter in the tux, with his hair combed back from his face. His golden tan seemed more pronounced against his white shirt.
And then there was the touching. Now he hand his hand on her hip. Innocent enough, but his heat seemed to scorch through her light silk gown and her pulse went crazy with the contact. She didn’t think she’d get through the final meet and greets with his hands on her, but she didn’t think she’d be able to stand if he let her go.
When they reached the journalist, Claire, Alicia introduced Sebastian and prayed he didn’t say anything to screw up this meeting. The woman took her time giving him a once-over and Alicia didn’t like the way her eyes glinted – though she didn’t know whether it was because Claire was planning further sabotage or because she thought he was attractive. She offered a hand for Sebastian to shake, and when he brought it to his mouth for a kiss Alicia’s green-eyed monster bubbled to the surface.
It was crazy – she didn’t have a claim on him, and Sebastian didn’t even like the journalist. Alicia didn’t want a claim on him either, but when he unleashed his grin and Claire blushed, she couldn’t take it a second more. ‘You wanted to ask us a few questions.’
Claire continued to stare at him, ignoring her completely.
‘Claire,’ Alicia said in a harder tone. It wasn’t polite, but neither was the way the woman was flirting with her eyes. With a guy who, as far as Claire knew, was taken.
‘Yes, if that’s OK, Mr Collins.’ Now she fluttered her eyelashes.
Alicia’s hand fisted around the stem of her champagne glass. Sebastian noticed, and turned that grin on her. She tried to take a deep breath, calm down a little, but it was hard when he knew exactly how she felt now. So much for the cool, confident new Alicia who was supposed to deal with situations like this with more poise and less … claws.
Sebastian directed that killer smile to a woman who not thirty seconds ago, he didn’t want to speak with. Or had that been another lie? She couldn’t tell anymore.
‘Fine by me. I’ve been dying to tell the world about Alicia.’
Another lie delivered so convincingly that Alicia almost believed him. She had to remember that in the future, especially when he got her so hot she wanted to forget her rules and let him take her back to his place.
‘You do make a lovely couple,’ Claire said, but didn’t sound like she was convinced.
Sebastian said, ‘She’s perfect.’
If the room wasn’t full of people looking for the next scandal to take the attention away from their own, Alicia would have pulled away when he lowered his head. Instead she froze, her lungs cramped, and maybe even her heart skipped a beat. He dropped a light kiss on her lips, which was over in less than a second, but the connection hummed through her until she was starved for more.
The jealously twisted inside along with her hormones and it took every shred of restraint she had not to ditch the glass, thread her fingers through his hair, and kiss him again – the way she’d kissed him last night.
‘Let’s get on with the interview,’ Claire said in a dry tone, and pulled a small recording device from her handbag. ‘Where did you two meet?’
She shoved the thing right in Alicia’s face, but she couldn’t call the official plan. She could barely call up her own name. How on earth could one chaste kiss scramble her mind like this?
Sebastian had to answer for her. ‘We met through a mutual friend. I asked her out for coffee, and here we are.’
Alicia was glad he didn’t mention dates. She couldn’t face what her father would say if she was the focus of more gossip than necessary. And the media would definitely have tied-in the beginning of her relationship with the latest kiss-and-tell.
‘Was this before or after Melbourne?’ Claire asked.
‘A couple of weeks after,’ Alicia said. Heat crept up her neck. ‘Sebastian has made mistakes – don’t we all at some point? He wanted to take some time off to think about where he wanted to go from there.’
He didn’t speak his agreement, just gave a tight nod. She got the feeling he didn’t regret his behaviour, which could potentially make her job a nightmare, but at the same time, she was starting to see a different side of him despite not knowing when to believe him.
He still flirted when she’d asked him not to, he could drive her insane and turn her on at the same time, but he was focused on his career now. She reckoned the last few months must have been hard for him and she couldn’t begin to imagine the pressure he was under. So many different stories from women had popped up in the media after his public affair when he was with Mai.
How many of those stories could be true? He was a professional tennis player who spent most of the time training. To have several lovers a night was bordering on the ridiculous. Or was she just so hot for him that she wanted to believe a lie to make what she wanted to do with him acceptable? Stifling a groan, she decided this was not the time or place to be thinking about things like that.
‘Can we get a photo of the happy couple?’ Claire said, waving her photographer over.
Sebastian nodded, then tucked Alicia more securely to his side. This was what they needed, to prove they were an item and her standing there like a statue wouldn’t convince anyone. She set her champagne glass down and slid both arms around his waist. Though he must have been surprised, he didn’t show it. Instead, he dropped a kiss on her forehead before turning so they faced the photographer – which reminded her to call Sam, the guy Sarah had suggested.
Of course, there was no need to invite him to a function like this when the media were out in full force. But with her whole body humming and her libido roaring to life, she decided spending less time together one-on-one was definitely the safest way to get through this contract.
The camera flashed and she hoped her expression was more besotted than flushed and frustrated. With his hard abs and the muscles in his back beneath her arms, it took all her effort just to paste a smile on and act like hugging him was the most natural thing in the world. She was just glad there wasn’t a sign above her forehead to let them know what was running through her mind.
When they stopped taking pictures, she released him, but Sebastian took her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. Her pulse thrummed as he rubbed his thumb over her wrist and his grin indicated he knew exactly how he affected her.
Chapter Eight
The front door opened and a gust of wind blew through the house. Jack muted the TV and decided to keep his mouth shut about the draft. After all, he was still shaken from what he did to Mai last night – no way was he going to give her a hard time when this morning she’d been walking like she was still in agony.
‘Hi,’ she said when she reached the sitting room.
She didn’t meet his eyes and he hoped it wasn’t because she was frightened of him. Fuck, what had he been thinking last night? He’d gone out for a few drinks with mates, which should have worked for them both. Sloshed was the only state he could have sex with her in and not have to fantasise it was someone else – after all, she was a bag of skin and bones with bleached hair. Not even a notch on
the sexy brunette he’d been head-over-heels for, who’d crushed his heart and dropped him when Collins came along.
But he hadn’t meant to cause her pain. He wasn’t a complete bastard – he just wanted her heart as broken as his had been when she’d left him for that arsehole.
‘Hey. Do you want to go out for dinner? I thought we could go to that Italian you used to love.’ He didn’t fancy a stroll down memory lane with her. It would make taking everything she had and leaving her that much harder. But he’d been a shit and had a lot of making up to do.
‘No, I’m off carbs this month.’ Mai lowered herself into the farthest chair from him, wincing as she did.
A stab of guilt slammed into him, so much so he couldn’t even get pissed off about her starving herself. Hell, she was so thin that naked, she looked like a twelve-year-old girl with abnormally large boobs.
Instead, he changed the subject. ‘How did today go?’
‘OK, I think. I gave them enough to print a month-long feature on the deterioration of our engagement.’ She scowled, like something had pissed her off.
Jack didn’t ask what. He didn’t particularly want to know if her conscience was kicking in or whether she still loved Collins. He had enough reason to hate them both. Himself too, after last night.
‘I’m going to have a bath.’ She winced again as she got up and he couldn’t ignore the elephant in the room any longer.
It was hardly progressive to his plan if she started to loathe him. But not a conversation he’d wanted since, for the first time in over a year, he’d fallen asleep with Mai in his arms. That, coupled with what he did to her, was fucking with his head.
‘Mai, I’m sorry for last night. I shouldn’t have done it and I didn’t mean to hurt you.’ Not physically, anyway. That had never been his intention.
Tears made her eyes shiny before spilling down her cheeks. ‘I know, it’s OK. I’m just tired. Rehashing the past and being creative with the truth has taken it out of me.’
Great, so it was Collins she was crying for. Mai must have seen his mood change, because she came over to the sofa and reached out to him. He closed his eyes as she ran her fingers through his hair, remembering how much he used to love it when she did that after they’d fucked. Now it was like he’d been ripped in two, one half of him craving the softness and comfort of her and the other revolting from any contact at all.
‘I love you, Jack. Just you,’ she said.
The opposing sides tugged at each other until he thought he’d rip in half. He patted her hand, then pulled away. ‘You too, babe. Enjoy your bath.’
She waited a second, probably to see if he’d join her, but he turned back to the TV and switched it on. Her footsteps drifted down the hall. When he heard the bathroom door close, he slammed his head into the back of the sofa and groaned.
Who knew how much longer he could live this fucked-up lie. The only question left was should he take what she had now and run, or wait it out a bit longer, hoping for some serious cash to come? Surely this feature would kick off a media frenzy with enough interviews to keep him going until he’d finished his script.
He’d just have to keep the intimacy between them to a minimum.
Despite Alicia’s protests, Sebastian wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Stuck in a party with him by her side was bad enough – at least there had been people around and she had to make sure things didn’t go any farther between them. Now, in his sleek sports car, there was only temptation. Temptation that was getting harder and harder to resist.
‘The tube will be faster,’ she said as he pulled out of his parking space. She wished he’d drop her at the station.
Sebastian shook his head. ‘If there are creepy guys lurking in shadows in Mayfair I don’t want you out by yourself at night. How would I find another half-decent publicist at such short notice?’
‘Half-decent!’ He was lucky he could find anyone to put up with him.
He laughed. ‘You’re touchy tonight, Blondie.’
Touchy was one word for it. Since she left the office with Sarah, it had felt like her stomach was infested with a swarm of bees. After their kiss last night, the argument, and his lack of reply to her email, she was hours past nervous. And then throughout the party he’d flirted, held her close, and even kissed her, which had set off a barrage of different nerves. Though maybe a lot of those had been lust.
After tonight, she didn’t think she had the willpower to say no to him, but she had to. Spending an evening with people like her parents had reminded her how not thinking about her actions had horrible consequences. Especially for a Simpson.
But she should make the effort to be polite, since he seemed to be showing concern for her safety. Despite the fact he’d followed it with an insult.
‘I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be cranky. It’s been a long day,’ she said.
‘Don’t worry about it.’
She relaxed into the seat and let silence wash over them. It wasn’t uncomfortable despite the thrumming attraction in the air. She looked out at the brightly lit city she called home. London was so different from the Cumbrian estate she grew up in – which had always been so quiet, the grounds so perfect.
Too quiet. Creepily perfect.
Here there were thousands of different people, all going about their lives seemingly without a care in the world. Alicia bet none of them had to think through every word and outfit and decision before they acted. Being her father’s daughter wasn’t easy – not when she had to live up to her sisters and make up for the shame she’d caused him in the past.
And now she was dating the Casanova of the sporting world, it was one more black mark against her character. And her family’s reputation.
She sighed and thought back to a time before she felt this pressure to succeed, this drive to please everyone. Back then, she was just a girl with dreams of growing older, marrying the boy she loved, and having her father walk her down the aisle with pride lighting up his smile.
It had happened so differently, though. Her father hadn’t been proud, he’d been livid. Her hopes and dreams had been ripped away, leaving her crushed, broken, and ashamed of who she was.
‘What’s wrong?’ Sebastian asked.
Alicia shook her head, more to clear the awful memories than answer him. She scrambled for something to distract him with. Her past was not a conversation she was willing to have. The wound was still too raw.
‘You said I owed you.’ After the interview with the flirty bitch from the Independent, she’d almost forgotten.
‘True,’ he said. He stopped the car at a set of traffic lights and turned to face her. ‘Did you ever learn how to play tennis?’
She frowned. ‘Of course.’ Her mother had loved to play and her father had built a court in the grounds of the estate. During the summers of her childhood, playing each other was the only time they’d spent together as a proper family. ‘Why are you asking me that?’
He pulled over at her street, then tugged up the handbrake. She blinked and looked around, seeing the building she stayed in. How did they get there so fast, or had she been so lost in thought she’d missed the whole journey?
‘I’m asking because my trainer, James, hurt his knee today and I need someone to play with tomorrow. It’ll be good to have an opponent with different moves than I’m used to.’
Her jaw went slack. He couldn’t be serious. A leisurely game was all she was good for. ‘I can’t play that well.’
‘Deal’s a deal, Blondie. I did what you asked, now you return the favour. That’s how these things work.’ He didn’t laugh or smile or do anything to hint he was joking.
‘Sebastian –’
‘I’ll pick you up at eight so you don’t have to get up too early. Relax, Alicia. You never know, you might have fun.’
Before she could protest again, he leaned closer. Her heart was in her throat and his lips were an inch from hers. She held her breath as want and need and fear tore through her until h
er muscles bunched so tight she was sure she would shatter.
He tugged the handle and pushed the door open with a smile playing around the corners of his mouth. ‘Sweet dreams, Blondie.’
Sebastian leaned forward and for a second she thought he was going to kiss her the way he had the night before. All she could hear was her own heartbeat.
Just before his lips touched hers, he moved and planted a soft, lingering kiss on her cheek instead. She wanted nothing more than to grab the strands of hair that had fallen loose from his swept-back style and move him to her mouth, but he pulled away too quickly.
‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’
She blinked a few times, unable to believe what she’d heard. His voice had been so steady when she was almost gasping for the oxygen his proximity had stolen. Her face burned so hot she had no doubt it would be scarlet and Sebastian smiled at her, then put the car into gear.
The anger that followed gave her the strength to unbuckle her seatbelt and step out of the car. She could have done it more gracefully, with less stumbling, but she was getting madder by the second until reason drowned out. Slamming his door, she sucked in a breath to steady the rage, then stormed to the entrance of her building without a backward glance.
She’d barely made it into the foyer when she heard him speeding away. It didn’t occur to her until then that she couldn’t meet him tomorrow. She had to limit their time together, now more than ever if she couldn’t even be that close to him and not want to throw caution to the wind.
Alicia ran through the meadow until she reached the spot where Darrell had laid down an old, tattered blanket on the grass. She threw her arms around him and greeted him with a kiss. Tingles danced down her spine as his fingers dug into her hips, pulling her closer to the hard muscles of his chest.
For the first time since they’d started dating, she broke away, unable to hold in the news she’d discovered the day before. But Darrell didn’t look at her, instead, he took a step back. Her stomach gave a nervous flip. It had been doing that a lot today, but this was different. He was acting different.