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Emma rolled her eyes. “Come on, you can do better than that.”
“Okay, okay. It feels… free. Like when you’re a kid and you spend endless hours in the garden chasing fireflies. And somehow nostalgic. And maybe a little girly.” He winked to show that he was joking.
“Aren’t free and nostalgic good things to feel?” Emma asked. Then she realized that she was probably pushing a little too hard. “But what really matters is what you like. You’re the one who has to have the painting in your home.”
“Yes. But I think you have a point about this one. There is something nice about it.” Patrick reached for the bid sheet hanging beside the painting and scribbled his name and a number. Emma’s eyes widened at the price he was willing to pay for a painting he thought was girly, but she didn’t comment.
They moved on from the painting, which Emma noticed was called, in an admittedly girly fashion, Sunshine on Young Faces. The next one they came to was an abstract impression of a man’s face, including a pair of lopsided glasses. They looked at it for a few moments in silence.
“This could be an investment piece,” Emma suggested after a quick analysis. “Abstract art is in vogue at the moment, and this one appears to be of good quality. I’d have to look into the painter, though.”
A voice tut-tutted behind Emma and she turned quickly, her heart leaping into her throat at the sight of Aleksander Ariti. Again.
“Patrick, you work your employees too hard.” Aleksander shook his head disapprovingly. “You should let this young lady enjoy the event.”
“I see why you’d be confused. You wouldn’t know hard work if it slapped you in the face,” Patrick replied calmly. It wasn’t the best retort ever — Emma knew for a fact that Aleksander worked long hours, too — but she was still glad Patrick had said something.
“I would, actually, which is why I know that — Emma, was it? — needs a break.” Aleksander extended an arm. “Would you care to join me for a dance?”
Emma wanted to point out that no one was dancing, but a quick glance around the room showed that at some point, probably while she and Patrick had been engaged in their art analysis, a space had been cleared and a string quartet had begun to play. Several couples were already gliding gracefully across the floor.
Emma wanted to turn Aleksander down, but she didn’t feel she had a choice.
“I’ll see you soon?” she said to Patrick.
He nodded, but he didn’t look pleased. “You don’t have to go with him.”
“But she wants to.” Aleksander took Emma’s hand and lead her toward the dance space. “Don’t worry, I’ll return her in one piece!”
Emma felt anger bubbling up inside her. How dare Aleksander speak about her as if she weren’t even here? How dare he pull her away from Patrick like that?
“This isn’t a good idea,” she said, her voice low and firm. “Patrick will get suspicious if we go off by ourselves.”
“He won’t. I dance with a lot of women — especially women he brings as dates. And speaking of bringing you as a date, it seems you’ve really made good progress. How much longer do I have to wait for what’s mine?”
“The Aurora isn’t yours,” Emma volleyed back.
“It is, it will be… it doesn’t matter. You’re getting that painting for me.”
Aleksander held out a hand, and Emma unhappily took it and let him pull her into a dance. At this close of a distance, Emma couldn’t help noticing how handsome Aleksander was. Yet while Patrick’s handsomeness drew Emma in and made her heart flutter, Aleksander’s handsomeness felt somehow unsettling. It was like a veneer of attractiveness over a very unattractive personality.
“Isn’t there another way?” she asked as they swayed.
“Emma, Emma.” Aleksander shook his head disappointedly. “We made a deal, didn’t we? And unless you want me to go back on my end of the deal, you need to steal that painting. I thought you understood that.”
“I do.” Emma looked away.
“Let me guess. You’ve gotten to know Patrick and it would break your fragile little heart to steal from him, wouldn’t it?”
Emma didn’t answer, but she was sure her expression gave her away because Aleksander chuckled.
“How sweet. Well, you don’t have a choice in the matter. Maybe that will soothe your soul as you do what you have to.”
The song ended and Emma immediately stopped moving. She didn’t want to dance with Aleksander for a second longer than she had to.
Luckily, someone else seemed to have the same thought.
“Can I cut in?”
