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‘And yours.’ He lifted his glass to his lips. Good God! He was almost edible with that sexy American vibe oozing out of his pores.
I took a sip of my drink. It was perfectly chilled with just a hint of gin behind the aroma of lemon. ‘Absolutely lovely,’ I murmured, and looked sideways at him. To my surprise he was watching me. I felt my cheeks coloring.
‘I’ve never seen you with your hair down,’ he remarked.
I touched my hair self-consciously. ‘I’m afraid that’s about the only thing I inherited from my mother. Hair that’s too fine to do much with.’
His eyes caressed my hair. ‘No,’ he disagreed softly. ‘I think it’s beautiful. Under these lights it looks like spun gold.’
Flustered, unused to compliments, I set my glass down carefully. ‘You are very charming when you try.’
He put down his empty glass and sighed. ‘And you’re having a bad influence on me.’
I frowned. ‘In what way?’
‘You make me behave in a way that is not entirely proper.’
‘I disagree. I think you have been quite the perfect gentleman.’
He threw his head back and laughed, but it was a harsh sound. ‘You don’t know me very well, it would seem,’ he muttered.
‘Why? What have you done that is improper?’
‘Don’t go there, Olivia.’
I licked my lips nervously. I knew then that our relationship was always going to be fraught. We would always rub each other the wrong way. ‘Do you live nearby?’
His head dipped a little, a gesture that was almost mournful, and I realized that he must have had quite a lot to drink. ‘In Rupert Street.’
‘I know that street. I think I must have known someone who lives there. Which end of the street are you on?’
‘Are you asking my address?’ he asked.
I felt myself flush and stiffen. ‘No, I was just making conversation.’
‘Number 34,’ he said wearily, and swallowed the rest of his drink. I had the impression that he was going to walk away and leave me there.
‘Dr. Kane, why are you so angry with me?’
His head jerked toward me, his eyes wild, his mouth twisted. I stared speechless at the expression in his face. It was almost a snarl, but I couldn’t quite tell what it expressed. I suppose it was similar to touching something and for a fraction of a second being unable to tell whether it was very hot or very cold. I could not tell if he was furiously annoyed or something else. And then the fraction of a second passed and I saw it for what it was. It was a raging desire. So strong he could barely hold it in check.
I opened my mouth to speak and nothing came out.
‘Oh, hello,’ a plummy voice trilled close by.
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his, but he broke the connection and turned toward the voice.
Cookie. Talk about bad timing. Reluctantly, I turned to face her. A terribly smart woman was standing next to us. My gaze ran quickly over her: attractive face, a shining pageboy bob and trim, horse-rider body clad in a divinely tailored gray and red dress. She was beaming at me, but oh dear, there was not one thing about her I recognized. I sighed inwardly. Oh well, it was going to be a long night.
‘Don’t you look super!’ she exclaimed, before turning her eyes back to Dr. Kane, the merest hint of a smile, like a delicious scandal, playing on her lips. ‘I’ll say, you’re a quick worker. Who on earth is this? You’d better introduce us.’
I introduced them unenthusiastically.
‘How lovely to meet you,’ Dr. Kane said politely, offering his hand. His eyes once again returned to one-way mirrors.
‘How do you do?’ Cookie replied with a breathless laugh. I watched her hand disappear into his large one and remain there, only releasing seconds before they slipped into impropriety. Oh my God, she was flirting with him… Little two-faced bitch.
The ferocity of the thought shocked and horrified me. It was like an ice pick straight into my heart. I dropped my eyes so they would not see how madly jeal
