‘You,’ he says, grinning wildly, ‘are a very hard lady to pin down.’
‘Hello,’ I manage, forcing polite warmth into my voice. ‘It’s nice to finally meet you, Theodore.’
At that, Teddy rolls his eyes and snorts. ‘No point in being so formal – we’re practically family now, right?’
My smile stiffens, freezing in place. ‘I—’ I start, but Teddy waves a dismissive hand, already sliding into my personal space like it’s second nature. He places a gentle hand on my elbow and guides me through the sea of people. We weave between laughter and perfume clouds until the sound dulls behind us, replaced by the quiet murmur of muted conversation in a tucked-away corner near the balcony doors.
Teddy leans one shoulder against the wall and appraises me. ‘You know,’ he starts, conversationally, ‘you two have everyoneveryconvinced.’
My heart trips. ‘Excuse me? I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
If my lie is as obvious as I think it is, Teddy doesn’t seem to care. In fact, his grin only widens. ‘You and my brother. The whole “mutual loathing” thing. I won’t lie. It’s pretty good. Pretty convincing even.’ He frowns and makes a show of tapping his chin thoughtfully. ‘But there’s somethingoffabout it.’
‘Off?’ I repeat flatly.
‘Mmhm.’ His tone is teasing, but the look in his eyes is calculated. I get the distinct impression that Teddy Vouvalis isn’t someone to underestimate. ‘I was watching you two earlier, when you arrived, and the thing is—’ He pauses and swirls around his cocktail for what I’m assuming is supposed to be dramatic effect. I’m beginning to think that everything Teddy does is for dramatic effect. ‘The thing is, Asher doesn’t look at people he hates the way he looks at you.’
I take a steadying sip of champagne. ‘You’re imagining things.’
‘Could be,’ Teddy says with a shrug. ‘But I’m not. There’s something there. You two have chemistry. I saw it.’
I force out a light laugh. ‘If that’s what you think chemistry is, I’m very concerned about your love life.’
Teddy snorts. ‘You two arebothterrible liars. How can I be the only one who sees this? Or is everyone else just an idiot?’
I roll my eyes. ‘Believe whatever you want, Teddy. I’m not interested in your brother.’
‘Oh, I will,’ he says, all grin again, but the glint in his gaze doesn’t fade. ‘But youareinterested in him. So let me give you a tip, since I like you.’ He drops his voice slightly and leans in further. ‘If you’re trying to convince the world that you and Asher are mortal enemies, you might want to stop looking at him like you’d rather be fucking him.’
I nearly choke on my champagne. ‘I donot—’
He just laughs and holds up his glass in a mock toast. ‘Relax, future sister-in-law. Your secret’s safe with me. For now.’
I open my mouth to respond, to emphatically deny, deny, deny, but before I can get a single word out, a familiar voice cuts through the air behind me.
‘There you are.’
I turn just in time to see Sloane gliding towards us, every inch of her immaculate. Her hair is swept into a half up-do, and her dress is a shimmering bronze slip that hugs and drapes her curves, catching the light every time she moves. Heads actually turn as she passes by. She lifts a brow as she comes to stop beside me. ‘I thought you needed help zipping up?’ My cheeks warm.
‘I… figured it out,’ I say weakly.
Sloane looks unconvinced but she doesn’t have the chance to press the matter because Teddy’s eyes have widened like he’s just witnessed a divine intervention.
‘Well, hello,’ he says, straightening from his lazy lean against the wall. His grin transforms into one that could charm the devil himself. ‘And who might this vision be?’
Sloane stops beside me and spares Teddy a scathing once-over. ‘A vision who isn’t interested,’ she says, not missing a beat.
He laughs, unbothered. ‘That’s what they all say at first.’
‘They also keep saying it afterwards,’ she replies coolly, plucking a champagne flute from a passing tray. ‘And during. And forever.’
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.
Teddy looks delighted. ‘You’re funny.’
‘I’m not trying to be,’ she says, taking a slow sip of her drink.
‘Even better,’ he says, leaning in slightly, as though her disinterest is a challenge. ‘The name’s Teddy, by the way. Asher’s superior and vastly more charming brother.’
