Page 97 of Pretend To Be Mine

“They can bill me for damage.” I was already working on the zipper of her dress, needing to feel her skin, needing this barrier gone. “Elizabeth, tell me to stop if you want me to.”

“Don’t stop.” Her hands were in my hair, tugging almost painfully. “Don’t you dare stop.”

The record played on as I kissed down her neck and tried to get to her breasts, but the dress was in the way.

“We should go back to the hotel,” I managed, even as my hands cupped her breasts. My thumbs rubbed over her pebbled nipples.

“Yes.” But she was pulling me closer, not pushing me away. “We should definitely go back to the hotel.”

“People will notice we’re gone. I don’t want them to walk in on us.”

I kissed her again, poured everything I couldn’t say into that kiss. All the feelings I was too scared to voice. I was desperate to have her, but she was right. Someone could walk in on us at any time. I wouldn’t humiliate her like that.

When we finally pulled apart, both breathing hard, I rested my forehead against hers.

“Hotel,” I said firmly. “Now. Before I do something incredibly inappropriate in someone else’s study.”

She laughed, the sound breathless and happy. “Okay. Hotel.”

We straightened our clothes and tried to make ourselves presentable. Elizabeth’s lips were swollen from kissing, her hair slightly mussed, and she looked absolutely beautiful. I adjusted one of her straps and tried to fix her hair.

“I don’t think there’s any hope for it,” she said.

“Sorry.”

She shrugged. “We’re newly engaged. If anyone sees our dishevelment, oh well. We won’t be the only ones sneaking off tonight.”

I took her hand, and we slipped back through the manor corridors like thieves stealing away from a heist. We encountered a couple of people, but given their own states of dishevelment, they weren’t talking. That was exactly what Sebastian had been going for. I had a feeling there were plenty of people skulking around in the dark.

I found our driver in the sea of waiting limousines and SUVs. I gave him the hotel address and sat in the back seat with Elizabeth tucked against my side.

She was quiet on the drive. I didn’t push her to talk. Some things were better said—or not said—in private.

Instead, I focused on the show. “What’d you think?” I asked. “And I want your professional opinion.”

She tilted her head to look up at me. “It was incredible. Sebastian’s vision is so different from yours, but equally powerful. Where you honored tradition, he celebrated breaking it.”

“That’s Sebastian. He’s never met a boundary he didn’t want to cross.” I ran my thumb along her knuckles. “Did you see anything that inspired you? For your own designs?”

“Everything inspired me.” Her excitement was electric. “The way he played with transparency was impressive. I loved how he made something that could have been cheap look expensive. The confidence of it all.” She paused. “And Clara looked stunning in that silver dress.”

There it was. The real reason for her earlier coolness.

“She did her job well,” I said carefully. “That’s what models do.”

“Adrian, you don’t have to downplay it. She’s gorgeous. Anyone can see that.” Elizabeth’s voice was neutral, but I heard the underlying hurt. “And you two have history.”

“Had. Past tense.” I turned to face her. “Elizabeth, what Clara and I had was nothing. Convenience when we were in the same city, physical release with no emotional attachment. It meant nothing.”

“It meant something to her.”

“She only says that now that I’m off the market. Either way, it never meant anything to me.” I caught her chin, making her look at me. “And whatever it was ended long before I met you.”

“You don’t owe me explanations about your past relationships.”

“What if I want to give you explanations?” The words came out before I could stop them.

She sighed. “Don’t. Please. Can we not?”