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My eyes stray back to Damian, and I watch him studying Jamie again.
The music blares and the dancing begins. I can’t hear what they’re saying, but Jamie turns to ask if I dance.
Damian has obviously declined to dance, even though he’s clearly mad about her.
Nob.
I rescue the poor girl and we dance for a while and have a laugh. I keep wondering when Nathalie will come and find me, but she’s nowhere to be seen. When the music turns slow, Damian appears over Jamie’s shoulder and glowers at me to allow him to cut in.
I do so with good grace, trying not to show I’m amused by his ridiculous behaviour. Just as I’m heading back to the table, Nathalie crosses the room towards me and if I didn’t know it couldn’t be the case, I’d think my heart stops beating at the sight of her.
Her blonde hair is swept into an elaborate updo, and she looks effortlessly elegant in her black evening dress, which hugs her tall slim frame in all the right places. She is Parisian, so I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that she has buckets of style.
I offer her my arm, and she accepts it. She smiles and agrees to one dance with me when I whisper the invitation in her ear.
I can’t help noticing she attracts more than her fair share of envious looks and my heart swells with pride that she’s onmyarm.
Pulling her gently into my embrace, we dance slowly to a crooning ballad about lost love. She moves with me in perfect time, and it feels so right.
How the hell am I going to agree to an arranged marriage, when I’d rather dance with Nathalie than anyone else, anywhere?
This situation isn’t fair to either of us. But what am I supposed to do?
My mind wanders back to my inheritance dilemma as Nathalie sways in my arms. I’d like to pull her in closer and hold her flush against me, but I stop myself. The second her body touched mine, I felt myself hardening, and she will feel it too. And given that I’m going to propose friendship, rather than sex, this would be in poor taste. So, I hold her lightly, one hand on her shoulder and one on her waist and pretend I’m not desperate to be inside her and that there isn’t an ache in my groin that has been my ever-present tormentor since she came into my life and blew the breath out of my lungs.
After the one dance which I wish wasn’t over so quickly, she pulls away, and I see she’s still avoiding meeting my eyes. She says she must be up early with Daisy.
I don’t feel like I can leave just yet. Damian has disappeared, and Jamie is sitting like a lost soul at the table. I introduce her to Nathalie, and they chat briefly. Then I notice several of my mother’s friends hovering nearby, wanting to have a word with me. It’s my duty to do the rounds before calling it a night. This event is being held in our flagship hotel, so I mustn’t shirk my responsibilities.
Nathalie asks if it’s okay to leave soon. Her words tickle my neck as she leans into me so I can hear her over the music. I feel her warm breath on me, and her familiar scent wafts up my nose. The dangerous proximity of her makes me stiffen again in my tuxedo trousers. I wish she would stay by my side, but I call my driver to bring the car round and take her home.
She is clearly concerned about being alone with me, and there’s absolutely nothing I can do about it.
Soon, I’m going to have to deal with the email in my inbox about organising a date with Elizabeth Archer of Archer International Banking.
I stare after Nathalie’s back as she walks out of the ballroom, wishing I was going with her. I’m angry I allowed myself to get so attached to her.
I must get a handle on my emotions and attend to the lingering guests, and then I can go home.
My eyes follow Jamie’s to where Damian stands at the bar in deep conversation with a brunette. She turns her head and I realise it’s Stephanie De Winter, the ex who left him for his best friend. One of my best friends too.
What the hell is she doing here?
If the haunted look in Jamie’s eyes is anything to go by, it looks like mine isn’t the only bleeding heart in the ballroom tonight.
Oh, the tangled webs we weave.
CHAPTER13
Nathalie
I’ve barely been able to meet his eyes since it happened. What was I thinking? I berate myself for losing it like that and getting carried away in the heat of the moment.
One minute I was being a dutiful nanny and making sandwiches for Daisy, and the next he was driving me wild with his tongue.
I feel myself blush at the memory. I’m no prude but he’s my boss for God’s sake. It was bad enough I was crushing on him in secret, but now he knows I’m crazy about him, I don’t know how I’m going to stand the humiliation.
If the agency finds out, I will be instantly dismissed, and my career ruined. I beat myself up for being such a cliché—nanny falls for billionaire CEO boss.
