AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“One more won’t hurt.”
She couldn’t be considered drunk by anyone’s standards. Anxiety and adrenaline surged at varying levels throughout different intervals. The peaks and valleys were taking their toll; exhaustion was beginning to creep in. The largest spike began to pulse when he took her hand to lead her into the large reception room.
After putting her in the center of the room, he went to open both balcony doors, letting the air and ambience of London join them. Sweet? Romantic? She didn’t know and couldn’t figure out what was going on. Watching him progress to the bar, Tess tried to decide if this was leading to a seduction or if he was playing some other game.
“It’s been a long time since I enjoyed an evening with a woman,” he said while mixing their drinks.
Her nose wrinkled. Was that… was he talking about sex?
“We, uh…” She should respond with something. “We had a nice time.”
True, ish, and semi-neutral. Enthusiastic she was not and didn’t want there to be any confusion. Reading him and his intentions wasn’t easy.
“It’s probably been the same for you,” he said, bringing drinks over. “Would you like to sit outside?”
“Here is fine,” she said, taking her drink quickly and backing up to sit on the couch.
The quicker she drank, the quicker they could go to bed… separately. She took a mouthful as he sat beside her. Should she have chosen the balcony? Outside there would be witnesses if he tried anything… Though what would they see and who would care? Still, inside felt too private.
“You’re not difficult to please, Mademoiselle,” he said, a smile on his face when he raised his glass. “We should toast.”
“Right,” she said, looking at her drink, her haste had been sort of rude. “Toast to what?”
“To new beginnings.”
With nothing better to say, she accepted that, and their glasses met. The smile on his face lingered, his eyes matched to hers. Nerves. Why was she nervous? She wasn’t attracted to him; he was older than her father. Literally.
The smile remained in his gaze even as he took a drink. Either things were about to get super awkward, or he was deliberately trying to unnerve her for his own amusement.
“Have you spent much time in London?” she asked.
Truth be told, she knew little about him and his life since the exodus.
“Some,” he said, settling back on the couch. “I’ve spent time everywhere.”
“I’m sure,” she said.
His hand slid into hers and he eased her toward the back of the couch. “You have to learn to relax. You’re always on edge.”
“Do you blame me?” she said, aware of her hand in his. “I never know what’s going to happen next.”
“I knew your mother,” he said. The curveball was a harsh slap that proved exactly the point she’d just made. “She was beautiful. Absolutely enchanting. She could mesmerize any man… I never blamed your father for caring about her.”
“My father loved her.”
Only after the words were out did the depth of their defensiveness register. Was she defending her father or her mother?
“Yes,” he said, growing more solemn. “I suppose he did. Losing her must have been difficult… for both of you.”
Anger simmered in her gut. Fury was a nice distraction from apprehension and awkwardness.
“It’s difficult for anyone to lose someone they love,” she said, watching the light glint on the ice in her drink. Rather than let him believe he was upsetting her, she sucked in a breath and looked him in the eye. “What about you? Do you have family of your own?”
“Olympus is my family,” he said like he’d been anticipating the question. Maybe it was a practiced answer he gave by rote. “And I hope you’ll be a part of that family too.” She blinked while thinkingpoker face. His smile grew again, though it was more subdued than before. “I know all of this must be incredible to you…” He gestured around them. “Not the apartment, but the intrigue, the world that we in Olympus inhabit. You grew up oblivious to your connection to it.”
“True.”
“Have you had much time to connect with your father? I understand he spent a lot of time training his men while you were in Las Vegas.” Nodding along, she let him talk. “Harry is a difficult person to get to know. For all his faults, he is a good man. He does try his best and is fully dedicated to his men. Well, he was fully dedicated to them.”
