He looked magnificent. The whiteness of his dress shirt emphasised his bronzed complexion. The black bow tie looked ridiculously sexy instead of stuffy, as did the very proper black suit.
Rose was barely aware of him moving to politely usher her inside.
‘You look,’ he breathed without looking at her and only inclining slightly so that he couldn’t be overheard, ‘sensational. Was that the intention?’
‘Thank you. That’s very kind.’ But her pulse raced and she shivered with wild pleasure at his husky undertone.
Art laughed as they strolled away from the lobby and into the impressive ballroom, which was buzzing with the great and the good. ‘Not a description that’s been used much about me but I’ll take it.’
‘I mean it. Look at the women here.’ She was holding onto him for dear life, very much aware that they were being stared at. ‘I recognise some of them from fashion magazines.’
‘And I thought that you never read anything as frivolous as a fashion magazine.’
‘But thank you for pretending that I look okay,’ Rose said distractedly.
‘Where’s this sudden attack of modesty sprung from?’ They’d left the paparazzi outside; there was still a sea of people but without the gawping of the public and the reporters. Art drew her to the side and looked down at her. ‘You’re the most self-confident woman I’ve ever met.’
‘When it comes to work...’
‘You knock spots off every woman in this place.’
Rose burst out laughing. If he wanted to put her at ease, then he was doing a good job of it. ‘I don’t. But thanks.’
‘You’re fishing.’
‘Of course I’m not!’
‘You know how I feel about you. The only thing I want to do right now is get you out of here and into a bed so that I can make love to you until we’re both too exhausted to carry on. I want to peel that dress off your luscious body and touch you in all the places I know you like being touched. So when I tell you that you put every other woman in the shade here, then trust me. I’m not kidding.’
‘Stop!’ Her blood was boiling and she was so very aware of him that she could barely think. ‘You know I don’t want you saying things like that...to me.’
‘Say that like you mean it.’
‘Idomean it. I’m just a little...nervous.’
* * *
‘No need. Look around you. If you were hoping to attract some glances, then you’ve succeeded.’ Art heard the edge in his voice and knew that it was a few degrees off the light, amused tone he had intended.Shemight not have noticed, buthehad seen the way men had turned to have a second look. Most women were dressed to kill in black. Rose was a splash of exotic colour, a bird of paradise with her long wild hair and her strong intelligent face. She announced to the world that she wasdifferentand that was a very sexy trait. And not just to him.
Halfway through the evening, he realised that she had disappeared into the crowd. The man who was accustomed to a high level of irritation with women clinging like limpets to him at functions like this found that his irritation level was skyrocketing now and for a different reason.
Where the hell was shenow? And why was he having to hunt for her?
It got on his nerves. She was a flash of red but, before he could pin her down, she was gone. Nursing a whisky while a blonde tried to get his attention, Art decided that, for Rose’s own good, he would take her back to the hotel.
‘Got to go.’ He interrupted the blonde abruptly. Pushing himself away from the wall, against which he had been leaning, he ignored a couple of MPs who had been trying to gain his attention.
Rose was laughing at something some guy was telling her. Art wasn’t born yesterday. He could recognise a man on the make a mile away.
He came to an abrupt towering halt in front of them and Rose blinked and frowned at him.
‘Mind if I interrupt?’ Art interrupted anyway. ‘I’ve barely seen you all evening...’
‘That’s because I’ve been chatting to all the interesting people here,’ Rose returned gaily, swiping a glass of wine from a passing waitress. ‘For instance, this is Steve and he does some amazing work for the UN.’
Steve reddened and straightened and stuck out his hand, clearly awed by Art, who felt ancient and cynical beyond his years in comparison. He politely asked a couple of interested questions but his attention was focused on Rose and his body language dismissed the young fair-haired man, who duly evaporated into the crowd after boldly exchanging phone numbers with Rose.
Which made Art’s teeth snap together with annoyance.
