“I’d never have guessed all this was on board.”
I laughed. “Come and eat. We’ve got a light snack before we get there. Dinner isn’t until quite late.”
She gave me a calculating look, then did as I suggested without making comment.
* * *
It wasn’t until we were in the limo, making for the hotel that she finally asked where we were going.
“To the hotel.” I said uninformatively. “It’s easier if everything comes to us there, rather than being seen going from one place to the other.”
She looked puzzled. “And we mustn’t be seen — why?”
“Oh, we can be seen all right.” I grinned. “And I expect we will be, tomorrow. But what we’re doing tonight is a secret, just for us.”
Her face cleared. “I thought you might be ashamed of being seen with me,” she murmured, looking down.
My heart stopped. I hadn’t wanted to hurt her. I had wanted to hide us being together, of course, because she wasn’t mine, she was Edward’s. But I couldn’t tell her that. Now, I didn’t care. Somehow I’d make it right with my father, and I’d keep her. I could find another girl for Edward, send her straight off to Switzerland. Then it would be Toni and me.
I squeezed her hand. “I’ll never be ashamed of being with you.” A platitude. She deserved better than that.
Then we were there, and the hotel manager received us respectfully, and ushered us through. Lawrence vanished into the office.
Toni looked around, then at me. “You’ve got to tell me now.” Her expression was curious. I wasn’t surprised. We were in a small, luxurious, private cinema.
I grinned. “You told me last week you like the James Bond movies. I’ve arranged a private screening of the new one.” I made a face and leaned back as she flew into my arms with a loud squeal.
“Oh, wow! You’re the best! But how can you have? It’s not even had its world premiere yet.”
I grinned at her enthusiasm. “I know. But I have. And you’d better have some questions for Daniel Craig and Sam Mendes afterwards. They’re joining us for pre-dinner drinks.”
Her eyes widened. “You’re kidding me.”
“Nope.” I enjoyed watching her recover her poise.
“Oh, well. I suppose they couldn’t be persuaded to stay for dinner too.” Her lips twitched, though she tried to seem serious.
I smiled lazily. “Not quite right, I didn’t invite them. I wanted you to myself for dinner.” She gave me a pointed look, and I shrugged. “If the conversation over drinks is okay, you may invite them to stay for dinner. The staff won’t take long to add a couple of places to the table.”
“Just like that,” she said as she shook her head.
“Just like that,” I agreed. Then I took her hand. “Let’s sit down.”
After we’d been furnished with every possible need by the hostess, I nodded to the manager, and the room darkened. I felt over and took her hand. I was going to enjoy her next to me.
She was a delight to sit next to. Entranced by the film, fully involved in it, she gasped and flinched in all the right places. I found I was watching her more than the screen though.
Now I’d admitted to myself I loved her, I wondered what would happen next. I couldn’t quite summon up the nerve to tell her yet, but I thought she loved me back. I loved her body, the way she became aroused by my control of her, and I had to shift slightly in my seat to ease the pressure of my hardness in my pants as I thought of her naked body under my hands.
Already I knew she was different than other girls. I’d always tired of them by now, their possessiveness, the way they tried to change me, the way they demanded more and more material things.
Toni hadn’t asked for anything. She’d accepted the help I’d arranged for her app but she was still determined to make a success of it herself. I loved her for that too. I couldn’t understand why I felt this gnawing anxiety around my feelings, though. A fear of losing her. I didn’t take in much of the film, and at the end, when she sighed with satisfaction and sat back, I hoped I wouldn’t make a fool of myself over drinks by not remembering the plot line.
In the private lounge, the two men waited for us. They greeted her respectfully, and I sensed her wonder at being noticed by two such well-known figures.
She was acceptably star-struck by them, but also restrained with it, and I swelled with pride at her. I sat back and let her lead the conversation. I was pleased that I’d won the fight over her elocution lessons. Her voice was better and she didn’t lose the tone when she was excited. Craig and Mendes didn’t blink at her being there, and they made her feel great, which was why I had got them.