The #1 Bestsellers Collection 2011(88)

“Do you enjoy the ballet, Lana?” Sara asked, once everyone was seated. “It’s ages since I’ve been.”

“I haven’t been to the ballet since I was twelve,” Lana admitted. “My mother brought me as a treat for my birthday.” She sighed. “She’s gone now.”

Sara reached out and squeezed her arm. “I’m sure it’s a memory you treasure.”

Lana warmed to her even more.

“Here she is, Mr. Taran. This is the lady who found your wallet.”

Lana looked up to see the staff member to whom she’d given the lost wallet, and an older gentleman standing by their table.

He pumped Lana’s hand. “My dear, thank you so much for returning my wallet.”

Lana smiled. “It was my pleasure, Mr. Taran.”

“I’d like to give you a reward.”

She waved that aside. “No, but thank you for offering.”

“No, thank you.” His smile encompassed the others then he walked away.

“See, I told you she was nice,” Sara said, but Lana was aware of Matt watching her with an odd look in his eyes.

She ignored him and actually began to relax and enjoy herself as she talked about kids with Sara, watched Justin joke with Matt about being a new father, and generally had a good time over two glasses of wine.

An hour later she felt warm and even pleasant toward Matt and he even seemed to be more relaxed around her.

He really was a heartbreaker, she mused, peeking beneath her lashes at him, caught out with a knowing look that glinted on the verge of hot. Yet suddenly she didn’t seem to care. The wine was making her feel good.

“I think it’s time we let these two lovebirds go home to bed, Justin,” Sara said, then yawned delicately. “Besides, I need my beauty sleep.”

The words made Lana wince. Was she really looking like a lovesick idiot? Or was Sara seeing more than there was?

Definitely.

She wasn’t in love with Matt. She wanted him, certainly. He made her ache for him physically, but that had nothing to do with affection.

Everyone agreed to meet up soon, then Matt put his hand on her elbow as he walked her back to their car.

Thankfully the night air kept her head clear.

“You handed in that wallet,” he said, once they were in the car, his eyes inscrutable.

“It was the right thing to do.”

“You weren’t tempted to keep it?”

She met his eyes without flinching. “No.”

She hadn’t handed in the wallet to get his approval, but it would have been nice for him to acknowledge her honesty.

“No one would have known,” he pointed out.

“I would have known.”

He studied her and an odd expression flickered across his face before he turned away to start the engine. “My friends really like you.”

“And that surprises you?”

“Not at all. You’re very charming.”

So was he.

Except with her.

“I gather you’re happy with my performance tonight, then?” she said with an underlying note of sarcasm.

“Performance?”

“They think we’re happily married.”

He glanced at her only briefly. “It’ll do.”

She sighed with frustration and left him to concentrate on the driving. It didn’t matter what she did, his opinion of her wasn’t going to change. He wanted to think bad of her and he would continue on that path.

So why on earth had she been worried about spending the night alone in the house with him? He’d kissed her in his office to punish her, not because he’d had an overpowering need to feel her lips beneath his.

Not the way she did his.

All at once he cast her a sideways glance, and his gaze dropped to her mouth and darkened. “Don’t,” he growled, before returning to the road.

Startled, she felt her thoughts fumbling to catch up to him. Then she realized. Until that moment she hadn’t been aware of touching her mouth with her fingertips, remembering him there.

The mouth that he had kissed.

Heavens.

Had she given herself away?

The tension was palpable for the rest of the journey, but Lana didn’t know how to disperse it. The two of them seemed to create a sexual energy together that was multiplied by the confines of the car.

It made her skittish and eager to get home so she could hide in her room.

Yes, hide.

Somewhere that she wouldn’t be tempted to make love to him. She was a coward and she could admit it.

They arrived home shortly after, but he surprised her by parking the car near the front door and not in the garage. Was he going out again?

To another woman?

She felt a moment’s squeezing pain. Wasn’t it unrealistic of her to believe he could remain celibate? It wasn’t as if they had a love match. He was a virile man.