Page 7 of Marcel

“What?”Jerking his head from a point over her left shoulder, he looked downinto her dark brown eyes.

“We are thefocus of everyone. You should smile.”

His lips parted intoa parody of a smile, his eyes hot with temper.

“How’sthis?”

“It needs work,but that’s a start.” Her hand was on his chest andsliding up to his shoulder.

“Are you amusedby all of this?” He asked in a furious undertone.

“Somewhat.”She nodded over his left shoulder. “Your mistress lookspositively distraught. Someone should remind her that she is standingnext to her husband and should try to pretend she is not longing tofeel your arms around her.” She gasped as he sank his fingersinto her bare back.

His smile waspositively feral, and his eyes glittered. “Why, darling, isthat jealousy I hear in your voice?” he jeered.

Angling her head, shestared at him and felt herself reacting to his nearness. She had beenable to avoid him in the past, but now, it would not be the case. Andshe had no idea how she would pretend that the only thing she feltwas contempt. “It’s disgust.”

“Why?” Heasked her coldly. “Because I happen to like her and not you?”

“I suppose awoman like her, who does not pose a challenge and does not appear tohave a mind of her own, would appeal to a man like you.” Shesaid in a reflective tone.

“A man likeme?” His voice was deceptively soft, his fingers digging intoher flesh. “Why don’t you explain what you mean?”

Lifting her chin, shemanaged a calm, disinterested look. “Entitled and arrogant. Sheprobably comes running to you, telling you she is unhappy and cannotlive without you. Something like that would appeal to a man whothinks he is some sort of a knight in shining armor.”

Her words hadunwittingly hammered inside his head; the tone of her voice and theamused look on her exquisite face had such a profound effect on himthat he wanted to lash out at her. Why she had always been able toget under his skin was beyond him.

“You are anutter bitch, aren’t you?” he asked bitterly, unaware ofthe way his words had gouged into her.

“Don’tever forget it,” she told him sweetly. The music had ended, butthey were not aware of it. The sound of laughter from his left madehim release her and step back.

“It was apleasure,” he told her mockingly before walking off the dancefloor.

He watched for thenext few minutes as she danced with several men vying for herattention. In retaliation, he danced with some of the eager womenlining up to dance with him and cut off a guy whispering something inher ear.

“I think it’smy turn now,” he told the unfortunate guy coldly.

He was about toprotest when Nikki told him with a dazzling smile that she hadignored her man for too long. “He gets jealous if I am awayfrom him.” Stepping into his arms, she wound her arms aroundhis neck. “Who persuaded you to come for the second dance?”

“Dad remindedme that I am supposed to be lavishing my attention on you. Are younaked under this material?”

She gave him astartled look at the change of subject.

“Yes. Why?”

His lips curled indisgust. “Is that how you get men panting after you?”

Her tapered eyebrowslifted. “Are you panting after me?”

He gave her ascathing look from beneath her hooded eyes. She was affecting him. Hecould not get the scent of her perfume out of his nostrils, and herslender curves pressed against him stirred his senses. “Quitethe contrary. As a future wife of a Hadley, you realize that you willhave to consider dressing more appropriately, don’t you?”

She tilted her headto the side and pretended to consider. “I am about to be a wifeand not some mindless bimbo like, say, your very eager mistress, sothe answer to that is I am going to do as I damn well please anddress accordingly.”

For a minute, therage exploded inside his chest, and he jerked her closer to him, hisbreathing shallow. It took only a second for him to feel thetightness of her nipple against his chest.

Suddenly, the airshifted between them, and he felt the stirring in his loins. His holdloosened slightly, his fingers turning almost gently against her bareskin.

The flash of a cameragoing off brought him to his senses and made him realize that themusic had ended. Taking a deep breath, he stepped back, grabbed herarm, and guided her to where his family gathered.

---