Page 47 of One Wealthy Wedding

I want to jerk my arm out of his grasp. I’m going to combust. I’m going to go in a Cat-shape column of flame from the need spiraling through me.

Theo can play my biology like a virtuoso. Any man could make me feel this, I’m sure, but Theo’s had years of practice with other women.

I tug my arm away, and give him a shaky nod. He smirks. I wave my goodbyes and head for my textbooks. I’m not fleeing. I have work to do.

Ten minutes later, the bass stops thumping and Theo appears in the doorway of the living room I prefer. I’m on one of the absurdly squishy couches, near where the TV descends from the ceiling. The white couches are surrounded by decor in soothing beiges and grays, with cashmere throws and candles in herbal scents that I know Theo didn’t choose.

“Is that volume better?”

I look up from my notes. “You didn’t have to turn it down.”

He shrugs and drops onto the couch next to me. He’s still in that backward hat that should look foolish, but instead makes him look young and painfully sexy. “The party wasn’t that fun anyway.”

“Not fun?” I raise my brows. “Have you lost your edge, Theo Archer? Isn’t there a car to steal somewhere?”

He barks a laugh. “I’m out of the car-stealing business. I just buy them now. And besides, I’m not sure the partying goes with the reputation I’m trying to cultivate. Not that this will be leaked to the press, but I don’t know…” He rubs his jaw. “You’re getting to me, Catherine. All this Friday night studying. Something about your goodness seems to be leaching into the water.”

I huff a laugh and shake my head. “I’m not good.” My father and stepmother certainly told me that enough.

“Then what are you?” Theo cocks his head and watches me with assessing eyes.

I don’t have a response. I don’t know who I am, and if I dig deep enough, I’m not sure I’ll like the answer.

“Why are you studying so much?”

“Because I’m not good at this.” I gesture helplessly at my notebooks. “The classes I took after college weren’t enough to prepare me for this. These kids, I mean, you’ve seen them. They’re geniuses. They’ve been working in finance for years. They know all about…Gantt charts and tender offers and discount rates.”

“And you don’t?”

“Of course I don’t. I never learned any of this. I majored in English literature, and I’ve never been good at school. I just like reading, that’s all. Not like you. You’ve always been smart.”

Theo leans forward, smiling faintly. “My first-grade teacher, Ms. Rose, would dispute that. She never found all the cockroaches I hid in her classroom. And my fourth-grade teacher still makes the sign of the cross when I see him in public.”

I laugh despite myself. “I do remember you as a kid. I broke my arm because of you.”

“I am sorry about that,” he says, not sounding sorry at all. “But that was my tree house, not yours.”

“Possession is nine-tenths of the law, Theo Archer.”

“So it is,” he murmurs, his eyes scanning my face. “What about you, Catherine? What are you good at? Since I know it’s not climbing trees.” His lopsided smile tugs at my insides. This is what Theo does. He’s a master of getting people to like him. I let him in once, and he left me in the dust.

I shake my head. “I have to get back to studying.”

“I’m going to figure you out, you know.” He says the words like a promise, but to me, they’re a threat.

“You don’t need to figure me out,” I say in a too-high voice.

“We need to get to know each other. I dare you, Catherine. I dare you to tell me one true thing.”

The words are stoppered in my throat. I loved you. You can’t imagine what I’ve been through to get here. Or maybe you can. I hate that I wasn’t there to see you soar. I miss you. I hate my family. I want more for myself, but I’m too scared to reach for it.

“Not going to tell me? All right, well, I guess I’ll have to collect another way.” He gives a beleaguered sigh. “I’m sure I’ll think of something.” He leans in, his eyes glinting. I still. Is he going to kiss me? For real? Do I want that? My thoughts short out when he brushes a rough finger over my lips and says, “Tormenting my wife is so very trying.”

With that, he winks and saunters out, and I try to ignore the pounding of my heart.

16

Theo

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