Page 5 of Forbidden Until Midnight

Antony smiled at her, the not-so-subtle heat in his gaze making her heart flutter in excitement. Any hesitation she might have had about the fast-paced progression of their relationship had disintegrated beneath her father’s exuberant encouragement three months ago.

The proposal had been nothing short of extravagant, Tony whisking her away for a few nights in a luxurious cabin in the Lyngen Alps, north of the Arctic Circle in Norway. Before the Northern lights, he’d told her that she was more beautiful to him, more precious, and he could never want or think of anyone else ever again.

She wasn’t as naïve as some people thought. Shedidunderstand that her relationship with Tony benefited both businesses and families. Her knowledge of her father’s company was enough to make that painstakingly clear, and if it hadn’t been already then the whispers that such a connection in the group had never happened before would have made it doubly so.

But life had been a whirlwind ever since the last New Year’s Eve party. They’d been almost inseparable since that night. Bouquets of red roses and white lilies had arrived the following day and within weeks she had been whisked away on a romantic trip to Paris. Date by date, each one increasingly extravagant, Tony had teased from her the future that she wanted—a family, just like her own, the importance of the family business, the tenets by which she had been raised, that she wanted to continue. And she’d been thrilled to discover that he wanted the same.

Impassioned declarations of love had made her feel special—desired and loved in equal measure. And if her mother had urged caution then her father’s eager acceptance had swept any concerns aside and Eleanor had fallen head over heels for Tony’s charm and his easy-going nature. She could see it, the lives they would make, familiar and comfortable, solid and successful. It would make her father so happy.

‘I’m going to get us a drink,’ Tony whispered in her ear, pressing a light kiss to the sensitive flesh just beneath, sending a shiver of delight across her body.

She’d been worried about asking him towaituntil they were married, wanting her first time to be special, with the person she loved and trusted most in this world. But he had assured her that he wanted her only to be comfortable and happy. But recently she’d been regretting that decision. Maybe she didn’t need to wait until she was married, she thought as he disappeared into the crowd filling the space under the low arched brick walls and ceilings of the Pichlers’ underground wine cellars.

She’d been wrong to think that they would be dark and grimy, because the cellars were actually beautifully lit with carefully controlled temperatures. Racks of wine bottles were displayed behind gleaming glass and she felt as if she were in a gallery. The large wine cabinets created little nooks and corners that were already filling with people dressed in jewels and silks, all glittering in the festive atmosphere.

‘Nineteen years old and engaged to one of England’s finest bachelors—who would have thought it?’ Dilly mused as she pulled Eleanor into a warm embrace and out of her thoughts.

‘Yes, congratulations,’ added Ekaterina Kivi, who had attended Sandrilling in the year ahead of her.

Eleanor smiled happily at the redhead. ‘Thank you,’ she said sincerely. ‘I honestly never thought I could be this happy,’ she confessed as she caught her father’s proud eye from across the room.

‘I bet Daddy is happy,’ Dilly said, leaning into her shoulder. ‘Barely a year out of school and you’re already set for life.’

Eleanor’s smile dimmed a little at the way Dilly made it sound as if her life was over. As if there was nothing else to achieve now that she had a fiancé.

Yes, Tony had talked her into taking another year off from university to help host several incredibly important dinners, as he tried to cement his place in his father’s investment company. But she had enjoyed doing it, and doing it well. She hadn’t found it difficult at all, following her mother’s lead after so many years.

And no, she might not have liked keeping her opinions on their conversations about business to herself after Tony had laughed, excusing her enthusiasm, when she’d disagreed with one of his guests. But she knew what kind of pressure he was under. She’d seen that too, from her father. And she’d always wanted what her parents had. The perfect marriage, the love and the security. It had been what she’d wanted as a child and it was what she wanted now.

So she would happily accept the little adjustments to her life until they settled down and she could return her focus to her studies. Because shedidhave dreams for herself. Even if they were going to have to wait a little while.

‘Well, I’m sure that you will be blissfully happy together,’ Dilly said, pulling her into a hug. ‘But remember, I want to use your business acumen for my fashion brand,’ she said, releasing Eleanor long enough to point a finger in her direction. ‘Together, we’ll take the fashion world by storm!’

‘Who’s taking the world by storm?’ Antony asked, returning from the bar.

‘We are!’ cried Dilly, her arms slinging across both Eleanor and Antony’s backs, and she guided them onto the dance floor.

Barely an hour later and the crush of bodies was making Eleanor feel a little claustrophobic. Waving her hand at her damp neck wasn’t even taking the edge off. Antony was busy shouting, slightly drunkenly, into the ear of his best friend and Dilly was nowhere to be seen.

She tugged at Antony’s jacket, but he waved her off. She just needed to get somewhere where she could breathe a little easier. Making her way towards the edge of the low domed hall where racks of wine bottles created little nooks, she ducked into one and welcomed the cooler air away from the press of bodies in the centre.

Her head fell back and she took a deep breath of much needed air. She’d not had a lot to drink, but more than she did usually and was hoping that she could avoid the nauseous way it made her feel sometimes.

She opened her eyes, startled to find herself almost toe to toe with Santo Sabatini. There he was, leaning insolently against the back wall, drink hanging lazily from the tips of long fingers, bow tie loose around his neck, looking more handsome than she cared to admit, glaring at her.

And, just like that, her moment of calm was snatched from her grasp. Instinctively, she leaned back, but too far and too quickly, and she was about to fall when his arm reached out and latched securely around her wrist.

Flames licked at her pulse point and connected to places around her body she’d not experienced before. He held her there, the taut lines of his arms connecting them as she read both surprise and confusion in his gaze, before he eventually tugged her forward to regain her balance and she felt foolish all over again. He removed his hand from her but she felt indelibly marked by his touch.

A derisive smirk pulled at a mouth she couldn’t look away from, even as she burned from the impact. His lips were different to Tony’s. The bow of his upper lip curved in a subtle way, pressing sensually against the firmer, more angular shape of the one beneath it. Fascinated beyond rational thought, she took in the rest of his features, just like the year before. Having kept all thoughts of the powerful Italian carefully behind a locked door, her curiosity was let loose as her gaze raked over the hard angle of his jaw and across the firm lines of his mouth. Above those aquamarine eyes were dark brows, one of which was bisected near its end by a scar.

It made him seem so muchmorethan Tony and his friends. Older, experienced...knowing.

Thatwas what she saw in his eyes.Knowing.

‘Had your fill, Princess?’ he asked, not bothering to hide the humour he found in her fascination.

His derision was enough to cut through the heat that had begun to build deep within her, and straight to the heart of the shame she felt at finding anyone other than her fiancé remotely interesting.

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