Page 16 of Modern Romance November 2024 5-8

‘Don’t thank me yet,’ Sahir murmured, his voice low and for her ears only.

And it might just as well have been dipped in chocolate and slathered in cream, because it was the closest thing to vocal seduction Violet had ever known.

‘After all,’ he added, ‘the night is still young.’

CHAPTER THREE

IFSAHIRHADN’Tseen Violet so distraught for himself, he would never have known. She was smiling and throwing confetti, seemingly without a care in the world, as the bride and groom climbed into a waiting vehicle.

‘Get in, you two,’ they urged.

‘I amnotgetting in your wedding car,’ Violet said—even if she could see it would house plenty and there was champagne waiting inside. Some traditions stood! ‘I’ll get a taxi.’

‘Violet,’ Grace insisted, ‘I wouldn’t put it past you to get the driver lost.’ She looked to Sahir. ‘Honestly, she has no sense of direction.’

‘I got here, didn’t I?’ Violet said, taking out her phone to summon a taxi.

But it would seem the best man had things in hand, for he told her to put away her phone.

‘I’ll take care of your bridesmaid,’ Sahir assured Grace.

He already had, Violet thought as she enthusiastically waved them off.

‘Wave!’ she prompted.

‘I am not as good an actor as you,’ he said, still convinced this marriage was a farce. ‘And aside from that I don’t wave...’ Sahir paused, then refrained from telling her that his waving was reserved for work. ‘Let’s go.’

His car lit up as they approached, and then there was an awkward moment when she had to wait for him to open the door, as she had no idea how to do it herself.

‘What happened to door handles?’ she asked, sinking into soft leather and trying not to notice the more concentrated version of his scent as the doors closed on them and Sahir drove off. ‘And don’t you have a passenger mirror?’

It slid down at the push of a button and she rather wished she hadn’t asked, as it was rather higher quality than her dusty compact. ‘Yikes...’

‘You look fine,’ he told her. ‘You recover quickly!’

‘I do.’ She topped up her lip-gloss, but then her hand went to her stomach.

‘Are you going to cry again?’ he asked.

‘No, I’m just starving.’

‘Do you want to stop for something to eat?’

Violet frowned at the odd offer. ‘We’re going for a sit-down dinner.’

He glanced at the time. ‘There’ll be champagne and hors d’oeuvres for the first hour or so.’

‘I’ll be fine.’

Sahirfelther sideways glance, and her shameless curiosity didn’t bother him. Really, he was more than used to being stared at.

‘Did you get them a gift?’ she asked.

‘Yes.’

‘Even though it said not to on the invitation?’

‘I didn’t notice.’

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