Page 190 of Modern Romance January 2025 1-4

He released her and she immediately stepped away. But there was an interesting rush of colour beneath her skin as if shewereembarrassed. Which didn’t really make sense.

‘No?’ he questioned.

A spark of rebellion glittered in her pale face.

‘You can still go dancing, anytime you like.’ He suddenly wanted to make her strike again. ‘I know you like dancing a lot.’

She straightened her blouse. ‘You’re not worried I might dance with other men?’

‘If I’m not there your bodyguard will see off any threats.’

‘Mywhat?’

He smiled, happy to see her fire return. ‘Naturally you’ll have a bodyguard. More than one, at times.’

‘You’re not serious.’

Deadly, actually. ‘I’m extremely wealthy. It would be remiss of me not to provide protection for you. I won’t have you endangered because of your association with me.’

‘They don’t sound like bodyguards, more like gaolers.’ She looked mutinous. ‘I don’t want you to control my actions.’

His amusement died. ‘Thelastthing I want to do is control you.’ In fact, theonlyperson he wanted to control right now was himself. But that hunger sliced anew, and another truth emerged before he could stop it. ‘I want toenjoyyou.’

But if he were wholly honest, he ached for more than that. He wanted her surrender—her total submission to the passion that had ignited between them so unexpectedly. So irrationally. He didn’t want control or her obedience, but he did want her to admit this was likenothingelse she’d ever experienced.

Ego. In other words. The competitive nature that had pushed him to be top of class was on fire today. He mocked himself. He just wanted to be the best she’d ever had. He wanted to be the one she would never, ever forget. Because he already knew he was never, ever forgetting her. And that was infuriating.

But now she turned, pulling back completely. ‘So how did you want to go about this? Are we to have a wedding in Vegas at two a.m.? Five minutes in a neon chapel?’ She smoothed one of the silver coasters on the table needlessly. Turned and adjusted another glass.

Ramon watched her fidgeting and suspected she was more shaken by what had just happened than she wanted to admit. Frankly, so was he. They needed to get out of here and deal with everything properly. He needed to calm down.

‘Sadly no, we’re in too much of a hurry.’ He reached for his jacket. ‘Ashleigh’s engagement is being announced this weekend. Isn’t that why you hunted me down in the first place? I assume you have a current passport?’

‘I thought you just said we weren’t going to Vegas?’

‘Not quite that far. We fly today. Get married tomorrow. Return before the engagement party. Our families are having a private celebration the night before and we’re going to gatecrash it.’

At that she turned and shot him a mocking look. ‘Why Ramon, you have a flair for the dramatic.’

‘Well, you enjoy the dramatic.’ He gestured around the room they were in. ‘You like to create a scene.’

‘A pretend one. Forotherpeople to enjoy.’

‘Isn’t that exactly what we’re doing?’ he drawled.

She fiddled with another prop. ‘I’ll need a couple of moments with Bethan.’

He smiled ruefully. ‘How will she cope with your defection from the single-forever divorcees’ club?’

‘She’ll be busy looking after the escape rooms for me and Phoebe is currently abroad. I’ll fudge the reality—’

‘No scruples about deceiving her?’

‘I’ve already told you I lie. I bluff in my business all the time. So rest assured, I’m good at it.’

Yeah. Ramon slowly followed her from the room. Warned, wary but utterly willing as he took one last look at the little clue stuck on the back wall of the hidden compartment she’d appeared in.

Trust No One

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