Page 22 of The Billionaire's Heart

“Are you dating Ian Gallo?”

“How long have you been dating Ian?”

“Who are you?”

The organizer ushers us down the red carpet to another stop for more press to snap our photos, and that’s when I hear it over the roar of the cameras.

“Did you hire this one, too, Ian?”

Mia also heard it. I can tell by the way her back stiffens in my hand. She surprises me, though, when she takes my hand and then turns to me and gives me the most dazzling smile, and my heart flutters.

I don’t know what she’s doing, but I smile back at her as the cameras go bonkers. Mia places her other hand on my cheek and leans in and kisses me, taking me completely by surprise.

I can’t help myself as I kiss her back. It’s a quick kiss, but her lips are the softest thing I’ve ever felt and they’re instantly addicting. I’m mourning the loss of them the second she pulls back.

Mia turns to the reporter that asked that question and gives him a shit-eating grin and I have to laugh at her audacity in the face of all this stress. She’s got nerve and I love it.

By the time we've stopped at each point, the photographers have asked us to kiss each other five more times for pictures. I’m sorry there aren’t more stops on the way inside the building because I want to keep kissing her.

“I’m so sorry, Ian, for doing that. I just couldn’t let that asshole think you would do such a thing.” Mia says as soon as we get inside.

“What? Why are you sorry? He basically called you a whore. Had you not kissed me, I was going to knock him out.” How on earth is she thinking of only me?

“I’ve been called worse; besides, we need to make sure that Mr. Sutherland sees that Gallo Enterprises is the right company for this merger. And reporters like that don’t help any. If we had let that question slide, who knows what all the other reporters would publish in tomorrow’s papers or online.” I watch her straighten up and feel the fire on my skin when she wipes her lipstick off of my lips with her thumb. I have to fight the urge to bite it.

“Thank you.”

She smiles, “You can’t go in there wearing lipstick. It’ll kill the mood.” She laughs.

“No. Thank you for thinking of me out there.” I nod towards the door.

“That’s why I’m here, right? Now, let’s mingle.” Mia walks over to a waiter and takes two champagne glasses and hands one to me.

I don’t think I’ve ever met someone that was thinking of me first, besides my family and friends. Certainly not any of the women I’ve dated over the years. I know Maria would have just ignored that question. She has in the past.

But Mia just jumped in there, fighting for me without batting an eyelash.

Who is this woman and why do I hope there will be another opportunity for me to kiss her lips again tonight?

Chapter 11

Mia

Oh. My. God. I. Kissed. Him.

What the hell was I thinking? I have to admit that when I climbed out of the limo; I was not adequately prepared for the amount of camera flashes, yelling, and questions aimed at us. Well, at him mostly. There was a sea of flashes all directed at the two of us.

You see it on television when you watch those award shows, but it’s a completely different feeling when you’re the one they’re focused on. It looks simple enough on television. Get out of the car, smile, wave, stop and let the reporters take your picture, then move on. But in real life—it’s overwhelming. When Ian put his hand on my lower back, the electricity zipped through my body, and I could finally propel my feet forward.

I once read that Julia Roberts would plaster on her killer smile for the cameras during her premieres, but could talk to her date without moving her lips. Since I’ve been gettingPretty Womanvibes all day, I decided to conjure up my inner pretty woman and smile my best smile. After all, this is for Ian and Gallo Enterprises. That’s what I’m getting paid for.

At the first stop, where the usher had us face the cameras in front of the wall showing the children’s foundation logo, I hearda voice above the rest yell over to Ian. “Did you hire this one, too, Ian?”

My eyes snapped to the gruff-looking reporter with a camera in his hand and saw his devilish-looking smile. He was trying to get a reaction from one or both of us.

Well, it worked, but probably not like he’d hoped.

I was not about to let this scumbag get his way, though. That’s when I took Ian’s hand from my back and intertwined our fingers, and then wrapped both our hands behind my back, making sure that everyone with a camera saw it. My chest was plastered against his and it was an amazing feeling.

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