Page 39 of Every Silent Lie
“Camryn. And for the record, it is most definitely politically incorrect.”
“And such a shame too, don’t you think? That a man can’t tell a lady that she’s beautiful.”
I haven’t been called beautiful in a very long time. Until Dec. Tonight, I’m putting it down to the dress. But when I encountered Dec in the bar at The Royal Constantine, I wasn’t glammed up. So what drew him to me? “It’s deemed leery these days, Edward.”
“Tell me about it. I have to think before I say anything for fear of being sued to high heaven.”
I smile. “I won’t sue you.”
“Well, that’s a relief.” He chinks my glass with his, and Thomas laughs loudly, in his fucking element.
We chat casually for a while, and if Thomas cracked his jokes, they went way over my head. But I’m running out of steam, my social battery draining fast after being redundant for so long. “Would you excuse me?” I say, moving away from the men, set to go and recharge in the ladies’ and assess just how much longer I have to be here.
Edward Holcot smiles. “I’d say it’s been an absolute, unexpected pleasure but, again . . .”
“Charming,” I say, leaving after forcing one more smile, but as I lift my eyes, something across the room stops me dead in my tracks and has me forgetting where I am, why I’m here, and that I’m running out of steam.
And, Jesus, he looks spectacular in a tuxedo. His eyes find mine, and though there’s nothing there to tell me what he’s thinking—classic Dec—I know he’s spotted me before now.
I tilt my head in question.
He tilts his.
And after a few moments of sizzling eye contact, he makes his way over, coming to a stop before me, a glass held lightly between his fingertips. He’s such a sight for sore eyes. “Evening.” The deep, husky timbre gets beneath the material of my dress and rests on my skin.
“Evening.”
“Fancy seeing you here.”
“Fancy seeing you here,” I reply coolly, spotting and loving the minuscule tilt of his mouth at the corner as he takes a sip of his drink. His gorgeous grey eyes keep me rooted to the spot.
“I noticed a certain dashing Edward Holcot sniffed you out.”
I look over my shoulder, seeing the harem of women are all back around him like flies around shit. “He’s a charmer.”
“Be careful with him, Camryn,” Dec warns lightly, bringing my interested eyes back to him.
“Jealous?”
“Wildly,” he answers, unabashed. “Were you going somewhere?”
“I was just escaping to the ladies’.”
“Escaping?”
“He’s not my cup of tea.”
“What’s your cup of tea?”
“I think you know the answer to that.”
His heavy brow smooths out as his eyebrows lift. “Me.”
I hum, taking a sip of my drink.
“Do you still want to escape?”
I shake my head, saying all the things without saying them. No. No, I don’t. Not now you’re here.
