Page 52 of Seduced By You

Who the fuck wears a blue tux?

“Barry Sanderson.” He stuck out his hand. I left it hanging in midair. He withdrew, pretending he’d reached for the bottle of wine instead. “Freelance reporter. I’m not here in a professional capacity, though. Benedict and I are old friends. I can promise whatever you say won’t end up splashed on the front of a tabloid.”

“Good. I have deep pockets and a long memory.”

Lee placed her palm on my leg.

Again.

Fuck. On the one hand, I wished she wouldn’t. My dick needed a rest. On the other hand, I never wanted her to let go.

“To answer your question, Mr. Sanderson, I was the wronged party, so, no, it doesn’t bother me that everyone here knows Benedict was the one who cheated on me.”

She turned to me. Her eyes misted over, and, fuck, that look on her face. It was nothing short of adoration. Lee had this acting thing all sewn up. Either that or… or…

No.

Don’t think it, even for a second.

She wasn’t having feelings for me. She was playing the part we’d agreed to.

“Benedict did me a favor, Mr. Sanderson.” She returned her attention to the journalist. “If he hadn’t been unfaithful to me, then I wouldn’t have fallen for someone ten times the man Benedict will ever be. I wish Fenella all the luck in the world. Believe me, she’ll need it.”

She shifted her weight, giving the journalist her back.

Masterful. Fucking masterful.

Our eyes met. Lust ignited in my stomach. She was giving me that look again, the one that, if she were mine, would compel me to lift her into my arms and carry her off to bed, and keep her there for several days.

But she wasn’t mine.

Except…

Christ.

I couldn’t stop these stupid thoughts that she might not be acting after all. I was enjoying this too much, but I shouldn’t.

It’s not real.

It is not real.

Even if it was, I didn’t deserve a woman like Lee. She was worth ten of me. A hundred. She deserved to be with a man without skeletons rattling in his closet that, even now, I couldn’t bring myself to deal with, to face up to. I’d run to my father that night for help, and I’d been running ever since.

Benedict’s throwaway comment aboutinnocent beingspopped into my mind. The boy I’d killed had been far from innocent, but that did not detract from the facts, which haunted my dreams.

I was a murderer.

And no matter what I did, I’d never be good enough for a woman like Lee.

Chapter17

Leesa

Damn. I’d lost the bet.

“Twelve hoursand we’re out of here.” My smile was as fake as our relationship. Kadon bought it, though, because his grin stretched wide across his face.

“Thank Christ for that. It’s beentorturous.”

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