Page 95 of Virgin's Stolen Nights with the Boss

‘It’s fine.’

‘I knew there had to be a reason.’ Eleanor sighed again. ‘You haven’t even shaved...’ Then she smiled at him. ‘Well done again for today!’

‘Thanks.’ He looked at his father, and then back to his mother, and knew how lucky he was. ‘It means a lot that you’re here.’

‘Of course,’ his father barked, and even though William Henley loathed the way his son’s passion had taken him away from the family business, he was still here, supporting him.

Elias went over to join some of his teammates, and right on cue, Seraphina made her way towards him. ‘I just heard about you and Wanda.’

Elias said nothing. Refused to react.

‘I thought you’d been a little off lately...’

Seraphina spoke in a little girl’s voice at times, and if there was one thing he couldn’t abide it was grown women doing that.

‘What happened?’ she asked.

She put a hand on his arm and Elias wanted to brush her off, or get in some dig about how he’d met someone else, someone with integrity... He wanted to turn and look into her Machiavellian eyes and tell her he’d found love...

But there was someone else who deserved to hear that first.

Neededto hear that, perhaps.

OfcourseCarmen wanted guarantees, Elias realised—she was terrified to bare her heart.

‘Excuse me, but I really need to—’

He was going to leave and to hell with the speeches. If Carmen had left already, then he’d head straight to LAX.

But even as his decision was made there was a stir in the room...

‘Look at you!’

He heard Laura’s incredulous voice and he turned.

And there was Carmen.

She certainly did not need a trip to Beverly Hills with his credit card...

Her black hair was gleaming and there was dark red lipstick on her sultry lips, and even though she hadn’t so much as looked in his direction she wore a smile that he knew was just for him.

‘Who’s that?’ Seraphina exclaimed.

Elias didn’t even answer her. For five years now he’d been trying to come up with the right words to say to his ex sister-in-law, but there were two little words that came easily tonight.

‘Hold that.’

He handed Seraphina his glass, then made his way over to the undisputed belle of the ball, who was now standing with her colleagues and friends.

‘Look at you, Carmen!’ Laura was beaming. ‘How did you get that dress in a backpack?’

‘Well,’ she said in her rich throaty voice, ‘it’s best to be prepared...’

He didn’t know how she’d managed it, but he did know it had taken every last nerve she had to walk into the ball.

After a lifetime of rejection, she had chosen to risk her heart to him.

He would never, ever let her down.

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