Read Online Obsessed (BBW Billionaire Light Romance) by Juliet Michaels - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Juliet Michaels
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she found it difficult to face being near James, especially here, with everyone sitting around.
Emma, with a sudden realisation, took over, asking Elizabeth about New York, how long she’d been there, was it the first time, and the conversation began to flow. Elizabeth explained that she’d been making arrangements to open a small office in New York, and the difficulty of finding suitable accommodation. She was polished, interesting and completely at ease with new people.
Leah found herself sitting next to James as he took the only empty seat, and she quietly tried to shuffle her chair further away. She just wanted to melt into the background, for the evening to be over and to get away.
As the conversation became more lively, and the food arrived, Leah managed to whisper to Lucy, who was seated on her other side, "I didn't know you'd invited the others? I thought it was just us ..." She kept her voice low.
"Oh, Sam invited them,” Lucy whispered back. “He said we had to ask James, as he paid for the wedding, and Elizabeth is his girlfriend.”
Leah managed to calm down. She avoided looking at James and tried to follow the general talk. Lucy and Sam suddenly decided that they wanted to order some special champagne. They both got up and went to have a word with the manager. Elizabeth said she was going to find the cloakroom, and, before Leah could stop her, Emma stood and said she would go, too.
Leah made to rise from her chair, as there was no way she wanted to be left alone with James , but all of a sudden she felt his hand come across, under the table, holding her knee, pinning her to the chair.
They were alone.
"I didn't know you would be here," James said quietly. "Sam invited me and Elizabeth, I thought it was going to be just the four of us."
Leah looked at him at last.
Her eyes looking directly into his as she spoke. "Same here,” she said. “We thought Lucy had just invited the bridesmaids."
"I don't want to make you feel awkward, but ..."
"Then take your hand off my knee," Leah cut in.
"Sorry," he said as he removed it, but he gave a little smile at the same time, and Leah instantly knew that he'd felt her tremble as he held her.
It was still there: the instant, insistent urge flaring between them. She breathed deeply. She had to control herself.
A moment later, everyone returned to the table and the champagne arrived. Leah drained her glass, then became aware of James watching her. He must think she always drank too quickly and too much. So she slowed down, but at the same time found herself wondering why on Earth she should care what he thought.
Sam and Elizabeth had pushed their chairs closer and were deep in conversation, every so often bursting into laughter. They seemed to get on so well. And Lucy, as charming as ever, kept up a flow of talk which Emma joined in on too.
Only James and Leah remained rather quiet. Leah was surprised to notice that two hours had gone by so quickly. Just then James stood up and touched Elizabeth's shoulder.
"I asked my driver to come around ten, so we should make a move," he said.
"It's early, Elizabeth replied, glancing up at him. “I'm not ready to go yet."
"Well, you've only flown back this morning. I thought you might be tired, and I don't want to keep Harry hanging around too long," James said, as he remained standing.
There was a small silence, an under-lying battle of wills, then Elizabeth stood up.
"Thank you for a lovely, if short, evening," she said to the table. "We must all get together again before Canada."
It was perfectly said, all in good manners, but Leah could see that James was fuming.
§
They finished up the drinks, then said goodbye and Leah and Emma walked slowly back to the house.
"Was that a bit awkward for you?" Emma asked.
"Yes, but it probably had to happen that we would meet again at some point, so I’m just glad that's it over."
"He seems quite nice, for a millionaire," Emma observed.
"How many do
Emma, with a sudden realisation, took over, asking Elizabeth about New York, how long she’d been there, was it the first time, and the conversation began to flow. Elizabeth explained that she’d been making arrangements to open a small office in New York, and the difficulty of finding suitable accommodation. She was polished, interesting and completely at ease with new people.
Leah found herself sitting next to James as he took the only empty seat, and she quietly tried to shuffle her chair further away. She just wanted to melt into the background, for the evening to be over and to get away.
As the conversation became more lively, and the food arrived, Leah managed to whisper to Lucy, who was seated on her other side, "I didn't know you'd invited the others? I thought it was just us ..." She kept her voice low.
"Oh, Sam invited them,” Lucy whispered back. “He said we had to ask James, as he paid for the wedding, and Elizabeth is his girlfriend.”
Leah managed to calm down. She avoided looking at James and tried to follow the general talk. Lucy and Sam suddenly decided that they wanted to order some special champagne. They both got up and went to have a word with the manager. Elizabeth said she was going to find the cloakroom, and, before Leah could stop her, Emma stood and said she would go, too.
Leah made to rise from her chair, as there was no way she wanted to be left alone with James , but all of a sudden she felt his hand come across, under the table, holding her knee, pinning her to the chair.
They were alone.
"I didn't know you would be here," James said quietly. "Sam invited me and Elizabeth, I thought it was going to be just the four of us."
Leah looked at him at last.
Her eyes looking directly into his as she spoke. "Same here,” she said. “We thought Lucy had just invited the bridesmaids."
"I don't want to make you feel awkward, but ..."
"Then take your hand off my knee," Leah cut in.
"Sorry," he said as he removed it, but he gave a little smile at the same time, and Leah instantly knew that he'd felt her tremble as he held her.
It was still there: the instant, insistent urge flaring between them. She breathed deeply. She had to control herself.
A moment later, everyone returned to the table and the champagne arrived. Leah drained her glass, then became aware of James watching her. He must think she always drank too quickly and too much. So she slowed down, but at the same time found herself wondering why on Earth she should care what he thought.
Sam and Elizabeth had pushed their chairs closer and were deep in conversation, every so often bursting into laughter. They seemed to get on so well. And Lucy, as charming as ever, kept up a flow of talk which Emma joined in on too.
Only James and Leah remained rather quiet. Leah was surprised to notice that two hours had gone by so quickly. Just then James stood up and touched Elizabeth's shoulder.
"I asked my driver to come around ten, so we should make a move," he said.
"It's early, Elizabeth replied, glancing up at him. “I'm not ready to go yet."
"Well, you've only flown back this morning. I thought you might be tired, and I don't want to keep Harry hanging around too long," James said, as he remained standing.
There was a small silence, an under-lying battle of wills, then Elizabeth stood up.
"Thank you for a lovely, if short, evening," she said to the table. "We must all get together again before Canada."
It was perfectly said, all in good manners, but Leah could see that James was fuming.
§
They finished up the drinks, then said goodbye and Leah and Emma walked slowly back to the house.
"Was that a bit awkward for you?" Emma asked.
"Yes, but it probably had to happen that we would meet again at some point, so I’m just glad that's it over."
"He seems quite nice, for a millionaire," Emma observed.
"How many do
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