the veranda railing. The night glittered with the lights of the city. It was interesting to be at the same social event as her boss, but as a guest rather than some type of support staff. And it was intriguing to observe the way all these wealthy and famous people treated Mark. She’d thought he was popular and good at operating restaurants. But apparently his talents extended beyond that since several people had wanted his opinion on various investments they were considering.
She took a deep breath of the cool evening air, trying to relax. Yeah, Mark was gorgeous, smart and funny. That only made him more impossible for her. Even if he hadn’t been a playboy—and the son of a playboy—he was totally out of her league.
She was a Rosenberg girl. When she was growing up, adults had looked at her with pity and contempt, certain she’d end up just like her mother. Kids had been worse. They’d spat on her and kicked her and called her horrible names. All of them had known she wasn’t worth anything, and it was all she could manage to claw herself out of the fate everyone had been sure would be hers. But that wasn’t enough to date somebody like Mark.
“Whew.” A man came onto the veranda and sighed. “Do you mind if I hide out here for a bit?”
“Not at all,” she said, bemused and glad for a distraction. He looked just like Mark except for the dark eyes. And his exceptionally clean and classic profile confirmed her suspicion. “Are you one of the Pryce brothers?”
“Yeah. Iain.” He gave her a long stare. “You’re Hilary Rosenberg, right?”
“Yes,” she said, a little surprised.
“I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Hopefully it was mostly complimentary.” Then she remembered the YouTube video and winced inwardly. Maybe not.
He gave her a lopsided grin that looked remarkably like Mark’s. But Iain didn’t make her breath catch or insides warm. “Don’t worry. So, did he beg you to save him from having to date and possibly marry the dreaded heiress?” His eyes sparkled. “I hope you made him get on his knees. You deserve at least that much.”
Self-conscious, she laughed. “Stop teasing.”
“Do I look like the teasing type to you?” He leaned against the railing and they looked out over the city lights. “I’m always serious about women.”
“Mmm. The way Mark is, I’m sure.”
He turned his head and studied her. “You’re pretty direct.”
“Is there any point in not being direct?”
“I suppose not.” He gave her another easy smile. “I can see why my brother’s into you. You’re more interesting than Katarina. So why are you hiding out here? Do you need some solitude away from my no-good brother?”
“No, it’s because some finance guys stole me away from her,” Mark said from behind them. His hands settled around her waist, and it was all she could do to not melt into his warmth. “If you stay here much longer, Mom’s going to track you down. You know how she is.”
Iain sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. I should’ve followed Dane’s example and just run off.”
“Ah, but the heir is poised to return,” Mark said in a pompous announcer’s voice, “so you’ll be safe again soon enough.”
Hilary tilted her head and looked up at Mark. “When?”
“In a few weeks for the Fourth of July party.”
And based on what Kim had said, he wouldn’t be going back to wherever he lived. That was much faster than Hilary had expected.
“Come on. Let’s go back in and mingle.” Mark lowered his head and whispered into her ear, “I want us to be seen. I want everyone to know you’re mine.”
Mine
.
Her stomach fluttered at such a possessive word. Warmth started at the small of her back where his hand still rested and spread to the rest of her. She wanted to lean just a little bit closer to him, angle her body just so, but she swallowed hard and resisted the urge. This was a make-believe relationship. After it was over, he’d return to what he did
She took a deep breath of the cool evening air, trying to relax. Yeah, Mark was gorgeous, smart and funny. That only made him more impossible for her. Even if he hadn’t been a playboy—and the son of a playboy—he was totally out of her league.
She was a Rosenberg girl. When she was growing up, adults had looked at her with pity and contempt, certain she’d end up just like her mother. Kids had been worse. They’d spat on her and kicked her and called her horrible names. All of them had known she wasn’t worth anything, and it was all she could manage to claw herself out of the fate everyone had been sure would be hers. But that wasn’t enough to date somebody like Mark.
“Whew.” A man came onto the veranda and sighed. “Do you mind if I hide out here for a bit?”
“Not at all,” she said, bemused and glad for a distraction. He looked just like Mark except for the dark eyes. And his exceptionally clean and classic profile confirmed her suspicion. “Are you one of the Pryce brothers?”
“Yeah. Iain.” He gave her a long stare. “You’re Hilary Rosenberg, right?”
“Yes,” she said, a little surprised.
“I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Hopefully it was mostly complimentary.” Then she remembered the YouTube video and winced inwardly. Maybe not.
He gave her a lopsided grin that looked remarkably like Mark’s. But Iain didn’t make her breath catch or insides warm. “Don’t worry. So, did he beg you to save him from having to date and possibly marry the dreaded heiress?” His eyes sparkled. “I hope you made him get on his knees. You deserve at least that much.”
Self-conscious, she laughed. “Stop teasing.”
“Do I look like the teasing type to you?” He leaned against the railing and they looked out over the city lights. “I’m always serious about women.”
“Mmm. The way Mark is, I’m sure.”
He turned his head and studied her. “You’re pretty direct.”
“Is there any point in not being direct?”
“I suppose not.” He gave her another easy smile. “I can see why my brother’s into you. You’re more interesting than Katarina. So why are you hiding out here? Do you need some solitude away from my no-good brother?”
“No, it’s because some finance guys stole me away from her,” Mark said from behind them. His hands settled around her waist, and it was all she could do to not melt into his warmth. “If you stay here much longer, Mom’s going to track you down. You know how she is.”
Iain sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. I should’ve followed Dane’s example and just run off.”
“Ah, but the heir is poised to return,” Mark said in a pompous announcer’s voice, “so you’ll be safe again soon enough.”
Hilary tilted her head and looked up at Mark. “When?”
“In a few weeks for the Fourth of July party.”
And based on what Kim had said, he wouldn’t be going back to wherever he lived. That was much faster than Hilary had expected.
“Come on. Let’s go back in and mingle.” Mark lowered his head and whispered into her ear, “I want us to be seen. I want everyone to know you’re mine.”
Mine
.
Her stomach fluttered at such a possessive word. Warmth started at the small of her back where his hand still rested and spread to the rest of her. She wanted to lean just a little bit closer to him, angle her body just so, but she swallowed hard and resisted the urge. This was a make-believe relationship. After it was over, he’d return to what he did
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