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Authors: Dara Girard
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quiet, superior smile that confused him.
Alex leaned against the wall and studied her unsure of her strange mood. He didn’t understand her composed features with eyes that revealed nothing but a polite acknowledgement of his presence. He also was unsure of why he cared. “I haven’t seen this town in a while,” he said managing a casual tone. “It would be nice to have someone to show me around.”
“Of course.”
“Someone who knows the place well.”
“Yes.” She smiled at the clerk as she retrieved her coat then handed it to Alex. He frowned at being turned into a valet then held it out for her to slip into. He let his fingers brush against the back of her neck, amazed by her soft, warm skin. He reached to touch a loose tendril when she spun around and sent him an odd look. Before he could say anything, the look disappeared and she began buttoning her coat. He liked watching her quick, efficient fingers. She could probably unbutton things just as quickly, the thought made his breathing shallow.
What was wrong with him?
He folded his arms. “Are you trying to be obtuse or don’t you want to go out with me?”
Isabella stopped buttoning her coat and looked up at him. “No, I do not want to go out with you.”
He stiffened, for a moment he felt as if his heart had stopped. “You’re turning me down?”
“Yes.” She completed buttoning her coat.
He watched her, stunned. “Why?”
“Let’s just say that I’m not on the market.”
“You’re involved with someone?” he asked doubtfully.
“No, I’m just not interested.” She moved to walk away, but he blocked her path determined to get the answers he wanted.
“Let me understand this.” He paused trying to gather his chaotic thoughts. Her refusal made no sense. “You’re not seeing anyone, but you don’t want to go out with me because…” He stopped, allowing her a chance to fill in the blanks.
She smiled with a patient indulgence that infuriated him. “You really don’t understand?”
He swallowed his gathering anger and said in a tight voice, “No.”
“Come on.” She slipped a warm, slender hand in his and led him to the ballroom as though he were a little boy. Alex didn’t mind the intent, he planned to prove that he was otherwise. She stopped behind a pillar where they could watch everyone undetected. Isabella began to release his hand, but Alex tightened his hold.
She turned to him and narrowed her eyes; he blinked looking innocent. Then she smiled, with the knowing wisdom of a lion watching a kitten trying to outwit it. The expression annoyed Alex, but he still didn’t release her hand. She returned her gaze to the crowd.
“They all look wonderful, don’t they?” she asked.
Alex nodded not trusting himself to speak.
“But do you know what I see?”
He shook his head.
“A group of children bragging about who has the biggest toys and who their friends are.”
He rested his free hand on the pillar, his eyes darkening to onyx. “And you see me as one of those children?”
She kept her gaze on the crowd. “Right now you’re the one with the most toys. Everyone wants to play with you. However, I’m too old for this.” She turned to him and the coldness in her gaze matched his. “Find someone else to play with.” She sent a significant glance at their locked hands.
Alex ignored the hint and smiled cynically. “Life is all about strategy. I’m not sentimental. I’m not a romantic. I’m practical. I’m also rich and handsome. Do you know what that makes me?”
“Arrogant?”
He gripped the pillar a moment then let his fingers relax. “No,” he said in a cool, controlled tone. “It makes me eligible. It gives me leverage. Trust me, I know. I’ve been without leverage before.”
“This isn’t business.”
“Don’t fool yourself. Everything is business.”
“Relationships are more complicated than that.”
“Only if you let them. People should say what they mean, and mean what they
Alex leaned against the wall and studied her unsure of her strange mood. He didn’t understand her composed features with eyes that revealed nothing but a polite acknowledgement of his presence. He also was unsure of why he cared. “I haven’t seen this town in a while,” he said managing a casual tone. “It would be nice to have someone to show me around.”
“Of course.”
“Someone who knows the place well.”
“Yes.” She smiled at the clerk as she retrieved her coat then handed it to Alex. He frowned at being turned into a valet then held it out for her to slip into. He let his fingers brush against the back of her neck, amazed by her soft, warm skin. He reached to touch a loose tendril when she spun around and sent him an odd look. Before he could say anything, the look disappeared and she began buttoning her coat. He liked watching her quick, efficient fingers. She could probably unbutton things just as quickly, the thought made his breathing shallow.
What was wrong with him?
He folded his arms. “Are you trying to be obtuse or don’t you want to go out with me?”
Isabella stopped buttoning her coat and looked up at him. “No, I do not want to go out with you.”
He stiffened, for a moment he felt as if his heart had stopped. “You’re turning me down?”
“Yes.” She completed buttoning her coat.
He watched her, stunned. “Why?”
“Let’s just say that I’m not on the market.”
“You’re involved with someone?” he asked doubtfully.
“No, I’m just not interested.” She moved to walk away, but he blocked her path determined to get the answers he wanted.
“Let me understand this.” He paused trying to gather his chaotic thoughts. Her refusal made no sense. “You’re not seeing anyone, but you don’t want to go out with me because…” He stopped, allowing her a chance to fill in the blanks.
She smiled with a patient indulgence that infuriated him. “You really don’t understand?”
He swallowed his gathering anger and said in a tight voice, “No.”
“Come on.” She slipped a warm, slender hand in his and led him to the ballroom as though he were a little boy. Alex didn’t mind the intent, he planned to prove that he was otherwise. She stopped behind a pillar where they could watch everyone undetected. Isabella began to release his hand, but Alex tightened his hold.
She turned to him and narrowed her eyes; he blinked looking innocent. Then she smiled, with the knowing wisdom of a lion watching a kitten trying to outwit it. The expression annoyed Alex, but he still didn’t release her hand. She returned her gaze to the crowd.
“They all look wonderful, don’t they?” she asked.
Alex nodded not trusting himself to speak.
“But do you know what I see?”
He shook his head.
“A group of children bragging about who has the biggest toys and who their friends are.”
He rested his free hand on the pillar, his eyes darkening to onyx. “And you see me as one of those children?”
She kept her gaze on the crowd. “Right now you’re the one with the most toys. Everyone wants to play with you. However, I’m too old for this.” She turned to him and the coldness in her gaze matched his. “Find someone else to play with.” She sent a significant glance at their locked hands.
Alex ignored the hint and smiled cynically. “Life is all about strategy. I’m not sentimental. I’m not a romantic. I’m practical. I’m also rich and handsome. Do you know what that makes me?”
“Arrogant?”
He gripped the pillar a moment then let his fingers relax. “No,” he said in a cool, controlled tone. “It makes me eligible. It gives me leverage. Trust me, I know. I’ve been without leverage before.”
“This isn’t business.”
“Don’t fool yourself. Everything is business.”
“Relationships are more complicated than that.”
“Only if you let them. People should say what they mean, and mean what they
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