When I talk to him, I feel better.

Edgar Moffatt, my sweet distraction.

The only problem is our friendship isn’t even real.

Elliot only wants me for sex and I have to lie to Edgar for him to even talk to me.

I angrily swipe the tears away so I can read his messages.

I know it’s bad; my life is a mess.

My phone rings and the name Elliot lights up the screen, and my heart somersaults in my chest.

“Hello.” I smile as I answer it. I haven’t spoken to him since I called him to say thank you for my flowers a few days ago.

“Hi,” his deep, sexy voice replies.

“How are you?” I ask. It feels good to hear his voice. I mean, I message Edgar every day but he doesn’t know it’s me.

“I’m back in London.”

I frown. “I thought you were getting back next week.”

“I couldn’t wait to see you.”

My mouth drops open in surprise. “Really?”

“Yes, really. I’ll pick you up at seven tonight?”

I smile. “Okay.”

“See you then.”

He hangs up and I put my hands over my mouth.

Holy shit . . . he couldn’t wait to see me.

I stare at myself in the full-length mirror in awe. I’m pimped up to the nines and I like what I see.

Daniel has had a field day picking out my clothes for tonight—we shopped up a storm today. I’m wearing a black fitted dress with spaghetti straps and nude stilettos; my blonde hair is out and full and I have natural makeup on.

I may have also had a little spray tan and I hope he doesn’t notice. I don’t want to appear like I’m trying too hard.

It’s just turned seven when the headlights pull up out the front, and I put on my long black coat and make my way downstairs.

Daniel’s door opens and I point to him in a warning. “Don’t come out here.”

“Have fun.”

I blow him a kiss and he waves, before closing his bedroom door again. I asked them to stay in their rooms while Elliot picked me up, just for tonight. It’s awkward enough without adding other people to the mix.

He knocks at the door and I close my eyes—here we go.

I open the door in a rush and there he stands: black jeans, grey shirt, and a blazer.

His dark hair is messed to perfection and his big, blue eyes smile as he sees me.

“Hi,” I breathe.

He steps forward and takes me firmly into his arms and kisses me, no hello, no warning.

Just lips, and suction, and oh hell . . . I’ve had a good night already.

Chapter 10

He stands back and with my hand in his, he holds it up while his gaze drops to my toes and back up to my face. “You look beautiful,” he whispers.

I smile softly.

He kisses me again. “Let’s go, before I eat my dessert before dinner.”

He leads me out to the Bentley and opens the rear door and I slide in.

The driver nods in a greeting, and Elliot slides into the seat beside me.

“Andrew, this Kate.”

“Hello.”

“Hi.”

Andrew pulls out into the traffic and Elliot holds my hand on his lap; his thumb dusts back and forth over it as if he’s deep in thought.

“How was New York?” I whisper. Can Andrew hear what we are saying? This is weird, having someone listen to our conversation.

Elliot gives me a slow, sexy smile and leans down and takes my lips in his. “It didn’t hold me there, put it that way,” he murmurs against my lips; his thumb rubs back and forth over my cheekbone as he stares down at me.

Oh . . .

Good grief, this man wrote the book on seduction.

I already want my dessert too.

I smile bashfully as I feel my cheeks heat.

He’s so intense.

He pulls back and licks his lips, tasting my lipstick. “In a moment, Andrew is going to drop you at the restaurant. We will circle the block and you will go in and say you are a guest of Mr. Miles—they will take you to a private dining room.”

My face falls.

“I’ll join you in two minutes. We’ll have privacy this way.” He lifts my hand and kisses the back of it as if to soften the blow; he can sense my disappointment. “You’ll get used to it, sweetheart,” he says softly. “This is how I am.”

I fake a smile and turn my attention out of the window; he doesn’t want to be photographed with me.

Stop it.

“Maybe I should do a runner before you get there,” I murmur.

He chuckles. “Try it and see what happens to you.” He lifts my hand to his lips once more. “I would track you down.”

“I can run fast,” I tease.

“I run faster.”

We stare at each other and I get the feeling that on some level I’ve just been warned.

He likes control.

“We don’t have to go to a restaurant if you don’t want to,” I offer. “Seems like a lot of hassle.”

“No, I’ve booked already. It’s my favorite, the food and cocktails are to die for. You’ll like it, I promise.”

I nod and he holds my hand on his lap.

Moments later the car pulls up outside an Italian restaurant. I can see a few photographers seated on crates just up the road.

“I’ll let you out around the corner, Kate,” Andrew says casually.

“Okay.”

The car turns the corner and pulls over. “Just go into the foyer of Bella Donna and tell them you’re a guest of Mr. Miles, they’re expecting you,” Elliot reminds me.

I nod. “Okay.” I go to get out of the car and he pulls me back into the seat and kisses me once more. My nervous eyes flick to Andrew in the front seat as he stares straight ahead: how many times has he seen this scenario?

This is weird.

I pull out of his kiss and open the car door in a rush.

I walk around the corner and into the restaurant.

The hostess smiles. “Hello.”

“Hi, I’m a guest of Mr. Miles.”

The woman fakes a smile and looks me up and down. “Of course, this way please.”

I follow her through the restaurant and she opens a large door and we walk down a corridor; she opens another double door and there’s a room with its own fireplace and a table set for two. It’s lit with candles and the room is ultra-romantic.

She pulls out a chair and takes my coat. “Can I get you a drink while you wait for Mr. Miles?”

I stare at her, she knows the drill; how many women does he bring to this room?

“Yes, I’ll have a margarita and a tequila shot, please.”

She smirks.

“Actually, make that two shots.”

“Okay.” She goes to walk off.

“Can you hurry with the shots please?” I all but beg.

She smiles broadly. “One of those nights?”

“You could say that.”

“Sure thing.” She disappears out and I look around the room. Wow. It really is out of this world, looks like I’m in a fancy ski lodge in Switzerland or something . . . not that I’ve ever been to a fancy ski lodge in Switzerland, but this is what I imagine it would look like.

The door opens and Elliot appears, smiles, bends, and kisses me before taking a seat. “Hello.”

He’s very kissy.