Alice threaded her fingers through his and squeezed. Her dark gaze was soft with understanding.
How did shedothat?
He didn’t need understanding. His life was exactly as he wanted it.
‘I think—’ Alice turned to the artist ‘—you’d better mingle with your guests. We don’t want to monopolise you.’
The guy shrugged, obviously happy basking in Alice’s enthusiasm. And enjoying the delectable picture she made in that short dress.
Adoni leaned closer. ‘Yes, it’s important you circulate. It will help sales.’
The guy took one look at Adoni’s face and agreed.
‘You’ve got an admirer. He looked smitten.’ Adoni smiled when Alice’s gaze instantly left the artist and turned tohim. Their eyes met and he felt that familiar buzz. Anticipation. Possessiveness.
It should bother him. It had been years since he’d felt proprietorial about a woman. Yet somehow—
‘He was hoping for a sale, that’s all.’ She gave a self-deprecating smile. ‘He probably thought I had the money to buy one of his works.’
Did she really not understand how attractive she was, with her elegance and vivacity?
All night she’d been a flame drawing moths as other guests responded to her. She was bright, fun and truly interested in them.
‘Adoni!’ A blonde socialite air-kissed him with enthusiasm then turned to Alice. ‘Here he is, Alice.’ She introduced a young man as an aspiring jewellery maker. ‘He’s interested in the artists’ colony you mentioned,andseeing that stunning choker up close.’
Adoni watched, annoyed, as the guy moved in for a close-up view that included the top of Alice’s breasts above her low-cut gown. Had her breasts always been that full or had they changed with pregnancy? Two nights ago they’d filled Adoni’s hands to perfection.
He reached out to yank the guy back by the scruff of his neck when Alice’s fingers caught his. Her intimate smile momentarily derailed his thoughts.
Then she freed her hand and unclipped the necklace. Handing it to the jeweller, she leaned into Adoni. ‘It’s the necklace he’s interested in.’
Adoni merely raised one eyebrow and hauled her hard against his side, staking his claim.
For a second Alice looked surprised, then she smiled a cat-that-got-the-cream smile that made Adoni’s temperature spike. If she kept looking at him like that...
Yet Adoni forced himself to be patient, not cut her evening short. There was a different sort of pleasure in being with her here.
When he’d taken Chryssa out, she hadn’t engaged with others so much as thrived on their adulation as she paraded her latest expensive outfit. He’d realised too late he was a trophy to show off, a means to climb the social ladder and fund her lifestyle.
Alice, by contrast, was interested in people, vibrant and amusing as she chatted, not about herself but about them and art and a hundred other things.
Plus she responded to him as a man, a companion, not a shortcut to the good life, turning to him again and again, drawing him into the conversation.
She was as genuine as he’d first thought her. After a lifetime dealing with people whose professed love masked pride and selfishness, he appreciated how special that was.
But below that, humming through each pulse of his blood, was a demand he could no longer ignore.
Finally, after another half-hour, Adoni murmured in her ear, ‘We need to leave.’
Questioning eyes met his. What she read in his face he didn’t know but she blushed and her pupils dilated. He felt her shudder and her back arched to his touch as if inviting a caress.
‘Now!’ His voice cracked on the word. He’d stayed for her sake but if he didn’t have her soon he’d combust.
‘Yes.’ Her whisper feathered his chin, evoking a surge of pure triumph.
Their goodbyes were rushed. No doubt everyone guessed the reason for their sudden urgency but Adoni didn’t give a damn. All he cared about was Alice, wrapping his arms around her, sinking into her slick, tight body and losing his mind.
‘Adoni!’ Her breathy voice almost undid him as he strode out onto the pavement. ‘Wait. I can’t go this fast in heels.’